Category: My work

Appreciating the patterns in people

 

The people in the room are the pattern

the voices, perspectives together

we are the same

with busy heads

we choose

to listen

life will be ok

we do need each other

we do need perspectives

to discern

to appreciate

to hear it out

to think through, checking reality

to think through what it will take

to survive

threat by threat

experience by experience

difference by difference

reinforcing appreciation

and flow forward

together

each doing one thing deeply

to work on it all

 

_____ _____ _____

 

A poem caught as participants noticed what they learned after a day of Collaborating in Complexity – Navigating the Systems of Community, my advanced training session delivered with Marilyn Hamilton, at FCM’ Sustainable Communities Conference in Charlottetown, February 11, 2014.

Circling up in Winnipeg

 

Ever notice how when something is on your mind, more of it comes to you?

I was looking forward to the start of a big meeting in Winnipeg last weekend, where we were bringing people together from across Canada to chart out a new path for a national organization. I knew we were going to sit in a circle to start  our meeting, and the day before we started, as I was walking through Winnipeg to get to our meeting place at The Forks, I noticed circles everywhere I went.

It felt like Winnipeg – and The Forks – was getting ready to host leaders from across the continent, a role this place, where the Red and Assiniboine Rivers meet, has played for over 6000 years. I also felt Winnipeg was helping me circle up with my Self, and the place in which we were meeting, to prepare.

As a shape in which to have a conversation, the circle allows us to more fully see and hear each other.

The only thing in the way is ourselves.

 

_____ _____ _____

Disaster blows the blinders off

 

Some colleagues and I spent the afternoon exploring resilience in the face of disaster. We noticed that disaster takes place an many scales – the heart attack the demands a new normal in an individual, or a tsunami or fire that rips through a whole city or country. Whenever this happens, we somehow bounce back, stronger and more connected with each other.

Here’s a poem caught as we began our conversation today:

 

Disaster blows the blinders off

my place

my body

then a practice grows

touching stories

mine and others

of strength

of energy

of smiling

on a journey of

witnessing

 

_____ _____ _____

Yet another transition

 

A couple weeks ago, some colleagues and I gathering to begin a conversation about how we could work together around resilience and adaptability in our lives and communities. Here’s a poem that surfaced as a result of that conversation:

 

Yet another transition 

another fucking transition

an end for a beginning

where kin matter

where the  story you carry matters

because it shapes how you show

your self

so who are you shadow boxing?

yes, its scary to pay attention

to what’s happening now

to flick the switch on

alone or together

and to have the future we want

the light must be on

let’s take turns waking up

to sustain awakeness

 

______ ______ _____

Walking wonders

 

I write at three different scales. I focus on either a short and quick blog post, a more time-consiming article, or my book project, Nest City. I have to confess that the blog posts have taken a back seat for a while, while the other two have consumed a lot of my time. (I sent Chapters 1-6 to my editor last night, and an article will be in the next edition of Plan Canada.)

I have been writing so much that my body is tired of sitting, which means I go out for great walks in my neighbourhood, even if -30C. I had a great excuse to head out for a walk last week with some neighbours at the launch of the Glenora Community Walking Map.

If nothing else, it was also a great excuse to have some hot chocolate and cookies at Vi’s for Pies, our cozy neighbourhood coffee shop, with my neighbours.

Walking always works wonders – for the body, mind and soul.

 

Arigato

 

Arigato*

The thread we hold

propels

with energy easing

connection, trust

opening the inside outsight

with a flame relit

transforming intention

with a fresh faith

regenerating illumination

 

the task ahead is demonstrating

learning, true love

expanding insight outside

nourishing the wisdom

of growing with

open minds, open hearts, open will

willingly showing

hosting

alive

with bits of you in me

my soul huge

huge magical humility

as the highest in me

meets the hightest in you

reverberating renewed superheroes

pledging presence, soft support

witnessing more

shoulders to stand on

to stand with, deep gladness

meeting the world’s deep needs

with love and fear

with trust

with ba

 

*

* Thank you, in Japanese

_____ _____ _____

A harvest from Day 4′s closing check out at The Art of Hosting BIG Decisions – While Looking After Self, Others and Place, earlier this month.

_____ _____ _____

 

 

Ring us in

 

Ring us in

We are the ones

we have been waiting

for*

in every interaction

holding

hands, soul gifts

spoken and unspoken

 

spoken and unspoken

teachers

shoulders

 

we are here

ring us in

 

*Hopi prayer

_____ _____ _____

A harvest from Day 3′s opening check in at The Art of Hosting BIG Decisions – While Looking After Self, Others and Place, this month in Edmonton, Canada.

_____ _____ _____

 

The duke of purple

 

The duke of purple

Imagine my surprise when

the duke of purple

struggles at every age

with deep compelling stories

wait

 

what?

 

I’ve always wanted to be with you

universally

 

double ding

 

I’m ready to go

healing family flexing

showing up for me

now I know

what I need to know

nervous aching shifting

sitting in it

 

sitting in it

 

fractally

 

_____ _____ _____

A harvest from Day 2′s check out at The Art of Hosting BIG Decisions – While Looking After Self, Others and Place.

_____ _____ _____

Electoral energy

North Glenora Q3

I have been moderating a series of election forums across my city and I am in awe of the energy candidates for civic office put into their campaigns. Last night was the third evening I have spent with Ward 6 candidates, and they have come a long way since I first saw them in action a month ago.

In my last post, I asked:  In what ways are you an evolutionary agent for your city?

Running for office is one way to be an evolutionary agent for your city. Each candidate plays a critical role in how the city speaks for itself. As I reflect on last night’s forum, I recognize the candidates that are tired and just want the marathon to be over. There are others that clearly have more energy to spend. Some are less clear in what they have to say, while others have honed their pitch. For some, this has been a huge learning experience and you can see it on the stage in their newfound comfort speaking to a crowd.

More importantly, as the differences between the candidates become more distinct, the choices for the city become more distinct. Perhaps this is the real energy the city receives from election season. It fuels our sense of how we see ourselves because we have to make a choice.

And we need candidates with different points of view enable the choice. All candidates, all views, all perspectives, are part of our collective movement.

Elections fuel what we imagine our city needs to be to serve us well.

Electoral energy helps each of us – and our city – learn about who we want to be.

North Glenora Q2

North Glenora Q1

 

_____ _____ _____

This post concludes a series of posts on Chapter 9 – Be the Best Citizen You Can Be. Here are some plot helpers of Nest City: The Human Drive to Thrive in Cities, the book I am sharing here while I search for a publisher:

Next up – Chapter 10 – The Emerging City

_____ _____ _____

 

Integral city breath

 

I’m just home from attending the Integral Theory Conference – Connecting the Integral Kosmopolitan in San Francisco, taking some time to settle in at home. I just came across this poem I caught at the end of the session I held with Marilyn Hamilton, the first mini-prototype of an Integral City Learning Lhabitat.

Here’s what particpants had to say at the conclusion of our session:

183 - integral city breath poem

Thanks to all our participants! You played well 🙂

 

_____ _____ _____

This post is part of Chapter 9 – Be the Best Citizen You Can Be. Here are some plot helpers of Nest City: The Human Drive to Thrive in Cities, the book I am sharing here while I search for a publisher:

_____ _____ _____