tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-355649932024-03-07T19:21:01.834-08:00Developing Leaders, Teams and OrganizationsLance Giroux, a graduate of West Point, has been serving organizations, government agencies, universities, schools and individuals since the mid-1970's. His focus is personal and professional effectiveness, leadership, teamwork and the human potential. Follow Lance on Twitter and Facebook.
Visit www.lancegiroux.com.
His work includes: The Art of Practice, The Mental Game, Leadership - Our Most Pressing Need, Rising Above Conflict.Lance Girouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584652451286064809noreply@blogger.comBlogger130125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-10627858904184561652016-10-25T21:24:00.000-07:002016-10-25T21:24:44.999-07:00Enough<div align="center" style="background-color: #dbe8f4; color: #4c3f36; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
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<b>ENOUGH!</b></div>
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On July 25th I replied to a Facebook post from Irina Ruseva, Bulgarian born, who prefers being known as "European". We met years ago, first in the Netherlands and then in Egypt. Irina's post addressed her concerns about the dangers of nationalism and hate speak - and how such, regardless of country origin, have led to the great wars that have devastated our planet again and again. I agree with her. And while I may take "heat" from some friends who could label me this way or that because I feel the outrageous negative rhetoric of the day is actually causing harm rather than anything good, I have to break silence and say "enough"!</div>
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I know my training and service years past as a soldier, some of which involved best methods for psychological warfare. I know the indicators, impact and traps of PTSD, and the same when it comes to segregated social structures, religious intolerance and dispersions cast at those who are members of the "opposing political party" (I've been a member of more than two), and how all of this impacts family, community and country. How do I "know"? I've personally lived it from the inside.</div>
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Fortunately, I've been able to repeatedly crisscross our country and travel extensively outside it - time and again to the interiors of UK, Netherlands, Egypt, Malaysia, Indonesia, Russia, Taiwan, Japan, PR China, Australia, Poland, Mexico, Canada, with visits in Greece, Crete, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and Slovakia - to connect & converse with thousands of average people from over a hundred nations - virtually all religions and no religions and various political leanings and sexual orientations, and people doing time in prison for capital crimes to bootlegging cigarettes, and people who have been severely hurt by others. Sure there are "bad people" and I've met some.</div>
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The world is dangerous. When has it not been? But I learned we best not broad brush people as "inherently evil" because of where they live or are trying to escape from, or where they were born or language they speak or don't speak, or the books they read or don't read. There are perpetrators and peace lovers everywhere. I've learned to not whole hog buy into someone else's fevered fervor because a crowd cheers loudly. Maybe this learning, this kind of being educated, means I've become blinded by study and research and critical thinking and asking questions and taking the time to listen carefully though to answers regardless of whether or not they fit a quick-fix sound bite for the day? But I say, better is this "broadly & personally informed blind" than to become "infomercially blind."</div>
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My response to Irina ---> "Let us hope that average people across borders and around the world continue to speak WITH each other - dialogue to understand and know each other.</div>
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We have the means today through social media and instant text to talk person to person, and people to people around the globe, and we have the ability to know ourselves and similarities shared with others - also around the globe. It's a practice we have to continue and increase and sift through - and we must be willing to say "NO" to the voices of fear and hate that otherwise divide for some under the guise of sustaining the illusion of gain.</div>
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Be well Irina Ruseva. I vividly remember the conversations we had in the sun and breezes of Egypt some years ago."</div>
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© Lance Giroux, August 2016<span style="font-size: 10pt; text-align: center;"> </span></div>
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Lance Girouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584652451286064809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-69869459037324268252016-10-25T21:22:00.003-07:002016-10-25T21:22:14.605-07:00First Snow<div align="center" style="background-color: #dbe8f4; color: #4c3f36; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
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<b>FIRST SNOW</b></div>
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Special is the First Snow. For it we wait, we hope. Like romance when it arrives, the first snow lingers a short while. It speaks and reminds: nothing you do can control me. It touches what's sentimental. It can be gleeful. It can be sad. Transient. It is here. It is gone. A harbinger, it speaks.</div>
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Riding the rails north to Nagoya.</div>
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This train, blunt faced, striped orange on white, rumbles north and east from <a alt="http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/wakayama/shingu.html" href="http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/wakayama/shingu.html" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank" track="on">Shingu</a> Station, Wakayama Prefecture. I leave behind crystal blue sky and cotton clouds hovering above the lone woman who was packing things behind her bicycle. Next to her was the station's brown poignant statue - a man holding a small child's hand. I ride the same track that two days ago carried me in the opposite direction. It's time to "come home" and be again with Fumio and Miyuki. Today's trip will last an hour less thanks than the one I took the day before yesterday, this thanks to a quick turnaround in Nagoya station where I'll catch a sleek needle-nosed, blue and white bullet train that will zip me at 200mph into Nakatsugawa. <br /></div>
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As I did when entering Shingu, I sit today on the right side of this coach now departing. The journey south treated me to lush green mountains and valleys at a distance across the spreading rice fields. This journey north will provide a close up picturesque coastline surrounded by green knobbed hills. Fishing village bays and ocean views are mine now. The seat that holds me is a four-shoulder-width distance from where I sat on Tuesday. The opposing perspectives propose two different worlds rushing past the windows.</div>
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The Shingu visit. </div>
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This was a forty-hour compression of life: gracious strangers meeting and taking care of me. We visited sacred shrines, one splashed orange and the other hidden deep within a mountain forest; we took a long drive upriver and walked trails to a spot held special by the founder of Aikido. We enjoyed conversations over shushi and coffee and tea; we studied Aikido under the direction of a true aikido Shihan (master) - <a alt="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5HAbCi3mVI" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5HAbCi3mVI" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank" track="on">Motomichi Anno Sensei</a>. These can become chapters to appear on some future day - except today requires mention of Anno Sensei. </div>
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When I first encountered this man, it was some years ago inside the <a alt="http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/departments/parks-recreation/community-facilities/civic-auditorium" href="http://www.cityofsantacruz.com/departments/parks-recreation/community-facilities/civic-auditorium" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank" track="on">Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium</a> of Northern California. Surrounded by two hundred students, he stood and taught for hours, a slight body magnified by an expansive venue and a PA system that carried and caressed his energy outward into the hallways. His lessons were translated into English by his host,<a alt="http://www.aikidosantacruz.org/linda_holiday.html" href="http://www.aikidosantacruz.org/linda_holiday.html" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank" track="on">Linda Holiday Sensei</a>, long-time loyal and devoted student. But yesterday, Wednesday, November 25, the scene was quite different. Alone he sat within his tiny dojo across the river from Shingo. Why? Because this is his school. He is here to teach his regular 7 a.m. class. Today his energy focuses on five of us, the morning's entire population. His first act is one of humility: a request, actually a demand, that we students sit forward of him ... quite the opposite of what traditional etiquette asks. He deeply understands that rank is something to be earned, not something to be used to lord over others. He knows who he is. He respects who we are.</div>
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It was a rigorous and hard two hours of training for me, especially so because I was on the same tatami just ten hours ago under the direction of one of his senior students. My knees are not the best knees in the world, and neither is my left hip. But my purpose is to train, and train I did. Within ten minutes my knees ached, my hip throbbed. Fifteen minutes later a large blister appeared and broke under my big toe. No problem.</div>
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After class I sat and thanked him with a small gift. <a alt="https://plus.google.com/109553838014059569557" href="https://plus.google.com/109553838014059569557" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank" track="on">Tim Detmer</a>, seasoned sensei in his own right, provided the go between language-work so we could converse. Then, photo taken, we hugged and said goodbye. I moved to the small kitchen area, now a dressing room, to change from hakama and dogi to street clothes.. Outside we few passed Anno Sensei and thanked him again while he stood trimming shrubs that framed stairs leading to his school's front door. It was a delightful sight. He appeared a mixture of <em>Star Wars</em>' Yoda and <em>The Karate Kid</em>'<em>s</em> Mr. Miyagi.</div>
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Across the parking lot the student who provided my morning ride handed me a packet and said, "Sensei asked me to give you this gift as an expression of his thanks." As of this writing I'm not yet ready to share what the packet contained, except to say that it is both mind blowing and humbling.</div>
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Arriving at Nakatsugawa station.</div>
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Fumio and Miyuki Mori stand on the other side of the station entry gate. We're the same age but I feel like a child. There's something magical and youthful about stepping off a train to see smiling faces, people waiting with welcome. It happened once before in my life. I was 20 years old then, arriving by train into Ridgefield, Connecticut from New York City. I will never forget that day, that sight and the cousins who, flowers in hand, welcomed me. </div>
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Today is Thanksgiving Day. Fumio and Miyuki lived in the USA for a while. It's where we met and began our friendship over thirty years ago. Now they live in Japan, and it's because of them that I am here. They understand American Thanksgiving and have planned two meals - one at a restaurant and the other at their home.</div>
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November, five years ago.</div>
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My mentor, George Leonard died. A few weeks prior to George's passing Fumio came to the US, stayed at my home and attended a Samurai Game that I led which would be the last that George would witness. In the days that followed we began to discuss its potential for Japan. "You need to bring this to Japan," he suggested. "We just have to find the right time." My reply, "Yes, perhaps ... but do you think it will be accepted there? I'm Gaigin (foreigner). Will people feel respected, or will they be offended? Will they think me presumptuous by bringing it?" His reply then, and in the years that followed were always reassuring, "I think it will be good. I like it. I think others will too. Someday we shall see."</div>
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Someday arrived. </div>
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A date was set, November 28-29, 2015. The venue could well have been as past venues were: hotel, seminar training room, beach, school yard, college assembly hall, gymnasium. Not so with Fumio, not so for Japan's first. Here it is <a alt="http://www.futabakan.jp/english/data/ef010.html" href="http://www.futabakan.jp/english/data/ef010.html" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank" track="on">Kenchuji Temple</a>, built in 1651 to honor <a alt="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokugawa_Ieyasu" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokugawa_Ieyasu" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank" track="on">Tokugawa Ieyasu</a>, the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate that governed Japan for 268 years. </div>
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First Snow. </div>
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It's Thanksgiving Day plus one, and Japan Samurai Game-day minus one. In preparation for tomorrow we take a drive to visit nearby <a alt="http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g1015944-d1444626-r267453127-Magome_juku-Nakatsugawa_Gifu_Prefecture_Chubu.html" href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g1015944-d1444626-r267453127-Magome_juku-Nakatsugawa_Gifu_Prefecture_Chubu.html" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank" track="on">Nakasendo Magome-Juku</a> - a village strategically sitting at the confluence of ancient roads that for centuries were used by daimyo traveling to Edo (now Tokyo) to pay homage to the shogun. Here in Magome-Juku they rested. We walk the village cobblestone street and view the buildings, required preserved as they once were hundreds of years ago. We visit shops and museums and view the ancient armor of lords long past. We take a warm lunch. We sip hot tea. </div>
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Hours pass. The air chills. Fumio says, "It's time to go, but first let's drive up onto that hill." And we do. The road is not really suited for us. No matter, no sense in turning back, we park, we get out. We walk among stone monuments - some obviously ancient - all with kanji (written language) chiseled. Fumio reads and informs that the inscriptions declare we are standing on the campground of a famous daimyo - the place where he gathered his strength before heading into a final battle that would prove decisive and shape the history of Japan.</div>
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The chilled air becomes a frigid wispy white. Clouds quickly descend and cover the surrounding mountains, where only a short while ago the sun shone bright. </div>
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"Ah," says Fumio. "It's our First Snow!"</div>
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April 17-18, 2016. Samurai Game #2 in Japan. Kenchuji Temple, Nagoya. </div>
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Thank you <a href="mailto:f-mori@blue.ocn.ne.jp" linktype="2" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">Fumio and Miyuki Mori</a>.</div>
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© Lance Giroux, January 2016</div>
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Lance Girouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584652451286064809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-37439051782024137542015-12-03T10:47:00.000-08:002015-12-03T10:47:09.648-08:00THOUGHTS FROM CHINA- November 2015<div align="center" style="background-color: #dbe8f4; color: #4c3f36; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
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Shenzhen - November 2015.</div>
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My first Shenzhen visit was October 1986. Relatively vacant and flat, it was a fishing town located within the newly decreed so-called "Special Economic Zone." </div>
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We landed in Hong Kong a few days earlier and then traveled by bus and crossed a small simple border station building to lunch at a hotel restaurant. Across the waters more "town" was visible. Skies were blue. The air was fresh. Inside the hotel sat samples from the <a alt="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terracotta_Army" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0016083NZwLZxNiGajvdxf2BvP7N8IOLzzSV9MK6g9a_5p3tkaYUxN32DvfYreplCwJWmm5eGXVwThs6-585it6ueslpbRAceH4Y-29WuYGY6Ncs-ztyoOr_vL8ic7u1a2okIFObXu0V5GGqHrADlMPo22oF5eftkjDw8pinF1vvBcwTYJ_o-tHz2h0dH2my5kof8ZVB7ZBzyE=&c=tF4C2ekpeN870dac7A3vYKofGKQnmP9sVmkBU4J67sziuiK_nQprgg==&ch=fz2z3vw7Zesz5uHzQWpmOxvvO9O0nWEckm0Uhpaj_QyqEHfKGPdHZQ==" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">Terracotta Army</a> displayed for foreigners (us) to admire. Bicycles and three-wheelers were the norm in those days.</div>
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Twenty-nine years have passed. How many China visits and names of all the cities visited? I can't say. But as for Shenzhen, in place of the fishing village sits towering offices skyscrapers (mid-range / thirty floors), shopping centers and residential buildings, theaters, sports centers, and banks, banks, banks. Construction is constant. A million cars and trucks (my guess) replace the bikes and trikes, now rarities. Eighteen million people (fact) live within this one large spot. Here ... Shenzhen ... only a part of China, immersed in the largest capitalist and market driven experiment the world has ever known. It runs day and night, full force countrywide. </div>
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Chengdu - January 2014.</div>
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Eight hundred thirty three miles north and east of Shenzhen rests Chengdu, home of the giant panda. Administratively, fourteen million (people not panda) live here tucked against Longmen Mountain and the Qionglai Mountains that rise above central Sichuan province. My first visit to Chengdu - January 2014. No prior reference points: only the towers of 2014 attesting to modernity. Over half of the world's Fortune 500 companies host offices in Chengdu. Mixed into the swirl of humanity are disenfranchised Tibetans - contained, my description, by the energy of watching eyes: a government that wonders what would happen ... if ... if... if.... Chengdu - the birthplace of the world's first ever widely used paper currency.</div>
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Wenzhou - 2007.</div>
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Two hours forty minutes (current flight standards) due west of Chengdu sits coastal Wenzhou. My visits: by now a few; with the first being August 2007. I recall from that time. Grey. Industrialized. Flat. Hot. Stale. During the entire trip I saw only one star (actually, a planet). One striking '07 memory: a lone woman gawked and laughed as she peddled past me on her bicycle. Me, a strange-looking foreign outsider. My experiences of that visit were recorded in a poetic piece "This IS China".</div>
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"This IS China" began:</div>
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This is China. Yes, so are the other cities I've been to over the past few months - Beijing, Shanghai, Haining, etc. But this IS China. Large, urban, constantly moving. Not "getting ready for the Olympics". Gritty city China. Right now the sun is a large hot smog-screened ball burning through the haze scorching the skin. I don't know it, the scorch, but I feel it.</div>
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Mid-course it read:</div>
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What do I notice? Old men and women ... maybe not as old as they look ... walking underneath the freeway (I don't think it's called "freeway" here) scavenging wood into pots and bowls. And I wonder, what will become of the wood? What will become of them? Probably, the same thing. What do I notice? A man peddling a three-wheeled awning covered taxi cab (they are everywhere) and placing his right foot on a break attached to the frame above the front tire.</div>
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It ended:</div>
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After "star gazing" I went to a teahouse. Taken there by two of the students from the Samurai (Warrior) Game. Both are business owners. Wenzhou is a business/manufacturing center in China. The teahouse was a magnificent and quiet place (and very un-Chinese) filled with valuable artifacts from all over Tibet. All for sale, and some items priced as high as US$12,000. The place is owned by a woman and a guy. He's a devout Buddhist. See comment above about "Higher Power". We talked about peace. I see what I get to see, when I get to see it and enjoyed the moment. An interesting trip. Too bad it had to end so soon.</div>
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My last visit Wenzhou, 2013. Susan Hammond joined me to successfully deliver our aikido-based program, The Art of Practice: an interesting undertaking considering the anti-Japanese sentiment within China. Wenzhou, 2013, architecturally magnificent, with structures towering above the above, making for a skyline unrecognizable these six years later. Look here, look there: Bentley - Porsche- Rolls Royce - Lamborghini. And then: Mercedes and Audi all so commonplace as to be, well, prosaic. And then: Buick, Buick, Buick.</div>
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Back to today.</div>
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From where the now-time Shenzhen and China have come in three decades is both breathtaking and breath taking. On one hand - inspiring: people magnificently transforming a region in such a short amount of time. On the other hand - disturbing: a rampant smog here in Shenzhen today is elsewhere, everywhere everyday. There's always more than one side to every coin.</div>
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Hard to imagine the "was" of 1986, when our plane landed between the buildings of downtown Hong Kong - entry point to Shenzhen. Today's Hong Kong airport outclasses most of the worlds. Yes, Hong Kong retains its decades old Star Ferry, but the buildings and those of Kowloon and the expansive stretch of the "Special Economic Zone" with new cities, e.g. ShaTin, these define the physicality of "transformation". Today most outsiders (including friends at home) have no experienced "real" clue about this place ... only clothing tags boasting "Made in China", with newsprint and talking heads proclaiming "the world's second largest economy." Ask an average person on the street in Shenzhen, "Who is Obama?", and you'll get an accurate answer. Ask an average American on the street, "Who is Xi Jinping?", and you'll probably get the same answer as if you asked, "Who is Ashton Carter?" Well maybe. To the latter question, instead of hearing "I don't know", you might catch "Jimmy Carter's brother(?)" - not "Secretary of Defense".</div>
