On the Power of Showing Up and the Meaning of Community

Last night it was my turn facilitating the Abundance League. Neal and I have been taking turns at this for over 2 years. Actually, that’s not true, originally we co-facilitated – and we’ve tried a few different modes of facilitation - but last night it was my turn.

I was exhausted before I even showed up. I really felt like just going home and taking a nap, which is actually how I feel before every Abundance League, because I still haven’t mastered the art of a balanced lifestyle and tend to burn myself out. I don’t know what it is, but something about the end of the week towards the end of the month finds me spent.

At any rate, I headed to SOMA and greeted Doris, Neal, and Ingrid (last night’s presenter), so technically the only people there were the ones that “had” to be there. Not too encouraging.

And then something miraculous happened.

About a dozen of the most talented, inspiring, and articulate people I know and don’t know showed up and blew my mind away with profound and creative insight, and opened my heart with messages that were channeled straight from the Source. Which was actually a more replenishing experience than taking a nap.

I realized that all I had to do to be part of a strong and supportive community was to show up. I don’t think I bring a particularly special set of skills that deserve to be rewarded by unconditionally encouraging people. The Abundance League will see me through hard times just because I am there. And the beauty of it is, anyone with energy and perseverance enough to show up month after month will reap these same benefits. I don’t need to think that the passion that gets you out of bed in the morning is actually a brilliant idea, I don’t have to agree with your vision, I don’t have to love you, hell, I don’t even have to like you.

But if I understand that you want to reorganize our society and put people back at the center of it, that you are not willing to wait for change to happen but that you are the change, that you believe that the mainstream and normal US lifestyle is inherently sick and is killing us all, and that our fates are one and the same, I am willing to support you. You are the only one that can make the contribution you are willing to make, because there’s no other you out there. I appreciate the miracle in this and I am deeply grateful for your support with my path.

That’s what the community of the Abundance League means to me. And all I need to do to be a part of this is be.

Quote of the Moment

"When we treat man as he is, we make him worse than he is; when we treat him as if he already were what he potentially could be, we make him what he should be. "

-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Cynthia Stringer just sent me an e-mail about how Abundance League inspires her, which reminded me of this quote. Thanks Cynthia.

You're Invited: Abundance League 8/23 @ 6pm

What's inspiring about Abundance League is that many members have or are developing visions for how they can make a positive difference in the world. These visions are often well articulated.

For instance, Ray Tobey is developing a strategy for change based on winning school board seats and reforming the educational system. He's even written a political campaign manual. Maritza Schafer is making a movie to show the steps people take to become the change they want to see in the world. Josh Wilson sees how vital local arts and media are to a culture of democracy and continues to develop the nonprofit he co-founded, Independent Arts & Media.

In this way, Ingrid Heller is a typical Abundance League member. She's done extensive thinking, research, and writing to develop Project Integrity International, her concept for an international franchise of eco-sustainable co-ops designed to address the world's problems while creating abundant economic, social and spiritual opportunites for participants. This month
Ingrid will give a presentation detailing her vision. I hope you drop by to learn about PII, support her, and get inspired.

And as always, please come prepared to tell us about your passions, discuss your needs, and share your gifts so that we can support each other in creating the lives we want to live and the world we want to live in.

MEETING
What: The Abundance League Monthly Gathering
When: Thursday, August 23rd, 6:00-10:00pm
Where: Doris and Harald's place
1168 Folsom Street, # 304
Call 415.861.6445 or 415.867.0429 if you have trouble
finding the meeting

AGENDA
6:00 - 6:30 - Mingle
6:30 - 7:15 - Member announcements (your passions, needs, and gifts)
7:15 - 7:30 - Break, nosh, mingle, exchange support
7:30 - 8:30 - Presentation
8:30 - 10:00 - Nosh, mingle, exchange support, clean up

BRING
-Your fine self most of all. And friends. All are welcome.
-Healthy food or drink for the potluck.
-Shares: books, CDs, DVDs that you'd like to loan or gift at the meeting.

Mingle Dynamics - 10 Ideas for Working the Room at Meetings

Mingle dynamics are ideas for socializing at Abundance League meetings. They're designed to boost conviviality, authentic connection, and mutual support.

