SI SE PUEDE - BARAK OBAMA MUSIC VIDEO YES WE CAN

I was reluctant to comment on an election, because of the thought that a dedication to "mutual understanding" could become compromised by the appearance of a leaning toward partisan politics.

Tonight, I listened to Mr. Obama's speech, one in a series of presentations of his that have never failed to move me deeply. And, I experience great pleasure to express that, Mr. Obama is talking in the deepest sense, only, about a great need for an increase of "empathy" in our world today. And, that this is the change he asks us to make, that we all feel for one another more, as a first step. And, how this is a non-partisan rhetoric.

It is a rhetoric of a future where the line between Buzz Aldrin's quote, below, which I had adopted a few years back, when I began to develop my philosophy for "mutual understanding" and these paragraphs above and the "maybe" would disappear. And, that we, here, Youand I, would indeed be in: the final frontier of human relationships, one person to another.

And so, since I'm for all that . . . I say, Obama Youand I.

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

LIFE SAVER

Life Saver: the focus on "what's inside my boat."

Meaning:

In any given situation, there are aspects of the situation that you can control, and aspects in the situation that are totally outside of your own power to control. What is in your own control is what you can DO.

Over these past 4 months, this has been a life saver to me, while in a very very difficult situation, and facing great odds against my success. "The First Principle," has virtually saved my life.

Enjoy!

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING - CONNECTION - COLLABORATION

- on the relationship between -

MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING - CONNECTION - COLLABORATION

- validation of the other person -

- keeping mutual agreements -

- a genuine interest in the other person -

- the act of listening to the other person's needs, values, and concerns -

- an avoidance of trying to control other people -

- a sensitivity to the emotions and behavior of the other person -

- a sense of joy at being present with each other in "the moment" -

- a willingness to express oneself and make requests of other people -

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

ERIKA MERCADO - A NATURAL CONNECTOR

Last night, I attended this beautiful event, Unexpected Mexico for Bohemia Beer, at the invitation of one of its organizers Erika Mercado, of RE-Connect. With Erika's gifts for authentic connection she brought a host of substantial personalities, and Mexican dignitaries to the event. Her touch, and the entire event reflected modern, multifaceted sophistication. Not to mention the splendid live performance of Eugenia León (click on her link and see what I mean).

Thanks Erika for a terrific evening.

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

THE CIRCLE OF AWARENESS

(click on image to enlarge)

Above, the result of an exercise we did last night in class off of the concept of PERCEPTION, EXPERIENCE, and EXPRESSION the three stages of the Youand Model, which is based on the traditional I-Statement from Conflict Resolution/Mediation and the Art Principle of SEEING, EXPERIENCING, and SHARING. Blended, they form an elegant model and tool for reflection on one's own thoughts and feelings and values, at any given moment. Which, within a Youand framework is rooted in The First Principle, from Epictetus, that states: ". . . From the start, then work on saying to each harsh appearance, 'You are an appearance, and not at all the thing that has the appearance.' Then examine it and assess it by these yardsticks that you have, and first and foremost by whether it concerns the things that are up to us . . . "

The image is but a partial one, as my scanner can not capture the entire page of the groups generated inclusions.

The Youand Model

(I-statement plus Perception, Experience, Expression)

I drew a circle, with another circle like a bull’s eye in the center. I called the entire circle THE CIRCLE OF AWARENESS (I just made the name up. Please call it whatever you like.)

The area outside the larger circle, I labeled the area of PERCEPTION.

The space between the inside circle and the outside circle, the area of EXPERIENCE.

The space inside the inner circle, NEEDS/WANTS/VALUES

We, (the group) brainstormed (wrote everything down that people said) that influenced our PERCEPTION:

History

- Past experience

- Memory

Media

Culture

Habits of thought

Age (generation)

Economics

- the haves

- the have nots

- the have a little, want mores

(from Saul Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals")

Personality

Desires (wants)

Self Talk

Fear (emotion)

Archetypal Forces (like gravity, invisible yet powerful)

Needs

Convention

Preference

Environment

Socialization

Taste

World View (Point-of-View)

Religion

Emotions

Family influences

(I just now thought) Political leanings

All these, we agreed, influence the way we PERCEIVE things. So that each of us, influenced by any or combinations of these might PERCEIVE the same thing quite differently, depending on all of these influences. | We reflected on how, problematic it can be to act on what might only be an "appearance" of the thing itself. | Then we brainstormed about our EXPERIENCE of these PERCEPTIONS:

to Judge

to Label

to Prejudge (see a person of color, for example.)

to Avoid

to Assume

to Desire

to Stereotype

to Strategize

to Form interpretations

Thoughts

to Dismiss

and FEELINGS

I shared how FEELINGS are the pointers to the contents of the inner circle:

NEEDS/WANTS/VALUES

We pondered about the implications of all of this.

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

BE YOUR OWN GURU

(Click on image to read article.)

When I saw this article, I thought, "That's what Youand is about! It's about being your own Guru!"

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut

HAPPINESS WITH PEOPLE

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"The final frontier may be human relationships, one person to another." -- Buzz Aldrin, Astronaut