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What is this China? Where is it going? Who knows. Yes, problems loom, including some with serious health and medical implications that could possibly strain and drain the massive economic machine it's grown to become. But the answer to the "where" question is: We shall see.</div>
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One thing for certain, China 2015 is anything but static.</div>
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© Lance Giroux, November 2015</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-11456499060701468582015-11-11T06:18:00.000-08:002015-11-11T06:18:20.394-08:00COMING HOME: An Invitation For You<div>
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<em>I'm sitting in a railway station.</em></div>
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<em>Got a ticket to my destination.</em></div>
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<em>On a tour of one-night stands my suitcase and guitar in hand</em></div>
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<em>And ev'ry stop is neatly planned for a poet and a one-man band.</em></div>
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<em>Homeward bound,</em></div>
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<em>I wish I was,</em></div>
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<em>Homeward bound.</em></div>
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<em>- Paul Simon & Art Garfunkle</em></div>
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It's the last days of October 2015. Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Been here a while. <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_928961637" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Tomorrow</span></span> I'll head home. Then back here in two weeks and on to Tokyo, Nakatsugawa and Nagoya.</div>
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The series of stop-and-go's before (this current round) ended three weeks ago. Feels like yesterday, but it wasn't; Russia's Moscow and from there on to Italy's Tuscany region. Wonderful places. More importantly: wonderful people. A plus is something I've loved doing ever since I was seven years old and was bit by the "I get to fly in an airplane!" bug: the watching out of airplane windows at our planet rushing by below. Three weeks ago were breathtaking views of the Alps standing between Italy's Pisa and Germany's Munich.</div>
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"Forty one years." This was my response last night. Someone I had been chatting with here in Hong Kong asked the question, "How long has this journey of yours been?"</div>
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On almost every trip I can depend on hearing that question multiple times coupled with, "And where do you live?" Since 1989 my answer to that latter ("where") inquiry has been, "Petaluma. A cute little house in a small farming town in Sonoma County California." </div>
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A short while back, though, and I can't remember exactly how long ago that short while was, a hesitation surfaced in my reply. I paused, then smiled and offered up my standard response anyway. The hesitation, the quiet truth, the whispered voice (loud and clear) inside me, "Oh no you don't live in Petaluma; you live in Mexico City and Beijing, Shanghai and Amsterdam, Chengdu and Shenzhen and Taipei, Oklahoma City and Guadalajara, Toronto and Wenzhou, Valle de Bravo and the Coyoacan and Hong Kong, Rostov-on-Don and Tyumen and Moscow and Togliatti ... and, and ... and now and then you visit Petaluma."</div>
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That inside voice is important. It talks to me a lot. Sometimes I don't want to hear it. Sometimes I need to hear it. It's in all of us.</div>
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So ... the time has arrived to begin a long journey back home ... home. Home where three very old huge oaks stand outside my front door. Home where a rose garden graces the ground out back. Home where Velasco's is a short evening walk, where owner Teri chats with her customers as she oversees American-style Mexican tacos ... not the same as Coyoacan tacos, but none-the-less tasty. Home where Japan's deep undercurrents encounter western world-ers practicing inside Two Rock Aikido dojo ... my refuge and my learning place and where I enjoy friends. Home where not-so-well-known-to-the-<wbr></wbr>outside world businesses (Dempsey's, DiFalco's, Hallie's and Acre and The Apple Box) deliver their services with spirit as great as anywhere in the world. Here is the longed for home, a town less populated than two of the high rise apartment buildings adjacent to my Hong Kong hotel. Home where ... well, you know, where "home" could be. I'm going home, in the larger sense yes, going home.</div>
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So here's an invitation ... and if you respond ... it's meant for you.</div>
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My long homecoming journey ... 41 years in the making ... begins with an offer for you to join me on <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_928961638" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">February 7-11</span></span> at "The Ronin Huddle" - a retreat I crafted in 2002, then called "The Leaders' Retreat". The old name is no longer appropriate. People mistakenly thought the retreat was reserved for executives or business owners; but that simply wasn't the case. The retreat - The Huddle - is for anyone who decides to attend to their own wellbeing and engage in thoughtful practices of listening, dialogue, feeling and quiet; practices of integrating physical movement and nature - all for the purpose of serving what's important to their lives and their future. </div>
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Though I'll be The Huddle's host and facilitator, I'll also be as much a dedicated student as everyone else. Our venue: <a alt="http://www.foursprings.org/" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001LMXhE3BkP4t_xPjW45bJauIYwOqqQy2zhZBmjtEvWoIswzM0NKA_zxBAEu4wNfE_1T8k90FSj4aJXAYr6rfhET8d7htycwmoSEkGUHzcqNstYXvi1rsj0L1HONMCWpDc-o2GhRhpxkUOJJ-TDJ-p2dqRQrOIgXdRsTiwRntBK1xcskuMTcAj-A==&c=31gzDm4ghJXmQWLlPzDJZQWUKC58Wu95jkwIkX2rMiqpmQIAxYgGpg==&ch=Izo2exdRN0fIPFNClb5El8VbnNTOw2GycdJ2PwMsYppMvRAKdNO-Tw==" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">Four Springs Retreat Center</a> - in Middletown, California, an hour from my Northern California front door. <a alt="http://easeintoawareness.com/about/" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001LMXhE3BkP4t_xPjW45bJauIYwOqqQy2zhZBmjtEvWoIswzM0NKA_z6qPqWUmpnYf_4NpEPlvzgx8qUluahpYB6XecuQw-DpUhJx_kSqpwyJ0sAcZRQ7mhxKf1YJzNQMPtn7g8ba07QDVGhYRdB5v3Gudn9bP9jvwPOGzxURhfF8HR07JkqBTGHCi66QqS3WQ&c=31gzDm4ghJXmQWLlPzDJZQWUKC58Wu95jkwIkX2rMiqpmQIAxYgGpg==&ch=Izo2exdRN0fIPFNClb5El8VbnNTOw2GycdJ2PwMsYppMvRAKdNO-Tw==" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">Susan Hammond</a> will also facilitate, bringing her strength and expertise as a Feldenkrais practitioner in service to us all.</div>
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So at this point it's a wide open invitation - and there's room for only twenty. Do you want to come? Will you? </div>
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Your fee (<a href="mailto:lance@lancegiroux.com" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">request details and information here</a>) will cover your 4-evening stay, your meals, exceptional instruction, rich experiences and the joyfulness of time richly spent with wonderful people.</div>
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Transportation to and from Four Spring is yours to handle. </div>
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Winter is a good time for a respite. Winter is an important time for the ending of one thing and the beginning of another. Winter is a great time to begin a journey home.</div>
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You've been invited. Call <a href="tel:%2B1-707-364-2900" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" value="+17073642900">+1-707-364-2900</a> or email<a href="mailto:info@LanceGiroux.com" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">info@LanceGiroux.com</a></div>
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My Promise: Four days serving only what matters to your life.</div>
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<em>Home where my thought's escapin'</em></div>
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<em>Home where my music's playin'</em></div>
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<em>Home where my love lies waitin' silently for me</em><br /></div>
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<em>- Paul Simon & Art Garfunkle</em></div>
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©Lance Giroux, 2015</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-80737238953351341562015-09-20T07:27:00.002-07:002015-09-20T07:27:47.402-07:00Why Study Leadership<div align="center" style="color: #4c3f36; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
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It was 2001. An evening MBA class at a University of San Francisco. I was invited to meet students who were scheduled to attend USF's first offering of The Samurai Game®. Over the next few years the simulation would become part of the university's MBA core leadership course, and also offered within a special USF for-credit retreat. But this night was simply introductory time. </div>
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The professor needed time to cover the day's topic - <a alt="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johari_window" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johari_window" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank" track="on">The JoHari Window</a>. Then, turning her attention to me for the night's remaining minutes, we went round the room so everyone could answer a question I requested in order to help me prepare for what I'd bring to them in a couple of weeks. "What are you gaining from your leadership studies here at USF?" </div>
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A third of the way around the circle sat a student sprawled across his chair, feet out, head tossed back. Everything about him said, "I don't want to be here." His contribution started with a deep in breath and a sigh, and then, "Well leadership is an interesting topic. But I'm only getting my MBA so I can more marketable. I really don't care about leadership, and I don't' think it should be a required course in the MBA program. Why should I have to study it?"</div>
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That was quite a poke. My "what are you gaining" question was sincere. I took the work seriously (still do). I wanted know how to serve each candidate and their professor, and the university's mission. I caught myself reacting. Then I paused so his question could hang in the air for a while. I recall thinking, "Well, at least he's being real."</div>
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I was an outsider that night. No official standing within this system, just an invited guest. I found myself wondering if other barbed surprises lurked. Was this guy an anomaly? Was he voicing what others wanted to say but were unwilling, embarrassed or afraid to admit? Words like, "HEY, LET'S GET REAL ... I'M ONLY HERE AS A STEPPING STONE TO GET SOMEWHERE ELSE!" </div>
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Today, 2015, we hear about this kind of thing all the time. It's nothing new. We read about Congressional representatives motivated to run for office with little thought given to serving a constituency; instead a lot of thought pointed at the lucrative business called being a lobbyist. For how many people has election into a government position become today's MBA? </div>
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Back to 2001 and USF. I looked around the room. Some were embarrassed. I saw a few shocked faces and shaking heads. ("Nope," I thought, "he's speaking for himself. If others hold that opinion and are covering it up -- then that's just the way it is.")</div>
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My next words just kind of walked into the room's silence. "I'm not certain I can do justice to your question, 'Why study leadership?.' But once you have your MBA degree and you've marketed yourself well, and you have that great job, ask the people working for you why you should have studied leadership. They'll probably have an answer. Thanks. Next?"</div>
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[<a alt="http://03735ec.netsolhost.com/allied/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/On-Principled-Leadership.pdf" href="http://03735ec.netsolhost.com/allied/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/On-Principled-Leadership.pdf" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank" track="on">Click here</a> to read "On Principled Leadership: It's the Person, Not the Title"; L Giroux; USF Graduate Business Journal, September 2002.]</div>
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© Lance Giroux, August 2015</div>
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Lance Girouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584652451286064809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-91602830680715299372015-07-03T11:51:00.000-07:002015-07-03T11:51:48.255-07:00Stay Alert!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Is it important that teachers (academic, religious, personal growth, coaches, etc.) and leaders (organizational, business, non-profit, military, political, etc.) who espouse ethics and moral codes and constructive behavior be ardent students and practitioners of those codes?</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">As cliché as it sounds, it comes down to </span><i style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">walking the talk</i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Do the</span><i style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> messengers</i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> have a responsibility to be on paths consistent with their </span><i style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">messages</i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">? </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">And what of their products and services?</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">IF your answer is, "Yes, it is important" – then how important is it, in other words, to what degree?</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">And what to do about it?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">In 1989 at a meeting I was attending a company CEO spoke with an employee prior to his (the employee's) testimony as a witness in a trial. The employee was nervous about how his answers would be received. Attorneys representing the company told him to simply tell the truth. But concerned for how "the truth" might impact corporate image, the CEO said in the meeting, "I would never ask you to lie, but just tell the truth <i>beautifully</i>. Know that I mean?" I stopped doing business with that company and that CEO. The employee? He quit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">The general field I've been engaged in for four decades involves experiential leadership seminars and workshops. Unfortunately this field has become quite industrialized, kind of "McDonald-ized". Forty-one years ago only a handful of organizations did this kind of work, and it was pretty rough stuff. Since that day a lot of improvements have been made. Along the way, in no small measure thanks to the internet and social media and some slick marketing, thousands of wannabe groups have sprung up. There are some sincere folks out there, but many of the groups are simply spin offs of spin offs started up by people unstudied and unpracticed in the messages they promote and the programs they facilitate. Rather than grappling with the messages (appealing and attractive) some of these owners and facilitators get fixated on financial reward, "the bottom line". Where are they when it comes to ethical or moral code they espouse? Here's a viewpoint – "bottom lines" have nothing to do with money. When all the money is gone, the bottom line is the guy or gal looking from the mirror… provided one has the moral courage to actually look into the mirror. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">The embodiment of an ideal takes time and effort and failure and falling off the wagon and getting back on the wagon and scraped knuckles and bruised ego and lost revenue and the willingness to look like a fool – and always being a new student every day. It's not that the upstarts who fashion the spinoffs shouldn't make the effort to spread the idealistic word or engage in idealistic work. But if the upstarts aren't interested in study and homework, in doing the "practice" of the ethical/moral codes they espouse enough to practice them, then they should seek a different path.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">Being financially rewarded or compensated for service is one thing. No argument there. That one sells something he or she doesn't believe in enough to commit the sincere practice of it - ESPECIALLY important when times get tough and the manure is hitting the ventilator – well then, at best this is an insult and at worst it's a satire that leads to decay and ultimately undermines trust.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Lance Giroux <br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small;"><i>"There is more to life than increasing it's speed", M.K. Gandhi</i></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-78845221010777519002015-05-25T08:54:00.001-07:002015-05-25T08:54:41.287-07:00Memorial Day 2015<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">A few years ago, on my first visit to Poland, I spent a day at Auschwitz –its Polish name being </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O%C5%9Bwi%C4%99cim" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1a0dab; text-decoration: none;">Oświęcim</span></a> – to understand and remember. This week I’m in Taiwan until <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_672540008" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">May 31</span></span>. I won’t get to be at the annual Memorial Day ceremony back home, so the</span> <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">plan is to visit WWII POW camps on NE side Formosa where LTG Jonathan Wainwright and others were held captive following the surrender at Corregidor. Yesterday I saw a FB posting commemorating Memorial Day. It was the image of an American flag superimposed with a shadow of a cross. It got me thinking that all who served need honoring, regardless of “brand” of belief and by what symbol their “brand” of belief is or was identified – including “brands” that some might label “lack of belief” or “non belief” or “not my belief”. Apparently they “believed” enough in each other (regardless of “brand”) to take care of what I get to enjoy. <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_672540009" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Tuesday’s</span></span> memories will include my Dad, my brother, some relatives and close friends & classmates – and some recent acquaintances whose “brands” have been, at times, shunned, scoffed, mocked, jeered or otherwise marginalized. But they all served.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div>
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Lance Giroux<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small;"><i>"There is more to life than increasing it's speed", M.K. Gandhi</i></span></div>
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Lance Girouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584652451286064809noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-24479138988737107192015-05-12T22:43:00.001-07:002015-05-12T22:43:49.025-07:00Hello, Are You There?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong>Hello, Are You There?</strong></div>
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<span color="#4c3f36" face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2" style="color: #4c3f36; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;">Thursday night - a weekend event - forty years ago. Drawing attention to how habitualized people have become to distractions the speaker asked us to remove our watches and place them in a basket kept at the podium. Sure enough as the evening unfolded people caught themselves glancing at empty wrists as thoughts related to time entered their thinking.<br />
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The simplicity of the exercise made it profound - at least for me. "How long have I been sitting here?" (a glance at my wrist). "I wonder what Charlotte's doing? (a glance at my wrist). "What time are we supposed to start tomorrow?" (a glance at my wrist) --- You get the picture. In short order the wristwatch thing drew awareness to the thoughts that otherwise I would not have realized were so frequent.<br />
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That weekend was about accepting responsibility as an adult regarding my thoughts, and what these thoughts produce in my daily life, and who the people are who surround me, and what they really are about. No doubt staying on schedule is important - but it's not the only thing that's important.<br />
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Saturday - a weekend event - one month ago. Drawing attention to how habitualized people are to distractions I asked folks to turn off their mobile phones during the program sessions I was conducting, and offered that they might soon begin to notice how much control their mobile phones have on behavior, mood and attitude. Then I suggested an experiment - for those who would be willing - put away the phone for two full days to see what functioning and communication and relationships would be like without a mobile phone. In other words, try to function without one for a while.<br />
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The result? Lots of chuckles at first. Most people turned them off. A few put them on vibrate. Some made no effort at all. The rest of us knew who was who in as "blings" and "beeps" and "jazz" and "whistles" played out a Pavlovian sideshow. Every couple hours we took our bathroom breaks, and less frequently our meal breaks. Hands darted to the pocketed phones. Feet carrying bodies dashed across the room and jittering fingers scrambled for purses and brief cases nurturing the prized devices. Within seconds folks had them plastered against their ears - some had one at each ear.<br />
</span>Interesting? Odd? Strange? Well maybe not - we see it all the time. Walk into any restaurant and count how many people are on their mobile phones, talking or texting or playing video games. We are a world distracted - and some would offer a world that is kept distracted. This is no small deal, in fact it's kind of scary. It's not a USA thing. It's not a China, Mexico, Russia thing. It's nearly everywhere, even in some of the most remote places on our planet.<br />
