Dare to Dream

Peak (life) experiences are a source of powerful narrative material, full of treasures for self-discovery and co-creation. It is moments that show us some of our emerging potential. Catch them!

The Pioneer’s Journey started last week. As mentioned in the post below ‘Stories that make us’, my basic idea is to make a ‚not yet published book‘ an experience. Participants dive in some of their essential stories, reflect further, transform them and enjoy self-discovery and co-creation in it all. ‚Dare to Dream‘ is the first chapter of my book and starts with the story ‘The Ocean’s Whispering’. To introduce the idea of peak experiences, I like to share my colleague’s Elsa Henderson’s definition:

a peak experience is a moment that touches us deeply and holds a state of being, an essential energy with the capacity to connect us with our emerging potential and to enhance our overall state of being.

‘The Ocean’s Whispering’ is inspired by my journal:

Friday, the 12th of March 2020,  Hamburg/Germany, the first Corona Lock Down.

As a single mother with three teenage boys and working on my own, it was an existential collapse of all structures I had built over the years: 90% of my assignments as a self-employed facilitator got cancelled and at the same time, the government officially announced Home Schooling.

I normally feel well grounded and very creative in solution finding, but this (like many of us in one or the other way I suppose) overwhelmed me, and made the earth tremble under my feet. In this altered state, I went to the ocean to clear up my mind. Without telling the whole story here, I want to mention that this trip became a deep experience and helped me to (re-) appreciate the ‚dreamer‘ in me. I understood that the connection to this quality would be the key to safely navigate the Unknown. And indeed, it did instead of wanting, knowing, rushing towards set goals, following plans, I got more in a receiving, sensing mode, working with wanted to emerge. This is just a short summary to give you an idea of unfolding such an experience.

Regarding the pioneers groups, first challenge was to share a peak experience and to get an understanding of the identity shift that happens in such an experience. A beautiful rich story field built up. A reflection about the ‚dreamer‘ end the ‚engineer‘ in us and our society, further showed how stories can be condensed from a personal experience to roles and therefore more collective dynamics. A reflection on propaganda/fake news in current times, prepared the ground for our discussion around the second chapter ‘Own your truth’ and finished in a final writing prompt on ‚what should not be forgotten‘ (Isabel Allende).

After the first round, I gratefully observe now the blossoming of the rich harvest in form of shared stories, poems and feedback on our shared ‘padlet wall’.  I look forward to stepping together into the next chapter ‚Be Flirtatious‘ and ‚Cutting through the Fog‘.

Thank you, dear pioneers, for following my invitation, your wise words, your deep sharing, your playful beginners’ mind, it is a precious gift for me to host and nurture this colorful artwork and full of inspirations for the co-creative completion of my book.

B-onfire! Let your stories work! www.b-onfire.com