Rehumaning

“Rehumaning” was the most basic coherence and story line I could offer for this past weekend’s gathering in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was also the most honest purpose I could name. “Re,” as in “again,” or “not the first time.” To do again. To claim again. To call to awareness again. And the “human” part, ahh, that’s the focus of the “again.” Claiming humanness, because it’s needed. Becoming more keenly aware of our humanness, individually and together, because it’s needed.

I know, for all intents and purposes, we are already human, right? Not alien, even though it may feel that way sometimes. True. Yet, there are some aspects of ourselves that can use some periodic deliberate attention and remembering. Being a daughter or a son doesn’t mean you don’t periodically question how you are doing as a daughter or a son. Same for parenting. Same for partnering. Same for being on a team.

This Cincinnati gathering was Friday evening through Sunday afternoon. We called it QT. My friend Quanita Roberson and I hosted the gathering. Twelve other people joined us. We held it at Quanita’s home. Five of us slept at her home, having travelled some distance. The rest, as locals, commuted. All had some connection to Quanita.

QT was a lot of things. A retreat. A weekend with friends. A small group dialogue. There was food together. Doing dishes together. There was singing — it is impressive to me what the medium of raising voice together can do, even for those of us that are challenged to hit the notes. There was simple ritual and ceremony — invoking the elements of water, fire, earth, sky. Each person was gifted with a candle to burn while together and take home when done. There was dream sharing that prompted everything from rich laughter to puzzling questions.

QT was not a weekend in which we as a group needed to solve anything. Not the world’s problems. We didn’t need to create a grand strategic plan. There was no outcome required. My belief, and my hope however, is that the experience of the weekend, the vibration if you will, will find it’s way into all of what all of us do in the world. It may change our partnering. It may change our planning with others. It may offer a home base, a reality check for each of us — is what we are doing sufficiently human? It it real? Is it honest?

You see, QT was about following our attention. It was about giving ourselves freedom to follow what has our attention as a way of understanding more of how the inner condition is creating outer reality. That’s very human. Our deliberate conversations helped. Our rest helped, a long afternoon break on Saturday. Our hanging out together helped, giving ourselves permission to just be. Our art helped, bringing yet another layer of expression.

Rehumaning. I could say it differently, and in some groups, would. “Getting clear on purpose” would work. But I like the simplicity and complexity that are both present in rehumaning. Like the simplicity of a river bank that holds the complex flowing of a river. Like the refreshing splash from the river that stays with us through the full of a summer day.