What is happening in America?

With America and probably the world going through the most tumultuous times any of us can remember, it’s a great time to meet and listen to each other in dialogue and share our experience and points of view.

Many times in groups the recommendation is to avoid politics and religion and that is probably wise in some situations where the aim of the group kind of precludes the challenges that can arise in discussing such topics. However in a dialogue group aimed at learning to communicate, listening, talking with/to one and other in a decent or respectful way, topics like this can be an invaluable opportunity to learn and help others learn something about ourselves/each other.

From my perspective, for me, right now, the time to ignore the need for dialogue and how to face experience and each other honestly and directly is long gone. There is no time to remain content with and/or asleep to the causes and agendas that descend our world into unending perpetual conflict.

There are many writings related to dialogue or the ways in which human race might get out of or lessen the effects of unending cycle of conflict, wars, rivalry, dissonance, other forms of suffering and destructive actions and agendas. This unending cycle is causing and or threatening to cause great or existential harm to one and other, the environment, and human/life’s existence. Anyway as is true in the past, this group is a chance to meet one and other, express oneself, listen to others, and hopefully learn something new about life, or about oneself or about relating to others.

The practice or way of engaging in dialogue may in fact be key. This group is a work in progress, as is life more generally. There is no absolute authority on what exactly is meant by dialogue. Some ideas or suggestions found to be important include (to name a few): being willing to listen to each other, being willing to set conclusions, assumptions, agenda's "on the table" for the moment in order that we all can more clearly see all involved in any situation, and being committed to allow for everyone to be heard (within his or her speaking time). Meeting as friends or “as if” friends with the recognition that each person deserves respect, not for his or her ideas for with those we may disagree, but because he or she is human being no different in that way from you or me. Hope to see you Sunday. Please reach out with any suggestions and or constructive feedback/criticism.
Thanks.
Jay