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Consider watching that couple sitting across from you in the restaurant while they're on a (what could have been romantic) date, and one of them stops mid conversation as the vibration or the bling of a Samsung or iPhone demands (yes ... DEMANDS) attention. And with that, the device holder (it's actually sitting on the table next to the salad fork) says, "Excuse me a moment, will you?" - then answers and has a chat. Actions speak loudly. Doubtful you'd hear the following said with words, "I'm sorry (well maybe not really) but my device here is telling me something more important than you (at least it could be?) is happening right now, so I've got to put you (miss or mister human being) on pause a bit because (after all) you're in second place right now." Sad? Yes, but it's just been said with a body in action.<br />
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The mobile phone (as with the wrist watch of forty years ago) isn't the issue. We are the issue ... or at least we could be and should be the issue. Our mental discipline. Our potential. Relating and connecting, even over seemingly mundane things that could be magnificent and terribly interesting when we slow enough to attend to them. <br />
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There are lots of studies. But the studies will remain studies and our individual and collective human potential will remain unrealized potential as long as we don't act and practice something different.<br />
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More here --> <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001lwEHsShDbnHNZ6ymr4i4rQHOqD_2bHcIMeR3bGpNj-Aixvuvk6CFIe9dwxTgimjKjdnzXVrPWPe6ecBn2KnB3LAgsltXz7fHjLrVJV_bgn2XBbgSP-qiBvPZcPlrE8tZylEAA_nySWsEfpqd0PFABUn8eUgxtRe16XbAN_e-Aj6dUVle6z1OSexMFH3Gac10u_VkMG0cNw4a4qf33s5FeQRNNXnNBZZ240yTDRKe8Zc=&c=0ClUEj41e3WrerbCG0mfZ6k5j20ZFuXbgU3IPM8rgB3j9Rh2WyU5-g==&ch=YFht6Cdz5NuP2iQVOPx9CJcIXhTwdkg-6iGdioBuvSzMQB39PaOxWw==" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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And --> <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001lwEHsShDbnHNZ6ymr4i4rQHOqD_2bHcIMeR3bGpNj-Aixvuvk6CFIe9dwxTgimjKQVZlL5mv1mYU-ZvdEcAqZ-0r0TFaTjYBruK7sEmDvgnl2kqxYlG8s7XYAPz8fxu7olg8UmsZmPH6x8y-WKdCii8px4TurEOg7Wc6-BzzQxXaONR2Z4Ia8PzHpKJleHgB20tF0fbTvoanzN_wpoRAHglcAaohFtd3lkK6uv3gD_dFI7Byeomk8KJoCuk6sRDvbasMU7IG6QRErXA4_-uE3wwWorxWYVJ3&c=0ClUEj41e3WrerbCG0mfZ6k5j20ZFuXbgU3IPM8rgB3j9Rh2WyU5-g==&ch=YFht6Cdz5NuP2iQVOPx9CJcIXhTwdkg-6iGdioBuvSzMQB39PaOxWw==" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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And then --> <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001lwEHsShDbnHNZ6ymr4i4rQHOqD_2bHcIMeR3bGpNj-Aixvuvk6CFIe9dwxTgimjKB9qO_sAPBk4AhwbOq4DwRiEP8Bfb0NMPz5v3TVHmMqAystCYt8uh-kczHTukpTNEq5oAsAbtHoHMuw_aesNaTRuc1Ie1J_vIVAHOPozmgZPorlBiIDfQOVx8Li08yyCpJu5D566WHT2AnYL5azQ_VF4GFV-tajv9b_9Wwt0eNQL_CaFFuqqNA_RIisVKqeOfWjfUr57FMjqWRGesI_xWP74jomnWV5CSlcaFWhpw9po=&c=0ClUEj41e3WrerbCG0mfZ6k5j20ZFuXbgU3IPM8rgB3j9Rh2WyU5-g==&ch=YFht6Cdz5NuP2iQVOPx9CJcIXhTwdkg-6iGdioBuvSzMQB39PaOxWw==" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">here as well</a>.<br />
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Sunday - the end of that weekend program - one month ago. A young man (we'll call him Gustavo) walks up with a big grin and says, "I've been living totally distracted, and I'm a really smart guy. I didn't used to be that way. But, more and more I've gotten caught up in technology to a point that it feels like I can't relax, like time is getting away from me, like I'm on a coffee high all the time. It's to a point that I'm taking medication to slow me down. Thanks for asking me to put away my mobile phone."<br />
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Will it last for him? I don't know. I hope so.<br />
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© Lance Giroux, April 2015</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-57936882118485664832015-03-24T19:14:00.003-07:002015-03-24T19:14:45.503-07:00Inspired In Shanghai (XieXie to Lyric Chan)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span>10:00 am Friday, March 13. Room 513, Building #2, 505 South Zhongshan Road, Shanghai. Lyric Chan, Founder of Aspire Space, arranged the meeting. Claire Kong sits across the conference table for our pre-workshop interview. She's the weekend translator. Nervous, somewhat apologetic, she wants to do a good job. Understandable. Her English is great but she's never attended an experiential personal growth workshop and she's never before translated professionally. Appreciative that her friend asked her to do this, she's done her homework, read the materials in advance on her own. Her poise is what one would expect of a University of San Diego MBA graduate (she is). All that said, she's still nervous. Lyric assures her today's meeting is NOT a screening, it's a done deal, "I'm confident you'll do great. Don't worry. You can't mess this up. We're here to support you." </span></div>
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<span>7:15 pm Friday, March 13. PuXi side of HuangPu, The Bund, Shanghai. The last time I walked on this beautiful stretch of riverfront was 2011. That was with Paul Marshall the weekend we delivered my aikido-based program (</span><a href="" shape="rect" style="color: #222222;"><span>The Art of Practice & Organizational Dojo</span></a><span>) - an adventurous undertaking, given the China VS Japan cultural and political sensitivities. Tonight I'm alone... well not actually. I'm surrounded by who knows how many people everywhere. It's obvious the skyline has changed on the PuDong side. I had a similar reaction in 2011, comparing the skyline then with prior Shanghai visits. China is always growing. But then again I heard today that the population is stabilizing. </span></div>
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<span>What hits me tonight? Brilliant lights transforming skyscrapers into massive advertisement towers. What hits me tonight? Little kids scrambling to run in front of parents and then, like kids back home, turn and laugh and make faces. What hits me tonight? Party boats with filled with celebration. My friends, Roy and Ania, were married on a similar boat last November in Santa Monica, California. What hits me tonight? Memories of </span><a href="" shape="rect" style="color: #222222;"><span>Ray, Arizona</span></a><span>, and the adjacent towns Sonora and Barcelona that formed the community I was born into. The people walking the Bund at this very moment number more than all of the people who ever lived in and visited Ray, Sonora and Barcelona during their entire lifespans. Yet, insignificant these tiny towns were not. From them came musicians (</span><a href="" shape="rect" style="color: #222222;"><span>Joe Corral</span></a><span>) and cardiologists (Bethesda's Dr. Norman Rich) and artists, and entrepreneurs and public servants and down home people, and teachers who inspired and made life good for others. Lots to reflect on.</span></div>
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<span>10:08 am, Saturday, March 14. Room 511, Building #2, 505 South Zhongshan Road, Shanghai. Lyric has welcomed the members of "Aspired Space" here for the weekend - 23 women and 9 men - all eager - some HR executives, some consultants. One of the women here today served in the Chinese army. Also today we have a police officer who was curious and came because of his wife. Claire and I walk to the front of the room. She introduces herself, admitting that she's never translated before but is here to do her best. We launch into the program and we never look back. By meal break she's relaxed. As the afternoon </span><a href="" shape="rect" style="color: #222222;"><span>simulation</span></a><span> unfolds you'd swear she's already translated scores of programs. When the day ends, and after witnessing the trust and expression and intensity of the participants, she turns and says, "I'm about ready to cry. I had no idea what to expect. This was profound. I just love it."</span></div>
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<span>4:15 pm, Sunday, March 15. Room 511, Building #2, 505 South Zhongshan Road, Shanghai. Lyric Chan wraps up the weekend program. I decided to add in the short TED video (complete with Chinese subtitles) of Benjamin Zander's "Shining Eyes". Why? Because Zander reinforces all of the weekend's learning and lessons. He just uses a different metaphor. I feel it's important for folks to understand the universality of what the weekend has been about, and I realize that I may never see them again. So ... Why Not?!?</span></div>
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<span>5:12 pm, Sunday, March 15. 505 South Zhongshan Road, Shanghai.</span></div>
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<span>Lyric has completed his training and certification, and is now qualified to lead this simulation anywhere the world. But, he's accomplished something larger. He's effectively introduced the idea of embodied education - thought, emotion, integrated physical movement and expression, reflection, dialogue, and practice - to 32 colleagues. Yesterday he said this was his objective. He told them that there's much more to learning than the accumulation of data. His words have captured their attention and have taken root. Claire Kong could well be back for more translator opportunities. I hope so. Her parting words, "I thought I was coming here to do some translation and help a friend. But this is life changing. I will remember what I've learned for the rest of my life. You'll see me again."</span></div>
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<span>XieXie (thank you) Lyric Chan</span></div>
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<span>© March 2015, Lance Giroux<br /> </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-16223947178286809152015-02-11T09:40:00.001-08:002015-02-11T09:40:53.984-08:00Gray Skies And Storms Today Normal This Time Of Year<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong>Gray Skies And Storms Today</strong></div>
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<strong>Normal This Time Of Year</strong></div>
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Communication.</div>
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Have you been reading or listening to or watching the news? On the US East Coast big storms lay down mounds of snow. Normal, the storms are, but not with this intensity. Around the globe - more storms. Storms - not of weather only - that ravage populations. Storms of revenge, storms of religious fervor, storms of oligarchies east and west. Political squabble storms: parties uniting (so they say) to continue a divide that generates their power (or appearances thereof). Then there are the storms of pipelines and oil and gasoline, and the whose-water-is-it-anyway-mine-not-yours storms. You know these storms, yes? Storms that scream loudly and then trickle down to run along local sidewalks to murmur, "Hold your tongue because your neighbor (or your brother) might not like what you say (or think!), and you won't be welcome in this (my, his, our, their) neighborhood". These storms, we read and hear about them by the bucket loads. Well, yes - so long as we're not caught up in the storms of under inflated footballs. After all, in the grand scheme of things, the NFL and the Lombardi Trophy really are what's important. </div>
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Communication.</div>
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On a recent morning walk I telephoned someone very dear to me. During the conversation she said, "Education that creates debate is the best kind of education." I wondered about that (still do). I think I know what she meant, but I'm not so certain about that word debate. Often debate is geared solely at who will win and who will lose. Generally creating thicker walls, walls that obstruct communication, rarely does debate as we know it today generate commitments that resolve problems or establish common ground or learning or understanding or respect. On the other hand, education that creates DIALOGUE - now, that's something worth considering.</div>
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Communication.</div>
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It's getting close to springtime here in the western Northern Hemisphere. Even with these gray skies. The plumb tree outside my back yard poked forth its first white blossom two days ago, and communicated, "Change is always happening." I'll soon be on a trip to the other side of the planet. When I return the entire tree will look to be a giant cotton ball. Nice, this blossoming! No matter the winter, nature has its way of waking things up to remind us that life goes on - if we're present enough to notice. In a few weeks a buddy of mine and I will head off to latitude 64o50'37" N to capture (hopefully) a glimpse of the aurora borealis. Another of nature's communications: reminding that something is more profound and more important than the squabbling, positioning and battling over pandered points of view. As grand as we human beings are, we really are quite small though not as small as a plumb tree blossom, or the bee that will soon come to service it. </div>
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Communication.</div>
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Last month my granddaughter and I stole away for a few hours and took a ferryboat across San Francisco Bay: birthday celebration for her, just the two of us on a cold gray January afternoon. The Bay was ours to enjoy, as were her burger and my crab sandwich at the waiting Ferry Building. Before catching the boat home we stopped and stood in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue. I asked her, "Do you know who this person is?" "Nope," she replied. Ah hah ... an opportunity to communicate anew ... and such fun this potpourri! </div>
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Communication.</div>
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Today, this afternoon, early into February 2015, I sit with a worn copy of a favorite book. Gandhi's autobiography, "The Story Of My Experiments With Truth". It pops open to page 287 and the words of a small frail bodied person who became revered and known as "Bapu" by scores of millions (though not with that as a goal in mind). For a time, amidst many storms, he changed a wintered world into a springtime:</div>
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"I realized that the sole aim of journalism should be service. The newspaper press is a great power, but just as an unchained torrent of water submerges whole countrysides and devastates crops, even so an uncontrolled serves but to destroy. If the control is from without, it proves more poisonous than want of control. It can be profitable only when exercised from within. If this line of reasoning is correct, how many of the journals in the world would stand the test? But who would stop those that are useless? And who should be the judge? The useful and the useless must, like good and evil generally, go on together, and [MANKIND] must make his choice."<br />
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Can we, will we, communicate?</div>
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© Lance Giroux, February 2015</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-74892693084181511802015-01-14T10:32:00.001-08:002015-01-14T10:32:06.697-08:00Glancing Back at 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Glancing Back At 2014 </div>
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2014 was a full year of near non-stop travel - PR China, Canada, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mexico, Russia, Poland, the Netherlands, Minnesota, Arizona, Washington, Texas and Oklahoma. Many hundreds of people were my teachers. They provided learning and lessons that continue to unfold. Among these I am particularly grateful for having had the opportunity to be deeply moved by the perseverance displayed by:</div>
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- Tom Osborne, <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001lrmGeEo5jDhWZ-Jwq3ZlZeqcoejIir6F3jXA8ou9KHisxujzOBHqABHSozhbee4d0iVebDdUXd07IE5j2HtgRnF3c1ExfZKrVU44jQK0nJSD6hF9A1PijztmAje4Bydv9PK7pzt1xNS6y3b2mYBmmXdUrnLuLsPhumbyVVH4cujZKDRvrrdt6Q==&c=p9YXbr4t3Qco6sGzhj3aqNbb9qxDlVTPwQhWZ7ix6ZBtoN9WWwQGrA==&ch=c_HeBYOdmC4_XLgTjdwnFOpcy0YiSHdsjUFnFInqCVWvGHhqWanUvw==" shape="rect" style="color: #3f3fff;" target="_blank">Keganin No Senshi Aikido</a>, for dedicating his life to healing the scars held by all men, women and children who have ever been affected by Combat Related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.</div>
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- Susan Adams, for her focus on service to others through <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001lrmGeEo5jDhWZ-Jwq3ZlZeqcoejIir6F3jXA8ou9KHisxujzOBHqABs3tGR1UODTRCy9eXq_sDOJkx3D4MNStjTtlQ37Lur6l0v2DIsWXKlEYvwrdu-Im1JfHwM3Dn3YnvF9GYXU-SI6lZaI7ne1fa67RzAGOUNd2BfEfdmO1riCHpuv6xN1m8MPxqq6jXkmaEdoITKJ-TR9HkcRykf_Pe6wMz4LymRb&c=p9YXbr4t3Qco6sGzhj3aqNbb9qxDlVTPwQhWZ7ix6ZBtoN9WWwQGrA==&ch=c_HeBYOdmC4_XLgTjdwnFOpcy0YiSHdsjUFnFInqCVWvGHhqWanUvw==" shape="rect" style="color: #3f3fff;" target="_blank">Two Cranes Institute</a>, all the while setting aside trials of personal sorrow.</div>
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- Timothy Locke, for his steadfastness and positive attitude while successfully rebuilding <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001lrmGeEo5jDhWZ-Jwq3ZlZeqcoejIir6F3jXA8ou9KHisxujzOBHqANF3ZBIAi9S0Z_b0ez9Ju6zcAzMrKNfAkf7mNxRKWzvEY7Mj9rhNPX2zmzlfOLQufYrZqOLOi2zMbebbj8Sq-Pj_8i_1boSCTJTJJ3xRupA-cacnqvxCoMiE4-2hetep5Q==&c=p9YXbr4t3Qco6sGzhj3aqNbb9qxDlVTPwQhWZ7ix6ZBtoN9WWwQGrA==&ch=c_HeBYOdmC4_XLgTjdwnFOpcy0YiSHdsjUFnFInqCVWvGHhqWanUvw==" shape="rect" style="color: #3f3fff;" target="_blank">Four Springs Retreat Center</a>, against what at times appeared to be near impossible odds.</div>
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- Caroline Su, of <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001lrmGeEo5jDhWZ-Jwq3ZlZeqcoejIir6F3jXA8ou9KHisxujzOBHqABHSozhbee4dco3tZb4rqM3dv0Ulpgb6Ie6nxg9EifhH1JIcerXSUm4BB7yXrSXEhDnjZfOUnc6N9SRueT81JICKhWlhSkqe1deqcXN5oKutkJi7vPp0wIKTRlg_Zkcl6A==&c=p9YXbr4t3Qco6sGzhj3aqNbb9qxDlVTPwQhWZ7ix6ZBtoN9WWwQGrA==&ch=c_HeBYOdmC4_XLgTjdwnFOpcy0YiSHdsjUFnFInqCVWvGHhqWanUvw==" shape="rect" style="color: #3f3fff;" target="_blank">Enlightening Coaching</a>, for her commitment to responsible paths of long-term practice while training life coaches, midst an industry that has become increasingly dominated and sidetracked by quick fix programs and promises of instant learning.</div>
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- Miranda Yen, of Hong Kong, for her integrity when it comes to leading her company, for her commitment as a parent, and for the choice she makes to always look for good in others.</div>
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- Steve Parker, my friend, for allowing me to walk with him into the world of his final days ... there to witness honesty, service to others and gratitude as the basis for his last actions.</div>
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"Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.</div>
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Life is beauty, admire it.</div>
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Life is a dream, realize it.</div>
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Life is a challenge, meet it.</div>
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Life is a duty, complete it.</div>
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Life is a game, play it.</div>
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Life is a promise, fulfill it.</div>
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Life is sorrow, overcome it.</div>
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Life is a song, sing it.</div>
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Life is a struggle, accept it.</div>
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Life is a tragedy, confront it.</div>
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Life is an adventure, dare it.</div>
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Life is luck, make it.</div>
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Life is too precious, do not destroy it.</div>
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Life is life, fight for it." </div>
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- </div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" shape="rect" style="color: #405b81;">Mother Teresa</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-44457348428831733772014-12-08T15:34:00.000-08:002014-12-08T15:34:00.106-08:00CONGRATULATIONS SARA GERHART SNELL AND SUSAN ADAMS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<strong>CONGRATULATIONS SARA GERHART SNELL AND SUSAN ADAMS</strong></div>
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On November 15 & 16 Sara Gerhard Snell and Susan Adams - of <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001wRC_QbJ0iBdBkqmd0PbZKV3_eRw226Dw2c0i6ERnzbFcHmxPPlo0CAbt4ceqHYTsg8RG8MvD1-xuu_kJ1SOBv2bVp09ekfuUZi9eG3qsEoKtBQgemfsR0g==" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: #3f3fff;" target="_blank" track="on">Two Cranes Institute</a> - received their certifications to be authorized facilitators of The Samurai Game®.</div>
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<div style="background-color: #dbe8f4; color: #4c3f36; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
Two Cranes Institute, a 501(c)3 non profit organization,provides educational programs for children, teens and adults. All programs promote nonviolence and cultivate peaceful solutions to conflict.</div>
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The Institute's objective is to build resilient communities by providing strategies for compassionate leadership and empowerment within the Puget Sound community and beyond. The Institute focuses on schools, community organizations and at-risk groups, and serves as a resource for training and educational materials that promote healthy living awareness, cultivate interpersonal skills for conflict resolution and catalyze efforts to accelerate positive societal change.</div>
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Susan directs the Leadership Education Programs and can be contacted at <a href="mailto:sadams@twocranesinstitute.org" linktype="2" shape="rect" style="color: #3f3fff;" target="_blank">sadams@twocranesinstitute.org</a>. Sara is Youth Program Director and can be contacted at<a href="mailto:sgsnell@twocranesinstitute.org" linktype="2" shape="rect" style="color: #3f3fff;" target="_blank">sgsnell@twocranesinstitute.org</a>. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-69013779140654532352014-11-26T15:34:00.000-08:002014-11-26T15:34:17.849-08:00What Does It Mean - To Learn?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="center" style="background-color: white; color: #4c3f36; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #405b81;"><i><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana;">What Does It Mean - To Learn?</span></strong></i></span></div>
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<strong style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> by Lance Giroux</strong></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left;">What does it mean - To Learn?</span></div>
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Depending on the circumstances, it's really up to you.</div>
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But then again, what does it mean - to Learn?</div>
