Greetings for 2010

When the mid-night bell rings tonight.
Let it signify new and better things for you,
let it signify a realization of all things you wish for,
Let it signify a year of courage and believes,
Wishing you a very…very…very prosperous New Year!

Why talk so openly?

A Warrior of Light shares with others what he knows of the path.

Anyone who gives help also receives helps and needs to teach what he has learned. That is why he sits by the fire and recounts his day on the battlefield.

A friend whispers: “Why talk so openly about your strategy? Don’t you realize that, by doing so, you run the risk of sharing your conquests with others?”
The Warrior merely smiles and says nothing. He knows that is, at the end of his journey, he arrives to find an empty paradise, his struggle will have been a waste of time.

Source: Paulo Coelho, Warrior of the Light

Tomorrow is Winter Solstice! In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs either December 21 or 22, when the sun shines directly over the tropic of Capricorn; the summer solstice occurs either June 20 or 21, when the sun shines directly over the tropic of Cancer. In the Southern Hemisphere, the winter and summer solstices are reversed. The winter solstice marks the shortest day and the longest night of the year. The sun appears at its lowest point in the sky, and its noontime elevation appears to be the same for several days before and after the solstice.

Theoretical Foundations to Invitational Learning

The invitational approach to education derives from two theoretical perspectives: perceptual psychology and self-concept theory. The perceptual tradition sees behaviour as a function of the individual's perceived world. Individuals are viewed as conscious agents who perceive, consider, interpret, and then act on the basis of their own experience, and who are ultimately responsible for their own actions.

Self-concept consists of each person's unique system of perceptions about the self in relation to one's environment. A person seeks to maintain a consistent self-concept by assimilating or rejecting perceptions that do or do not fit preconceptions, but a person's self-concept can change and develop as a result of inviting or encouraging acts.

If educators are to create inviting schools, they must identify those elements in the school environment that will interact with students' perceptions in ways that continually foster a healthy self-concept in students. Every part of the environment, the program and policies, and the approach to instruction must be designed to promote a sustaining belief in the value and unique potential of each person.

Marquis Bureau

www.groupecourage.com

819-766-2873

Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette, QC - Hamilton, ON - Halifax, N-É/NS

L'animation holistique

22, 23 et 24 janvier 2010 à Gatineau, QC, Canada, en collaboration avec Entraide-Deuil de l'Outaouais.  L'atelier est offert en français.

21, 22 et 23 avril 2010 à Montréal, QC, Canada, en collaboration avec Communications Esther Matte.  L'atelier est offert en français.

Travailler avec la technologie du Forum ouvert

28, 29 janvier et 5 février 2010 à Gatineau, QC, Canada, en collaboration avec CAP Santé Outaouais.  L'atelier est offert en français

Cross Cultural Conflict Resolution Online Workshop

January 18, 25 and February 1, 8, 2010 - noon to 3 pm EST. Workshop offered in English.

Posted via email from MBureau's posterous

What is Invitational Learning?

Invitational Learning is a remarkably direct but evocative model of schooling developed by William W. Purkey. The aim, as Purkey says, is to make school "the most inviting place in town" by emphasizing mutual respect and human potential in every aspect of schooling--people, places, policies, and programs. The invitational approach to education is predicated on four fundamental assumptions:

- that people are able, valuable, and responsible, and should be treated accordingly;

- that education should be a collaborative, cooperative activity, involving all participants--teachers, students, and parents--in all decisions which affect them;

- that people possess untapped potential in all aspects of human endeavour; and

- that human potential can best be realized by places, policies, and processes that are specifically designed to invite development, and by people who are intentionally inviting with themselves and others, personally and professionally.

Inviting schools, then, are places where students feel welcome, appreciated, and encouraged to realize their potential and to respect the unique worth of themselves and others.

Invitations are a key ingredient to Whole Person Process Facilitation and Open Space Technology Meetings.

More to come on Theoretical Foundations of invitational learning or facilitation.

Marquis Bureau

www.groupecourage.com

819-766-2873

Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette, QC - Hamilton, ON - Halifax, N-É/NS

L'animation holistique

22, 23 et 24 janvier 2010 à Gatineau, QC, Canada, en collaboration avec Entraide-Deuil de l'Outaouais.  L'atelier est offert en français.

21, 22 et 23 avril 2010 à Montréal, QC, Canada, en collaboration avec Communications Esther Matte.  L'atelier est offert en français.

Travailler avec la technologie du Forum ouvert

28, 29 janvier et 5 février 2010 à Gatineau, QC, Canada, en collaboration avec CAP Santé Outaouais.  L'atelier est offert en français

Cross Cultural Conflict Resolution Online Workshop

January 18, 25 and February 1, 8, 2010 - noon to 3 pm EST. Workshop offered in English.

Posted via email from MBureau's posterous

Harrison Owen on Leadership

Harrison Owen believes the genesis of Leadership comes from two sources: Passion and Responsibility. Or more precisely, Leadership emerges at the confluence of Passion and Responsibility. When individuals clearly identify what they truly care about (have passion for), and take personal responsibility for what is happening, things start to move. Passion alone may be flashy, but it may also be just a flash in the pan, all sizzle but no steak. Responsibility alone is simply boring. But passion united with responsibility create the needed sense of direction and focus that can get the job done. That is Leadership.

