Lab for Learning & Experimenting

Elder People with Young Spirit and Eyes of a Child

2010-10-16T12:12:00.000-07:00

I feel lucky. I feel blessed. In my life I have a chance to meet elder people, who are very young in spirit, and whose eyes are beaming with curiosity and childish smile, and whose works are very contemporary.

These people are becoming younger with age. And I feel sad we, younger generations, didn't build a strong connection with such people. And I feel sad, for those elder people are looking for an opportunity to meet the youngsters and have a good conversation.

Today I met an illustrator or cartoonist, in his 60s. I came to his workshop, he was doing illustrations for children for 45 years now. Before jumping into project I came with, he showed me his works, his stories in pictures, and heros of the cartoons. Some of the cartoons are breathing with the Ukrainian traditional fairy tails. I was so grateful I could meet this person. He was so grateful, he said: "It's rare, almost never that young people come to my workshop".

We! were! thankful! to! each! other! for! just! being! the! way! we! are!: young and elder. Together. In conversation. Listening to stories and asking questions. Being present to each other.

Together with my Mother, Bliss Browne, the President of Imagine Chicago, USA, and her daughter Caroline, we are conceiving a conference on motherhood in 2011. To bring the connection between the young and the elders...

What do the elder bring to the world?

What do the younger bring to the world?

Summer time, and the living is...

2010-07-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

Despite all the difficulties to obtain the visa to Vienna, I'm here now, sitting at the wooden table in the Hub Vienna.

The cup of coffee, lots of light, new people, and old friends - Alexis, Hinnerk, Matthias, the co-founders of this social business that became such by signing the seven key principles.

Ahead is the Summer Retreat for four days, organized by the Emersense crew, which was the foundation for the Hub to appear here in Austria.

Look forward to it, actually... It's a good chance to stop, look back, look in the future, re-define yourself, and move on. More soon ))

Why Ukraine?

2010-04-30T11:50:00.001-07:00

Me and a group of people who attend the training program of Max and Ellen Schupbach are extremely happy and blessed to have it here. Ukraine was chosed by Max and Ellen several years ago, and here's why, according to their words:

We love Ukraine.
We are Kyiv-crazy (it's Paris in Eastern Europe).
Ukraine has an important function to bridge between Russia and Europe. It's both, and it understands both.

And here comes the inspirational quote from Max:

"Ukraine is a best-kept secret in Europe, it's the most important country in Eastern Europe and Western Russia. In the lonf-term, looking back from the future to today, the process in Ukraine is fantastic, the Orange Revolution is fantastic, the President is fantastic (forgive me, please, those people, who think otherwise in the meantime). You're in the perfect place and you've got the brains for it. The whole region needs you."

There is a great plan cooking for Ukraine. It's incredible. Watch closely...

First steps in Facilitation - with Max and Ellen Schupbach

2010-04-30T10:51:00.000-07:00

There is an intention to resume my diary of the warrior without weapons, and do it with reflections from the 4-day training program with Max and Ellen Schupbach in Kyiv, Ukraine. I'll post some of the quotes, learnings, insights.

DAY 1: How does the body help you lead?

A body symptom is something, which is strange, "not me", not good or positive. Yet body symptoms are meaningful. To find the meaning out of it we could use our subjective experience. Instead of saying: I wonna get rid of it, use it to find information about/for yourself.

For example: foresightedness tells you - to see the bigger picture, rather than focus on details. It's new and unusual when it starts, and later it becomes part of a person who wears glasses. Part of the identity. Or another example: tiredness might mean to relax, take easy and enjoy things, take one step at a time. It tells you something about another type of being. And you can take a lot from noticing it, naming, feeling and catching it.

What's the process in pairs?

a. describe your project you're currentily in, what are you facing now?
b. scan your body and notice a symptom
c. how do you experience that? show it with the hand movement (then - amplify it with another hand, to feel the unknown or X-energy and become this energy)
d. what are your feelings? what might be a slogan or branding phrase for the feeling?
e. follow this energy and make some steps
f. notice what kind of figure is walking (person, clown, animal)?
g. what is the ghost role in your society that is opposing this figure? what is the relationship?
h. what does it tell you? what kind of support do you need to help the figure manifest in your project?
i. how does the new identity impact the bigger field/your network/circle of friends and colleagues?