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About this I believe <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001wRC_QbJ0iBdBkqmd0PbZKV3_eRw226Dw2c0i6ERnzbFcHmxPPlo0CAbt4ceqHYTsg8RG8MvD1-xGdUYy0jhy8-TA-_mzUh8LQpAIBOK6vUMx7SX0VKBemyCP0zAphuUh6VovkMDrU2o=" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank" track="on">Robert Frost</a> had some insight when he penned:</div>
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<em>Something there is that doesn't love a wall,</em></div>
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<em>That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,</em></div>
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<em>And spills the upper boulders in the sun;</em></div>
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<em>And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.</em></div>
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Some years ago my aikido sensei, <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001wRC_QbJ0iBdBkqmd0PbZKV3_eRw226Dw2c0i6ERnzbFcHmxPPlo0CAbt4ceqHYTsg8RG8MvD1-ynV43L3A_uM6RBtIUKnIKVWUA9Rw2Fmbbd0MgJ8HW8Eg==" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank" track="on">Richard Strozzi-Heckler</a>, mentioned his being at a program that ended with participants articulating what they had learned. A New Guinea fellow responded, "I'm not sure. Where I come from we have a saying, 'Knowledge is only a rumor until it lives in the muscle.'"</div>
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<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">
Again - what does it mean - To Learn?</div>
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I've just returned from a whirlwind six-week adventure. From Oct 13 to Oct 17, it was my fortune to again work with <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001wRC_QbJ0iBdBkqmd0PbZKV3_eRw226Dw2c0i6ERnzbFcHmxPPlo0CAbt4ceqHYTsg8RG8MvD1-wAmSVA5qOQ6WbrX7RC2cNaSwMNPeSpL5SyT2uBBz_Vezlpib-piI8l" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank" track="on">Grayson James</a> - supporting three candidates in training become certified facilitators of <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001wRC_QbJ0iBdBkqmd0PbZKV3_eRw226Dw2c0i6ERnzbFcHmxPPlo0CAbt4ceqHYTsg8RG8MvD1-wofWH55e74oQKDRN2kvjbLMph4YFrm-is=" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: #3f3fff;" target="_blank" track="on">The Samurai Game®</a> (TSG) - <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001wRC_QbJ0iBdBkqmd0PbZKV3_eRw226Dw2c0i6ERnzbFcHmxPPlo0CAbt4ceqHYTsg8RG8MvD1-yHBZhZDiiVhmjET95YsIirJHrw_q6DJ4eDymVNJVKbPbx9MCA_5Wal" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: #3f3fff;" target="_blank" track="on">Francisco Szasz</a> and <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001wRC_QbJ0iBdBkqmd0PbZKV3_eRw226Dw2c0i6ERnzbFcHmxPPlo0CAbt4ceqHYTsg8RG8MvD1-zS2_NluMfthQUnakXdrm9hnlxW-In8IV8rGwAb_PkbBqRba-zQes2o" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: #3f3fff;" target="_blank" track="on">Pablo Ramirez Bellini</a> of Mexico, and Cynthia Wu of Hong Kong. Oct 18-20 saw me in Oklahoma City to deliver TSG for <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001wRC_QbJ0iBdBkqmd0PbZKV3_eRw226Dw2c0i6ERnzbFcHmxPPlo0CAbt4ceqHYTsg8RG8MvD1-zEeIRf6ej4WGuPn1w0gP4Nh5f7E0fITII=" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: #3f3fff;" target="_blank" track="on">Devon Energy Corporation</a>. Then on to Wichita Falls, Texas, for a three-day visit with my mom and sister and nephew. Oct 28 to Nov 2 had me traveling to The Hague, Netherlands, to support <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001wRC_QbJ0iBdBkqmd0PbZKV3_eRw226Dw2c0i6ERnzbFcHmxPPlo0CAbt4ceqHYTs6JlhB4sK47-Qyloo_psLj652i8ZIKP9gtadUBciCFt1zv1P9EWQOB0XN55-U3krpm_azAgUpN3k6Pfa8fSxUDlnvnngBA4z_" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: #3f3fff;" target="_blank" track="on">Lawrence Warry</a> as we facilitated TSG. From there it was Krakow, Poland for a business meeting and a few days of fun and aikido training with <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001wRC_QbJ0iBdBkqmd0PbZKV3_eRw226Dw2c0i6ERnzbFcHmxPPlo0CAbt4ceqHYTsg8RG8MvD1-yLDi9DWWujnokjqhI7Eg2SdL7YNQ024CoIUaN1dB5J5wbRJFoQAiRjyonl2HC6f5r6HLNEsro_xw==" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: #3f3fff;" target="_blank" track="on">Pawel Olesiak and Pawel Bernas</a>. That stop was immediately followed by a week in Samara, Russia with TSG. Finally (Nov 10) home in time to re-pack and head out for Seattle (Nov 13-17) in support of <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001wRC_QbJ0iBdBkqmd0PbZKV3_eRw226Dw2c0i6ERnzbFcHmxPPlo0CAbt4ceqHYTsg8RG8MvD1-ynV43L3A_uM2Zx-cDnQ4X_696yAEePYqDojxhTYJ8lOMpynkP6_QkG_SJdbmbozEyLvjpHXmo0-LnGKlR-uzU2" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: #3f3fff;" target="_blank" track="on">Two Cranes Institute</a>.</div>
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If you were to ask, "What did you learn in all of that?" I'd have to reply that I'm not so sure yet. It's swirling still inside me. But definitely there was a lot to experience and absorb these past six weeks. </div>
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Here's one thing - the similarity of people. I've written about this before; and yes, it's cliché. But really, regardless of spoken languages and nationalities and geographies and politics, the people I encountered were strikingly similar. Their wants and needs were basically the same. In them I saw a marked desire to live, move and express free from control and coercion. At every stop along the way, there were desires to laugh openly. People showed a need to feel as deeply as they wished, accompanied by a desire to be respected no matter what.</div>
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Here's another - there are differences in perspectives. Regardless of similarities, people are shaped differently by life. The spoken language, a sense of nationalism, geography, the printed and broadcast word (i.e. stories in the news), these create environments that shape human responses - especially responses to control or change or conflict. As we landed in Samara a lot of folks were up and out of their seats well before the plane had even reached the taxi ramp. The standard announcements were there, "Ladies and gentlemen, please remain seated until the plane has come to a complete stop." But so what? On the other hand, the landing in Seattle was marked by everyone sitting calmly the way to the gate, and then everyone remained seated and waited while folks in front of them stood, retrieved bags and quietly walked off.</div>
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Everyone wanted to get off the planes. They just had different ways of going about it - often shaped by outside influences, many of the influences forgotten ... except by the body.</div>
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On November 8th I sat in my Samara hotel (The Patio) and watched BBC news - the Berlin Wall, the day's incursions into the Ukraine and Vladimir Putin. A Facebook friend of mine from Tyumen, Russia, texted me, "Good evening! Worried about the lack of understanding between our two countries. Want peace." I wrote back, "Yes, I want peace also." She replied, "(heart)".</div>
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Again, I consider Robert Frost as he continues:</div>
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<em>There where it is we do not need the wall:</em></div>
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<em>[My neighbor] is all pine and I am apple orchard.</em></div>
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<em>My apple trees will never get across</em></div>
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<em>And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.</em></div>
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<em>He only says, 'Good fences make good neighbors.'</em></div>
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<em>Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder</em></div>
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<em>If I could put a notion in his head:</em></div>
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<em>'Why do they make good neighbors? </em></div>
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What does it mean - To Learn - and how is learning made possible?</div>
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Be present. Relax. </div>
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Invest in the now. </div>
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Be open to the notion that learning is always a possibility. </div>
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Suspend judgments - all of them. Be curious. </div>
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Act with courage, enough to return into inquiry - no matter what. </div>
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Never stop asking. Listen for the multitude of responses. </div>
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Notice what you hear. Feel all of the responses. </div>
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Observe the self in response to the responses. </div>
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Risk.</div>
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On November 10th I spent a few hours in the Lufthansa Lounge in Moscow's DME airport waiting a flight to Munich, writing and watching TV. What was showing? The 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. For me it was a surreal recalling of nightly news episodes beginning with when I was 11 years old. The CBS, NBC, ABC reports (the only TV networks at that time) with images (only black & white) and voices (heavy and weathered) of Chet, David and Walter (Huntley, Brinkley, Cronkite). I recalled the reports of shootings when people would attempt to scramble over the Berlin Wall. The images - bodies hanging from barbed wire and surrounding voices (muffled).</div>
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As with November 8, it was surreal sitting there in Moscow and looking at a flat screen plasma color TV. On this November day some young model-ish commentator (not reporter) commented (not reported) about "The Wall's Coming Down" a quarter century ago.</div>
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When I was in my twenties and a "Cold War soldier", all Russians were "the enemy'. Being in Moscow was an impossibility. But a few November days ago, I stood inside an old Soviet schoolhouse in Samara ... darkened halls, wooden floors, steam radiator heating. There I listened to a young college teacher talk about the absurdity of politicians (regardless of nationality) who must garner or maintain power with armed might. He said, "And for what reason?" His wondering - "Why not wage peace?" This man's father could well have been "my enemy" when I was a "Cold War soldier".</div>
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One more time - Robert Frost:</div>
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<em>Before I built a wall I'd ask to know</em></div>
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<em>What I was walling in or walling out,</em></div>
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<em>And to whom I was like to give offense.</em></div>
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<em>Something there is that doesn't love a wall,</em></div>
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<em>That wants it down.' I could say 'Elves' to [my neighbor],</em></div>
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<em>But it's not elves exactly, and I'd rather</em></div>
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<em>He said it for himself. </em></div>
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What Does It Mean - To Learn?</div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">© Lance Giroux, November 2014</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-49916049540421243182014-11-10T12:11:00.000-08:002014-11-10T12:11:13.269-08:00<div style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
Nov 10, 2014. Define “surreal”. <br />Having the disorienting, hallucinatory quality of a dream; unreal; fantastic.</div>
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As in: Being born 1950 in an isolated desert town (Ray) of 1500, a “village” by today’s standards; no longer in existence, having been replaced by gigantic hole in the ground – and knowing that to show this to your children (rather grandchildren) you have to stand and point to a spot in the air “where the hospital used to be”; yet living today in mega cities: Hong Kong, Mexico DF, Shanghai and with frequent visits to Amsterdam, Krakow, and other smaller spots. </div>
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As in: Sitting (right now) in Moscow’s DME airport lounge today waiting a flight to Munich - and recalling nightly news of CBS, NBC, ABC (the only TV networks) with images (black & white) and voices (weathered) of Chet, David and Walter (Huntley, Brinkley, Cronkite) - as they report this afternoon’s shooting of someone attempting to scramble over the Berlin wall; body dangles from barbed wire; more images (black & white) and voices (muffled). Then, looking across the room at flat screen plasma TV as some young model-ish commentator (not reporter) comments (not reports) about The Wall’s “coming down” some 25 years ago today.</div>
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As in: Standing in an old Soviet school house (two days ago) with darkened halls, wooden floors and steam/radiator heating - listing to a young man, college teacher, talk about the absurdity of politicians who must garner power with armed might “and for what reason?” rather than wage peace; this man who’s father could well have been “my enemy” when I was a Cold War soldier.</div>
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As in: Watching TV (again flat screen plasma) as broadcast on BBC last night into my small Togliatty (Russian “Federation”) hostel room – the image (color) and voice (gruff) of Mikhail (Gorbachev) now old (weathered beyond Chet) warning possibilities of a New Cold War. </div>
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Define “surreal”. Nov 10, 2014.</div>
Lance Girouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584652451286064809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-60945898053886651192014-10-13T08:02:00.001-07:002014-10-13T08:02:37.971-07:00Great News About "Mastery"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i style="color: #405b81; font-size: 14pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'MS 明朝', serif;">是好消息</span></strong></i></div>
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<strong> by Lance Giroux</strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">July 27. Scottsdale AZ. Spent the afternoon with Emily Fraim, George Leonard's daughter and Trustee of the Leonard Family Trust. Surprise! She handed me two copies of George's book <i>Mastery</i>. So? <b>They're written in Chinese</b>. Wow! She followed that gift with, "I think it's also now being printed other languages too." Double wow. (More about that next time.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"><i>Mastery</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">, now in Chinese (simplified); thank you Sterling Lord - George's publishing agent who continues to serve the Trust, owners of the copyrights to all George's written works, including his scripted simulation many readers here have personally encountered: The Samurai Game® (TSG).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">While George and Annie, his wife, were alive I pushed them to have <i>Mastery</i> published in languages beyond English and German, especially Chinese. To me it seemed natural and paramount, having walked neighborhood parks these past years, morning and night throughout PR China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and SE Asia to witness thousands of people engaged in embodied mindfulness practices - tai chi, walking meditations, sword work, breath work, etc. These practices directly reflect what <i>Mastery</i> brings to the surface and promotes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Think "people": 1.35 billion in PR China, add 618 million in SE Asia, plus 24 million in Taiwan, and another 7 million in Honk Kong. That's a big bunch of folks. Even if only a small percentage of them were to have the opportunity to gain from this book, that <i>small percentage</i> is significant. <i>Mastery</i> has never gone out of print and has never been absent from brick and mortar bookstores since it was first published in 1991. Twenty-three years in continuous publication is an exceptionally long time for a paperback of this nature.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">A special smile to Keith Bentz, who, to my knowledge, was the first individual to legally produce The Samurai Game® (TSG) in Hong Kong and Taipei - and with that effort the work of George Leonard was introduced into the greater Asia region.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Legally deliver? Yes. Why say this, because illegal TSG knock-offs have sprung up throughout Asia, Mexico, and elsewhere - even in the USA. Read my </span><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001dqEZyrrbE2B6UDDPT-b-zryuodEyxDqZSw4i7AvfpkCbZ0M18i56KxFdkxfuPvCGLTGY9JrguvMFvx_EiDt2EcLqNmRuSf8jU1Es-8eva4uGz5nQMlI1pQ==" linktype="1" shape="rect" style="color: blue;" target="_blank" track="on">blog about shenanigans</a><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"> of this type. In this regard <i>Mastery</i> in Chinese is again great news; and a definite boon to the legacy of George Leonard. Those who read <i>Mastery</i>, even if they attended a rip-off, will make the connections for themselves. People are smart. They know the difference between what's real and what's fake. Sad though, given TSG revolves around a code of honor - <i>Bushido</i> in Japansese / <i>Wushitao</i> in Chinese / <i>The Way of the Warrior</i>in English / <i>Camino del Guerrero</i> in Spanish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Large populations are now being served with TSG, and stand to benefit with <i>Mastery</i>. Twenty-one of the current sixty-some </span><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001dqEZyrrbE2B6UDDPT-b-zryuodEyxDqZSw4i7AvfpkCbZ0M18i56KxFdkxfuPvCGLTGY9JrguvOtNtY_KK1_YDejyHdAyOCVUaA4RIZgND3vVZh1TIRsN_M6GJjYSKwlOCVL58ZMtlgAyZyZzyn0Mg==" shape="rect" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">authorized facilitators</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"> live along an arc that stretches from Chengdu, China to Taipei to Hong Kong to Kuala Lumpur to Singapore and then continues south to Brisbane, Australia. Having <i>Mastery</i> available in both English and Chinese allows for a significant impact. Think "lessons learned and lessons applied". Who gains? Families, companies, universities, elementary schools, training organizations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"><i>Mastery</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">. The Samurai Game®. Yin. Yang. Connection. One body. It doesn't matter the starting gate; all one needs to do is step on the path. Read <i>Mastery</i> and you deepen an intellectual understanding of what is expressed through TSG. Participate in TSG and you vault into action to embody what is articulated through <i>Mastery</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"><i>Mastery</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"> has been promoted in every TSG event that I've been involved with throughout Asia and SE Asia over these past eleven years. People ask, "When can we get it in our language?" Now they can. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Same thing is true multiple time zones away. The word is spreading in Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Puebla and on. The demand continues. Inquiries for TSG and<i>Mastery</i> are now coming from Colombia, Ecuador and Argentina - thanks to diligence and unselfishness of some really good people, e.g. Jenaro Pleigo of Mexico City and </span><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001dqEZyrrbE2B6UDDPT-b-zryuodEyxDqZSw4i7AvfpkCbZ0M18i56KxFdkxfuPvCGLTGY9JrguvOtNtY_KK1_YDejyHdAyOCVUaA4RIZgND3vVZh1TIRsN_M6GJjYSKwlOCVL58ZMtlgAyZyZzyn0Mg==" shape="rect" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">the others</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"> living in Mexico who have followed his footsteps.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Back to Asia. Caroline Su wanted to get <i>Mastery</i>translated to Chinese so bad she began hammering me about it every time I traveled to Taipei. Likewise, Lyric Chan of PR China. A few months ago, when he visited Petaluma for facilitator training, what did he grill us for to compliment his work? <i>Mastery.</i> Was it Caroline or was it Lyric who lit the final fuse that eventually burned a path to light a fire under some publisher in the region. We don't yet know, and that doesn't matter. What matters: it has happened.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Hopefully Sterling Lord's efforts will expand to translations in other languages, and assist the expansion of George's work through TSG now underway in Russia; well launched and spreading thanks to Konstantin Volzhan and Marina Klimova. Numerous TSG's have been conducted in Tyumen, Moscow, and Rostov-on-Don over the past year. This November I go to Samara. A journey continues. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Knock on a door long enough, it opens. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">A good and important thing, and something worth sharing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"><i>Mastery</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">. Published in Chinese. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 14pt;">J</span><span style="font-family: 'Lantinghei SC Extralight'; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'MS 明朝', serif;"><b>是好消息</b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">(This is GREAT news)</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
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<div align="right" style="background-color: white; font-family: Times-New-Roman; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">© Lance Giroux, August 2014</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-72096159559888110762014-09-22T15:39:00.000-07:002014-09-22T15:39:13.003-07:00Shenanigans<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Shenanigans</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">The Misuse of The Samurai
Game®</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">In An Industry That Wasn’t
Intended To Be <i>An Industry</i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">This posting addresses things from my back yard,
the world of experiential seminars, particularly <a href="http://www.samuraigame.org/"><span style="color: #0000e9;">The Samurai Game</span></a>®
(TSG), a simulation created and scripted by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Leonard"><span style="color: #0000e9;">George
Leonard in</span></a> 1977, and holding US copyright #TXu1-626-797.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">The mid-1960’s ushered in an enticing renaissance
of thought and transformation. The term that describes the period was actually
coined by George Leonard as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Potential_Movement"><span style="color: #0000e9;">The Human Potential Movement</span></a> (HPM). As editor for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Look_(American_magazine)"><span style="color: #0000e9;">Look Magazine</span></a> he swept across the US
interviewing psychiatrists and philosophers to research human potential.
