[Dialogue] ToP Foundations

[Ken Fisher]

Dear Wayne,

So good to chat with a Property Guy.  I had the keys, electrical and plumbing for 117 units of housing for almost a year, Fall-Spring '68-'69, then off to E.G. for a quarter with summer camps in Pa. and the Ottawa Valley.

My best story from that era was being called to the Jet Hanger in the dead of winter, early in the morning, to fix the heat for Gene Beasley, Flozell Williams and the gang (that 'protected' us from other gangs by virtue of having an apartment in 3444 and use of the Jet Hanger).  I was in a pit where the oil furnace was located.  It was cold.  The gang of about 6 or 7, with their bandanas, 'dew-rags' (and weapons?) were standing around the top looking down at me, pushing the reset button.

Then I said in a loud voice, "This isn't worth a piece of coon shit!"

I looked, saw their faces, and 'got it' for the first time.  Growing up with my Nova Scotia grandfather in Ottawa, I never gave his (my) expression any thought until that moment.

For them, I was an insignificant pip-squeek.  And maybe I could fix the furnace.



My Gen. B.A. from Carleton and Queens is in partly in Philosophy.

I have tried to read Heidegger more than a few times.  Yesterday on the CBC, the Bertram Russell Chair of the Dept. of Phil at Oxford (or Cambridge) described Heidegger as opaque, writing in an obscure language (like Tolkien) except that Tolkien's is intelligible.  He regarded Heidegger as a 20th Century distraction.  (And so do I.)

One bit of Heidegger that I did read with great interest was an essay on the role of the poet in philosophy.  Maybe you read that essay also.  In it he describes the role of the poet as metaphorically verbalizing that which is 'between the no-longer and the not-yet'.  For me that line has never been adequately attributed.  Sorry I no longer have the book.  It was on the shelf at the Academy, when I was teaching there.

I would put Heidegger in the periphery if even referring to him at all.  From the spring of '68 on through the NRM-NSV, OW, Profound Humaness, weeks of Ecclesiola, etc. I don't recall any reference whatsoever to Mr. H.

And then there is the business of his joining the Nazis - along with Nietzsche's sister, the editor of his 'superman' works.


Another part of the story that I liked, was to reference Barth (?) as the author of the Art Form method.

As I recall, his approach to remythologizing sripture (David McClesky or Gene Marshall would know) was to ask

1. What was the historical context?
2. What did it mean then?
3. If this were said today, how would it be stated?
4. So, what is the demand on you/us, hearing that today?


Best wishes for your paper.

Grace & Peace,

Ken






On 2011-01-25, at 4:23 PM, Wayne Nelson wrote:


I have been working for some time on an article about the foundations of ToP methodology.  I’d like to share it with you. I would encourage you to read it and provide some feedback. I’ve learned a lot in doing this. I want to learn more and help us all deepen our understanding and practice as ToP facilitators. 

It’s long and likely challenging. It certainly was challenging to write. So – it’s kind of a long drink of water.

It is written in what I would call “internal” language. I don’t think it is in a form to be properly understood beyond the ICA - ToP community at this point. 

This is a draft version. As you’ll see, there are potentially more sections. I’d like your ideas. I’d like your corrections and questions. I’d like ideas on how to use it and what difference it makes. I’d like to hear what questions it raises for you. I’d like to hear your thoughts on how it impacts our practice as ToP facilitators. It’s like a conversation and an informal peer review.  

Love to hear from you

 \\/



< >  < >  < >  < >  < > 
Wayne Nelson - ICA Associates Inc
ICA - 416-691-2316 - - - Cell – 647-229-6910
http://ica-associates.ca

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