It's incredible to have this wisdom from Max and Ellen: "Every time you change a little bit, you change the Ukraine". Even minor change matters. Moreover, why the politics are not the change agents? Their role is defined, and it already point to the past and present. What points to the future is the ghost role. That's why, for example, to quote Max: "Usually future hopes of people are connected with the President, but he/she is the history already, and you are the people who could bring changes".

Some additional questions to think about:
+ what's your growth edge as a facilitator?
+ how does your unknown or X-energy helps you in the facilitation process?

During the group process, ask yourself as a facilitator:
- What do I think is happening here?
- Who should I have to be the opposite to it?
- Notice the signals, and changes in the atmosphere (not for the good or bad, but just notice)

Usually, groups are organized in the simple structure, compared to the individual (1-on-1 process), who has a very complex system to grapple with.

Some additional questions to think about:
+ who irritated you the most in this group process?
+ how could you use it in the positive way?

Insight: to use the body symptom or something which is "bad" or disturbs you, and find the most valuable information for you, take the most out of it, and direct to learn from it and apply in your leadership. Oftentimes after that the symptom disappears, as well as irritations and frustrations. What a wonderful gift for today!

The Day with the Heart

2010-01-29T12:44:00.000-08:00

Today was the day I'm celebrating now. Simple, yet profound; full of new people and knowledge, yet very light and natural/free. I feel myself empowered by this day. That simple. So, what was today on Friday?

I slept one more hour, taking the day off at work.
I woke up anticipating the day and smiling.
I drank a glass of water from the well.
I played the Ney and prayed.
I sent the invitation to the Hub Open Club meeting on Feb 4, 2010.
I went to the Conflict Resolution Deep Democracy module (1st day) with Stanford Siver.
There we went through the current conflict at work with a wonderful coach - Dima.
There was a lot of learning points of me. And I took away some quotes from Carlos Castaneda (below).
Then I ran to the Start-up Crash Test to get a sense of what's cooking in this area and meet good friends and new people.
I bought the brie cheese, and the Ukrainian bread.
Back at home, I'm sitting at the laptop with a cup of wonderful hot lime flower tea, enjoying these quotes of Castaneda:

A warrior chooses a path with heart, any path with heart, and follows it; and then he rejoices and laughs. He knows because he sees that his life will be over altogether too soon.
Anything is one of a million paths. Therefore, a warrior must always keep in mind that a path is only a path; if he feels that he should not follow it, he must not stay with it under any conditions. His decision to keep on that path or to leave it must be free of fear or ambition. He must look at every path closely and deliberately. There is a question that a warrior has to ask, mandatorily: ‘Does this path have a heart?’
A warrior must cultivate the feeling that he has everything needed for the extravagant journey that is his life. What counts for a warrior is being alive. Life in itself is sufficient, self-explanatory and complete. Therefore, one may say without being presumptuous that the experience of experiences is being alive.
If a warrior is to succeed at anything, the success must come gently, with a great deal of effort but with no stress or obsession.
Only as a warrior can one withstand the path of knowledge. A warrior cannot complain or regret anything. His life is an endless challenge, and challenges cannot possibly be good or bad. Challenges are simply challenges. The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that a warrior takes everything as a challenge, while an ordinary man takes everything as a blessing or a curse.
The most effective way to live is as a warrior. A warrior may worry and think before making any decision, but once he makes it, he goes his way, free from worries or thoughts; there will be a million other decisions still awaiting him. That’s the warrior’s way.
The self-confidence of the warrior is not the self-confidence of the average man. The average man seeks certainty in the eyes of the onlooker and calls that self-confidence. The warrior seeks impeccability in his own eyes and calls that humbleness.

The purity of my language

2010-01-22T02:50:00.001-08:00

Beyond all the activities I’ve decided to go to the course on dramaturgy. Yesterday was the first class. There are several answers to “why?”:

to learn on how to create and tell your story
to learn to write in the way that keeps me evolving
to have a stimulus to read more, pay attention to the feelings and outer world, and write/express it better

Lately I’ve started to worry about the purity and quality of my language. I’ve noticed that once I mechanically repeat some set phrases, I roll back, and don’t have an opportunity to move forward. It started to mean a lot to me on what words I use, how I speak. This all affects the inner world. Let alone the external world. Pushkin, the Russian poet once wrote that we never know how our word echoes in the world.

