Community with Peter Block and friends

photo credit: craig neal

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Dear friend Peter Block was the Conversation Starter at our Thought Leader Gathering in San Francisco on 9/12. An exhuberant participant writes about her experience  : "Well, Istarted with "WOW" on Friday and I ended with "wow"  Friday and I'll just start there again today!!  First and foremost, thank you so much for the gift of all your hard work and insightful design with your entire team including the incredible Peter!  It was such a full, rich, powerful day done in the spirit of risk of trying something new... The biggest gift of all was the powerful end of the day-the acknowledging of our gifts...it is such a hard thing for me and I so needed to learn from that ah-haa moment of grace for myself."

[10/7/08 note: Mariah Howard created a beautiful graphic recording of the TLG Panel Discussion and Harvest. Take a look here!]

Some excerpts from Peter's remarks:

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~A distinction related to community – transformation vs. change: Transformation is changing the nature of things; Change is making things a little better.

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~You’re involved in the work of transformation, changing the nature of what we have today. A culture based on dominance, a “I know and you don’t attitude,” which is the high control, patriarchal narrative. The master narrative is to find conflict, controversy and rev it up.

~There’s a political element to building community – not just be among friends, but to shift the narrative in which this country functions. It’s too big for me to really grasp myself, but change is too small a God to worship.

~Community requires an act of leadership – the courage to step forward to imagine another world. Not management, which is to give order and structure, but that doesn’t create anything new. It gives order and predictability, and most of us will sacrifice our freedom for predictability any days of the week.

~Safety in response to the culture of fear – as long as we’re convinced it’s dangerous out there we will trade our sovereignty for the promise of safety. Leadership is a convening task of bringing people together in a way that changes things. That’s why the arts matter. The arts understand the nuances of experience – they tune us in to see the world in a different way. That’s the work – creating something we’re unaccustomed to.

...more to come in the write-ups later this week!

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Angeles Arrien VisionHolder Call

photo credit: craig neal

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Angeles Arrien in September

On September 16, Angeles Arrien, cultural anthropologist, award-winning author and educator, will talk about The Four-Fold Way and how to "walk the mystical path with practical feet." Register here

The Four-Fold Way™ Program is an educational experience that demonstrates how to "walk the mystical path with practical feet." It is designed to increase our respect for nature and each other, and enhance our ability to work cooperatively and creatively in teams. The program inspires "spirit in action" using the cross-cultural components of leadership and communication skills, creative problem-solving, health care, and education. The Four-Fold Way™ Program emphasizes four major principles that integrate ancient cultural wisdoms into contemporary life.

1. The Way of the Warrior or Leader
2. The Way of the Healer or Caretaker
3. The Way of the Visionary or Creative Problem Solver
4. The Way of the Teacher or Counselor

7pm - 8pm CT

Learn More

email:  registration@heartlandcircle.com

phone:  952-925-5995

web:  http://www.heartlandcircle.com

Patricia & Craig Neal

Heartland Inc.

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Life Lessons of Leadership

photo credit: craig neal

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What would the world be like if everyone was interested in the other person’s success? asks Cathy Barr, CEO of Bethesda Hospital, part of the "Best Places to Work" award-winning HealthEast Care System.

In a slight departure from a "regular" TLG, Friday's Thought Leader Gathering brought a picture of leadership stemming from a core values of our three Conversation Starters, with Craig "interviewing" Cathy Barr, Pam Hull, and Betsy Stites.

What if...??? and WHY NOT?? What if we faced life's challenges with allies or colleagues who demand our best, and help us get there. Cathy created a team of trusted allies - Betsy as an Executive Coach and Pam as strategic partner - to explore the big questions of integrative leadership.

When asked, "What are the characteristics of leadership that you hold true?" Cathy remarked, "I espouse partnership and collaboration, listening, relationships. At Bethesda, it is 'Management by Walking' around and I know it is the little things that matter."

