IMPULSE! Meeting

Monday, May 19^th, 2008

7:30pm,The Long View Center

The Impulse! Core Post-Visioning Meditation Meeting led to a very grounded and alive dialogue regarding the intention and direction of Impulse!.  Eleven of the core were present in the circle, holding space for the unknown to emerge.  The summary of the meeting follows the flow of engagement in the circle and moves very quickly, as the expression arising between us was un-hindered and not restricted to any specific model or form.  Please keep in mind that this documentation comes directly from notes taken during the meeting and, as such, is only a reflection of what emerged between us in awareness.  Thank you to each involved with this co-creative process!

Love always,

Jenny

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Tonight we're inquiring into:

- Shared identity (clarify intention and principles) - emergent, no set model.

- Direction

- Action Steps

- Implementation

- Surrendering into action

Honor vision with intent to implement

Vision was felt but kind of scattered

We have the broad context; need more specific (purpose/clarity of intention)

Root clarity in order to share with others outside of circle

Create solid core/nucleus

We're on a trajectory - momentum created - it is optional to follow

This process is like a catalyst, bringing a whole new process into existence, a living         process

We're building an evolutionary updraft

Coming together in this way, an appropriate way - the updraft happens

What's the cohesive purpose for us all being together?  We're all collectively building     and facilitating this process.  Take responsibility for what we're creating together.              Each voice speaking leads the process.  Leading together, the space becomes           energized.  Only the individual willing to lead and facilitate will grow and create.

We're all participating this way.  To the extent that any one holds back, it holds back the           group

To be effective in reaching out, we need a mission statement/intention statement that we             can then implement

Significant from vision: Freedom.  Integrity. Image of lighthouse sending/receiving.          Breaking down old structures.

Transcend the image of freedom and begin to actualize, be the expression of it itself

There's an opportunity to be our full potential here

Our purpose is to be a vehicle for the expression of this(what it is we're doing) - not      necessarily an end in itself

What we do and how we do it are equally important

Not knowing and wanting to know - the space where everything is possible - now in a collective

This creative process is not passive.  It requires the best of everyone to hold this space.

The energy has to move, be productive.  Build the intention and energy in core and        express energy out - then we, the energy, and the intention are renewed.

We are gathering to help co-create this transformation that is happening here and in the world

We are, this is, embedded in timeless perfection; deeply grounded.

Document these meetings to put online

Check out the Group Resonance Project - online

Check out Ning - community site

Check out the documented method of the Couch Surfing Community - a roaming couch            surfing collective

No real ownership.  Owned and built by collective.

Our value is in our ability to articulate and explore depth - consciousness, subtle realm, liberating.

What's the underlying intention that would be behind any project? 

Clarity about this impulse

Core values and passion - complete and within a certain context

Leadership.  Action.  Spiritual Activism.  Leadership Alliance.

Need support.  Like-minded, transformative, leadership building - engagement

We're discovering what leaders do together

What we do here goes back into projects we each already have

Documentation enables training as new leaders emerge

Inter-organizational change - Share this process with other organizations

All our projects are serving this collective and also inform what we're doing, which in     turn informs our projects (all arose from this impulse)

There is an implicit appreciation for the process

Engaging, observing, and documenting the process in a way that's shareable

What makes this process different than others?

• - Lack of limitations
• - Context of opening space
• - Feeling of acceleration (always)

Our purpose is to engage in process, not just one specific purpose.  There is potential for           development to be used for other specific purposes.

We're affecting all of life by what we're doing

We can't help but be radically transformed by this engagement

This forms the basis for human relationship

As people's humanity emerges from this perspective, it radically changes; there's a         sweetness and beauty

Get to know each other from perspective of the Source arising

Intention of transcending the ego boundary; to function as a unit

Engaging in this process is perpetually ecstatic; there's space for our own humanity - we            can make mistakes

We're creating a living reality

Triangular communication (how we're different from apes) - one can learn by watching two others interact.