Marquis Bureau

www.groupecourage.com

819-766-2873

Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette, QC - Hamilton, ON - Halifax, N-É/NS

L'animation holistique

22, 23 et 24 janvier 2010 à Gatineau, QC, Canada, en collaboration avec Entraide-Deuil de l'Outaouais.  L'atelier est offert en français.

21, 22 et 23 avril 2010 à Montréal, QC, Canada, en collaboration avec Communications Esther Matte.  L'atelier est offert en français.

Travailler avec la technologie du Forum ouvert

28, 29 janvier et 5 février 2010 à Gatineau, QC, Canada, en collaboration avec CAP Santé Outaouais.  L'atelier est offert en français

Cross Cultural Conflict Resolution Online Workshop

January 18, 25 and February 1, 8, 2010 - noon to 3 pm EST. Workshop offered in English.

Posted via email from MBureau's posterous

David Rock on Creating the right expectations

Whether your goal is to be eternally happy, or just improve your performance at work, clearly it's going to be useful to improve how you manage expectations, to create the right levels of dopamine... The best way to manage your expectations (without any side effects) is to start to pay attention to them. Managing your expectations is also an opportunity to be more proactive in the way you regulate emotions, setting the scene for good performance rather than just sorting out problems when things go wrong.

Read more

Marquis Bureau

Copropriétaire - Co-Owner

819-766-2873

Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette, QC - Hamilton, ON - Halifax, N-É/NS

L'animation holistique

22, 23 et 24 janvier 2010 à Gatineau, QC, Canada, en collaboration avec Entraide-Deuil de l'Outaouais.  L'atelier est offert en français.

21, 22 et 23 avril 2010 à Montréal, QC, Canada, en collaboration avec Communications Esther Matte.  L'atelier est offert en français.

Travailler avec la technologie du Forum ouvert

28, 29 janvier et 5 février 2010 à Gatineau, QC, Canada, en collaboration avec CAP Santé Outaouais.  L'atelier est offert en français

Posted via email from MBureau's posterous

Courage Group International: visual identity

Holistic Philosophy

The word holistic is derived from the Greek holos, which translates into whole or complete. Holistic healing recognizes and honors the essential unity of body, mind, and spirit, as well as the interrelationship between an individual's state of health and his or her environment.

Source: Simone Gabbay, Nourishing the Body Temple

Photo

Workshops in November 2009: Genuine Contact Organization

Courage Group International
Genuine Contact Organization – Session 4 of the Genuine Contact™ Program

Date: Residential Workshop November 24-27, 2009 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Online Mentoring Workshop – Monday January 11, 2009 12:00-3:00 p.m.
Location: Auberge Prema Shanti – Val David, Quebec
Tuition: $800 prior to Oct. 26th, $1000 thereafter. Contact us for group rates.

REGISTRATION

Imagine having an operating system in your organization that allows you to navigate the turbulent waters of change with creativity and excitement. You love to come to work because the spirit, passion and energy of people are fully engaged. You work in a liberating structure with the skills, resources, freedom and responsibility face complex challenges and thrive. We call this a Genuine Contact Organization.

Participants in the workshop will learn:
•To apply the Genuine Contact Way as a leadership practice that supports genuine contact with self, one other, the collective and the community in order to lead with courage, compassion, authenticity and openness
•To support, inspire, sustain, and regenerate growth and exceptional performance and to build capacity to successfully navigate change
•To attend to their interior condition as leaders, to make meaningful connection with the collective and practical and simple “how to” skills, tools and knowledge to work with the whole system.

This workshop is about pushing beyond the immediate benefit of great meetings, toward exploring and creating the conditions we need for effective self-organization, natural learning, health and to enable high performance in organizations and communities
This workshop will interest you are a leader, manager, consultant, facilitator, community developer or policy maker in any sector: workshops draw participants from all sectors – from corporate to health care and nonprofit to education and the arts – and this mix adds to the richness of your learning experience.

Benefits

You will leave this experiential, interactive workshop equipped with:
•The knowledge, skills and tools to build and work with a liberating structure and a participatory architecture that inspires excellence and enables leaders to emerge
•Strategies and approaches for developing an organization as a Genuine Contact Organization
•Your own design to start the development of a Genuine Contact Organization using a single Open Space Technology meeting as a catalyst for system-wide change
•Knowledge of working with the key ingredients of a Genuine Contact Organization to support a solution focused and life nurturing climate
•Key ingredients to support leadership to successfully meet the challenges of change and to to work with change to the advantage of your organization
•A practical means for working with the information, knowledge and wisdom that already exists in your organization and within your broad stakeholder involvement
•Key ingredients for daily and strategic planning and implementation to be simultaneous within an agreed upon purpose and vision for the organization
•Understanding the role of ‘collective intelligence’ about the organization and its development
•A peer to peer mentoring circle for ongoing learning
•An in depth understanding of the dimensions of working with the key ingredients of meeting method Open Space Technology including the dynamics of repeated use of Open Space Technology in an organization.
•An understanding of how to use both Whole Person Process Facilitation and the Medicine Wheel Tool in the development of and sustainability of the Genuine Contact Organization.

Our Approach

Our teaching model is rooted in experience. The foundational facilitation process for the workshop is Whole Person Process Facilitation, which pays attention the multidimensional human being including learning styles, different intelligences and levels of consciousness. This facilitation methodology creates conditions that maximize the learning of individual participants and also creates the opportunity for the emergence of collective learning. The process invites participants to make genuine contact with themselves, others, the collective and the community – building relationships and new ways of working together during the workshop. This allows participants to mentor each other as they apply the learning.