We in Ukraine, with almost 70% of population who speak Russian, have only one national language. This is good for the Ukraine, yet I would dream to have at least 2 national languages. For I realize that I became poorer in terms of language, making mistakes and mingling two languages (plus, adding some English words from time to time). As a result I have no real purity in the way I speak. And somehow it affects my personality. So, I’ve started to mind it, somehow seeing it as an opportunity – to grow as a person, be present and alive.

Are you missing life, lady Y?

2010-01-10T14:39:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I put a list of practices for the coming months... and now I realize - I shouldn't miss life by doing it all...

I'm lost a bit, doing a lot of things at the same time, and nothing really deep and specific. But I'm trying to sit with it and enjoy this period anyway - to find the way, finally. Go for what I could't stop going for...

Besides practices I need to set my heart and ears and actions open - to go with the flow of life, and don't write the Divine Plan myself with enourmous efforts, but try to catch the wind and live this Plan of Divine nature...

Staying awake, being connected, going for real - in 2010

2010-01-09T03:49:00.000-08:00

What does keep you awake? What is real for you? How do you love actually and live really? What is your source of energy? How do you stay connected to the source, your purpose, your Self, dear people, learning networks of friends, nature and the world? How do you nurture this intricate web of connections?

These are the questions I'm asking myself in the beginning of 2010.

Today in the video with Peter Senge and Russ Ackoff on Systems Thinking Senge mentioned that it's important to have practices in order to learn anything. The same was in Konya during the Rumi's Festival: one can't be Sufi without practicing Zikr (prayer). The same is with the IllustrationFriday that would make a topic for the week and invite designers from all over the world to dive into the weekly challenge - to make a pick for the week.

So, what are the practices that help me be real and stay awake?

Living and being together with the street photographers in Lviv for several days - allows you to feel what does it mean to be awake, connected, fully present. Especially in the way they interact with people, whoever they are (homeless, old people, children, dogs or cats); finding the places that are not touristic, but very warm and with the human touch; avoiding glamour staff, going for real life, real scenes, real stories, real moments. Sushka from St. Petersburg, and Danya from Kyiv.
Embracng every interaction as an opportunity to set connection.
Asking powerful questions - everyday, in the dialogue with the self, and others. Lead conversations that matter - every time.
Playing Ney, the Persian flute, who is crying of being separated, longing for going back to the roots, for re-connection (from the poem of Mevlana Jalaladin Rumi).
Jumping into new experiences, going for real relationship, not being content with having knowledge or someone's story about them.
Learning one poem that speaks to my heart - once a week.
Playing piano music often (min: twice per week) that helps me open up my senses. Go for playing in the public - to feel the energy of the bigger audience and practice how to dance with it.
Making one 2-3 min video-scetch per week - around themes that matter (from the street and not only).
Reading one book ~ bi-weekly.
Writing one post per week, and personal journal every day.
Creating monthly insights for social entrepreneurs - within Hub Kyiv (certain topics).
Organizing Hub Open Club session with real stories and experiences - every two months.
Inviting friends for creating gatherings - once per month or so.
Learning facilitation tools - one per week.
Practicing facilitation - once per month.
Skyping with friends from the global network - once per week.
Travelling - once per 2-3 months.
Growing spiritually...
Having time for the self (every morning and evening - prayer and dialogue), for the family and bigger family (with Godchildren, and with my own family to be created yet).
Going for outings that would stretch me and help me find my edges.
...

What are your practices? Look forward to learning from you, my dear reader.

What's cooking? The Hub Kyiv

2009-06-04T13:01:00.001-07:00

Hey-hey! This is a note to say that the first steps for building the Hub Kyiv with a team of friends are being made: there will be the Start-up Picnic on June 19-21, 2009 in Kyiv.

More information can be found on our webpage, and more news at the Hub Kyiv blog.

We expect Bliss from ImagineChicago, Stine from the Bigger Picture, and Eleanora from the Hub Kings Cross, as well as people from Russia, Belarus, and other cities of Ukraine.

