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March 10th, 2020

3/10/2020

Out of Africa, Part 2

4D Mapping around the context of the
education of children in Uganda

The "players" included: Culture/tradition, the earth, parents; teachers; the government; church; economy; children and mazungus (western influence). It was remarkable to see the shift from sculpture one: the current state of affairs, to sculpture two: the highest future potential. The shift could be described broadly as moving from rigid centralized power and control to more organic relational interweaving. I have seen almost identical shifts in very different contexts.

There are two insights I am holding in generative tension:

1. There is perennial wisdom (that which is true everywhere across contexts) that can be most readily accessed when paying attention to the body. This is because there is a common human pre-rational story that runs like a subterranean stream underneath particular cultural contexts. Accessing this creates profound possibilities for transformation.

2. Respecting context is critically important in the effort to tap into that perennial stream. As a guest in the Ugandan context the recognition of my contextual naiveté (the limitations of my story) helped me nurture a posture of curiosity (open mind), compassion (open heart) and courage (open will). This was, of course, a very imperfect intention to be present and open and at times felt both exhausting and marginalizing. Somehow I was able to hold this discomfort in a field of openness.

Essentially, I continue to trust the archetypal, perennial wisdom of the grand narrative best seen through the lens of Love, while at the same time honoring the uniqueness of each path that leads to that Source.

In preparation to teaching an introductory course on the relationship between pastoral care and spiritual direction at a primarily African American seminary I encountered the following quote:

...postmodernity highlights the need to move beyond the grand narratives of dominant cultures toward the specifics of culture and experience. Yes, we have common human stories, but those stories are inflected and infused with the details of the journey. Because we are story people and not blank slates, spiritual direction is never generic. Social location and historical legacies play a crucial part in our spiritual health and discernment." Embodied Spirits (Kindle Locations 64-69). Church Publishing Inc.. Kindle Edition.

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Out of Africa

3/7/2020

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I'm just back form a three week pilgrimage to Uganda. In addition to leading a 10 member team offering dental and medical treatment to 400 children and adults I was able to convene a 2 day training that combined an introduction to The Journey and The Art of Convening. While the red Ugandan dust and the amazing warmth of the Ugandan people is still settling on my heart I wanted to share a few reflections.

1. The relational technologies of The Journey and Convening are applicable across cultural contexts. That is because they tap into the perennial stream of human experience and longing. Beginning with a recognition of the limitations of the "story", the path of transformation that meanders through the fields of practice, sacred experiences and co-creation is a common human path wether one is in Africa or New Jersey.

2. Context is key. Though the path of transformation may be archetypal, language, worldview, layers of cultural experience need to be respected.

3. People everywhere long to share their story, to be listened into being.

4. I am wrestling with the question of capacity to attend to processes of intentional transformation. How does Maslow's hierarchy of needs inform one's ability to give time and attention to practice? When one's attention and energy is focused primarily on aspects of basic survival how can one attend to the "pause"? Conversely when (in my context for example) one has the "privilege" of not having to search daily for potable water and nutritious food many still find it hard to find to time to practice pause. What effect does having relative easy access to one's basic needs have on the potential for transformation?

5. Related to these questions, I find Ugandans for the most part more grateful for the gifts of life. When it rained a few days while I was there my dear friend Caleb was so happy... "The rain reminds me that life will go on, that things will grow."

6. The "Invitation" on The Journey breaks open the heart and the story that is ALWAYS too small for the soul's longing. May my heart remain open to Love's invitation to work toward a world that works for all.