Odd Things That Come Up

My goal was, upon failing to find a publisher, to post my book on this site a little at a time. After going over the first post, I have to admit it is pretty dry reading. Today was supposed to be the second installment, and perhaps I'll post some. Fact is, a wisdom keeper crossed over to the other side today. He was one of the first frogmen to become a SEAL. He was a veteran of Korea and Vietnam. Even near the end he was a warrior who stood for the welfare of veterans. He picked today, the day before the nations birthday, to cross over to the other side. Lee was THE example of someone who stood for something larger than self. I grieve for my loss, assured by his tenacity that he's kickin' someone out of the bottom bunk in the barracks upstairs. I don't know why, but Lee's passing compelled me to take my daughter out to dinner. She's six and plum crazy, so it wasn't a decision based in practicality or the path of least resistance. We also don't have the money to support such a lifestyle. It just seemed...important. I must have told her how much I loved her a half a dozen times. Anyway, I have this book about how to raise whole human beings. I wrote it based on what I have been blessed to be a part of. Perhaps words can't capture the magic. Actually, after today, I know they can't. It's just that, after seeing so many amazing things all over the globe, and now, being at a place in life where the elders I looked up to are cashin' in their chips, it just seems more pressing to get things down, pass them along, increase the chances of some one else having just as much an amazing series of days on this ball of dirt as I have had, and will continue to have...for who knows how long. So, I'll end this with a few paragraphs more of the book, but understand that today, my heart is with an old friend looking at me from one side of the fence, and my daughter looking up at me from the other.

The Initial Premise and Peace Maker Principles
The impetus and foundation behind the Invisible School

The invisible school has many components in place. It is not ours to control, but if we recognize how it is unfolding, much like reading a plant to determine what stage of growth it is in and what it needs to flourish, we can than amp what is attempting to emerge naturally. Neglecting any part of the invisible school, especially the initial premise and the peacemaker principles, it is akin to teaching a twelve year old how to drive without the safety component in the instruction, and then sending them into rush hour traffic in a Porsche. Also, for the facilitators, it helps to build a barrier against the seductive allure of self engradizement, monetary gain, and the manipulation of others for self interest. Due to the inherent and profound personal growth one experiences through these technologies, the temptation and the opportunity to adulterate a students experience with selfish interests is certainly present. The struggle is great enough to keep ones own grief issues separate from the teaching of these skills. Loneliness, belonging, ego strokes, etc. are all aspects of our being that can run amok and taint the effectiveness of what we do. It is for these reasons and more that the Initial Premise and Peacemaker Principles must be in place.

The Eight Directions Model
The Foundation of The Invisible School
Beyond the initial premise (all people are inherently good and have a deep desire to feel appreciated) and the foundation of the Peace Maker Principles (Unity, Peace, and Good Message) we are ready to construct our invisible school. The working metaphor is that the initial premise is the motivating force behind the construction effort, the peace maker principles are the groundwork from which the foundation will be laid, and the rest of the technologies are the actual physical plant of the school itself.

Following this “construction of a school” metaphor, the next step is the foundation. This essential piece, beyond the “initial premise” and the “peace maker principles” is the “eight directions model”. It is used to profile students and designed to accommodate planned as well as spontaneous program. Instinct and human nature are great tools and will serve you well in this model. They are essential tools for the implementation of the rest of this construct, as are the experiences you bring regarding pain and grief. The “condolences” of the Iroquois are an important part as well, woven in to the construct to get folks through “the wall of grief”.
We use the eight directions model as our foundation. We do this because it is amazingly fluid, organic, and can be picked up at any stage and carried forward. There is no true beginning or end to the model as it is cyclical and manifests on grand as well as minute scales, often simultaneously. For our purposes, I’ll explain the model as if it were being used to plan out an event or a day; a year or a life. While this works, it should be noted that when you encounter an event, a gathering, or an individual, most of the time they will be somewhere in this model other than where we usually begin. That's fine; listening/observing/sensing where folks are in “the wheel” of the Eight Directions and than "amping" the natural progression and flow of that energy is one of the major strengths of the Invisible School.

In the next piece, barring any other odd things that might come up, I will explain the directions and how each is used to nurture human beings to their full potential.

Respect and Medicine,
Mike