We are Stronger and More Resilient Together

Dear WTR Community of Facilitators, Practitioners and Friends,

We hope you are safe and healthy wherever you are physically distancing yourself during this COVID-19 pandemic while building social connections. Stay connected virtually! We are stronger and more resilient together. 

The Work That Reconnects was created for these times. As facilitators and friends of the Work we have the opportunity to use the Work to serve our communities in these hard times. We have the blessing of the internet and platforms such as Skype and Zoom that enable us to offer the work without physical contact. Many are already offering online webinars and facilitator development programs. Please check events on workthatreconnects.org. 

We encourage you to gather your community and friends together and offer online Work That Reconnects sessions. This is an opportunity to build resilient networks of support in your region. If you are a seasoned facilitator or new to facilitation, this is the time to share the Work. All the practices from Coming Back to Life are on workthatreconnects.org under Resources. Going around the Spiral of the Work allows people to rest in gratitude for mother earth, to honor their pain for the world and themselves as we go through this pandemic, to see with new and ancient eyes that what we are experiencing is part of the Great Unraveling and the Great Turning to a life sustaining society, and to Go Forth with a new vision for the future and a sense of community support.

There are many free online platforms for hosting group meetings. Here is a link to a comparison of some different platforms. 

There is an immense amount of information on the internet about the COVID-19 virus and how we can best respond at this time. Please read up on why it is so important to self-isolate to reduce the spread of the virus. Here is one article in the Atlantic entitled Cancel Everything.

This is the Great Unraveling. It is also Positive Disintegration and the Great Turning.  

As Business as Usual is collapsing those who belong to historically oppressed groups are most vulnerable: from the elderly to those with weak or compromised immune systems to those who are now additionally impacted by the curfews, bans and shortages: the poor, the homeless, the disabled, BIPOC including indigenous peoples and migrants. Many will lose jobs and homes and others will become sick and die.  

The disintegration of the capitalist consumption culture is slowing the destruction of our eco-systems and creating time for connection. Entire cities are again able to see the blue sky, listen to the birds and breathe clean and fresh air. People are taking time to check in with their loved ones, read a book and reconnect with themselves.

We see the Great Turning towards a life sustaining society too. People around the world are self-organizing in community support groups. This is a powerful opportunity to slow the destruction and build new/ancient structures for a sustainable future. Nothing else has gotten our attention in this way previously (not climate change, not species extinction, not widespread social injustices). Now hopefully all will realize that we are truly interconnected and that only through connection and cooperation can we care for ourselves, the planet, and our communities.

As Work That Reconnects Network of facilitators and friends, we can help people cope with the pain of the Great Unraveling while facilitating a shift in consciousness and co-creating new/ancient structures to support the Great Turning.  

Here are some suggestions for you to stay safe and support your work and your community:

• Remember gratitude for this moment, for the earth, the air, the water, the sun, our friends and family, the plants and animals with whom we share this gorgeous planet.  
• Stay informed but check only trustworthy sources and limit it to once or twice a day. 
• Practice self-care; nature connection, movement, spiritual practices, journalling, meditation, art-making. Reach out to give and receive community support. 
• Avoid putting yourself or others in situations where you can spread the infection. Cancel or postpone in-person events. Self-isolate. There is still no known prevention other than avoiding contact with those who may be infectious. There is no cure, other than what a healthy and strong immune system could provide. 
• Shift to online tools for communication and delivery of workshops. We will be offering a webinar on how to use online tools soon. Stay tuned!

Yours in the Great Turning, 

The Work That Reconnect Network Team