Why I put my voice and other creative talents virtually away in a box I may never know. All I know, and am very grateful for, is that I am taking them out, dusting them off and starting to share them.

I do get pretty passionate about all this!

Here I am singing at Women Moving the Edge. Below in the video you can hear me belt it out with Luke Concannon, a wonderful new friend and recording artist from England!!!  We are in Copenhagen with our friends in the Inner Climate Learning Village one evening hanging out and having fun. I hope you enjoy this short clip. Please sing along. There is more to come. I am promising you and myself that.

Yesterday I sat at my journal, filled with anger at myself for staying in a marriage longer than was likely good for me. At the same time I am grateful for so much of it. I also am ready to step in fully to this new world I have created for myself.

A real pull and push in between worlds, emotions, thoughts which is to be expected.

The perimeter of the journal page says:

“There’s nothing more to DO!

The weight of pretending is heavier than lifting the veil -
uncover the TRUTH, the GRIEF,  the RAGE, the JOY and let it all be there.

Hold space for it to BE.

It’s too hard to hold it in. Let it out.
And give THANKS.”

Join the conversation: Have you gotten your markers and paper out? What are you discovering?

I am blogging here under Current Events… so if you want to know more on a personal level, check that out!

Yesterday our small circle of ten or so met with many other members of our larger global community in a day long ‘open space’. This is a self-organizing process where people invite others into conversations about they are most passionate about, looking for input, support and synchronicity.

The question posed to us was “What am I passionate about and willing to take responsibility for in service of the planet?” There were three sessions during the day. So many beautiful projects were offered up including a ‘homeless choir’ that spontaneously created a song “What is the story of the future we can live right now?”, a commitment to create a similar gathering in next year’s Cop16 in Mexico, my own promise to gather people in Boston to talk about creating a community there… and so much more…..

I uploaded my pictures from the first four days here on my flikr account. Please enjoy them with me here.

There is much more to report… but now, off to the local grocer to buy breakfast supplies with my friend Luke for the absolutely luscious space many of us are being hosted in by our friends David and Marianne Thank you, dear friends for opening your beautiful and welcoming home to us!

Then, the very next morning while I was rushing a bit too much, my back went out! I spent the day somewhat uncomfortable but still able to participate in our lovely group. The key lesson for me is, however, to slow down and be in my natural rhythm rather than pushing so see and do everything just because it is here. That is the underlying message of all we are doing here in the Inner Climate Learning Village – creating space to slow down, listen to our hearts and to each other so when we act it is from a grounded space.

So here we are on Day Two. I still haven’t gone out to the big crowds and that is ok. I have many days here and I know the excitement will still be there. I am taking care of my back – which is feeling better already – and volunteered to be the one holding the beautiful apartment here open so all of us who want to come and go tonight are welcome.

We had a full and flexible day. Starting with a peaceful meditation on a rainy Copenhagen morning, the space for our Inner Climate Learning Village was set. Ulrik and I were the hosts for the day, which means we called people in for various circles or conversations and loosley managed the day. Once people arrived, we had an opening circle where we checked in with the question, “Given what we experienced together yesterday and you experienced last evening, what is blooming in you today?” Each of us took turns sharing about how we are appreciating the beauty and space we are creating. It feels like a ‘home’ where we can show up, be grounded and then go out and do our work.

After snacks – the official Copenhagen “amager” sandwich – cheese and butter on one slice of homemade dark bread and one white bread – we continued our harvest – creating lists and charts of everything from what is going on in Copenhagen that we want to be involved in to who will be hosting the various days and what everyone’s phone numbers are. It is good to have the loose structure up on the walls so we know where we want to flow amongst the rhythm we are setting.

Then a call came from Janine – President Obama is receiving his Nobel Peace Prize…. did we all want to watch. We gathered around the television inspired by the pianist and Esperanza Spaulding  who played her bass and sang for him. Hi speech brought good discussion – as we thought about his talk about using force as a way to peace. Here are the lyrics of Experanza’s song.

