ChoicePoints August 2003

"Every choice is a bridge that takes us from where we stand in this moment and moves us into a repetition of the past or the creation of something new. Either way, the future is of our own doing."  _{Louise LeBrun}

This issue released: Wednesday, August 6, 2003

Spotlight On - people, products and pronouncements
Today's Thought
Coming Attractions!
Quick Updates
Did you know? - arcane tidbits for fun & frolic
Thought Waves

Spotlight On — Logic, Creativity and Results: facilitating context

In today's world of communication and relationship building is it at all surprising that the role of facilitators has become such an important one? Have you noticed that even if your title doesn't include the designation "facilitator" that you spend much of your time trying to make things easier for clients, colleagues, employees, teams …and every so often even for yourself!

Many of us are highly trained in various facilitation disciplines: how to communicate more effectively in groups; how to navigate smoothly through complex projects; how to get others to put their efforts behind projects and programs that will change their world. And yet, even with all of our advanced training, we frequently doubt ourselves while showing a brave face to the world. Despite our knowledge and mastery of the "how", we are often nagged by the thoughts of "Why? Who am I in this? How will this make a difference?" We do good work yet yearn to feel more creative in our engagements and produce results beyond the ordinary.

Logic, Creativity and Results may be for you if you are looking to grow (personally) while expanding your ability to make a difference (professionally) - and already recognize that adding more "how to" won't get you there! In the company of like-minded professionals, you'll spend four days discovering and applying the power of context in framing the results you can produce as a facilitator. You'll engage 7 Logical Levels of Thinking and its powerful application as Spirals of Logic™. You'll acquire a listening tool that allows you to uncover opportunities and invite those around you to discover a larger perspective to produce bigger and better results.

In the world of information, context is the critical dimension we far too frequently overlook. Any given set of facts and figures is only relevant within a given context. Change the context and the relevance or importance of the facts shifts. Spirals of Logic, and the associated WEL-Systems models, are all designed to help you engage facilitation within different contexts …adding to your existing facilitation approaches rather than replacing them. The challenge is to think differently about what you do and to invite your clients and colleagues to do the same.

You'll leave the August 19-22 session of Logic, Creativity and Results as a certified Spirals of Logic Facilitator, fully able to tap into your internal source of creativity and to evoke that same creativity in others. Your results will speak for themselves. In the words of one of our alumni, you'll be able to join her in becoming 'one of the most creative facilitators around'. Registration details are available at http://www.progenerations.com/spiralsof/registerott0819.htm

Today's Thought

"Courage is nine-tenths context.
What is courageous in one setting can be foolhardy in another and even cowardly in a third."

Joseph Epstein, Women's Quarterly

Coming Attractions!

We are pleased to offer you the following seminars, workshops and programs. Each one designed to provide thought-provoking and life altering experiences for your on-going personal and professional development.

The listing above only shows the first scheduled date for a particular location. For more details and the complete program schedule, see http://www.WEL-Systems.com/schedule.htm

Quick Updates

A New Book in development -- tell your story!

Allister Hain, a Certified WEL-Systems Master Facilitator, is making news as he steps into writing a book that captures the compelling stories of growth and transformation that our clients experience with a WEL-Systems perspective.

Allister says "What is most interesting to me is how the process has affected myself and others. It's the applied experience which I find the most enlightening - the new thoughts, feelings, and actions …Already there are some stories from alumni on the web site. What I want to do is write a book chronicling these kinds of success stories …I would let the participants' experiences speak through words."

If you would like to share your WEL-Systems story, you can contact Allister by dropping him an email at: ignitionstories@yahoo.com. With your willingness to engage, Allister plans to capture 15 such inspirational stories and would love to chat with YOU!

