Otto Scharmer: Presencing is the ability to act in such a way that the actions we perform originate in the coming-into-presence of the future. When acting on this level, we let go of our �small selves� and turn into vehicles for the coming-into-being of a deep evolutionary stream. How do we do this? By carrying out a certain inner work, an inner work that is related to a threefold reversal process: turning one�s thinking away from judging to exploring; the reversal of feeling away from emotional reaction to appreciation and seeing with the heart; and a reshaping of the will …
Phil Cubeta at Gifthub points to the Fetzer Institute “Projects in integral practice include mapping and gathering information about the spiritual practice movement in America; increasing public awareness of the broad range of practices available; supporting deeper levels of collaboration among individuals and organizations; and engaging in research and evaluation to understand the impact of integral practice on human transformation.” These guys are involved in funding an organization that has grabbed my attention recently, the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society.
Living in truth, emergence and giving I want to pick up on this idea that living in truth is about looking around you and doing what needs to be done. It sounds so simple because it is democracy at a human scale, and yet it can initiate profound shifts in a society because human societies, even within totalitarian systems, are emergent. When something sounds simple and yet seems to work in every case, it puts me in mind of Open Space Technology. My friend Harrison Owen, the man who created OST says that the essence of empowerment is figuring out …
Using the tools of democracy I voted today. Like all elections, I stuffed my ballot in the box and a little voice said �Is that it? People have died for this?� Elections are always anti-climactic. Thirty-five days of being bombarded by messages and courted by spin leading to one moment � barely one second � when we mark an X in a circle and are done with it, somehow unsure if our singular contribution matters. Many Canadians will not vote today precisely because they feel too small to make a difference, even in an election like this where small margins …
We are in the midst of a federal election here in Canada and it’s getting nasty. In an effort to counteract some of the negative spin, our public broadcaster CBC has been running a number of interesting documentaries. Today a producer followed three candidates in Toronto who were struggling with how to work with diversity rather than falling into the political trap of polarizing people. One of the candidates was Borys Wrzesnewskyj who is a Liberal running in the west end of Toronto. He is the owner of the Future Bakery in Toronto, a thriving local chain that was founded …