The learning experience includes applications of the approaches and principles that are key ingredients to becoming a Genuine Contact Organization. The workshop includes a four day learning journey with a follow-up 3 hour online mentoring workshop. Optional pre-reading is provided. Participants are encouraged to leave evenings free for reflection and review.

Working with Open Space Technology or equivalent in OST experience is a pre-requisite.


Residential Workshop

Key activities include:

•Exploring the issues and opportunities for the development of organizations of excellence focusing on the experience gained during Open Space Technology meetings within a Whole Person Process Facilitation container.
•Converging the issues and opportunities uncovered in an Open Space Technology meeting to move them to action.
•Working with the Medicine Wheel Tool© as a framework for holistic organizational transformation
•Discerning how organizations say they work and how they really do work. Organizational style, lifecycle, structure, process.
•Identifying the critical ingredients that we must pay attention to in the Genuine Contact Organization
•De-mything the organization by identifying the "givens" and identifying the space where there is freedom for creativity, innovation, and the full potential of the workforce released for great success.
•Developing a deeper understanding of yourself as a leader and what you need to support you to implement a Genuine Contact Organization.
•Developing a custom design for creating a Genuine Contact Organization that fits your organization.

Mentoring Workshop

A three- hour online mentoring workshop on January 11th will provide the opportunity to address questions, share learning and next steps.

The workshop includes a workbook to support ongoing learning. Audio and video CDs are available for purchase as an additional learning tool. All participants have access to support and mentorship following the training through an international network of Genuine Contact™ professionals. For more information go to www.genuinecontact.net .

Facilitator Team
The English workshop will be co-facilitated by Donna Clark (Nova Scotia). The French workshop will be co-facilitated by Marquis Bureau (Quebec). Michelle Cooper (Ontario) will co-facilitate both workshops. They are authorized Genuine Contact™ Trainers and Co-Owners who have been working with the Program for a number of years.

Completing Genuine Contact Organizations fulfills one of four course requirements for participating in the Genuine Contact™ Program Train the Trainer workshop. (Working with Open Space Technology, Whole Person Process Facilitation, Cross Cultural Conflict Resolution and Conscious Open Space Organization)

Workshops in November 2009: Working With Open Space Technology

Courage Group International
Working With Open Space Technology – Session 1 of the Genuine Contact™ Program

Dates: Residential workshop – November 20-24th, 2009,
Online mentoring workshop Monday January 11, 2010 12:00 p.m. –2:00 p.m. EST
Location: Auberge Prema Shanti, Val David, Quebec.
Cost: $800 Early Bird Before October 23rd. $1000 after that date. Ask us about special group prices.

REGISTRATION

What if there was a pool of experts available to you as a leader to help you to meet complex challenges in a way that current expertise and thinking cannot do? This potential surrounds you in your organization or community, waiting to be accessed. Complex times demand leadership that engages and mobilizes those facing tough challenges to thrive in a changing world. Open Space Technology is one way to do that.

Join us for this 4 day highly experiential workshop to learn how to:

•Facilitate meetings using Open Space Technology to when there is an important issue to be addressed, a diversity of people involved, complexity and when decisions need to be made quickly.
•Apply a holistic approach to work with the sponsor to achieve maximum benefit from the meetings.
•Prepare yourself as a facilitator to be in genuine contact with yourself, to hold space for courageous and meaningful conversations to happen and to use practical and simple “how to” skills, tools and knowledge to work with the whole system.

This workshop will interest you are a formal or informal leader, consultant, facilitator, community developer or policy maker in any sector: workshops draw participants from all sectors – from corporate to health care and nonprofit to education and the arts – and this mix adds to the richness of your learning experience.

Benefits

You will leave this experiential, interactive workshop equipped with practical and holistic processes and tools that will enable you to:
•Work with both the essence and the form of Open Space Technology (OST) to design large system meetings (5-1000) that build trust, enhance communication and relationships, inspire creativity and allow participants to discover their passion and take ownership of what matters most to them;
•Facilitate OST meetings that are 4 hours to several days in length;
•Discern when to use Open Space Technology;
•Apply simple and practical tools to work with a sponsor to plan highly successful Open Space Technology meetings by ensuring the meeting has the right theme, with the right constraints ('givens'), for the right length of time;
•Assist the sponsor to reap maximum benefits from the results following the OST meeting;
•Tap into the potential and collective genius of individuals and organizations as a whole;
•Build teams and collaboration while working on important business issues;
•Be conscious of the implications of actions and behaviours of the facilitator for opening or closing space;
•Prepare yourself to facilitate and pay attention to your personal health and balance.
•Explore the OST as a leadership approach and operating system that supports ongoing health and balance;
•Effectively lead transformation and change processes.

Our Approach

Our teaching model is rooted in experience. The facilitation process for the workshop is Whole Person Process Facilitation, which pays attention the multidimensional human being including learning styles, different intelligences and levels of consciousness. This facilitation methodology creates conditions that maximize the learning of individual participants and also creates the opportunity for the emergence of collective learning.

The methodology incorporates individual reflection, paired and small group in addition to large group plenary work. The process invites participants to make genuine contact with themselves, others, the collective and the community – building relationships and new ways of working together during the workshop. This allows participants to mentor each other as they apply the learning.
We recommend that participants leave evenings free for reflection and review.