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Evolving Through Practice: Teleclass Edition

Graduates of our certification intensives are clear that the process of growth and evolution never stops …they are hungry for more! They are especially curious about using The CODE Model™ for their own growth as well as discovering ways that they can engage it with clients, colleagues, friends and family. Evolving Through Practice …and practice evolving was created several years ago by Gwen McCauley as a way to continue her own evolution and to work with others who were similarly interested in playing with The CODE Model.

If you live outside the Ottawa area, you'll be glad to know that Gwen is now able to offer Evolving Through Practice as a Teleclass. Sept 3, 10, 17, 24, Oct 1 and 8 will find Gwen and a small group (max 4) graduates of any certification program engaged in an extended Open Forum conversation where the mysteries and complexities of The CODE Model are explored. Each session lasts 90 minutes and is a chance for you to improve your calibration skills and discover the brilliance of your curiosity in creating results for yourself and others.

Contact Gwen at 613-254-7218 or Gwen@WEL-Systems.com for pricing and registration details and more information, or visit http://www.partnersinrenewal.com/programs/alumni.htm#tele for further details. We use a teleconference bridge for this version of Evolving Through Practice so it is available to any alumni around the world who is prepared to call in weekly.

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Attention Master Practitioners and Master Facilitators

Conversations for Change - Saturday, September 6th

It's time again for Master Practitioners and Master Facilitators to experience an opportunity to gather for a full day, facilitated Open Forum to catch up and stay connected. Conversations for Change invites alumni who choose to continue to build their skills and expand their potential to do so in the company of others who share a knowledge base and a perspective.

Expect corporate applications to feature prominently in this particular conversation! Carlos Fox, a certified WEL-Systems Catalyst and CODE Model Coach™, and Gwen McCauley will jointly co-facilitate the conversation. Please RSVP your plan to attend to Gwen@WEL-Systems.com by Tuesday, September 2nd. Conversations for Change begins at 9:00 a.m. sharp and runs until 3:30 p.m. …or conversation runs out, whichever come first!!

Conversations for Change is part of our on-going commitment to creating a vibrant and growing WEL-Systems community. We're pleased to offer this day of exploration to you as our gift and investment in your potential.

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Summer Time: Succeeding as a Divorced Dad!

Greg Layhew, Certified WEL-Systems Catalyst and CODE Model Coach™, is creating a Succeeding as a Divorced Dad program in Ottawa on August 23 & 24 at the WEL-Systems Institute Program Centre in Kanata. If you're worried that your weekend visits aren't enough to make a difference to your kids; if they're at that stage where being with their friends means that you go for long periods with little contact; if you worry that your money is more important than your presence, here's an opportunity to explore what caring, connecting and counting mean for you.

From his personal experience as a non-custodial Dad and his passion for connecting with people, Greg makes it easy for you to relax and be yourself as you explore what it is to be a Dad under difficult circumstances. If you want to get your life in shape and move forward with velocity and vitality, be sure to register early because seating is limited! Call 613-825-8722 for registration details or see the overview at: http://www.tidepoolresources.com/poster/DDad08.htm

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WEL-Systems in Toronto

Connect with Louise and Gwen when they are in Toronto August 26th & 27th. If you have an interest in the WEL-Systems Certification programs and would like to find out more, you can arrange for coffee/tea and a private conversation at the Valhalla Inn in Etobicoke. Here's the opportunity to explore your interests and introduce your family, friends or colleagues to our unique approach! Contact either Gwen or Louise at Toronto@WEL-Systems.com to make an appointment.

Did you know?

Flying by the skin of your seat?

It looks like pretty soon you won't even need to fly by the seat of your pants ...the US Navy is exploring just how sensitive the human skin is to feel. They've discovered that this organ which covers our body is far more sensitive than previously assumed. "Touch is a system that we use daily and routinely without very much thought" reports Dr. Angus Rupert. "This tells you everything from where 'down' is -- perhaps the most important thing for a pilot to know -- to where you're drifting through space and where things are in the environment around you."