The collective informs what it means to engage beyond ego

Articulation allows for sharing

We're creating structures in culture to facilitate this process all the time

Transcend ego and shift to conscious engagement from the heart space

Voicing this re-tunes our organizational boundary(s)

Make the purity, joy, and love of the un-manifest manifest

Beautiful non-separation

We're careful with language; we choose language that's not limiting and empowers        this/us

The space responds to the right words

We each uniquely access the infinite

This is happening because we're reaching for it and have to do it

Action is important

Process of dancing with the paradox of things - big part of what we do

The energy of love can't help but heal/create/be abundant

A small collective will work on the intention; we will create world café clusters at the next meeting with the intention statement.

Small group: Jenny, Chris, Amy, Audrey, Brian, and Joy

**It seems significant to note that 6 of 11 present immediately and passionately volunteered to take on this task (and all 11 excited to be involved) - such an           amazing and beautiful expression of the joy in and commitment to this process!

Jenny and Chris will start the initial rough draft of the intention statement and email to small group.

SIGNIFICANT POINTS TO INCLUDE:

Leaders Alliance

Spiritual Activism

Not limiting

Documentation of Process

Good of the whole

Alive

Desire to create - gathering together is creating

Explicit sense of wonder and beauty is brilliant and a huge part of this

We're here to both do and be - they empower and feed off each other

Whatever the outward expression is, it is enabling more of this (here and for others)

 

Impulse! Core Group Meeting

Tuesday, April 29^th, 2008, 7:30 - 10:30pm

The Long View Center, Downtown Raleigh, NC

Of the 14 members of the Impulse! Core, 10 were available and attended the visioning meditation meeting last Tuesday.  Those present in our sacred circle were:  Amy Calhoun, Alex Danilowicz, Larry Henson, Chris Hunnicutt, Jenny Jensen, Deborah Olive, Frank Phoenix, Brian Piergrossi, My Hao Tran, and Walker Traylor.  It is beautiful, and seems significant, to note that the four other core members who could not be with us each stated their commitment and passion in continuing to be present and involved with this process. 

This writing comes directly from notes taken during the meeting and, as such, is a limited representation of what emerged.  Though the notes are still fairly comprehensive, please be aware that they of course cannot fully describe our interaction.  Everything is written following the order of the notes in order to help convey a sense of the flow of engagement between us in our sacred circle.  Being aware of these things, please take some time to feel into this record of the Impulse! Core visioning meditation with sensitivity to the delicate dance of the process unfolding.

Thank you again to each of us for the willingness to create in the unknown together, for the highest purpose and in the ever-emerging context.  It is such a gift and truly an honor to be engaging in this process!

~ Jenny

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We opened the space by sitting together for a few minutes while holding hands, physically connecting while creating and stabilizing a sacred space in which to work.  Deborah Olive moved us into a guided meditation, directing our focus to the sense of an already present idea and/or vision - the "Mind of God."  What follows are the points and directions for this process Deborah brought our attention to, as noted quickly during the meeting.

- We each have the capacity to catch the idea, as/in/with Consciousness.

- Vision versus visualization:  Visualization is from a mental construct and there is an efforting to the process.  None of this is present in visioning; there is a shift outside of the intellectual space as we open to a space of no-thing and are fully available, asking the question of the vision and catching it in consciousness. 

- We each catch a piece of the vision, writing it down quickly and re-engaging the meditation space without judging and/or interpreting the piece of the vision.

- After catching the vision, we ask what gifts we are to bring to the process in order for it to be complete and manifest.  Then we ask what we might need to release for the vision to occur and for each of us to share ourselves fully. 

- The completion question asks if there is any other information that needs to be known now.

- When we share the pieces of the vision, we're listening to and for how the pieces of the vision fit together.

- This is about the WHAT (the vision), not about HOW (the action).

- Listening with an open hand (to catch the vision) and allowing something to reveal itself.

- Become vehicle for vision to be revealed to you.

- Everyone holds a, and the, sacred space, enriching the process.

