Isivivane Game of Knowledge, Transformation and Co-operation

Applied know-how for individuals, teams, groups,

families & organisations

Jim HeanyCougar

Steve Banhegyi

Eugenie Banhegyi

Finalist in the 18th Mail & Guardian Investing in the Future,

Investing in Life “Most Innovative” Award, 2007

Client CI

“Ukuphosa itshe esivivaneni” Throw your stone upon the pile

ISBN10—0-9802550-5-8

ISBN13—978-0-9802550-5-8

EAN—9780980255058

© 2007 Eugenie May Banhegyi, Stephen George Banhegyi. Jim Heaney Cougar,

Registered with the South African National Library

www.isivivane.com

www.ubuhibi.com

www.isivivane.com

“Ukuphosa itshe esivivaneni” Throw your stone upon the pile

PREFACE

When people from different cultures share their stories, it is surprising how many similarities can be found.

Jim Heaney has been a management consultant of many years, working in Bethesda, Maryland in the USA. Through his devotion to nature he came into contact with the culture of Native Americans and learnt about the use of the Medicine Wheel, which he applied in US organisations with great success. During a journey to Africa on a project to bring Internet connectivity to a Bushman community in Namibia, he met with Steve Banhegyi through a common friend. Steve is a transformation and change management consultant, who was at the time applying and developing game theory to facilitate change in organisations. Jim and Steve shared ideas and discovered that the principles in Medicine Wheel resonated with game theory and systems theory, which Steve taught at Wits during the ‘80’s.

Because of their shared passion, the Medicine Wheel became a regular conversation topic and a general interest developed around it and other systems that help us to understand the different elements of a system and how they can be influenced to achieve (or change to bring about) a conscious, agreed-upon outcome. Ralf Sibande, Guy Lone Eagle and Laughing Waters joined the conversation, adding insights and experimenting with ideas to make working with the Medicine Wheel easy, accessible, relevant and useful in a very diverse world. As each person discovered (and rediscovered) the wheel, there was agreement that the ancient, universal wheel system fit in seamlessly with the modern world.

Every person who sincerely committed to following the system for a while seemed to not only achieve their goals, but to think about themselves in a completely fresh way. We realised that the Wheel systems have endured because they worked for human beings for thousands and thousands of years. We wanted to ensure that its wisdom would not be lost on a generation that was at last viewing nature in a more humble and appreciative way.

Correlations involving stones, circles, memory and opposite energies, (symbolised by fire, water, earth and air) are still used all over the world. Very often, as in Buddhism, the energies surround a still point or hub — the place holding the central vision or question. Although many of these systems appear to be esoteric, they are actually totally practical.

In South Africa, Isivivane is a system in which stones are ritually stacked to memorialise knowledge. The word also means collective effort. With the best of intentions, and to share knowledge that has great value, collective effort was taken to be an invitation for Medicine Wheel to add a stone to the Isivivane. Interesting how the idea of ‘collective effort’ links to teamwork and partnership, and also to the idea of various aspects or archetypes of an individual.

Once we accept that ‘I’ am many aspects or archetypes in one person — or that ‘I’ am one person who plays many different roles in a single day - we can see how important it is to pay attention to each individual aspect in order to have harmony. And how just as harmony is achieved within the individual, the same principle that honours diversity in a group can bring harmony to a community — whether that community gathers in a corporate building or a suburb.

The great appeal in combining Isivivane with Medicine Wheel and Game Theory is not just about their similar themes, but also because of their differences: the physicality and earthiness of a circle marked by memory-infused stones on the one hand, and on the other hand, the ‘invisible’ areas of being human — thoughts, ideas, dreams, visions and emotions.

With this model, we literally bring thought down to earth, into the material world, so that we can examine it from different points of view and even dance around it; to remind ourselves of how many talents and abilities we have to bring to an issue, and also to observe how we are changing and behaving in a new way.

This ‘objectifying’ of thoughts and feelings is now often used by therapists to help people, who are confused by conflicting impulses, to get clarity on a situation and see it holistically. Sangomas who throw the bones also use this system. And it is a system often used at business lunches, where salt is this, sugar is that, the teaspoon represents another and how do we bring the pepper into the situation so we can clinch the deal?

But Isivivane Wheel is much more than just objectifying thoughts and feelings. It turned out to be something akin to an animated textbook — one which you walk around as you repeat eight principles in sequence to entrench a new concept and turn it into a habit. It works, even if you do the walking metaphorically, in your mind - as long as you hold the image of yourself central in relation to East South West and North, and linking these cardinal points relating to your own Spiritual, Emotional, Physical and Intellectual aspects.

WHY A WHEEL? WHY THE ANCIENTS?In the time of our distant ancestors, our species was deeply connected to the seasons, to the waxing and waning of the moon, to how Venus would disappear and instead of being the morning star, appear as the evening star. Our ancestors found their way on long journeys by knowing the patterns of constellations in the heavens. They were able to plan for planting and hunting because they understood the cycle of seasons and the consequent behaviour of plants and animals. They knew before grazing ran out when it was time to move their herds. And they knew how to get to their destinations because they understood directions according to the ‘behaviour’ of the sun, moon, planets and stars as clearly as we read a calendar on the wall.

This knowledge (know-how) was more than likely passed on to each new generation using a ‘map’ of the heavens represented by stones on the ground. Some maps were enormous, like the ones at Stonehenge, Nabta Playa and Bighorn, but what could be easier for an ancient teacher to pour out a collection of revered pebbles and lay out the circle in front of the student?

However this ancient technology was expressed, it added to the personal clarity and empowerment of everybody who got involved in this project. We hope it will do the same for you.

Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION 8

STORIES OF ISIVIVANE AND MEDICINE WHEEL 10

WHAT IS CHANGE? 13

MAP YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS 15

MINDSET FOR USING THE ISIVIVANE WHEEL 21

CENTRE: GAME, SPARK, WHAT DO YOU WANT? 23

EAST: GOAL, SCOUT, SEEKER & RESEARCHER 25

SOUTH-EAST: LANGUAGE, STORY, POLITICIAN 26

SOUTH: RESOURCES, CULTURE, RESOURCE-PROVIDER 27

SOUTH-WEST: STYLE, DREAMER & OUT-OF-THE-BOX THINKING 28

WEST: VALUES, HOLDER, TRANSFORMER & KEEPER 29

NORTH-WEST: RULES, PATTERNS, POLICY & BOUNDARY SETTING 31

NORTH: ROLES, GUARDIANS, PROTECTORS AND ENFORCERS 32

NORTH-EAST: RITUALS, DESIGNERS, CHOREOGRAPHERS 33

PROFILE THE CURRENT ENERGY ALLOCATION 34

APPLICATION: CREATING A PROJECT TEAM 36

APPLICATION: DEVELOPING COMMUNAL FOOD GARDENS 40

APPLICATION: DEVELOPING PRODUCTS 42

APPLICATION: ENGAGING PERSONAL POWER 43

APPLICATION: ISIVIVANE FOR EQ & CONFLICT MANAGEMENT 45

APPLICATION: HEALING FAMILY LIFE 48

APPLICATION: SPIRITUAL GROWTH 50

APPLICATION: KEEPING YOURSELF AWARE AND IN BALANCE 53

REFERENCE: FAMILIAR ENERGETIC ARCHETYPES IN ORGANISATIONS 55

REFERENCE: SHADOW ARCHETYPES 56

REFERENCE: THE ISIVIVANE GAME 59

RULE:

This document may only be copied, e-mailed, distributed or printed once written permission has

been granted by the publisher.

Should this rule be broken, enforcement will follow (refer to the North-West and North of the

Wheel).

Apply for permission and rates to: [email protected]

Isivivane for Change and Transformation

© 2007 Eugenie May Banhegyi, Stephen George Banhegyi. Jim Heaney Cougar,

mailto://[email protected]

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INTRODUCTION

We are creatures of habit. Without realising, we think, say and do many of the same things day after day, year after year, because sameness uses less energy than novelty and most biological systems are designed to be energy efficient. Because of this built-in energy efficiency system, much of what we do, is done on auto-pilot. Once we have mastered a skill, like driving a car, we get to a stage where our energy-efficient auto-pilot takes over. We know we can do it, so we trust our auto-pilot to perform the actions of engaging gears, accelerating, stopping and turning. While the auto-pilot is busy performing these tasks, we can turn our attentions elsewhere, to what other drivers are doing, or to a conversation or to thinking about the meeting that lies ahead. Often we can’t even remember the route we took to our destination, because the driving was done on auto-pilot.

But sometimes we want to develop a new skill. Sometimes we want to change the habits that keep us in the same undesirable place or situation. And now the built-in energy efficiency system presents us with a problem: It doesn’t want to change, because it is costly in energy. We have to consciously by-pass this system to learn another habit through concentrated, regular repetition, or it will cause us to simply fall back into the old comfortable groove.

Isivivane for Change and Transformation presents a system that helps us to design a new habit we’ve dreamt of and then, through regular practice, create a new ‘groove’ until this new habit can be entrusted to auto-pilot. This is when the dream comes true. When the new habit-groove is deep enough for the auto-pilot to hum along in effortlessly, we’re living the dream.

Isivivane for Change and Transformation is designed to help you energetically organise either yourself or a team to manifest a defined dream. The resource is written for leadership and management, entrepreneurs, project management, team leaders in private organisations, NGOs and government. You can use the principles here to manifest your dream or to improve the efficiency and productivity of your team and the organisation. You can use it to change your life.

What things do you do habitually? You look at your hand and suddenly see a cigarette, a drink or a chocolate. How did that get there? You find yourself having exactly the same argument with a colleague or partner or child that you always have. How did this happen? (We promised we would be mature, sensible and respectful!)Despite your excitement about a new project, you may find yourself once again procrastinating...What are the habits‚ both at work and in your personal life‚ that are keeping you in a pattern that you decided long ago is not working for you? Do you really want to change them?

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KEYWORDS: Knowledge Management, Leadership, Culture, Change Management, Change, Transformation, Learning Organisation, Isivivane, Medicine Wheel, Systems Theory, Storytelling, Narrative, Organisational Storytelling, Narrative Therapy, Modelling, Meta-Modelling, Innovation

The models and concepts presented here are based on a Knowledge Management Framework that has been used in applications such as business turnaround, project and strategic planning, conflict management, community animation and change management. The models are based on Medicine Wheel stories and old African tales of Isivivane told by traditional healers from Africa and North America. The result is a post-modern construction that brings together ancient techniques of memory. We hope the ideas work for you and that they stimulate useful exploration. Please send your comments and suggestions for improvements to [email protected] our website is www.isivivane.com

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STORIES OF ISIVIVANE AND MEDICINE WHEEL

Once upon a time, when we, the human species, were the ancients, we used symbols and stories to help understand ourselves and our relationship with the cosmos and those that share Mother Earth with us. In stark difference to Western consumerism, which tends to think in a linear fashion and continuously forgets then tries to reinvent itself, things in ancient times were understood as existing in circles, cycles and relationships. The thinking that all things are related, the wisdom of the ancients is today increasingly supported by science. Mother Earth is round; the sun and moon are round, and the path they take is circular. The seasons are cyclic. Life is a circle, with us being born, becoming an adult, then an elder, and then death with its transformation.

Honouring these circles and cycles, Isivivane is a symbol to help us understand how things happen in our lives, and to understand ourselves and others better.

Isivivane are structures generally made from stone for spiritual and ritual purposes. In North America, Medicine Wheels were traditionally built by laying out stones in a circular pattern that looks similar to a spoked wheel lying on its side. Isivivane in Africa were often not only laid out in a circles and rectangles, but also in piles and piles connected to circles and geometric designs.

There are many stone monuments in Africa. Over time, much knowledge has been lost, and the meaning of stone monuments is unknown to communities. There are over 100 sites in Gambia; their significance and history unknown. In some cases, concentric circles of stones enclose a burial site. Stone monuments come in many different designs and where they are so ancient that their stories are lost, there is disagreement among archaeologists about what each one was used for, although there is agreement that they had ceremonial, ritual, memorial and astronomical significance. Stonehenge, Glastonbury, Great Zimbabwe and the Pyramids are examples of the most well-known large formal stone structures that have significance beyond habitation.

It is interesting that in traditional villages, round huts are arranged within a round kraal and that they usually have an East/West orientation, with the main entrance in the East. This arrangement echoes Medicine Wheel lay-outs.

