It takes a field to host a field.

Today the hosting-design team for ALIA West (Chris Corrigan, Barbara Bash, Lyn Hartley) spent the day on-site preparing for the program. They had never worked together as a team before this event, and there were moments of stopping to check assumptions, clarify language, or note cultural differences. But generally there was an ease of working, coming from years of being steeped in the culture and language of "the art of hosting." This has now been integrated into how the Institute convenes gatherings and programs, along with elements from the Shambhala tradition.

Michael Chender stopped by to listen to the themes that were emerging in the design of the plenary sessions, share the thoughts that were forming for his opening "view talk," or framing, and explore connections. There was a lively dialogue about the dynamic balance between community and personal leadership (or warriorship), about meditation as a "pattern language" that could also be applied to other types of personal practice, and about some of the boundaries around hosting Shambhala-ALIA programs (e.g., never presume what people are experiencing, including whether or not they are experiencing "community").

Throughout the day there was a definite sense that this team was "building the field" of relationship, intention, and attention that would then "host the field" of the larger group. This is all jargon, or new language, that assumes a particular view--a particular way of being in relationship to groups and social spaces. It occurred to me that it is that view that forms the common working basis for the Institute and many of the communities of practice it convenes, including the Art of Hosting.

Looking forward to hearing what Michael says about this view tomorrow....