Recently in Ottawa to test a new system he's developed with the National Research Council, Dr. Rupert first discovered what a marvelous sensor the human skin was while nude skydiving way back in the wild 1970's. Dr. Rupert's device is a vest that pilots wear that delivers tiny puffs of air as rapid taps to different parts of a pilot's body. So effective is the system that it has been used to allow a blind man to successfully "fly" a helicopter simulator.

Dr. Rupert notes that our response to touch is instinctive. Its like interpreting the feeling of your feet standing on the ground, he says. "You're not thinking about the information, but you're using it to balance".

What else can we determine by this fabulous sensing device that we simply don't pay attention to? How close do we have to be to something before we "feel" things? When we get that creepy feeling along our spine, what are we noticing that we haven't paid attention to?

Thought Waves

This month's contribution is by Eva Marsh, who became a WEL-Systems:NLP Practitioner in October 2003. Last month we told you about Eva's recent Woman of the Year Award. Eva's article is about her shift in context and the lens through which she now views her experience with Multiple Sclerosis. Eva's perspective is all the more powerful given that she is author of "Black Patent Shoes", an account of her journey to wellness and especially given her status as a scientist with a B.Sc. in Physics and a Master's in Electrical Engineering!

We had done the feather thing and the instructor asked, "What do you suppose was the reason your body decided to get your attention with multiple sclerosis?" "Because I had no identity," I heard a voice say - it was me! My voice carried the answer from cell memory.

The confusion over who I was supposed to be, flooded to conscious mind. My parents, relatives, teachers, husband - all told me how I should behave. I thought I had to believe, and do, what they said.

At sixteen I had lost my sight. Even just three days into practitioner training, I made the connection between my loss of sight, and not "seeing," who I could be.

When diagnosed with MS, I was the mother of two little girls, working full time to support my husband in college. The disease manifested as paralysis on the right side, and total loss of feeling on the left. I didn't even know where my left side was. I was indeed carrying the whole male load, and depriving myself of feminine feelings. Doctors all had their expectations. My intuition helped me to disagree with the very negative prognosis.

Now I can answer the question, "What made you disagree with the experts?" My best answer was always, "I don't know; it just didn't seem right." Now I know that my body was reminding me of my recovery from all the strange symptoms that had plagued me intermittently since childhood. My body knew these were earlier signs of self healing, and told me I could heal again. I'm so glad I listened.

After I recovered I spent every lunch in the medical library, certain that research offered something positive. By chance, the very first paper I found was Remyelination in multiple sclerosis. Now I know that my own positive intention directed me to this important work, and many more.

With my ex-husband's reaction, I "knew" that I would soon be responsible for myself and my girls. That's when I started on the rocky road of being honest with myself. I began to get acquainted with My Self.

I could always see myself dancing in my black patent shoes. Now I understand that in this way I expressed the intention to be well, and raise my girls. Obstacles fell away as I raised my girls to maturity.

After the divorce, I expressed my intention to return to university and saw myself in cap and gown. A bursary appeared, and mentors in neuroscience. I graduated and continued to grow with the certainty that I was on the right path. The new Real Me crossed the path of a Real GentleMan and we became life partners.

During the WEL-Systems:NLP course, my husband asked what I had learned in school each day. After I described the material covered, he would say "But you know all that stuff!" "Yes! But I didn't know I knew it! And I didn't know how to use it!"

My experience with WEL-Systems has helped me to understand the messages my body gives me. I see myself and the world around me with greater awareness. The air vibrates. I understand how my environment shaped me, and how I can reprogram the elements that are no longer useful. I relate more constructively to the people around me. The study of WEL-Systems:NLP points me to the world around me with confidence. I trust the power of my resources to keep me well in mind, body, and spirit.

Eva Marsh is an inspirational speaker who also offers recovery strategy workshops. She can be reached via www.evamarsh.net

The WEL-Systems® Institute
260 Hearst Way, Suite 210
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada  K2L 3H1
Tel: (613) 254-7218
info@WEL-Systems.com