One way in which Isivivane are extremely useful is as memory devices/tools or reminders of a particular ‘state’ or understanding. The piles of stones that travellers add to, become infused with the collective soul of all travellers, as each stone represents a prayer, a wish, an intention, a memory, or a sense of gratitude, honour or commitment. In the most desolate and dangerous of mountain passes in the Himalayas, stone piles are a way in which travellers who passed before encourage those who will follow. They also have mantric significance, for travellers to maintain mental control over their fears and exhaustion.

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Isivivane are especially powerful because they require the user to physically and metaphorically ‘work’ with them. Any work has a tendency to be more memorable because when you are ‘doing’; you hold the understanding as a complete system, in your mind and in your body. Learning theorists agree that ‘doing’ makes for more powerful learning. This ‘doing’ is the basis of effective Knowledge Management in corporate business, where there needs to be a transfer of knowledge from those who ‘know’ to newer, younger members of staff. Another reason we describe Isivivane as memory devices/tools is that they provide a rich source of metaphor that allows us to work with complex, abstract systems.

We need such metaphors, because the bandwidth of conscious perception is very narrow. A human being can only hold about seven (nine if you are really bright) unrelated words, numbers, terms sounds, impressions, symbols or thoughts in their head at once (Miller 1956). A metaphor packs a collection of thoughts and emotions into one powerful idea. So the metaphorical structure of an Isivivane wheel and its easy connection to ‘life as system’ or ‘life as doing’ helps us appreciate the continuously changing energetic relationship dynamics and how energies are engaged through the language and practice of Isivivane.

Isivivane does not in and of itself contain any power - it is a symbol that can adopt many metaphors. True power lies in knowing what you want, and gaining understanding of yourself and your relationship to all other beings and things. The goal is not to focus on any one particular component of ourselves, but to find balance and wholeness in all that we do.

ISIVIVANE — AFRICAN ART OF MEMORYIsivivane is a Zulu / Nguni word, but the concept is also found in other African cultures. The word refers to rocks arranged as piles, lines, circles or hub and spoke patterns. Stones were used in the ancient world to mark places of great spiritual significance. The modern world enlists the work of architects, artists and poorly paid workers for any notable public enterprise. In ancient times, by contrast, it was expected of all ordinary people to contribute to great works.

Any public enterprise needs the contribution of the ordinary person, hence the proverb Ukuphosa itshe esivivaneni to make a personal contribution to a great task. Literally to throw one’s stone on the pile (monument). This contribution is made in a spirit of constructive and cooperative enterprise as compared to the divisive, argumentative and polarized positions characteristic of a debate. The concept of Isivivane is that the arrangement of stones would be contributed to by diverse people over time and was therefore a form of collectively performed ritual memory. In South Africa, recent memorials to the Struggle and its champions reintroduced Isivivane as symbols of enduring collective memory.

Hence the community itself sets a great store (investment) on the progress and finished product of the Isivivane. No one can claim to have made a final contribution to isivivane; it is life long, continuous contribution. A similar Western concept would be the development of case law where jurists die trying to perfect the law: there will always be room for improvement.

THE VALUES ASSOCIATED WITH TRADITIONAL ISIVIVANECommon / public enterpriseSelfless contribution to the common goodPersonal sacrificeCapital formation & investment


SustainabilitySpiritual refugePersonal integrityLongevityToleranceWe all contribute (from the great and small)Public scrutinyLegacyThe Compass

As you start your Isivivane journey, we suggest that you familiarise yourself with the points on the compass in relationship to where you live. You might wish to buy yourself a cheap compass to help you orient to magnetic North. (City dwellers may want to be reminded that while the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, the actual position of the sunrise and sunset on the horizon changes during the seasons.) This simple understanding is the first step to regaining your connection to your place in the cosmos. This is a place where dawn and dusk, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter have great metaphorical significance. Once we reconnect to the great cycles of nature, we can let go of our fear of change. We can have certainty that a harsh Winter will end; just as darkness will be dispelled by the rising sun.

As with the cycles of nature, timing is everything. You can’t plant in Winter and harvest in Spring. Timing is crucial. You have to know when to act and when to hold back and wait. Don’t feel anxious when things are not happening. Maybe it is not time yet. Learning about timing is a great art worth learning.


‘Be the change that you want to see in the world,’ said Mohandas Gandhi. ‘Change is the end result of all true learning,’ said Leo Buscaglia. Everything changes. You are not the same person now as you were when you started reading this sentence. Something has changed. But what? How do we know when something has changed? Change is a mysterious constant in our lives and it is happening everywhere, right now. Change is both situational and continual: the new day, the new year, the new relationship, the new job, the new friends.

‘No man can cross the same river twice - Everything flows, nothing stands still’ said Greek Philosopher Heraclitus (535-475 BC). In the 6th century BC in China, the philosopher Lao Tzu wrote ‘If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold onto. If you are not afraid of dying, there is nothing you cannot achieve.’

Change has many definitions that describe something becoming different in essence or losing its original nature. Change can be an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another. As a verb, it can also suggest cause to change; make different or to cause a transformation; ‘The advent of the coffee and sugar trade altered (changed) power balances in the world’. It can also mean to make or become different in some particular way, without permanently losing former characteristics or essence; ‘her mood changes in accordance with the weather’. It could also mean switch: lay aside, abandon, or leave for another; ‘switch to a different brand of dishwashing liquid’.

Change can be the result of alteration or modification and can also refer to the process of adjustment that people engage in while coming to terms with the new situation.

Cultural attitudes to change vary and are expressed by religious and spiritual traditions and fall into two main categories. The first says that Change happens randomly because there is an essentially random nature that underpins the workings of the universe. This view holds that there is no underlying meaning or purpose to life, or that everything is controlled by a remote and capricious god. The second view, particularly emphasised in systems such as Hinduism and Buddhism, says Change is cyclical and circumstances such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, famine and hurricanes are expected to recur.

The mysterious and commonplace nature of change has been explored by numerous thinkers and writers throughout the ages. A classic Chinese text entitled Yijing or the Classic of Change, describes an ancient system of cosmology and philosophy at the centre of Chinese cultural beliefs. The origins of the text are shrouded in mystery but its oral roots go back to at least 2800BCE. The philosophy centres on ideas such as how events evolve as a story of process (the story of the way things happen), the nature of opposites (male/female, yin/yang, dark/light,

WHAT IS CHANGE?


life/death) and offers a way in which we can accept and work with the inevitability of change. The text also describes a practical way of managing and engaging change traditionally based on divination using coins or yarrow stalks.

