Course curriculum by Paradiso Ritrovato

Take The Future in Your Hands – Training Course Curriculum Authors: Annette Loy and Valentina Cifarelli Trainers and facilitators of the pilot training project: Franziska Kohler and Réka Livits Layout and design: Réka Livits Website: www.theheartofchange.eu Contact: info@theheartofchange.eu

The production of this curriculum was part of the Key Action 2 “proVOCAting innovaTION” strategic partnership project in the youth work field. The project was funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. The European Union is not responsible for the content of this curriculum. This curriculum does not reflect the official viewpoints of the European Union and the Erasmus+ Programme.

This curriculum is licenced under Creative Commons (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). You are free to share and distribute the content of this curriculum for non-commercial purposes with the mention of the source KA2 Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership proVOCAting innovaTION and the url www.theheartofchange.eu. You may not remix, alter or transform this work. You may not use or build upon this work for commercial purposes.

This curriculum is both a general process design and a detailled session plan. It was designed and tested with 20 participants at the week-long pilote training course The heART of CHANGE that took place from Sept. 26th – Oct. 3Rd, 2015 in Kisújbánya, Hungary. We reviewed the curriculum by evaluation of the training course via the participants and the notes and experiences of the participatory observation of two members of the curriculum team taking part in the program. In the following we will offer the outcomes as a detailed session-plan and a preceeding description of the underlying process design. There will be a headline to every session-plan site indicating the position and effects of the session and exercise within the process design. This curriculum was conceived within the Erasmus+ KA2 Strategic Partnership proVOCating innovaTION promoted by Pandora Association (Hungary), Get Active (Austria), Oikos-Project Peace (Germany) and Paradiso Ritrovato (Italy). The license of this document is copyleft. Who uses this document has to quote this source and the name: “Erasmus+ KA2 Strategic Partnership proVOCating InnovaTION”.

1. INTENTION: EMPOWERMENT – CHANGE – ENTREPRENEURSHIP The proVOCating innovaTION Strategic Partnership is seeking new understanding and effective tools, processes and methods for the empowerment of young adults in a highly complex yet individualised world. The team of this partnership has profound work experience in the field of international youth work and education for global change. We have come to the conclusion that most worldviews and therefore methodologies within education for change and youth empowerment draw from an outdated picture of how change can happen that separates “I“ from “WE“ and from “NATURE/IT“, the individual from the collective and therefore also the individual from the collective benefit. In our experience, individual transformational change is intricately linked with global, environmental and collective change and vice versa.

2. WHERE ARE WE AT? As a matter of fact, drastic global change is happening and affecting us, so now and in the near future it will be more necessary than ever to educate young people to develop a sense of initiative and leadership to colead and co-create these change processes. It is important that our societies learn to not just react on but grow more resilient as well as explore the potential of these events as a positive developmental impulse. This is why these young adults are already change agents in this highly complex and fast living/changing world just by being part of the generations dealing with the effects of climate change and other global crisis happening right now. In our opinion, this needs a sense of self-sustainability which is fuelled and nourished by authentic self-expression and a rooted sense of responsibility for “I“, “WE“ and “NATURE/IT“. Systems-complexity and fastness also bring many more options opening for the younger generations – probably more than we are able to name and envision. It is most likely not possible to educate or prepare, this is why our approach is to provide tools for orientation or navigation – especially for their own developmental process and thus for change processes as a whole.

3. SOLUTIONS OF THE PAST WILL NOT BE SUFFICIENT What are young adults of Generation Y and future generations orientating on? We think it will no longer be only the image of religious and political traditions of the 20th century. This is because they either mean sacrificing one’s individuality or well-being and living in a perspective of „eitheror“: in order that our society strives we need to keep other societies poor/either my own well-being or the well-being of my community/either one political worldview or the other… First of all, because these traditions have been coined in modern or even pre-modern cultures and offer a mindset and vision that is barely linkable with the real-life experience of young adults in 21st century. Secondly, these traditions have already started to dissolve. Third and most important: there is no global-centric perspective or mindset provided by them. But this in our opinion is what young adults need to adapt to in order to take part in our complex, globalised world. A global-centric mindset in a highly complex world means the ability to fast adaptation and the competence of deciding: „What serves life the best in this very moment?“

