Working From the Heart
by Marta Mulholland
I am consistently humbled by the generosity of energy and spirit that people bring to volunteer work.
This was evidenced in full when I received a call in July from Jeanne Jackson (JJ) McMinds, a Whidbey Institute friend and advisor for our Forest Stewardship Plan. She had been on the land a few days earlier and had helped work on a process called Shou Sugi Ban (or Yakisugi), “an ancient Japanese exterior siding technique that preserves wood by charring it with fire. The process involves charring the wood, cooling it, cleaning it, and finishing it with a natural oil.” (shousugiban.com/overview) Read More →
The World Needs Good Leaders: Matt McSweyn on Powers of Leadership
Matt McSweyn and I were both members of the 2014-2015 Powers of Leadership cohort. Together with over a dozen fellow leaders and learners, and with program faculty Christie Lynk and Craig Fleck, we gathered quarterly to develop as adaptive leaders, capable of addressing those questions for which there are no easy answers. This month, I reconnected with Matt (pictured) to understand how the work still resonates with him seven years later. Read on for my reflections on that conversation.
—Marnie Jackson
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Connecting to What Matters: An interview with Greg Flynn and Shannon Patterson
Last week, I was able to talk with program leaders Gregory Flynn and Shannon Patterson about their upcoming program, Renewal: Connecting to What Matters. I had the pleasure of interviewing them together, which allowed me to watch the exchange of ideas between them—I’m sharing highlights of that conversation here. I hope you’ll join Greg and Shannon at the Whidbey Institute, October 1 through 3. —Marnie Jackson
Walking a Path | July 2021 Newsletter
This month’s newsletter features an interview with Nancy Neudecker, opportunities for guided labyrinth walks and forest hikes, community announcements, and more. Click here to read the issue!
Walking a Path: Join us for a Labyrinth Walk with Nancy Neudecker
Guided Group Labyrinth Walks
July 31, August 14, and Sept. 18
10:00-11:30 am
Beginners and long time Labyrinth walkers welcome
“A labyrinth walk is a metaphor for life and unique to each individual. Some people get turned around, and sometimes they come back out and then go back in to find their way, just as we do in life.” —Nancy
Nancy Neudecker, a part-time Maxwelton Valley resident and student of labyrinth facilitation, is offering guided labyrinth walks this summer. Last week, she connected with staff member Marnie Jackson to share more about her love of labyrinths. Read More →
Daring to Love Fiercely
Late in 2019 had an opportunity to connect with program leaders Plácida Gallegos, Akasha Saunders, Steve Schapiro and Carol Wishcamper (pictured above, left to right). Their program, Dare to Connect WE-LAB, provides a space to explore and support participants’ capacity to embrace differences and to connect with one another across those differences with curiosity and love. The program was rescheduled from March 2020 due to COVID. Dare to Connect WE-LAB is coming to the Whidbey Institute in August 2021 and registration is open to all!
During our conversation, I not only got a feeling for the facilitators (a fantastic team) and the program (a wonderful offering) but I also became convinced that there is little the world needs more than work like this. Supporting people across diverse social identities and circumstances in creating brave, vulnerable, and authentic connections can help us begin to heal the rifts of racism, sexism and other oppressive systems in our bodies, hearts, communities, and societies. Read More →