Disappointment -- No Soul? LO11767

Sherri Malouf (sherri@maloufinc.com)
Thu, 9 Jan 1997 11:48:18 -0500

Replying to LO11711 --

I think this is the longest posting I have ever written but I have tried
to respond to everyone.

Okay -- I guess I like to cause this kind of trouble! But I would like to
start with an admission -- I am not in need of constant touchy-feely! For
example, At's thread on Symbiosis has so intrigued me that he and I have
continued as I pick his brains in an attempt to understand his theories.
But it is also in an arena which is a lifelong hobby! By the way if
anyone is interested I can forward to you but they are long and intense..
and intellectual and soulful!

What I like when I post something like this is that I see more of people
when they answer. For example I love Ben's simple statement -- "When I
post I'm just me.." I love it --- his whole message has a feel to it
which enables me to know Ben more. His whole message is full of heart. I
am not saying that there is no heart or soul on the list -- it just
recedes into the background at times and I tend to write a message which
brings it back into the foreground!

Kent's posting made me think because he said:

> she thinks that talk can't be soulful if it smells intellectual

Sometimes I think intellectual conversation is very soulful but perhaps
those are the ones that interest me?!?! I think you are right Kent when
you say some are reasoned and passionate and when you say:

>Some people some of the time are boring or bored. This applies to all
>subject matter, styles, and people.

I think we all have different ways of expressing our soulness -- there are
times when I want to see it more heart and less head! But as Joe stated
in his post it takes courage and trust. I also feel we have not had many
role models who demonstrate real success with that kind of style.

Yes Ian it was me who posted about the storms and we are doing very well
now -- thank you for asking. And thank you for risking. We are scared of
how others perceive us, of being accepted -- which takes us back to trust
and courage. And your post is an example of courage! I too have
experienced being punished for saying what I feel too openly -- bet you
couldn't have guessed that! I treasure the relationships I have that are
supportive and meaningful. I have been blessed with quite a few.

Julie describes my experience of the list very well when she says:

>One of the things I have learnt about myself whilst I have been
>participating is that I like stuff I can connect with at some level even
>if the connection is small - sometimes it is because the heart of the
>message reaches me, sometimes because I agree with what is being said and
>sometime because it triggers a thought about something I have been doing,
>or sometimes because I disagree or have a different perspective.

She continues to say things I agree with totally but I don't want to copy
her whole post! She then asks:

>>Isn't part of the attraction of LO that Senge and others have found a way
>>to include the human soul in organizations?
>
>When I read this part of the message I started to assume that you were
>meaning that this was the only/main attraction of Senge. Then I noticed
>that you said 'part'. At the stage when I was assuming only/main I was
>troubled by the sense that this was a judgement of some conversations....
>can you say more about what made you say this?

It's funny because when I first wrote the question the word "part" was not
in it and I had to go back and add it because I truly meant part. I guess
I was thinking about the desire on the part of a lot of people to feel
more -- to be safe in feeling more -- to have the environment which allows
them the opportunity to live their soul at work! I was also thinking
about David Whyte's book -- The Heart Aroused. And also that the list had
gone into a cycle of feeling *dry* for ME. No specific messages were in
mind. I look at the beginning of each message and if the beginning doesn't
grab me I don't keep reading -- just lately. For a time I was giving each
message a lot of consideration -- guess I was in the mood for something
which really touched me and I wasn't getting it!

Julie also asked:

>>Why do we become so threatened when the human soul bares itself?
>
>I am not sure what to ask here... I would like to know more about what it
>is that makes you say this.. but don't know how to ask it
>..

I was thinking about the Depression thread and how some felt it was too
risky. I guess my thought is that when someone is experiencing pain -- it
opens our own wounds or we simply don't know what to do...

I have a suggestion -- we could start another dialogue thread about the
characteristices of an organization which includes the soul... We could
use the guidelines again and have it run for a specific time period...

I liked Lon's suggestions too.

I guess I just like to see variety and when the list isn't giving me what
I want I stick my spoon in the pot and stir it up! I did not mean to
offend those that are currently posting and apologize if my post felt like
judgement on them. Please take it as my way of getting myself involved
more in the list because there are times when this list has been
absolutely wonderful for me. And I want to thank EVERYONE!

With great caring,

Sherri
sherri@maloufinc.com Tel:603-672-0355
LMA, Inc Fax:603-673-7120

"I close my eyes only for a moment and the moment is gone." -Kansas
"Let's do something beautiful for God." -Mother Theresa

-- 

Sherri Malouf <sherri@maloufinc.com>

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>