Process design The process design that underlies the curriculum follows the Theory U process of Otto Scharmer, an MIT (Massachusettes Institute for Technology) senior lecturer, which is both a method to lead profound change and a meta-pattern of developmental processes of people and organisations.. The model draws from the perspective that we can access a state of consciousness that has the quality of non-separation (no separation between „I“, „WE“, „IT“) and therefore makes use of these deeper insights to both prototype ways for more authentic living and transformational change individually and collectively. Theory U is also called a process that enables „leading from the emerging future“. Theory U is already a common method and process design to lead transformational change in organisations and businesses in many cases. It has prooven the coherence of authentic self-expression and sustainable, transformational change on inividual and organisational level. This is an examplary overview of the stages of the Theory U process. (source: https://www.presencing.com/ principles)

The U-Process shifts the inner place from which we operate as the success of change is not as much dependent on what we do or how we do it but from where / the inner place we do it. How to find this „inner place“ or „the right inner place?“. The Presencing Institute Otto Scharmer founded puts it like this:

(...) that place is in the blind spot of our everyday experience. We can observe what we do and how we do it. But the quality of the source (or inner place) from which we operate in “the Now” tends to be outside the range of our normal observation, attention, and awareness. Additionally, as already Albert Einstein said:

We cannot solve a problem with the same thinking that created that problem. In short, we need to let go of aspects/strategies/stories of the past if we strive to find new solutions for now and the future. A thruthful act of letting go is marking the transition To something new and yet unexpected/ unknown can happen. Theory U combines these core insights: letting go and opening up – shifting the inner place from which we operate. This „outside-of- normal“ awareness was called „presencing“ by Otto Scharmer. A combination of „sensing the future possibilities“ and „presence“. Presencing therefore is a state of consciousness that is always available as opposed to a state we should „reach or accomplish“. It is a state of „presence“ with what is „right here, right now“ in which we „sense“ possibilities emerging.

4. THIS CURRICULUM AS A PROCESS DESIGN TO LEAD FROM THE EMERGING FUTURE For the course design, we have chosen the journey through the „U“ as an underlying pattern in the form of a „roadmap“ for participants to orientate on. The program includes exercises that work with the stages „Downloading“, „Seeing with fresh eyes“, „Sensing“, „Presencing“, „Prototyping“. Thus, the journey through the U is the essence of experiential research about principles that help to facilitate oneself and others to shift perspective to „connectedness to source“ and integrate the emerging insights into one‘s life or one‘s organisation. The U Process is offering a map to navigate with. The U Process is therefore both a principle pattern and a linear process as well as an “onion“ that peals skin by skin. Staying in that picture: every skin/stage is present at the same time, it is not only about “uncovering“ the single skins but most of all about realising all of the different skins/stages are always available and present in us and for us. In terms of exercises that means they do not only take effect on just one stage but very often different stages at the same time. In terms of the process it means the journey pattern is only a scaffolding to hold the space for experiences and to assist participants to make use of these experiences. Therefore it‘s important to note that facilitating programs following the U process is like navigating with a map. This means: the journey participants are experiencing is the real thing, not the map. There is so much more happening in reality than maps can show. But the great thing about maps is that they help us to navigate in unknown territory and to explore known territory even more. They help us to have the same picture to put oneself in to benefit from each others experiences. For the facilitator it is essential to stay present with what happens. This means to be able to work with a sense of “flex-flow“ (“stay flexible to assist the flow“) and process orientation (readiness to step into the unknown and unplanned); sensing into what is needed (what serves the process most) as well as awareness about the tools that help navigating with that “map“.

DAY 1 - Arrival of participants Downloading> Seeing>

Sensing>

Presencing>

Prototyping>

In the sense of anchoring, making oneself comfortable (using habits and what

we know in a productive way) Setting re-occuring rituals and create space for a trustful atmosphere 1. Welcoming at venue Description: The residential course requires someone accountable to host the participants as they arrive. Activities: This person‘s main duties are: - making sure that participants have all they need, - showing the place and inform participants about the main practicalities such as time schedule, meals, rooms etc. Tips&Hints: It‘s important to make sure that the venue of the course is welcoming and makes people comfortable. Here are some suggestions on how to create the best atmosphere for participants to feel comfortable: - rooms and bathrooms must be clean and already prepared to host the participants, - if there are practicalities that participants should know about the venue, signs should be put where needed (e.g. Concerning the functioning of the heating system, the functioning of the bathroom, how the tearoom works...).