Change can be imposed on us or it can be something we choose. Our adjustment to the change, however, is internal and forms our emotional response in whether we decide to accept, adapt to, or resist the change.

The psychological transition starts with an ending (the loss of an attachment to a job, a loved one, etc.) and the realization that things are not going to be the same. The loss of these attachments can be particularly traumatic because they impact all areas of life including identity, standard of living, relationship with family and a sense of self-worth and stability. In order for us to move forward and have some control over the outcome, we need to reframe the past, embrace the future and start exploring all our options and opportunities.

Isivivane helps you to explore the unfamiliar and unexplored aspects of yourself, since the model makes you move around between energies, rather than remaining with that which is most familiar to you.

‘All things change, nothing is extinguished. There is nothing in the whole world which is permanent. Everything flows onward; all things are brought into being with a changing nature; the ages themselves glide by in constant movement’. Ovid (BC43-18 AD)


You wouldn’t think of starting off on a journey without a clear idea of where you wanted to go, would you? What are the key things you’d want to consider taking along with you? Sufficient fuel, provisions and money? A map perhaps?

An Isivivane Wheel provides just such a map, drawn up specifically for the process of change. Using this map, you can perform something quite magical; manifest your dream. All you need to start off with, is defining the dream or intention: knowing what you want. That is the hard part. The easy part involves creating a balanced energy map for manifesting that dream. One way to define success is ‘the ability to use all of yourself well’. And ‘achieve the most gain with the least strain’. Many of us have dreams and are frustrated because they never seem to be realized. Usually, it’s because the dreams are ill-defined (I want money), or because we tend to put all our focus on the things we no longer want in our life. Every ounce of energy spent on talking about the things we don’t want, takes away energy that could be spent on what we really want.

MAP YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS


UNDERSTANDING ENERGIESThe model we will be working with here, offers a practical tool that can help you to define your dream or intention and to choreograph your energy for success. You will understand how to analyse how you expend energy in pursuit of your dreams and where you are out of sync with the natural energy flow.

Effective individuals achieve the most gain using the least amounts of financial, physical and psychic resources. They are flowing with the energy of the universe rather than struggling to avoid suffering or conniving to impose their will upon others. Using nature as a reference point, we can see that the universe is set up to operate with maximum efficiency through minimum effort. (Creatures who live underground or in caves, have no eyes; it would be wasteful.) When we are working hard and getting nowhere, it suggests that we are out of alignment. We may not be using all our talents and resources, or not spending enough time on some very necessary areas. But how would you know how to fix this imbalance if you don’t know where your still hub; your place of certainty is?

Before any dream can be realized efficiently, we must recognize that everything is birthed from our inner feminine principle of receptive, creative energy and sparked into being through the male principle of active, conceptive energy. Both male and female energy are necessary to realize a dream.

In order to be in balance (spokes of the wheel), we need to discover the still point or hub. From the still point of consciousness we feel ourselves to be as constant in an ever changing world as the hub of a wheel or the pin that holds the moving needle on a compass. Aware of the 8 directions of varying possibility, we can see clearly. This is the place of vision and connectedness; it is our inner power and truth; it is our archetypal and ancestral Mother and Father; it is where we feel the generosity of love. From here we can look out at our relationships and understand that we are responsible for each and every one.


To undergo successful change, we need to clearly understand and accept that we are responsible for the situation in which we find ourselves. (We may not be able to change our fate, of being born into a specific time and place, but we can take responsibility for every choice we make.) We are the only authentic authority responsible for our actions or in-actions. Until we realise this, we are powerless; bit players in someone else’s show.

Conscious intention in all we say and do is the cornerstone of effectiveness. Vague generalizations about purpose can only lead to sub-optimal results. Achieving success requires a strong intention coupled with a proper level of commitment and the felt sense that your dream/goal is appropriate for you and achievable.

In a similar way to ourselves, a useful way of seeing and organization is as an energetic system. Many people, each with a unique ‘vibe’ or energy, gather in an organization — hopefully to achieve a common purpose. Modern science is making increasing use of general systems theory that also underlines the nature of dynamic systems where each component of the system is vitally important. The tool used here is designed to help people achieve a balanced look at how they focus their energies. You may find this tool helpful as you map your way to success with a particular dream or goal.

In this model, we classify energy into nine types.


One way to use the tool is to consider how much time and the level of intensity you are applying to each of the nine areas or types of energy. (Think of how different the energy-quality is that you spend on planting a rose, writing a proposal or comforting a child.) The tool gives you a method for taking a balanced look at what you are doing and provides a platform for allocating your energies as you move to the next step in realizing a dream.

WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW? Bring yourself into present time and place your dream in the centre of the wheel/circle.

Do you really want this? Is it your dream or someone else’s expectation for you? Does the thought of realising this dream make your heart beat faster? Is this the dream that you could work on joyfully, day after day? Does this dream provide an outlet for your natural talents?

Spend a moment thinking about your spiritual, emotional, physical and intellectual aspects and abilities. How does it “feel” when you are in this place? Are you using all your energies equally or are you spending inordinate amounts with one at the expense of others? To be truly effective as human beings, we need to achieve a balance between all of our aspects. Try to look at the issue from a different perspective: if you normally use your intellect, look at the issue from an emotional or spiritual or practical, physical point of view.

Remember: Effective individuals achieve the most gain using the least amounts of financial, physical and psychic resources. The ability to be effective is greatly enhanced when individuals have intentional commitment, focus and knowledge.

COMMITMENT is the willingness to pay the price necessary to achieve focus. You show your commitment by the amount of financial, physical and human resources that you are prepared to commit to the task at hand.

FOCUS means having a clear mental picture of where you are going (intention) and what evidence there is that you have achieved the goal (feedback).

KNOWLEDGE means the things you absolutely, positively know about yourself. What are your root metaphors? In what terms do you describe aspects of yourself to yourself and to people you meet? Understand that the things you ‘know’ about yourself shape your reality and your experience of the world. What are the stories that you tell yourself and to others that empower you? What stories do you repeat that reinforce powerlessness or being a victim?

