Glory, Thank you for: "The more power, the more vulnerability" which to me suggests that an ethic, or spirituality, of vulnerability is at the heart of transformative power... and also for: "response-ability" ...what a useful & evocative turn-of-phrase! and also for: the report about your story circle.
Blessings, Chris ---------- >From: Glory Ressler <[email protected]> >To: [email protected] >Subject: Re: [OSLIST] the right to treat each other well (long response) >Date: Thu, Oct 18, 2001, 10:45 AM > > Alan, > Thank you for your post on this subject. Beware my response is long - > let it be a testimony to the richness of your original sharing! > I found it very thought-provoking and concur with you, especially: >>How much of the richness of life is enhanced, individually and > collectively, every time each of us moves towards another as a > fundamental way of being?< > > I had a very powerful experience of this just yesterday when I > facilitated a story circle (very similar to wisdom circles, dialogue > circles, leadership circles - like From the Four Directions, etc.. and > very akin to the principles of good conversation and what occurs in open > space, I believe) for a group of 12 women entrepreneurs. There are very > > multi-cultural and multi-faith in composition (muslim, christian, > native, atheist AND african, arabic, south american, north american, and > european). The theme (as they are all developing speciality food > products for wholesale and retail distribution) was: "Stories from the > Kitchen: Recipes for our Life". > As in open space, I did little except to open the circle/space, set a > few conditions (one was we NEED each other - together we are greater > than any of us could be individually and that we have the right to treat > each other well in order to get what we need), and hold the container. > Below are a few of the feedback comments that illustrate the power of > 'moving toward another as a fundamental way of being': > ~ Mind blowing. Difficult to list all the emotions and thoughts that > were present. This is a huge experience, that will be carried forward > and built on. More pieces to the puzzle, more insight into what makes > people tick. > ~ We need much more than the obvious to make our dreams come true. We > can get so much from each other and we have something of value to offer > others. Thank you! > ~ This was a beautiful experience! Although I found it difficult at > first to even think of something worthwhile to contribute, once we got > rolling, there was no stopping us! Tremendous sharing of "life altering" > stories. Great human bonding through tears and laughter. > ~ I will remember the different experiences and it will have a great > impact on my future. I am very grateful to be a part of this... I can't > believe how my thinking will change the rest of my life. > ~ I will always remember this day and keep it near to my heart and I > will never forget the caring and loving people in it. > > To other aspects of your post - I would add that our right to treat each > other well is a right born of all autonomous entities. Rights also have > corresponding responsibilities that are attached. I am not speaking > philosophically or spiritually here as much as evolutionarily. In the > nested web of universal being we (humans) are up there on the > evolutionary scale and therefore have 'rights'. However, our survival > depends on supporting and maintaining the integrity of all that upon > which we rest - a nation depends upon its citizens for its nationhood, > individuals depend upon their own physiology for their being, which > depends upon the plant and animal kingdom for survival, etc... all the > way down to the cellular and even atomic level. It is this > interdependency that attaches a requirement of response-ability. The > 'rights' afforded us are inseparable from the responsibilities we also > bear as a function of our dependence. This is the paradoxical and > mysterious nature of complexity and transformation - the more power you > have (in the form of 'rights' and autonomy), the more dependent and > interdependent you also become. I see this in those who are leading > the organizations I work with - the power also makes them vulnerable. It > is my understanding that successful evolutionary adaptation, at this > stage, must be based on cooperation and harmony with all other levels > upon which we depend for our life. This isn't a guarantee - we also > have the right to self-destruct, alienate, etc... > > I would add, from my understanding and experience, that although we may > not have an obligation to 'treat each other well', we do have a > responsibility. For me, this term takes a slightly different meaning > than obligation or duty; one of response-ability. We are able to > respond in a myriad of ways, both as individuals and as a species. We > have the evolutionary capability and, given the current state of the > larger environment, we also have a clear need, in terms of survival. The > more the power, the more the vulnerability (direct relationship between > rights and response-abilities) > > Open space is, in part, so valuable because it opens space for a wider > range of choice in responding. Obviously this is no guarantee - we can > choose to respond in self-destructive ways. And if we do so, I say 'so > be it' - better for the overall endurance of healthy life, in general. > > I have digressed here from your points (hope you find them somehow > meaningful!).... > > In the end, there endures that sense of mystery and wonder that is best > tasted, by me, through story, metaphor, deep conversation, moments of > profound contact with some aspect of the universe (including other > people!)... One of my most important prompts for self-reflection, and > which I regularly ask clients and students, is: > What is my(your) relationship to mystery? Do you dance, run, hide from, > > fight against, make love with, feel screwed by, etc....it? > > with great love, appreciation, and best wishes, > glory > > * > * > ========================================================== > [email protected] > ------------------------------ > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > view the archives of [email protected], > Visit: > > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
