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!

3 Paulo Freire Reading group sessions at ALP

With our recommendation:

ALP Paulo Freire: the first three 2013 session by

New Year starting

Just a quick note to say that last week, on the 10th of January, we had no Circle Council Practise session due to illness in last minute. Bill, Evie and Ruth were there, but because there was also no crerhe worker, we just spend the time catching up.

Tomorrow is next session with same schedule:

Next Session:

Thursday, 17th January, 9.30am - 11.30am ALP, Tollcross  with creche

back in room 2 - yeppeah! so we can create a proper circle again! The Oval Table was ok, esp as it made us appreciate the benefit of a proper circle shape again!

This next session Plan:
Py. 1:Host Ruth: revising our Circle Agreements;  Guardian: Evie
Pt.2: Host: Evie; Book study;  Guardian: Ruth
Ch 6: Community based initiatives & Ch7: True stability and freedom

Scribes: tbc

Circle Practice #7 - 13th December 2012

Wishing all an enlightening midwinter circle holiday!

DaretoCare 13^th December 

Attended:  Bill Evie Sue Ian Norma Christopher and Charlie

Scribe minutes: Christopher; written up by Evie

We did our Check in and all said how we felt in the here and now, mostly people rejoiced in being there and set up on time, recalling the previous session were the room difficulty caused us to run late.

Agreements were spoken by the group

It was decided that in light of new people and to gain good understanding and ownership of the agreements we would revisit them in the new year.

Chapter three: Hazels cake and measuring gross domestic product {GDP}

Charlie reflected on GDP. Perhaps that’s why it's called ‘gross’ profit.

Ian said that whilst the whole chapter is clear and how it applies to us, he finds the whole GDP bit hard to understand.

Others continued to say stuff that was repeated from previous weeks. I felt that we had reached a great understanding and familiarity of this subject; it seemed to surround the group.  A personal reflection was that I wanted to do something positive to heal the issues with GDP. I decided to offer that we move chapter 4 for these very reasons. The group laughed and agreed. 

Chapter 4: Alone and togetherness in our survival issues

Started me thinking about solutions

Babies are frightened when born because of the feeling hunger, and so cry profusely because the pain of hunger in their tummy is so immense to the tiny infant.  I started thinking it would be good to explore our feelings of childhood growing up and survival.

I asked the group if they would be willing to explore it together?

Talking round

Sue says everything changed when I lived in Sudan. I learned to have an acceptance and appreciation of the moment, a positive attitude with those around me.  I need never really worry about survival. Observation as I write this up sometime after the session is that we skipped to what changed rather than explored childhood.

Norma suggested we have different perspectives on survival, financial, personal, and emotional. Norma recalled too be alone without the mobile on the street left her vulnerable. Like beings able to live well, keep a clean house, cook, etc. out nature is to adapt. Need to open our minds.

Bill discusses coming from a different time, a pay generation, and baby boomers, I have a great occupational pension, and have relaxed comfortable life, in a good economic state. Not sure that will happen again for future generations. I'm worried about the planet. Things like community crops in pots will spread and is our future. I have a lot of emotional support in Edinburgh.

Lost scribes own words sadly.

Ian discussed his fragile medical condition. I wouldn't last that long without big pharma. People in the states are waking up to the ideas like their taxes are paid to the queen.

Charlie discussed FEAR. Worry is concern tainted with fear, promotes survival. Water the UN says that a human being doesn't have the right to water, to self-preservation. Be aware at all times, expect the unexpected, never unregistered anyone. Respect all life in its Many forms.

Are we alone in our survival "under GDP"

What could we do to change that in our communities? (Quick answers)

Sue

We are encouraged to be independent, which is a crucial flaw in society. People who didn't want you to admit to failures, which is self-destructive and negative. Good to have the trust in other people to go to them and say how I feel.

Norma

I was brought up to believe that I should do something great. I don't believe that, its self-confidence. It's actually fine to shout out and have a voice. Why not!

Bill

Louis four defined ions in this chapter are... He seems to suggest that it's dead dimple to move from the society we are in now. To share financial support fairly. Into sure this is so easy. We have the abundance kitty. Maybe it does work out, as it works out in restaurants when we have shared like that.

Ian

Love is the answer

Charlie

Surviving alone is addressed by concentrating on core needs. Water, food shelter, the UN is not a good thing, if you look past the surface.

Bill suggested we read the articles of from the book. The three declarations of human rights at the end of the chapter, Bill read these allowed for us all to hear. 

Something to say about the chapter in the last five minutes?

That we can start redressing the evils of capitalism changing ourselves, it's the place to start.

checkout

Next Session:

Thursday, 10th January, 9.30am - 11.30am ALP, Tollcross  with creche

back in room 2 - yeppeah! so we can create a proper circle again! The Oval Table was ok, esp as it made us appreciate the benefit of a proper circle shape again!