The research showed consensus: human beings use less than 10% of their
mental capacities.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">By the early 1970’s four seminar organizations -
EST, PSI, LifeSpring and Actualizations – sprung up and began spreading HPM
ideals: present mindedness, self-awareness, self-reflection, deep listening,
relaxation, focused concentration, the power of the imagination, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monism"><span style="color: #0000e9;">monism</span></a>,
techniques for tapping altered states of consciousness, win-win philosophies,
the intuition, the need for making and keeping agreements, renewal … all in the
name of successful living. All would be spun off by seminar leaders or
students to form scores of like organizations around the world. Some were
obvious copycats; others appeared to be different. Many became larger and
more affluent than their parent companies. The “spinning off” continues. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">George Leonard first called his simulation of
1977 “The Samurai War Game”. Later he dropped “war” from the title.
My guess: the word “war” would more dissuade than persuade participant
involvement. Factually TSG doesn’t promote war. It awakens people
to the cost and waste of habitual conflict, with war being the supreme example.
It encourages and promotes peaceful resolution to conflict. George
understood conflict and its ramifications: he fought in WWII and the Korean
War; he practiced and taught <a href="http://www.aikido.com/"><span style="color: #0000e9;">Aikido</span></a> and wrote extensively about it; as a
journalist he went undercover to reveal the discontent, bigotry and hatred
alive in America as the US Civil Rights Movement unfolded; he trekked the Iron
Curtain to chronicle its impact as a divided Europe formed. I believe
that even his genes held an understanding. He was a direct descendent of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Burr"><span style="color: #0000e9;">Aaron
Burr</span></a>, Revolutionary War figure and 3<sup>rd</sup> Vice President of
the United States, made most famous by a pistol duel with Alexander Hamilton
that left Burr alive and Hamilton dead.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">EST, PSI, and LifeSpring found value in TSG and
used it. (As for Actualizations, I don’t know.) EST signed
production agreements in 1980 and included it in their “6 Day Course”.
PSI started using authorized TSG facilitators in 1991, including George
himself, within the “Men’s Leadership Seminar” (MLS). LifeSpring’s
founder engaged George to deliver TSG at an internal corporate retreat arranged
for seminar leaders (termed “trainers”) and company execs to foster personal
growth.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Everyone knew TSG belonged to George. He
was a renowned author, journalist and editor. He scripted the simulation
– complete with preparations, guidelines, participant roles, etc. His
works are protected by copyright. His background as a musician and with
theater (Mountain Play Theater, Marin County) further grounded him in
protections afforded to performances. Moreover, all certified
facilitators had/have to sign production agreements and pay royalties.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">So far, so good? </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Well, for the most part, except that some seminar
leaders and participants have taken TSG and with it have wandered afoul.
It didn’t happen overnight. Shenanigans rarely do. Like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_frog"><span style="color: #0000e9;">Boiling
Frog anecdote</span></a>, unethical behaviors take root slowly: a wink here, a
nod there, a “borrowing” without much thought about doing the right
thing. As the founder of PSI used to say, “The human mind can justify
anything.” After awhile errant behavior can become the norm, all with the
appearance of permissibility and acceptability. Integrity is pushed
aside. No one is the wiser, that is, until the shenanigans are
revealed. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">What TSG’s <a href="http://samuraigame.org/certified-facilitator-list/"><span style="color: #0000e9;">authorized facilitators</span></a> have been doing is
great and well spoken to all over the world – far surpassing George Leonard’s
original imaginings. TSG is centered on the ancient Japanese code, <i>Bushido</i>,
which extols virtues of service, honor, truthfulness, vigilance, valor,
compassion, responsibility, accountability and courage. Literally
translated <i>Bushido </i>means “The Way of The Warrior”. Consistent with
the growing drumbeat of HPM, TSG was (and is) a great educational simulation.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Principles, like anything, take practice to
embody and habitualize. <i>Bushido</i> isn’t rocket science. Theft is not
good <i>Bushido</i>. Leaving open the door of your house does not make
legal the actions of a passerby who walks inside to steal whatever he or she
can find. But the argument goes that leaving your door open can trigger
the temptations. Laziness, greed, and crafty ways of cutting corners are
motivators and lucrative paths for some to do business. People will say,
“Oh that’s just the way business is.” Really? NO! Some
businessmen and businesswomen act without regard for ethic, but it’s NOT <i>just
the way business is</i>. There is NOTHING inherent in business that gives
permission to unethical behavior. Permissions like this are learned. They
stem from tendencies and motivators. Individuals are responsible for
their actions. We weaken the fiber of good business when we excuse bad
behavior with <i>that’s just the way business is</i>. The formula called <i>take,
use, deny and profit</i> becomes normal when people allow it to go un-checked.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Cutting to the chase. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Some seminar leaders have been and are using,
producing and facilitating TSG without permission. And they are trying to
get away with it. When caught, most of them have denied what they’ve been
doing, OR they’ve said, “Well, I’m not doing TSG. I’m doing something
else”. But under examination we’ve found to the contrary. They changed
some character names and added a few minor activities, and slapped on a
different product name … and then claim it be “theirs”. [NOTE: copyright law
protects all derivatives of an author’s work]. How does that modern interpretation
from Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet (Act II, Scene II) go -<i> A rose by any
other name is still a rose</i>??? Hmmm.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Some regions in the world are prone to copyright
knockoffs. Word is that regions in Asia and south of the US border are
“the wild west” when it comes to pirating intellectual property. OK?
Nope … not OK. Consider seminar leaders who once worked for
the aforementioned organizations and knew that their parent companies, the
public, corporate and university clients would not stand for plagiarism.
Why? Because such activity undercuts and destroys the foundations of
trust. What’s the point of having a big sign plastered above your seminar
stage so as to promote honest self-reflection by students regarding
responsibilities in life – a sign that touts “What Am I Pretending Not To
Know?” – if the seminar leader is not going to apply the sign and its standard
to himself? </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">In all fairness there are a lot of seminar
leaders living abroad who hold firm to integrity and who engage rightly with
TSG. Many live in Poland, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Egypt,
Russia, the UK, the Netherlands, Mexico and elsewhere. They should be
applauded. So it’s not a regional thing. Shenanigans happen here in
the USA too.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">A sad example. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Arthur_Ray"><span style="color: #0000e9;">James
Arthur Ray</span></a> - 2009. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">News outlets across America rushed to report
Mr. Ray’s ill-fated program at Angel Valley Ranch near in Sedona,
Arizona. (See <a href="http://online.wsj.com/articles/SB124114606680676147"><span style="color: #0000e9;">The Wall Street Journal</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">)</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"> On
October 8, 2009, three people died during a sweat lodge activity being led by
Mr. Ray at his “Spiritual Warrior” retreat. In prior years he starred on
The Larry King Show (2006) and on The Oprah Windfrey Show (2007). He was
touted to be a kind of “spiritual guru”. Did the “news industry” do
their diligence, their homework? Or was Mr. Ray good for <i>the shows</i>
that really don’t address <i>the news</i>. Did those attending his
seminars do their diligence, their homework prior to attending? Who stopped
to think, “What am I getting into?”, or “What are this guy’s
credentials?” OR do people rush to partake of whatever is on
the menu of the next “best” fad? At “Spiritual Warrior” a
sweat lodge experience was a major part of the program. Where was the
training? Where was the consideration given to cultural boundaries and
sensitivities of Native American traditions? Ray was never trained
or authorized to use Dr. Stanislav Graf’s “Holotropic Breathwork”; but at
“Spiritual Warrior” Ray used Graf’s work. Where was the training?
Where were the permissions from Graf? At “Spritual Warrior” Ray had been
leading “the samurai game” for years, in fact a direct rip from TSG. We
didn’t know. He never applied for training and was never certified to
lead it. We found out because a former “Spiritual Warrior” attendee
boldly contacted us following the death of her friend that resulted from the
October 8, 2009 sweat lodge activity. She wanted to inform us that Ray’s
activities included “the samurai game” and wondered if we knew. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">CNN streamed live online the courtroom drama of
Mr. Ray’s wrongful homicide trial. For weeks testimony was heard
real-time around the globe. As the trial started the jury never knew that
Mr. Ray misused a Lakota tradition, but they knew he had used a sweat lodge
experience. The jury didn’t know he wasn’t trained in or approved to use
Stan Graf’s material, but they knew he did strange breathing exercises.
The jury weren’t told the facts about facilitator training and copyright and
certification involved with TSG, nor about the sound body of research and years
of martial art training that form its foundations, but they knew Mr. Ray was
doing “the samurai game”. Testimony was given about its details (as
morphed by him) and went on for days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Lakota Native Americans were offended and
appalled at the shadow cast on their traditions and religious practices by
"The Spiritual Warrior" retreat. They took Ray’s sweat lodge
activities to be disrespectful of sacred rituals and customs. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to some it broke laws and treaties
between their Nation and the USA, and represented a bastardization of their
religion. They filed suite in federal court. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Recent examples. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">In the mid-west USA a seminar company
owner/facilitator (formerly a seminar leader for one of the three seminar
organizations mentioned at the beginning of this article) has been conducting a
thinly disguised modification of TSG. We received notice about this in
November 2011. In 2013 he received a Cease & Desist letter when
confirming reports from two prior attendees of his knockoffs that he led in
Russia told us face-to-face (after attending a real TSG program) that he was
doing “the exactly the same thing as TSG except using Native American theme and
Native America participant names”. Reports came from Spain that he had
been doing it there as well. The fellow blew off our C & D. Then
he was caught soliciting someone online after she had inquired where to find
someone who could lead "The Samurai Game" in his neck of the woods;
he said he could and he would. Once confronted with his blatant claim
he seemed to change his tune. But to date his feet continue to drag
when it comes to making good on promises to change his knockoff.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Now reports from numerous folks in Asia show that
a colleague of his (again a former seminar leader from one of the three seminar
organizations mentioned above) is also delivering an unauthorized TSG
derivative veiled in a Native American theme - in Hong Kong and the China
region. Wow!</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">What’s with these guys? What happened to
their integrity and their understanding of respect? Those two words are
major topics in their seminars, aren’t they? And what’s the deal with
their regard for cultures different from theirs (i.e. the Lakota and other
Native American Tribes) who hold rich traditions? Do they think someone
can just take stuff and do whatever they want with it? Do they think
integrity matters little to the audiences who attend their courses, and the
volunteer staffs and the interns (future leaders) in training? Do they
think people will remain silent? Do they think people only involve
themselves in this kind of work solely for money? If so, they had better
think again. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">At what point and for what price does one sell
out on his or her integrity? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Sometimes the courts of informed public opinion
can more strongly influence outcomes than courts occupied by lawyers and juries.
The time is fast approaching for naming names. Beyond reputation, we own
very little in this life.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Watch out for shenanigans as <i>The Human
Potential Movement</i> continues its slide into being just a<i> Seminar
Industry </i>- an industry never intended to be. Watch out for knock
offs of <i>The Samurai Game</i>®. If you find any TSG knockoffs let us
know, and if you're brave enough, let the fakes know that you have done
so. We can be located along with the certified <a href="http://samuraigame.org/certified-facilitator-list/"><span style="color: #0000e9;">TSG facilitators here</span></a>. These are the
only people authorized to facilitate and if necessary modify TSG – for valid
reasons (safety and cultural/political sensitivity).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">The power of any concept - including notions of d<i>oing
the right thing</i> – isn’t realized until action is taken. Action is required
to transform a concept into a practice. Then, and only then, can any
concept make a difference.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Stay Alert! Pay Attention! Take
Action!</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">© Lance Giroux,
September 2014</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Lance Girouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584652451286064809noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-87447514222846601132014-07-14T06:36:00.000-07:002014-07-14T06:36:17.115-07:00<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><i> <span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Matt Brannagan in Service </strong></span></i></span><br />
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td class="imgCaptionImg" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; text-align: center;" width="286"><img border="0" height="415" hspace="0" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.145" src="https://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs181/1101302425054/img/145.png" vspace="0" width="276" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="imgCaptionText" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; text-align: center;">Matt Brannagan- 2013 Marathon </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Matt
Brannagan and I met in 2003 as a result of his request to host The
Samurai Game® for me to facilitate in the Sierra Foothills - this for a
men's group he was part of. Shortly thereafter he deployed for military
service in Iraq as a member of the National Guard. He was part of an
infantry unit responsible for improvised explosive device (IED)
detection and removal. We stayed in touch throughout his deployment; and
immediately on his return we met for breakfast in Fairfield,
California. He said he wanted to support the work I'm doing and offered
to help me create a monthly e-newsletter and a blog site. Everything
provided here at The Ronin Post, has been brought to you over the years
by Matt Brannagan.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Before
he deployed Matt had been studying for his Masters Degree in
Psychology. He continued his study while deployed and completed his
degree when he returned. He is now as Ph.D. candidate. Seeking to
understand and better himself he entered a powerful program, The Hoffman
Process ... and subsequently decided to undertake the long trek to
become a facilitator of the Process, able to deliver for The Hoffman
Institute. The long trek, well undertaken and completed, now has him
actively delivering the Process. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Matt
is married and lives in North Hollywood, California. He is a quiet man.
He is certified to facilitate The Samurai Game®, and will be
delivering one soon in New York City. He recently agreed to become an
Allied Ronin Associate - though in actuality he truly has always been
one. He understands integrity, service and commitment to his core. He
remains a member of the Army National Guard, donning his uniform
periodically throughout each year, and is now an E-8 First Sergeant of
an Infantry Headquarters Company. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Last
year Matt ran a marathon in support of Hoffman Institute's
youth-at-risk programs. This year he is running a half marathon (along
with a team) for the same purpose. I want to support him in that, and </span><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001URL25yH8sTpKXegpD4JuoXX4aMLpnIEDGaZm0QwtIJmETyohDz6wa39jsN_3D_XPVNN-qkS_moddr_NdHwlk9SbFVJd4VZGg1DP4vZ649LPCWQbfRAc_UizQerkHNuVMhDgB04-hLqRyVuyFLL87BL76q04zSCqo-XDNfOwl4YQ=" shape="rect" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">I ask you to contribute financially here</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"> to his efforts. This month's issue of The Ronin Post is dedicated to Matt's appeal. Read on -</span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>It
has been a year now since I ran my first marathon, raising over $10,000
for the Hoffman Institute's Youth Programs. The money raised last year
helped to allow 20 at-risk youth and mentors from New York, San Jose,
and Phoenix to come together for a wonderful week of healing and growth.
Additionally it helped support the training of an additional
facilitator who will enable the training to grow in the future, reaching
even more teens.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>This
year, I have set a new goal. I am running a half-marathon in Marin
County to raise money for three great initiatives: 1) Hoffman Youth
Programs, 2) Hoffman Teacher Training, and 3) Hoffman Scholarship Fund. </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>The
great news is that I have a team of runners and walkers joining me for
the half-marathon, 5K or 10K. If you are interested in joining the team
let me know, and I will help you get registered.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>The
three initiatives I am raising money for are ones I have benefited
greatly from. Over the past 4 years I have worked very closely in the
development and delivery of a variety of programs which have helped
dozens of teens and mentors to cultivate the tools necessary to overcome
the difficulties of issues such as inner city violence, gangs, teen
parenthood, incarceration and to improve overall academic success. </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>I
wouldn't have had that opportunity had I not been afforded to
participate in an amazing teacher program that allowed me to grow as a
facilitator for both adults and youth. Additionally, I likely never
would have participated in the process myself had I not been the
recipient of a generous scholarship.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>I
am very proud to be involved with such a great organization, but as a
501(c)3 organization we rely on the generosity of donors to grow and
make an impact on even more teens. Please follow </i></span><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001URL25yH8sTpKXegpD4JuoXX4aMLpnIEDGaZm0QwtIJmETyohDz6wa39jsN_3D_XPVNN-qkS_moddr_NdHwlk9SbFVJd4VZGg1DP4vZ649LPCWQbfRAc_UizQerkHNuVMhDgB04-hLqRyVuyFLL87BL76q04zSCqo-XDNfOwl4YQ=" shape="rect" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>the link here</i></span></a><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i> if you would like to contribute, or help me spread the word about this effort (feel free to forward at will).</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>Thank you for your support, Matt</i></span><br /><div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">© Lance Giroux, March 2014</span></div>
Lance Girouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584652451286064809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-70958429029976645542014-01-27T18:47:00.000-08:002014-01-27T18:47:36.818-08:00The Man At The Sliding Wood Door<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: #405b81; text-align: center;" width="281"><img border="0" height="377" hspace="5" name="143d518395d5ab87_ACCOUNT.IMAGE.144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjYcr_zWVkZ4Aatwz6UxQ9rGndRZCYQVkJ1pLBzmofvyiBR-WVwsL7o7JtjDH5OTtex2IwPLOCiKrCANdSrN1bDm7GPloKeDfECwUiS6e3Tf4D6lTC_g7gi9483chf79TmmPclDKBc9T8ydu-FmBp87cpADfN-XQpMFlBw_-t3YhQ=s0-d-e1-ft" vspace="5" width="271" /></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="color: #405b81; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">Richard Strozzi-Heckler, PhD</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Every story starts somewhere - this one starts in the middle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Before
I tell it, I want you to know that this month's article is an overt,
straight up call to action. Go to Amazon and order Richard
Strozzi-Heckler's newly released book </span><span lang="RU"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001qcbJnA7_VlBBTxke1xCe7xpQJ-6Tj8Xx1AF2BrGBXYr__uhs6PTbWU8UPDSP1EdixGCupCtLyvtH-mfCcijK4DbUI9S0136P7LDc4EdjXueLcXvua-9kAsrQOAbS_6OD6Qqz56XDfKPCo-aScrcWXFjuueDVCb2967L4y1X0XLh1nBjVmMSb21slyH99VSbf2GCFOyFug-ElW_J7Ti_bVa9olnbAItc5FfMSId8G9RIX4S77lcafHWCk5M35IzkfA1lIzEuUMqmDX6Mh0D5JrQ==" shape="rect" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Art of Somatic Coaching</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">. It doesn't matter what your profession is. Order and read it right away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">This
non-fiction journey lays a foundation of purposeful study,
understanding, insight and action. With the kind work I've been doing
for forty years you know a suggestion like this isn't made lightly. This
piece well assists anyone who has ever attended a personal growth
course offered by one of the many seminar companies - e.g. est,
LifeSpring, PSI, Actualizations, Landmark, Klemmer & Associates,
AsiaWorks, WorldWorks, Challenge-U, Top Human, MexWorks, WorldWorks
Mexico, LeadMex, Spiral of Success, etc., etc. <i>The Art of Somatic Coaching</i>
completes something that some of these companies never attended to or
only marginally noted or only recently have begun to study. Richard
sent an advance copy at my request. I've taken the time to read the
entire work. It is an honor, almost an obligation, to strongly advise
you to do likewise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">If
you are a coach and have ever coached OR trained someone; OR if you
have ever been coached by someone; OR if you have ever used a consultant
to forward your business or personal life ... then I say - ORDER and
READ THIS BOOK. The same holds true if you have children or have worked
with children. Does this endorsement need to be more strongly made?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">December's
Ronin Post article "Taxi Ride" (about PTSD and Tom Osborn and aikido
and what I saw in Russia, etc.) created an unexpected flurry of replies.
