<div dir="ltr">Wow, it is fun to learn what some folks are reading, what books have been particularly meaningful to them. And it is fun to think about books that have been important to me.<br><br>If I have to pick just one book -- praise goddess that I don't have to choose only one -- that influenced my thinking about being human, it might be Riane Eisler's <i>The Chalice and the Blade</i>. Eisler's book allowed me to find a new relationship to culture, particularly as it relates to the fact of my gender in this particular lifetime. Only after I read this book did I realize how hard it had been for me, all my life, to feel connected to the surrounding culture, which is one rooted in domination. This book freed me to, well, be me, it helped me accept that I do not have to be defined by surrounding culture, that i can shape culture for myself.<br>
<br>Today I happen to be rereading <i>The Occult Significance of Forgiveness</i> by Sergei Prokofiev. This Prokofiev is the Russian grandson of the great composer. This Prokofiev is an anthroposophical researcher. I am rereading this book because I am working on forgiveness, again. Again and again and again, I have to work on my forgiveness skills. Darnit. The book is kinda obscure and might not be very accessible to people unfamiliar with anthroposophy but Prokofiev's message, that it really, really, really matters that each and everyone of us forgives everything, is, imho, central to what it means to be human.<br>
<br>And, imho, <i>Where The Wild Things Are</i>, a children's picture book by Maurice Sendak is another great approach to the occult significance of forgiveness.<br><br>Two works of fiction have been profoundly influential for me. Margaret Atwood's <i>The Handmaid's Tale</i> and Michael Chabon's <i>The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay</i>. Each of these novels delve deeply into the darkness of the human heart while simultaneously reminding us of the light that also resides in it.<br>
<br><i>Man on the Threshold</i> by Bernard Lievegoed and anything else this guy ever wrote.<br><br>I am vaguely disappointed to have to reveal that more books by men come to mind as I contemplate this question than books by women. I have considered sharing a false list, only listing books by women. . . but I am working, today, on sharing my microscopic truths in all streams in my life. Just for today. Just for this moment. And in this moment, it is true that men's thinking has been important to me.<br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Aug 28, 2008 at 12:39 PM, Chris Corrigan <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:chris@chriscorrigan.com">chris@chriscorrigan.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div dir="ltr">The Tao te ching by lao tzu ( i like Stephen Mitchell's translation these days) is like an owner's manual for this life, at least in my experience. It's very simple, very profound, full of theory, poetry and practices and surprises, even after many years of reading and befriending it.<br>
<br>Chris<br><br><div><div><div></div><div class="Wj3C7c"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Aug 28, 2008 at 9:13 AM, Metta <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:metta@open-space-technology.com" target="_blank">metta@open-space-technology.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div>
Three Classics -- 2 Western, 2 Eastern:<br><br>
<u>On Being Human</u>, Ashley Montague<br>
<u>Man's Search for Meaning</u>, Viktor Frankl<br>
<u>I Am That</u>, Nisargadatta Maharaj<br><br>
============================================<div><div></div><div><br><br>
At 11:20 AM 8/27/2008, you wrote:<br><br>
<blockquote type="cite">
<font face="Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Greetings All,<br>
<br>
I realize that this topic is a little broader than the focus of this
list, but selfishly, I would love to tap the rich breadth and depth of
humanity here, so…I have a request for all of you Open Space readers out
there who have ever pondered what it means to be human. I'm
wondering what books have you discovered along the way that taught you
the most about being humanthose that helped you understand something
about yourself or others. <br>
<br>
If you could recommend your top one or two, I'd appreciate it…<br>
<br>
Appreciatively,<br>
Karen <br>
<br>
</font><font color="#409f9d" face="Arial, Helvetica" size="1">Karen Sella
<br>
Coaching:
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www.luminacoaching.com</font></a><br>
<font color="#409f9d" face="Arial, Helvetica" size="1">
Consulting:
</font><a href="http://www.integralventures.com" target="_blank">
<font color="#408080" face="Arial, Helvetica" size="1">
www.integralventures.com</font></a><br>
<font color="#409f9d" face="Arial, Helvetica" size="1">Blog:
</font><a href="http://www.lumina.typepad.com" target="_blank">
<font color="#408080" face="Arial, Helvetica" size="1">
www.lumina.typepad.com</font></a><br>
<font color="#409f9d" face="Arial, Helvetica" size="1">Phone:
1.206.780.2998<br>
Skype: karensella<br>
</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times"> <br>
</font><font color="#4b9e9c" face="Perpetua" size="2">lumina fr. L.
</font><font color="#4b9e9c" face="Perpetua"><i>light, air, opening...
<br>
</i></font><font color="#4b9e9c" face="Times New Roman, Times"> <br>
</font><font color="#4b9e9c" face="Arial, Helvetica" size="1">The
information contained in this message may be privileged, confidential and
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</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br></div></div>-- <br>CHRIS CORRIGAN<br>Facilitation - Training - Process Design<br>Open Space Technology<br><br>Weblog: <a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot" target="_blank">http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot</a><br>
Site: <a href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com" target="_blank">http://www.chriscorrigan.com</a><br><br>Principal, Harvest Moon Consultants, Ltd.<br><a href="http://www.harvestmoonconsultants.com" target="_blank">http://www.harvestmoonconsultants.com</a><br>
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</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Love rays,<br>Tree Fitzpatrick<br><br><a href="http://thecultureoflove.blogspot.com/">http://thecultureoflove.blogspot.com/</a><br><br>. . . the great and incalculable grace of love, which says, with Augustine, "I want you to be," without being able to give any particular reason for such supreme and unsurpassable affirmation. -- Hannah Arendt<br>
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