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After we completed the visioning meditation, we continued the process by each sharing our piece of the vision, what revealed itself during the visioning part of the meditation.

Henson, Larry ~ Circle of people, a large circle, doing a dance outside, holding hands, and waving arms together.  Maybe 100 people?  Large crowd watching from outside of the circle - city life occurring (talking, horns beeping).  Grand sense. 

WORDS:  "I AM FREE"  "TOUCHING HEARTS"  "SPIRITUAL EMPOWERMENT"

Phoenix, Frank ~ Lighthouse - sending out light/vibration and attracting people in.  Listening for response or others doing same thing, the light/vibration/frequency/energy.  Color yellow.  Image of the sun - the energy we're sending out.

Calhoun, Amy ~ Brick building, a huge one, in a city street - like an art museum.  Abe Lincoln.  A spiral of a fern arm unfurling.  Deep, dark, wet forest.  Half man/half deer creature.  Sound of a waterfall in the background, then loud rushing water.  A picture flash (from childhood - jump up in front of wall, picture flashes, showing shadow on wall behind you) - shadow imprint.  Water through streets, then a drain.  Juicy, rich, alive, delicate, new.  Communicative sense.  Saw Long View from outside.  Freedom.

Danilowicz, Alex ~ Jungle time.  Deep, organic essence.  Drops of water.  Education.  Sound of birds' wings, like those of a Mourning Dove.  Sense of: "we're already here, why not commune?"  Develop true community.  Intimacy.  Living together as unit.

WORDS:  "FREEDOM"  "DEVELOPMENT"  "INTEGRITY"

* Word that arose for Deborah with this during visioning: Educari - root of education, to draw forth.

Traylor, Walker ~ Quality of clear purpose in our formation here; a circle of elders, we receive the highest for all.  Points for Alex's three words:

FREEDOM - the cutting edge, unknown, vast space of ultimate universe

EDUCATION - reception, synthesis of manifestation

INTEGRITY - literal, specific, earth, business plan, grounded, visible, precision

Synthesis between earthy, precise details and vast freedom.  Infused with collectively, vertically; share in our lives horizontally.  Enable access to complimentary voice(s) of creation.  Collectively enable a context that is the best ever, through the universe and us, our own voices.  Our nitch is literal certainty - definitely to be, as if already done.  Quality of certainty and newness is what we're bringing.  Grounded, precise, open to continually download the highest vision for the highest purpose.

Jensen, Jenny ~ Immediate loud buzz.  Green/blue color.  Then a bird in flight above.  Felt top/back of head being pulled up, as if by a string.  Concentric rings of white light.  Feel of flow, right to left, with waves. Image of cone shape, open at large end (like megaphone), sending out and attracting/receiving in.  Grass field with tall blades periodically; spider weaving web between the tall blades, across the field.  Pockets of fire (circles), spreading and connecting.  Audible low, deep hum, from the earth up.  Then an audible high, loud vibrational frequency - receive and transmit.  Image of flow, low veins spread out, rushing toward each other at center point, curving up, rushing straight up and out.  Sensation of physical pull at heart.  Then tingling skin.  Dew drops, and the feeling of them.

Tran, My Hao ~ Light.  Purple light, a stream coming down.  Sunlight.  Dark tried to get between the sunlight, yet still the sunlight was so bright on both sides.  Love.  Open heart, love, and receive.  Freedom.  Light continued to flow.  No physical form.  Building with Lincoln in DC was melting like ice from this sunlight shining on it.  Melting like white lava flowing out.

WORDS:  "LET GO"

*Point that arose from/for entire circle: The light is here now, melting old structures, allowing for new creation.

Piergrossi, Brian ~ Vision of Agape, this place with lots of people.  Big, huge building; had no importance itself, just about the energy.  People of all colors.  Light, laughter, energy, open-heartedness.  Light in room, hugging, music.  Retreats in nature.  People in circles at peoples' homes and/or centers.  Hearing conversation about how there is nothing like this on the East Coast.  People coming in from all over.  Papers with numbers, people working numbers as business/livelihood.  Documented Mission/Intention statement on everything (building, website, letterhead, etc.).