Good! We need to take action when it comes to attending to the impact
(large and small) that past events and social environments have on our
lives - at home, at work, in communities and nations. In "Taxi Ride" I
related a story of someone who had been invited to attend an advisory
meeting of high government officials charged with the responsibility of
military actions in Afghanistan. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">An
earlier Ronin Post article (October 2013) related to a reflection about
someone who has contributed greatly to my life. Those who train aikido
with me know the "who and where" referred to in those first paragraphs
of<i> October</i> <i>Reverie</i>: <i>Surrendering</i> <i>Enough</i> <i>to</i> <i>Commit</i>.
As for everyone else, I was content to leave that an unanswered
question on purpose. But some things later require explanation and
expansion. That time is now, again on purpose. Both articles, December's
and October's, referred to someone without naming him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">The small</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"> barn referenced in October's article is a somewhat magical place midst pasture and grape vines, a martial arts school: </span><span lang="RU"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001qcbJnA7_VlBBTxke1xCe7xpQJ-6Tj8Xx1AF2BrGBXYr__uhs6PTbWU8UPDSP1EdixGCupCtLyvtOKWSTSWAdzRphamkb3DPwnz5N_rzWCRA=" shape="rect" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Two Rock Aikido Dojo</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">.
The word "dojo" translates directly to "way place". This is the "way
place" where I've regularly studied and trained for the past thirteen
years. I often visit other dojos around the US and in foreign countries.
No complaints regarding any of them. But there's nothing quite like Two
Rock Aikido dojo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">As
for the "who" of both articles -- October and December -- the "fellow
in charge", the man standing by the sliding wood door, the man who
occasionally includes poetry into our aikido practice? The man who was
heading off to a meeting with high ranking US officials? This man is
Richard Strozzi-Heckler, Ph.D. Richard is "Sensei", dojo cho, i.e. the
school's chief instructor. He is my sensei and has been since I first
stepped on the mat in 2000. Our affiliation began years long prior to my
aikido practice. First he was a colleague. Then he became a confidant;
and finally, a treasured friend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Were
it not for Richard, I would not have seriously questioned the path I
was on prior to our beginning to know each other. Moreover, I would not
have taken bold action to step onto a new path of life, a path that I
intend to continue for as long as I live. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">There
is more. Most of my friends and acquaintances know how important is the
connection I had with George Leonard. But many of them don't know that
were it not for Richard I probably would not have encountered George,
or if by chance I had, I might not have been ready for the kind of
listening and momentum needed to make that encounter take root and
flourish - opening a door for thousands of people to benefit in a unique
way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">My
George Leonard encounter initiated two opportunities. The first was the
opportunity to witness a live demonstration of aikido. From this sprung
an appreciation for what Richard was up to, and the potential that he
and his work could have for the world. By observing George and his
co-demonstrator (Charlotte Hatch of Mill Valley, CA) work, it was clear
to me that something much larger than a martial art was being played
out. The organization I had been part of at that time was largely
unaware of and, in my opinion, disinterested in the implications of what
was then described as "a mind-body connection." Today, the world well
knows of Richard's research and work, its form now being referred to as <i>Somatic</i> <i>Coaching</i> & <i>Training</i>. (Again - a reminder - order and read his book)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
second opportunity that the George Leonard encounter provided: it
opened a door for me, a method if you will, of engaging others whereby I
could (and still do) travel the world to give, explore and validate for
myself what George (and Richard) had set out to communicate and
accomplish. What they were both up to then, and what Richard remains
actively and sincerely committed to, was a powerfully peaceful, yet
equally energetic, schooling in <i>ways of being and action</i>. <span style="text-decoration: underline;">This has purpose: accomplish constructive outcomes for individuals, communities, regions, nations and the world</span>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Viewed
collectively, the approach that Richard and George took is vastly
distinct and different from the motivational talking heads and quick-fix
break-through seminar companies of then and now. Not that I want to
fault those companies. After all, in many respects they help open human
beings to the possibilities of having better futures. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">George
Leonard passed away four years ago. To this day his work and Richard's
work remain distinct from these companies. Their work was NOT and is
NOT about instant anything. Rather, they were and are about honest
growth, deep study and prolonged practice for the long haul. Their work
truly addresses the concerns and connections of physical, emotional,
familial, organizational and global health and wellbeing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">It's
now been twenty-nine years since I first met Richard, twenty-two since I
first encountered George. The countries I've now traveled number
seventeen. The nationalities assembled into meeting spaces I've worked
now exceed 125 - people coming from all continents except Antarctica.
Many of these people have gone on to work on themselves as well as
recommend a sincere study in the work these two men have inspired. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">So,
for the sake clarity, disclosure and acknowledgement, I thought it wise
to explain, give thanks and expand on the October and December articles
so you would know. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Here
are two requests. The first relates to The Samurai Game®, which I
assume you know to be the above referenced vehicle provided me by George
Leonard. The second is with respect to the work of Richard
Strozzi-Heckler.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">1. The Samurai Game®. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">As
of this month the simulation can now be legally produced and directed
by almost 60 people scattered across fourteen countries. These
facilitators have been trained and certified in the safe and ethical
production of The Samurai Game® performances. My request: let folks know
about it. It is available for individuals, teams, organizations and
schools. Tell others how to find the information and the names of those
persons authorized to produce it by visiting </span><span lang="RU"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001qcbJnA7_VlBBTxke1xCe7xpQJ-6Tj8Xx1AF2BrGBXYr__uhs6PTbWU8UPDSP1EdixGCupCtLyvt2Crie0vwqC3cfYML0aZxVedTZdp4tAXtzSmNPu_IM0A==" shape="rect" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: windowtext; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">www.SamuraiGame.org</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">. And, if you would like, come participate again. Its performance is always new ... fresh ... alive!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">2. Richard Strozzi-Heckler, PhD., Founder of Strozzi Institute. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">He
and his organization continue to make a profound and constructive
impact in the world - ranging from the individual level to a level that
impacts geopolitics and peaceful resolution to real world conflict.
Richard's work is soundly researched and grounded. It has withstood the
scrutiny of academics and leaders upon whose words and works lives have
hung in the balance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">In the world of <i>effectiveness training</i>
there are thousands of people who refer to themselves as "trainers",
"coaches" and "consultants". Some are sincere and quite good. Some are
kind of OK. But many of them, in my opinion, don't deserve even a moment
of consideration. Why would I say this? Because a lot of "coaches"
have only taken time to memorize a few scripts and from there they have
gone on to set up websites and enrollment tools. But they engage in no
sincere life-long practice themselves. They do little or no
self-integration, and some are not committed to sincere service. At best
they could be described as "want-a-be". Sadly, some are world-class
charlatans feeding off the needs of others solely for the purpose of
satisfying a bank account or fame. Some have ripped off other people's
work and called it their own. And, so that you know, some have ripped
off George Leonard's simulation The Samurai Game®. The bulk of these
folks don't study much. They practice even less. They are a sad and
disappointing representation to what could otherwise have been a grand
and honorable undertaking.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">BUT
- If you are interested in "the real deal" - in seeking self
exploration and growth, in moving yourself and/or your organization (or
in advising others who want to do so) onto a long-term path of practiced
embodied learning and effectiveness for action, then at a minimum
explore Richard Strozzi-Heckler, Ph.D., and his organization.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Richard is sincere. His standards are high. His work is exemplary. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">When
I met him I thought, "What a masterful student of life this guy is!"
What I've noticed over the years is that he remains that. And because he
remains a masterful student, he has become a masterful teacher and
leader. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Begin your research </span><span lang="RU"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001qcbJnA7_VlBBTxke1xCe7xpQJ-6Tj8Xx1AF2BrGBXYr__uhs6PTbWU8UPDSP1EdixGCupCtLyvvU4V4BDqcSQdWrM1kXt-66wX74IWnYmJA4mwB-esY_lo9uLhd3rVlcWfVcqbDLMXv8tA9yEsaWyw==" shape="rect" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">here</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Engage with him and Strozzi Institute </span><span lang="RU"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001qcbJnA7_VlBBTxke1xCe7xpQJ-6Tj8Xx1AF2BrGBXYr__uhs6PTbWU8UPDSP1EdixGCupCtLyvt5vjJAlXgMN7ADg_2Tg9tkrNlH96qlB_8z6l_A91j7eA==" shape="rect" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">here</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Do either and you will find something healthy, something satisfactory.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">So - as a minimum - go to Amazon today and order </span><span lang="RU"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001qcbJnA7_VlBBTxke1xCe7xpQJ-6Tj8Xx1AF2BrGBXYr__uhs6PTbWU8UPDSP1EdixGCupCtLyvtH-mfCcijK4DbUI9S0136P7LDc4EdjXueLcXvua-9kAsrQOAbS_6OD6Qqz56XDfKPCo-aScrcWXFjuueDVCb2967L4y1X0XLh1nBjVmMSb21slyH99VSbf2GCFOyFug-ElW_J7Ti_bVa9olnbAItc5FfMSId8G9RIX4S77lcafHWCk5M35IzkfA1lIzEuUMqmDX6Mh0D5JrQ==" shape="rect" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Art of Somatic Coaching</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">, authored by The Man At The Sliding Wood Door. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">© Lance Giroux, January 2014</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-3078113510420626642013-12-17T06:48:00.000-08:002013-12-17T06:48:14.781-08:00Taxi Ride <div align="center" style="color: #405b81; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong> <img border="0" height="230" hspace="5" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.140" src="https://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs181/1101302425054/img/140.jpg" vspace="5" width="378" /> </strong></span></div>
<i>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial',' Helvetica',' sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Three Russian soldier honor guard</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Taxi Ride</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt;"><i>A child that lives with ridicule learns to be timid.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt;"><i>A child that lives with criticism learns to condemn.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt;"><i>A Child that lives with distrust learns to be deceitful.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt;"><i>A child that lives with affection learns to love.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt;"><i>A child that lives with truth learns justice.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt;"><i>A child that lives with happiness will find love and beauty.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt;">- Ronald Russell (Lessons From Life)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">November 10<sup>th</sup>
and I hop into the back of a Moscow taxi. It's after 7pm, drizzly and
cold. I'm exhilarated after a long weekend with sixty-five exuberant
folks. I'm also tired. Beside me sits Petr. He will replace Julia as
translator later this week in Rostov-on-Don when I return there to
complete this three-week Russian trip.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Petr
and I met only a couple of hours ago. Our get together tonight is
designed to give us time to acquaint with one another's speech patters
enabling translations to go as seamlessly as possible in a few days when
we'll serve a corporate group. Petr has been talking nonstop: martial
arts; his abilities with sticks as weapons; his dark side street
escapades of confrontation. He's curious about aikido as a way to foster
peace. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">As
the cab door closes Petr opens up with an unexpected admission, "We
have a real problem here in Russia with violence. Most of it doesn't
make the news. We're in denial. A lot of war veterans are having bad
times. They're into drugs and alcohol and hard violence." I ask,
"Afghanistan?" "Yes."He continues, "PTSD [</span><span lang="RU"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001XPMtRvoEOUkWZQmakGIvhTXPXwSl7v6irU7QYGvsHwFuERlXwW9LXPykaNmgD-unupy7AcQyD2kA_eU79QKP07opfMXyhF0BEZtVe0TIjenWYZdX9lhTeuxZ-2wUnQnm0CVaPnM1bWl26GRab-uEFU4qXTRtksJt" shape="rect" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Post Traumatic Stress Disorder</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">].
It's the same thing here in Russia as in the USA." An interesting
conversation starts to unfold, made even more so given I haven't
generated it or mentioned PTSD in any of our discussions. But, PTSD has
been on my mind recently.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">The three days immediately preceding this trip I attended the annual </span><span lang="RU"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001XPMtRvoEOUkWZQmakGIvhTXPXwSl7v6irU7QYGvsHwFuERlXwW9LXPykaNmgD-unupy7AcQyD2l6xMooAWhwR5g_6FFEBIJIorL2Vciy4MEuxOoZDdvd4w==" shape="rect" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Aiki-Extensions</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"> Conference, this year hosted at </span><span lang="RU"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001XPMtRvoEOUkWZQmakGIvhTXPXwSl7v6irU7QYGvsHwFuERlXwW9LXPykaNmgD-unupy7AcQyD2n0MxCVNtgbJCw1kqxzwMeOyydIHbjREkM=" shape="rect" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Sofia University</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">, Palo Alto, California. Of the many presentations, two grabbed my attention: <i>Body</i> <i>Awareness</i> <i>in</i> <i>Trauma</i> <i>and</i> <i>Peace</i> <i>Making</i> by Paul Linden, PhD, and Janice Taitel, MD; and <i>Aikido</i> <i>as a Component in Holistic Therapy</i>
by Tom Osborn. Both presentations addressed the PTSD needs facing
individuals, families and communities. Both addressed the findings and
constructive impact that these three practitioners have had integrating
aikido into their efforts to address that need.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Paul
and Janice outlined the impact that movement has had with their clients
and patients, and demonstrated through audience participation how
aikido was assisting efforts to un-anchor and reframe experiences held
by those suffering from PTSD. Tom, now into his seventies, served with
the 101<sup>st</sup> Airborne Division. For twenty-four months he was on
Special Forces A teams in Viet Nam. He outlined the impact of his work
with aikido at Veterans Administration facilities - there to serve vets
and staff. On my flight into Russia I read his book, </span><span lang="RU"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001XPMtRvoEOUkWZQmakGIvhTXPXwSl7v6irU7QYGvsHwFuERlXwW9LXPykaNmgD-unupy7AcQyD2lOFLrdbnsu7kAuJOSltFoeWkMjA64saBoUFGw_vcTHTDhjypy6k_Yv0uBR4e6tdlCF99VgP9H0z4md3GiB7w4u0UXEWO1bZfJBhEXBspEOW9bpZrUldgF6eHUTCcTNoIo=" shape="rect" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"><i>Combat Related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Holistic Approach</i></span></a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">. It is quite compelling. I urge you to order a copy through </span><span lang="RU"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001XPMtRvoEOUkWZQmakGIvhTXPXwSl7v6irU7QYGvsHwFuERlXwW9LXPykaNmgD-unupy7AcQyD2ljhJ8N2WbfD7pEf0_C2tBHTQ3rtdRXuw4=" shape="rect" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Amazon</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">The
reason these presentations impacted me is because I know first-hand
from George Leonard why The Samurai Game® was created - that being to
deepen an understanding about the long-term impacts of war without
having to actually succumb to the physical injury or death as a result.
As a social philosopher George wanted people to consider questions like
this, "Why does the human race keep doing war when we individually and
collectively know what it always creates?"He wanted us to take this
question personally to heart when it comes to our own personal "wars". </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">These
presentations also impacted me because of the thirteen years that
aikido has been a major part of my life. I have witnessed people, many
of them otherwise and previously combative, transform themselves and
their responses to conflict. The impact of the presentation also
touched my formative years. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">As
a kid I lived in a home constantly on guard against what might happen
if the wrong thing was said at the wrong time to my dad. I learned how
to be hyper-vigilant, and how to anticipate responses in tense
situations. In those days I didn't understand why my dad would flinch at
the sound of a jet flying overhead. I couldn't understand why certain
holidays triggered violent responses in him. But years of experience
have deepened my understanding.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Tonight
I'm sitting in this taxi and having a chat with Petr. Tomorrow is
Veteran's Day back home. I'm a vet. My brother is a vet. My father and
his brother were WWII vets. My brother-in-law is a vet. My nephew is a
vet. His son, currently serving as a US Marine, just returned from a
warzone. I was never in combat. But I know the stuff of PTSD and how it
affects a family. PTSD is not limited to persons who have been in a
military conflict or navigated their way through a war zone. It's more
prevalent in our societies and having a greater impact in our economic
policies, politics, and social and business environments than we think
or that we want to admit. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Hoping
to not be overly simplistic or appear foolish, I would offer many
people (including you?) could relate to aspects (and possibly
experiences) of PTSD if they will stop, think, feel and get in touch
with their bodies. </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Have
you ever found yourself involved in confrontation or a dangerous
situation where you felt your safety severely threatened? Afterwards,
were you ever on guard against similar situations and/or physically
triggered by environments reflective of the environment surrounding that
prior threat? If you can honestly answer "yes", then you know what I
mean. </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">When
I was 12 years old and on a hunting trip, the jeep my dad was driving
flipped over. It pinned my head to the ground. Luckily, my brother
scrambled out in time to lift the jeep's back end off my body. My dad
had a quick moment to pull me out before my brother set the jeep back
down. Over the next few years whenever we would hunt near that place, I
became nauseous and shaky. I would refuse to go on if we got too close
to where we'd had the accident.</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Tonight
I shared with Petr that as America was heading into Afghanistan, a
group of friends and I were asked what we might say to people high up in
our military and national security apparatus who would have to carry
out a Presidential order to undertake combat operations. We were asked
to imagine that we would only have only a few seconds to give advice
knowing that it wasn't a matter of "if we go in", rather "when we go
in." This question came from someone who was about to attend a meeting
of top officials actually confronting that situation in reality. I
recall saying, "Tell them to talk to the Russians before they go." Why
was that my response? Because the Soviet incursion into Afghanistan
quite literally broke the USSR's economic back and shattered their
national psyche.</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">The
taxi is long gone and so is Petr. He spoke his "спокойной ночи." In a
few days he will be with me in Rostov-on-Don to serve as a translator.