2. Welcoming Circle / Welcoming ceremony Description: The first circle takes place to get to know the participants and create a welcoming atmosphere. Activities: The first circle is opened by one of the facilitators, who will introduce briefly the program of the course and the practicalities of the venue. The facilitator opens the welcoming circle using images which can inspire the participants. A good tool that can be used is the “Dixit” cards. Dixit cards are belonging to an imaginative game in which the images awaken the creativity and support the expression of participants. The facilitator invites every participant to pick up the card that most inspires the participants and which describes “where do they stand in their lives”. After this, a “talking stick” is passed around to everyone in the circle. Each person speaking shares the following things: - her/his name - where does she/he come from, - the reasons that brought her/him to the training, - something about themselves by describing why they have chosen their Dixit card. After all participants have talked, the facilitator closes the Welcoming ceremony can be closed by a poem or a song.

DAY 2 - Orientation, getting to know the venue and each other Downloading> Seeing>

Sensing>

Presencing>

Prototyping>

Anchoring, orientation, becoming aware of where I stand in my life Open my mind for new things Empathy, group WE, council and circle culture Looking deeper than my habits/what I already know 1. Morning circle Description: Every morning starts with a circle in which each participant can share their thoughts and emotions talking one at a time with the “talking piece”. Activities: The morning circle is held as „Council“. The first round is always dedicated to check-in with all group members, to open the space of self-expression, reflection and feedback. The Way of Council is an ancient way of talking with each other in a circle based on story telling, updated as a method created by Jack Zimmerman and Virginia Coyle. It is based on the following principles: “Listening from the heart”: Attentive listening, ‘witnessing’. Seeking understanding and accepting others as they are, staying present and centered. By giving full attention, we help each other to reach our truth more easily. “Speaking from the heart”: Speaking our personal story, using „I“ statements. Favoring feelings and making our process as transparent as possible. Speaking from the heart doesn‘t necessarily mean using words – sound, movement, spontaneous expressions from the heart in all forms that are responsibly made are welcome. Even silence itself speaks. “Succinctness”: Being of lean expression helps us to attend to what is important, recognise that our truth need not have to be re-inforced by repetition, since we are being heard, and as there are often many in a circle, allows time for all to share. “Spontaneity”: Surprise yourself by not planning on what or rather how you will speak. Focusing on your own story while others have the talking piece will reduce capacity to ‘listen’ when they speak. Spontaneity encourages playfulness, authenticity and the „voice“ of the moment to be free. “Confidentiality”: Essential for the sake of trust and respect, this is the fifth intention held outside of circle times. What is said within the circle, stays within the circle. To facilitate the sharing circle a talking piece is used. This is a “magical item” which is passed from one person to another. „Magical“, because the person who holds it holds the attention of the whole group and is free to express any thought and feeling without being questioned, advised or judged. This method aims to establish a deeper capacity of listening and to give each person the opportunity to express themselves. It helps building a culture of communication both based on empathy and individuality (sensing) that holds the opportunity to create a space of shared presencing.

Tips&Hints: Setting the scene for The Way of Council: The size of the circle: In order to build intimacy within the group it‘s important that everyone in the circle has the chance to express themselves at least once. Participants are invited to take the time they need and also to be aware of the needs of the whole group, trying to express the essence of their message. Different ways of expression like words, movements, songs are encouraged. Shaping the circle: The configuration and comfort of the circle are both important. The seating is arranged so that participants can see each other without straining. Connecting with the place: Attention to the place is an important part of setting. In some instances the history of the place can give direction and a context for the ensuing council. Creating ceremonial environment: When people feel welcomed into the setting, they are more likely to participate in the council with greater sensitivity and attention. The talking piece: The central ceremonial object in the council is the talking piece, which can evoke the intentions of council even when a carefully prepared setting is impossible. The talking piece represents the organising principle of council and powerfully communicates the spirit of the circle. Its presence reminds everyone of their commitment to the form and intentions of the process.

