My Fellow USAmericans (and Curious Folks further afield),
If you’ve been paying attention lately, you may have noticed that our democracy—or republic, if you prefer—is a bit fraught and frayed around the edges.
And We the People seem far from united in our ideas for what to do about it.
Yet, our forefathers had the foresight to give us all the power we need to sustain ourselves, each other, and our great nation.
It’s time for us to concentrate our power in service of our country.
It’s time to liberate ourselves from blame and shame politics that threaten all we hold dear.
It’s time to face the truths that will set us free.
It’s time to roll up our sleeves.
Not to duke (or nuke) it out, but to get to work improving our country together.
As we have done during other watershed moments in our history, we need to relearn how to outwit and out-love the outrage, and rally the best of who we are to address the worst of who we are.
From the Declaration of Independence to the creation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, this nation has been steeped in controversy and conspiracy. The United States, though far from perfect, was founded on the aspiration to realize a more perfect union than that which preceded it.
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
The price of admission in this more perfect union was and is a commitment to pluralist unity. E Plurabis Unum. One from many. The enduring challenge of uniting diverse people as equals with unalienable rights epitomizes the American ethos and experiment.
How We the People continue to negotiate the age-old tensions like those between old-timer and newcomer, private and public, individual and institutional, minority and majority, local and federal, foreign and domestic interests is the promise—and at times, the peril—of our great nation.
Critical to our success is an informed and engaged citizenry capable of civil discourse and recourse.
It’s time to (re)discover how to speak with each other instead of about each other—to use our words to come together again not in Pollyannic platitudes, but in patriotic service to our country.
It’s time to listen to the voices of truth, love, and courage that exist within each of us—even when these are difficult to hear.
It’s time for us to wise up and rise up, reclaiming our country for us all.
Please join me in this four-session online course exploring how we the people can participate in politics more mindfully, wholeheartedly, and skillfully.
Who’s Invited
Those of you who…
sense that there is a deep shift needed in the way we engage in politics in this country
want to explore your own political identity and reality
seek to navigate politics with more grace and ease
yearn for truth and goodness to prevail in the world
want to negotiate the gap between what is and what could be with fewer bumps and bruises
understand that the simplicity on the other side of complexity is worth the effort
would like to be better equipped to address the complexity, uncertainty, and urgency of our times
It is for intrepid entrepreneurs, artists, positive deviants, quiet revolutionaries, institutional innovators, change makers, world shakers, troubadours, cape-less crusaders, and daring do-gooders committed to a world propelled by the wisdom of discerning knowledge, the compassion of genuine connection, and the power of embodied commitment.
SPRING 2023 ONLINE CONSTELLATION 1 - REGISTRATION CLOSED
Wednesdays, March 1 - 22, 2023, 5:30-7pm PST (Seattle)*
NEXT CONSTELLATION COMING SOON…
RSVP and reserve your spot by selecting from these non-refundable sliding scale options*:
*Please note: all payments are non-refundable, although you are welcome to transfer your spot to another person prior to the course start date.
And if the current schedule doesn’t work for you, gather a group of friends and contact me to discuss hosting another constellation of We the People at times that work for you, schedules permitting.
About the Course
Part presentation and part experiential exploration, We the People is a four-session online course via Zoom. Each week, we come together in a 90-minute LIVE online gathering focused on the topic of the week. You’ll immerse yourself in useful content, juicy discussions, self-enquiry, and practical steps you can take to engage in politics more mindfully, wholeheartedly, and skillfully.
Session 1 - We Hold These Truths: Truth-seeking & Belief
How do we think about our politics and the state of our nation? How did we get here? How do we stay informed without losing our minds? How do we seek and speak truth in a truth-challenged culture? How do we make sense of what’s really happening? How do we inhabit the truth beyond false witness, false dichotomies, and false gods?
Session 2 - This Land is Our Land: Trust-building & Belonging
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.”
How do we embrace the heart of conflicts? How do we exercise our political voices and choices in ways that preserve our personal integrity and interpersonal relationships? How do we discuss controversial issues with one another without destroying our families and communities? How do we express our differences without division and derision? How can we outlive and out-love our trespasses to create a better future together?
Session 3 - Home of the Brave: Decision-making & Choice
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”
How do we engage in politics in a way that contributes to the world in which we wish to live? How do we make free and informed choices? How do we use our power as citizens to support our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? How do we become better stewards of our Republic?
Session 4 - America the Beautiful: State-shifting & Change
“Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change.”
How do we enact substantive change for ourselves, each other, and the world? What are our roles in cultivating the world in which we wish to live? What is our country’s role in the world? How can we honor our ancestors, our descendants, and our shared humanity—the history, the future, and the promise of our country?
What to Expect
PLAYFUL PRESENTATION, FACILITATED DISCUSSION & EXPERIENTIAL EXERCISES
Luminanda courses and retreats are designed to be life-affirming and life-changing short immersions for busy people.
THERAPEUTIC, but not therapy.
RELAXING, but not a vacation.
ENGAGING, but not a social occasion.
We co-create an intimate, playful, thoughtful, and constructive space to explore fresh perspectives and sustainable practices for greater well-being, whatever that looks like for you.
OPTIONAL SHARING
Although there will be opportunities for group interaction, sharing is entirely optional. Because the nature of this work is deeply personal, please know that there is no obligation or expectation for you to share beyond your comfort.
WELCOMING SPACE
You are welcome just as you are, freak(in’) genius flag and all. Please come prepared to welcome and appreciate all shapes, shades, and affinities.
Please note that we will not be debating contentious issues or resolving political differences during the course, but rather developing our capacity to do this.