Betsy remarked: "Employees know you are there to make things the best they can be. One of my gifts is courage and standing up to be counted."

When asked, "What do you want to be known for? Your legacy? Your epitaph?" Pam responded: "I might say... She always left a trail of unconditional love and joy wherever she was. It was just in the way she approached things and how she moved things along...nothing stayed still too long when she was around. Her eye was always on the end user...the patient in the bed...she made a difference for those people. Her heart was soft and open and she continuously learned and grew as a person."

We were honored to convene with three remarkable women

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The Story of WoLF: leadership and empowerment

photo credit: craig neal

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Reflecting on Friday's TLG, we continue to say "WOW!". Julie Gilbert and Mary Capozzi were inspired to launch an organization called WoLF (Women's Leadership Forum) to mobilize and support the women at Best Buy. The 3 pillars of Wolf exemplify how these leaders show up in their lives: Commitment, Network (helping all voices to be heard), Give Back.

Authentic leadership comes deeply from within; you can't fake it. It needs to be seen, experienced, embodied. Our time with Mary and Julie was a demonstration of authentic leadership in action.

TLG Member Amy Lenzo offers her reflections in an excellent Beauty Dialogues post. As Amy notes, "The truth is that in an integrated human being the personal and business realms are not separate, no matter how hard we try to make them be."

We are honored to have sat in circle with each of you and Mary and Julie. More reflections to come later today....

with gratitude, Patricia & Craig

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Theory U: Leading from the Future as it Emerges

photo credit: craig neal

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What an honor, 170 of us had this evening, to be invited inside the mind and heart of one of the seminal leadership thinkers and practioners of our time, Otto Scharmer.

How his early life on a bio dynamic farm, the environmental, peace and anti- nuke movements in East Germany influenced his integration of systems thinking, consciousness and organizational therory is absolutely spellbinding. Then he took us through the Seven Leadership Capacities that form the foundation of the Theory U.

He introduced the theoretical framework and practice called “presencing” in “Theory U: Leading from the Future as It Emerges” (2007). We've posted the audio of the session in the left column so you can listen for yourself.

Or listen here:

http://www.hipcast.com/playweb?audioid=Pa8baf0581a22f96448b5abb7694a932aYFh9R1REYGVz&buffer=5&shape=6&fc=FFFFFF&pc=666666&kc=009900&bc=CCCCCC&brand=1&player=ap26

In the meantime, for a wonderful primer on Theory U check out Download Uncovering_the_Blind_Spot_of_Leadership.pdf

Craig

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Moving from "Rah-Rah" to "Ah"...Finding Success From The Inside Out

photo credit: craig neal

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It's our choices that determine who we become, not our abilities. -Dumbledore to Harry Potter

Our VisionHolder Interview tonight with Robyn Waters was about the flow of life, moving from "Rah-Rah" to "Ah"...

Over the years, Robyn has been a cheerleader of possibilities. Success was about rah-rah, applause. Then, a mentor asked, "what would success feel like to you?" She began to know that it was time for her life to change, have a different focus, to take a step forward into something new....

"When we come to the edge of all the light we have and must take a step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe one of two things: Either we will find something firm to stand on or we will be taught to fly." –tom seller

At some point success became ah, contentment, peace, gratitude, being in the present moment, appreciation.  Now, she is a cheerleader for: Right place, right person, right reason.

Robyn spoke to four stages of her adult life:

• Finding success
• Finding me/authenticity
• Finding meaning
• Finding joy
• Stage 5? Sharing the wisdom, the give-back. Asking: "How much is enough? Social capitalism: doing good while doing well."

One of Robyn's core values: hanging out with 'nutritious people.' People who don't want to change me, make me be anything other than my whole, best self."

"A human being is a part of a whole, called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest... a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty." Albert Einstein

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Fearless Leadership

photo credit: craig neal

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"Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real"
The 'tap' of the ship's prow against the iceberg...If you got just a little ‘tap’ that gave you a little vision of hope, 6 months from now you can be miles away from where you started.