Espera

people i almost gave up holding on
watching us give into our fears
i almost believe
almost believe
all the world is helpless sorrow
no hope for a bright tomorrow
but i’m not sure enough
to give it up…no

now as i learn how i must work for change
i nearly cave in from the weight
i almost believe
almost believe
all the sorrows will consume me
’til peace among men i never can see
but i’m not sure enough to give it up

i’ll keep faith
like so many souls who won’t be drowned
by evil in the world
I HAVE FAITH IN MANKIND
that we can guide our choices towards a healthy world
in time to ease our bind
for only hard work through time
can change men’s minds, i know
<b>if we make some small changes now
we’ll heal ourselves, some way, some how</b>

i don’t expect to ever taste the fruit
my life devoted could bring forth
i almost believe
well i do believe
oh the path to peace is endless
so, choosing to close our eyes makes our fault mendless
of this i’m sure enough

I WON’T GIVE UP
I’M SURE ENOUGH
AND I WON’T GIVE UP
I’M SURE ENOUGH
AND I WON’T GIVE UP

So, Mr. Obama came into our circle which meant our rhythm of having open space in the afternoon was shortened. No worries. We called a circle to honor our desire to bookend the day with check – in and check out. The circle was attended by those who were present at the moment. Flow is an important part of the pattern here. A few freedom songs from Luke and me topped off the day. Most of us went off to engage in various activities around town.

At this moment, Ulrik and I are sitting in this beautiful space, sipping wine and listening to classical music. We are here to welcome anyone who still wishes to come by. That will be the role of at least one of us each evening.

Join the Conversation: Are you tapping into your natural rhythm.

I was thrilled to start the conversation today in my Boston home. I invited many friends from various networks to join me for a holiday party and inner climate change conversation. We had loads of good food, people who hadn’t seen each other in awhile got to reconnect and many people met new friends. I love seeing those connections happen.

I had prepared a question and also a basket for people to give me their thoughts to take to Copenhagen. Here is the question I posed to my guests:

What have I and we forgotten about being human to ourselves, each other and this planet? How might our becoming aware of this positively affect our local and global environment?

There is no easy answer to the question. Rather it is meant to deepen our curiosity and in our discussions, to help us delve deeply into things we may not have considered before.

I will be in Copenhagen for two weeks – amidst many interesting ‘happenings’ and deep inquiries. I plan to keep blogging. If you would like to keep up to date on what is happening during this time, please check the Current Events section of this blog for updates or even better – sign up for the blog so you can get updates from the action in Copenhagen as I write them!

Join the conversation: Sit with the question above and let me know what it brings up in you.

One of my favorite prophecies comes from the Andes Indians. It is called the Eagle and Condor prophecy. What might happen if we come together beyond our differences, putting past wounds behind us, with the express purpose of creating a new world together?

I believe it is the only way we are going to thrive in years to come. And we CAN do this. Just think of this prophecy. It might help you believe….   (I would really like to credit the artist of the picture here, by the way. I don’t know the name of the artist. If anyone does, please let me know)

The prophecy of the Eagle and Condor invites us to see this time in history as an opportunity to regain balance and work together with our brothers and sisters of differing worldviews, to co-create a new world.

The prophecy says that every five-hundred-year period is called a pachacutic. It was predicted that around the year 1500, the people from the Eagle world—the modern, logical, technological, mind-based world—would dominate the Condor people who represent the more spiritual, land based, non-linear, heart-based world. As we know, many civilizations around the world experienced this at that time.

It is said, during this new pachakutic, around the year 2000, the Eagle and Condor people have the opportunity to “remember” that they are each other and rejoin in a way that creates synergy between their two worlds.

After developing excellence in their different domains of head and heart, they can come back and nourish each other and the world into a new possible future that works for all.

Join the conversation: Looking at this from a micro level – what is your personal Eagle and Condor? How might that be affecting your environment? How might paying attention to that shift the way you live and lead?

I am part of a Time Bank where I give a service, such as driving someone to a doctor appointment, or helping them pack boxes or run a fundraiser and they give me time credit that I can spend on anything I want that is offered through the local time bank community. So far I purchased guitar lessons and tech help.

One of the side benefits of the Time Bank is building community. In addition to neighbors helping neighbors they may not have known before, there are social events to get to know one another, exchange ideas and just have fun.

I have been hearing more and more about people who are living in community of some kind. Some in co-housing, some who have given up a lot of their possessions and are living with others and some people who own homes and are sharing them in creative ways – either permanently or as temporary residents bringing their gifts as an exchange.

