Author: Tenneson Woolf

In the closing checkout circle for this gathering near Boston, our hosting team spoke a bit of “activation.” It was one of the intentions of this gathering. To “activate” the energy of a new story of humans being. To see ourselves and participants changed significantly from having been together. Awakened to self. To each other. To another range of listening. To impressions. To feel an invitation to see things not just as they are, but to see the many levels of choice that feed a core identity of who we are.

At one level this does not feel like it is anything new. I know I observe this in many places. And I celebrate it each time. But I would add, in the spirit of practice that I’ve learned with so many, this is something new to keep welcoming into us. I believe there is something happening when we are in a well-held group that makes so much more available to us, so much more available through us, that is not available when we are by ourselves. Or when we are not in a deliberateness of container.

It seems as though the good qualities in us are amplified (I don’t really know what I mean by good here). Our qualities of love and hope and friendship and patience, inspiration — so many things — are amplified. Amplified enough to be seen (moved from the unseen category). Amplified enough to be seen as a choice of how to be together. Another story seen as legitimate choice. Another way of being as the new norm. I admit, I so value this kind of space.

Activation. Repatterned. Identifying with a particular story of who we are and what are offerings can be at this time. This is all open learning for me now, that I believe has been seeded again, so well because of this gathering. A very cool part is that when activated, not only do we live from a different place, but we also attract from a different place. In that way that self-organization happens, energetically, life is drawn to us around an activated identity. Life is drawn to us because we are ready to be in relationship with it from this new place.

Ah, so much. Activation. Such a helpful lens I find.

The experience in Essex was rich. A few harvest offerings and links:

Invitation

Beginning — Reflections with Design Team

Rhythm — Of Design: Presencing, Repatterning, Restorying

Perspectives and Practices for Repatterning — Harvest of Day 2 Checking Circle

Red Thread — Clarity of Story for Humans Being

12 Principles for Healthy Community Change — Dialogue Poem

Photos — A Few That Turned Out Well (thanks Ria Baeck for taking a few on my camera)

Ning — Group Site for Harvest Offerings and Conversations (an experiment in making these available to the broader AoH Community, as well as ease of access to this particular group)

I am beginning to feel the basic story that is emerging for me in this gathering. At this halfway point, I’m feeling it arrive in ways that I feel I can carry. A simplicity that is on the other side of complexity.

1.There is more going on than we know. Human being is not all that it seems.

2.In commitment to presencing, we begin to repattern. In repatterning, we our changed and can begin to see more of the story of who we are.

3.There are many doorways into presencing. Poetry. Art. Sound. Toning. Meditation. SIlence. Writing. Try the ones you feel drawn too.

Sensing today what I would like to offer to feed our design. As a collective presencing, a poetry buffet, using a format I learned from David Markwartz. The poems will be my grandmother’s poems, from her collection, So Roses Can Grow.

Inspired by this rhythm that we are holding at The Art of Humans Being. It feels like the part that is underneath the design of our day. It feels like the intention.

Presensing — many have done great work on this. I learn a lot from people like Otto Scharmer, Ann Linnea, Christina Baldwin, Teresa Posakony. Or here, Judy Wallace, Lisa Abby, and Ed’veege Fairchild. It is an intent to source. To open more channels for information to come through us. At this event we are being deliberate to have bigger spaces for this sourcing and presencing through us.

Repatterning — Shifting the very energy that we are. If we are energetic beings that vibrate or resonate at unseen levels, what happens when we see change in us as a repatterning of that energy? Many know the experience of feeling changed by a loved one, an experience, an event, a poem. The experience of feeling ourselves different. I sense it is the different resonance coming from who we are and the experience with any of these things that makes for the change.

Restorying — if we assume that all stories are partial representations of what is going on, what is the story that can be told when deliberate presencing and repatterning is happening? It feels like the story, a new story, present all along, becomes visible. It is there waiting for us to see it and bring it to a level of seeing.

Glad to be in this inquiry. In this rhythm.

I arrived in Boston yesterday. Was picked up by friend and colleague Judy Wallace to drive to the North Shore. Staying in Swampscott with another from our team, Lisa Abby. Later today we will be joined by Edveeje Fairchild. We’ll meet each other and feel our way into a design for the next three days with 20 participants.

Last night was a good beginning in friendship. Sitting on Lisa’s patio overlooking the Atlantic, eating Lisa’s great Ratatouille. After socializing a bit, we shifted into circle. It is always the place of on for me. The place and time when we begin to enliven and activate the purpose of our work. It is as if the work itself is a life entity. We are simply breathing some life into it. Or perhaps more accurately, welcoming in to breath through us.

Many words expressed through the stories that the three of us shared. Stories of courage to follow important paths, paths of surprise in our lives. Stories that reflect the wound of being human, as well as the utter delight of being human. In all, it feels like there is an invitation living through us — to welcome life living through us.

I’m very much anticipating the next several days together with our participants. I have unique anticipation for this inquiry. And for the noticing together of what is possible as human beings. We will be working together, laughing, living to notice practices, issues, and questions that help illuminate and share a new story of what is possible as humans being.

Rather cool!