My Adventure in KaosPilot

2009-04-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

All the diverse roads and people who I met on my journey led me to the Admission Workshop of the KaosPilot (KP) crazy and creative business school on March 30-April 1. This trip wanted to happen, it was blessed, even though it was quite an investment from my side. I can say now that it was million time worth jumping into it, although many people asked me twice every time I said I came directly from Ukraine only for these three days. Yes, I'm not normal in that sense, but I can recognize myself here.

New people, new personal experience of what KaosPilot really is, puzzles on a personal and team levels, supportive and compassionate attitude of the KP crew and facilitators (even though with stone faces throughout all three days, except the final intimate circle of feedback and reflections with Champaign and cheers), struggles of how to really show myself and the team in the best way (i.e. full potential!) within a short period of time, while being myself, who is not really going for showing off in life whatsoever.

It was one of the rules to keep it all confidential of what happened at the workshop, and I'll not go into details, but I would love to share some key insights, let alone strength and more passion about practicing facilitation skills for the Hub Kyiv:

In order to be a leader I have to learn to lead myself
Be proud of myself (even though it sounds strange, maybe - it'd be better to say be proud of my ancestors and of my future children and grandchildren ;)
Go and practice: "yes... and" type of a reply in any circumstances
Learn, learn, learn the art of putting the whole of yourself into a short presentation or comment or even word - so that people get to know your core from the beginning
As it turned out it's easier for me to work in the team of smart people, for otherwise I waste my energy on the arguments about smart solutions and why they are important, rather than contribute to development of smart solutions
Practice facilitation skills, and processes design, put your creativity on the floor to dance with the given to make a beautiful art-piece
Remember: it's an art to empower, and it's so easy to disempower - be conscious about the context in which you allow your words/comments/thoughts to come
Remember: it'd always be disturbing for other people to listen to another point of view from a totally different world, so disturb consciously, yet don't give up doing it
Deliver my point of view and don't be shy of it
Be more persistent to avoid people saying "third world" or "underdeveloped" country - it's not compassionate in the end
Put the shit out of my head, if you want other people to treat you fairly
Loosen up socially - go and meet people sincerely
Start it all with high energy and music! Bring your whole self into the floor, be present now, and make the positive waves
Free up my creativity

As I said the trip was really blessed, not only during the 3 days, but before and after it. Before I had a pleasure to meet with Ole and Natalka in Copenhagen, and then have one day of a trip - to Sweden, and through ferry back to Denmark. After the workshop I accidentally looked up and say Rowan from the KaoPilot Team 12, who lived in the UK and came home with the family for several days. So, I was invited to a great conversation and suppert in their house in Malling suburb. There was a great time... and at 2am I was at the trainstation to head home through Kastrup airport...

The photos will arrive soon.

It's really cooking here...

2009-03-01T08:34:00.000-08:00

This is amazing to find out that something reeeeeally special is cooking here in Ukraine... Once you start it you suddenly realize that this is the right time for other like-minded people to kick-off with their ideas, and it's not a matter of one day, they also waited for this time, prepared for it, made the own journey of days, months, and maybe years...

Creative Cities: this is an international project designed by the British Council in order to help raise awareness about the changes that creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation can bring about in cities. It’s about improving people’s lives. The project covers a wide range of issues including: public spaces, arts and social activities, and policy-making.

BigIDEA: the social project of the creative team garage gang (gg}}gg) to create the new generation of civil society. The aim of this project is to strengthen communication among active citizens (young professionals and opinion leaders), inspire their creativity and start the process of social innovation - to bring ideas of social harmony. These will be the ideas of the new world. Watch up the video here.

I'm sure more is cooking... And together with the hub.in.ua team we are starting to map it all out - bringing the bright stories and ideas on the map of Ukraine, so that they are visible and inspirational for us and for others!

... and besides all it turned out that 2009 - is the European Year of Creativity and Innovation: In 2009 imagine, create and innovate! The year aims to raise awareness of importance ofcreativity and innovation for personal, social and economic development; to disseminate good practice, stimulate education and research, and promote policy debate and development.

So, together with the team, we are on the right track... just need smart and creative solutions to add some salt into the pot, and maybe spices... so that all the ideas are linked for synergy.

