Circle of Life/ Circle of Love!

So today's thought is about a journey I'm undertaking the next couple of weeks. At the get go it will be a trip up to the Gardens in Victoria, B.C. and then a "Labyrinth" gathering/workshop on Bainbridge Island. Two of my favorite things gardens and labyrinths in the same outing. I would love to install other labyrinths as the opportunity arises and truth be known the medium of installation is just about as varied as the people desiring them. I happen to like the pattern (5 or 7 circuit) of the one at Ashland hospital. And the location is just about perfect for contemplation. And I'm a devotee of using pavers (cobble stones) as they have a very modern link as well as a tie to the middle ages use of cobblestones. They have a denseness and strength and at the same time they are all individuals getting together toward a common goal. Kind of like the path I am seeing for the Emergent movement. Honoring the component units but looking toward the big picture. Reading a book right now written by a writer, social activist, social architect,and a social entrepreneur by the name of David Gershon. He has done a lot of work with ecological and sustainability issues primarily with cities and states over the last thirty years or so. I'm sure I'll be referencing this work more in the days to come but for now here is just one of the comments from the introduction: "This book offers an inspiring evolutionary blueprint for transforming our social systems, and provides some of the most effective organizing principles, empowerment processes, and movement strategies that are emerging in our time. For our rising generation of Millennial activists, student organizers, and young social entrepreneurs, Social Change 2.0 will unquestionably play a significant role in bring forth the next great wave of social change." - Joshua Gorman (Generation Waking Up). One of Davids first organizational successes was a global torch run in 1986, an international year of peace. There is an account in the first chapter about this run and its relation to a Native American (Hopi) prophecy. It brings goosebumps to me when I read the story. I will include that story in my next post as it does deserve one of it's own. And that is just in chapter one. Strikes me that this book could be the fleshing out of the philosophies and theologies I've been touching on since the first of the year. Later! RV