3 Questions Circle


Talking Circle Examining 3 Questions-

 

What are the Blind Spots of Our Culture?

 

What Revelations, insights would you wish to share?

 

How do we realize our hopes and dreams for the future?

 

Convener/Notes- Carol Brouillet, Participants- Frank Dunn, Bill S.,  Kaye Williams

 

Blind Spots- 

Carol-

9/11 Truth- a truth so frightening that it shatters many people's worldviews, forcing them to ask the deep question- "Who am I?"

 

Frank-

Blindness of liberals to the other side's point of view, do not recognize our shadow side.

Whatever our agenda are have a shadow side

 

Bill-

Telling stories helps us to recognize our own subconscious.

Blindness to points of view other than our own

Much of our behavior is driven by fear- fear of losing one's job, fear of scarcity. The idea that there are no alternatives, that one must abide by the rules/system.

No one wants to believe that elected officials could be complicit- despite the evidence and the low opinion of government officials.

 

Truths challenge our identities- we have our own myths about ourselves- on the surface.

 

Kaye- 

Sexual abuse/denial/backlash- prevalent in our culture everywhere - multiple systems.

 

People develop "acquired unconciousness"- as a coping mechanism in childhood.

 

Measure "denial" by the certainty of someone in the rightness of their beliefs and unwillingness to investigate/listen to the other's point of view. Willingness to acknowledge the blind spot/pain/reality depends on how much would someone's life change, if they looked into the area that they choose to be unconscious about.- in multiple realms- relationships, co-dependency, the food they eat, political realities...

 

The Big one- dependence on authority figure - not wanting to know or rely upon self... Families, schools infused by the same dynamic, discouraging the self from challenging the system.

 

Insights, revelations-

 

Carol shared her experience as an organizer demanding the truth/Inquiry into 9/11, the evolution of the 9/11 truth movement, the power of the truth to change the dominant paradigm, the challenge of facing fear, finding courage, take on the responsibility of transforming a life-threatening system.

 

Kaye-

To change this- there needs to be structural change to create safe spaces, to prevent the soul killing behavior, break the cycle of abuse.

Overcome the second condition to know things which would force them to change.

Create communities/environments which honor human rights-

 

right to privacy

right to assembly

allow growth of consciousness

limits for harmful behavior

Radical Forgiveness

 

Recognize Oppressive patterns as a disease

 

Frank-

Provided we could interpret on a large scale what people already know- we would have a greater chance of getting people to live out their dreams/desire. Europe is in a post-Christian frame of mind. The US still wrapped up in religion/ reacting against it.  Christians serving the larger good could make a difference and provide hope.

 

Bill-

Shared the story of the film- The Color of Fear which had ten men of different races talking about racism.  One white acknowledged and and took total responsibility for racism, the other was in complete denial.  Finally a black man asked him "What is it to be a white man in America?"  He said, "I don't have to think about it." He couldn't recognize his own privilege, institutional racism, protected from seeing the rest of the world.  The American myth- "Be what you want to be"- doesn't apply to everyone. We need to speak in a language/create stories that others can understand.

 

Realizing hopes and dreams...

 

Carol-

We need to be fearless, encourage others, move out of fear into love.

 

Kaye-

Being here is practice for me.  I have silenced myself, maybe now the inner barrier is gone, and I'll have the courage to go out into my community and do what I have done here.

 

Frank-

Sometimes I've listened to my inner voice "Truth" I set my feet on my life's path.  12 years ago that led me to changing "defining structures"- it was painful, scary, but not as hard as we think it is. We need to follow our truth- gather here, talk, network, and serve the whole.

 

Bill-

The fruition of our work will be to live our dreams into being- "Be the Change we wish to see in the world."

When a date tree is planted- it takes 80 years to bear fruit and looks like its dying while it grows- and needs watering- an act of faith for the future...