Newsletter CHE #26, May 2017
Research into new organizational form CHE
After several months of radio silence, the CHE is embarking on a new but still unknown path. The CHE was founded in 2005 by Peter Merry and Arjan Kindermans. Peter was the great inspiration in the early days of the CHE. We organized events such as Ready to turn with more than 700 attendees and major projects such as Malaria no more and Meshworking in Copenhagen during the climate summit in 2012. From the start, salons were organized every two weeks and Synnervate was founded in 2008: a BV with the sole shareholder the CHE. Later, Lisette Schuitemaker took over the management, together with a group of other loyalists from the very beginning. Holacracy was introduced as a form of governance and the six-monthly retreats were a moment of rest and a moment of new orientation.
Now, in 2017, many of the active CHE people have spread their wings elsewhere, although the connection has mostly remained. The alignment circle has become very small, but the following parts of the CHE are fully operational: Synnervate (seven persons), the salons and the two constellations Energetics and Politics. We are very happy with that. Nevertheless, something new seems to be needed: a new impetus and new people. In order to gain more insight into the next step for the CHE organization, three people have stepped into the research role: Ard Hordijk, Domi Lambregts and Leida Schuringa. They do this research through experiments. Examples of this are the CHE New Year's meeting in De Broedplaats Gooise Meren, the salon on 23 March, the rite of passage and this Newsletter. The large salons organized by the salon hosts with Herman Wijffels and Pim van Lommel also have an experimental character. We are very curious how the CHE future will unfold.
If you find it important and fun to take on an active role within the CHE, there are all kinds of options. The role of salon coordinator is very urgent. Other roles include salon host, marketing, social media or Lead Link. Are you interested? Then send us a e-mail.
rite of passage
On Wednesday 22 March have Arielle Brewer, Els Poeltuyn, Edwin Holwerda en Ard Hordijk as Constellation Energetics performed a farewell ritual of the CHE as it has been until now.
They have honored what has been until now by building a symbol for the old, with branches, hay and rope. The symbol eventually took the shape of a teepee. Then they read aloud all the tributes received and put the papers where they stood up to the branches. Then they ritually burned the symbol.
They then turned to the setting spring sun as a symbol for the new and read out the incoming wishes for the new CHE. The sun has taken the wishes into the night.
They then exchanged which images they received from the new CHE. That gave a shared image of the new CHE that was relieved, but also a bit shy and shy; she doesn't show herself so easily. Furthermore, the image arose that we should not want too much of her, then she withdraws into her shell. She has many qualities within her, which will unfold at its own pace and with its own form.
Spiraling up, spiraling down, salon with Herman Wijffels
At the salon of 6 March 2017, Herman Wijffels gave an inspiring lecture about the next steps and possibilities in social development in the Netherlands and in the world, viewed through the lens of Spiral Dynamics. Herman: “We are dealing with complex issues and in order to find a solution, we have to approach those issues from the next level (Yellow) and unity consciousness”. This lecture was recorded on video and you can watch it via the Synnervated website and / or Synnervate Youtube site. There are three parts: Part 1. The Netherlands in transition. Part 2. Include all people and values. Part 3. Reinventing our way of life.
Political salon
Following the salon with Herman Wijffels and the election results, a salon was organized on 20 March to observe democratic developments, by Cle Burger en Peter van der Vliet of Political Constellation. To observe means to look at what is happening without judgment and opinion. This evening we practiced taking this attitude towards social and political events. Just observe. Without being attached. And not immediately shoot into solution mode, react, have an opinion, enter into a fight, want to be right, etc. What do you see then? New meaning is created from the exchange of perspectives.
Unity consciousness, salon with Jeffery Olsen and Pim van Lommel Lisette Schuitemaker en Anne-Marie Voorhoeve organized a salon on Monday 10 April with Jeffery C. Olsen and Pim van Lommel. Under the full moon in the Pyramid on Venwoude we shared with about 70 people the connectedness of the consciousness that we are before, during and after incarnation. After an accident that killed his wife and baby son, Jeffery would not have made it through rehab without the help of his late wife. He told from his own experience how he fought back in life to be there for his other son, while he preferred to stay in the Light. He now lives in constant connection with the All and feels great love for all people. “In me the awareness is activated of a stream of light that existed before my body was formed, is now alive in me and will continue to exist when my physical body ceases to exist.”