The workshop includes a workbook to support ongoing learning. Audio and video CDs are available for purchase as an additional learning tool. All participants have access to support and mentorship following the training through an international network of Genuine Contact™ professionals. For more information go to www.genuinecontact.net.

Part 1
Four days that include experiencing an OST meeting, unpacking the essence and form, making genuine contact with self as a facilitator and working with the sponsor before and after the OST meeting to maximize results. There is space within the workshop for active experimentation and deeper discussion based on learning needs. Participants can initiate planning of an OST meeting for the practicum within workshop

Facilitator Practicum
Participants will be encouraged to facilitate an OST meeting following Part 1 and will have access to mentoring from the workshop facilitators and other participants to plan the event.

Part 2
A 3-hour online follow-up session on January 11th, 2010 following the facilitator practicum to provide an opportunity to share learning, explore questions that arise and discuss future possibilities for application of Open Space Technology.


Facilitator Team

The workshop in English will be co-facilitated by Donna Clark (Nova Scotia) and Michelle Cooper (Ontario). The French Workshop will be co-facilitated by Marquis Bureau (Quebec) and Esther Matte (New York). They are authorized Genuine Contact™ Trainers who together have been working with the program for a number of years.

Completing Working With Open Space Technology fulfills one of four course requirements for participating in the Genuine Contact™ Program Train the Trainer workshop. (Working with Open Space Technology, Whole Person Process Facilitation, Cross Cultural Conflict Resolution and Genuine Organization)

November 2009 Workshops

Upcoming Public Offering:

Working with Open Space Technology - Nov. 20-23, 2009
$1000 - Register before October 23 and save $200

Genuine Contact Organization - Nov. 24-27, 2009
$1000
Register before October 26 and save $200
Prerequisites: Working with Open Space Technology

Location: Prema Shanti Inn, Val-David, Quebec

Workshops are available in English or in French.

Registration

Holistic Leadership Development - Engaging People, Passion and Possibilities

Upcoming Public Offering: October 26-30, 2009
Location: White Point Beach Resort, White Point Beach, NS
Length: 5 days residential program, plus 3-hour pre-workshop introduction and 3 hours post-workshop coaching
Cost: $2000 early bird by September 23, 2009 or $2500 thereafter
Prerequisites: None
This workshop is available in English only at this time.

Picture yourself and the people you lead ending each day feeling inspired, energized and hopeful as you successfully navigate change in times when fear runs rampant, confidence is slipping, and it looks as if the road ahead will remain rough for many miles. You have found a practical, simple and effective way of leading that engages the passion and brilliance of those around you to achieve high-quality work while staying true to purpose and values.

IT IS POSSIBLE!

Join us for this three part learning intensive founded on the Genuine Contact™ approach that includes:

* A three-hour online Introduction to Holistic Leadership
* A five-day residential learning experience
* One hour of individual coaching and two hours of group coaching

The content draws on ancient wisdom, leading edge thinking and more than ten years of experience working with leaders with this approach in Fortune 500 companies to not-for-profit organizations around the world. We designed this learning journey for courageous people like you who know that a different kind of leadership is needed for the 21st century, but are not sure what to do. With a focus on deepening your awareness of yourself as a leader and learning simple and practical tools and frameworks that engage the whole person, you will leave the course with powerful skills, fresh thinking, renewed energy and a learning community to support you in future. Individual and group coaching will help to anchor the learning using practical situations from your organization.

This course appeals to leaders from all sectors – from corporate to health care and non-profit to education and the arts – and this mix adds to the richness of your learning experience.

As a participant in this workshop you will learn:

* Powerful leadership practices that are grounded in your purpose and aligned with your values;
* A holistic approach to leadership that works with the whole person and multiple intelligences;
* Practical and simple tools for successfully working with and leading change

Be the authentic and powerful leader you have the potential to be. Discover how you can lead an organization that inspires and engages you and your employees to make a real difference in and for the world.

Learn More or download the registration form.

Our Facilitation Team
Michelle Cooper of Integral Visions Consulting Inc (Ancaster, ON), Donna Clark of Emergent Futures Consulting Inc (Halifax, NS) and Marquis Bureau of MBureau International Inc (Notre Dame de la Salette, QC) make up our facilitation team. They are authorized Genuine Contact™ Trainers and Co-Owners who have been working with the Program for a number of years. This partnership offers participants the opportunity to learn from Genuine Contact Professionals working across Canada and internationally in a variety of sectors. It also allows us to offer the Genuine Contact workshops both in English and French, providing participants with a unique and customized learning experience.

Our Workshop Location
On the beautiful shores of Nova Scotia, just 90 minutes from Halifax is White Point Beach Resort. White Point has been offering guests a little piece of rustic paradise balanced with contemporary amenities since 1928. As the home-base for our Atlantic workshop offerings, White Point offers workshop participants 1km white sand beach, freshwater lake with Boathouse (canoes, paddleboat's, surfing equipment & more!), indoor heated saltwater pool, outdoor pool, complimentary daily activities and events. Call the White Point Beach Resort at 1-800-565-5068 and let them know that you are booking your room under the Holistic Leadership block to receive our special conference pricing.

Register today for this exciting workshop opportunity or click here to learn more.

A limited number of scholarship positions are available.