Last Friday, the Bay Area TLG community welcome Joe Bailey and Beverley Wilson as our Conversation Starters. I wrote to Joe and Beverley that our time last Friday was one of the most simply elegant mornings we’ve had. "Simple, in that your words were seemingly simple. Elegant, in that they went deep to the heart of the matter. Truth was spoken, and heard by our souls."

Joe began the morning with the story of his real and metaphorical journey to the TLG, of losing his inner GPS momentarily. "As we go through life as leaders, whether official or not, we have this inner GPS—an inner systems that guides us through life—and we also have this inner fear. When we don’t trust our inner GPS, our heart and true self, then we get caught in fear – in this image that floats through our mind, and we mistake it for reality.

We find ourselves at that fork in the road, where we van take the path of fear, or the path of wisdom or heart, or the true self. Fear is a friendly little guy—it’s there for a purpose. Fear lets us know when we’ve fallen back asleep and gotten hypnotized. It wakes us up, without damaging us. It’s like an alarm clock; a feeling of discomfort in the physiology of our bodies. My fear this morning was a signal, letting me know I had moved away form my true self, and gotten caught in the illusion of fear.

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"There is nothing we need to to create it, it’s already there. All we can do is obliterate it with thought and fear. I hope you will leave this place today knowing to trust this still small voice, the universal intelligence inside of us."

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Fear covers up love. It makes it appear that the world is a terrifying place, out of control. But when we remember and reconnect with who we are – spirit – it is the seat of our sanity and leadership. There is nothing we need to to create it, it’s already there. All we can do is obliterate it with thought and fear.
I hope you will leave this place today knowing to trust this still small voice, the universal intelligence inside of us."

Beverley Wilson, G.O.D., spoke next with a story:

"I was called to Michigan State to address a group of people who totally intimidated me… I felt completely overwhelmed, like I was shrinking inside myself. I lost touch with who I was on the inside. When we do that we make other people into giants, and ourselves into little grasshoppers. So I was called to the stage, and felt this voice inside me. Who am I? A child of God! I have to believe I’m called here today because there is a rare need – I only get special assignments. We were all guided here, and I know I am not here by accident, but by divine design. There’s an energy in the room, and it starts getting bigger, and it feels like it’s going to take over. What do you do?

The 'correct' answer is to let your heart expand, (like Betsy said). But when I first started doing this, I felt overwhelmed. Authenticity is VERY important to leadership. If you’re saying one thing with your mouth and something else with your body, most people will see right through it and know it right away.

What we fear the most is immortality. When I first saw that picture (a painting she brought), it absolutely floored me. It took my breath away and my spirit was turning flips backwards. I saw people just freely dancing in the fire, without the power to hurt. That’s fearless leadership! Can you see yourself in there dancing? I want that kind of fearlessness – once I lose my fear of losing this mortal body. Who we really are is so big… we’d walk inside those flames and start dancing in a New York minute."

More to come when we send the write-ups!

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An Conversation with Peter Block

photo credit: craig neal

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Tonight was a night like any other, except  we got to spend it with our friend, Peter Block. He's got a new book, Community, The Structure of Belonging

Below are quotes, and unless otherwise noted, they are all vintage Peter.

Craig & Patricia

"I'm not about outcomes and results. Everything we know about high performance points to the quality of relatedness." Does the organization create the opportunity for relatedness?

Of course I care about results, but to focus on results too quickly, too soon, does not lead to change or transformation. We’ve set it up that we need "a quick hit," "go for the low-hanging fruit," "the ideas that speed, results, evidence-based matter, are antithetical to transformation.

Book excerpt: “we change the culture by changing the nature of conversation.  It’s about choosing conversations that have the power to create the future."

The thread that ties all powerful conversations: a powerful conversation is one in which the person takes full responsibility for and commitment to their ownership, their authority, their citizenship.

