Real Wealth of Nations Action Blog

Wake Up America: Eureka Springs and Friends

2008-09-25T09:51:53-07:00

Wake-Up, America! Take a look and listen to what emerges from Eureka Springs.

Thanks to my friend, Newspaper Brat, here is what Fire Dog Lake posted last night.

Featuring the words of Dennis Kucinich, Barney Smith, Al Gore, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Music, Star Spangled Banner, by Jimi Hendrix.

Demand Change Now.

An action example of Real Wealth: William Kamkwamba's Malawi Windmill Blog

2008-01-30T12:57:30-08:00

Today I just had to share another site this one focusing on what feels to me to be a good example of Real Wealth: one person's intelligence connecting with innovation, creativity and social consciousness, neighbors helping neighbors and corporations and networks helping people. Also a darn good example of documentation of action research. I refer you to another Typepad Blog: William Kamkwamba's Malawi Windmill Blog

From England: Series of startling YOUTUBE videos on Global Dimming

2008-01-19T13:52:38-08:00

There are several in the series. Click on the menu to see the options.

From Rossi, in Chicago:

I just saw a stunning documentary that left me with my jaw dropped! It is called GLOBAL DIMMING and the findings it presents are unlike anything I've heard of before. Just when I thought I had Some idea about Global warming, this documentary was paradigm shifting for me. Right after I saw it I had a very heated discussion with a friend who was playing the devil's advocate and realized just how many variables there are in this climate debate and how interconnected they are.

I highly recommend that you watch it, there are 4 parts on YouTube! How awesome is that!:)

Please let me know what you think when you watch it! I would love to get a discussion going about this topic!

Reading Real Wealth of Nations as an Action Research Project

2007-09-19T14:10:08-07:00

I recently received an inquiry as to how a reading group might be formed to read Riane Eisler's Real Wealth of Nations.

As this is called an ACTION Blog that is what I am going to suggest: ACTION RESEARCH, a kind of community research that I am passionate for, a kind of research that more than collecting static data, creates change in people's lives. So here is a short opening for how you and friend's might have a very exciting research project while reading The Real Wealth of Nations.

Forms of Action Research are now widely used in education. One private university has a project inquiring into White Privelege that has gone on for years, and I will venture to say, changed lives of many.

Here is a quick draft of the method I prefer:

One Way to do Research Reading the Real Wealth of Nations
By Nancy Peden

1. Two people discuss/plan having a group to “do” action research into RWN and HOW they notice, how they use or don’t, parts or all of the data found in RWN in their own lives.

2. Intiators send an invitation to inquire into a reading of RWN to a group of possible members and present a first meeting.

First Meeting Check List for Initiators:

• Welcome and introductions, helping people feel at home.

• Introduction by initiators: the broad topic of inquiry, the reading of RWN, to be considered.

• People discuss what they have heard informally in pairs, followed by questions and discussion, leading to possible modifications of the inquiry topic.

• Introduction to the process of action research (aka co-operative inquiry). Initiators are advised to make it clear that there will be 1. cognitive material, 2. emotional material and 3. political material that may be shared. If participants are unable to understand or dislike these criteria they may not feel comfortable or be able to do the research as all three “strands” will invariably arise.

• Whole group or pairs discussion followed by questions, whole group discussion, with an airing of views on the how they understand what has been presented personally. The political, the pyschological and the philosophical are welcome.

• Clarification of criteria for joining the inquiry group.

• Practical discussion: number of cycles, dates, times, venues, financial and other commitments.

• Self-assessment exercise in pairs. Individuals use the criteria to assess whether they wish to include themselves in the group or not.

• Conclude with a clear agreement, contract, of how the group will be run. While this can be modified, it will be much easier if it is clear from the start.

(based on Heron and Reason, Handbook for Action Research, 2000, pg. 186)

MORE on Using Action Research to Read The Real Wealth of Nations:

In action research/co-operative inquiry a group of people come together and devise a do-it-ourselves inquiry into experiences of their own extended and deepened reality, making sense of it according to their own lights.

One of Eisler’s strong points, I believe, is the presenting of logic and data in a way that is scholarly and mostly accessible, though some complain of the writing being too scholarly. (If this occurs, slow down, and help the questioner, find out and “deconstruct” the hinderances. If this is done well the whole group will learn something; there is a load of information when we do this together with respect, the process can transform everyone’s understanding. In cooperative inquiry this is welcoming the “devil’s advocate” and can be very helpful in revealing hidden issues in the group or the material.)

