What is an underlying question that gives form to your work or interest in this field?
What is needed in this moment to foster wholeness? (in
whatever the situation may be)
What is your personal experience of collective
wisdom in groups?
Our work involves the conscious evocation of sacred space
which encourages the emergence of individual and collective wisdom.
It is based upon an ancient (30,000 year old) body of earth wisdom teachings
which have been passed to us. The teachings are “held” in
a design which encompasses all of the energies of life. The structure
of the design(s) facilitates all perspectives coming forward and being
heard and the emergence of collective wisdom.
Our work has two aspects to it: 1) the teaching of this
ancient way in ceremony 2) the design of specific ceremonies (either
for individuals or for groups) focused upon a specific issue or question.
Our function is to assist people in reconnecting
with their own individual and collective remembrance and knowing. Whenever
possible, we work outdoors, on the mother earth.
What is it about the work in this field that excites
you and connects you to your own deepest self?
My understanding of my own life purpose is that
I am to create (and co-create with others) sacred containers which are
capable of holding The People while “they do their work.”
The work in its broadest sense as I understand it is the mending of
the sacred hoop which holds all sentient beings.
For many years now I have witnessed impossible
situations resolve and the exact healing that is needed in the moment
occur. With those experiences always comes a deep sense of peace. I
treasure those moments.
Please provide a brief storyline or snapshot of
what brought you to this work.
This work is a natural evolution of my life journey.
I grew up in the midwest with deep roots connected to farm land that
has been in the family for roughly 150 years. In my 20's I served in
the Peace Corps and traveled the world extensively - always seeking
"something more."
A series of events led me to California where I
began working with University of California Extension, Santa Cruz as
a Continuing Education Specialist in the field of Human Growth and Development.
At one of the educational series that I organized, I heard Dr. Irving
Oyle say: "Consider that reality may be crystalized thought."
And I realized that the realm I had been searching for was not an outer
realm but an inner realm and life has never been the same.
Later I worked with Bob Schwartz of The Tarrytown
Conference Center, again organizing events in the field of consciousness
but this time adding to it the domain of the business world.
Following a stint as a personal financial planner
I joined the International Center for Organization Design as Senior
Context Designer working with Bill Veltrop
applying new paradigm thought to the field of organizational development
and design.
In the early 90's, I was at another transition
point in my life and set as an intention the discovery of the next phase
of my journey. During a trip to the Southwest, I saw a beautiful handmade
Native American dress in the window of a small shop and simply "had"
to try it on. As the softness of the leather touched my body, I "remembered."
I remembered a life of wearing these kinds of clothes.
Two weeks later, I met a métis couple who
were to become my teachers for the next eight years. I entered formal
keepership training with them to learn the ancient body of teachings
that they carried.
The wisdom of the medicine wheel is now the ground
for my life and my work in the world
How would you like to be available to others in
this field?
For over 20 years, I’ve been fascinated with and
explored the ways that the energetic contextual field surrounding groups
influences what happens. The medicine wheel is the most elegant design
of wholeness that I’ve ever encountered. I’d enjoy a relationship
with others who are also working with contextual fields which encourage
the emergence of collective wisdom and wholeness.
Links to this site or others:
Nurturing the
Emergence of Collective Wisdom
Interview
with FireHawk, Pele Rouge, Bill
& Marilyn Veltrop
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