PRODUCT AND RESOURCES. Additionally, if you want to market a product or idea, you will need a product that the market wants, as well as resources to bring it to market.


ENERGIES AROUND THE WHEEL CATALYST energy provides the spark necessary to get the change process going and keeping it moving.

SCOUTS / SEEKER energy is used to go outside day-to-day activity seeking new ideas or ways of doing business or running your life.

EMISSARIES / STORYTELLERS / POLITICIANS / CHEERLEADER energy keeps the business or individual moving in the right direction by serving as an intermediary between different groups, either inside outside the organisation. RESOURCE PROVIDERS energy provides necessary resources such as money, emotion, information, logistics, know-who, know-how, know-where, etc.

DREAMERS / OUT-OF-BOX THINKERS energy is used to generate new ideas and approaches. Creatives run on this energy.

HOLDERS / TRANSFORMERS/ KEEPERS / HARMONISERS energy is used to edit and make sense of information about a situation and tell a story about it, presenting it in a physical way so that there is a realistic view of what is actually going on.

RULE MAKERS energy create the rules, policies and infrastructure or framework necessary to meet the mission objectives.

GUARDIANS / ENFORCERS energy is used to ensure that we stick to the rules and get what we want.

DESIGNERS / CHOREOGRAPHERS energy is used to blend human and physical energies to achieve the goal. Are we all dancing to the same tune? How do we design for success and sustainability and get work done using the least possible expenditure of money, energy and effort?

TRANSFORMATION PROCESSThe hub of the wheel contains the central idea or problem. From here, various actions are taken in a clockwise direction that is repeated until there is a satisfactory conclusion. At each attention, remember to refer back to the central issue - the ‘spokes’ between the hub and different attentions symbolise a free flow of energy to allow the central idea to change as new information becomes available.

NAME the problem. DEFINE the problem and locate the point of blockage. GATHER INFORMATION about probable causes and cures. IDENTIFY the transformation point and the actions you can take to make a difference. Conduct a public or private ritual. RE-EMERGE into a more positive and energetic future. CHANGE THE WAY YOU SPEAK about the problem — use an expanded vocabulary and talk about the problem in the past tense and how it feels to have solved it.


However, everything begins with the central idea or problem: WHAT DO YOU WANT? The central hub contains the energies of the metaphorical sun and the moon as a reminder to be wildly creative and clear-thinking (male / sun), as well as open to your intuitive intelligence (female / moon) - what feels right.

Be prepared to spend time until you have defined in exact words what it is that you want. Generalities have no power. ‘I want a successful business that will make me rich’ is a generic dream that just won’t cut it. Name the area of business and the role you will be playing in it - what you come up with must make you feel excited. It’s valuable to set aside at least half an hour during which you won’t be interrupted and to write out your dream. Be free, dream a big dream that stretches far into the future. Imagine yourself into a state where your dreams are already reality. Where are you? What does it look like? What sounds, smells, tastes and textures surround you? What are you wearing? With what kinds of people do you associate? What conversations and activities are you engaged in?


MINDSET FOR USING THE ISIVIVANE WHEEL

One of the characteristics of the postmodern world we live in is that all kinds of things are competing to attract our attention. The result is that many people lead fragmented lives and are pulled in different directions by home and working life. The situation is compounded by the fact that the attention economy, reflected in television, the internet, newspapers, conferences and such, are all desperately dreaming up new tricks to attract a greater share of the audience.

In order to deliver useful results, Isivivane demands a particular attitude and state of mind. While you don’t need to spend much time with the Wheel, it is important the the time you do spend be focused and concentrated. We therefore recommend two very specific techniques that you adopt while using the Wheel which can be described as questioning the unconscious mind and the IsivivaneTrance.

QUESTIONING THE UNCONSCIOUS MINDThere is an idea in psychology that an unanswered question creates a tension that can only be resolved when it is answered. Neuroscience has suggested that while consciousness is not particularly good at working out solutions, it is very good at articulating questions for answering by the non-conscious processes of the mind. The idea here is to ask for a dream, a vision or insight, or simply the answer to a question. Examples of such questioning in everyday situations include:

How can I make it better, faster, simpler, cheaper? In what other ways could I see the situation? How would I like to see the situation resolved? Am I missing something here? How will I feel when the problem is overcome? Has this happened before? Is there an underlying pattern here? What is it?

ISIVIVANE TRANCEMany people associate the term ‘trance’ with raves, drug-filled hippies, and arcane spiritual practices. In fact, a trance is something much more familiar and everyday. A trance is a state of mind where you feel completely absorbed in what you are doing. Characteristics of trance include a specific and limited focus of attention where you are often more aware of your internal world rather than the external one. Here, we use trance in the sense of being entranced; filled with wonder.

If we feel anxious, then we’re in an anxious trance. We are wrapped up in the anxiety of the situation, creating nasty stories of how bad the situation is going to be. Here we have a specific


and limited focus of attention - we are absorbed by the things that make us anxious. The trance might exclude information that could pull you out of the trance. The minute you start looking for this information, you start to move out of the trance. What kind of trance are you in right now? There are countless options: A lying in bed on a Saturday morning trance • Driving to work on a Monday morning trance • A preparing for an important presentation trance • A trance of confronting the auto teller that has swallowed your bank card • The trance of lovemaking • A trance where you fully believe in yourself • A trance where you can ask yourself how you can change the trance state that you are in to something more useful and come up with a workable solution • A trance where you feel productive, happy, present, motivated, dynamic, focused and successful • What kind of Trance would you like to be in?

RECIPE FOR ISIVIVANE TRANCEFind a place where you won’t be disturbed. Wear comfortable, loose fitting clothes. Sit down comfortably in a chair, keeping your spine straight, facing East. Close your eyes and simply listen to the sound of your breath. Calm yourself with every breath and visualise white, positive energy coming to you with each in-breath and dark negative unwanted energy leaving you with each out-breath.

Imagine sitting in the centre of the wheel. This means that you are occupying the still, hub space where you have access to the catalyst or the ‘spark’ necessary to initiate a process. You now need to acknowledge each energetic aspect of the wheel and affirm what it is that you are doing to engage each specific energy. First move between the cardinal points (East, West, South and North) and then look back at the centre, then the ordinal points, SE, SW, NW and NE. The cardinal points provide stability, while the ordinal points provide movement and change.