Action research/co-operative inquiry is a very simple idea but like all groups, it can be a challenge to sustain and come to coherent, useful outcomes. Here, reading and noticing how we can apply what we are reading, action research seems especially useful.

It is just two or more people researching a topic through their own experience of it, using a series of cycles in which they move between this experience and reflecting together on it.

In this instance, the reading of Real Wealth of Nations, I suggest that each member keep a journal with “data” that they collect after meeting and reading, to share at the next meeting. Data can be almost anything: a song that came to mind, a gesture in response to some thing noticed, a poem, a thought, a journal writing.

It is persons in reciprocal relation using the full range of their sensibilities to inquire together into any aspect of the human condition with which an open body-mind can engage. In the inquiry cycles, the inquirers are moving between fours ways of knowing:

• They conceptually define a topic, area of interest, from RWN for their inquiry and devise a method of exploring it in action. (Going through daily life noticing and journaling between meetings has often worked well.)

• They practically apply that method in their own daily actions, say noting in the journal as something occurs or reflecting at some special time on what they have noticed. (The closer to the event or the noticing, often the “better”, more succinct, more clear, the reflection.)

• In so doing they engage experientially with the domain of practice (here caring in regards to real wealth proposed by RWN).

• Then they review this phase of action and experience:

1. first grasping the whole pattern of it intuitively, (i.e., what they have read and how they are intuitely feeling it in daily moments).

2. then appraising it conceptually (as an idea),

3. re-evaluating their starting topic in the light of it, and

4. planning another and modified phase of action and experience in order to deepen their knowing and understanding of their own experience based on reading and refelcting on RWN.

This process goes on for several cycles of inquiry, so that these four ways of knowing become more comprehensively engaged with the topic and its domain, and more congruent with each other, both within each inquirer and, with due allowance for individual perspectives, within the group as a whole.

Some other tips:

1. Start each group with a kind of invocation, acknowledgement and appreciative reflection on how people are showing up and why the group is meeting. A circle of some kind is usually most comfortable, chairs, cushions, etc. so that everyone feels equal. Close each meeting similarly, getting clear what happens next and appreciating everyone for participating.

2. Two initiators explain the intentions of reading, reflecting and collecting data on lived experience in between meetings. That is, perhaps assign a section, that is, choose a direction. This is your question to research after and during each meeting.

3. Between meetings, each individual “carries” the question/reading with them noticing in their daily lives how or how not the material is experienced:

a. based on felt feelings and emotional reactions
b. thoughts and ideas
c. stories and images

By using these “different ways” of knowing, the group becomes a welcoming place for people who experience the material differently. Instead of judgement, interest in the uniqueness of the individuals “data” becomes dominant.

4. In co-operative inquiry, 6-8 cycles of action and reflection, are seen as enough to come to some valid conclusions that above all should be useful to the group. This one power of this kind of research: it is the actually act of doing the research that matters and the outcome is intended to be useful. This seems ideal to “test” concepts based on RWN.

5. The group can continue as long as it likes, but frequent time during meetings should be spent on checking in, and seeing how the process is working for all and whether there needs to be an adjustment to the meetings, methods or the “question” (i.e., material in RWN) being researched.

6. In a best case scenario, for me, the group could then “present” their “data findings” somehow in a community event, such as a forum or art show. Most of all they will have put the RWN to the test and added it to their lives. This to me, would be a great outcome.

For a .pdf of these same instructions click here:Download rwn_reading_group_research_suggestions.pdf (Forgive the typos for now please.)

Questions? Post it here as a comment. You will need to sign up for a free Typepad account.

Riane Weekly on Women's Radio

2007-08-12T09:27:34-07:00

RIANE AND WOMEN'S RADIO

From Nancy in Monterey, CA: I just got Riane's latest newsletter and am awed by her initiative.

And I was delighted to re-learn of Women's Radio which I remember hearing of a while back. Seems like a very useful online tool. Do check it out: http://www.womensradio.com/index.htm

If you would like to get on the newsletter email subscription list, email to the Center for Partnership Ways: center@partnershipway.org

From Mt. Hood: Hierarchy of Domination or a New Story?

2007-07-20T10:58:57-07:00

PHOTO: Hood River, OR. -- a small community on the Columbia River.