2. Orientation session Description: In this session the facilitator presents the basic aspects and practical issues concerning the organization of the program during the course and some of the background methodology applied. Activities: Compass-Road map – orientation and navigation The compass road map explains the general context of the training course. It describes the 3 pillars of the training: - authentic vocation, - adressing local and global challenges of our times - entrepreneurship. The facilitator highlights the relations between these three topics starting from the inner deep motivation which moves us to take our steps, our direction and decisions in our lives. Providing overview which activities will tackle the inner sphere (my gifts, skills and talents) and the outer one (what‘s going on in the world, how to connect with the outer world). Brief introduction of the venue, history, inhabitants and main duties to accomplish by all participants in order to co-manage the space. Give safety announcements. Shared responsibilities: Participants freely choose to be part of a group, in which they will be accountable for different tasks. The intention is to create a truly participatory atmosphere and support the organizer team during the course. Here is an example of possible responsibility groups: Guardians of Space and Time – tasks: keeping the community room nice and tidy, arranging carpets and pillows when needed, putting away papers, arranging the space and putting away pillows when the program of the day is finished, keeping the yard nice, clean and tidy, occasionally sweeping it, closing the gate at night, making sure that everyone come in time for the sessions, ringing the bell and gathering people when each session starts.

Kitchen Warriors – tasks: setting up a timetable for dishwashing, keeping the dining room nice, tidy and clean, arranging the tables and chairs, help/organize help in the kitchen when needed. Journalists and Documentation – tasks: organizing the collection of photographs, taking and sharing notes, writing articles for the blog, contributing to the content of the handbook Party People – tasks: keeping an eye on the energy level of the group, initiating energizers when needed, help setting up and organizing celebrations together. Cleaning and arranging the community space in the mornings after long night programs, checking toilets and bathrooms regularly – keeping them clean, putting soap and toilet paper when it´s running out. Tips&Hints: Create a cosy place, safe and comfortable enough to allow people to ask questions and clarifications and to freely express themselves. Be clear with instructions, using written time schedule and program activities in this way participants can always check and be on track with the program flow. Furthermore given if it is an international course and English is the second language for most of participants, written directions are very useful for better understanding. Allow everybody to choose what they feel they can contribute the most. In this way people will be willing and motivated to carry their tasks more easily and smoothly.

3. Tour of the venue and place Getting to know the place, the village, the town, the hills, it‘s story, it‘s historical sites... Design a playful and creative way to get to know the surrounding: rather than a usual guided tour, set up a treasure hunt or a rally, which also gives an opportunity for teambuilding and getting to know each other in small groups.

4. Name game Description: This activity will be done in the beginning of the course in order to get to know the people and to create the group. Activity: Everyone gets a piece of paper tape on their chest and they walk around. They need to have their name written on the tape letter by letter by others. Each person receives a letter upon meeting another person, asking a question from that person and having received an answer to the question. The game continues till everyone has their name written on their pieces of tape. Tips&Hints: The question should be something creative, to make the game more fun. I.e. asking “which was the craziest moment in your travel to come here?”, “If you would be an animal, which one would you be”, or “if I were a fairy what you would be your wish?”.

5. Where do I stand in my life? Description: This exercise makes the participants jump into their story and so getting in the theme of the course. Activity: The participants get in pairs and have 30 minutes to do the exercise. Each person asks three times the question â&#x20AC;&#x153;Where are you standing in your life? What brought you are here? At which crossroad do you stand?â&#x20AC;?. Once the 3 rounds are finished the participants have to crystallize the central point of their answers and summarize it in a singular and central question. The exercise finishes with a sharing circle where participants can share their questions. A second round will be used for sharing how the participants feel and what has emerged. Tips&Hints:

If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes. (Albert Einstein)

My personal notes and ideas:

DAY 3 - Exploring personal paths, gifts and talents Downloading> Seeing>

Sensing>

Presencing>

Prototyping>

Anchoring, putting an x in my map Opening up for something new Empathy, group WE, council and circle culture, encountering emotions and feelings Spontaneity, „deep talk and listening“, form and essence distinction

1. Creating a Map of Life Description: This exercise focuses on how patterns present in our lives from childhood can show us some of our gifts and also our tasks. Activities: The morning of this day was dedicated to drawing a personal Life Map. The Map included different parts which supported participants to get to know themselves, their vision and their possibilities better: where they came from, the ground values, their talents, their sources of power and their dreams and visions for the future. By addressing these different aspects of one’s person life in such a contemplative way, the Map of Life is a good tool to dive into the topic of one’s vision and possible ways to get there. In the middle of the map each person draws her or himself together with the people important for him/her and a basket of Gifts and talents she/he holds. From the lowner left corner leads a pathway to where this person stands at the moment, this is the road of the past, marking important periods of life, cornerstones, turning points, determining events and encounters. Under all this lye the mountains of ground values and underlying qualities this person builds her/his life on. To the right there is the nature reserve: parts of life, relationships, activities which this person considers very important, kind of sacred which are “not to be touched”. In the upper right corner every person drew her/his vision and dreams for her/his life. And on the left side stood the answers to the question: “what blows wind in my sail?” These are aspects of life which give a person strength, inspiration and power, as well as things to do and learn in order to achieve one’s goal. Participants were free to use different artistic materials (paint, crayons, markers etc.) to create their personal life map, they could draw and write as well. The morning was filled by creating the maps and during the afternoon we were diving deeper into certain aspects.

