[Dialogue] Reflecting on the year that is passing . . .

[James Wiegel]

Jim Wiegel here.  Last year we had a wonderful interchange around good questions for a year end review or reflection.  They were so much fun, I saved them.  See attached.In addition, I have attached 2 pages for a more formal review of the past year and preparation for the one coming.  Enjoy. An ORID for reviewing the year (at least some questions to get you
 started) (with thanks to John Cock, Jack Gilles, Izzy Gissel, Kathleen Osta and many other contributors).RECALL WHAT HAPPENED – OBJECTIVE LEVEL QUESTIONSØ     What are all the things that I experienced, that happened to me, over this past year?  (Take some time to review the year.  Go through month by month -- (use your sticky wall?) and recall many of the different things that you experienced over these 12 months in work, in community, in family and/or in the world, in your lived reality of encounters with actual people and settings in spaces and in time).  Go through your calendar, your photos, emails, letters, files to see what you missed.
Ø     What global news events have had the most impact? 
Ø   5 planetary events of the past year 
Ø   10 events I participated in (maybe by months) 
Ø   5 people I remember (beyond family or friends) 
Ø   5 places I visited, near and far 
Ø   5 books/poems/articlesØ     5 movies/TV shows/plays/sport eventsØ     What do you recall of image, sound, beat, light, move, dance in 2007?Ø     What are memorable things people said, or decisions that were made?Ø     What has happened to those closest to you?  Ø     Who are the 10-20 people who were the main and supporting characters in the drama or partners in the dance of this past year?  What happened to them?Ø     What
 new thoughts, concepts, books came into your life?  RE-EXPERIENCE THE JOURNEY – REFLECTIVE LEVEL QUESTIONSØ     What added seasoning and spice -- salty, sweet, bitter, sour, umamiØ     What was your favorite belly laugh on the year?  Anything really silly happen?Ø     What were the underlying struggles or tensions?Ø     What were the "seasons" you experienced over 2007:Ø     What were the characteristics of these various seasons as you see them?  hot, cold, subtle changes, one long . . .Ø     Where did you experience hope and joy?  darkness and despair?Ø     Where did you weep?  shout with rage?  dance with joy?  fall in love? stand with conviction?  Weep?Ø     Any unexpected occurrences (adding too much, too little, forget to pay attention to time, needing to substitute for a missing ingredient)?  Ø     RE-CREATE THE MEANING – INTERPRETIVE LEVEL QUESTIONSØ     Look over what happened this
 year until some event begins to call to you.  circle that event, take a piece of paper and just start writing about that event.  Tell its story, the details, the setting, what happened, the significance.  When you run out, pick another and do the same . . .Ø     What are the roots of your feelings about this year?Ø     What are things you saw or heard this year that are going to stay with you?  things you have seen in yourself, in
 others?Ø     What are your insights on the year?  Which are important?  Why?Ø     What connections do you see across levels? (between your personal life and the world, between work and personal, between nation and family?Ø     What has the journey of this  year been like for you?Ø     What was going on?  What was really going on?Ø     How would you characterize this year using a song or book title? (I love that question)Ø     If you were reading a synopsis of your year's life events but someone else's name was plugged in, what would you admire that person for?Ø     Suppose your year was a meal -- where was the prep?  appetizer?  entree?  dessert?  clean up??Ø     What recipe were you following?  Did the result match the expectations from the recipe?  Did you have everything you needed to make the dish?
Ø   What “Keys” made this year unique?  Why? 
Ø   Key personal event 
Ø   Key family event of the past year 
Ø   Key community event 
Ø   Key personal struggle 
Ø   Key personal creation 
Ø   The journey of the past year has been likeØ   What was really going on with me this past year Ø     RE-ENGAGE WITH YOUR LIFE – DECISIONAL LEVEL QUESTIONS
Ø   The meaning of this year is 
Ø   My name for the past year: The Great Year of ________________ 
Ø   Looking to next year, what do I intend? 
Ø   Who am I going to be in the coming year? 
Ø   What is my greatest need? 
Ø   3 things I’m focused on beyond self 
Ø   My prayer for the earth community 
Ø   3 things I intend to participate in 
Ø   You must do the thing you think you cannot do. ~Eleanor Roosevelt  During the new year that “thing” is _____________________Ø     What are ya gonna do in the new year?Ø     What intentions have developed in you / have you developed as a result?Ø     What new food dishes ideas come from this experienceØ     How will you celebrate?Ø     What would you like to be able to say at the end of the coming year about what happened? Ø     What's the "one thing" you wanna be able to say is different, stronger or deeper?  ADAPTATION OF THE WALL OF WONDER:  The next 2 pages are a fill in the blanks adaptation of the Wall of Wonder method.  The first page is an opportunity to step back and recall the journey this year has been for you.  The second page is an opportunity to step back even further.  Let us know if you use them.

Jim Wiegel

The essence of ultimate decision remains impenetrable to the observer - often, indeed, to the decider himself (...) There will always be the dark and tangled stretches in the decision-making process - mysterious even to those who may be intimately involved. John F. Kennedy

401 North Beverly Way 
Tolleson, Arizona 85353-2401
+1 623-936-8671
+1 623-363-3277
jfwiegel at yahoo.com
www.partnersinparticipation.com


      
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