Back in the hotel I've spent time sending thank you notes to family and
buddies back home who have served in the military. Among them is Al
Takata. Like Tom Osborn, Al was with the Special Forces in Viet Nam. He
left the Army a highly decorated lieutenant colonel, and carried with
him many deep secrets. He's a great guy, and today a man of love and
forgiveness. </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">An
email pops into my mailbox as I head to bed. It's from Al, returning
thanks for my having served in the Army. In closing he writes these
unexpected, yet gracious words, "The Samurai Game brought me back from
Viet Nam and was the factor that made me realize that I was suffering
from PTSD. Without that awareness I could not begin my healing. Today I
am 99% well. Love, Al."</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">Halfway
around the world Al Takata has no knowledge of the specifics I've lived
through these days in Russia, or of the Aiki-Extension Conference
attended a few weeks ago in Palo Alto, or of the conversation and topic
discussed this evening in a taxi with a young man named Petr. </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">It's past midnight in Moscow. What time is it in America?</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt;"><i>You who are on the road</i></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt;"><i>Must have a code that you can live by</i></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt;"><i>And so become yourself</i></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt;"><i>Because the past is just a good bye.</i></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt;"><i>Teach your children well,</i></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt;"><i>Their father's hell did slowly go by,</i></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt;"><i>And feed them on your dreams</i></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt;"><i>The one they picked, the one you'll know by.</i></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 8pt;">-<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt;">Crosby Stills Nash Young (Teach Your Children)</span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="right" style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8pt;">© Lance Giroux, November 2013</span></div>
Lance Girouxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01584652451286064809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-27722271097037225742013-11-19T07:54:00.002-08:002013-11-19T07:54:11.350-08:00Congratulations <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="center" style="color: #405b81; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="color: #405b81; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong> <img border="0" height="283" hspace="5" name="14270eabac733505_ACCOUNT.IMAGE.138" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs181/1101302425054/img/138.jpg" vspace="5" width="378" /> </strong></span></div>
<i>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial',' Helvetica',' sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial',' Helvetica',' sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Congratulations Marina Klimova! </span></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family: helvetica,arial; font-size: 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial',' Helvetica',' sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">First Russian citizen certified to produce & direct The Samurai Game®</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
</i><div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">November
14, 2013. Today I watch autumn's first snow in Moscow. My ride from
Hotel Garvor to Paveletskaja (the main metro station) is slow, though
not as slow as other ventures taken the last few days around this
historic city.</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
metro station is the first stop on my way to Rostov. I'm looking
forward to being back in Rostov. Not that Moscow hasn't been good; it's
been great. Gracious people to be with. Wonderful attitudes reflecting
the spirit of growth: inquisitive, challenging, reflective, gracious,
sometimes struggling, sometimes surrendering. Almost always dignified. </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">I
arrived here a week ago at the invitation of Irina Pak. Originally from
Latvia, Irina has lived in Moscow a number of years. She owns and
operates a seminar organization structured like many others that have
sprung up around Russia the past two plus decades. </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Having
worked within such a company myself from the mid-1970's through the mid
1990's I made a vow never to be permanently employed by such again. But
serve them I do and will, provided their individual leaders and owners
demonstrate sincerity and respect towards students, clients and
employees. Sincerity and respect are both evident with Irina.</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Seventy-two participants attended our Moscow production of The Samurai Game®.</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
week prior was spent in Rostov-on-Don, there to serve Marina Klimova
who owns a similar company. She carries a like respect for those she
serves and employs. We had sixty-two participants in Rostov. There
Konstantin Volzhan joined us. He flew in from Tyumen to observe and
study. He, like Irina and Marina, owns a similar company from which he
serves the Siberian region. And, along with Marina, he visited Petaluma,
California in September for the Facilitator Training Course week.</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">A
collegial spirit exists between Konstantin, Marina and Irina. This is
good. Russia is a big country in a big world. There is no reason to
hoard, or aggressively compete or play the zero-sum games of one against
the other that, unfortunately, have plagued many seminar organizations.</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">My
trip back to Rostov culminates this three-week stint. Marina has
arranged for a corporate production coming up this weekend. Last weekend
she completed her training requirements and is now certified to direct
The Samurai Game® on her own. But I'll support her first "solo" delivery
before venturing home.</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">So
--- Congratulations Marina Klimova! As with Moscow's morning snow, you
are "a first"; but not for a season only; rather for an era. You are the
first Russian citizen certified to produce and direct this grand
creation of George Leonard's. </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Congratulations
Konstantin and Irina! You were and are key to Marina's success. I
accept your requests and am looking forward to being back in Russia in
September 2014 to serve you both again.</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div align="right" style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">©Lance Giroux, November 2013</span></div>
<div align="right" style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: right;">
<span lang="RU"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0010d7nE1iKNr3J9cGl8v6r6WZZD0tswRwkMElgYOZduK9N5QqIkJE8fPvgmzr4uwm2dGaNcYyKXuS-WMfnkAMMzcQQ6VOiEuVPbverVOvS0YpC2vsIi_wd2uhY03yYVe1e6ZVa816mm7LWp7zc5M-SMVqqDXY1Rz4iH669e7etlgo2KL6F7wA-hg==&c=gZGkyXpgnSM6fWhxaTtCpWa1yT_VC_PRdPYTLpQxKzYh2z5bJDTsBA==&ch=N0lsEqSKvhNGsPS1KG-6IIi58Y1aSndKlH6SxiBWyUlPT5lyByLkvg==" shape="rect" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">www.SamuraiGame.org</span></a></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-21354769304398280152013-11-02T10:03:00.004-07:002013-11-02T10:03:50.850-07:00October Reverie: Surrendering Enough to Commit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong> </strong></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong></strong></span><div align="center" style="color: #405b81; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong> <img border="0" height="309" hspace="5" name="141dc28053386010_ACCOUNT.IMAGE.135" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs181/1101302425054/img/135.jpg" vspace="5" width="378" /> </strong></span></div>
<i>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</i><div style="color: black; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Fall
2000. A cool evening breeze brushes the hillsides of Two Rock Valley. A
familiar mist begins to envelop our little barn, a barn that no longer
lodges horses or sheep. Now it's a way place, a meeting space for
people, open to anyone who decides to come for the ninety minute
classes. Those of us who train here feel special, but for no special
reason. None of us would be here had not someone else made an effort to
extend an invitation or a suggestion. Some of them, those who did the
inviting or suggesting, are no longer with us. We gather, we practice,
we engage in a self study of physical movement and metal focus. It is
intense, even when the pace is slow. In fact the slower the pace the
more intense it becomes. Quite spiritual for some. This evening we are
sixteen. At some point our practice is momentarily suspended. The
fellow in charge picks up the piece of paper that's sitting by the
sliding wood door. He reads:</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>The Weighing (Jane Hirshfield)</i></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>The heart's reasons</i></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>seen clearly,</i></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>even the hardest</i></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>will carry</i></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>its whip-marks and sadness</i></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>and must be forgiven.</i></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>As the drought-starved</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>eland forgives</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>the drought-starved lion</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>who finally takes her,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>enters willingly then</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>the life she cannot refuse,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>and is lion, is fed,</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>and does not remember the other.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>So few grains of happiness</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>measured against all the dark</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>and still the scales balance.</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>The world asks of us</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>only the strength we have and we give it.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>Then it asks more, and we give it.</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">About
this reading no request for speaking is made, at least not alound. The
reading simply hangs there - a mirror to serve reflection, a window to
serve vision. Whatever messages that exist are ours to discover. They
live already within each of us. For some, the internal speaking will
influence physical movements for the remaining minutes of class. For
others, it will poignantly relate to a day recently lived, or it will
welcome or forwarn a waiting night at home or a tomorrow at work. My
speaking is about commitment and surrender and relationships. Over the
next thirteen years the "fellow in charge" will read this poem aloud
many times - and when he does, a new <i>speaking</i> will arise within me.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Summer
1975. A hot day in a parched valley three hours north of San Francisco.
I sit inside a swimming pool cabana recently converted into a
classroom. Thirty others are with me - all formally dressed and seated
at tables. We are classmates for a week. I'm here from Hawaii where I
serve as an Amry lieutenant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
sliding glass door on the cabana's north side opens. A man wearing a
dark blue three piece suit and starched white shirt with French cuffs,
steps in, settles himself and begins to speak. As best I can, I listen
while drifting in and out of a haze of memories. At some point I hear
him say, <i>"There can be no joy without commitment."</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Then he begins a story. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>The
508 men leave their ships and take up oars to row. Feet step ashore.
Their home, Spain, thousands of miles to the north and east, awaits
their completed mission and their return. But today with Hernando
Cortez they, the 508, stand in Mexico. Mexico, like Tamaulipas,
Zacatecas, Veracruz, Michoacan and Jalisco, remains an unknown yet to be
spoke word. These voyagers are in the land of the Aztec, the land of
Montezuma, the land that surrounds Tenochititlan. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>Cortez
issues an order, "Scuttle the ships." Spain remains a possiblity,
though not to be achieved by reversing direction. That option, Cortez
has ensured, no longer exists. Only by going forward can anything be
achieved. That these men will return to Spain or anywhere else is
hopeful but not certain. Cortez' action speaks to a yet to be created
history. There is no turning back. There is only going forward.
Something past must be released in order for something new to be
realized. And so, the 508 proceed. Surrendering to what is, they commit
themselves.</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">October
2010. I'm home. My mobile phone buzzes the incoming text from my friend
David. "Bad news Lance. We lost Mr. Mac last night." I freeze. My
thoughts, "<i>I was just at Mac's house; we were just talking with each other; this must be some crazy joke."</i> It's not. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">A
small stone sits on my mantelpiece. On it, drawn in ink, is a mouse.
Fifteen feet away, framed on my office wall is a beaded white eagle
feather. The mouse, the feather, both are gifts from Mac Turnipseed.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">The
eagle feather came my way in 1994. It was Mac's right as a Native
American to have it and to give it. It was my honor to receive it. I
had just designed and was delivering a two-day communication, service
and leadership program for Mac's family, their businesses and employees.
As the program began, and in front of the entire assembly, Mac asked me
to stand. He then reached out, placed the feather in my hand and
offered<i>, "This is yours, brother"</i>. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">In
the years that followed many classes and consulting sessions were
requested by Mac, his mother, his sister and his brothers - all for
immediate and extended family, employees, and members of the Puyallup
Tribe. Along the way I encountered a marvelous book, <i>Seven Arrows</i>, assembled by Hyemeyohsts Storm. One story called <i>Jumping Mouse</i>
particularly stuck me. So on a visit to Tacoma to deliver a program I
sat with Mac and read him the story. It speaks of possibility and human
nature and commitment ... and to being a person of generocity and
service - something called a<i> give away person.</i> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">As the story opens we meet <i>Little Mouse</i>.
As it continues we observe him gaining the courage needed to step
beyond his self-imposed limitations and those of other mice to find <i>his medicine</i>, and from there become <i>Jumping Mouse</i>. He then goes on to realize service as his highest calling. The result of which becomes the realization of his dream.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Briefly, it goes like this.<i> Little Mouse</i>
decides it would be great to leave the place of mice and venture off to
the mountain. The other mice warn that going onto the prairie in search
of such a mountain is to be alone and exposed. They warn that the
prairie is filled with dangers and that he will become a quick meal for
an eagle. But the pull of possibility overwhelms and strengthens <i>Little Mouse</i>. He gathers courage and sets off to discover the truth and find the mountain. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Along the way <i>Little Mouse</i> meets many creatures including Frog, who teaches how to jump up. This gift from Frog gives <i>Little Mouse</i> vision - the ability to see beyond the grass in front of his face. This jumping is <i>Little Mouse's</i> medicine and his name becomes <i>Jumping Mouse</i>. With newfound ability <i>Jumping Mouse </i>moves out onto the prairie where he meets Buffalo. But Buffalo is blind and dying, and sadly informs <i>Jumping Mouse</i> that his only cure, his medicine, is the eye of a mouse. Overwhelmed with the sight of such a manificent creature, <i>Jumping Mouse</i> is filled with the spirit of service and gives Buffalo an eye. Instantly healed and deeply appreciative Buffalo escorts <i>Jumping </i>Mouse across the prairie to a place beyond which it is difficult for Buffalo to proceed. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Arriving at this place <i>Jumping Mouse</i>
becomes excited. He finds abundance never imagined - seed and other
things, including a great grey Wolf. But, like Buffalo, Wolf is ill. He
sits listlessly dim minded. Wolf has no memory of self or purpose. This
saddens <i>Jumping Mouse</i>, yet with the sadness a thought occurs. If
an eye could help Buffalo then perhaps another eye could likewise serve
Wolf. Without hesitation <i>Jumping Mouse</i> gives up the remaining eye. Wolf is healed. His memory returns and he recalls his life's mission: <i>guide others across the prairie to the mountain</i>. <i>Jumping Mouse</i>, now blind, walks with Wolf acoss the remaining stretch of land to the base of the mountain. There Wolf informs <i>Jumping </i>Mouse that he must continue on alone because Wolf's mission compel him to go back and find others to guide.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Filled with gratitude, but blind and fearing he will become lunch for an eagle, <i>Jumping Mouse</i> says goodbye to Wolf, wishing him well with his mission. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Sitting exposed, <i>Jumping Mouse</i> senses Eagle's shadow passing over him. He shivers and braces for the oncoming shock. Eagle hits, takes his lunch, and <i>Jumping Mouse</i> enters a deep sleep. But soon this sleep wanes. He wakes to a blurry light, followed by sharp bright colors. <i>Jumping Mouse</i> realizes that he can see again! Everything is clear and vivid. He turns his head and notices wings. He has become Eagle.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Of
course it took me much longer to read the story to Mac that day. All
the while he simply sat, listening deeply and saying nothing. The
following day began the next program for the Turnipseed's companies.
Weeks later a small box arrived at my home, sent by mail. Inside and
without a note was a stone and on it, drawn in ink, a small mouse. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">We
all have our heart's reasons and individual unique strengths. We have
our ships to scuttle, and adventure filled opportunities that could take
us anywhere - incuding back home. We have had our times of being mouse
people, surrounded by the discouraging voices of other mouse people. We
have shivered in tall grass beyond which we cannot see. We have had the
times of meeting our Frog people, there to teach us how to jump, and
encourage us to strike out across individual prairies. We have had our
opportunities to meet and serve our Buffalo, our Wolves and, yes, our
Eagles. The question becomes - to what degree do we, did we, and will we
surrender to these reasons, these strengths, these times and these
people ... and to commit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">© Lance Giroux, October 16, 2013</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-82500951232514104212013-09-04T09:59:00.001-07:002013-09-04T09:59:22.378-07:00Using Steps 4 and 5 of The Five Step Path <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong> <img alt="Tyumen, Russia - May 18, 2013" border="0" height="283" hspace="5" name="140e506e2a00d0ce_ACCOUNT.IMAGE.133" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs181/1101302425054/img/133.jpg" vspace="5" width="378" /> </strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial',' Helvetica',' sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Tyumen, Russia - May 18, 2013</span></span></div>
<i>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i>"Organizations learn only through individuals who learn.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i>Individual learning does not guarantee organizational learning.</i></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Times-New-Roman; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i>But without it no organizational learning occurs." </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;">- Peter Senge -</span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;">(<span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization</span>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Previously
addressed in The Ronin Post were Steps 1 through 3 of "A Five Step Path
to Leadership and Effectiveness". This issue we set forward Steps 4
& 5. Consistent with the process of the past few months, these final
steps are reframed for personal reflection and organizational
self-assessment.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Three crucial practices support the FIVE STEP process. They are: </span></div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Be present with people and situations.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Make external focus a mindful practice.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Stay connected with what's happening for you, particularly physical responses, mental chatter and emotional flow.</span></li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0in; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>A REVIEW OF THE FIRST THREE STEPS</b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>STEP #1. Focus on the strengths of others - especially those following you, or who you are responsible for leading.</b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"> This builds rapport, trust, respect and growth, and initiates the process.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>STEP #2. Encourage and inspire others to develop, practice and unleash their personal strengths and uniqueness.</b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>STEP
#3. Be certain that your directions are clear, and that your actions
are grounded in constructive principles shared by you and those you are
responsible for leading. </b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Moving forward.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: underline;"><b>Step #4.</b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: underline;"> As often as possible, get yourself out of the way of other people, especially those you are attempting to influence and lead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">We
must acknowledge that people are going to make mistakes. It's often
through mistake making that we find what we're really looking for. We
must have a solid understanding of our own personal values and motives.
We must give people permission to do the best they can do <i>in their own way</i>.
Mistakes are part of learning, growing, leading and following
processes. So, make room for mistakes - yours and others. There is
nothing more inspiring than someone who, by acknowledging his or her own
mistakes, allows others to develop and grow by taking risks. There is
nothing more demoralizing than someone who gives opportunities, and then
micro-manages or removes opportunities altogether before any real
chance for success or failure can be realized. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: underline;"><b>Step #5.</b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: underline;">
Be a dedicated learner yourself. Most importantly, learn as much as
you can from the people who you think you are or should be leading.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Being
a leader has nothing to do with having or attaining a titled position.