We are trying to institute some of the ideas suggested in Real Wealth of Nations. We currently have local money (RiverHOURS) and are building a regional local food system to foster small businesses within the local economy

As I pulled out of my driveway this morning, NPR news came on. The lead story was Russia expelling four British ambassadors in retaliation for Britain expelling their four Russian ambassadors (and all this is over an extradition case).

All I could think is "Ah, the hierarchy of domination on a global tit for tat level". As I headed to my office, I thought--will we ever wake up to realize how much life we waste on this domination game playing.

And that's the key to me LIFE....And why I love Riane's using the term Hierarchy of Actualization. Creating a world that sets up systems to ensure that 'actualization' is the expectation for all--human, animal, plant, earth--would be such a great way to spend our days! Yet, sadly, we are so locked into hierarchy of domination, we don't even see these incredible possibilities.

But what might it look like if we were designing such a world? If you'd like to take a fun trip, sort of a "day in the life" in a world based on a perception of 'hierarchy of actualization'--please click on this link. It's a short story of a family living in this world. Finding meaning in a world that is based in a 'caring economics' system. Enjoy!

Sicko and the Partnership perspective

2007-07-18T10:50:28-07:00

Sicko and the Partnership perspective

http://peace4.zenfolio.com/p289598406/?photo=609570850

Sicko is a very powerful movie. It is so compelling because it works to raise questions on issues on many levels. As I pointed out earlier, I find Riane’s framework of partnerships very helpful in terms of looking at the larger picture. I would like to discuss the material presented in Sicko from a partnership perspective.

In her book, The Power of Partnership – Seven Relationships That Will Change Your Life, Riane states that "part of partnership with ourselves is taking care of our health. But here too we have to pay attention to the invasive beliefs and institutions that work against us". When I think about partnerships in general, there really isn’t a more fundamental partnership than the one we have with ourselves. So to look at the state of the health care is to look at how we view and value our health. To me health is a universal right, more essential than the universal right to education. But in our world, somewhere along the road, that right has become more of a luxury. The commoditization of health and its consequences for the individual is really profound. How much money is our finger worth to us, what about our eyes, our lungs? Unanswerable questions… Yet when faced with an emergency, in the current state of affairs we are forced to make such choices. That is a highly developed dominator scheme if I ever saw one.

Because the health of our partners and our family affects us very deeply, the health care crisis as it pertains to our loved ones can have equally strong ramifications in our lives. Moore weaves one story in the movie about a woman and her ailing husband that certainly made me cry. The helplessness one feels when they know that there is something they can do for their loved one yet they are prevented from doing it is just heart breaking. And to know that it boils down to a mechanistic cost saving decision that completely disregards the individual is infuriating. That to me is lack of caring in the highest sense.

Caring in our community is exemplified by the very publicized trip Moore made with three volunteer workers at the World Trade Center and also a few other people he encountered while creating the movie. Moore is famous for his gimmicky techniques in his movies that sometimes antagonize even his fans. Yet in my eyes this gesture was genuine in intent. While filming these sick people, Moore probably wanted to do something for them. That is the human thing to do, the caring thing to do, the natural thing to do. While watching this endearing and uplifting part of the movie, seeing the caring and warm feelings developing between people who are supposed to be "sworn enemies" by dominator logic, the message sinks in. When it comes to health, the decision is pretty simple, help the sick get better. The juxtaposition to the highly complicated health care "industry" in the United States brings out one prevalent response in people: "It just doesn’t make sense".

The last point I would like to make is regarding the middle of the movie when Moore visits France and Britain and examines their health care systems. A number of people after the movie said that they seriously thought about what it would be like to live in those countries. The difference in approaches between the two European countries and the United States is staggering. Again Moore himself had what I felt was a transformative experience when he spoke with Americans living in France. His eyes blinked in amazement. In our partnership with international community we have an opportunity to learn about what others nations are doing to make the lives of people a little easier, a little less stressful while caring for their health. Those lessons are as valuable as what we make of them. And they are free for us to examine and learn from. So much for the economic saying "There is no such thing as a free lunch".

Evidence building: From Chicago Partnerships Work!

2007-07-15T14:52:52-07:00

Dear Everyone!

Thanks to the New Moon and our RWN project yesterday I had a new job offer that is very community oriented.

I am so excited! Right now I am training so I won't be able to write about all things, but just wanted to let you know that I am thinking of ideas and will write more very soon!

