Category Archives: Uncategorized

I mentioned in my post yesterday, that there really is an art of asking the right questions. This is something that I have been conscious of and developing for many years now. There are times where I feel very attentive, and of course, more often than not at this stage, not aware at the right moments.

In our conversations, we need to be so attentive to what we are saying and what we are inquiring about (especially for those of us called to be in conversation and listen as a way of life and calling). Is this conversation about me? or is this conversation to be about the other? Is this question I am about to ask going to serve to other or is going to serve my own curiosity and desire for more information? Is my place in this conversation being dictated by my own ego or my desire to hold space for the other’s discovery?

All these questions are so important to ask and be aware of. If we are not aware, we may very well not hold the space the other deserves or needs in this moment.

At the same time, we must let go the questioning of our intent. It is very possible that we will find ourselves, asking ourselves the questions rather than asking of the other. It really is when I am able to let go of the personal inquiry and listen to the Spirit and the other that the right questions come out. And this is when the magic happens. This is when the transformation happens.

I encourage and invite you to take a look at the page on Spiritual Companioning and direction that I have put together. It will give a good description of my passion for this stage in the journey.

On Saturday, January 29 and Sunday, January 30, I facilitated a workshop at Mandala Yoga Community called Life Stages, Initiation, and Elders. We took an integrative look at all three topics and how we can live into a more mature and sustainable future as a community. We shared in material by Bill Plotkin, Richard Rohr, Michael Meade and wisdom passed down over centuries of wisdom-based communities. I cannot emphasize enough the importance and depth of what shared together and how it effects the world for our children’s children’s children. This is not a time for half-assing it. Expect story, personal reflection, ritual, and challenging dialog. Join us on the podcast.

http://nbettger.podomatic.com/

Day one (Part one and two) is primarily on Bill Plotkin’s 8 Stages of Soul and Eco-centric development. Day two is very much community brainstorming and reflecting on rites of passage and the encouragement of elder development in our community!

April brings the next Spiritual Integration Experience… the importance of ritual, personal and community.

Folks,
Have you heard about the next experiential workshop I will be leading at Mandala Yoga? Trust me you don’t want to miss this! Impactful on so many levels to all ages and places on our life journeys.
Life Stages, Rites of Passage, and Elders: Changing the world for future generations
The cost is $70 (talk to me or email if you need to negotiate cost) and you can find more info and sign up online HERE.

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow.

Crunchy numbers

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 8,900 times in 2010. That’s about 21 full 747s.

In 2010, there were 27 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 285 posts. There were 67 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 530mb. That’s about 1 pictures per week.

The busiest day of the year was January 6th with 252 views. The most popular post that day was The time between times.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were facebook.com, bend.craigslist.org, mandalayogabend.com, rockthevillage.com, and bendblogs.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for kingdom of god, scottish highlanders, scottish cow, i need a project, and spirit of god.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

The time between times June 2008
6 comments

Why do we need community? March 2008
4 comments

The kingdom of God is like… January 2008

VillageWorks November 2008
1 comment

Reaching Out – From Hostility to Hospitality Part 1 March 2008
2 comments

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how my gifts most resonate… how my calling fits in within the context of the community. It is difficult to consider this while putting aside the modern definitions of what makes me “successful.” Isn’t it amazing how much the concept of money and pay clouds our freedom to admit what it is that truly makes our hearts beat faster?!?

I know… I know that I know that I know… that my purpose is to hold space for men and women to engage and grow into more mature and sustainable relationships with self, others, and God. This is it for me. I thrive on relationships. I connect. I listen. I engage in the fine art of “village alchemy.”

This concept of the village is something that has rocked my world in the last couple months. If you are familiar with Christ’s teachings on the kingdom of God, his early followers, or other people throughout history but definitely within the last ten/twenty years concepts of sustainable community… then you have an idea. Our gifts, our relationships, our sharing, gathering, time choices… everything… gets lived out in the framework of the village.

I will be writing much more about the concept of village culture as I move forward from here (who’s it for, what it consists of, how it sustains, what we do, etc). But for now, a word must be written about my place. Alchemy. I guess there is an element of combining substances and seeing what happens, with all the live-culture foods and beverages I love to create, but this is just a tangible analogy… within the community of the village it is about relationships… self, community, and God.

This idea of village alchemy was clarified by Kat and my new friends Rick and Sally last night. Immediately, I knew they were on to something. Merriam-Webster defines alchemy as

“the speculative scientific way to achieve the transmutation of the base metals into gold, the discovery of a universal cure for disease, and the discovery of a means of indefinitely prolonging life” or “a power or process of transforming something common into something special.”

There is a lot to the historic aspect of alchemy, but for me, in the context of the village, it is crafting, honing, connecting, improving… with a little “magic” that comes from listening to where the spirit of God is whispering. My work in this area will be made clear in the posts to come.