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RiverWays' Public Speaking Programs

SpeakingPresence Fundamentals: a one-day Small Group Coaching

Fri, Aug 20

Sat, Sep 11

Fri, Oct 29

Sat, Nov 13

Fri, Dec 17

successfully Speaking: A Two-day Small Group coaching

Fri/Sat, Aug 6-7

Sat/Sun, Sep 25-26

Fri/Sat, Oct 15-16

Sat/sun, Nov 20-21

Fri/Sat, Dec 10-11

Below are links to some of the thoughts, organizations, and processes that I am most drawn to in the moment. I hope they serve to expand your horizons as well.

Climate change and sustainable living:
More and more I've been committed to finding ways to live sustainably, to reduce my carbon footprint. I've discovered that by simply changing my attitude from one of deprivation and sacrifice to one of collaboration with others and with the planet, I've begun to live a simpler, and more joyful life. Rather than it being a hardship, life is now filled with delight, presence, and a continuous journey of discover!

Very soon I plan to begin to talk about this journey as a way to help others realize for themselves the emotional, attitudinal, and social dimensions of climate change and how life can be so much more fulfilling when we follow this path. Please stay tuned as sometime in the next 6 months I'll begin to share this perspective through keynotes, workshops and talks to local and professional organizations.

In the meantime, take a look at this real-time scoreboard developed by the folks at the Sustainability Institute that shows us moment to moment how well as a human community we are doing with changing the direction of the future of our planet.

Two months in a yurt:
Living for two months in a yurt in a very remote location on a peninsula in Greece (Axladitsa-Avatakia), I tapped into a deeper understanding of presence and how to live a life of joy while also having minimal impact on the environment. Using my experiences from this sabbatical, I'm now giving talks on the topic of Sustainable Joy: The art of slowing down and cultivating presence.

Speaking to Non-Native English Speakers:
Your English Success: Recently, I've been having regular conversations with Terry Kaufman, founder of Your English Success. He coaches native English-speaking speakers who regularly present to non-native English-speaking audiences. Interestingly, we are finding many parallels between the principles that he works with and the ones that I emphasize.

In the Fall, 2009 Terry and I will be offering a series of teleclasses on Best Practices for Global Teleconferencing.

Speaking and leading from the collective wisdom and from listening to the land:

• Axladitsa-Avatakia: Two dear friends of mine have purchased 24 acres of land in Greece. Rather than calling themselves owners, they are the "host guardians" on the land. With very conscious, deliberate intent, they are listening to the land and to the people who are drawn to it — both the local people and friends from around the globe — to design an eco learning/retreat/workshop center. Upcoming events...
• Berkana Institute: The Global Village Square, an annual pre-conference gathering at Shambhala introduced me in a very compelling way to the Berkana Institute. Berkana connects and supports pioneering, life-affirming leaders around the world who strengthen their communities by working with the wisdom and wealth already present in its people, traditions and environment. They define a leader as anyone who wants to help, who is willing to step forward to create change in their world. And they know that the leaders we need are already here. Upcoming events...
• Shambhala Institute for Authentic Leadership: I attended the institute for two years in a row and each experience has led to quantum changes in my life and work. Upcoming events...
• Art of Hosting and Convening Conversations that Matter: I was interested in this training because it is a practicum on methodologies that help people enter into deeply meaningful conversations. World Cafe, Open Space Technology, and circle conversations are practiced along with conversations about how the most meaningful conversations follow the Chaordic path.
• Art of Harvesting: I am especially interested in how to capture the wealth of wisdom that emerges from conversations with the collective, so that they don't dissipate after the group disburses. Monica Nissén, of Interchange in Denmark, and others have been engaged in an exploration of harvesting.

Embodied Speaking Presence:

• Lesley University Advanced Professional Certificate in Creativity, Imagination, and Leadership: If you click on this link, you'll see a familiar face and name spotlighted. Somehow, I've become the "cover girl" for this program. I enrolled in this unique program last fall because it felt like the best context in which to explore my interest in embodied presence some discipline. I couldn't have asked for a program more tailored to my needs.
• Arawana Hayashi is a dancer and meditation teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist tradition. She has combined her two interests into a series of movement experiences that bring people to full presence.

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