This next session Plan:
Py. 1:Host Ruth: revising our Circle Agreements;  Guardian: Evie
Pt.2: Host: Evie; Book study;  Guardian: Ruth
Ch 6: Community based initiatives & Ch7: True stability and freedom

Scribes: tbc

Circle Practice #6 - 6th December 2012

Today was quite an interesting day: our first day with creche! Due to room booking confusions at ALP chaos seemed to reign supreme sweetly challenging everyone to transcend upheavals !  We  more or less managed thanks to all and esp. Sue who then also after the session got our next term bookings confirmed as well as our remaining five sessions with creche.

It was great to have Evie back, and her wee Mali seemed to enjoy the sole attention he got in the creche.

We met in the small office meeting room of Gingerbread in the Janitors house next to ALP, squeezing 7 folks round the oval table there, once we finally got started over an hour late, but kept in good spirits by Bill making us all tea there!

Today's meeting had also a good bit of practical arrangements on the agenda for to be discussed but we made the wise decisions that after the double room upheaval we would first settle down for a wee spot of proper circle council practise, oval table or not...  After sharing what we brought for the centre to represent our learning intent, and check-in of all (Bill, Charly, Iain, Ruth, Norma, Dazey, Evie and Sue) and with a special welcome given to Norma,   -    and after re-membering our agreements (as best as we could, as noone had a written copy!), Iain and Bill hosted the start of the study of Chapter 3 of our book : "Hazel's cake and  measuring gross domestic product".

Our reflections included a shared sense that the natural environment is indeed the foundation of our livelihoods, and that unpaid work (and gift economy) indeed holds together the fabric of community, and not what gets measured in GDP, and our economy tries to turn the natural laws of this cake upside down.

We only had 10 - 15 minutes today for sharing or studying the text, and it was agreed to carry on with this very meaty chapter next session, esp in order to give due considerations to the Calvert-Henderson Quality of Life indicators  coming up here next. Extra, supplementary study of these indicators is recommended via calvert-henderson.com for instance.

Next week study:

Ch 3 deepening (host Iain)

Ch 4 (host: Rona)

further ahead:

skipping Ch 5 and tackle it with Louis when he comes in February

CH 6 (host : Evie)

Ch 7 (host : Sue)

 Practical Matters decided:

• ·         to meet now weekly even though some people might not be able to make it more than fortnightly because missing out one now doesn't mean missing out a month with the slow speed study we seem to have. (Sue and Ruth to secure booking of rooms with ALP)
• ·         draft flyer for creche supported sessions accepted; date's entered b y hand once above confirmed; Ruth to firm up the digital flyers
• ·         Evie flyering today during food co-op at ALP
• ·         Evie and Bill will co-ordinate the planned four 4 Horsemen film cafe nights next year
• ·         who can will try to get to the 4 Horsemen film showing tonight at Welcoming Cinema club

Circle Practice #5 - 22nd November

Session Notes by Rona:

Host Bill, Guardian Iain, with Betty , Anneruth, Rona and joined by John (an AL guest) for part of time..

Bill read out bits of chapter 2: Ownership and the Gifts of the Earth.

 In the chapter Louis described an inner experience he had in 1987.

We discussed the similar ideas in other cultures such as native American and Gaelic culture. i.e. Not possible to own a hill or the sky.

The group generally agreed with the idea we are only stewards of the earth  and should be  looking after it for future generations.

Bill described his experience of living with people who had nothing but were the most generous he had come across.

We agreed that material things are not what makes us happy, we were fooled and  conned into massive consumerism time after time

(well some of us ) The need to possess

Bill felt he was the least spiritual in the group and was at odds with the idea that" this surge of love rising up from below,which I experienced as the love of mother earth" (page 9)

We then looked at The Four Actions Louis outlined to move to an economy that was fair sustainable and caring.

We felt that there were some inspirational examples of  how things have been changing that way already.

.Iain is investigating St Germaine Prosperity fund .

other samples included:

Pollock Free State and the Galgael (Govan)

Rudolph Steiner Schools and Camphill (world wide)

The Common Good land. 

We agreed that cultures which had remained closer to the natural world were the ones that seemed  to care and share for each other. 

It was difficult to see  though how this could change the financial sector as it seemed too huge. 

Next time, 6th December:  Chapter 3 -hosted by Iain and Rona hosting Ch#4

Other homework:

Over the next two weeks we would also think about the option to have weekly study circle, partly to make better headway with the book, partly also because the benefit of weekly Circle Council practice was missed. Additional consideration were that if one misses a session in a weekly cycle one can get back quicker, rather than a month's gap.

Implications on childcare need to be thought through and all voices heard.