Being a leader is a function of who you are in any given moment. Any
human being, regardless of rank or title, who for any reason influences
another person's action is a leader in that moment. A crying child, in
the middle of the night, influences mom or dad to get up and cross the
room to see what's happening. In that moment the child leads, and mom or
dad follows. More often than not, great ideas and methods come from the
people we call <i>followers</i>. When a follower recognizes that his or
her ideas have been genuinely received and acted upon by the someone
considered to be "in charge" - who we commonly recognize to be <i>the leader</i> - then confidence grows system wide. These are important moments, moments when <i>followers</i> become leaders... and the people who the <i>followers</i> consider to be <i>leaders</i> become <i>leaders of other leaders</i>.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Make
it a goal to daily ask and answer these two questions: "How can I get
myself out of the way of other people so that they can maximize their
potential? What can I learn from others today, especially from those who
I think I am leading? </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Questions for Self Reflection:</span></div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">If your friends, family, neighbor, teachers, enemies, ex-husband, ex-wife etc., walked into a room and told you<span style="text-decoration: underline;"> honestly and without malice</span> what they know from their experience to be your self-defeating habits, what would they say? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">If
these same people were to answer the question - "What does he or she
stand to constructively learn from others" - what would you hear them
say?</span></li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Questions for Professional Reflection and Effectiveness:</span></div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">If your
co-workers, employees, managers, competition, vendors, former employees,
etc., could give you feed back regarding your business' actions,
without the intent of degrading you, yet being honest in their
assessment, how would they describe your organization's self defeating
habits and practices?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">What
answers would these same people have for this question: "What does this
organization stand to learn from others in their industry, and from us
... their vendors, customers, clients and competitors?"</span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Take
on the above assessment practices for thirty days. Spend ten minutes
each morning to forecast your thinking, and ten minutes each evening to
reviewing your results. If you are in business, consider using the
business related questions to boost creativity in focus discussions at
your weekly or monthly team or manager meetings.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i>"I think the one lesson I have learned</i></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Times-New-Roman; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i>is that there is no substitute for paying attention."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;">-Diane Sawyer-</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;">(ABC TV News Anchor)</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
</i><br /><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">© Lance Giroux, August 2013</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-4963903804181065452013-09-04T09:58:00.001-07:002013-09-04T09:58:46.696-07:00Using Step #3 of The Five Step Path <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong> <img border="0" height="283" hspace="5" name="13eae1fd77a1cbc3_ACCOUNT.IMAGE.131" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs181/1101302425054/img/131.jpg" vspace="5" width="378" /> </strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
<i style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i>"If you think of your life as a journey and yourself as the captain </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i>of your ship, you know that nothing is more important to your survival </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i>and the quality of your life than learning to navigate efficiently."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;">- Richard Carlson & Joseph Bailey -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;">(p. 31, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Slowing Down to the Speed of Life</span>, 1997)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Previously
in The Ronin Post we addressed Steps #1 and #2 of "A Five Step Path to
Leadership and Effectiveness". This month we present Step #3. And, we'll
reframe it for personal reflection and organizational self-assessment.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Recall the three crucial practices that support the overall FIVE STEP process: </span></div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Be present with people and situations.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Make external focus your mindful practice.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Simultaneously,
stay connected with what's happening for you, i.e. physically (your
body responses), mentally (your mind chatter & images) and
emotionally (the flow of your feelings).</span></li>
</ol>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>REMEMBER STEP #1. YOU MUST FOCUS ON THE STRENGTH THAT OTHERS (especially those following you) POSSESS.</b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"> This essential builds rapport, trust, respect and growth, and initiates the process.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>REMEMBER STEP #2. YOU MUST ENCOURAGE and INPRIRE others to DEVELOP, PRACTICE and UNLEASH their own strengths and uniqueness.</b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Now on to ....</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>STEP #3. Point in directions and take action<i>s </i>that are grounded in constructive principles shared by you and those you are leading or attempting to lead. </b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">This
is a vital practice - whether you are a teacher, a parent, a military
commissioned or non-commissioned officer, a business manager, a sales
person, someone invested in customer service, a doctor, an attorney, a
bellman, a card dealer at a Black Jack table ... or some average Joe or
Jane sitting down to a counter or table to order lunch. Any position
that you might hold in life is temporary. That you are constantly
developing yourself as a person of effectiveness or a person lacking in
effectiveness (and likewise influencing others) is a life-long
condition.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: underline;">You must be clear about the directions you and your actions are giving. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">
How can you be certain your directions are clear? Look to others for
feedback. What do they understand your directions to be, and for what
purposes?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">(1)<span style="font: 7.0pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Listen
closely. Ask others to verbally explain in their own words what they
think you mean. Listen to the cues that are more than you simply
satisfying a need to hear a recitation. Listen to the tone others use
when they give you feedback. What are they really saying? Look at what
their body is saying. Reflect on all of this without taking any of it
emotionally personal, i.e. don't build yourself up OR tear yourself
down. Don't jump to premature conclusions. SLOW DOWN and be an honest
observer.</span></i></div>
<i style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">(2)<span style="font: 7.0pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Watch
closely. What are others doing? This is powerful feedback. You may
think that the notion that actions speak louder than words is a worn out
cliché. But it is the truth. Don't deny what your eyes are seeing.
(read on)</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;">(3)<span style="font: 7.0pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">
In giving directions, make absolutely certain that you pay attention to
what you are personally experiencing, i.e. your own feeling and your
own body responses. What's happening in your gut? What's happening
with your skin and eyes? Are you fading out and drifting? Are you hooked
in and connected with others? Are your directions being given in a way
that honors and respects yourself and others? You have to remain
grounded in your own constructive principles. Make certain you deeply
understand the guiding principles of your followers. Make certain there
is congruency.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">You
are always pointing in a direction. Others will take this to be what
you expect or want. From here they will either move in ways you desire
OR they will resist. Most people point in directions oblivious to the
fact that this is what they are doing. You must stay alert, remain clear
and operate in a mode of self-examination. Direction without
self-reflection is dangerous and becomes a self-destructive road to
walk. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">It
doesn't matter that you occupy a leadership position. The fact is, all
of us are being followed, but most of the time we are clueless to this
reality. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Directing
others extends far beyond a function called verbal command giving.
Directing others is based primarily upon what one does, next on the tone
one uses, and least of all on the words one says. Doubt that? Have you
ever watched someone lead a masterful game of <i>Simon Says</i>? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">If
you find that others who are supposed to be following you are actually
moving in directions that you don't desire, consider the likelihood that
these folks <i>think and believe</i> that you are pointing them in that direction - even if your words appear to sound otherwise to you.<b>
The actuality of this may be altogether inaccurate, but ONLY by
considering this as a possibility can you truly make responsible and
non-blaming corrections.</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Step #4 of "A Five Step Path" is the topic for June's issue of The Ronin Post. <b>But
for now, spend your time honestly examining: (1) your own core values,
and (2) the directions that your actions, tone and words are suggesting.
</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Then
take a step every day to ask yourself, "Have I displayed constructive
or destructive core values? What directions do my behaviors suggest?
Have I engendered respect, dignity and honor in myself and others?" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Two Questions For Personal Self Reflection:</span></div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">If your friends, family, neighbors, teachers, enemies, ex-husband, ex-wife etc., walked into a room and told you<span style="text-decoration: underline;"> honestly and without malice</span> what they know from their experience your core values to be (both constructive and destructive) what would they say?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">If these same people were to answer the question - "In What Direction Is He or She Pointing?" - what would you hear them say?</span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Two Questions for Professional Reflection and Organizational Effectiveness:</span></div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">If
your co-workers, employees, managers, competition, vendors, former
employees, etc., could walk into a room and give feedback to you
regarding your business' actions and soul, without the intent of
degrading you, yet being honest in their assessment, what words would
they use to describe your organization's core values? Understand that
values can be either constructive or destructive, i.e. a core value
could be that you hold customers with respect; or a core value could be
that you hold customers with contempt. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><i>If
these same people could likewise answer the question - In What
Direction is This Organization Pointed - and if they continue in that
direction - Where Will They Find Themselves? - what would you hear these
people truthfully say?</i></span> </span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Take
on the above practices for one month. About ten minutes each morning
to forecast your thinking, and about ten minutes each evening to review
your reality should do just fine. This may feel difficult to do. BUT -
you will like yourself for having done this, and others (including some
people who don't like you) will respect you for the effort.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>A FUN ASSIGNMENT. THIS MONTH VIEW THE FILM "MONEY BALL".</b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">
Even if you have already seen it, NOW watch it within the context of
what is written above, plus what was covered in the March and April
issues of The Ronin Post. You will see these first three steps of "A
Five Step Path to Effectiveness and Leadership" covered in detail again,
and again and again.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i>"Pay close attention to your colleagues or adversaries.</i></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i>Listen carefully to what they have to say. Can you</i></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i>paraphrase their main message? .... Find as many ways</i></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i>as possible to get close to your people and their issues."</i></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-top: 0; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;">-David Baum and Jim Hassinger-</span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: .5in; margin-top: 0; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;">(p.77, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Randori Principles</span>, 2002)</span></div>
</i><br /><div style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">© Lance Giroux, May 2013</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-73798754791307323052013-09-02T07:30:00.001-07:002013-09-02T07:30:07.427-07:00News Updates<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div _mce_style="font-family: Cambria; color: black; text-align: justify; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;" style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span _mce_style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>News Updates.</b></span><span _mce_style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div>
<div _mce_style="font-family: Cambria; color: black; text-align: justify; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; font-size: 12pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;" style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span _mce_style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px;" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 14px;">Congratulations! <a _mce_href="http://www.SaskiadeWinter.com" _mce_shape="rect" _mce_style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" href="http://www.saskiadewinter.com/" shape="rect" style="color: blue ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important;" target="_blank">Saskia de Winter</a>, <a _mce_href="http://www.creadoresdeexitos.com" _mce_shape="rect" _mce_style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" href="http://www.creadoresdeexitos.com/" shape="rect" style="color: blue ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important;" target="_blank">Ana Cortes</a>, and <a _mce_href="http://www.Elipsis.com" _mce_shape="rect" _mce_style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" href="http://www.elipsis.com/" shape="rect" style="color: blue ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important;" target="_blank">Lourdes "Lulu" Lopez</a> of
Mexico City have completed Samurai Game® facilitator certification to
lead the Game worldwide. Nine Mexican citizens now serve Mexico with
this simulation created by George Leonard. Four candidates from Mexico
will soon enter the facilitator training process.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div _mce_style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Times-New-Roman; color: black; text-align: justify; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="color: black; font-family: Times-New-Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span _mce_style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">May
18-19. "The Spiral for Success" a seminar company based in Tyumen,
Russia, hosted a Samurai Game® weekend. This was the Game's first
delivery in Siberia, opening the door for owners Konstantin and Elena
Volzhan to make it an ongoing offering in the region. Konstantin begins
his certification training next month in Petaluma, California. Also
attending the Tyumen weekend program were two other Petaluma bound
Russians, Marina Klimova of Rustov and Yana Tyzhnova of Moscow. Yana
served as translator for the May Tyumen program. Welcome!</span></div>
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<span _mce_style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">July
8-9. The Poconos of Pennsylvania. A successful second annual leadership
program was hosted by East Stroudsburg University's Upward Bound
Program. "These are skills that can only be learned through actual
practice. There is a practice that goes beyond just books", stated Uriel
Trujillo, ESU's Upward Bound Director. The program engaged sixty youth
from the region in aikido based movements and the Samurai Game® for the
purpose of enhancing communication, influence and personal
effectiveness.</span></div>
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<span _mce_style="font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35564993.post-72260573477741028202013-04-17T05:18:00.001-07:002013-04-17T05:18:17.736-07:00Using Step #2 of The Five Step Path <div align="center" style="color: #405b81; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong></strong></span>
</div>
<div align="center" style="color: #405b81; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong> <img alt="Diana Montiel Contreras completes Samurai Game® facilitator certification February 24 in Mexico City" border="0" height="283" hspace="5" name="13e1313e8d95c470_ACCOUNT.IMAGE.127" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs181/1101302425054/img/127.jpg" vspace="5" width="378" /> </strong></span></div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center;">
<div>
<strong>Diana Montiel Contreras completes Samurai Game® facilitator certification February 24 in Mexico City</strong></div>
</div>
<div align="center" style="color: #405b81; font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong> </strong></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i>"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature nor</i></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i>do the children of man as a whole experience it.</i></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i>Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure.</i></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i>Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing."</i></span></div>
<div align="center" style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;">-Helen Keller (from The Open Door, 1957)</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Rachel
is new to the aikido mat, late 30's, attentive and quick to adjust to
input. She's often self-critical. Yet, her movements are surprisingly
aligned, unified and relaxed for anyone at this stage of the game. She
has yet to purchase a gi (training uniform). Taking <i>that</i> step,
while practical (right clothes for the environment), is also bold. It's a
statement that says, "Yes, I'm in. I'm scared, but stepping across this
line anyway." We keep an eye on Rachel. We let her know that we once
walked (and still do) the same path that she's on. Knowing this we
understand that she'll probably take her next step. </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Nate
got his new trumpet just like he wanted, but his first experience of
the town's youth orchestra was terrifying: too many people, and too much
happening. Christian, the orchestra leader, was keen to Nate's talent.
He knew his fears and asked him to stay afterwards to talk about what
was going on. Christian listened and basically said nothing. Then just
before Nate was about to leave Christian offered, "I know you want to
quit and you can, but I think you're doing great - I see it in your
timing. Come to one more session and then decide. When I'm afraid I'm in
the same spot you're in right now ..." Twelve years later Nate is
accomplished in many instruments. Along the way he served two years as
band president at a major California university. Today, he works as a
corporate merchandising manager. Music is not his profession. It IS his
life. He's guided numerous students of his own, and he's led hundreds of
others to excellence.</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Both of the above stories are true. I know Rachel and Nate, but by different names.</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Taking a small step to move across the thin line of fear is HUGE. <span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">It's a matter of intent, spirit and heart. </span></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">In
the last issue of The Ronin Post we addressed Step #1 of the Five Step
Path. This month we look at Step #2. And, as with last month, we'll
reframe it for personal reflection and organizational self-assessment.</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Recall the three crucial practices that support the overall process: </span></div>
<ol>
<li style="color: #4c3f36;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Be present with people and situations.</span></li>
<li style="color: #4c3f36;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Make external focus your mindful practice.</span></li>
<li style="color: #4c3f36;"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Simultaneously,
stay connected with what's happening for you, i.e. physically (your
body responses), mentally (your mind chatter & images) and
emotionally (the flow of your feelings).</span></li>
</ol>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>STEP #1. You need to be always looking for strengths and uniqueness in others.</b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"> This creates the essential connections for rapport, respect and growth, and kick starts the process.</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-top: 0; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Step
#2 requires an understanding of some basic distinctions important to
one's ability to move the process forward. These distinctions should not
be taken for granted. As with buying a gi or coming back to one more
band practice, Step #2 transcends the realm of being a witness. Step #2
requires <i>ACTION</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;"><b>STEP #2. ENCOURAGE and INPRIRE others to DEVELOP, PRACTICE and UNLEASH their own strengths and uniqueness.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Encourage - from courage - springing from <i>cor </i>(Latin) - heart - supporting people with respect to engaging their own fears. Courage is just a word until fear is present. To <i>encourage</i>
others you must allow them to have and to articulate their own fears
(concerns, worries, self-doubts, etc.) and in the midst of that <i>having and articulation</i> - you must assist the steps for action. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Inspire
- to breath [life] into. You must actively walk your talk when it
comes to your own fears, concerns, worries, etc., and you must being
willing to be seen as someone who moves into and through your own fears.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Develop - grow</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Practice - repeatedly apply</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Unleash - release from restraint </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">STEP
#2 requires actions of opportunity, yet Step #2 has nothing to do with
being an opportunist. You must be willing to sincerely put other people
first. You have to be able to consider their needs beyond your own
self-interest. You must understand that your mission is to move other
people to become stronger, perhaps even stronger than you will ever be.
The Native American people of long ago called this as becoming, "a give
away person". Give for the sake of giving and so that others might grow
and gain. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">This
attitude can seemingly run contrary to the idea that giving is an
ingredient to gaining, which, of course, it is. But you can't be
thinking about <i>getting something for yourself</i>. Thoughts directed
at personal gain, that whisper, "What's in it for me?" - empty your mind
of these. With practice this is possible, and if you are vigilant you
may find yourself swept into a dynamic (and different) reality dedicated
to art of servant leadership, a world of possibility within which you
can and will develop other leaders.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">On
the other hand, if thoughts of personal gain dominate The 5 Step
Process, then the process becomes self-defeating. Giving for the sake of
giving is expansive and generative. The spirit of your efforts will
attract others and extend into the world. Giving for the sake of getting
is contractive. That kind of spirit ultimately reduces things to a
standstill. In a word, giving for the sake of getting - <i>sucks</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">As a method of projected self-reflection Step #2 is turned inward as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Imagine
that your friends, neighbors, relationships (old and new), enemies,
children, colleagues, etc., were to show up here today for the sole
purpose of revealing to you what they have witnesssed to be true about
WHAT ENCOURAGES AND INSPIRES YOU. What would they say? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">As was discussed when it comes to your own strengths</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">
(your Step #1) you may find yourself denying what you hear, and you may
have been selling yourself short - or you may not have noticing how it
is that you go about seeking encouragement and inspiration. But take
the time and reflect: What would your parents and children say? How
about an ex-husband or ex-wife? Set aside any need to be small about
this. Observe in your imagination what these people may have seen
regarding you. What is the internal dialogue you have about this?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">As a process to enhance organizational development and assessment Step #2 is turned inward like this:</span></div>
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<span>Suppose
your employees and staff (past and present), co-workers, colleagues,
clients, vendors, customers and competitors - all of the people who have
comprised your professional life - suddenly convened. How would these
folks honestly and straight forwardly describe your what ENCOURAGES and
INSPIRES YOU professionally?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Think about this. Use your imagination.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">Here's a challenge. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">For
the next fourteen days commit ten minutes of every day to writing the
answers to the above two questions, i.e. as a way of personal reflection
and as a way of organizational or professional assessment. Add this to
your ongoing examination of personal and professional strength and
uniqueness. Heck, if you followed last month's step you know that two
hours of your time spread over two weeks is not that hard of a thing to
do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">We'll address Step #3 of the process in the next issue of The Ronin Post. <b>But for now, spend some time looking at what encourages and inspires you </b>-
and take one small step across a line some line of your own to develop,
practice and unleash a strength of yours... just for one month.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10.0pt;">What do you say?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i>"Whether our action is wholesome or unwholesome depends </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i>on whether<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i> that action or deed arises from a disciplined</i></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i> </i></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;"><i><i>or undisciplined state of mind."</i></i></span></div>
<i>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 8.0pt;">-Dalai Lama XIV, (The Art of Happiness)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">© Lance Giroux, April 2013</span></div>
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