2. Double Circles on talents and Gifts Description: This exercise focuses on personal gifts and talents. Activities: Participants sit in pairs: each member of an inner circle facing a member of the outer circle. One person takes the role of the listener, the other one shares her/his answers in 3 minutes to each of the following questions. Then the pairs swap roles. After each question the inner circle moves one person to the left, so in each round every person shares the answers with someone new. Questions: 1. What activities really make your eyes shine and by doing it you forget everything else? 2. What are you really good at? (Leave your humbleness aside!) 3. What do other people ask for your support? 4. What is a quite significant aspect of your character and what could it be helpful to?

3. Passion, Essence, Form - matrix Description: This exercise focuses on the participants passions, driving into deeper understanding of what is the essence of them and how this essence can manifest in different forms . Activities: Each participant is invited to meditate on their passions and to write a maximum of ten, in a column, one in each line. For each passion, the participants identify and write down in another column and synthetically the essence of the passion, what is the deep meaning of it and what does it move. Finally the participants add a third column in which they write how these passions and essences can get into form into their personal and professional path.

4. Dyade Description: Dyade is an effective method to dive deeper and deeper into a certain topic, in this case into the one s‘ personal call. Activity: Participants go for a walk in nature in pairs and ask each other a set of questions 4 times. When a question is asked from a person more times, over and over again, this person is “pushed into” finding different answers, often moving to deeper levels of approach and eventually surprising her/himself by speaking out totally new ideas, viewpoints and approaches towards the same old question. The idea is that by answering the same question again and again, deeper layers of wisdom can emerge: “What do you answer when the answer(s) you usually give are already given?” Questions: 1. Tell me about a Dream of yours. 2. Tell me about a gift/quality of yours which supports you in achieving it. 3. How could you stop yourself/which obstacles can you put in your own way? 4. What helps you in doing it anyway? 5. What concrete steps can you take? After the questions, participants are invited to take time to reflect, to write down and to do whatever is useful to crystallise the core of the answers given.

5. The open stage of imperfection Description: This activity is a funny and creative way of putting people at ease to share their talents through performances. The name of the activity “The open stage of imperfection” underlines the fact that even if they are not professional in what they want to perform, they still have something to share and give to the world. Activities: The activity takes place like a talent show in which every participant can bring their performance on the stage. Tips&Hints: It‘s important to create the atmosphere of a talent show by creating a stage, pointing some lights to it and putting the chairs just as it was a theatre. As well having a person as a presentor and putting the performances in a sort of schedule is a good idea.

My personal notes and ideas:

DAY 4 - Confronting global challenges, exploring emerging alternatives Downloading> Seeing>

Sensing>

Presencing>

Prototyping>

1. Connecting to an issue you care about Description: Through this exercise participants get the chance to connect to social and ecological issues in a personal and authentic way. It provides the opportunity to reflect on a situation or event, which deeply moved them and through transforming their emotions into constructive energies, face the challenges of our times in an empowered way. Activities: Participants make themselves comfortable and can close their eyes. The facilitator invites the participants to travel in space and time to a moment or situation when a event happening in the world has deeply touched them and caused a strong reaction in them. The facilitator gives some time (approx 5 minutes) to connect with that moment, while asking the following question: 1. Where are you? 2. What do you see? 3. What do you hear? 4. What do you smell/taste/touch? 5. Are there any other sensory impulses? 6. Who is there? 7. What kind of emotions are present in you? 8. How do you feel in your body? Which parts are tense? 9. How do you react? 10. Don’t look away, stay with this for a moment. How do you feel about your reaction? 11. Come back into the present . At this point the facilitator invites the participants to put all these emotions, images, feelings in colours and shapes by doing a painting in 20 minutes. The suggestion is that participants should let “the story and emotions impulse and guide their hands”. The exercise ends with a moment of sharing the personal stories and paintings.

