“Time Out to BE” (i.e. ToBe) is a stepping away from the field of action in order to reflect and especially to take time to work on and resolve the biggest issues we face. We provide a space for our best selves and for spirit to move in us all, to reshape our selves, vision and system ... i.e. myself, my community, my nation, my world. When regular ToBe's are scheduled, this "ToBe Process" is a structural change. It's a new System of Thinking that affects each of us and all of us together in the direction of greater wisdom.
The idea of taking regular “times out,” is an old one. It happens in the Sabbath, in religious services of all types, in meditation sessions, "retreats," "vacations," "recreation" events, etc. But our use of the term "ToBe" is reserved for a particular kind of “time out,” where we all "step back" to face and think about our most important issues. The Kiva and the peace pipe and the ancient Wisdom Councils of all indigenous peoples are examples. These processes seek the spirit of choice-creating, where the big issues are addressed, all voices are heard and the conversation is open minded and open hearted such that shared perspectives arise. And the process transforms us, our situation and our community.
Dynamic Facilitation reliably evokes the spirit of choice-creating, not by having people sit in a circle and trusting in their ability to speak collaboratively over long periods of time. Rather, in Dynamic Facilitation we sit people in a half-circle facing a set of charts that assure that every voice is heard and that people stay in the spirit of choice-creating. And for large organizations or systems of people, we use the Wisdom Council Process.
The idea of taking regular “times out,” is an old one. It happens in the Sabbath, in religious services of all types, in meditation sessions, "retreats," "vacations," "recreation" events, etc. But our use of the term "ToBe" is reserved for a particular kind of “time out,” where we all "step back" to face and think about our most important issues. The Kiva and the peace pipe and the ancient Wisdom Councils of all indigenous peoples are examples. These processes seek the spirit of choice-creating, where the big issues are addressed, all voices are heard and the conversation is open minded and open hearted such that shared perspectives arise. And the process transforms us, our situation and our community.
Dynamic Facilitation reliably evokes the spirit of choice-creating, not by having people sit in a circle and trusting in their ability to speak collaboratively over long periods of time. Rather, in Dynamic Facilitation we sit people in a half-circle facing a set of charts that assure that every voice is heard and that people stay in the spirit of choice-creating. And for large organizations or systems of people, we use the Wisdom Council Process.
This basic, holistic approach to system transformation is often overlooked in favor of other approaches: 1) like modeling the new way of being and seeking to " scale-up" this model so that the whole system can take it on. Or 2) To wait until things start to collapse and seize the moment to enforce radical change, like a revolution. Or 3) To educate each person in the system, their consciousness, their belief structure, their critical thinking skills, their level of civic knowledge, their "co-evolutionary skills", etc. And then to assume that if a critical mass of people are affected in this way the System will transform.
Notice, each of these three alternative approaches don't usually work. To change all the elements of a system, for instance, does not necessarily change the system. And they all still need some kind of "collective thinking" process to adopt the changes. In the ToBe Process we start with the necessary collective thinking process, assuring that we're all being creative and collaborative. And that we all reach a unified position. The "ToBE Process" structures periodic moments of "time out," where the people think creatively and collaboratively about the most important issues. Breakthrough progress naturally occurs. And the process structures in place a new System of Thinking (i.e. "Wise Democracy").
Notice, each of these three alternative approaches don't usually work. To change all the elements of a system, for instance, does not necessarily change the system. And they all still need some kind of "collective thinking" process to adopt the changes. In the ToBe Process we start with the necessary collective thinking process, assuring that we're all being creative and collaborative. And that we all reach a unified position. The "ToBE Process" structures periodic moments of "time out," where the people think creatively and collaboratively about the most important issues. Breakthrough progress naturally occurs. And the process structures in place a new System of Thinking (i.e. "Wise Democracy").
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