The Light Show  

As we live into this time of political polarity and economic crisis, something new is arising that may be called authentic conversation, where getting to the heart of the matter before us is essential, where conversations are called forth as if our very lives depended on them. The urgency of the times is a clear message to put aside our need to be right, and listen deeply to each other, to put aside our inner habits of moving away from what is painful, and speak our most authentic truths.

Please join us every Tuesday and Thursday, as we, Jeanie DeRousseau (Gather the Women Global Matrix), Bonnie Kelley (Evolutionary Women) and Teresa Ruelas (Offerings Publications) offer our own learnings and those of others into this evolution toward real conversation. Only when we rest in what is so, in meaningful conversation with one another, may real change occur in the world. Today we three meet to speak about the relationship between the personal and the collective, about managing information and finding relevance, about uniqueness and enlightened self interest.

I feel almost in awe of today's show for the breadth and depth of our conversation! 

We were honored to have Judy Hawkins join us for an exploration of women as entrepreneurs today.  Reflecting on what women have been asking of Women's Economic Ventures, where she has served in many capacities, Judy shared that women look not only for personal support, but also for community as they bring forward their new initiatives.  She also shared the information in Michael Shuman's book The Small Mart Revolution, that suggests that local businesses are doing better than "big box" business because they are cost effective AND build community.  It seems natural that women are stretching their entrepreneurial wings in this direction, which might be called "co-creative".<p>

As we focused in on "mother's networks", a local online and in-person phenomenon, we began to ask if there is a natural coding in women that is being activated at this time, that stimulates women to move business in new directions.  We named some of these natural tendencies (which probably grow out of the mothering impulse) as: an impulse toward community, reaching out to other women to learn what is needed, reaching into shared "fields" of intention.<p>

We also noticed the deep connection that occurs between women when they listen and speak from their heart, from their vulnerabilities, from their authentic personal experiences.  It seems to be in this channel of "the personal" that roles fall away, that shared universals of life itself can become apparent, that "real conversation" can actually occur. <p> 

I could feel behind our conversation the image of a mother sharing the story of a mistake she made that impacted her child adversely, and the deep transfer of her learning to other mothers who would listen, ready to learn from her experience.  Imagine if we could all open to this kind of rapid learning!  Imagine if we could learn what we need to learn from each other easily and quickly so that our transition to a new order on earth could be as graceful as a mother's smile...

As we live into this time of political polarity and economic crisis, something new is arising that may be called authentic conversation, where getting to the heart of the matter before us is essential, where conversations are called forth as if our very lives depended on them. The urgency of the times is a clear message to put aside our need to be right, and listen deeply to each other, to put aside our inner habits of moving away from what is painful, and speak our most authentic truths.

Please join us every Tuesday and Thursday, as we, Jeanie DeRousseau (Gather the Women Global Matrix), Bonnie Kelley (Evolutionary Women) and Teresa Ruelas (Offerings Publications) offer our own learnings and those of others into this evolution toward real conversation. Only when we rest in what is so, in meaningful conversation with one another, may real change occur in the world.

Today we will be sharing this "real field" with Judy Hawkins, whose deep passion lies at the intersection of women's empowerment and the re-invention of business. She will be sharing from her personal experience with Women's Economic Ventures and at the 2008 California Women's Conference held in October 2008.

As we live into this time of political polarity and economic crisis, something new is arising that may be called authentic conversation, where getting to the heart of the matter before us is essential, where conversations are called forth as if our very lives depended on them. The urgency of the times is a clear message to put aside our need to be right, and listen deeply to each other, to put aside our inner habits of moving away from what is painful, and speak our most authentic truths.

Please join us every Tuesday and Thursday, as we, Jeanie DeRousseau (Gather the Women Global Matrix), Bonnie Kelley (Evolutionary Women) and Teresa Ruelas (Offerings Publications) offer our own learnings and those of others into this evolution toward real conversation. Only when we rest in what is so, in meaningful conversation with one another, may real change occur in the world.

Join us Tuesday November 18 as we explore real conversation brought to one another from our growing edges.

On Thursday last, we spoke with Kathe Schaaf, one of the four conveners of the Constellations of Hope event that took place November 7-10 in Petaluma, California.  Sixty women from all over the country, from diverse cultural backgrounds, and from over 40 distinct initiatives that work for the common good, attended the event.

Kathe spoke about the way she steps forward to do what she does, as a dance between her whispers of inner guidance and the collective impulse she feels and observes around her.  This "dance" among the conference attendees resulted in the co-creation of a spiritual field that held the whole weekend's conversations, allowing uncomfortable feelings and ideas often unspoken to be brought forward, and healings to occur.  Even as frictions and positions were voiced, an altar comprised of meaningful and sacred objects became a focal point, and women went home full of rich experiences and learnings to be gleaned about themselves and each other.  That time itself is an experience that varies from woman to woman and culture to culture was one such new awareness.

What is it when both unity and differences are present?  The many faces of the "divine feminine, the paradox pointing beyond polarity, "natural spiritual authority" expressed through different backgrounds.  Or perhaps the question is better asked "How does the individual woman find her own value in a lived way?"  Perhaps, by bridging the tensions of separation within herself (judgments about self and other), and becoming whole as a person, unique and different, but now united inside herself.

Tuesday's conversation will find us reflecting more on diversity in conversation, and the experience of living at the edge of separation, where each woman's experience may be unique to her own evolution, and contribute to the overall growth of human awareness.  Come participate in unpacking our sense and wisdom about "living at the edge". 

As we live into this time of political polarity and economic crisis, something new is arising that may be called authentic conversation, where getting to the heart of the matter before us is essential, where conversations are called forth as if our very lives depended on them. The urgency of the times is a clear message to put aside our need to be right, and listen deeply to each other, to put aside our inner habits of moving away from what is painful, and speak our most authentic truths.

Please join us every Tuesday and Thursday, as we, Jeanie DeRousseau (Gather the Women Global Matrix), Bonnie Kelley (Evolutionary Women) and Teresa Ruelas (Offerings Publications) offer our own learnings and those of others into this evolution toward real conversation. Only when we rest in what is so, in meaningful conversation with one another, may real change occur in the world.

Today we will be joined by Kathe Schaaf and other co-conveners of the Constellations of Hope conference held last weekeng in Petaluma. We will listen in to the intention to connect heart-to-heart with a diverse group of over 40 organizations for clues of how to apply real conversation to the task of developing unity around the world.