Gilles Asselin
Consultant, SoCoCo Intercultural
New Jersey
It was a pleasure exploring some truly wicked questions with you in the past few days. I can sense a subtle change in me. Some of what I call my “judgment barrier” has evaporated, leaving more space for deep conversations. What a blessing this process is! Not to mention the loving folks in the process.
“In a time of uncertainty (which is ALL the time), we must have the courage to suspend our beliefs and conditioning and ask fresh, new questions. Truly inspired answers emerge only from asking honest, probing questions and releasing what we know deep inside. In this process, intercultural dialogue is essential. It has the power to bring creative solutions to our troubled world and healing for humanity.”
Lubosh Cech, Artist
Corrina Chetley-Irwin
Consultant
Alberta
I am totally in awe of what your guys do and your approaches. I particularly appreciated your openness (the collective your) to sharing your materials, resources, experiences and the fact that there were absolutely no egos in the room. It was an amazing experience as a participant but also as an observer of the process.
Kathleen Connelly
Consultant, Groupe Intersol Group
Ontario, Canada
I will use a quote I love (and is on my fridge) to tell people what the Art of Hosting was and is for me….
Spending 4 days learning about the Art of Hosting, and spending those days with the wonderful people who were compelled to be there and be present was in my view, doing exactly what Howard Thurman (US author, philosopher, theologian, educator and civil rights leader) was talking about when he said:
Don`t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
I believe the Art of Hosting helps people connect with what makes them come alive. It`s what the world needs!
Adria Goodson
Hunt Alternatives Fund
Massachusetts
I am in awe of the universe. What a lovely, lightning bolt kind of week and, in particular, a joy to be in your presence! Thank you for sharing your gifts and holding space for me to share mine more fully.
Joan Huling
Community Liason Coordinator, Hokonui PHO
New Zealand
Personal learning, I realised that I have been living and working in isolation for too long. I no longer want to work this way. The power of the group, with difficulties and all, is mighty.
I experinced the 5 breaths of design in my body, especailly the groan zone. During one conversation I went through the groan zone twice. In the past I would have gotten up from my chair and left but because I recognised that I was in the zone and I knew there was something coming behind it I stayed. That was very powerful for me.
I gained confidence and belief in my wisdom, again with help from the collective.
Professional learning: I will share the models that we practiced. The 5 breaths, Theory U, Chaordic Path, and World Cafe were all new to me. I will share some of them through my personal story and the other by way of example. I will let the people that I work with know that I have new knowledge and I hope that they will access it.
Thanks again for the opportunity and the marvelous experience.
Laurence Lenoir
Consultant, Lenoir Associates
France
I came to this AOH session to improve methods and technics; I realized it’s all about relationships and intention!
I came to meet professional facilitators; I met wonderful and meaningful people, just being present and able to set the right conditions to hold the space!
I came to speak and work in English; I discovered the magic and the interest about bilingual workshops!
All being so natural!!!
Christian Lord
Quebec
From my experience of the Art of Hosting sprouted a cognition of a 4 stage meaning for living in community:
1) Coming together with a loving & willful purpose
2) Upgrading from Being to Becoming: witnessing and owning the onset of collective consciousness
3) Promoting & harnessing the infinite organizing power of the emerging group creativity
4) Harvesting the timeless sequential unfoldment & manifestation of our initial purpose for coming together
Geoff Selig
Concordia University
Quebec
First, I would like to thank every one of you for helping to create such a wonderful and rewarding learning environment. I have come away from this three day workshop inspired by the power of the “art of hosting” and the potential for a group a individuals to come together and create, in a very short time, an inviting and safe environment in which to reflect, to exchange ideas, and to learn. Thank you all very much. I am still “buzzing” from the experience.