Notes from 7th February

Present: Rona (host), Iain (guardian) and Bill and Ruth
Apologies: Evie and Norma


First we confirmed our newly formulated Circle Guidelines:

CARE RESPONS-ABLY FOR ONESELF

a/ Ask for what we need

b/ Deep Listening


CARE RESPONS-ABLY FOR OTHERS

a/ Honour Ripple Space

b/ Listen with Curiosity and Compassion

c/ Offer What We Can


CARE RESPONS-ABLY FOR OUR TIME AND SPACE

a/ Honour Time-keeping

b/ Incorporate Lightness

c/ Value Agreements Made

d/ Talk to the Centre

e/ Honour the Talking Piece

Here just a few reflections on the thoughts that came up when  studying

Chapter 8
Our common illusion about money

and
Chapter 9
SIMPLICITY AND THE HEALING OF OUR FINANCIAL WORLD


Main thing found: we still think of money as 'our' money as if it is something we own.
The fact that the money we have in our pockets or accounts has in fact very little to do with us other than that we consent taking it as a sign of value return for our work, blurs the real facts that the value decisions made (wages/prices/interest) are based upon deeply flawed societal processes (debt base money creation; the slavery of mortgages, etc)

how can we change our attitude?

The intriguing and still very alien sounding notion of receiving and giving anything as GIFT rather than as 'due', tied to a confusing mix of basic needs needs for status.... how can we free ourselves from this tangle?

"Changing the financial institutions"
Louis's notion of how this entrenched system could be changed seems foggy and unclear, if not unrealistic.

Yes, Love can play a part in how we heal our relationship with money but money=love makes no sense, as money is only a conduit and in that, actually, neutral.
If choose and are able to bestow the conduit with love, love can flow through money,. In fact, that is nothing new neither, as people have done that (loving giving of money) since money is about.

Money, the way how it is worked with, needs to be understood first with clear thinking before one can speak of 'redeeming' it.

 

Practical points decided upon:

1. Iain will write up our Circle Agreements on an A3 sheet of paper which we then can use colour on to create a beautiful wall piece
2. Louis to be invited for the 28th of February to join in with Circle first and then share more 
3. next week's reading: Ch10 + 11; Host Bill b/f; Ch12+13 Iain with Ruth as backup
4. decided to go ahead next week's session, 14th Feb; 9.30am, even though being school holiday might mean the mothers amongst us might not be able to come

 session on 14th had to be cancelled after all;
same program now for 21st February, same time same place  

Notes from 24th January

Thursday, 7th February, we have our next session,
Check for reading prep down below Rona's report from the 24th, as the session on the 31st had to be cancelled:

A Galgael event image: making a Brighid's cross demonstrates the Way of Circle, too, as it can only be made by going round and round and round!

Notes from 24th Jan

By Rona
Host Evie 
Guardian Iain
Scribe Rona
Evie read a poem ,one vision, from the book.
Bill wrote agreements on flip chart        ( more work and thinking to be done on agreements )

Chapter 6         Community initiatives
We looked at each of the three Global initiatives in turn.
 Global Eco villages -
A powerful vision.
Group shared  knowledge of  similar initiatives they knew of .
Camphill Aberdeen , built by Pioneers who fled from the Third Reich .European
European Rainbow Camps
Was this people opting out of change and not making change ?
After a short discussion it was agreed generally that these inspiring places offer hope and a vision that brings a different way more possible.

Local exchange or community currency network.
People addressing poverty . Communities trying to stay connected Brings people together.
 Can it work on a large scale ?
Could we use an alternative currency ?  We also discussed Time Banks ,
 People  still say my money.
Andy Wightman says the poor do not have lawyers.
Land ownership always comes up.- Take the land and do it.

Basic Income Network
Great idea , Utopian, Unrealistic, Could happen but will take 50 -100 years.
It could happen with ease.Our broken souls. A mixture of feelings but agreed we should strive for a fairer system.
Iain pointed out that there was good things happening-Plasma reactors being released on 30th January. World peace being declared.

Chapter 7  True stability and Freedom
Focus is always on making enough money to live on and buy what you think you need.Society structures how we respond on a personal level.
Survival and success.
Again if you opt out and look for alternatives are you helping to make changes
Is there ever a well deserved profit ?
Profit beyond need is decadent
.Difficult to understand how having love at the core of any transaction becomes less to do with  money and more to do with need.
We ran out of time so Anneruth suggested we use the forum to finish chapter 7. Every one agreed

We then spent some more time on agreements. Also agreed to finalise them on the forum and then print them out for a wall chart. Rona will laminate it.

Bill sang a song to finish off.

Everyone agreed they felt much better after participating in the circle.

  Next week 
Rona ( with support from Anneruth if needed ) to host chapters
8 (Our Common Illusion about money) and
9 (Simplicity and the Healing of our Financial World)
Bill to host Chapters 10 (Twelve Questions to ask about a Financial Transaction)
 and 11 (Our Money System and its need for restructuring)

 

Just for fun: lets dance round and round in Transylvania!