Integral Action Hosts its First World Cafe!!
On October 30th, a group of dynamic, engaged women gathered for the first session of Integral Action, an organization that has emerged from Integral Women that is devoted to reaching out to our own individual communities, our local community and the world community.
We used the World Cafe process which awakens collective intelligence through conversations about questions that matter.
Participants spent 10 minutes on one of three questions before the chimes rang and they had to run to the next room and brainstorm the next question with a new group.
The questions were:
- How would Integral Action be different from conventional volunteerism?
- What insights have you gained from Integral Women that change how you “show up” in the world?
- What would Integral Action look like in your wildest dreams?
Sandy Weiskittel and Leslie then met to identify emerging themes. They are:
- Reciprocal nature of giving and receiving
- Awareness of our interconnectedness
- We resolve to evolve (allow leaders, systems, organizational structure, etc. to emerge)
- Compassion for other ways of knowing (traditions, practices, customs, cultures)
- Non-judgment
- Letting go of our own expectations
- Time for reflection before and after serving
- Awareness of the power of the organic movement between the individual and collective (the connection of how each “I” informs the “WE” and how the “WE” informs each “I”)
- Every person’s “I” has inherent value
- Every “WE” is informed by the individual “I”
- “I” AND “WE” CAN’T BE SEPARATED
- Mindful awareness of our own interior resistances
- Clarity of intention (on a micro and macro level)
- Awareness of stages of consciousness (Maslow, Spiral Dynamics), the four quadrants that show up in every human interaction and the personality styles that impact our interactions and perspectives.
- Attitude of joy and hope
- Open our hearts
- At home within (interior awareness–meditation, contemplation, tai chi, yoga, body awareness) is available to everyone regardless of income, life conditions
- Presence
- Interior awareness informs exterior actions. Exterior actions inform interior awareness
- This is ongoing, continual, emerging action group with a deep sense of commitment on the part of the “WE”: We won’t let this die.
NEXT STEPS:
- Meet at Leslie’s on Wednesday, November 12 from 11:45-1:30 for a brown bag lunch
- Briefly review Appreciative Inquiry Process of listening and group dynamics
- Debrief the World Cafe
- Do a guided meditation engaging heart, mind, body
- Discuss emerging themes and identify five predominant themes. Also, determine if we are missing important theme.
- Identify next meeting date and specific action steps that emerged from themes.
If you missed the last World Cafe, you can still join us. The review will bring you up to speed!
If you can join us, please e-mail Leslie at lfhersh711@fuse.net
Thank you…we feel like we are at the beginning of something powerful emerging from our groups!
We can’t wait for you to add your insights to this emerging organization that sprung from Integral Women!
