OPEN TO GROWING IN TRUST
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From: Judi W.
Date: Sunday, September 28, 2008, 5:16 PM
Subject: Open to growing in trust
Reply to: 264849
ID: 264851

Lorraine I agree with all my heart..... I too am Trusting in the Process.. Judi

--- On Sun, Sep 28, 2008, in msg264849, Lorraine Cook wrote ---

Sharon, I’m grateful that you are willing to give this process more time and I join you in that. I appreciate Ann and Jennifer’s efforts to lend clarity to the sequence of events in this traveling conversation, and I thank Barbara and Judi for their words of acknowledgement for all 5 of the founding leaders. At the same time, I’m disappointed that we are off in what feels like a removed conversation area and I urge Jeanie and Bruce to put this conversation back in the Sophia 2010 site where I think it belongs.

What I want to support is an open conversation among the 5 founders and between them and all those of us who are ready to participate in Sophia and willing to listen and speak from the heart.

Recently I read an interview with Marshall Rosenburg on compassionate communication (http://www.sentienttimes.com/08/08_aug_sept/peacemaker.html ). I think the whole article is well worth reading but here’s one part I particularly want to share.

Rosenburg says: My trainings are based on an assumption that when we are clear and connected to ourselves, there’s nothing that we like better than to contribute to one another’s well-being. But there are a number of things that can happen that disconnect us from that. So for me, reconciliation is connecting people again so they enjoy contributing to each other’s well-being rather than contributing to each other’s suffering. By “connecting” I mean clearly seeing what’s alive in one another, with no enemy images.

Rosenburg uses a simple process combining deep listening with asking the questions “What do you feel?” and “What do you want?” in the context of a safe space where any language of “enemy images” is consciously acknowledged so it can be transformed into language that can be truly heard. In such a safe space, opposing sides have the possibility of discovering that they are more alike than they are different and that they can agree on a way forward that supports both.

I believe that Penny, Lauren, Ann, Kimberly and Linda all want the same thing: a successful conference in Sofia that inspires a worldwide groundswell of women’s wisdom rising before, during and after the event. At the same time, I think there are differences in leadership styles that make it difficult for the 5 of them to work under the structure as it has evolved. It is my hope that all 5 will be willing to come together one more time and use their creativity to develop new forms, roles and relationships that support the work continuing by all.

For that to happen, I think they will need the support of expert mediation and the strength and positive intention of this “circle” that surrounds them. I think this Sophia group has an opportunity to become a human community that consciously decides to disallow enemy images in ourselves and in our leaders. We may disagree about everything we think, say or do (and we probably will!), but even so, we can reaffirm our trust that when we look deeper we are not so different and in fact our deepest joy may come from supporting each other fulfilling our dreams.

I invite this circle to join me in this intention and I invite our 5 founders to be open to growing in trust that they can come together and create solutions for going forward that serve each of them and all of us. I, for one, have missed their voices in this conversation and look forward to hearing what each one of them feels and wants.

Trusting in the process, Lorraine

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