In this issue:

1. Core Purpose of From the Four Directions
2. News
3. Leadership Story - LifeWorks
4. For Reflection - Jewels by Thich Nhat Hanh
5. An Invitation to You
   
   View this letter online at www.fromthefourdirections.org/tpl/history.html.

From the Four Directions is a global leadership initiative of the Berkana Institute.

• We dream of a world where every organization, whether in business, government, or public benefit, knows how to bring out the best in us humans: our creativity, our caring, our desire for peace and health.
• We believe that changes must come from citizens and leaders working in their own communities across the planet.
• We support the work of life-affirming leaders (a leader is anyone who wants to help) in finding their clarity and courage to lead on behalf of the issues that most concern them.
• We work around the globe to organize local conversation circles on life-affirming leadership. Citizens and leaders name their hopes and challenges, learn from colleagues, and act courageously to move their hopes into reality.
• We network local conversations into a global presence of "people everywhere leading the way" to a future of possibility and promise for all.

• Website revisions continue (http://www.fromthefourdirections.org/) -- It is more current. We have direct email access to those hosting circles. We continue to add structure to share stories and learnings. For example, we are now adding multiple reports and stories for individual circles (see

  reports.html#unitedstates and popup.seattle.history.html).

  We are also adding several links to other resources and people that are doing life-affirming work (see

  resources.html).

• Volunteers stepping forward. We are proud to welcome four people in particular that are contributing to Berkana and From the Four Directions. Each are helping significantly and contributing significant on-going time to support life-affirming leaders in our network.

  Fode Beaudet -- From Montreal, Canada. Fode comes to us through the Pioneers of Change network. He has filled various national and international leadership roles with AIESEC, the largest student organization in the world. Fode will help in particular with some of our fundraising needs.
  

  Deborah Frieze -- From Boston, Massachusetts. Deborah brings tremendous design and strategy experience from her work with individuals and groups. She is a former magazine editor and Internet entrepreneur. Deborah is currently working on peace and reconciliation initiatives in Northern Ireland and Israel. Deborah will help in particular with some of our stategy needs.

  Barb Hoge -- From Provo, Utah. Barb recently retired as Associate Dean at Utah Valley State College's School of Business. She brings amazing experience and a great heart. Barb will help initially with some of our communication needs.
  

  Heather Tischbein -- From Vancouver, Washington. Heather brings a wealth of learning from her experience in several non-profits focused on sustainable agriculture, public policy, ecological education, and sustainable forestry. Heather will help us in particular with some of our development needs.

  We have many additional needs. Would you like to volunteer?
  
  Email us at info@fromthefourdirections.org, or call us in the United States at 801 377 2996.

When Una's sister, Zoe, returned from the first From the Four Directions practicum at Hazelwood in the UK, she shared her experience and her excitement about meeting so many inspiring leaders with Una. While Una says that she didn't really "get it," she responded to Zoe's gentle urging and soon took part in a circle event in Somerset. The experience "opened up a whole new world" to her, one that was markedly different from the teacher/student, leader/follower groups she had been a part of in the past. For the first time, she was part of a group of people who met as peers, practicing and rotating shared leadership. The notion of inclusion and openness, and the idea that a leader is anyone who wants to help in these times, was a source of inspiration and hope.

For both Zoe and Una, From the Four Directions literally opened up a whole new world of possibility for work that better uses their skills and talents, and in ways that matter in the world. In January 2002, they jointly started an organization called LifeWorks, a not-for-profit committed to creating spaces in which people can connect with others and with their environment in ways that are life-affirming and life-supporting. LifeWorks has since started a number of projects, including Playworks, a weekly gathering in which play is the means for connecting participants with the creative nature of life, and Fostering Courage, a peer-led learning community that uses Open Space to create an environment for finding and giving support to the unfolding of members' lives (next meeting in Wales, UK November 14-17th). LifeWorks' intention is to open doors for connectedness and creativity, and to help people find and follow their life paths. In all of these endeavors, Una's background in drama and movement and dance come into play.

For Una, the recent past has been a "massive shift." As she puts it, "The skills and sensitivity that I've been quietly developing over the years, the alchemy that I was doing in a private way, has now become available to me to be used on behalf of life-affirming leadership. I now have the confidence, affirmation and skills I need to do the work I'm called to do. My sense of myself, Una of Brighton, has shifted to seeing that I am a part of so many others all over the world who are doing the same work, each in our own unique ways. By sharing ideas, stories, and even our love, we can create so much more than any of us could on our own."

It is no wonder that a friend recently noticed Una's "blossoming," and that Una's partner, Brian, says that she is "meeting her real self," and finding that she is "loved a lot by a lot more people."

Jewels
Thich Nhat Hanh
(Thanks to Margaret Wheatley, co-founder of From the Four Directions for sharing this.)

There are jewels everywhere in the cosmos --
I want to offer you a handful of them this morning.
The diamonds I offer will shine through days and nights.

Each minute of our life is an individual jewel,
Containing sky, earth, river and clouds;
You need only breathe gently and mindfully
and all the miracles will be displayed.

The birds sing. The pines chant. The flowers bloom.
There is the blue sky and there are white clouds.
The eyes of the people you love shine
And your smile reflects full awareness.
You who are the wealthiest person on Earth,
But have been going around to beg in distant lands for happiness,
Do stop being a destitute person;
Come back and receive your heritage.

Let us offer each other happiness
and establish ourselves in the present moment.
We should let go of our sorrow
And embrace life in our two arms.

The From the Four Directions Network now includes more than 1,600 people (yes, we are growing) in more than 30 countries. We would love to have you join us in this work. There are many ways to be involved:

• start a From the Four Directions circle
• participate in a circle
• make a donation
• contribute resources
• weave circles together (plan events)
• explore more learning together
• join our listserve (for those who had this newsletter forwarded to them or who found it on our website)

The From the Four Directions Newsletter is published monthly. We welcome your comments, suggestions, and stories. Please visit http://www.fromthefourdirections.org/, email info@fromthefourdirections.org, or call us in the United States at 801 377 2996.