Wondering what's going on and who you are now?

Anyone who flies a lot knows you can't take anything for granted.

 Long ago in my facilitation practice, when I learned about Open Space Technology, I was really struck by the four principles and the one law. I could immediately see how they could be a way to travel the world with less struggle and more grace.

They are a valuable focus for these days, too.

Who actually has the power?

We seem to be living in a world where every day there is a new shocking event that feels like it tears at the fabric of community and common unity.

Somehow there is less space for difference and more space for disturbance. It feels like cancel culture has suddenly become the political modus operandi.

It would be easy to think someone else has all the power. But actually, we have the power to choose how we respond. This is the clear message at the heart of Viktor Frankl's work Man's Search for Meaning.

In the direst circumstance we can choose a response. This, of course, demands you have inner strength to call on, which is a fundamental reason to embrace a personal and professional practice that gives you solid ground and helps keep you curious and conscious.

That makes living with Open Space principles both a life practice and a relief to the overstimulated nervous system. When I can surrender my need to control everything, they are an incredible way to practice conscious presence. They remind me I can get started making the changes I want to see wherever I am and with whomever is present:

•  Whenever it starts, it starts 
• Whoever comes are the right people.
• Whenever it's over, it's over.
• Whatever happens is the only thing that could have.

The principles invite me to an inner space of grace within which flow can arise. They invite me to ask myself:

• Can I just be with what is for a moment, instead of falling into reaction and thereby sense when and where -- and what -- to start?
• How can I meet whoever comes with respect and dignity and invite them to be the best of themselves?
• Where is the point I need to make conscious closure because it is over? And how do I learn to allow grief to become a natural part of life?
• What am I doing to create more presence and harmony inside myself, instead of expecting it to be out there? Then whatever happens I can find a gift or a nugget of learning.

Also, within Open Space, there is The Law of Mobility, which asks us to be aware that the choice is ours -- if you are somewhere where you are not contributing or being contributed to, take yourself off to where you are. Use your energy to be part of creating the more generative world you want to see.

Or take some time out and rest. Remember rest is a warrior practice. You're no good for anyone when you have nothing left to give.

So who are YOU now?

There is a need to grow our capacity for taking collective action. But even more, there is a need to get very personal and do our own inner work to decide who we want to be and what is our offering in these times.

For more than a year I've been listening to people's questions and stories and noticing a red thread through all of them -- the question: "Who am I now in the face of this?" 

And from this question, another: "What is mine to do?"

I personally have sat with these questions very deeply for the past 4 years or so. 

So what's my response?

I am committed to supporting those of us who work with groups to grow our capacity. This year's take on BEYOND FACILITATION will focus on working with conflict, divisiveness and disturbance. See more about that here.

And I will offer a series of conversation experiments with my wonderful online co-creator Amy Lenzo and a talented support team:

The "Who Am I Now?" Conversations

So many of us are facing challenges that seem never-ending. The pace of change feels overwhelming.

We feel it too. That's why we're offering a open series of conversations you can join with others who are also asking "Who am I now? What is mine to do?" Together we'll look for the wisdom that comes when you have a conversation that really matters.

See more about the conversations and how to join them here.