They’re an intoxicating social cocktail - one part old-fashioned good manners and one part socializing with a purpose.

And a simple way to model a culture that is good for us – one where giving and getting help in pursuit of our passions, connecting authentically, and increasing the quality of our social experiences are priorities.

The first idea is the skeleton key. If you keep this point in mind, the rest logically follow.

1. Host. Everyone is a host at Abundance League. Being a good host means putting others’ needs first. Make sure others are comfortable, included, and are having fun.
   
2. Introduce. Introduce yourself. And introduce others to those you’ve met. Include a small, relevant piece of information about each person to create a point of connection.
3. Ask. Ask questions to learn about those you meet. Ask about their passions, needs, and gifts. Gain enough knowledge to be relevant, interesting, and helpful.
4. Help. Once you’ve learned someone’s passion or project, you have the opportunity to help them move toward their goal. This isn't altruism. Helping others is good for you!
5. Tell. Have concise messages to share about your passions, projects, and where you need help. Practice your personal storytelling and give others the opportunity to help you.
6. Listen. Give others the gift of your undivided attention.
7. Sparkle. Be bright and brief in conversation. Honor others’ time and attention. Ask questions. Facilitate participation. Keep the conversation crackling!
8. Join. If you are not sure who to talk to, go up to the nearest group or person and introduce yourself.
9. Include. Welcome others into your conversation. If there’s someone near your group, bring them into the conversation and introduce them.
10. Mingle. Be a social butterfly! But transition from one group to another respectfully. You can also bridge groups together or take someone with you to make new friends.

About Abundance League Meetings

San Francisco Abundance League meetings are held the third Thursday of every month. Below is the structure of our meetings which go from 6-10pm. Attendees can can come and go at any point during the meeting.

Meeting Format:

Mingling 6:00-7:00pm. Before the meeting starts, do some mingling and enjoy the potluck! Reach out and make yourselves and others feel at home. See our Mingle Dynamics.

Announcements, 7:00-7:45pm: Announcements are the heart of Abundance League. Announcements are opened by a facilitator. Each attendee gets 2 minutes to say their name, talk about their passions or project, their needs (in general or what they need to pursue their passion or project), and their gifts (what they can offer others pursuing their passions). 2 minutes is short, so come prepared with a tight message about yourself. Making an announcement is optional. It's perfectly OK to pass.

Here are the key purposes of announcements:

• Encourage each of us to to clarify what is important to us
  
  
• Allow us to manifest our visions publicly through discussion
  
  
• Motivate us to act. We feel accountable once we've made or intentions public
  
  
• Give us a chance to get and give help.
  
  
• Inspire each other to find or pursue our passions.
  

Typically announcements stimulate exchanges of ideas, contacts, support, and knowledge during the break or after the presentation. If the group is small enough (under 7 people), then exchanges of support happen real time during announcements. Announcements are more casual in groups of 7 and under.

Break, 7:45 - 8:00pm: Mingle and nosh on the potluck goodies.

Discussion, 8:00-9:00pm: Guest facilitators come to share a passion, project or skill that creates abundance. This is the salon aspect of Abundance League. Topic introduction is about 15 minutes followed by 30 minutes of discussion. Sometimes we have a guest artist whose work inspires abundance. Format for performances is similar as discussion, though the performance may be longer than 15 minutes.

Mingling & Clean up, 9:00-10:00pm: Even more mingling! And some clean up. We strive to leave the venue in as good or better condition than before the meeting.

Quote of the Moment

"The sage accumulates nothing,
but the more he does for others
the greater his existence;
the more he gives to others,
the greater his abundance."

-Lao Tzu
the Tao Te Ching

Welcome to Life 2.0

The Abundance League is like web 2.0 in that it's about the richness people create together. But with one big difference, we create richness face-to-face, in the real world, in our real lives.

But what is it we create together? Instead of creating an online encyclopedia (Wikipedia) or a great photo collection (Flickr), we help each other create our ideal lives, ones consistent with our values and visions. And consciously create the conditions for our own success - the connections and culture that truly support us, even if only on a small, local scale. We're about making the process of "becoming" a social one where we do small things for each other that add up.

