Aug 2 & Sept 6, @ 9:00 - 10:30 AM CT US
Come join Alan Briskin as he describes a remarkable gathering of peace ambassadors as they journey together into a site of cultural and intergenerational trauma, seeking to understand the spell of madness and the spark of the divine.
A group of thirteen men and women from nine countries joined together for "an inner journey through Auschwitz.” We did mudra meditation, sat in circle, planted a peace pole, and visited Auschwitz memorial and museum. We met with Ukrainian families staying in transitional housing, had dinners together, ate ice cream, laughed and traveled by train to Warsaw where we visited the Polin Museum of the history of Polish Jews. Toward the end of our time together, one member whispered to me, “love is greater than Auschwitz.”
ADDITIONAL INFO
Framed by my writing ‘Space is Not Empty,’ with Mary Gelinas, I would like to discuss ‘My Inner Journey to Auschwitz’ and discuss how the work on fields framed my preparation for returning to Auschwitz and the group I convened there. When I'm asked where I go for healing I tell people Auschwitz, one of the world's most horrific symbol of what humans can do to one another.
Everything was horrific and it's still not good. But what we can do is that we are trying to still live in this world and still do good. Something I've had to struggle with is as a person who was a survivor, my parents left, you know, year before they, but their relatives were killed.
How did we deal with the horror and how we are still dealing with all those things now and what how can we be in the midst of a world that seems more chaotic; there's a sense of urgency now. What is our inner journey or what is it now for us to be or do?
How can we be, you know, in this midst of this and yet maybe you know since now we don't know there's a question about hope we can't say what can we hope for also. But what can we be in this in this midst? How can we hold our own divine spark?
Alan has also worked for decades with https://fujideclaration.org/ The Fuji Declaration: Igniting the Divine Spark for a Thriving World, The Fuji Declaration is an international alliance of individuals and organizations who are united by a commitment to live and collaborate toward the advancement of a more harmonious and flourishing world. A delegation joined the convening in Poland.
ABOUT ALAN
My interest in archetypal psychology, wisdom traditions, and the unconscious life of groups has led me on a unique journey, personally and professionally. Having studied depth psychology and the history of social institutions such as prisons, mental asylums, and public schools, I turned my attention to the workplace as a consultant, focusing especially on health care and education. On a 1-1 basis I work with leaders to cultivate a stance of attention that uses their own experience and imagination joined with a sophisticated understanding of the system they are operating in. On a group basis, I convene or facilitate work teams bridging reflection and inquiry with effective execution. In all my work, there is an affirmation of the principle of genuine human encounter, a belief mirrored in the words of Martin Buber – that all real living is meeting.
Alan Briskin, Ph.D., co-founder of the Collective Wisdom Initiative is a consultant, artist, and researcher. His co-authored book, The Power of Collective Wisdom, won the 2010 Nautilus Award in the category of Business and Leadership. Another recent book, Daily Miracles: Stories and Practices of Humanity and Excellence in Health Care, written with Jan Boller, was chosen as the 2007 Book of the Year by the American Journal of Nursing in the area of Public Interest and Creative Works. Briskin, honored by Saybrook University as the 1997 Noted Humanist Scholar, is a leading voice in the field of organizational learning and development.
Alan lives in Oakland, CA with his wife and son.