If, for example, you are using the 4-point Personal Power Wheel, you would acknowledge what it is you have done or wish to do in the Spiritual, Emotional, Physical and Intellectual aspects of your life. You may wish to nod and acknowledge each of these aspects of yourself in turn.

Similarly, if you are using the 8-point Energetic Wheel, you need to start in the East and move through each of the energetic archetypes acknowledging them in turn.


CENTRE: Game, SPARK, WHAT DO YOU WANT?

Everything in this world created by human beings was once a dream. What is the link between dream and reality? In this resource, we will focus on Isivivane as a technology that will help you manifest a dream in this reality. Isivivane allows you to translate a dream or a vision into a form that everyone can experience it along with you. In this way, Isivivane is a powerful tool, metaphor and model for getting things done. The other great advantage of Isivivane is that it helps you answer one of life’s most pervasive and important questions.

For many people, the ‘what do you want?’ question if the hardest and most threatening of all to answer. It is also the reason why many people remain in a kind of emotional stuckedness and experience the dissatisfaction of a perpetual ‘Groundhog Day’ in which everything repeats. (It’s a good movie too and explains the concept very well.) We all know someone who seems to have perpetual problems and issues in their lives. One characteristic of such people is they become their own worst enemies by dwelling in the past and thinking and talking about all the stuff that is ‘wrong’. You may wish to try to experiment with such people by asking a simple question like ‘so what would you like instead?’. We have seen many people who look extremely perplexed when asked this question, almost as though thoughts of a reality other than those which they continuously engage with are completely alien.

Asking the ‘what do you want?’ question moves your mind from the past into the future. It is the dream of the possible and, as we know, dreams are only limited by the power of your imagination. So the first step on our journey around the Isivivane starts with the Spark. All fires are started by a spark. The spark asks a simple question which provides the impetus necessary to get the change process started and keep it going.

So what do you want? A new life? A new future? A new relationship? A new car? The successful conclusion to a complex project?

ENERGIES OF THE SPARKPeople who play the role of the spark are the entrepreneurs. The definition of the word entrepreneur is ‘someone who seizes the in-between spaces’. They have the ability to see possibilities and quickly find ways of exploiting them. In the energetic system of the Isivivane, Spark people must have the wisdom necessary to play all of the roles and not be consumed by any one of them in the process. Who provides the spark necessary to get the change process started and keeps it going?


SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY WANT. They know what they want and can put it into words. They know who they want to be and where they are going; they have a very clear picture of what success means to them. (Unsuccessful people talk constantly about what is wrong; the things they hate, dislike and don’t want.) Do you know what you want? Can you say it out loud? This is the first step to power and to success. If you do not know what you want you have no way of measuring whether you are succeeding or not.

There are some of us who have grown up believing that they do not have the right to ask the question, ‘What do I want?’ They simply believe that they don’t have the right to want anything. These people never escape the feeling that they are just surviving and live according to dreams or worlds created by other people. They do not create or live their own dreams.

If you know what you want, obstacles cease to be problems and become challenges that need to be overcome, because if you know what you want you are always looking a few steps beyond the problem. If you don’t know what you want you become a victim of problems that seem bigger than you. If you do not know what you want you have to experiment — with exploring or imagining different experiences, relationships, tastes, careers and dreams. If you do not know what you want and are not experimenting then you are in someone else’s dream.

SO WHAT DO YOU WANT? Make a list of all the experiences you wish to have in the future. How far into the future do your timelines extend? Research suggests that individuals who are seen as ‘powerful’ generally have a clear idea of what they want and they also have powerful stories which extend years into the future. Ensure that what you want has something to do with your purpose and what you are all about. Many traditions speak of finding your purpose as being one of life’s main goals. For instance, is material success all that you need? What about using your talents, or acting on a larger stage?

The Spark lies in the centre of the Isivivane Wheel. It represents the ‘dream’ or vision of what you want to make tangible on earth. Be completely honest and certain that what lies in the centre fits you perfectly and that it ‘feels’ right.


EAST: GOAL, SCOUT, SEEKER & RESEARCHER

The East is the starting point of our process when we come out of the centre point with a clear idea of what it is that we want. We get up as the sun rises. Night is over. A new dawn; a new beginning. After spending time in the still hub, you awaken with enthusiasm and gratitude to have visualised your dream: you are filled with desire to have the dream fulfilled. The fiery sun streams out, illuminating that which you need to examine. You can distinguish clearly and discern with confidence. The mood is exciting and you look at everything with great curiosity and interest. The planetary archetype of the East is Mars. It is a fiery, initiating energy that sends you on a quest, like a knight setting out to find his heart’s desire.

The energy of the East is engaged when you step outside of everyday habits and activities to seek information about the dream or goal you hope to accomplish. You leave the comfort and safety of routine. You begin to erase old habits and establishing the new. You are wide awake and aware — alert to anything that can help you in your quest.

Typical activities of the Scout energy include reading books, going to the library, consulting others who know what you need to know, attending workshops, seminars and networking sessions, brainstorming, travelling to a place where you can learn more.

With all this information, check back to the central idea and adapt it if necessary.

QUESTIONING THE EAST IN AN ORGANISATION:Who is looking outside the organisation at what is going on and reporting back to the management team?Who is seeking new ideas about how to achieve your goal(s) or even what might be appropriate goals ?Are you visiting other companies looking for ideas? Who is going to seminars and what are you doing with the information gathered?Who is reading about what others have done to achieve similar goals?Does someone in the Company belong to a formal peer group where different approaches are discussed?How did you determine your goal(s)? How are you scouting out information about your goal?From where are you drawing information?What is the source of your inspiration?


The energy you expend acting as an intermediary with the outside world or the collective consciousness to keep your dream in motion. Having read and listened to the words of others, you now find the words and stories to describe and explain your dreams to others; the planetary archetype is Mercury.

You start taking control of the stories you tell about yourself and your dream. You take note of how you tell your stories and to whom. You look to see how people respond to you when you tell your stories. If they don’t get excited and show interest, your story either needs working on or you’re talking to the wrong person. Take careful note of what feedback are you getting about your story. Another aspect of this energy is to be conscious of what trend energy is in motion and ride that energy in the direction of your dream. This is also the energy you internalise to maintain your motivation by thinking and speaking with enthusiasm about your ideas, yourself and your life. In practical terms, being sure that you have a workable idea (after the Scout’s investigations), go out to talk to people who can help you achieve your goal. Motivate them. Gather support. Network. Establish relationships.