The meme that is common to a powerful conversation is the good question. The question becomes the vehicle for a new conversation and the answer is useless.

How do we turn this ship around? Slowly. "Blowing on the bow of the Queen Mary doesn't turn the ship." We’re deduced by the saying things like “it's a critical time in history.” no it's not. That’s a self-importance that is a distraction from the things that bring us to real change.

The desire for quick results (keywords: urgency, crisis, etc.) is a defense/code against any kind of redistribution of power, or willingness to really create change. It means I don't have time to go deep, time to deal with the ambiguity or mystery of life. It’s the enemy of transformation.

Craig asks, "How do we create that spaciousness to create the depth and intimacy you speak of?"
The world isn't any more fast-paced that it used to be. There are still 24 hours in a day. If I decide to not be seduced by "quick results," "speed," etc., then time changes. If we keep reminding ourselves of what really matters, then we realize that quick results don't work.

Faith is to believe in something/give yourself over to something in the face of no proof. In the business world, the stance is to have faith that change can happen.

Leadership is the act of having faith in a future that is uncertain and unpredictable. That is when real change happens.
Change management doesn't change anything; it just repeats the old patterns.

It’s a choice to say, "Where does cause reside?"

Speaking to the questions:
If you bring people together in emergent space, how long can you keep them there? Not long. After about 3 meetings, you have to pick some simple project to act on what they’ve learned together. It’s gives people an excuse to stay engaged.

Some people are resistant/not coming to learn anything. The invitation makes a huge amount of difference. It has to warn people that we are here to connect with one another and invest in relationships with those who have come.

Meeting design is important: shift the context from problems to possibilities
•    Structure the meeting to include small groups.
•    Ask people to be with people they know least.
•    You have to stop people from giving advice. Tell them: Don’t be helpful, don’t give answers. Help is just a wish to maintain control and exert power over another.
•    No tables, and sit with your knees 9” away from one another.
•    Ask people to speak to what matters to them.
•    Have people switch groups 2 or 3 times, so that people know their small group isn’t unique, special.
•    Being in a small group, in a witness.

The thing you came to complain about: what have you done to contribute to the problem?

Story: most of us are trapped in our story. You have to help people let go of their story. Ask people how their story is a limitation to the change needed.

Speed is life. The only way to deal with that is to ask, “Are you interested in a future distinct from the past?”
Our communities in crisis. The truth is our communities have been in crisis for a long time. The people who are most vulnerable in our society are those without a support system, without a sense of belonging or connectedness.

Questions that put people on the line: Who would you betray if something changed? What’s the gift you’ve not yet brought into the world?

What can we do to lessen the fear? The only way to deal with fear is to name it. Once I’ve named, the power is taken away. It doesn’t necessarily take away the fear, but takes away the power. I no longer have to treat it like it matters.

Are we story-less? I don’t have to give up my story, but I just need to know it’s a story. I don’t want to take my identity from my story, or the future won’t be different. My story is a limitation.

The challenge in life is to convert fate to destiny.

The first-world is bent on achieving things that are ultimately unsatisfying. 

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VisionHolder Interview w/Peter Block

Photo credit: craig neal

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Join us Tuesday April 16, when Craig interviews Peter Block in our  VisionHolder Series. 

Community: The Structure of Belonging

with Peter Block, Author, Consultant and Partner, Designed Learning

April 16: VisionHolder Interview Call, 7pm - 8pm CT

Peter articulates a potent design for creating living communities whenever and wherever people gather, through the realization that everyday acts of citizenship are acts of leadership.

Register:

Registrations for the VH call on April 16 have been unprecedented. This time, we asked registrants to tell us what they hoped to get out of the call. A tiny sample of responses so far:

"Finding out what Peter considers to be everyday acts of citizenship, more detail about the design for creating living communities, what is his personal experience out of which came this new book."

"Essence of Peter Block--I don't even care what he says, I just like listening to him."

