Our Own (Home-grown) Leaders

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I understand, and respect (to some degree), the word (concept) "leader" is a turn-off for many, and many I suspect who are part of Gaia House Interfaith Community. I say this, because I hear it there. I hear it in much of the Green Movement and I hear it in liberal progressive circles, the New Age, the Human Potential Movement, and feminism, and paganism, and I could go on an on how "leader" has become a nasty hierarchical dirty word. All partially true, and no doubt a deserved label but my point is it is only a label on another label--and rather all 'dry' and 'abstract'. However, the emotionality attached to that label is what really seems to count, in my experience. If we are to have a vision forum that lives, and is real, I can't imagine we can go far if we don't explore "leader" and "leaders" and "leadership." Many of you know, perhaps, I am developing a curriculum (Integral Map 21 : Personal and Professional Development Certificate Program) for CSIIE (and Gaia House)-- it's really a leadership program.

That's not what I wanted to talk about. I wanted to talk about 'how do we listen to our leaders'? I mean all 'leaders', however, we perceive and want to judge them. Okay, let's bring it home now. I want us as a community to listen to our own leaders amongst us, and in order to begin to systematically do that I decided several months ago to interview "leaders" among us, so to speak--right at home in Gaia House. The following interviews are available for you to read and listen to in text--and respond to:
"Honest Spiritual Community: Interview with Hugh Muldoon" (May 24, 2010)-- "A Kid at Heart: An Interview with Treesong" (May 25, 2010)-- "Social Activism & Relationship: Interview with Tod Kington" (July 19, 2010). These are accessible on my web blogsite: http://fearlessnessteach.blogspot.com

There's no shortage of information about our precious 'leaders' at Gaia House. Now, we have to decide if we want to talk about them and talk about leadership 'up front and center' and not in the background and not in the sub-terrain 'voices' hidden under the carpet(s). -RMF