[OSList] Circle of One (was OSList Digest, Vol 19, Issue 5)

[Brendan McKeague]

I think there are many ways of activating my imagination around the notion of inner village Harold - and Matilda's idea sounds wonderful also.

I have heard about but never experienced the 'empty chair' process - that sounds intriguing as well. 

My own preference at this stage in life has emerged out of my own lived experience and deepening connection to my Celtic heritage. I am continuing to explore other avenues of access to the richness of my inner life - and acknowledging myself as some sort of system within systems...all self-organising of course. 

I also think that my growing awareness of my many selves has enriched my practice of Open Space...and helped me to more fully present for the service I offer.

cheers brendan



On 14/09/2012, at 9:14 AM, Harold Shinsato wrote:

> Matilda, thanks for your reply. I look forward to learning more about the Hal and Sidra Stone 'Voice Dialogue' technique.
> 
> Brendan - I remember you very well as an important part of my experience of Berlin - especially your statement about letting go of needing to make a difference, so that you can make a difference. Your response was worth reading a few times. If you're familiar with Gestalt therapy's "empty chair" technique, how do you think this Celtic wisdom might apply? A coach led me through the process a few times, and it has been quite intriguing. I even got a bunch of different hats to try doing the work on my own. It seems to help to give these different elements of the psyche some space to express - open space and let the inner conflict be visible so that these elements can be more in communion. It's one of the things I enjoyed most about studying improv and acting. Playing with different persona's made it easier to be less rigidly identified with the ego.
> 
> So much of theater and acting seems like deep shamanistic psyche work. This seems very rich territory for exploration.
> 
>     Harold
> 
> On 9/13/12 5:42 PM, Matilda Leyser wrote:
>> Hi Harold and Brendan and all,
>> 
>> Joining this thread late, or just at the right time :-)! - I am a little slow on email these days since my circle of one has become a circle of three, with our 8 month year old son wriggling round it all day. Yes, Harold, you remembered the session in Berlin well and Brendan's description of how he opens space for himself is wonderful, as is that quote of John O'Donohue's. My own process has also been influenced by a body of work known as 'Voice Dialogue,' developed by Hal and Sidra Stone, which is precisely about the many selves we carry inside our self, and developing the ability to hold space for all of them. 
>> 
>> Hope to see some of you soon in a circle in London,
>> Love
>> Matilda and Riddley and Phelim and the cuddly toys xxx
>> 
>> 
>> On 12 Sep 2012, at 14:43, Brendan McKeague wrote:
>> 
>>> Well Gijs...what a lovely memory you're triggering from the Presidio..and Matilda's creativity in Berlin
>>> 
>>> Here is a the context, best expressed for me by John O'Donohue in his inspirational book, Anam Cara...Spiritual Wisdom from the Celtic World
>>> 
>>> "Individuality is never simple or one dimensional.  Often it seems as if there is a crowd within the individual heart … At the deepest level of the human heart, there is no simple, singular self.  Deep within there is a gallery of different selves.  Each one of these figures expresses a different part of your nature.  Sometimes they will come into contradiction and conflict with each other.  If you only meet these contradictions on the surface level, this can start an inner feud that could haunt you all the days of your life.  Frequently, you see people who are sorely divided.  They are in a permanent war zone and have never managed to go deeper to the hearth of kinship where the two forces are not enemies, but reveal themselves to be different sides of one belonging.
>>> We cannot embody in action the multiplicity of selves we encounter in our most inward meditations.  But without a knowledge of these numberless selves our existence is severely diminished and our access to mystery is blocked.  We are talking here of the imagination and its riches; too often we degrade imagination to a problem-solving technique. 
>>> 
>>> We need to develop a new sense of the wonderful complexity of the self.  We need thought models or patterns which are fair and appropriate to that complexity.  When people discover their own complexity, they become afraid and with the hammers of second-hand thoughts they beat this rich internal landscape into a monoscape.  They make themselves conform.  They agree to fit in; they cease to be vivid presences, even to themselves."  (pp146-48)    
>>> 
>>> This notion got me to thinking - how would it be to facilitate an Open Space meeting for my 'inner village', or 'inner family'...or 'inner tribe'....
>>> A colleague of mine had introduced me to the Jungian 'thought model' of 'Active Imagination' where we can create a space for conversation with these inner-village people by intentionally engaging our imagination. These characters often appear in dreams and I had been setting time aside to have a yarn with each of them in response to the purpose behind their appearance in my subconscious world. I would sit quietly with journal and write out the conversation as it unfolded...a kind of imaginary dialogue with 'part of me' that needed to be given voice in my conscious, ego-controlled presence.  This was very useful for me in surfacing and addressing some 'shadow issues' with a trusted companion (spiritual guide, therapist...). 
>>> 
>>> I then wondered what it would feel like if I invited whoever wished to come along to an Inner VIllage Open Space meeting - and guess what, it was very similar to an outer-world meeting...issue an invitation around a theme that's significant for me at the time, see who shows up, post topics, host conversations, converge and plan actions....with me (ego state) the sponsor/facilitator recording the proceedings and getting more in touch with the deeper recesses of my 'truth'....and I must confess that some quite shady characters often show up - an old/familiar acquaintance, a shy stranger, a domineering autocrat, a frightened child, a passionate activist....all the right 'people' of course!
>>> 
>>> So, maybe its the leprechauns in me...regardless, I love it - even tho some of these meetings can be very draining and last for a couple of hours...its a rich experience.
>>> 
>>> Cheers
>>> Brendan 
>>> (and his village)
>>> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Harold Shinsato
> harold at shinsato.com
> http://shinsato.com
> twitter: @hajush
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