Harvest -- January 13, 2008 Conference Call

February 1, 2008
As harvested by Lenore. See below. Or download at: http://www.box.net/shared/a6d7bzq4gw

Harvesting Notes –
Gardeners of Peace Phone Council –
01.13.08


“How can we tap into the collective power of our hearts and become aware of our ‘real’ place in the world?”

“Whether you tend a garden or not, you are the gardener of your own being, the seed of your own destiny.”



The council was opened with a check in as to what brought people to the call and GoP:

- I am attracted to, in a simple way, the connection to the heart and soul
- Quote from Marcel Proust: “If a little dreaming is dangerous, then the cure is to dream more.”
- Dare to dream a little- wondered how this process would work out as we are usually problem solving groups. What else could the world be? What else is possible for us?
- I came to the call through a friend. I am a landscape architect, theatre before that. I help people create landscapes – am very spiritual. We are all changed by our conversations. I am familiar with circle work. The Native Americans (here in Southwest) use the talking piece as a ‘listening piece’- The speaker is being listened aloud.
- I am pleased to be on this call; am an Art of Hosting practitioner, interested in the power of place, and ‘breathing’ places.
- Congratulations (to GoP) for what you are doing. I am impressed by what you are doing to help others gather. What really made me think I would like to join is how positive you are- and how you hope for a positive world. In Rwanda, where I come from, this is lacking. It is vital to be with people who are positive. Important experiences in my life and heart have been when someone has told me that I helped inspire them- because I told her that we all have a mission in life and a reason we are here.
- Consistent theme in my life has been to listen with each other- the collective process/co-creation, where the unimaginable can come together. The edge- of not knowing. What will happen when we speak- this an edge for me. The garden is about seeds and flourishing; to dream together the most imaginable. I want to join more and more groups like this to participate in this collective process- that is emerging through us.
- When I received the invitation I was drawn to the call and message. I am not a gardener, but spiritual and want to create more peace in myself and in the worlds. Trying to get touch with my higher self and spiritual self. It’s always good to be with other positive people to help me/us hold the vision. The last few years I have been drawn from working with technology to working with people who are spiritual, healers, life coaching- still trying to get my mission in life and am getting there. I think this group will help me move forward.
- Thank you for inviting me to this collective group- a pleasure to listen and learn and to help.
- It’s great to be here- I agree with what has been spoken thus far. To be honest, one of my main interests is with a group I am involved with- Spiritual Progressives. There seems to be a lot of connection between the 2 groups. The interest is in dialoging about peace in the world. Drawn to our values, compassion, seeing the sacred in everyone on the planet. If you start with these values as opposed to political stands that can be divisive, you can share more with others- with their values. Spiritual progressives are helping me to develop my own inner energy (www.spiritualprogressives.org).
- I joined late and heard the last 4 speakers; I am drawn to the GoP (Gardeners of Peace) because I am in an important transition in my life after years of working without an inner sense of peace. I want to understand how I can contribute to the exchange here.
- I have been on a spiritual path – a meaningful one. I would like to share a story: I traveled to Singapore a few weeks ago. On the flights out and back, we had similar experiences related to rules and authority. This is not a coincidence as I have been trying to “fight” rules and authority in my life. The airport security in Tokyo would not allow us to bring duty free liquor bought in Newark, NJ (bringing to family in the east). Although we talked to them (security), they said there was nothing they could do. My wife even talked to the boss - who thanked her for her ‘understanding’ and then kept the bottle. We experienced ‘facing a wall’. On the way back, transiting in Beijing, we were late (sort of) in checking back in and found that our seats had been given away. We were seated very far apart (after having had reservations- and traveling a long distance). The person at the checkout counter was Chinese and my wife spoke with her. She wouldn’t hear her about our being late. It made me think about how rules are directing our lives and as such, I see the Gardeners able to co-create their own organic (non-rule abiding) structure- to me, this experience reflects on how much progress the world needs to make to listen to itself - not just blindly listening to a so-called ‘higher authority.’

The question was spoken about the ‘power of our collective hearts’:

-When we move into our hearts we are more in a dreaming place- we can move into a deeper place- we don’t’ know what will happen but that is part of the collective power of our hearts.
- I had no idea what to expect when I came to this call- everyone who has spoken has added some richness for me. The question of our collective hearts- if others can be as open as those on this call- it’s a beginning. It begins with love and eventually pours in and out of the group. I dream of this as a way of life for everyone- the fertilization of our soul- we are not centered- we are disconnected. I am not sure what I can contribute but something will come to me – and add richness to my soul and to this.
- I have had a lot living in me from my last week’s hosting experience. When I began to work with the group (educational admistrators), I began to talk about the open heart and moving into the open heart. The hosting team wanted to go into this space, not afraid. But they worried that their 20-30 colleagues would say this is ‘soft and flaky’. They warned us to be careful- “people are not going to go for this”. Over the next few days, the open heartedness expanded. The simple question was asked: “What is the passion and heart that brought people into the room?” This created space for engagement- the pace can work with them and work with us. At the end of the time, people were in tears- expressions of shock that they would be so open hearted after so long of not doing this. Sometimes it’s the very simple things that have impact.
- I can see why my friend referred me to this group- I hear the story ‘what is the thread that you carry no matter what you do?’ And what are the seeds? Seeds have seed coats- the shedding of the coat is an ‘aggressive’ process- it experiences fire, ice, and then shed. When we are working at our own lives, and reach something difficult. It’s not just opening our hearts to other people- if you were to think about a seed or a thread- what is the thread that you carry?
- Thoughts about the ‘collective’ come to me. I think about the earth ripples – not just the people on the call, but more ripples- the more we are opening our hearts- the more others will. Gardeners of Peace appear to me today as a community to ‘be’ rather than a group to ‘do’ (the GoP). It’s a question of the world- being a garden in the world.
- What came to my mind regarding collective power of our hearts – was the most connected I feel to others is when I am intentional. I have done Reiki- and I can send something into this group- what I heard in the beginning was that everyone is at a different place of wanting to transform. Reiki helps others transform into what other ways they would like to be. Sending Reiki – is power from the heart.
- The GoP – are about ‘being’ not ‘doing’. It is a container, a vessel, not rigid, but porous.
- The last few speakers have talked about ‘being’ in our individual and collective capacities. At first I thought “that’s not very much”- but then I realize it is a big deal. “We need to be the peace we want to see in the world.”
- I would like to ask the question: - (Gilles): We would like to get together every month for a phone council. We would like to get together in person in the Spring. Is this of interest to everyone?
- I feel good energy about coming to a monthly meeting. I have a commitment in March, not sure where I will be- but will be open to this.
- It would be great to meet once a month. The in-person meeting would be great, but not sure able to do it- but will do the call.
- I would welcome a call at least once or twice a month – to build the field between us and among us and face to face would be great to plan so that as many people as possible could come.
- A monthly call would be great- and if possible hold a local face to face gathering for those able to come.
- We have expanded the potential here.
- I continue to carry strong feelings of what the purpose of such a gathering would be- relationship building? I’d like to call in the energetic purpose and possibility.

As we close here- a last breath – if you could share one word:
- Beauty
- Momentum
- Gratitude for the space of dreams
- Breathe- if you inhale and exhale there is space in between
- Appreciation for fellow Gardeners
- Positive intention
- Gratitude and inspiration
- Peace we want to be in the world
- Joy

Gilles- in closing: I would like to share a quote from the Findhorn community in Scotland:

“Whether you tend a garden or not, you are the gardener of your own being, the seed of your own destiny.”

Gilles' Gardening story

Dear Fellow Gardeners, dear Traveling Companions,

It is a few days after Christmas on this side of the world and I feel the need to write and tell you a little bit of my story. To write in order to weave a little bit more of community amongst us human beings.

Homo sapiens are ‘animals of belonging’, aren’t we?

Together with my extended family, I’ve enjoyed last night one of my spiciest dishes in a long, long time: prawn curry.

Has my life been that spicy lately? Maybe yes, maybe no—as it’s essentially a question of how you look at the coin which is spinning, and which side you look at. There’s always a more meaningful side, after all, and it helps me, here in this down-vacation-time, to reflect on where I have been, and where I might go on this intriguing path I call ‘life’s mystery.’

The most meaningful and most spiritual event of the fall was by far our Art of Hosting gathering at the Kirkridge retreat center near Bangor, Pennsylvania. It was a delightful time, full of sharing and laughing, and more sharing and communing. Things happened in the circle of life that we formed amongst the thirty-two of us, and it was no exception for me, this time again. My life was changed by the circle in ways that are difficult to capture with words.

I entered the circle that Friday morning by sharing my ‘mourning of my religious identity.’ Why did I coin my introduction that way? I am not so sure, but the only thing I know is that it came from a place deep within. A place that the circle invites you to.

For more than a year, I have questioned the religious organization that had been sustaining my faith for twenty years. I no longer recognized myself in this organization, and particularly in the heavy and rigid top-down structure that allows guidelines to get spread and reach the general membership. I felt somewhat stuck and constricted in the middle of this lifeless hierarchy, having to gobble up things from above, and conveying directives and instructions in which I had absolutely no say. I was longing for buy-in, for a sense of empowerment, but the ideas I brought forward and the challenging questions I asked, up to the very top of the organization, were at best acknowledged but not heard. The hierarchy was counting on me to spread the “message of our faith” and increase membership in our area. I felt like a little foot soldier, devoid of power, when all that I wanted was to be a “general of life,” for the purpose of creating more life—not numbers.