2. Creating power poetry Description: This exercise follows the previous one, integrating and drawing the personal values which were touched and involved. Activities: Each participant will write down the values that have been addressed in the story. In small groups of three participants share these values through telling a personal story in which the values just identified got in conflict with themselves or other people. E.g. telling a story in your life in which the value got confronted or clashed with another person behaviours. At the end of the sharing in group, the participants condensate what was shared in the group by writing a poem.

3. Open Space Technology Description: This activity gives the opportunity to each participant to share their knowledge through a 30/60/90 minutes workshop. It can be used as well to exchange ideas on a particular subject even if there are no experts on the topic. Activities: The facilitator presents a flip chart which is divided into timing slots. There can be as many time slots as wanted but give the same amount of time each. There can be different workshops running at the same time, so the facilitator should prepare different rooms or meeting areas. The facilitator will invite participants to propose workshops on subjects which can be related to the three pillars of the training: vocation, change making and resilient entrepreneurship. Each participant has the opportunity to propose a workshop on a particular theme. The workshop proposed will be announced to all participants and will be written in one slot. In each workshop there is a focaliser and/or a facilitator, which can is usually the participant proposing the workshop, in given reasons someone else. Each participant can freely decide which workshop to attend. The intentions of focalising, chosing and attending workshops are according to four guiding principles and one law. The guiding principles are: Whoever comes are the right people. Reminds participants that what is needed are people who care (and not necessarily the ones we have imagined to come) Whenever it starts is the right time. Reminds participants that “spirit and creativity do not run the clock” Wherever it is, is the right place. Whatever happens is the only thing that could have. Be prepared to be surprised! Open Space is not based on what should happen but builds on what can happen when people come together with passion and commitment to work a common issue. Your expectations about specific outcomes may not be met and things may turn out differently than you had hoped. Whatever happens is right because it is the result of the level of choice, passion and commitment of those participating When it’s over when it’s over: reminds the participants that we never know how long it will take to resolve an issue once raised but whenever the work or conversation is finished, move on to the next thing even if there is time left. Do the work, not the time. The Law of two Feet: “If at any time during our time together you find yourself in any situation where you are neither learning nor contributing, use your two feet, go someplace else.” This means to give both the right and responsibility to the participants to maximise their own learning and that it is only them to judge and be in control of that. Being a bumble bee: You are free to hop from one workshop to the next or attend one session in ts full length. The style of the bumble bees is like moving from flower to flower. They bring insights and ideas from other groups and provide cross-pollination while those who remain in the sessions for the duration provide the continuity and stability that allows conversations to build and reach fruition. So just be yourself!

4. Preparation for the Nature Quest Description: The Nature quest starts in the early morning of the following day, so it‘s important to give the information participants need in order to start off the quest directly in the morning. Vision quest, medicine walk, nature quest – these are some of the names of spiritual traditions that have been practiced for millennia in countless traditional cultures around the world which involve leaving the usual environments behind and spending some time alone in nature. Nature provides a unique context for examining our lives and aspirations. Natural environments have long been known as a place of solitude, self-discovery, and renewal, where it is possible to slow down and gain insight on the most profound issues of our lives, and to find direction. In nature, far away from the distractions of everyday life, you can find opportunities for clarifying your values, abilities, desires and goals, and address some of the central issues in your lives. Being in a natural environment, away from the man-made, manufactured world can create a heightened sense of awareness of your deepest desires and wishes, and facilitate an opportunity for self-discovery. Being outdoors helps you open up your senses, and it can put you in touch with your natural instincts. Standing in the presence of something majestic and timeless, we can also gain a certain distance and look at our individual lives from a bigger perspective. Outer nature can be a strong mirror for our inner nature. Activities: During this short evening program the concept of solo time in nature is introduced together with practical aspects and safety requirements. Intention of the solo time: Being with the question: “What calls me?”. Being in stillness and solitude at a certain dedicated spot, asking outer nature to mirror one’s inner nature. Hold the question in your mind as you go to sleep. When you go out in the morning, as a first thing build yourself a threshold: This can be a branch, a line of stones, or a small stream. Pause for a moment standing in front of your threshold, take some deep breaths and connect to your question. With this question in mind, step over your threshold and open your senses. The invitation is to pretend that everything that happens behind this threshold only happens in order to give you answers to your question. Bring your question into the focus of your awareness and look at everything that you encounter as a possible “messenger”. Ask yourself: “How is this tree, this sky, this bird similar to the answer that I am looking for?” Don’t expect big, flashing neon signs on trees, pointing you to one direction. Nature usually speaks to us in signs, symbols and metaphors – and the interpretation of these is unique to each of us. Try to give your rational mind a break, and dare to follow your intuition: What calls your attention? Follow it! Leave the path, go where your feet lead you, explore what is around you. If something calls your attention, ask yourself: In which sense is this expressing my vocation? In which sense am I like this? Allow your associations to flow freely, don’t censor yourself no matter how weird or stupid the images popping up might seem. Be open to whatever comes to your way. You can choose to walk slowly around the area, or you can let your instincts guide you to a certain place where you sit down and spend some time. There is no right or wrong method here. Maybe you even find a symbol, representing an aspect of your vocation. Safety requirements: - No fire - Don’t disturb the others. Be mindful when you walk around. - Leave your place the way you found it or even better. Don’t leave traces. (When you need to do a poo, dig a hole of about 1 metre in the ground, don’t leave toilet paper in the forest soil.) - Prepare necessary equipment: a big bottle of water, a bagpack, a whistle (to signal in case of emergency), proper outdoor shoes and clothing, rainproof clothing when needed

