Clarity Through Community

A lovely description of what happens when the magic of conversation flows.

This past weekend I had the opportunity to be part of a Quaker-style “clearness committee” with a few twists thrown in.   I have done a few similar sessions in the past, though it has been a while, and once again it proved to be a remarkable experience.   The impetus for the session was a friend who, acknowledging that she is at a crossroads in her life and career, reached out for help with discernment.   My wife, Emily, and I suggested convening a small group of people who know her well to lovingly listen to the core question with which she is wrestling.   Over the course of the two and a half hours we were together, there was an amazing peeling away of layers that occurred as we asked questions and watched for what either brought our friend to life or weighed her down.   By the end of the evening, she was excitedly looking at very real and enlivening opportunities in what she had previously perceived as being frivolous or “once I win the lottery” kinds of scenarios.

via Clarity Through Community « Interaction Institute for Social Change Blog.