Feminine Archetypes

Archetypes are, by their very nature, universal and indestructible. The complementarity of opposites assures us that, even in patriarchal cultures that are hostile to the feminine, feminine archetypes cannot forever be suppressed. Archetypes are not irrational forms of thought; rather they are supra-rational, beyond the parameters of logical thought and if we accept the idea of the “collective unconscious” as an image for the deep cultural substratum common to humanity, they are universally present—hence their power to move, to affect, to influence. Suppression of an archetype only results in denial of attributes and spiritual resources that we, as humans, need. Therefore, the female leader will, of necessity, model in various proportions the attributes inherent in the four archetypes of the mature feminine. Of these, the Queen is the leader par excellence. But the Queen must encompass other qualities as well. The road to Queenship takes an

aspiring leader through the path of the Faerie and/or the Wise One. These two in turn remain puerile or sterile without the life-affirming attributes of the Lover. Thus, if we reflect on the archetypes of the mature feminine they offer aspiring women leaders models that may serve as sources of strength to help them protect, guide, and inspire their followers.

Source: Prisco R. Hernández

Marquis Bureau

Groupe Courage International

Co-propriétaire - Co-Owner

819-766-2873

Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette, QC

Ancaster, ON

Halifax, N-É, NS

Posted via email from MBureau's posterous

Simple Living in a Complex World

Get clear — about what matters most. Simple living is ultimately about living your life in accordance with your deepest values. Remember that the most important things in life are not things.

Make room — for that which is most vital to your life. Living simply requires that you ask yourself daily, “What can you take out of your day to make room for what is most important?” Above all, make room every day for solitude, silence, and attending to the voice within.

Be connected — and dependent — on that which strengthens and sustains you. Two vital connections emerge on the path to simplicity: to the desires of your soul and to a community of people that support, strengthen, and sustain you on the journey.

Source: David Irvine

Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette (Québec)

Canada

(819) 766-2873

Groupe Courage International Inc.

Co-propriétaire - Co-owner

Posted via email from MBureau's posterous

Your Authenticity and Integrity

In spirituality we read much about authenticity and integrity, but I’m not always sure we have a clear understanding of these terms. Some folks have told me they believe these words refer to being honest and true to themselves, but I most often feel that they are speaking about their ego-self rather than the true self inspired by the divine within.

By the time we are adults we actually believe that the way we are is our authentic self, but normally this is far from the truth. We’ve been deceived into believing that what we think about ourselves is what’s real – rather than the no-thingness of the Infinite within us.

François de La Rochefoucauld, the French noble and writer, has been noted to have said; We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves. When we are young, we mold ourselves to become what others tell us to be until we finally believe that is who we are. Since we are domesticated using punishment and reward, we seek the reward which comes from doing and becoming what others expect from us. Fear of punishment is a strong incentive. Eventually we no longer even know who we truly are – only what we believe ourselves to be. The disguise is complete, our integrity and authenticity gone, traded for a biscuit or a shred of love.

It is this very observation that we must be on guard for in ourselves in every moment. By questioning our motives and our thinking, we can begin to get clarity on what is truth and what is not. It takes persistence and faith that what is ultimately true will reveal itself. In the end it is harder and requires more energy to be what we are not, than what we really are. The disguise takes personal power to maintain and requires constant internal dialogue to uphold. In other words, our constant reiteration of what we believe about ourselves and our world in our mind, helps keep the construct of the disguise in place.

Once we take the time to quiet our thoughts, we can see the construct of the mind fall apart and we are no longer certain that what we believe about ourselves, or anyone else for that matter, is truth. It is in these moments that the truth reveals itself, and we see the light of our integrity and authenticity shining through. We glimpse the perfection of our divinity and see that our faith has been sorely misplaced. And even if letting the disguise fall away is uncertain and oftentimes frightening, our ultimate freedom of expression is well worth the temporary fear we experience in letting go.

In that moment we no longer seek approval or love from others though our words and actions; we no longer need the biscuit or the shred of love. Our actions are genuine expressions of life moving through us, rather than from the neediness of our wounded ego. We are no longer diminished by the disguise; we expand to the width and breadth of the universe, knowing we no longer are trapped and bounded by falsehood. We realize deeply that when we are no longer beholding to anyone for approval or love, we are whole or one unto ourselves and we have embodied our integrity fully and completely.

This is the reward of our spiritual path: Ultimate freedom from the masks we wear that seemingly keep us safe, but steal our greatness and our personal power. I encourage you to go beyond your comfort zone and challenge yourself to let your disguise go, it never really looked that great on you anyway…

Sheri Rosenthal DPM is a master Toltec teacher and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Toltec Wisdom and Banish Mind Spam!. Having trained with don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements®, she currently takes students on spiritual journeys www.journeysofthespirit.com works with personal apprentices and enjoys being extremely happy. You can reach her at info@sherirosenthal.com or www.sherirosenthal.com and www.withforgiveness.com.

Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette (Québec)

Canada

(819) 766-2873

Groupe Courage International Inc.

Co-propriétaire - Co-owner

Posted via email from MBureau's posterous

Decide to Be a Leader

Leadership is a decision. If you have decided to build a renewed culture and make the workplace better because of your presence, you are, by decision, a leader. Power, purpose, and privilege no longer reside at the top of an organization. They potentially live at every level. – David Irvine

Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette (Québec)

Canada

(819) 766-2873

Groupe Courage International Inc.

