Transforming Power

Transforming Power is a term coined by the Alternatives to Violence Project, which was started by Quakers and inmates at the Greenhaven Prison in New York in the 1970's, at a time of great unrest and violence. Together the inmates and the Quakers developed non-violence workshops inside prisons, which continue to this day, with town and inmate students, and town and inmate leaders.

In a nutshell, Transforming Power is a river of energy at your core, made up of your essential wisdom, strength, and goodness, which you can touch in with in order to experience a shift. It might be a shift from anger or resentment to peace; it might be a shift from fear and powerlessness to strength; it might be a shift from sadness or worry to joy.

The shift you experience might be slow and steady or like a lightning bolt, but it will contain an element of love: You become part of the whole, no longer isolated. You will experience a self-acceptance and a sense of peace that allows you to connect with others without hesitation. It's this connection that transforms you: Your view of the world is transformed, everything is different. You see people and situations in a new light, are able let go of whatever was holding you back and act - one small step at a time.

Agenda:

1. Read "First Things First"

2. Define my goals for First Things

3. Seek accountability for progress

4. Use OM

1. Read "First Things First":

Last Fall I began to review this book by Stephen Covey (1994) that was pivotal in my growth. I'm on section 4: The Power and Peace of Principle-Centered Living.

Chapter 15 is The Peace of the Results. Covey says,"Peace is essentially a function of putting first things first." He is talking about the peace of living with balance and joy; in developing my character and competence; in pausing in the moment of choice to listen within; and of living in inner synergy with all my roles. 

"We see the importance of creating aligned systems so that the very way we go about organizing and planing our lives reinforces the habits of the heart that create peace." 

This comes to the crux of the whole book: I can change the expectations I have to go smoothly through my day accomplishing all that I planned (and feeling frustrated when people and situations stop me), to seeing each day as an exciting adventure that I can navigate through, meet unexpected challenges with integrity and love, and still find the best way to put first things first. "If our expectation is that there will be challenge, then challenge does not create frustration."   

2. Define my goals for First Things:

My first intention in my Flow Project is to "start with personal leadership, asking how can I improve the underlying system of my life? Last week I set the goals to:

1. Build self-awareness: Review my strengths and excesses. 
2. Define achievable, meaningful goals.
3. Seek accountability for progress toward those goals
4. Do First Things First. 
5. Handle challenges and conflict with resiliency. 
6. Set appropriate boundaries on my time and energy to prevent burnout.

This week I want to choose the top 3 most important goals or projects, that will lead me in the direction I want to go; the essential ventures for the next stretch of my life.

1. Creativity: I intend to train my brain to be creatively mindful throughout the day (and experiment with mindfulness games, and a flow of habits that bring me back to the present moment), and challenge myself to take creative action every day: Create a piece of art or a craft, OR come up with a creative idea or vision for solving problems.
2. Clerking: I intend to have integrity with the process of clerking this summer, by listening to what people are saying, and contacting every committee to check in and find what I need to hold; also, engage my co-clerk in a Quaker process of leadership that helps us all to grow and work on challenging issues together.
3. Camps: I intend to prepare and teach weekly Grandma and Grandpa camp with a focus on wonder and respect for nature, simple skills building, and a natural flow of the day.

3. Seek accountability for progress:

Covey suggests a "cadence of accountability", a rhythm of regular and frequent team meetings that focus on our mutual goals, wherein team members hold each other accountable for commitments made to "move the score".

"One by one, team members answer a simple question, 'What are the one or two most important things I can do this week that will have the biggest impact on the scoreboard?' In the meeting, each team member reports first if they met last week’s commitments, second if the commitments move the lead or lag measures on the scoreboard, and finally which commitments they will make for the upcoming week."

Tip: People are more likely to commit to their own ideas than to orders from above.

My accountability plans:

1. Creativity: I'm meeting with Tami every other week to talk about our personal goals, and perhaps set some team goals. My plan is to ask, "What are your goals for creativity in a broad sense and what are the first projects? How can we help each other be persistent?" 
2. Clerking: I will meet with Leonora today, and set weekly check in times by phone or email.
3. Camps: I need to nudge Wade a bit, but he is beginning to see the importance of the team-teaching approach. We check in nearly daily about plans, but I need to encourage him to have ideas of his own for outings and games.

4. Use OM:

I'm experimenting with playful ways to be aware and in the present, and today I saw this mantra practice, to "plug in" to a higher power source -  sounds like transforming power to me!

This week I plan to use the mantra Om mani padre hum - The jewel in the lotus of the heart -  to charge up my power; simply saying it a few times while slowly breathing, while gardening or doing dishes, picturing the power of love filling me to the brim.