Thanks, Harrison, Michael and Brendan:
This is very inspiring for comand-and-control oriented Catholic country.
Regards
Artur
On Friday, November 22, 2013 8:45 PM, Harrison Owen <[email protected]> wrote:
Our friend, Michael Wood, dropped me a note with a wonderful story. By all
rights I should have asked him to share, but the story is so good, I just
couldn’t wait, and Michael, if I need to apologize, please consider it offered.
J
So it is all about Wave Riding in OZ with a most unlikely set of characters.
Anglican (Episcopalian) clergy! Being one of those, I can tell you from
personal history and experience that there are few groups in this world more
staunchly conservative and resistant to change. This is not surprising as we
have had many hundreds of years to perfect our stance, and in an odd sort of
way, we do it rather well – staying exactly the same. Thank you. The thought
that such a group could find meaning and purpose in the arcane art of Wave
Riding is marvelous...not to say mind blowing!
And to all you folks who may wonder whether or how traditional sorts in
business and government might respond to opening a little space and hopping a
wave I can tell you that stranger things do happen. Case in point. And
actually, those business and government folks are just pussy cats and late
comers when it comes to resistance to change.
But enough of that. On to the story... (with many thanks and apologies to
Michael)
“Over the last few months it’s been fun to support some Anglican Church folks
(lay and ordained) in Brisbane get into Waveriding mode (Brendan McKeauge has
also been working with some Catholic Education people in Brisbane), and I have
another program in February. As you know, clergy generally and certainly
Anglican clergy, were taught the intricacies of control. Now, increasingly
they know it doesn’t work. If they don’t know it, then a lot of them are moving
into internal melt down as the external system of the church unravels around
them. Fortunately a few of them are recognizing that control doesn’t work and
it’s some of those guys and gals that I’ve started to work with, sharing OST
and Waveriding principles and a bit of work with Talking Circles. They’re
lovin’ it. Saying they’re feeling revitalised already.
It’s early days of course and plenty of potential to be swamped by the existing
culture. But so far I’ve worked with 30 people, 45 by the end of February. They
are keen to support each other and have already started to do things
differently, and see the world differently. On the third morning of our time
together, after they’ve actually experienced a couple of days of self-organised
action learning, I invited them to reflect on the question, ‘was Jesus a
Waverider’? Then the pennies start to drop at a really deep level. When we drop
it down to that level I hope it will help them to hang in there with the living
experiment. No longer just a passing ‘fad’ about how to run a meeting, but a
more profound way of going with the flow of reality.
The primary sponsor in Brisbane, Peter Catt is the Dean of St. John’s Cathedral
in Brisbane. He has been the local champion and sat in on the first program. In
the closing circle Peter said, ‘some people ask me how I can be Dean in a place
the size of St. John’s and look so relaxed all the time [I’d been thinking
precisely that]…it’s because I believe that reality looks like that [pointing
to the four principles and one law on the wall]. I think the definition of
wisdom is to run with the way the world actually is, and stupidity is to fight
against it’. Sums it up pretty well doesn’t it.”
And don’t you just love Peter Catt, The Dean!
Thank You Michael!
Harrison
Harrison Owen
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USA
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