Check back to the central idea and fine tune it, using what input you found valuable during your storytelling. QUESTIONING THE SOUTH EAST IN ORGANISATIONSWho is managing the internal and external relationships that will promote or block achievement of the goal(s)?Who is keeping people motivated to complete what needs to be done?How are you working with the energy that is available?How are you riding the energy behind your goal or dream?What are you doing to keep people motivated to achieve the goal(s)?What is the source of the motivation?

SOUTH-EAST: LANGUAGE, STORY, POLITICIAN


SOUTH: RESOURCES, CULTURE, RESOURCE-PROVIDER

You need resources to get things done. Normally when we speak of resources we automatically think only of money, but there are many other important resources we can put to work. These resources include technology and know-how, talents, abilities, supporters, emotional resources, motivation & energy, patient nurturing, daily practice and persistence. The South of also the place of the child: spontaneous and trusting - our original being.

The South’s planetary archetype is earthy Venus, which reminds you to look at your central idea and find ways to make it attractive to resource providers - those people who have the special talents, materials, land or funding you need. Using the words you found, put together a beautiful document that you can present to resource providers. Think of how you can grow this idea and cooperate with others so that it is of benefit to as many people as possible. Start thinking about which culture you would like to create or cultivate. QUESTIONING THE SOUTH IN ORGANISATIONSWhat resources (time, money, physical energy) are you bringing to the goal or dream? Who is providing what resources to achieve the goal(s)? How extensive is your commitment in time, money, energy, etc? What resources are you lacking? Who are our resource providers? How much time is necessary to grow, gestate or develop this properly? How do we look after (or nurture) what we already have? What is our maintenance policy? How can we save? How can we protect?


SOUTH-WEST: STYLE, DREAMER & OUT-OF-THE-BOX THINKING

The South-West contains the energies you use to generate new ideas and approaches about your dream that will help you to realize it. This is often thought of as creative energy or the energy used to assist you in thinking outside of the box.

Its planetary archetype is imaginative, visionary Neptune. What can you add to the idea to make it catchy? How will you advertise your idea to the world? What will make this project different from similar ones? Challenge yourself to come up with off-the-wall ideas or hire people who can do it for you.

Having found something different, you can elaborate on your story, making it more empowering and interesting to others. Step back and think bigger — how can this idea benefit a community, the environment, the world? Having convinced with logical words (S/E), you now have to seduce, enchant and make people ‘feel’. When you’re fully in this energy, you are able to live the vision and make it sexy to end-users. Your imagination will find unusual and interesting ways to express the vision to future customers or stakeholders.

QUESTIONING THE SOUTH WEST IN ORGANISATIONSWho generates new ideas and approaches for the organization? Who has the imagination to dream a larger dream of how the business can be conducted or even what the business is? What stimulates new processes and approaches? How well formed are your goals/dreams? Have you stepped out-of-the-box to consider other methods of achieving the goal/dream? What tools have you used to unlock your creativity against the task? How can you adopt a different style to make you noticeable and talked-about in the market-place?


WEST: VALUES, HOLDER, TRANSFORMER & KEEPER

At this half-way mark, this is the energy you use to change what you know into another form to make it clearer. What has to die so that the dream can live? What do I keep? What do I change? What do I trash? The West is where the sun, symbol of life, light and clarity, disappears. West implies an ending, a going into darkness, where thoughts are unclear and sometimes full of fear. West is night and dark, a place of nightmares, crimes, secrets and spying, of passion, subterfuge, daring, magic and adventure. West is a universal symbol of death, which can be welcomed, feared or honoured. We don’t like thinking of death, just as in our normal day, we don’t like thinking of poverty, racism, sexism, tyranny, dishonesty and cruelty. The West insists on honesty.

Does the idea have a negative? What are my values? What is my moral stance? These are the uncomfortable questions we need to answer before we can progress on the wheel to reach success. Isivivane and Medicine Wheel are sacred systems, and as such, will ask you to deeply examine what your true motives are in any undertaking. What are you hiding from others and yourself?

Here in the West energy you can transform a concept into a physical reality — you can translate the difficult-to-grasp into a physical form so that others can see what is going on and relate to it. Examples of this might be a mind-map, a diagram, a video, an outline, a journal, model, financial statement, a story, a dance or anything that allows others to experience your dream in a physical, passionate way.

With your idea ready to go into the world, stop and think carefully about what sacrifices you may need to make. Are there any challenges you’ve been avoiding? Are there uncomfortable issues you’re not facing? Is there anything in your original idea that needs to die or transform? Have you forgotten to inform important stakeholders, like employees, for instance. How will you deal with disappointment and adversity? If this works, what will you lose? These are all questions that need to be courageously answered.


QUESTIONING THE WESTHow do people get a real sense of what is going on in the organization? Who presents what financial data to managers and employees?How do employees learn the “Company story”?Is the organizational structure visible? How are you transforming your goal(s) into something physical that can be seen and related to by others?How have you changed your approach to make the goal(s) possible?What have or can you let go of, or let die, to make your dream possible?


NORTH-WEST: RULES, PATTERNs, POLICY & BOUNDARY SETTING

Every enterprise has its own pattern of success. The North-West asks what are the appropriate patterns with which we must engage in order to achieve success. For example, business organisations need an on-going inflow of cash to sustain their operations. A typical pattern that ensures that we receive payments due to us might run something like: ‘Ensure all invoices are emailed to client on completion of work and that they match the original quotation. Also ensure that each client receives a statement by the 20th of each month.’

These are the energies you use to determine what rules, policies, protocols or patterns of behaviour are necessary to realize the dream or goal.

With Uranus as an archetype, you need to put in place policies and rules FOR YOURSELF. Instead of blindly following rules set or suggested by others, ask yourself what will work for you. Make your policies uniquely yours — by doing this, you won’t be tempted to rebel against someone else’s idea of correct procedure.

QUESTIONING THE NORTH-WESTWho determines what rules and policies are necessary for the organization to meet its objectives given the current situation?How are rules, policies, boundaries and protocols established?Who provides counsel, guidance and direction to the management team?Have you established the rules, protocols, etc. necessary to achieve your goal(s)?What patterns have you established to help the organization realize its goal(s)?Were employees consulted and do they agree that everybody should abide by the rules?