Hunnicutt, Chris ~ Resonance.  Infinity sign.  Imposed on sign - the Escher hands, writing.  Birds took up in flight.  Frog with crown, climber up on a log, and threw up in a stream.  Unicorn, catching falling golden rings on its horn; once horn was full, golden rings fell like rain; the unicorn flew up in sky, then white light. 

WORDS:  Flute with wings, presented - "TONE"   Monkey - "BROWN"

Diamond shape affiliated with light.  Give all I am.  Aerosmith song - "Come Together Right Now" - in highest context.

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After sharing these pieces of the vision, we proceeded to share the information received during the second segment of the meditation: what gifts we are being called to bring to this process right now.

Henson, Larry ~ Carrying an openness

Piergrossi, Brian ~ Writing, speaking, music.  Heart-level inspiring of people.  Fun, connection, joy, enthusiasm.  Connecting with younger people.

Phoenix, Frank ~ Optimism and faith.  Holding the faith in the possibility of this vision, the certainty of it.

Calhoun, Amy ~ Books/Bookkeeping.  Talking to plants, flowing, movement, aliveness, dance.

Traylor, Walker ~ Comprehensive context - the whole thing and precise detail

Danilowicz, Alex ~ Tenacity, organizational capacity.

Tran, My Hao ~ Willingness, openness.  Receiving of message

Hunnicutt, Chris ~ Participate in space that allows for openness to be able to manifest in context of group, or whatever circumstances, in way that facilitates creative expression.  Having certainty in unknowing space, comfort with not knowing what will emerge.  Reaffirm that and facilitate creation, letting go of form.  Giving all I am in this moment.

* Points from the circle: Mercury - liquid silver - massive but can morph/change.  Doesn't go away, separates and comes back together bigger than before.  Conduit for electricity.  Holding container with flexibility.  (Refining gold?)  Sensitivity - the sensing; creation of it in the sensing.  Presence.

Jensen, Jenny ~ Passion (fire).  Love - intense, overflowing, unbound.  Writing.  Broad vision integrated with organization.  Grounded connection.

Olive, Deborah ~ Evocative, pulling out, holding the vision for the process.  Faith in process of holding the vision, of knowing the vision.  Seeding (planting seeds).

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The third segment of the visioning meditation asked what we needed to release for the vision to occur and these gifts to be fully shared, expressed, and available to the process.

Henson, Larry ~ Feeling my contribution is not important and that I'm hogging things when I am contributing.

Piergrossi, Brian ~ Fears - doubts in the possibility of this

Phoenix, Frank ~ Let go of the past.

Calhoun, Amy ~ Sadness, darkness, fear, small me.

Traylor, Walker ~ Fear - lack of capacity/substance to do this

Danilowicz, Alex ~ Cynicism and waiting

Tran, My Hao ~ Let go of the boundary, physical restriction

Hunnicutt, Chris ~ Resistance to going forth into the path presenting itself

Jensen, Jenny ~ Anything concrete/solid

Olive, Deborah ~ Desire to fulfill this vision - let it be as it is with the space for the greatest possibility

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This segment contains points that emerged between us as a collective during the meeting.  Also included is the idea set forth at the end of our meeting for how to continue the processing of this vision.  We can collectively discuss whether or not that's how we still feel directed to proceed. 

- Light, joy, playful, transformational

- Simultaneously projecting out and drawing in

- Holding space of/for vision

- Images transcend themselves

- Created an intention around images; hold intention as a group; something emerges from this; we draw something to us that matches the vision

- Activated an intention to create this vision comprehensively, the context has been touched.  Get secure in comprehensiveness as complete - achievement for this meeting, and bring to next meeting.