"I spent the first 20 years of my career as a grassroots community organizer, and the past 8 years as an organization consultant. I'm very interested in the intersection of those two worlds. I'm looking forward to hearing Peter's insights."

"A knowing of Peter deeper than knowing him from reading 'The Answer to How is Yes.' Getting additional thoughts provoked for me before heading into the Spring Ceremony weekend"

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An amazing way to begin your day

photo credit: craig neal

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Dear Heartland friends,
As you begin to bring in your artistry this fine April morning, here are some reflections we offer to you...

for the Artist at the Start of Day, a posthumous poem from John O’Donohue. [From Bay Area TLG Member, Amy Lenzo, author of BeautyDialogues]

What to Remember When Waking Download what_to_remember_when_waking.pdf  

Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor had an opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: One morning, she realized she was having a massive stroke. As it happened -- as she felt her brain functions slip away one by one, speech, movement, understanding -- she studied and remembered every moment. This is a powerful story about how our brains define us and connect us to the world and to one another.
From the 2008 TED Conference: Consensus among TED’sters is that this may be the most memorable and important TED Talk ever.

Have an amazing day!
Patricia & Craig

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A poem for you this day from Tao Te Ching

photo credit: craig neal

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Dear Ones

A poem for you this day from Tao Te Ching

The highest good is like water.

Water gives life to the ten thousand things and does not strive.

It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.

In dwelling, be close to the land.

In meditation, go deep in the heart.

In dealing with others, be gentle and kind.

In speech, be true.

In ruling, be just.

In business, be competent.

In action, watch the timing.

~ Tao Te Ching ~

(Translation by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English)

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Conversation Week 2008 is Next Week -- March 24-30!

photo credit: craig neal

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Join the global conversation about the questions that matter! we love the questions that matter, don't we?  start one in your neighborhood. read on...
Craig

Conversation Week 2008  is Next Week -- March 24-30!

Conversation Week is a global effort to build a culture of conversation and get people talking about Big Questions that matter, both offline and online, sponsored by the Conversation Café  initiative and Global MindShift  . During the week of March 24-30, at over 100 locations on 6 continents, people will gather in small groups to discuss the Top 10 Questions of Our Time  , a list of deep questions about the challenges facing humanity and the planet that was developed over the past month with the help of 1,500 people in 39 countries. In addition to face-to-face conversations, Global MindShift is hosting a set of online discussion groups covering the Top 10 Questions.

This year's questions are:

1. How can we best prepare our children for the future?
2. What does sustainability look like to you? How do we get there?
3. How do humans need to adapt to survive the changes predicted for this century?
4. How do we shift from “Me” to “We” on both local and global levels?
5. How can you, as Gandhi said, "be the change you want to see in the world?"
6. What kind of economic structures can best support a shift to sustainable living?
7. How should we re-invent the political process so people feel they have a voice?
8. What kind of leadership does the world need now?
9. How can we balance personal needs with the most pressing needs of our community and the larger world?
10. What can we do to reduce or eliminate violence in the world?

Anyone is welcome to host a Conversation Week dialogue -- with friends, neighbors, or strangers -- in public or in private. All it takes is picking one of the Top 10 Questions, gathering a group (ideally 6-8 people), having a thoughtful open dialogue, and reporting back about the experience at http://convsationweek.org. We encourage you to use the Conversation Café process, but any process that fosters open, honest, respectful dialogue will do. There are tons of resources for hosts  <http://www.conversationweek.org/host-resources/> on the Conversation Week website.

Please come join the conversation!

Leif Utne
VP Sales & Marketing
Quantum Shift Media Inc.
http://www.quantumshift.tv
+1 612.327.0123 (mobile)
+1 612.326.5256 (SkypeIn)
skype: leifutn

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Integrity: Creating a World That Works for All

photo credit: craig neal

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With the focus on integrity of action and intention, it was clear from the beginning of Friday's TLG that we were in the thick of a conversation essential to each of us. Steve Piersanti's journey to the founding and visioning of Berrett-Koehler invoked some of the following reflections:

"What if all it took to have sustainability was to have/hold integrity?" "It's a radical act to be integral, to hold on to what is true."