Skype-call on how young students in Lviv will investigate alternative paths...

2008-11-19T13:45:00.000-08:00

With such a direct question like this >> What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? (source: the-hub.net) >> on Dec 11 together with 2 enthusiasts in Ukraine we want to kick-off a 3-hour bright event/gathering/fest for around 100 young students/spirits in Lviv city in Ukraine (this is the most coziest city, with so many cafes around and the new popping up all the time, so that people literally live in the World Cafe spirit)...

The topic - is around alternatives paths to choose in life - to show young people the alternative way of building careers, following their hearts... There will be young people from AIESEC youth leadership org. as well as other people - from villages, and other paths of life ;) We don't want to make any judgement, comparison, evaluation, just make it clear - that there are that many alternatives in the world!!! And bring the Pioneers of Change values... * be yourself * do what matters * start now * engage with others * never stop asking questions.

We want to break the "talk-show"... and I'm to moderate it, and I just wonder - what might be the "talk-show" in the Art of Hosting format/way of doing it? Talk-show is the known format in Ukraine, yet I definitely want to make it a different one... and maybe call it "multi-dialogue" or I don't know yet...

If you have any thoughts, ideas, suggestions, tips or mere interest on how to turn the usual 'talk-show' into Art of Hosting ;) any-any-anything, let's meet at the skype >>

Date: November 29, 2008
Time: TBD
Please e-mail to find the best time: yoolka@gmail.com
I'm looking forward so much...

Yohoo! New mailing list for the PoC network in Ukraine

2008-10-24T13:32:00.000-07:00

Here we go... yeah... the new mailing list for the Pioneers of Change in Ukraine has been created >> ukraine-join@lists.pioneersofchange.net

The invitation for the current and future mates to join will follow shortly.

And exactly at the right time. Tomorrow at 7am I'm off to head for the Chernihiv lyceum for talented young people to break conversations about future, and about Pioneers of Change in Ukraine... Cool!

In anticipation...

Practicing fearlessness...

2008-10-23T01:17:00.000-07:00

Tom Peters once wrote about "1 minute excellence"... That is when a person starts to be the way one wants to just in 1 minute... ?! This is how much time one needs to literally make a decision about it. Indeed, it took me no more than 1 minute to decide I want to be fearlessness. This minute wanted to happen long ago, but actually came clear and fast after reading one of the articles at the Margaret J. Wheatley's webpage. And now within a month I see it works by getting feedback from my friends and colleagues that I've changed, become more wild (read 'myself' or 'warrior' ;) in a way. I stand for my values, and claim them, challenging the faked things and intentions, ready to be hurt and cut what's not mine, valuing diversity, appreciating realness, strengthening faith, love and compassion at the same time.

And this is soooo important to nurture fearlessness... and keep the ground, yet trying to be hooked up to the sky (this is from Toke Moeller's aikido lesson). So, the message with the quote from Richard Moreham, the author of the human innovation blog, arrived to my mail-box ontime:

“It is a vision John Stuart Mill, one of the founders of classical economics, would have approved of. In his Principles of Political Economy, published in 1848, he predicted that once the work of economic growth was done, a ‘stationary’ economy would emerge in which we could focus on human improvement: ‘There would be as much scope as ever for all kinds of mental culture, and moral and social progress... for improving the art of living and much more likelihood of it being improved, when minds cease to be engrossed by the art of getting on.’”

New Scientist magazine, 16 October 2008: Special report: How our economy is killing the Earth

This gives a sense of being 'on the right track', being in harmony with the own values... This gives more courage to practice fearlessness, while moving forward and making things happen.

Going to the edge... beyond the map

2008-09-29T13:10:00.000-07:00

I'm only at the beginning of the warrior's path... The game may be over, but the warrior's path is real and alive, beyond the paper map or blog... ;)

In the last several days a lot of personal conversations-that-matter happened, including the one with the self. During the journey to another city, some steps have become more clear. More plans appeared: to organize Pioneers of Change meetings in Chernihiv, Lviv, and potentially Odessa. And Kyiv, of course. Let's see... some technical stuff should go first to make it visible, but it's minor, indeed.

