Posted on by Tenneson Woolf

Interested in This

I’m at the Essex Conference and Retreat Center for an Art of Hosting called by Berkana. The theme is Taking Social Innovation to Scale — I’m really excited about it. New ground to weave Berkana and Art of Hosting. To get a sense of who was coming, I mapped the participants responses to three questions. These responses carry a lot of energy and give me a glimpse into a deeper level of purpose. Very cool to think of this mix, this group of people focused on this theme, and where this kind of work is showing up in the world.

First, the organizations…
Leave Out ViolencE, Altarum, Center for Trauma Intervention, Christian Church, Department of Mental Retardation, New Prosperity Initiatiative, Sustainable Cape Ann, Samaya Consulting, Asset-Based Community Development, Seacoast Attunement Practitioners, Common Ground New Zealand, Fleming School, Spirit Beam Writers, Generative Change Community, North Shore Community College.

Second, why did you choose to accept this invitation? A few patterns I notice…
Wanting to deepen facilitation skills to work with groups; fellowship with peers to play ideas with each other; application to particular fields like public health, nursing, sustainability; build a community of practice in the Cambridge area; to take talk to action; to practice dialogue as a potent and powerful tool.

Third, what burning questions do you have? Again, patterns…
So much here about application, tools, diving deeper into purpose, connection that transcends, developing an ongoing process of creation and learning.

Last, what projects are you using this in? I love this…
Strategic planning; working with youth; HIV / AIDS; Homelessness; 2008 Reunion on Sustainability; Meadowlark Institute for Social Change in North Dakota; Portsmouth Art of Hosting; Management Development; Nursing Screenplay and Videos; Center for Engaging Community; Social Artistry; School District; Women’s Leadership; World Cafe for 3,000 people at 2009 Assembly; Non-violent Traditions to Climate Change; Strategic Plan for Global Warming in Oceanside Communities; Generation Y; Shifting an old building to a community center; Protecting Wilderness.

One little taste of the diversity that shows up at this Art of Hosting. There are about15 people from the Boston or NE area. About 15 have come from other areas.

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Gifts of Circle - Question Cardsasd
Gifts of Circle is 30 short essays divided into 4 sections: 1) Circle's Bigger Purpose, 2) Circle's Practice, 3) Circle's First Requirements, and 4) Circle's Possibility for Men. From the Introduction: "Circle is what I turn to in the most comprehensive stories I know -- the stories of human beings trying to be kind and aware together, trying to make a difference in varied causes for which we need to go well together. Circle is also what I turn to in the most immediate needs that live right in front of me and in front of most of us -- sharing dreams and difficulties, exploring conflicts and coherences. Circle is what I turn to. Circle is what turns us to each other."

Question Cards is an accompanying tool to Gifts of Circle. Each card (34) offers a quote from the corresponding chapter in the book, followed by sample questions to grow your Circle hosting skills and to create connection, courage, and compassionate action among groups you host in Circle.

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In My Nature is a collection of 10 poems. From A Note of Beginning: "This collection of poems arises from the many conversations I've been having about nature. Nature as guide. Nature as wild. Nature as organized. I remain a human being that so appreciates a curious nature in people. That so appreciates questions that pick fruit from inner being, that gather insights and intuitions to a basket, and then brings the to table to be enjoyed and shared over the next week."

This set of Note Cards (8 cards + envelopes)  quotes a few favorite passages from poems in In My Nature. I offer them as inspiration. And leave room for you to write personal notes.

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Most Mornings is a collection of 37 poems. I loved writing them. From the introduction: "This collection of poems comes from some of my sense-making that so often happens in the morning, nurtured by overnight sleep. The poems sample practices. They sample learnings. They sample insights and discoveries. They sample dilemmas and concerns."

This set of Note Cards (8 cards + envelopes)  quotes a few favorite passages from poems in Most Mornings. I offer them as inspiration. And leave room for you to write personal notes.

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