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Connection, Cooperation, and the Power of Community |
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Purpose: To create an open space for reflection on the power of community as an ongoing source of support, inspiration and sense of wellbeing, as well as birthplace of effective action. Length: 2.5 hours Opening Circle – 20 minutes
- Three minutes of silence to reflect on the word “community”
- Check-in – each person shares one statement of praise or gratitude for something or someone in her/his community
Recognizing that we have two more planned sessions, let us include in the conversation today a reflection on this Earth Circle: to what extent has it become a community, and whether and how it might continue?
Reflection on Words of Wisdom from the Hopi Elders – 45 minutes
It may be that the most important thing we can do as we live our lives on this “planet in peril” (to quote President Obama’s Victory Speech in Chicago on the evening of November 4, 2008) is to create and nourish resilient communities, where people know and care for each other, share and build resources, create new institutions, prepare to face present and future crises, and foster needed structural changes.
The Hopi Elders’ message encapsulates considerable wisdom about the importance of community, especially in the midst of challenging times. We will use the poem to explore our thoughts and feelings about community.
Please put your things down, get comfortable, and take in these powerful words.
Facilitator reads the poem slowly (see Resources section), savoring the lines.
Create groups of four by merging two buddy pairs to share their experience of the poem in the context of community for 15 minutes.
Group reconvenes and has a whole group conversation to process their thoughts and feelings about the poem for 20 minutes.
Break - 10 minutes
Group discussion – 45 minutes
Focus: We know that river is flowing very fast, that the world is going to be a very different place in a short time, and that indeed we are living beyond the eleventh hour. We don’t know exactly what shape the changes will take and where and how their impacts will be the greatest, but we need to prepare ourselves for coping with enormous change.
Based on our experience in this Earth Circle community and in our other communities, let us consider the following questions:
- How do we get to know our neighbors and their needs, and identify who might be vulnerable?
- How might our neighborhoods do a better job of sharing resources, tools, knowledge, and skills?
- How do we create communities that are resilient, where people take care of each other, and come together to take action?
We want to open the floor for discussion of these questions, while keeping in mind our basic group agreements to respect each other, listen carefully, and give everyone a chance to speak.
Homework/Announcements – 20 minutes
Buddy teams choose one of the following to investigate:
- Key local government initiatives on global warming
- Key state legislative initiatives/issues
- A national issue (e.g., the question of cap and trade vs. a carbon tax)
- An international issue (e.g., the effects of ethanol on the world food market)
On the local, state, and national level, a valuable way to investigate these areas would be to call or meet with elected officials, municipal employees, or congressional aides to get their perspective on what the big issues and challenges are. This can be informative and also lets the official or aide know about the Earth Circle and its concerns.
Closing Circle – 10 minutes
- Facilitator thanks everyone for participating.
- Ask everyone to share a word or phrase that describes something they especially liked about this session.
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Words of Wisdom |
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-The Elders, Hopi Nation, Oraibi, Arizona We have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour.
Now we must go back and tell the people this is the Hour.
And there are things to be considered:
Where are you living?
What are you doing?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know your garden.
It is time to speak your truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader.
This could be a good time!
There is a river flowing now very fast
It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid.
They will try to hold on to the shore.
They will feel they are being torn apart and they will suffer greatly.
Know the river has its destination.
The Elders say we must let go of the shore, and
push off and into the river, keep our eyes open, and our head above the water.
See who is in there with you and Celebrate.
At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally.
Least of all ourselves.
For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.
The time of the lone wolf is over.
Gather yourselves!
Banish the word “struggle” from your attitude and your vocabulary.
All that you do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.
We are the ones we’ve been waiting for… |
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