RSVP: Rates, Terms & Registration
MY COMMITMENT
As long as I can pay my bills, I'm going to show up and deliver this work to whomever shows up with gratitude for the opportunity to share and explore it together.
Consistently. Open-mindedly. Wholeheartedly.
I'm not sure if this is brave or naive or both, but I want to live in a generous world in which each of us gives whatever we can whenever wherever however we can, so I'm going to offer this as generously as I can, and see what happens.
MY INVESTMENT
This work is informed by over twenty years of experience helping people figure out better ways to live and work with the messy magnificence of being human in this ever-changing world.
It is supported by my formal education in organization development, expressive arts psychotherapy, and various somatic arts, as well as my lifelong obsession with understanding how we can have a better experience of being human.
I have read hundreds of books within the vast field of human potential, synthesizing insights from both perennial and cutting-edge wisdom of the world's spiritual luminaries, philosophers, psychologists, educators, neuroscientists, systems theorists, business leaders, and performance gurus to develop a veritable life-boat of relevant perspectives and proven practices.
I've integrated the best of what I've learned so far into what I do, so that you can have fun exploring the stuff that really works without having to do all the heavy sifting.
YOUR COMMITMENT
You are fully committed to showing up and participating.
You are willing and able to make the time for the course.
You are ready to potentially change who and how you are.
Each constellation currently holds space for 20 bright, committed human beings, so if you sign up, be prepared to show up.
Consistently. Open-mindedly. Wholeheartedly.
YOUR INVESTMENT
This course is offered on a sliding scale with a Reduced Rate of USD80 to Full Fare of USD160 to a Tip the Scale rate of USD320.
Life isn't fair, but we can be.
I trust you to determine a fair price with consideration for each and all of us engaged in this experiment.
Contribute an amount that isn't a hardship, but is substantive enough that it reinforces your commitment to show up and participate.
Honor code applies, no proof of income or explanation necessary.
If you have the means, and you're feeling generous, I invite you to support this work beyond a course payment by tipping the scale.
*Please note: all payments are non-refundable, although you are welcome to transfer your spot to another person prior to the course start date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will this be offered on different dates and times?
Right course, wrong time?
*Although I have tried to accommodate as many timezones as possible in the course schedule, I am currently based in the Pacific Northwestern United States, so the course schedule reflects this timezone bias. Find your timezone here.
If you want to participate, but can't attend the current constellations, please get in touch to discuss other possibilities.
Please let me know what days/times might work for you, and if a constellation of people coalesces around those days/times, I will host additional constellations, schedule permitting.
I will continue to update this page as other opportunities arise.
If you would like to explore We the People within the context of your particular group or community, please contact me directly to discuss possibilities.
Why three sessions?
As much as I’d love to offer this in a shorter timeframe, in my experience most of us are less prepared to actually integrate and apply the learnings of an intensive, or even a week-long workshop. Although I may choose to offer shorter events in the future, my focus is working with people ready to do the deep work necessary for a better future together.
This version of the course is designed to shift who and how you are in your relationship to politics.
For good.
For your own good. For the common good. And for the good of the planet.
What is the time commitment?
How much time you spend on the course is entirely up to you. The approach requires dedicated time and attention to be most valuable, but I trust you to choose a level of engagement that supports your intentions for the course given whatever is happening in your life.
Live sessions are 90-minutes long, and occur once weekly. Especially since these are not recorded, you will need to set aside time for these. Optional bonus exercises, each of which may take twenty minutes to an hour to complete, may be offered between our online sessions.
Why don't you offer recordings of the sessions?
Recorded sessions are somewhat ubiquitous to online courses these days. However, having given this a lot of consideration, I decided not to offer recordings of the sessions for two important reasons:
1) This course tends to be most valuable when each of us feels free to live our questions aloud in confidence--to share our experiences and the magnificent messiness of whatever's real for us in the moment. Recordings make this more challenging as we tend to be self-conscious and self-editing when we know that we're being recorded. Moreover, we respect each other's privacy and honor confidentiality more fully without recordings.
2) This course requires real commitment, which at a bare minimum means showing up for the live sessions. Every single person's presence contributes something essential to their particular course constellation. Even with the best intentions, recordings offer an “out” and increase the likelihood that people will succumb to the resistance to change or competing priorities that life inevitably presents, and opt out of the sessions.
There really is no substitute for being present. When you don't show up, you cheat yourself from being truly present with what's happening as it is unfolding, and you cheat us from benefiting from your vital presence in the moment.
So harness that FOMO (fear of missing out) for good, and plan to show up.
If your current life circumstances don't support your ability to attend the video-conference sessions, I suggest that you defer taking the course until a time when you can participate more fully.
What happens if I miss a session?
We will miss you. Really. The sessions aren't the same without you. No one else can bring your uniquely brilliant "You-ness" to the sessions.
Please don't miss a session.
That said, if you can't avoid missing a session, please let us know in advance whenever possible, and plan to connect with members of your constellation later to find out what you missed.
What technology do I need to participate?
The online sessions are held via ZOOM, a video-conferencing platform that supports computers or tablets. You can also call in via phone using dial in numbers.
Those without video or internet access are welcome to participate by phone, but if you have the ability to do so, please show-up on screen.
Why are the constellations limited to 20 participants?
Because our work together is likely to be deeply personal, nuanced, and transformative, each class (constellation) is limited to twenty participants. Together, we create an intimate, playful, confidential space for potent learning, brave inquiry, and genuine connection.
In what language is the course taught?
As much as I would love to be multi-lingual, the course is currently only offered in English.