DAY 5 - Nature Quest and sharing the stories Downloading> Seeing>

Sensing>

Presencing>

Prototyping>

Opening up for something new Empathy, group WE, council and circle culture, encountering emotions and feelings Solo time in nature, silence, presence, story mirroring

Nature Quest Description: The Nature Quest wants to create a moment of connection to nature in which every participant can experience an inspiring time for her/his personal path. Activities: The participants gather at 6.30 in the morning and the Nature Quest is opened with a ceremony lighting a candle. Each person leaves upon placing a stone in the middle of the fireplace signaling her/his departure. Between 7a.m. (sunrise) and 12 a.m. (midday) participants spend silent time by themselves in the surrounding nature with the question “What calls me?”. They are asked to cross a threshold (a threshold could be anything significant for each person: a fallen branch, a little stream or a simple stone, which marked the boarder or everyday perception and the time and space of the Quest for them). After crossing the threshold the participants are invited to see everything they encounter as a mirror of Nature. For example a broken tree trunk or a deer jumping away is not only this creature itself but a symbol for something in that person´s life. Each person takes a watch to measure time for he/himself. When they come back, a welcoming brunch waits for them. Sharing the stories of the Quest: Sharing stories is a very important element after going out for a Nature Quest. The attentive listening and the supportive presence of community are crucial parts of the process of understanding and integration. In order to make it easier and faster, the group can be divided in two with a facilitator being in each group. Each person has equal time to tell her/his story, the time is measured by someone else in the circle. After the story, others can mirror the speaker. Giving a mirror is not about giving advice, judging or commenting. It is about expressing appreciation, pointing out qualities or reinforcing the persons own realizations. A mirroring often starts with the phrase: “I have heard the story of a woman/man, who…”

DAY 6 - Nature Quest and sharing the stories Downloading> Seeing>

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Empathy, group WE, council and circle culture, encountering emotions and feelings Creating future possibilities 1. Flower and pollinators Description: This exercise puts into a drawing the gifts, passions, values of participants. Activities: Each participant will draw a flower on a sheet with four petals. On each petal the participants write: their gifts and passions, their values, the issues which call them, the essence and subtile energies that have the energy of moving participants further in their path. After that, the participants write a list of Pollinators, which are all those elements and persons which make this flower blossom. Finally the participants will think about and contemplate on the following questions: 1. Which are the possible shapes of this pattern? 2. Which path can I take and is it really embodying my flower? 3. What can grow out of this flower? Which can be the fruits? 4. List three possible paths which embody the flower.