It is with this frame of questioning that I entered the circle in Kirkridge, not realizing that I was openly sharing the situation that would set me free a few hours later.

The response came crystal clear, and did I say, with lightening speed? Possibly out that walk I took on Saturday afternoon down to the megalith park where I walked the labyrinth, or out of the supportive wisdom of the group itself; or again out of the surrounding peer leadership which is my way of addressing the world and its burning questions.

Words are not in order when you listen to the wisdom of your heart. The response was there, having surfaced from the pores of my heart into consciousness. I was going to resign my leadership position – this was not a way out, it was going to be a way into – a way into freedom, with a door wide open to the remaining questions of my life’s mission. I was going to set me free. There was no way back.

On Sunday morning, while attending Tenneson’s workshop, I even surprised myself. I was already into ‘wise action,’ having happily moved past ‘wise decision.’ It’s amazing how fast your life moves once you make the right decision—the decision that empowers your very life.

This warm winter break, in the humidity of south-east Asia, is the perfect place to read and reflect on the wide open space that lies before me now, six months into the Gardeners of Peace initiative that I willingly and heartily offered.

A quote I found in Christina Baldwin’s book (Storycatcher) prompted me to open my life to you tonight, as the world is in dire need of ‘connecting and reconnecting’ the social tissues that have been damaged by decades of neglect and abuse—abuse of the human heart, and betrayal of human trust—, leaving us with nothing solid institutionally-speaking to believe in, except, humanly-speaking, ourselves and the collective power of our hearts to make things happen.

“Story is a search for community. As we tell each other who we really are, we find the people with whom we really belong. Story brings us home.”

This sharing of mine is indeed an attempt to answer the questions that drive me, as I see it, from the future into the present:

“Who am I am, and what is my mission in this world?”

These are the questions that several forms of organized religions have tried to answer for me, and these are the questions that arise a little louder amidst this newly found freedom.

This is my story, simply told, and this is my version of being a Gardener of Peace.

So, what is your story?

Would you be willing to share it with me?

Would you be willing to share it with others, so that together we can build a community—“a community,” as Thich Nhat Hanh envisions, “practicing understanding and loving kindness; a community practicing mindful living.”


And a few final words of inspiration....

“We are all meant to shine, as children do. As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Nelson Mandela

Wintering and Sensing in the Garden

Hello Gardeners,

Checking back in since our first call as a virtual group, in September. There have been a few smaller, in person gatherings for "Gardeners" and for those in exploration. We continued to consider and share what "gardening" means to us- metaphorically and literally. Out of these and other conversations amongst Gilles, Tenneson and Lenore, the following question emerged:

What else is possible if we come together as Gardeners of inner peace and earth peace?

For those of you who were on our first call, or have contacted Gilles (Gilles Asselin : gilles@sococo.com), with interest, you have recently received an invitation for the second virtual gardening call on Sunday, January 13th, at 1pm, EST. If you have not received this invitation, please contact either Gilles or myself (lenore@lenoremewton.com) and we will send you the conference call information.

As we move into the winter, (especially in the snowbound, hibernating areas) with all her varied weather environments depending on your location, this is often a deeper time of reflection. For myself, in North Amercian Northeast, the snow and cold invite me to 'huddle' within and listen for any different quality to my sensing of inner wisdom. The journey of paying attention to and making room internally for wisdom to emerge has been new for me over the past year and a half. Although often thinking and seeing myself as a reflective, inituitive person, I have found new levels of learning and greater trust in the non-analytical. I have found myself 'following' where I go, what entices and calls to me, be this conversations, opportunities, or activities. It's been quite amazing to me to really practice the phrase "let your wisdom be your guide". I have just begun to tap into my own potential, without judgement, and enjoy the playfulness of not 'needing to know' . I have come to love the questions in life more than the answers- which I so readily peeled off in the past. I am consciously aware of allowing this winter period of time as a resting place, but one where growth deepens (as the seedlings do over the winter, getting ready for Spring).

Our upcoming call, this blog, and other potential face to face gatherings, are opportunities to think and sense aloud with others or within. We invite you to use them freely for spaces of reflection during your winter of questions.

I look forward to being together on Jan. 13th.

Gardening with 12 Year Olds

My daughter Zoe is 12. She is my oldest, a delightful, spirited 7th Grader. Whenever I introduce Zoe in work settings, I also reference her as an old soul. She is an incredible being and daughter (yes, some dad bias included).