- Purity of intention; this is for the sake of the whole, not just ourselves

- Read notes from meeting, each write paragraph about what was most significant to us and send to group or post on a site.  Add to the significant points until they seem complete, then edit into one summary paragraph.  Boil down to specific vision/purpose/mission as collective.

- Re-convene in approximately two weeks

 

IMPULSE! Meeting

Monday, April 14^th, 2008

7:30pm, The Long View Center

What follows is a fairly comprehensive summary of last weeks' meeting of the newly emerging Impulse! core group.  The first section is a list of the 14 leaders present for this inquiry, describing the passions and interests mentioned by each participant.  Please be aware that the information is simply what was able to be quickly noted during the meeting (while remaining fully present and engaged) and certainly does not, and cannot, contain the full extent of details and passion set forth in our sacred circle.  The second section contains a summary of points that emerged during this gathering. 

Thank you to each of us for feeling and listening to this impulse, bringing our passion to this process, and committing to actively participate by being the living engagement of life and consciousness in humanity.  In our beingness, the space for a dramatic and profound shift in consciousness is created.  What an honor to work with such people! 

Looking forward to our next circle,

            And with love always,

Jenny

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• 1) Ayscue, Joy ~ Wake for Consciousness Meetup

- Creating safe space for growth/emergence/awakening; to see our true, pure essence

- A community of people just now waking up

- Networking between groups

- Envisioning a major conference when the Dalai Lama comes in 2010

- It's all about group resonance...Love

• 2) Calhoun, Amy ~ EnlightenNext Raleigh, Sunday Morning Meditation Meetup, Raw Food Meetup

- Physical space for group(s) operations 

- Consulting/facilitating within and between organizations in this way

- Relationship, on all levels, with potential for THIS to arise; the raw truth of living

• 3) Castelloe, John ~ Triangle Buddhist Meetup

- Interdependence

- Gratitude for everyone; see all as friend

- Space for involvement with others where ego is smashed

- Willingness to drop inhibitions and ego in order to share

- Daily aspiration - do what's most beneficial for the most beings

• 4) Danilowicz, Alex ~ EnlightenNext Raleigh

- Stable core with meaning/depth/resonant vision

- Get closer to the truth by backing away from what's untrue rather than trying to know

- Discovering who we really are together; something amazing happens when we decide to get real together

• 5) Esquivel, Audrey ~ Sacred Realms Meetup, Spiritual Scribes Meetup

- Communal, intentional community

- Networking between people in the Triangle Biosphere

- Shared space where passions meet in offering

- Writing in the spiritual context

- Dissolving the sense of fragmentation, creating synergy between like-minded people

- All have a nitch - create barter community where we bring/share passions and are available for each other

• 6) Gold, Dave ~ EnlightenNext Raleigh, EnlightenNext Global Community, What Is Enlightenment? Magazine

- Spirituality in field among us...in Life

- Changing life from consciousness; an upward spiral where life and consciousness enlighten and inform each other along an evolutionary trajectory

• 7) Henson, Larry ~ EnlightenNext Raleigh, Unity Church of the Triangle

- Get to a place where we support each other in a world where we're all fulfilled

- Drop pretenses; in authenticity, we will change the world

• 8) Hunnicutt, Chris ~ EnlightenNext Raleigh

- Retreats and guest presenters in the Triangle

- The relationship between; this living relationship

• 9) Jensen, Jenny ~ EnlightenNext Raleigh

- Retreats and guest presenters in the Triangle

- Community event - taste various spiritual groups and practices available

- Network in a way that realizes we are the relationship and connection

- Strengthen/stabilize depth of consciousness and dig deeper

- Global network

- Create living, liquid structure to support this consciousness and facilitate the shift in culture

• 10) Olive, Deborah ~ EnlightenNext Raleigh, Minister of Unity Church of Raleigh, Association for Global New Thought

- Most extraordinary time; we're called to a level of consciousness like never before

- Waking up individually and realizing collective working as one

- Finding ways to attract/facilitate/participate (role doesn't matter)

- It's about consciousness; create a space, open at the top, where this is experienced