Heartland's vision has grown to include "...creating love in action." Our experience of Steve and the founding B-K vision of stewardship vs. ownership exuded love in action. Love for and inclusion of each stakeholder in the community: from authors, to staff, to suppliers, to readers.

Steve wove a story of a company committed to integrity in its very bones. In creating a world that works for all, B-K knows that change is needed at all levels: individual, organizational and societal. "We are committed to supporting a more enlightened world of work, both through our publications and through how our company is operated.... We have an open culture of sharing knowledge and resources."

When asked: "What most excites you about how B-K could manifest its vision in the next 10years?/How can we help B-K thrive?" Steve responded, "Going down the path of B-K being an inspiration and catalyst, a former of alliances, nexus of alliances. Getting out into the world through our relationships. That excites me."

Many thanks to Steve and all of you for an essential morning.

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Trade Up! 5 Skills for Redesigning Your Leadership & Life from the Inside Out

photo credit: craig neal

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What is the compelling future that is worthy of my life? What is the compelling future that leads me to want to 'Trade Up'"? These are just two questions that pioneer and author Rayona Sharpnack left us with at the end of a most engaging conversation.

Listen here: http://www.hipcast.com/playweb?audioid=P52018f800871402b01c09c8e3cdcac9aYFh9R1REYGB9&buffer=5&shape=6&fc=FFFFFF&pc=666666&kc=009900&bc=CCCCCC&brand=1&player=ap26

Speaking to her new book, Trade Up! 5 Skills for Redesigning Your Leadership & Life from the Inside Out, Rayona began with another profound question: "For the sake of what?" For Rayona, it is for the sake of leaving the world a better place than she found it.

It's for living into a life filled with grace and ease and flow, as a path for herself, and a model for others.

The question for each of us is: for the sake of what do I want to enter the inquiry that begins the journey of trading up? If you consider that life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of what you do with it, then the context begins to focus on what you do with it.

Rayona invited us to move forward, toward manifesting our visions and being a catalyst for others, but with the following context of leadership: that the only time leadership is relevant is when it's time to change the status quo. And that change happens best in community: that a leader has listened, and then speaks and evokes action around a compelling future. Not THE compelling future, but a future that has been co-created, which creates engagement, empowerment, fulfillment for those participating.

For some of us on the call tonight, we began "trading up" as we listened to Rayona's words and intention. Many thanks to Rayona for her generosity of spirit and courage to bring forth her book, and continue to be in the world as a pioneer for transformation.

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A New Voice of Business

photo credit: craig neal

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Elliot Hoffman & Meredith Beam, co-founders of New Voice ofBusiness, brought a rich conversation of creating a truly new voice of business to the January Thought Leader Gathering.  What is the larger frame that we’re working within at NVB? Were out to build A TRUE MARKET ECONOMY. Telling truth to the marketplace. Bringing integrity to the marketplace.

Gary Malkin started our day with a beautiful song… “we’re made of hope and a wisp of stars, do you remember who we are?” After Stringing the Beads, we heard from Elliot and Meredith of their knowing and big vision.

Questions from the 56 participants were also rich:

• If we believe that business is a key lever for change, what are we willing to do now to build this new voice?
• To have a new voice, we also need to have a new style of listening, to bring everyone together (no matter political and religious affiliation).
• Will the group have more impact through driving creation of new ideas or aggregating support behind great existing or external ideas?
• How will we make everyone feel included? Some/many don’t feel they’re business people- teachers, artists, construction, science, government, etc.
• What will it look like when you (and we) are successful in engaging business (social entrepreneurial networked) people? What do you see happening? What will it feel like? What will people be saying and doing?

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TLG: "When love starts happening, you can melt the snow."

