ReConnecting

 ReTreat…

 

… is about ReConnect to our Selfs, others and nature.

Nothing new in the Theory U context and still we found it out (again) in our last meeting in at least two ways:

The first is just about our own process. It has been a really really difficult, not to say desperate mission to connect the four of us in person and only a students strike with the resulting unexpected free time for two of us made it possible.

We met in nature, sitting at the ground, sharing food and drinks; a complete other setting compared to our online meetings and meeting room come-togethers. Which helped reconnecting to each other and to our own motivation for the project, keeping in mind the question of “What is possible?”. The possibilities we found are as diverse as ourselves. From the wish of a physical retreat focused on experience, application of theory U to create a space for university lecturers and building a container for healing in educational context to a handout of how to do retreats for teachers; we found some possible outputs which are all combinable. And the best is: we all did agree, that we also want to use and enjoy the process as an occasion for learning and trying new ways of doing things, collaborate and get to know each other better.

So we are on track I guess, because this reconnection were different and we learned and enjoyed a lot!

 

The second insight is about our project and its content itself. We made clear to ourselves that the ReTreat shall be focused on this ReConnecting, with ourselves, with other educators and with nature. Right now we think of a one, two or three days retreat in nature which does not go into “getting work done and share around it” rather than creating space for ReConnection (with each other, self and nature), for reflection on our situation as teachers, professors and university staff and what we want to create in the world.

This in person event we want to be complemented by a document collecting our learnings which will serve as a guideline for “How to create retreats for educators based on theory U”.

Till our next meeting we will conduct some Stakeholder Interviews to sense into the needs and feelings in the field. Let´s see what this will add to our ideas.

And of course, let´s learn and enjoy the process and make it enjoyable for all stakeholders.