Co-propriétaire - Co-owner

Posted via email from MBureau's posterous

Align your life with your values

I define simple, balanced authentic living as living in accord with your values. Take a little time away from hectic demands to: (a) write down your top five values; (b) take an inventory and rate your life (on a scale from 1-10) in each area; (c) schedule in time every week for each value. – David Irvine

Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette (Québec)

Canada

(819) 766-2873

Groupe Courage International Inc.

Co-propriétaire - Co-owner

Posted via email from MBureau's posterous

Find a confidant

Authentic living is a lonely journey, but it can’t be done alone. A confidant is someone you can pour everything out with, who will lift you high enough to see a new perspective, and support you to discover and honour your true voice. Over the years, it has been women who have taught me the value of real friendships.

Source

Groupe Courage International Inc.

Co-propriétaire - Co-owner

Posted via email from MBureau's posterous

Spend some time every day in nature

Put your feet on the ground. Feel the pulse of the earth and of the universe. Feel yourself being a part of all that surrounds you. Nature teaches us a reverence for life, and awareness that plants don’t grow better because we demand or threaten them. Plants grow only when the conditions are in place. Nature, in all its storms, seasons, and

beauty, are manifestations of realness in its purest form.

Source: David Irvine, Tips for becoming real, the journey to authenticity.

Group Courage International: Workshops

Marquis Bureau

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Take a daily sabbatical - a time away from the demands of the world.

Even if it’s five minutes, make time for daily solitude, silence, and to attend to the voice within. Authenticity cannot grow in the soil of over-busyness or over commitment to what others expect from you. S-l-o-w-d-o-w-n to the speed of life and tune in to your inner signals.

Source: David Irvine, Tips for becoming real, the journey to authenticity.

Group Courage International: Workshops

Marquis Bureau

Posted via email from MBureau's posterous

Art of Conversation - Stop Talking and Listen Deeply

The greatest mistake we can make in a conversation is not to listen. Rambling on, getting through the conversation, repeating our point of view, spacing out, assuming we know what the other person is about to say – in effect trying to get somewhere fast – is simply insulting. Much that is communicated at work is not spoken. Our colleagues’ tone of voice, body posture, choice of phrases – even the placement of a briefcase or a pen – can offer insights into what is truly being said and what our colleagues truly need. By listening deeply, we are fully available and attentive and invite others to be equally open.

Source: Michael Carroll

Marquis Bureau

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Art of Conversation - Appreciate Silence

Conversations are inevitably punctuated with moments of silence. Such pauses can be slightly unnerving, but we can refrain from filling them up. We can pause and respect the moment, letting the situation unfold at its own pace. – Michael Carroll

In music, mastery of silence differentiates the great from others. I believe the same is true to become a great conversationalists.

Marquis Bureau

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Art of Conversation - Notice the Setting

Taking note of our physical surroundings creates space for our conversation: we slow down and appreciate the moment. By noticing where we are, we may choose to have a conversation elsewhere out of earshot of others, straighten up our desk to create a more appealing atmosphere, or simply met the moment fully alert.

Source

Marquis Bureau

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Cultivate the Art of Conversation

Advice from Michael Carroll: At work, we typically converse in order to get somewhere-to achieve things. So much of our conversation is taken up with deliverables, deadlines, and crises that much of the art of conversation in overlooked. We may be getting somewhere in our conversations, but by not also being somewhere, we can miss the graceful role conversations play in promoting a decent, respectful, and creative workplace. Cultivating the art of conversation encourages us to consider our exchanges at work not just as opportunities to be effective and get our job done but also as valuable moments to be considerate, alerts, and authentic.

In order to cultivate this art, we can keep in mind the following courtesies of workplace conversations:

·         Notice the setting

·         Appreciate silence

·         Stop talking and listen deeply

·         Ask helpful questions

·         Speak clearly, refraining from harsh phrases and jargon

·         Have a sense of humour

·         Appreciate coincidence

Marquis Bureau

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Rediscovering lost passions and dreams

According to David Irvine, passions which we demonstrate as children need to continue to be un wrapped throughout our adult lives.

As we consider the possibilities in initiating or accepting change in our lives, we need to connect with our gifts and experiences. If you are going to reroute your life, however gently, how are you to know which direction to take? The experiences of childhood provide important clues. Try to remember, what you enjoyed playing at most when you were young. It doesn’t matter if it defied logic. The joy of the moment was real, and the signpost that passion provide is important.

The clearer the connection to your true essence, the closer you come to living  a simpler, more contented life. The deeper your understanding of your experience, the more power you have to use what you have learned. I encourage you to rediscover your lost passions and dreams and experiences, looking not only with your head, but also with your heart.

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What can a Retreat Achieve?

A well-conceived, well-designed, well-run retreat can

·         Help change an organization’s strategic direction

·         Generate new solutions for old problems

·         Get everyone pulling in the same direction

·         Help people feel heard about issues that matter to them

·         Deal with sources of overt or buried conflict

·         Allow colleagues to get to know and come to trust one another

·         Foster new ways of working together

·         Help people see things in new ways and envision new possibilities for themselves and for the organization

·         Create a common frame of reference for past events and future expectations

·         Contribute to creating a new and healthier culture for the organization

·         Encourage people to take risks that are necessary for the organization to thrive

Source: Retreats That Work

What’s your best story on either conducting or participating to a well-conceived, well-designed, well-run retreat?

Marquis Bureau

info@mbureau.com

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Changing Others - Changing Oneself

“When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world; as I grew older and wiser I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change my country, but it too seemed immovable. As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those close to me. But alas, they would have none of it!

