Session 4: The Principles and Practices of the Courage & Renewal Approach

February 11, 2023 // 9am-11am ET

Join the session here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81788771047?pwd=ZE41TnZwTVRVUFhrUDZqYUpzcFhuUT09

Meeting ID: 817 8877 1047

Passcode: 452564

“Our minds do not like paradoxes. We want things to be clear, so we can maintain our illusions of safety. Certainty breeds tremendous smugness. We each possess a deeper level of being, however, which loves paradox. It knows that summer is already growing like a seed in the depth of winter. It knows that the moment we are born, we begin to die. It knows that all of life shimmers, in shades of becoming — that shadow and light are always together, the visible mingled with the invisible.”

– Gunilla Norris

Session Overview

In session four, we’ll take a deeper look at the principles and practices of our approach. The principles and practices offer us ways of perceiving the world and ways of being with ourselves and others that help us sustain our journey towards an undivided life and transform our relationships, workplaces, and communities. We’ll have time to reflect in smaller groups on the questions below.

In advance of the session we invite you to:

• Select one object in your space that helps/reminds you to see yourself whole; if possible, bring this object to the session to show others.
• If you can, please also bring a couple of sheets of paper and whatever you have in your home for some unprofessional drawing (this could be a pencil, pen, crayons, markers, color pencils) — we’ll be leaning into one of our practices this session by using different modalities to help lead us into our reflections this week. What ends up on your paper will just be for you–you won’t be asked to share these with others.
• Review the Principles and Practices documents.
• Read this one-page Open Honest Questions document.
• Watch Parker Palmer’s reflections on seasonal metaphors. (Please keep in mind that in this video, Parker is speaking about his relationship with seasons based on his geographical context. We share this video only as an example of how this principle comes to life in our approach. We understand that seasonal metaphors will be different based on your geographical location and climate. In our exploration of this principle, we’ll invite you to reflect on the seasonal descriptions that make the most sense to you.)

“An open question is one that expands rather than restricts your arena of exploration, one that does not push or even nudge you toward a particular way of framing the situation.”

– Parker J. Palmer

Questions for Reflection

How does the object you chose help you or remind you to see yourself whole?

How are open, honest questions different from other types of questions? In what ways do open, honest questions help create space for the inner teacher?

In what ways does embracing paradox come naturally to you? In what ways is embracing paradox challenging for you?

Considering the seasonal metaphor for life’s cycles, how would you describe the season of life that you’re experiencing right now?

“Seasons is a wise metaphor for the movement of life, I think. It suggests that life is neither a battlefield nor a game of chance but something infinitely richer, more promising, more real.”

– Parker J. Palmer