- Create sacred field; a space where creative energy emerges in multiple people simultaneously

- Show up in places where the synchronicity of life is happening as both life and consciousness unfold

• 11) Phoenix, Frank ~ EnlightenNext Raleigh, Greenbridge Development

- Create presence between people

- Common language

- Presence that emerges when we come together in a certain way

- Dare to be transparent about our positivity about life

- Taken by the maturity of energy present, more palpable and mature than ever before, indicating the evolutionary nature of this

• 12) Piergrossi, Brian ~ Sunday Circle Meetup

- Retreats and opportunities for engagement

- Bring consciousness into culture

- Change perception of this work as strange

• 13) Tran, My Hao ~

- Like trees, we require a little of everything in order to grow

- Prayer answered for connection and way to reach out

- Wants people to go within

• 14) Traylor, Walker ~ EnlightenNext Raleigh, Raw Food Meetup

- Emergence NOW

- Enable/activate highest level of aliveness

- Shift consciousness

- Comprehensive experience of all that is

- Enable highest potential

- Genuine quality of groups in Raleigh; only one who chooses to rise to leadership

- Relationship with/between food, nature, and life

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~ We're creating a field where what's said lands somewhere else (not even possible to sound/be cheesy - can't even think cheese) and are creating this in culture too.

~ It's not about experience; we're creating a field where we're embodying the perspective of human beings in and as relationship, as vehicles for the expression of consciousness.  This is evolution in real time!

~ It's necessary to bring this field we're creating into action.

~ We're not creating an organization we become enslaved to.  Rather, we're creating one that is free to fly and evolve as appropriate, in turn offering/facilitating the same liberation for us.

~ The communal aspect enhances the individual.

~ Within other organizations, successful groups worked because they built strong relationships with each other as a core; learned to get along. 

~ Meet outside of ego and there's natural interest - an egoless context where we're interested in being together because it's actually interesting!

~ Flux of core, fluid as needed.  We're creating a stable, deep core that none of us are prisoners to; one that is able to support the natural flux.  There's a dynamic balance of stabilization and freedom that naturally emerges in this process.

~ Each group and idea is unique; that's the aliveness of it. 

~ In our coming together, we're creating a Core Leadership Council; and present in the consciousness of this group is egolessness, being in and of service.

~ We're the core container; the people who are holding the space of and for this consciousness in and for the group.  We facilitate the community coming together.

~ Reconvene in approximately two weeks to participate in a meditation where we ask the question of which steps to take from here; all together listening deeply for what emerges.  In doing this, we can catch the direction/meaning/purpose aligned with this impulse and intention; catch the idea that's specific for us.  The idea forms a vision much bigger than all of us, that pulls us; we move toward it and it grows/changes/informs.

Recently, a core group of us here in Raleigh answered an impulse to form a collective of spiritual and human potential group leaders and organizers in the area and create an open space of inquiry to see what emerges between groups.  This is a development out of EnlightenNext Raleigh's Enlightened Communication meetings, an inquiry between individuals surrendering ego to engage in, from, and as enlightened consciousness itself.  This powerful collective is called Impulse!  We are now in the process of stabilizing a core nucleus, clarifying an intention statement, and leaning into a sense of transformative, evolutionary directionality within this process.  The original vision we had when reaching out to initiate Impulse! has held and grown larger and deeper than ever imagined - and this is just the beginning!  There's so much to share.  For the moment, I'm gonna post the synopses from the first two core group meetings.  The third will be posted soon as will the intention statement.  Watch for an explosion...we can certainly feel it coming!

