Larry Walker:
This group (Social Permaculture) seems to be aligned with what you are doing. [MY NOTE: “Social Permaculture” is the praxis of permaculture methodology applied to social relationships.] (Larry’s email included the following.)
In India, pioneers from 16 countries — ranging from billionaires to folks whose life’s possessions fit into a backpack — flew in for our Gandhi 3.0 retreat, to nuance that throughline from me-centered transactions to we-centered relationships to us-centered emergence…. If, however, the personal, interpersonal and systemic designs start to harmonize, the laddership hypothesis is that the collective emergence of that ecosystem bends its arc towards greater compassion…. how do we differentiate inner voice from ego voice?… How, ultimately, do we throw a better party and build a new paradigm? (read more)
Wade Lee Hudson:
Thanks for the heads up. I added “permaculture” and “social permaculture” to my website to-do list. I do see considerable alignment. However, this report says nothing about “domination” or “mutual support.”
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Re: “New Introduction”
Dan Brook:
One thing that the recent flare-up in the Middle East taught me, or rather reminded me, is that many people who want a fairer world, besides lacking nuance, also exhibit selective kindness, that is, being kind to one’s “us” and too often being unkind to one’s “them”. And it happens in our treatment of animals as much as in our treatment of fellow humans.
Wade: Indeed. Well put. Thanks.
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Dan Brook:
Re: “A Little Hole in the Global Left: Israel, Gaza, and Humanity, by Dan Brook. “I have been terribly disappointed in so much of the American and global Left that is so reflexively anti-Israel that they don’t care about [Hamas goals and violence]…”
Criticize Israel when appropriate, but in this case, start with criticizing Hamas for its homicidal desires and murderous rampage. This is not meant to excuse occupation, but to contextualize it…. I strongly oppose occupation and injustice — Israeli, American, Russian, Chinese, English, French, and otherwise
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Yahya Abdal-Aziz:
Your essay “Does “the System” exist?“ is a very clear explication of your thinking. I now have probably the clearest understanding of your concept that I’ve had in years. Thank you for writing and sharing it!
As a once (and forever) systems analyst, I’ve been thinking in “system” terms for most of my life. However, the use of the term “system” in philosophical, political and social theory can have quite different connotations than it does as a tool of business and information technology! Somehow, I’ve come to feel that the former (“social science”) fields’ use is more laden with moral value judgments than the latter (“business engineering”), which is, on the contrary, more concerned with objective and measurable facts … and this is, doubtless, an unwarranted bias.
All that my experience really shows is this: that some things are easier to measure meaningfully than others … Which of course I already understood, when during my studies and teaching, I encountered the fun task of devising appropriate measurement scales for psychological traits. (Including in the ’70s, a protracted, bemused and ultimately unsuccessful exploration of what kind of mathematics might support the concept of “latent variables”.) Humility, it seems, is a lesson that I am doomed to repeat, until – one day, I hope – it sticks!
Meanwhile, I have your fruitful analysis of the existing Top-Down System – and its contra-positive, the fabulous Bottom-Up System – as tools to help guide my thinking toward better ways of living and thriving together. Thanks again!
Wade: Especially considering your extensive experience with systems thinking, your comments hearten me considerably
Yahya Abdal-Aziz:
More analytical questions, then – if you will:
- Which form (structure, format) better supports collaboration?
- Would some other structure work even better than either “book” or “encyclopaedia”?
- Supposing we were to design such a structure (as if from scratch!), what would our design goals be?
Wade:
Good questions. Do you want to offer answers?
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Yahya Abdal-Aziz:
This was worth the read, and a bit of thinking about. It also links other articles on aspects of anger, which I may spend some time exploring.
“Three Reasons Why You Need Anger.”
While anger gets a bad rap, studies suggest it can help us achieve difficult goals, if used wisely.
By Jill Suttie
Anger is not usually a pleasant feeling. When we feel we’ve been wronged—by, say, a slow driver or a boss or a noisy neighbor—our heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature go up, preparing us to confront the challenge. While releasing that tension may feel good in the moment, the aftereffects can be harsh….
Excellent article from a superb project, the Greater Good Science Center. I added it to Daily Reflections and my to-do list for addition to the CHC site.
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Randy Thomas:
Remembering Mary’s MagnificatPoetry is one form of creative expression. In this our age, we need a diversity of creative words and inspiring images to change the current narrative. Poetry, prose, essays,plays, novels, rational analysis, dialogue and synthesis, art, music, Nature’s wisdom, astrophysics, cosmology, technology,
Ways of healing, integrating, and collaborative efforts of mutual empowerment to co-create more whole life affirming,sustaining emerging and evolving relationships. I appreciate your essays as words and meaning to better relate and understand this creative movement and potential to manifest and transform ourselves , systems, structures ,processes, in our world.
Wade: Peace. And thanks for suggesting “Mutual Empowerment” as the title for the newsletter and sharing with me the distinction between embodied and disembodied spirituality.
Rhonda Magee:
GOOD MORNING TO YOU
Rhonda sharing reflections – and a song! – onstage at “Wisdom and A.I,” hosted by Wisdom 2.0, October 30, 2023
Warm greetings to you. As we move into this new year, like many of you, I have been reflecting on how to make the most of this life, given all the challenges we face.
One thing seems certain: the times are calling – loudly – for greater capacity to hold together, as one, the things that appear to be separate, to make connections and common cause among things that appear different, or even seem to be opposed or opposite. Thinking of this, I am reminded that Martin Luther King, Jr. and Thich Nhat Hahn agreed that doing so is an aspect of what they each, from their very different cultures, religious commitments and social justice locations, referred to as “Beloved Community.” As I’ve discussed in prior presentations, being Beloved Community today is an invitation to each of us to make this ideal real in our own life and times.
Of course, doing so is hard. I lean into practices that support us in the moment-to-moment work of cultivating a kind of grounded hope. This year, I’m focusing on sharing ways of deepening the roots of our wellbeing in support of this work, offering practices for moving through shadow and light, joy and pain in our own and in others’ experiences. I’m exploring more ways of deepening our ability to hold space for complexity and change, both individually, and in our relationships with others.
I look forward to re-energizing our resources together and joining with you again in beloved community in the coming weeks.
Book Cover Order a copy of
THE INNER WORK OF RACIAL JUSTICE here.
Links:
Listen now and reflect with Rhonda on the theme of “Being Beloved Community in a Time of Polarization.” (Dharma talk delivered by Rhonda V. Magee at the San Francisco Zen Center on January 14, 2023.)
https://www.sfzc.org/teachings/dharma-talks/being-beloved-community-time-polarization
And make a plan now to join Rhonda on March 17, 2024 at 10 am Pacific Time/11 am Mountain Time for reflections on the theme, “Leading with Clarity, Courage and Compassion.” Hosted by the Upaya Zen Center. For information and registration, visit:
https://www.upaya.org/program/gathering-dharma-with-hoshi-rhonda-v-magee-online-2024/
Wade:
Thanks for sharing. Great work. Carry it on.