Human to Human

Have had such a full month working with great people and teams. Less time for blogging. Perhaps even more accurately, additional time needed to sit quietly to integrate a wealth of experiences, and be as present as I can in the work.

I’m looking through some of those notes along the way. Keeping some. Discarding others. Filing a few. Here’s one that reflects a conversation with Chris Corrigan. I asked him one day, “what are you learning about your blogging practice?” My desire was to pay attention to what I was noticing in my own practice and learn together. Below are a few gems. Thanks Chris.

-in this world of open source learning, when I write it, it becomes part of me
-to share, to offer as one form of learning into a bigger field of co-learners
-blogging is a modern form of scratch pad, a place to make notes and learn in public
-a place to record my curiosity — a kind of fieldnotes
-a place to harvest learning that influences design work
-an improvisational canvas
-a medium for contributing to and bringing social communities together
-a practice of generosity — to link learnings to those with whom we are learning
-a medium to remember the whole — these times includes such a wild ride and experiment in living in self-organized systems

Already these practices are common for younger generations. And social technologies abound. I marvel at what is common place for my teenaged children that was not part of my younger life. Such an opportunity to express. And to learn. To connect. And I believe, to reform our brains and minds. Ah yes, a bigger topic for another day — this evolution of humanity in simple tools and practices that are new for our time.

A couple of months ago, just after cohosting an Art of Hosting training on Vancouver Island, I had a follow-up call with Paula Beltgens. Paula was one of the convenors, on the calling and design team. She is a practitioner of change with boatloads of experience. I wanted to know — was really curious — about how she felt the experience of “hosting” was different from other work she has been a part of. And I wanted to hear it particularly from someone who has done a lot of design work. A few of these gems and our exploration are below. Thank you Paula.

-a sustained intimacy
-added authenticity that came from taking a breath (pacing), conversation (the continued anchor of turning to one another), varied use of methods (large group, small group, personal — varied energy with a bit of sequencing over the four days), and ability to change (adapting real time in to change design)
-not concrete planning months in advance, but instead, real time creation from an anchoring set of principles
-keeping it playful
-inviting people to bring something important to them (objects) that helped bring themselves forward into the training
-a very organic feel in hosting rather than so mechanical
-it wasn’t hierarchical — suggestions were welcome (all as teachers / colearners)
-seamlessness in handoffs amongst the core team (five of us)
-loving presence (all are welcome and all parts of people welcomed)
-big levels of participation, coached, and sometimes with simple subtlety
-less attention on group guidelines — working from the assumption that it as already safe and living appreciatively with that
-use of graphics (for this one we had a friend and colleague as graphic illustrator, Colleen Stevenson to add to what is already a common practice of harvesting and designing with pictures, colors — great mediums for inviting people to show up differently)
-sacredness of checking in, engaging and inviting spirit, heart, and mind
-powerful alliance of the hosting team, trusting each other with simple eye contact

I find these points really helpful to reflect upon. And good learning forward from one hosting team to others. Perhaps supplemented also with the simple naming up front that some of this language and application is not what people are accustomed to. Naming it up front helps people to relax into the intention of the new.

In flight from Copenhagen to Paris, feeling the Art of Hosting at Karlskrona sink further into me. Realizing what a gift it was to meet Kara, an MSLS student, an artist, a warrior of spirit, a participant. Such a lovely being who offered an incredible gift to this Art of Hosting. She tended to the center of the circle.

Others helped Kara, but I saw her many times, in particular, quietly tending. She brought a few cloths, a few collections of long dried grasses. She lit tea candles. Replaced them when needed. Carefully collected the center pieces at night as the building was being used for other purposes. Brought them back the next morning, and with new offerings. Plants. A branch from a tree. She brought life in such a beautifully quiet way.

Kara tended to the integrity of the center of this circle, the hearth. She offered beauty. In simple, subtle ways. I believe just as a natural expression of herself. That tending created a powerful container for much of what happened over the course of this training and learning.

I have been on many hosting teams now. There are many rolls for people to play. Many gifts to offer. It is particularly clear to me that every circle needs a Kara or a team of Kara-like people. I’ll carry this forward into future teams.

Gratitude.

Sitting in my room tonight, enjoying the wash of fantastic experience from hosting in Karlskrona, Sweden. A lovely little town on the southern tip of Sweden. A fantastic hosting team, and participants that were deeply inspiring. Playful. Creative. Imaginative. Passionate to follow dreams. Wise enough to be vulnerable. Clear enough to dance in the work they know is theirs to do. Filled with learning about letting go, synchronicity, and the magic of potential that lies between people. Committed to action.

Many projects were born or strengthened here. Student-centered education programs. World-wide innovative teacher appreciation campaigns. A summer vision quest. A Team Academy pilot program in London. A monthly circle on life and vitality in Germany. HUB learning programs in the Netherlands. Sustainable housing initiatives. Music and arts programs to support social and emotional learning. SKA — a “sustainable kaos academy” symbolizing next essential levels of collaboration across university programs.

Much, much courage and heart discovered as we learned, strengthened our relationships, and rolled up our sleeves together. I told my daughter about each of the main schools and networks (Kaos Pilots, Masters in Strategic Leadership for Sustainability, Team Academy, AIESEC, Youth Initiative Program), imagining how happy I would be to see her also live and learn with such fantastic people.

I posted this earlier on the Art of Hosting list-serve:

“In a powerful conversation tonight with leaders in three innovative university programs. Toke, myself, the hosting team. Sitting in the delight of new friends, aware that there are decision-makers in the room than can influence generations of learning and community building. It feels new, and, like we are remembering old ways.

At this table tonight, it felt as alive as I have ever felt it. Friends meeting. Trusting. Daring to name the power of what we can create into generations to come. Here and in other places. The taste and capability of the many constellations was as real as the meal on our plates. Feels very, very on in this time of awakening.”

I have the sense that we will look back on this event in 20 years, and that dinner, as a beginning of something remarkable. And I have the sense that much will happen in the next 20 days, 20 weeks, and 20 months. But I can see those faces in 20 years and imagine how we might gather again in deep appreciation in a changed world to share stories.

Below are a few additional harvest offerings:

Exploring and Burning — Dialogue Poem I harvested from the Open Space on what hosting and leadership.

What Motivates You — Dialogue Poem after vision quest.

Blog Post on the importance of the hosting role of tending to the center.

Excellent Blog Post on Organizing as Hosting (Kati Thompson)

Network Map of Organizations (From Benjamin Degenhart)

Map of Participant Passions (From Benjamin Degenhart)

Photos

Slide Show of Photos (Compiled by Benjamin Degenhart)

Invitation

Gratitude for this remarkable journey.