Greetings to all: Certainly I have experienced a feeling of being personally attacked by the outcome of our democratic process. By taking a deep breath, stepping back, and remembering our constitutional process is not a winner take all outcome, I have found some perspective.. The question we answered on Tuesday--I think could be stated as -- who do most of us think will be best for all of us as President for the next four years? We did have a somewhat disruptive, way too long discussion, ending with yesterdays results. However, we are all on the same team. Rather than a competition between teams, I find a helpful perspective to think of it as choosing the best quarterback for our one team. Unfortunately we have no way of knowing whether the most of us made the best choice until four years have past;. As John points out, our task, (should we not perish, {wistful smile}) is to increase the love of God and neighbor. Strangely the same task if Hillary had been elected. My wife and I are fond of Aaron Sorkin's works and re-watched The West Wing as a way of keeping our spirits up this past year. We also watched his show The Newsroom where the point is made that not all issues have two sides. There are not two sides -- journalistically-- to the devastation of a hurricane. I believe some of the media sources I trust the most mistook giving equal coverage to Trump and Hillary with finding matching faults. Trump's record -- for instance his impending court appearance-- "There are actually two pending federal suits: the one set for trial this month involves Trump University students from California, Florida and New York, addressing claims that the program violated those states’ tough laws against defrauding consumers and the elderly. The other case is national in scope and invokes a federal racketeering statute. [ http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/donald-trump-court-university-231082]--has no other side to it, cannot be equated as the second side to anything Hillary has done or is facing. And still, we are provided a fresh moment to be about the increase of love of God and our neighbor. Certainly standing in our tradition, we will recognize our neighbor as those in need of feeding, clothing, healing, and especially visiting in prison.{sly smile} May we reveal grave ever more abundant! Don Bushman On Wed, Nov 9, 2016 at 3:14 PM, Ken Fisher via OE <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
On Nov 9, 2016, at 1:49 PM, via OE <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
What I noticed in myself was how visceral the feelings were as it became clear that Trump was winning the electoral race. One question might be, "Where and how did your body react?"
Jann
Jann, David et al, I would like to respond to Jann’s proposed question. I’d be interested in any other person’s experience.
Here’s mine.
When I went to bed some time before midnight, yet knowing that Trump had won, I was in shock, unable to sleep and experiencing great bodily stress. Might I have a heart attack? (I have never had any heart problems.) Part of this was a deep sense of helplessness, being infinitely puny in the face of this new reality of America and the world. To self-soothe, I moved into my current meditative/contemplative practice of, on the one hand listening to whatever words my ego was muttering to get a sense of where I was at in this world; and on the other hand, attentively breathing – ‘we’ on the in-breath and ‘us’ on the out breath evoking the eternality of the other world.
Soon I moved into sleep.
Upon waking, I was aware of being in a cool, vibrantly alive state of being aware that I had been delivered into a completely new self-awareness of my world.
Well I know that my ego and one’s collective ego can produce wonderful illusions!
Calmly, I embrace this new reality symbolized by the Trump presidency. I am committed to finding whole new ways of engaging with this disenfranchised cohort, as I am committed to engaging with the marginalized anywhere.
Here’s a version of the Lord’s Prayer written by Joyce Marshall that I try to read daily.
O Holy One, we look to you that you may find us and shine your light on our soul.
Fill us with your holy spirit of love and truth.
May we trust in the absolute goodness of what is and not fight it.
We ask for your spirit and we open ourselves to receive it this moment.
Forgive us as we forgive all claims that we have imagined are our due.
May we renounce our ego and live ever aware of our dependence on you to keep us free.
Ken
-----Original Message----- From: David Flowers via OE <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net> To: oe <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net> Sent: Wed, Nov 9, 2016 7:26 am Subject: [Oe List ...] art form conversation - election day
Hi everyone,
I teach a Leadership Studies class at a Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design - traditional age students getting their degree in fine arts.
I'm thinking tomorrow's class will be an art form conversation on their experience of Tuesday.
I'd be very interested in this groups wisdom and suggestions for questions and format.
I have introduced them to the ORID method and facilitated conversations is already an established norm.
What do you think?
Grace and Peace,
David Flowers
"Whatever the problem, community is the answer. There is no power greater than a community discovering what it cares about." Margaret Wheatley _______________________________________________ OE mailing list OE@lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net _______________________________________________ OE mailing list OE@lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net
_______________________________________________ OE mailing list OE@lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net