What else... I've decided to change some patterns on daily life, practicing the pioneering habit of going to the edge... So, these are my small commitments:

Start my day peacefully
Bring celebration along the way
Do NOT do what does not matter, resist or cut it/be strange in others' eyes
Appreciate life, going away from focusing on what's wrong, what's not working, what's the problem. Start with my family first
Don't hide, don't fear
Be grounded, and at the same time remain high with dreams and goals
Be mindful and don't allow to react, but rather help options to appear
Learn to converge, and bring things together
Expect surprises
Get myself ready, tend the garden
Allow some things to let go/die to be born again

5 min before the trip...

2008-09-25T10:59:00.000-07:00

I'm about to leave for the trip to Lviv, another beautiful old city of Ukraine... to practice art of hosting in the Lviv Business School community... Yes, one more day-off at work, following the heart and acting in the way I want to... Some people who know me for a long time would be surprised ;) good.

It's interesting, in the last couple of days I was approached by 2 people asking the same deep question: what's the calling in life? So, this is going to be the question for the first Pioneers of Change network meeting in Kyiv in October, when back from trips... Probably, at my flat that I moved into a month ago... This is all very inspiring...

More actions... and more reflections... and more questions... for which I'm grateful - to all who are part of my journey... And to the Warriors Without Weapons to help me face it ;)

I looouuuuve action...

2008-09-19T07:34:00.000-07:00

John Lennon was right: Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans...

In the last posts I wrote some things that I planned to act upon... And the key words here are "act upon", once you do this simple behavior, things come to you to be accomplished ;)

Today I told 25 colleagues from the Kraft Foods Ukraina corporate (including the HR Director and my manager) my story about the trip to Axladitsa-Avatakia, Pioneers of Change Multigenerational Global Journey... I talked about Open Space, World Cafe, Circle, my experience, pioneers around the world. And I already got some feedback from people who would like to join next year...

So, holding the bigger vision, I keep on dancing/acting... And I believe in the open space principles - whatever comes is the only right thing to come... whoever is there, is the right people to be there... I'm enjoying it... And I hope to share with more steps.

And yes, I committed to be a steward of the PoC here in Kyiv, Ukraine...

So far, so goood ;)

Time to act now!

2008-09-17T05:35:00.000-07:00

Beauty is not what it is, but what it does... so... how could I personally make a space for people’s hearts to sing?

Who could help me?
Cool team
Self-selected initiators
Support from the PoC mates
Support from Axladitsa hosts, and many other elders

What resources do I need?
Love
Courage
Persistency
Time and energy
Belief in what I’m doing, confidence

Skills (hosting, new media tools, etc.)
Investments

How do I gather people? Who are they?
By way of inviting… around core values… And I believe in self-selecting, and will trust that “those people who will come, will be the right people”.

What is your plan?
Start with the self, learn and practice the art of hosting, go for stewardship within Pioneers of Change, develop the Hub idea heavily adapted to Ukraine and Kyiv, build my own family, and by growing touch all the 5 lines of my life… in a beautiful way.

More concrete plan will follow...

Being quite realistic or ‘down to love’

2008-09-17T05:27:00.000-07:00

Exploring the idea to make a real difference in this world, I’ve come up with the following question:

How could I personally make a space for people’s hearts to sing?

This was inspired by the poem brought by Rowan Simonsen from Denmark during the check-in of the Pioneers of Change Multigenerational Gathering in Axladitsa-Avatakia Learning Center in Greece (8-12 September, 2008).

Don’t ask what the world needs
Ask what makes your heart sing.
Because what the world needs
is hearts that sing.

Philip Thatcher

Coming back to question “how” I would try to play it from music:

1. Myself: however egoistic it may sound, it’s responsible to start with the self, learn to host myself, observe, listen, feel, sense, reflect, and act on the true calling, going through the U process cyclically. Most importantly, make love the center of everything and manifest it through all the words and actions that come from within. What else is important for me – to grow and get myself prepared for different periods in my life. Once I’m ready, it will come… and it will be the best I could have, no doubt.

2. My natives, my family: learn by practicing art of hosting to the family (current and future) around questions that matter, and don’t miss opportunities.

3. My circle of friends and mates: become a steward of the Pioneers of Change in Kyiv, keep on inviting mates to discuss questions that matter and can make a difference, having true fun and moving forward.