And now I realize as I lie on my death bed, if I had only changed myself, then, by example, I might have changed my family. From their aspirations and encouragement I would have been able to better my country, and who knows, I might have even changed the world.”

-A message inscribed at the tomb of an Anglican Bishop in Westminster Abbey. Quote from Simple Living in a Complex World by David Irvine

I realize now that something similar may have been written at my tomb if I had I continued concentrating only on the outside world. For many years, I was busy finding ways to change the world. Now, I’m busy changing myself. So simple, and yet, not easy to commit too on a daily basis.

Marquis Bureau

www.genuinecontactway.blogspot.com

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Starting Again

In their book entitled Instructions to the Cook – a Zen’s Master Lessons in Living a Life That Matters, Bernard Glassman and Rick Fields explain that when we finish something, whether it is a meal or a project, our whole world has been destroyed. But the annihilation or consumption is obviously not the end of our work or our lives. Only when we have finished something have we created the space to make something new. Of course, this is another way of saying that nothing is ever finished. No single meal – no matter how delicious or how nutritious – will put an end to our cooking and eating.

How much space are you creating for yourself, at home, at work or in your community to make something new happen? One way to begin creating space in your life is to finish a project or a task today.

Marquis Bureau

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Authentic Leadership

Over the years, while working with various organizations, I've found that descriptions are more useful than definitions to engage people in conversations. Definitions tend to be static and descriptions, dynamic.

Harrison Owen, creator of Open Space Technology (OST) describes authentic leadership in these words - Leadership is authentic in the sense that it is emergent from the group itself, and totally congruent with the people involved, the task they have undertaken, and the environment in which they work. And should any of these elements change, leadership will change virtually instantaneously. All of this contrasts starkly with the more traditional understanding of leadership in which the one, or the few, are predesignated to command and control the many.

In Open Space the function of leadership manifests at the junction of passion and responsibility. This finding applies generally across the broader world of all self-organizing systems. In a word, Authentic Leadership is not a matter of title and position, nor can it be predetermined.

Marquis Bureau

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Online activities of Canadian boomers and seniors

Summary of study: Online activities of Canadian boomers and seniors

In 2007, seniors were significantly less likely to be online than boomers, but the relative gap in Internet use rates between these groups has been closing from 2000 to 2007.

The increase in Internet use rates among older Canadians will likely persist as today’s seniors continue to adopt the Internet as an information tool. Additionally, because almost 80% of the baby boom generation are current Internet users, as these individuals age their continued use of the Internet is likely. These shifts, coupled with evidence that few online individuals later decide to cease using it, suggest increasing rates of Internet use among Canadian seniors.

While Internet use rates among Canadian seniors are likely to continue to increase, less is known about how specific patterns of online behaviour will change as boomers age. In every generation, the needs and preferences of individuals are likely to change as they age.²⁵ This study did not examine changes in online behaviour over time, but did find that online baby boomers and seniors differed significantly in the types of activities they perform online.

Whether seniors of tomorrow will spend more time online—on average—than do today's seniors, is not immediately clear. Overall, the fact that today's baby boomers generally engage in more online activities suggests that as the age cohorts move through time, Canadian seniors will have higher levels of Internet experience and increasingly diverse usage patterns. However, the extent to which these changes occur will vary with users' changing needs.

Ben Veenhof and Peter Timusk are analysts with Business Special Surveys and Technology Statistics Division at Statistics Canada.

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Everything is Always Changing

According to Bernard Glassman, what prevents us from seeing things and ourselves clearly is the clutter of our conditioning.

Conditioning, of course, is very natural, just as the ripples and waves on the lake are natural. Conditioning is due to previous events. When things happen a certain number of times, we form the habit of expecting things to continue happening that way. And so we act as we have in the past. But in actuality everything is always changing. No two moments are the same.

It’s important to realize that we don’t have to forget our past. We only have to le go of our attachments to the past. Let’s say, for example, that I’ve done business with someone who has taken advantage of me five or six times. I shouldn’t forget that. But at the same time, I don’t have to be so attached to what happened in the past that it overwhelms what I think of that person now.

There is a saying in Zen that if you haven’t seen somebody for two minutes, don’t assume he or she is the same person. Maybe that person has changed, or maybe conditions have changed. The important thing is to see what I can do now. If you and I are not bound by our past conditioning, we can see things a fresh. Then every moment contains a new opportunity.

Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette (Québec)

Canada

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Holistic Leadership Development: September 21-24, 2009, Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S.A. (pilot workshop offered in English only)

Holistic Leadership Development: October 26-30, 2009, White Point Beach Resort, NS, Canada (workshop offered in English only)

Les pratiques de résolution de conflits (Module 3 du programme Genuine Contact) : 22 au 23 octobre à Gatineau, QC, Canada.  L'atelier est offert en français

Travailler avec la techonologie du Forum ouvert- Working with Open Space Technology (Module 1 du programme Genuine Contact) : 20 au 23 novembre 2009 à Val-David, QC, Canada.  L'atelier est offert en français - Workshop offered in English

L'organisation ouverte et consciente – Conscious Open Space Organization (Module 4 du programme Genuine Contact) : 24 au 27 novembre 2009 à Val-David, QC, Canada.  L'atelier est offert en français - Workshop offered in English

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Heroism is as much about inner strength as it is about acts of physical courage

More wisdom from Lama Surya Das

All heroes have at least one thing in common. They don’t run away from their fears. Heroes are just as afraid as the rest of us, but they have learned how to confront and walk through their terrors. Quite simply, heroes aren’t afraid of being afraid. When faced with difficulties, a true hero is able to make courageous choices and decisions. He or she is able to say: “This isn’t necessarily what I want to do , but it’s what I have to do.” Heroes have learned to give themselves to life, even when there is no pleasure involved in doing so. Generosity of spirit is part of heroism: holding yourself back can impose all varieties of mind-made limitations.