People with a near death experience often have a spiritual trauma because they can't talk about it. The experience always remains very fresh as if it just happened. His story touched us all deeply.
As a cardiologist, Pim van Lommel conducted the largest study in the world on people with what he calls a 'near-death experience'. Much research is done through interviews, often years after such an experience. The uniqueness of Pim's position was that he could immediately include patients who entered the intensive care unit in his research population. 18% of patients reported an NDE experience. For these people, it was a positive experience that turned out to have allayed their fear of death. Their life was significantly different from those who had not experienced this NDE. You can step outside of your body in different ways. The way is everyone's own path. There is not one way. It is important not to judge the way of another. Read more in his book “Endless Consciousness”.
Join a Holacracy Taster!
The CHE and Synnervate have been organizing their work for years on the basis of the Holacracy model, a new operating system for Yellow/Teal organizations. Recently Synnervate is also Licensed Holacracy Provider became something we are very proud of! Many of you have heard of Holacracy before. Or read about it. In the most recent Holacracy Newsflash of Synnervate lists, for example, the most important Holacracy sources, experiences and broader perspectives.
Until recently, you had to make do with that in your orientation: links, articles, books, films. Unless you were completely ready to opt for the implementation of Holacracy in your organization, of course. From now on you can enrich your orientation on Holacracy by gaining experience with it yourself. We have decided to organize publicly accessible, Dutch-language Holacracy Taster workshops for the first time. After all, in our experience Holacracy is so radically different that you can read a lot about it… but by far the best way to get acquainted with it is: to experience it yourself!
The next Holacracy Taster workshops are planned on 3May 0 (Utrecht) and July 6 (Driebergen). All three of these workshops are from 15 pm to 20 pm and all three are at a location right next to an NS station. More information and the possibility to register can be found here.
What is your next step in this rapidly changing Netherlands?
Salon in the Impact Hub, Amsterdam
“It was a joy to be together in such openness. It was a very successful afternoon. The ships are coming loose from the sandbanks”. Agnes, participant.
There is a lot going on in the Netherlands and in the rest of the world. There is a growing urgency to actively shape the living environment that each of us would like to see. What ideas do CHE people have with regard to social innovation based on unity consciousness, which can be realized more easily and with more pleasure with like-minded people? The purpose of the salon on March 23 was to support each other in this. Ideas from participants were discussed through the open space method: the participants themselves form the agenda and determine which ideas they want to develop.
The following topics were brought in and discussed:
– Learning workplace for young people with autism
– Nature-inclusive agriculture: from field to forest, from city to land, people are nature and related to the ground
– Consultation model in the neighbourhood
– Increasing the awareness of young people through scent projects (vegetable garden with scented plants and flowers; collecting scent stories)
– Setting up an intentional community
– Loneliness among the elderly in Amsterdam
– Towards a different, complementary economy
– The role of the elderly in the community
– The World Peace Flame
– The purple nature circle
– Next Level Democracy
The participants found it an inspiring salon. Many ideas have become more concrete and the next steps have been identified. One of the participants: “It was a meaningful afternoon. Felt a little sad about saying goodbye to the old CHE, but we're going to start over. It's about becoming the best version of yourself!”
Two follow-up activities
Research into the possibilities for an integrated residential and development autism center Dos Hombros for severely autistic young people, surrounded by a sustainable and innovative living/activity group in the countryside. Are there CHE employees who want to think along about how to realize this initiative and/or want to be involved at some distance? Sharing your knowledge and experience as a ''swarm'' around the initiative would be nice! Mail: qwmonique@hetnet.nl
Mees Lind van Wijngaarden is going to organize a salon in collaboration with Ard about collaboration and jointly launching inspiring initiatives.
You can approach one of the three of us with any questions, for support or if you want to become active within the CHE. Mail to ard@synnervate.nl, info@holons.nl and / or Leida@synnervate.nl
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