4. My current work: bring my learnings and experiences to my current projects, talking about ‘hearts singing’ in big corporations. Specifically, organize a story-telling event on September 19 during the lunch time – for those of my colleagues who would like to come, and they will be the right people. Also, bring my story of the PoC gathering to Chernihiv lyceum for the talented pupils, co-host the World Café in Lviv (on HR issues), Odessa (on Education-Boom issues), and in Kyiv (on PR issues), etc.

5. My future life/calling: organize something similar to the hub in Kyiv to create alternatives spaces, and before that – plan some event (potentially, Art of Hosting training) in Kyiv or the Learning Journey or something together with Axladitsa hosts, Maria and Sarah, and Ole, the visual facilitator from Denmark.

It’s interesting, that these lines are all interconnected in some sort of music I don’t yet know and hear. But once I play it, I hope that the hearts around me, and my heart as well, will be singing ;) Let’s see…

But you know what: I just feel that even if I manifest LOVE throughout my whole life, and do nothing more, that would alone make a difference… Of course, I dream big, just want to make sure that I’m always realistic and ‘down to love’ ;) All other things will happen, Gob bless.

Inspiring exercises on the road...

2008-08-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

Now it's 00:52, Kyiv time, and in several hours I'll be in the airport to take off and head for Axladitsya-Avatakia Learning Center in Greece...

Realizing the limits to post the information, but enourmous opportunities to practice my trash-my excess-my consumption excercises on the Land with the group of 30 people, and weave it in the process of co-living and co-learning during several days - this all makes me excited!

And even before I go and do it... I've just finished cleaning my room, and collected 2 big sacks of things (clothes, books) that I want to give to the orphanage children when I'm back... I'm happy that I managed it, even if it's late and I'll have tired eyes tomorrow...

I'll keep track of my consumption level and make everything possible to practice recycling in the coming weeks... and further on (that's going to be a good habit, for this culture does not exist in Ukraine yet). If there is a chance I'll post how it goes, but if no chance to get connected via the Internet, I'll share my experience when back home...

And before I leave, I wonna thank Val for a wonderful inspirational exercises that could be practices on the road as well, and especially together with other people at the Pioneers of Change Multigenerational gathering...

From Purpose to Action...

2008-08-26T09:31:00.000-07:00

MY PURPOSE
Back in 2007 I dreamt to become one of the warriors without weapons… And I believe this is the right time to become one fully – with the mind, heart, and soul. As I wrote in one of the posts below, I have a purpose to learn myself better, stretch the boundaries, step out of the comfort zone, see the reality in a different way, get to know other warriors without weapons who come from different parts of the world and bring their various perspectives on things that matter. I see interaction with these people on the land of the country that I dream to visit one day, contributing to Elos Institute with my readiness to jump in any activity of value (physical, and spiritual), as a way to better learn about myself and others, about relationship with the self, others and the nature, Mother Earth. Also, I want to be of service to the local community, and re-united with people with who I share the common values. These values are from the Pioneers of Change community, which I’m part of: be yourself, do what matters, start now, engage with others, and never stop asking questions. Also I share the creative way of learning, living and doing things together. Dance, music, literature, design, art – this is only part of what I’m deeply passionate about.

MY COMMITMENT
I want to bring my experience back to myself (on a personal level, living what I’ve learnt), my community (on a team or group level, sharing what I’ve learnt), and home country (light up some candles, doing what I’ve learnt through my projects). Also, I would want to be a living evidence of ‘changes for good’ for others to become the warriors without weapons, and maybe together we could make it happen in Ukraine. It takes two to have the army who can do it ;)

MY ACTION
With no doubt, after the warrior without weapon school, I will become stronger, more confident to step out and to step in, following my heart and passion. I would become more brave to pioneer things here in my home country, and to persuade people with what I believe in, or else keep on walking no matter what. I would become more courageous to make things happen. And Brazil, Elos community, and indigenous people would become part of myself, and I’ll broaden my perspective on things and see the world differently. And the new connections will be of huge importance to keep the conversations going, and to see what might be possible (join project, invitation to come to Ukraine for the potential Learning Journey or something else)... And the cultural richness would be of great value as well.

