Corbett

(45 to 60 min)

The Work That Reconnects recognizes the intrinsic organizing power of intention. Even in an uncertain world, we can still choose, by and large, where we put our minds and how we respond to circumstances and events. Justine and Michael Thoms describe “the genius of intention”:

When you are clear about your intention and at peace with yourself, aligned and moving with purpose in your work, then magic happens.  People appear, affinity projects emerge, support from unimagined quarters suddenly manifests.

…[Intention] correlates with a willingness to trust in a generous universe.

In Corbett, our capacity for intention is amplified by hearing from multiple perspectives:

1. the person who holds the intention,
2. the voice of Doubt,
3. the voice of an ancestor
4. the voice of a future human

The practice was created near a small town named Corbett in the Columbia Gorge.  

Method

People sit in groups of four.  They are given some moments of silence for each person to select an important intention they would like to explore further.  Then each of the four takes a turn, first describing this intention, and then having it commented on by the other three people in the group.  Each of the other three then speaks in turn from a different perspective.  Going clockwise around the circle, these perspectives are: the voice of Doubt, the voice of an ancestor, and the voice of a future human.

Explain that each of these voices is meant to serve the person holding the intention. The voice of Doubt is helpful by bringing up misgivings and fears that could derail or weaken the intention if they are not faced squarely.  The ancestral voice brings in the wisdom of the past, and the future human opens vistas of what this intention could mean to coming generations.  Each gets about two minutes to speak, while the intention holder listens silently.  In this fashion, every person in the group gets a chance to speak all four voices.

Allow time of the end of each round for the intention holder to reflect on any insights that have arisen, thanks to the other voices. Foursomes have found it helpful to assign each perspective to a chair and move to new seats before each round.

Variation:

This practice can also be done in groups of three, in which case the fourth voice, that of the future, is spoken by the person who has spoken as Doubt.  The value of this is two-fold: it saves time and it often allows the voice of Doubt to speak more boldly, knowing there will be a chance to take a more encouraging role.