Anyone who has experienced a major loss, whether that loss be the death of a loved one or the death of a long-cherished dream, is being asked to acknowledge and rely on a inner capacity for the heroic.

Heroism is as much about inner strength as it is about acts of physical courage.

Marquis Bureau

Our Relationship with Change

Lama Surya Das questions why is it so hard to let go of even superficial attachments? Impossible even? The fact is that most of us have a love-hate relationship with change. We like change, and we don’t like change. We like new and different things, and yet we are attached to the familiar. Comfort food and comforting habits are examples of the way we cling to familiar routines and ruts. Often we cling to habits that aren’t even comforting or satisfying simply because we are unable to let go or explore new ways to do things. Think of all the people who hang on to their addictions because they are resistant to change. Individual change and transformation can be difficult. It takes guts. And sometimes, it requires outside help.

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Confusion is the Beginning of Wisdom

In his most recent book, Wave Rider – Leadership for High Performance in a Self-Organizing World, Harrison Owen explains that confusion is the intellectual equivalent of chaos, and like chaos, it has gifts to give, albeit painful ones. Confusion serves the useful function of muddling made up minds so that new ideas make break through. It is always disconcerting when it happens, but as long as we are confirmed in our settled opinions, the likely of seeing our world in new, different, and better ways will elude us. The onset confusion is typically marked by the perception of anomaly. Things just aren’t working the way they are supposed to, and we are confronted with a choice. Perhaps our vision is impaired? Or perhaps the spectacles through which we have been viewing our life need to be replaced. It is all very confusing, but when, and if, the day arrives in which the perceived anomaly is no longer the exception, we will have reached the cutting edge of new knowledge. It may just be that confusion is the beginning of wisdom.

If you’ve attended an Open Space Technology (OST) meeting, you’ll have experienced both chaos and confusion. They seem to be essential to living. Learning happens when we experience chaos and/or confusion. Opening space in our personal and organizational lives allows for continuous learning and quality living.

To learn more on working with OST

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How a good leadership story has the power to engage hearts and minds

Stewart D. Friedman, Practice Professor of Management at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School in Philadelphia on how a good leadership story has the power to engage hearts and minds. It has these six crucial elements:

1. Draws on your real past and lessons you've learned from it.
2. Resonates emotionally with your audience because it's relevant to them.
3. Inspires your audience because it's fuelled by your passion.
4. Shows the struggle between your goal and the obstacles you faced in pursuing it.
5. Illustrates with a vivid example.
6. Teaches an important lesson.

If you have leadership stories to share, I would love to hear them.

Marquis Bureau

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Chaos in Personal and/or Organizational Life

Harrison Owen, creator of Open Space Technology (OST), describes chaos as the antidote for order, and most especially The Established Order. It represents the dissolution of things as they were. It is always uncomfortable, not to say painful, but if we are ever going to experience novelty, space is required for the emergence of the new. Indeed scientists are now telling us that not only us chaos a part of life, a fact we know all too well, but that chaos is essential to life. Without chaos, there would be no life. Obviously this represents a distinct departure from that part of the conventional wisdom which perceives a meaningful life to be one of balance and equilibrium. However, as a biologist friend pointed out – when you reach equilibrium in biology, you are dead. The sad truth of the matter is that there is precisely one instant in our entire existence when we achieve equilibrium, and that is in the moment of our dying. Until then we are in some state of disequilibrium, and that is life.

Open-up space in your personal and/or organizational life to experience novelty. Learn how to with Courage Group International.

Marquis Bureau

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Five Practices of Exemplary Leaders: How to?

How to...

Model the Way - Clarify values by finding your voice and affirming shared ideas. Set the example by aligning actions with shared values.

Inspire a Shared Vision - Envision the future by imagining exciting and ennobling possibilities. Enlist others in a common vision by appealing to shared aspirations.

Challenge the Process - Search for opportunities by seizing the initiative and by looking outward for innovative ways to improve. Experiment and take risks by constantly generating small wins and learning from experience.

Enable Others to Act - Foster collaboration by building trust and facilitating relationships. Strengthen others by increasing self-determination and developing competence.

Encourage the Heart - Recognize contributions by showing appreciation for individual excellence. Celebrate the values and victories by creating a spirit of community.

Source: Robert H. Thompson
Photo

Five Practices of Exemplary Leaders

Your credibility matters so... Model the Way

Your voice matters so... Inspire a Shared Vision

Your action matters so... Challenge the Process

Your gift matters so... Enable Others to Act

Your gratitude matters... Encourage the Heart


Source: The Offsite, Robert H. Thompson
Photo

More of the how later...

Curiosity and Diversity

It's more useful to cultivate curiosity rather than certainty. It's not easy to stay open, but when we listen to diversity rather than expecting agreement, we can learn that no two people see the world exactly the same.

Source: Margaret J. Wheatley
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