Today I was at home when she arrived from school. I was just finishing a wonderful, generative call with Gilles and Lenore about a January phone council and a pending spring Art of Hosting event / Art of Gardening. I sat on the couch with Zoe to share a bit. I told her this was a group of people that want to help each other and many more by creating inner peace through such things as meditation, prayer, silence, writing, walks, etc. At least this was one version of gardening inner peace that I felt she would relate to. And then I shared that we are people who believe the world can be more peaceful when we come together, earth peace, even with our simple acts.

When I can share what I'm doing with my daughter, with such joy, and invitation -- I'm simply happy. I imagine a time when she might awaken more to such notions and say, "ah, that's what Dad was talking about / rambling on about." :)

I'm excited, and listening for, and welcoming of this beautiful creation, Gardeners of Peace.

Humanity in action

Children International, an organization that assists poor children all over the world, has recently opened a new center in Zambia. They invited the Vice President of Zambia, Rupiah Banda, to say a few words during the inauguration ceremony.

To me, this is true humanity in action – sharing what we have with other human beings we may never see, not expecting anything in return – and this action is well aligned with the idea and mission of being a Gardener of Peace, connecting at the most basic level: human beingness - heart to heart. We need more “humanity in action” to make this world the place it ought to be for all of us.

Here are Rupiah’s words:

“The burden of poverty has put an enormous strain on the government’s limited resources to assist the vulnerable children. These, coupled with the HIV/AIDS epidemic and other reasons, have resulted in very sad scenarios where some children are wasting their lives away at street corners begging for alms and abusing drugs in an effort to alleviate the pain of living in the streets.

Government therefore feels reassured that in spite of this, there are cooperating partners like Children International willing to supplement the government’s efforts to ease the burden and help improve the quality of life of the most vulnerable people in our society, the children.

I’m informed that this center will cater at least 5,000 children within Chibolya, providing them with free health and educational assistance. I’m also informed that the center has an outpatient clinic with one full-time doctor and one full-time nurse, a dental clinic and a pharmacy.

I wish to place on record the government’s gratitude to Children International for making a real difference in the lives of children who would otherwise not have had the opportunity to go to school or have at least one decent meal a day. The people of Zambia shall forever remain grateful for this very rare demonstration of love and care for humanity.

Ladies and gentlemen, the funds Children International uses come from ordinary people.

Let us ask ourselves, have we ever thought of doing what these people have come to do here from a long way…who have no relationship other than that they are human beings like ourselves? How many of us have so many clothes in our houses, have so many things that we don’t need, that we’ve spent and we don’t even have space for them, but we’re just piling them up in the houses or in the garages or in the kitchens? Have we ever thought that we also can make a difference to our children?

I would like myself to see a situation where we emulate these brothers and sisters. I believe if Zambians could make generous donations to organizations such as Children International-Zambia to further their work, we would be able to achieve a lot more. Let me promise in front of you all here that Children International, as an organization, has the doors of my office and my home open for them at all times.

Happiness

Thank you Brian for pointing me there....

In his book, “Authentic Happiness,” Martin Seligman condenses what it takes to be happy to a very simple statement.

Discover your strengths and use them often.

(If you want to discover your strengths, you can do so with the strengths assessment test)

Want a truly meaningful life?

Discover your strengths, use them often, and give them to something bigger than yourself.

And, if you are curious about my "signature strenghts", they are:

1. Appreciation of beauty and excellence
I notice and appreciate beauty, excellence, and skilled performance in all domains of life, from nature to art to mathematics to science to everyday experience.

2. Creativity, ingenuity, and originality
It's important to me to think of new ways to do things. I'm never content with doing something the conventional way if a better way is possible

3. Love of learning
I love learning new things. I have always loved reading, and take every opportunity to learn

4. Curiosity and interest in the world
I'm curious about everything, always asking questions, and you find most subjects and topics fascinating. I like exploration and discovery.

5. Leadership
I excel at the tasks of leadership: encouraging a group to get things done and preserving harmony within the group by making everyone feel included. I do a good job organizing activities and seeing that they happen.

Blogged with Flock

Family gardening in a local playground

I was out with my family this afternoon. We all went to the local playground, in our district in Paris.

Alexia, my older daughter, is going to be 9 next month and Flora is 6. I could not believe how much they have grown and how much "cultivation" that has yet to come.

I remember when they were both babies and we would go to the same playground. From crawling to toddling, walking to running, they are blossoming into two beautiful young ladies. I must admit that now my only concern is that my wife and I guide them as best as we could in such an uncertain world. It scares the hell out of me.

I am still working on my own path in life. So many questions come to my mind as I look inward and then outward. Will I be capable of guiding them, even though I am unsure if I can guide myself?

Any comments would be appreciated. (For those of you who are new to Blogger, click on the "Comments" link at the bottom of this entry.)

Terry