Run River, Run

run river, run

run from no beginning and

run toward no end

liberation is NOW in your clear coursing current

your movement simply IS

boundless awareness emanates from your presence and the

eternality of this moment is deeply realized and

is now intensified as you

flow on, so wild and so raw, with

perfect authenticity ~ how could you lie?

connected with source, you choose to be free and open

engaging each and all you encounter

right here, right now

you bear no attachment and rather

choose to allow all that is

nothing can stand in your way as a detour or hindrance

to the flow ~ no rock, no bend, no tree, fish, bird, or even man

the interconnected beingness of life

allows you to integrate each as one

separation cannot exist without perception

you are consciousness as the infinite process realized

with no intended goal to attain

or attachment to some final result;

merely passion directed to continue as process;

forward and always already perfectly whole

you have no preference, for

you know nothing of duality

the truth of your beauty lies in the

delicate balance of strength and vulnerability

your oneness experienced as the soul-captivating harmony of your song

sing me your song that rings through the night

sing it loud and clear for all to hear...

or none to listen

show me, teach me as only you can

for I am you, and you are me

so run river, run

~ jlj

9.25.06

Hi,

This is a synopsis of what happened at last night's EnlightenNext Raleigh Authentic Ground meeting.  If it sparks your interest, please join our meetup group http://wie.meetup.com/18.  You'll be able to keep up with all our happenings that way.

Many thanks,

Chris, Jenny, and Alex

*****

Last night (Sept. 6^th) EnlightenNext Raleigh conducted another new "experiment" in collective consciousness in which each and every individual was simultaneously the scientist and the test subject.    Twenty individuals attended; about half were familiar faces, half new. 

Though we didn't specifically  know what we were prospecting for (we all had our separate ideas), we knew we were looking, at least in theory, for something outside of ego.   It was this intention to meet beyond ego that would ultimately yield an authentic expression between us.

At first we experienced what any large group of individuals who don't know each other, and don't know what the group is about, naturally experience: a tension or perhaps self consciousness.   In many other group settings, this initial ambiguity is lifted as folks get the feel for what the group is about.  You know things are a little different though, when the facilitator says at the outset "We don't know what we're doing here."   Twenty people, a gathering which had never happened before in the universe, were now staring, some confusedly, some eagerly, some skeptically, across the circle at one another with no sense of what to say, what to do, what was happening, and no ground to stand on.   So, the tension, rather than subsiding in a re-cognition of "Oh, I get it, this is what goes on here!," was actually magnified.

There were many attempts to understand the "rules of engagement."  We spent a while trying to fall into a groove.   Every groove we tried to define or make happen just didn't hold and actually made the discomfort of not knowing more palpable.  The tension built, and built, and continued to build.   And finally the break.  One person, exposing their vulnerability to total strangers, said what most everyone was feeling.   "I'm nervous.  I can feel my body shaking..."  That was all it took; one person sharing truth and vulnerability in a pure, authentic way.   One individual's raw expression of freedom that liberated any reactive recognition of separation, and something shifted; we were all in.

It's amazing, almost miraculous, how a group, even a new group of people, can sense and participate in the authenticity of any statement. The vulnerability that was expressed was palpable, we were all recognizing it. There was a great "Yes!" that was generated by one expression.  There was a sense of collective relief that was a spring board for everyone to engage in a deeper context; a context where one person's liberation is liberating for the entire group.  

We recognized that we were asking each other to have the courage to step into a space that opens into unknown territory-and not only to step into the unknown, but to take it even one step further...    And so we continued; not knowing.  And still, somehow realizing that there was a directional element in our inquiry.   However, this direction had no agenda, and no form, no template in order to replicate. 

Our engagement was simply propelled through each person's willingness to choose to look and listen with new eyes and ears, resisting the limitations of the known.  This choice engendered a natural and subtle care for what was occurring between us.  The shifts in individuals, and the group, were seen and felt as we embodied this care.  It soon became apparent that integrity is an active function in our engagement with the unknown, forming an integrated voice.

In two hours, a group of twenty people, most of whom didn't know each other, or what was happening, witnessed, wrestled with, and responded to what was truly authentic.   In doing so, we created a context that allowed us to go deeper into something new.  Wow!  How did that happen?   And what will happen next as we meet again, continuing the inquiry and authenticity that develops when people come together to meet outside of ego?

Chris, Jenny, and Alex