Who am I now?

2008-08-21T14:51:00.000-07:00

A stranger to myself, a channel for the light to go through... it has been given to me, and I'm not sure I always carry it on... the channel for whatever should come through me... That's why I'm a listener... and I'm the walker on the road that is called life. My life does not belong to myself, and I'm responsible for it... That's why I want to learn more, open up senses to be a student who is learning and receives guidance from time to time, and at the same time who is self-organized and ready to step in to something really important, and is fearless to do it... I'm on this way... and I keep on walking... At times of breakdown, I just do it, and I hope there will be the way...

But besides the philosophical moments, I like to play, I like to observe, and I have passion around people and learning. I work in Kraft Foods in the communications area, and if I had a chance to live 7 lives, I would be:

- Piano musician (most likely, improviser)
- Film director (most likely, documentaries, but not only)
- Dancer (social dance, no classic)
- Tale writer and the poet
- Learning student, traveller, and informal teacher
- Host of the art cafe, supporter of people in art

I wonder how I could combine these 7 lives in the one that is given to me? Is it at all possible? I'm trying to find the way, and I hope that I don't live in the illusion, or else if I do - change the mind, stop searching, and follow my passion, no matter what... improvising on the way ;)

What deeply resonates...

2008-08-20T11:19:00.001-07:00

The abstract from the seed paper on Collective Wisdom by Thomas J. Hurley:

"Fearless engagement entails the capacity to work at the edges of our own and the group’s comfort zone. It is a practice of exquisite attention to what must be challenged and provoked, or to where we need to extend ourselves. Archetypally, it expresses the warrior’s spirit. The warrior enters the field of engagement boldly, confident in her abilities. She waits to be tested, to be shaped by wrestling with greater forces and beings. She welcomes whatever comes and whomever she encounters – her own shadow, those who oppose her, the very guardians of the inner realms themselves. She is open and alert, filled with the aliveness and vitality that come from giving herself fully, without conditions. All her senses are awake and every cell in her body tingles – something deep within her stirs. She feels radical joy in saying Yes! to engagement, an elemental excitement in meeting and being met. She knows it is always herself she is meeting, even as she meets the world, and she knows it is always the unknown itself that beckons, even as she steps forward to accept the next challenge, again and again."

And here comes the quote from Helen Keller:

"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all."

I want to be a warrior ;)

Why do I want to take part in the Warriors Without Weapons School?

2008-08-13T12:56:00.000-07:00

I want to stretch myself, go beyond the fears, investigate the boundaries and the edges of the self, and other people.
I want to become stronger as a facilitator, more confident in what I'm trying to do in my home country, Ukraine.
I want to learn more about myself, other people, and relationships.
I want to open my senses, live different reality with the whole heart, mind, and soul.
I want to look at my current reality with different eyes, from aside.
I want to meet great people in all the diversity, but who are living from the same future.
I want to learn more about the wonderful Brazil country with its challenges, about Elos Institute and its team, and put my soul and hands into something that would bring value to the community in this part of the world.
I want to play and have fun, to bring joy and passion, to dance and to sing, doing it together with the warriors without weapons.
I want to bring my experience back to my network and wider circles of interested people in my home country.
I want to try it, how it is to be a warrior without weapons.

My profile

2008-08-13T06:14:00.000-07:00

Yuliya loves conversations
Yuliya is passionate about people and ongoing development
Yuliya is open to learn
Yuliya believes in the power of two: 1+1 = 3 or 1000
Yuliya likes to share jokes and bursts of laughter with friends
Yuliya strives to step out of comfort zone, try new things, and take new roads
Yuliya enjoys life and tries to make it beautiful
Yuliya believes that beauty is not what it is, but what it does
Yuliya believes in God
Yuliya likes salsaing, tangoing in argentine way, playing piano, glass painting, reading/reciting poetry
Yuliya is interested in alternative media and documentaries
Yuliya is part of Pioneers of Change network and deeply shares its values: be yourself, do what matters, start now, engage with others, never stop asking questions
Yuliya is dreaming to visit Zimbabwe, India, Israel, Chili, Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico
Yuliya plans to make a BIG SOMETHING to invite all the friends for the learning journey in Ukraine