Back in June, I hosted the Open Space part of a conference on reconciliation policy and practice co-sponsored by Queens University, the First Nations Technical Institute and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The harvest from that gathering is now online as an article about the event in Canadian Government Executive Magazine It makes for some interesting reading.
It is snowing heavily here in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia and most people are doing what people here do when it snows like this – staring at it, making comments to each other and abandoning their plans for getting home on time. Heavy snow here can bring out irritation and anger, but today I have been struck by how beautiful people look. There is a lot of smiling and laughing and radiance today. Dunno why it seems that way, but I like it. I’m falling deeply in like with everyone I meet this afternoon! …
Thinking these days about home. Last week I was in Prince George working with people who are establishing an Aboriginal school in that city. I went from there to working with coaches who support Jewish day schools in the United States and Canada. In both places I felt at home, among people who lived out of a deep worldview, an ancient language and culture and way of life that included spirituality (but not religion per se). In each case we began with prayers and teachings – from a Lhedli T’enneh Elder in Prince George and in Boston …
A dear friend of mine, Chris Coon, has just released an album of music inspired by the Odyssey. Called “License to Depart” it’s a very cool album featuring a bunch of well known Bowen Island musicians and Chris’s distinctive guitar, drums and David Sylvian inspired vocals. I contributed some flute fills to the track Odysseus Gates, which you can hear at his MySpace page. Its a mix of prog rock, ambient wash and whimsey. You can hear more tracks and find out more at his website.
Fruits of the feed: BY-YOUR-⌘ posts a Moon-set on flickr Jack Ricchiuto on four important conversations Rob Paterson’s remarkable harvest from the 2008 Boyd Conference Dirk Buchholz and his blog MediaBuzzard. A new one to me covering progressive Canadian politics. Susan Szpakowski on doing more with less in process and organizational design