We recognize that there is no such thing as self-help, because there is no evolution with out co-evolution. We collaborate on producing our lives, ourselves. We are not separate steel balls in a pachinko universe. Our paths shoot out in all directions, cross boundaries, cross each other, become interwoven, and create beautiful new tapestries.

This is consumer culture turned inside out. This obsoletes the mutually assured self-destruction once singularly embodied by the atom bomb, but now symbolized by a pantheon of suicidal status weapons that offer nothing but exhaustion, isolation, and violence - the McMansion, the Hummer, the Rolex, and on and on. But no, our cooperation in our own annilation is not inevitable. We are not paralyzed drones waiting to be swallowed whole by a conscienceless singularity. We have a choice, but only if we recognized it. We can decide our destiny. We can embrace mutually assured self-actualization. We have to power to take action every day to ensure each others' becoming.

Welcome to Life 2.0.

My friend, colleague, and fellow leaguer Harald made a related point yesterday. I mentioned that some of the new folks who've come to meetings lately were going through career changes, for lack of a better term. He said that makes sense, since people realize that to change, they must get out of themselves, meet new people, and have a place to manifest their visions, if it's only to bring them into the world by announcing them to a small group, which is what everybody at Abundance League meetings gets to do. Thanks Harald for this insight.

I have a special place in my heart for those going through career changes. I've been through two myself, and it can be very scary. The uncertainty can be overwhelming. At the same time, the possibilities can be intoxicating. It's a special energy. It's vivifying. I feel more alive being around it. Surrounding myself with these beautiful spirits, made more beautiful by understanding their quests - the seeking or manifesting of their passions.

This is the way to know people! And a truly constructive basis for connection.

July Meeting Notes

Below are member announcements from our last meeting. Please feel
free to lend a helping hand or reach for one. Thanks to all who attended,
to those who brought food for the yummy potluck, and to Doris and Harald
for hosting us once again at their place.

At July's Abundance League "Food Edition" gathering, Neal Gorenflo shared
his recipe for sensible dinner parties. The key idea is to serve healthy, easy
to prepare dishes so that you can focus on creating a great social experience
for guests.

But this strategy does not mean compromising on taste. Far from it.
This "social cuisine" emphasizes the freshest local, organic ingredients
so that with the right recipe, elaborate preparation is unnecessary.
In fact, elaborate preparation may get in the way of appreciating the
pure flavors.

This strategy puts you in better touch with your local food culture
AND your guests. No showing off needed! Show your good taste by letting
simplicity play to your advantage. Art and life are about essence.

The next meeting is August 23rd, details to follow. We hope to see you then
to continue our experiment in creating connections and a culture that
manifest abundance.

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Member Announcements:

Name: Harald Katzmair
Passion: connecting people and organizations with their potential
Needs: less travel!
Gifts: MP3 collection
Contact: available on request

Name: Michael Beutler
Passion: using web 2.0/3.0 technology to understand their consumption
Needs: people to bounce ideas off of
Gifts: percussionist, lessons, business ideas, someone who will listen
Contact: available on request

Name: Scott Munson
Passion: trees, the environment, wise resource us
Needs: web tech help
Gifts: knows locations for free food and a free market
Contact: available on request

Name: Ingrid Heller
Passion: solving puzzles - social and economic
Needs: business partner, marketing
Gifts: thinker, friendship
Contact: available on request

Name: Pearl Lee
Passion: connect with people, learning new things
Needs: mentors
Gifts: helping build relationships
Contact: available on request

Name: Remi Tan
Passion: architecture, environment, energy efficiency
Needs: interaction with others with innovative ideas
Gifts: ideas
Contact: available on request

Name: Neal Gorenflo
Passion: bringing people together to help each other and enjoy life
Needs: check out, subscribe, or comment on a post at the Abundance League
blog: http://www.theabundanceleague.org
Gifts: ideas, conversation, perspective, book recommendations
Contact: available on request

Name: Maritza
Passion: healing western culture
Needs: a volunteer webmistress to upload some content to a splash page
Gifts: communications strategy, knowledge of progressive issues
Contact: available on request