Also, just as I was looking through Riane's book on Partnerships, what struck me were the titles of the chapters:

1. Your relationship with yourself
2. Your intimate relations
3. Your work and community relations
4. Your relationship with the national community
5. Your relationship with the international community
6. You relationship with nature
7. Your spiritual relations

I feel this is a very good way of categorizing. I will work on a collage soon!
Have a great day! Will write more soon! : )

Rossi, http://peace4.zenfolio.com/

From Ann in Oregon: Synchronicity and Real Wealth

2007-07-15T14:12:44-07:00

Dear All:

What a pleasant surprise the RWN Action Blog email brings.....Yes, I am a huge fan of Riane's work--having read Chalice and the Blade years ago and lived most of my adult life with the awareness of the dominator story--how it came to be--and how it does not have to be the story we live by.

I've just recently finished reading RWN and feel very much that we have to find a way to share this with everyone--and begin finally to move towards a 'caring economy'--one that is centered in life--not in the making of money at the expense of life.I feel a real congruency between RWN and my Life Puzzle model. I believe my own intentions are supported by what I read in RWN. And even as I read RWN, I was 're-writing' it in the Life Puzzle language too. So I, too, feel able to begin to help develop "evidence based" data for our project.

I believe my Life Puzzle is a universal model--a systems model--but it is also a 'simple' way to teach big concepts.....and my practice and model are designed especially for those who are 1)not even aware/conscious enough to realize that we have the requirement and ability to change the current cultural story or 2) just in the early stages of waking up to wholeness/caring--and are looking for a safe way to begin to make these changes.

Riane's work, all of it, but now RWN especially is going to be a great support for my work and I am grateful to be able to connect with all of you.

Regards, Ann, www.lifepuzzle.com

From Nancy in Monterey, CA More on dollars and sense: Eisler Alternet article

2007-07-13T18:40:54-07:00

I need to express a little emotional rant (feeling regressed as psychology might say) but Riane's writing is so darn rational and grounded. What's a woman, an Italian American woman, to do, sometimes, but write and hope friends understand?

It seems that my thrill and alarm about Chapter 3 in Real Wealth of Nations is a emotionally hot in other venues. Is it the material or is it, oh, my goodness, the way we language it all?

I just spent some time on the wonderful Alternet site which posted an interview with Riane Eisler. On Alternet, which I believe offers a place for those of us who believe in a world based on care, I found a very recent interview with Riane that deals with dollars, cents and equity. This article is much of what I found in The Real Wealth Chapter 3 and into 4.

The Altenet article, while excellent and free, was mis-titled in my view. The article is important, reiterating from the book that indeed there is an incredible illogic of our economy. Yet even dear Alternet gave in to inflammatory journalism. The sense of the title is correct: Indeed, how we pay our plumbers more than teachers and other care givers is an important, even outrageous topic. But I suggest we all read Chapter Four in Real Wealth en-titled: The Economic Double Standard.

I feel the incendiary title, which I choose to not repeat, led to some less than useful comments, leading me to wonder if I should open this blog to comments, even though all the consumer advice is, yes, invite controversy.

As I scanned through the comments, one caught my attention. This one spoke about some of us not understanding how hard it is to bend under a sink and do plumbing. It was in fact responding to the title NOT the content of the article.

Forgive me deeply, dear brother who made this comment but my own husband is a builder who has often bent over a menial job and I am a woman. While I have not given birth, I would like to ask you to consider what skills and attention to detail motherhood, nursing, doctoring etc. require? And I ask you to consider that yes, I do know what plumbing requires (reification if you want to ask my liberal intellect) and skills of nurturing are worth more than plumbing, damn it. Now I degenerate to this level of argument and rage.

TOO BAD I too succumb to this kind of journalism and that such a decent deep thought provoking article generated to this level simply through a name, a title. (As Voodoo says: naming gives one power over).

This experience leads me to re-appreciate how subtle Riane has had to be to present her "arguments." (Personally I love it when she points out that this kind of communication and economy are pathologic but then we need to begin a conversation and practices to deal with issues of why the so-called left are considered "intelligentsia" and snobs...and this is my area of interest. Emotional health, anyone? So, you may read more here.)

In case you would like to read it and consider in your own good time what Riane has proposed, here is the link again: http://www.alternet.org/stories/54885/