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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"When love starts happening, you can melt the snow." -David Sibbet

The Artistry of Leadership: The Role of Design, Participation & Community. Heartfelt thanks to David and the TLG community for a remarkable session last Friday. Every part of the morning was thoughtful (Welcome from Constance, Lori's poem: Download UnPopularMountain-TLG.pdf, Pam's "Report from the Field," and, last but not least, David's remarks).

David commented that the title of the TLG had been "working" him. "Am I an artist? I was thinking I was a designer. And, what is the participation part? What is the leadership part? What has been coming up for me around those two: I have a problem with the term "leadership"...

Instead of leadership (an individual endeavor), we need to prepare people for governance (a community endeavor). It is an assumption that it is a group activity—you govern with circles and committees. We have mental models about things we don’t understand, about how things connect. Being organized is about people sharing ideas about how things connect."

Why is participation and community a true part of leadership? For a leader to not to involve people is to exclude the richest part of being in an organization. The deep artistry is making these things—systems and operating systems—explicit so that people know how to engage and contribute.

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The 21st Century storyteller

photo credit: craig neal

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Our VisionHolder, Leif Utne, joined us last night to share his journey from student activist in the 80s, to journalist and online community pioneer. As an editor and online webmaster for Utne Reader, he had his finger on the pulse of the emerging culture and now is helping launch Quantum Shift TV, argueabley "YouTube with a conscience".

QuantumShift TV is a web video network focused on solutions, from global warming to human rights, education to economics, medicine, technology, design, and more. With both original and user-generated content from socially-responsible businesses, non-profits, and independent producers, QuantumShift TV helps you to be the change and share the story.

Listen here: http://www.hipcast.com/playweb?audioid=Pa8cbacaf6f44b1fa9e1d5c31c46bbcacYFh9R1REYGF1&buffer=5&shape=6&fc=FFFFFF&pc=666666&kc=009900&bc=CCCCCC&brand=1&player=ap26

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Heartland Happy Hour - Thank You!

Photo Credit: Craig Neal

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Dear Heartland Members and Friends,

Last evening’s  Minnesota HAPPY HOUR at the IN Wunderbar was truly a family gathering. Over 70 people attended by night’s end. Check out the photos below and  If you weren’t able to attend, keep your eyes open for the next HH in May.

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This is a Flickr badge showing photos in a set called Heartland Happy Hour 1/9/08.

We took some great photos! Click on the link above to see some of our photos on Flickr.

Thank you all!

Patricia, Craig, Cindy, Maureen
952-925-5995

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A New Year Message from the Neals

photo credit: craig neal

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Dear Ones

We wonder how you are during this time of short days and long nights reflecting and gestating on the warmth and light to come. We are with you often in our dreams, seeing your face across the campfire and know the poetry in your heart. This poem came to us recently, stimulating once again to ask "what is my life for the sake of.."

We would love you to share your reflections on the year past and the one to come. What is the yearning in your heart and belly for the journey forward.

So write,either below or via email and we'll post on the Journal here.

Craig & Patricia

FOR OUR WORLD

Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek

We need to stop.

Just stop.

Stop for a moment....

Before anybody

Says or does anything

That may hurt anyone else.

We need to be silent.

Just silent.

Silent for a moment....

Before we forever lose

The blessings of songs

That grow in our hearts.

We need to notice.

Just notice.

Notice for a moment...

Before the future slips away

Into ashes and dust of humility.

Stop, be silent, and notice.....

In so many ways, we are the same.

Our differences are unique treasures.

We have, we are, a mosaic of gifts

To nurture, to offer, to accept.

We need to be.

Just be.

Be for a moment....

Kind and gentle, innocent and trusting,

Like children and lambs,

Never judging or vengeful

Like the judging and vengeful.

And now, let us pray,

Differently, yet together,

Before there is no earth, no life,

No chance for peace.

September 12, 2001

Matthew Joseph Thaddeus Stepanek

"Hope Through Heartsongs

http://www.resonance.to/

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