I returned this week from an Art of Hosting Training, working with Chris Corrigan, Caitlin Frost, and Teresa Posakony. Bowen Island, just off the west coast of Vancouver, British Columbia, is suuuuch a lovely place to host. Rivendell, the retreat center holds a group well. It is quite cozy — which usually makes for great community and learning.
While there, I hosted an Open Space session on Intuitive Knowing. I wanted to explore this as a tool for shifting paradigms. It fit well in the context 
of this training, which began with a cafe on “Where do you feel stretched now?” It was affirmation together that the times are changing, and, yes, it is a time to not only pick up tools but to re-learn and un-learn learning itself.
It was great to see so many people interested. We each expressed a bit of why we were interested in intuitive knowing. This itself was quite helpful, some naming of desires. It included everything from seeking more efficient ways of being to working deliberately with dreams and visions. From the deep dives of trusting old wisdom and owning our roles as alchemists to the immediate beginning practices of strengthening intuition through journaling. A common thread for me was the desire to be better translators, better listeners, and better receivers through intuitive knowing.
Through sharing a few stories together, we began to listen in for a few principles and practices to strengthen intuitive knowing. Each of these feels like it can be a practice for living. Our full harvest sheet is here for perusing.
- Follow the impression, the ease.
- Own the calling (the times seem to keep speaking it to us) — who do I think I am not to do it?
- Welcome the wholeness of the world (life and consciousness seen as one entity) that wants to be in partnership with us and speaks to us through intuitive ears. What if the things that grab out attention are gifts of communication from this wholeness of the world so that we can learn at new levels?
- Remember old ways. First respect your elders. Then become one. Be your 100 year-old self (thanks Amanda Fenton in particular for this), sometimes welcomed through initiation by elders or mentors.
My experience of learning in this group, in and of itself, was great. What it opened me too was even more beautiful, this topic and inquiry:
The world offers us symbols
so that we might project meaning upon them,
and in so doing,
come to understand more of our inner condition
that is in fact creating our outer reality.
This is a deep learning for me. It is something that has been distilling now for a number of years. So, thanks to all the good friends at Bowen Art of Hosting! This is one for some further reflection and writing over the next season or so.