One friend recently told a group of us several stories about how this works for her. She lives alone in a home she loves but she missed having someone to share conversation with and she wanted help paying the rent.

One day she was pondering how she could get more money to help pay the mortgage. She has a deep trust that everything is for the best and she believed it would work out without her trying too hard. The next day she met a couple looking to rent a room in her home town once a week on Tuesdays, so they could visit their grandchildren. A match was made.

This same friend offered a room to a young woman who has been living with her for months. The young woman had no possessions but many talents as a chef. She cooks for my friend and they share meals together. When the young lady expressed regret that she has little to offer (in the old way of financial exchange) my friend replied, “Your presence is a gift”. How delicious is that!

In researching how to create the One Global Bridge Community to be both sustainable and relationship building, I came upon this site: Thriving in the Relationship Economy by Jerry Michalski. Not only does it have some thought provoking things on it… it has very cool graphics.

I have been around conversations about this kind of thing for a few years now. It was not termed “relationship economy” per se, but it has always been an inquiry about how we can source from each other so we all benefit. I like how Jerry looks at building an economy based on, in part, authentic relationship (not fauxthentic as Jerry says). How might we even get back to ‘make nice’ like we were told in kindergarten or feel safe enough to experience ‘vulnerability’ as core human attributes that could serve as a foundation of our new economy?

Jerry doesn’t have answers. For a novice like me he shares some interesting resources like the Silicon Valley Insider Chart that looks at the economic performance of classic newspaper ads vs. a shared resource like Craig’s list. It is worth checking out this link just to get some conversations going!

Join the conversation: Have you been building your relationships these days as a way of being sustainable? How is that working for you?

So I put out a request to the Art of Hosting community. Such rich inquiries came back. Here are a few:

a question that was once offered by Vaclav Havel:
“How do we prepare ourselves inwardly to live with the oneness of humanity?”

“What am I willing to let others reveal to me that I myself cannot see?” This question was offered by an attorney in Seattle who, on her morning walk “could hear the song that the world is beginning to sing through us.” This reminded her of a quote from Arundhati Roy who said, “Another world is not only possible, she is already here…and if you listen very closely, you can hear her.”

“What am I willing to let in?” came from a good friend of mine who works with politicians in Europe who said, “I’m sitting looking out the window at the wind in the trees – dancing so fast it’s giving me vertigo just looking at them. The idea of being buffeted around on my bike as I ride into the office (it takes me 30 minutes) is sorely tempting me to take the car. Yesterday I resisted the temptation and rode through a thick fine rain. Having invested in ‘appropriate clothing’, the only thing that got wet was my face and hair. Being in skin-contact with the elements every day, watching the seasons change from close up, is bringing me back to my reality as a living being inhabiting the surface of a planet, grounding me in life in a way that makes it much easier for me to break other habits. For God’s sake, we stand to lose so much!”

These led me to my own reflection and question….

“Ah yes, another world is not only possible, she is already here, ready to come through us individually and collectively if I / we could just let her in – rain and all.  What if it was easy?”

Join the conversation: What are your questions that could stimulate the world? What better way than holding conversations that matter?

“Insight’s Participatory Video methods value local knowledge, build bridges between communities and decision-makers and enable people to develop greater control over their own development and the decisions affecting their lives.

“If a picture speaks a thousand words, then a video must speak a millon! The best way to explore our work is to watch it.”

My favorite videos are Conversations with the Earth – which will be featured in Copenhagen in various venues during the Climate Summit and through January 2010.  See details below.

Conversations with the Earth Exhibit of 60 photographs with audio testimonies
At the National Museum of Copenhagen from December 10th-January 30th and
Klimaforum from December 7th-18th in the DGI-Byen -Tietgensgade 65, Copenhagen

Workshops at Klimaforum
Conversations with the Earth –Indigenous people on climate change (Part 1-presenting the ecological crisis and the indigenous perspective)
December 14th (3-5pm) in Room A

Conversations with the Earth –Indigenous people on climate change (Part 2- beyond Copenhagen in solidarity) December 15th (4-6pm) in Room 6

Indigenous Voices on Climate Change Film Festival (with UN University)
December 9th-13th (4-6pm) at the National Museum cinema, Copenhagen

Indigenous Day –panels, screenings, discussions, music
December 12th (12 to 8pm) at the National Museum of Copenhagen