2. Walk your way - Accessing body wisdom Description: This exercise gives the possibility to participants to sense the future paths they can walk on and understand which feelings and emotions they feel about it. Activities: Pair up in couple of two’s. Think of two or three different options that are available for you – for example, three different career pathways, jobs, etc. Write the names of each of them on a A4 paper. Lay down the papers on the floor next to each other, then take off your shoes and step on the first one. Try to imagine yourself in the situation that will unfold if you opt for this choice, see yourself doing those activities that are connected to this job, for example. Then hold the image of the activity in your mind and feel what happens in your body. Your body is your best barometer of what is right or wrong for you. Do you feel your shoulders relaxing – or tensing up? Do you feel a spontaneous smile developing on your face – or you develop a lump or tightness in your throat? What is the feeling in your chest, around your heart? How is the energy in your body? Did you feel your energy levels sink or rise as you stepped on the paper? Is your heart pounding - with excitement or with terror? Have you started to sweat? Has your stomach tied itself in a knot or do you feel a warm glow in there? Just lean into these feelings, allow them to overtake you for a minute, then step off the first paper, relax for a while and repeat the same process with the other choices. In the end think about the different feelings that you have experienced as you imagined yourself into the situations. What was the most pleasant, most exciting one? Which one filled you with panic or uncomfortable feelings? Do you feel clearer now about the different options?

3. ABCD Backcasting Description: The ABCD planning method comes from the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (for more info visit www.thenaturalstep.org) and consists of four steps which are repeated as an organisation progresses toward sustainability. The ABCD backcasting process to gain clarity about a concrete vision each participant is willing to achieve, about where this person stands in relation to that vision and how she or he is going to achieve the vision. Activities: The core of the backcasting process is to visualise and develop a powerful vision of the future, to imagine how your project will look in 5 or 10 years and to use this image and vision as a compass and point of orientation during the whole process of implementation. You will take a look at where you stand at the moment in relation to that vision and will develop a strategy for building a bridge between the present situation and the desired future state. Here, we guide you through this process step by step. Participants get together in pairs and reflect on the different steps of the model in their lives: A. Vision: Where am I heading on a long term? B. Current reality: Where do I stand in relation to this vision? C. Bridge building: Find creative ways to build a bridge from B to A, identifying each step. D. Prioritize: Creating concrete steps one after the other A) Developing a powerful vision Imagine your project in 3, 5 or 10 years (pick a perspective, which feels long-term but still realistic for you). Take a big sheet of paper and draw an image – feel free to add little notes, texts and comments. After finishing the picture, reflect on it using the following questions and add details which you have not included. How does this future scenario look like? What can you see? If you look at the picture, where do you see yourself? What do you do? Who are the others on the picture? Where is their place? What are they doing? How do the people in the picture relate to each other? Where is your project located? What does the environment look like? How does it relate to the outside world? You can redraw this vision poster and beautify it anytime. You can hang it on your wall and look at it whenever you feel lost or confused about „where it is all heading“. B) Looking at where you stand After gaining clarity about your vision, take a look at where you stand at the moment in relation to it. This is the step of backcasting (as opposed to forecasting, i.e. trying to predict the future from the present´s perspective; the process of backcasting focuses on desirable long-term future scenarios and connects them with the present situation. This approach holds a lot of creative power and aims to liberate human power and potential). Here are a few aspects to consider and note down: Which inner and outer resources do you have to realise your vision? (examples for inner resources: skills, experiences, knowledge, know-how, examples for outer resources: networks, connections, materials, money) What resources do you still need to acquire? Which are the biggest challenges/obstacles you are facing at the moment? What would you need to overcome them? C) Bridge building – brainstorming The third step of this process is to creatively brainstorm on how to build a bridge between where you stand at the moment and your future vision. The general rule of brainstorming is to put everything on paper which comes to your mind – without questioning, censoring or doubting. If you are doing this exercise with a group, try not to get into discussion about the ideas. If you do it by yourself, try to avoid inner discussion. Collect as many ideas as you can – they will be the building blocks of the bridge.

D) Prioritising and strategizing The last step before stepping into action is to develop a plan and a strategy. This includes examining the specific building blocks you have came up with during the previous process and prioritising them. What are the most important steps to take? Which ones come first? What are the ones, which require long-term planning? During this process it is important to stay flexible and opened for feedback as well as to examine each of your steps in relation to your vision. Before taking each step you can ask yourself the question: â&#x20AC;&#x17E;Is this action bringing me closer to my vision?â&#x20AC;&#x153; If you find that it is not or it brings you to a different direction, you might need to re-examine that stepping stone and replace it with another one. Participants get into pairs and each one tells the answers to each question. The other participant writes down the answers. The two participants in pair decide a moment in the future in which they will meet or talk through internet and check what are the progresses done.

My personal notes and ideas:

Th e h eAR T of Change p roj ec t created within the framework of the proVOCAting innovaTION Erasmus+ strategic partnership