The North includes those energies that you use to ensure that the dream or goal stays on track. Examples include activities that maintain the boundaries or protect the dream. Another aspect of this energy is to check your progress formally and hold yourself accountable for movement.

Having established what the rules are, decide on the structure necessary for those rules to be upheld. What are the parameters of what is OK and what is not OK? Who is in authority? The most authentic authority is the individual; so if everybody buys into the rules, everybody becomes his/her own authority in upholding them. We play by the rules, respect boundaries and follow protocols because we know they make sense.

QUESTIONING THE NORTHWho ensures that the policies and rules are maintained and protects the safety of the organization?How much time, energy and money are being spent to enforce the rules? Monitor the execution of programmes? Audit behaviour? Maintain boundaries? Administer discipline?What are you doing to keep your goal(s) on track?What are you doing to protect your dream?How are you maintaining the Company’s boundaries?What help are you receiving in achieving your goal(s)?

NORTH: ROLES, GUARDIANS, PROTECTORS AND ENFORCERS


NORTH-EAST: RITUALS, DESIGNERS, CHOREOGRAPHERS

Throughout this process, you will have discovered your main aspects — spiritual (East), emotional (South), physical (West) and intellectual (North). In the North-East you spend time to appreciate each and harmonise them all in order to harness their combined energy. This is your team (or team of abilities) that all come to the party to serve the dream. In Medicine Wheel lore, this is the bringing together of the energy of the four worlds: human, plant, mineral and animal, to manifest the specific dream. This is the energy you use to create and implement a continuous operating plan.

With Jupiter as archetype, here everything is in place (everybody is on the same page) to continue the abundance journey. Jupiter reminds us to be generous; to acknowledge ourselves and people around us, to give thanks and celebrate what we already have. Giving praise to ourselves, others and life in general is fundamental to creating an atmosphere of positive energy. How do we dance together? How do we celebrate? How do we keep each other joyfully motivated and in tune with the central idea? How do we keep focused on successes and make those bigger? With the conjoining of our powers, we feel ourselves supremely capable of giving, serving, contributing and sharing. The ability to give is experienced as a blessing.

QUESTIONING THE NORTH EAST IN ORGANISATIONSWhat have you done to pull all of your resources together to achieve your goal(s)?Who blends all of the other energy inputs together and puts together a plan for realizing the goals of the organization? Who leads the Operational planning function? Do you have a concrete action plan to help you achieve each of the goals?

CONTINUE TO CHECK IN WITH THE ENERGIES OF THE WHEEL ON A DAILY BASIS TO ENTRENCH NEW HABITS


With an established direction or a goal, Isivivane can be a valuable tool to improve effectiveness. Check that the goal is achievable. If the overall goal is too large, use NE Designer/ Choreographer energy to break the goal down into smaller pieces.

Draw a circle and place a goal in the centre. Then look at what types of energy you are currently bringing to bear on this goal. Do one goal at a time. At each position on the wheel, stop and ask yourself how you are applying the energy associated with that direction to your task or goal.

Some thought-starter questions have been prepared to assist you, but whatever questions you use will provide illumination. This analysis will help you see where you are in the process of attaining your goal. Try to avoid judging yourself or jumping into the future. This step is designed to help you get a sober and balanced look at where you are right now. It will help you build consciousness of how the organization is using its energies.

THOUGHT STARTER QUESTIONS

Centre : CatalystWho provides the spark necessary to get the change process started and keeps it going? East : Scouts, Seekers Who is looking outside the organisation at what is going on and reporting back to the management team?Who is seeking new ideas about how to achieve your goal(s) or even what might be appropriate goals ?Are you visiting other companies looking for ideas? Who is going to seminars and what are you doing with the information gathered?Who is reading about what others have done to achieve similar goals?Does someone in the Company belong to a formal peer group where different approaches are discussed?How did you determine your goal(s)? How are you scouting out information about your goal?From where are you drawing information?What is the source of your inspiration?

South East : Politicians, Cheerleaders, StorytellersWhat story are you telling?How have you worked out that this is the story you should be telling?How is the audience responding?Is there a collective energy or ‘wave’ that you can ride?

PROFILE THE CURRENT ENERGY ALLOCATION


South : Resource ProvidersWhat resources (time, money, technologies, talents, physical energy) are you bringing to the goal/dream? What are you lacking?Who is providing what resources to achieve the goal(s)?How extensive is your commitment in time, money, energy, etc?

South West : Dreamers, Out-of-the-box ThinkersWho generates new ideas and approaches for the organization? Who is capable of dreaming a larger dream of how the business can be conducted or even what the business is?What stimulates new processes and approaches?How well formed are your goals/dreams?Have you stepped out of the box to consider other methods of achieving the goal/dream?What tools have you used to unlock your creativity against the task?

West : Holders, Transformers, KeepersHow do employees gain a physical sense of what is going on in the organization?What do they see, hear and experience physically? Who presents what financial data to managers and employees?How do employees learn the company storyIs the organizational structure visible? How are you transforming your goal(s) into something physical that can be seen and related to by others?How have you change your approach to make the goal(s) possible?What have you let go of, or let die to make your dream possible?

North West : Rule Makers, Policy/Boundary SettersWho determines what rules and policies are necessary for the organization to meet its objectives given the current situation?How are rules, policies, boundaries and protocols established?Who provides counsel, guidance and direction to the management team?Have you established the rules, protocols, etc. necessary to achieve your goal(s)?What patterns have you established to help the organization realize it goal(s)?

North : Guardians, Protectors, EnforcersWho ensures that the policies and rules are maintained and protects the safety of the organization?How much time, energy and money are being spent to enforce the rules? Monitor the execution of programs? Audit behaviour? Maintain boundaries? Administer discipline?What are you doing to keep your goal(s) on track?What are you doing to protect your dream?How are you maintaining the Company’s boundaries?What help are you receiving in achieving your goal(s)?

North East : Designers, Choreographers, DirectorsWhat have you done to pull all of your resources together to achieve your goal(s)?Who blends all of the other energy inputs together and puts together a plan for realizing the goals of the organization? Who leads the Operational planning function? Do you have a concrete action plan to help you achieve each of the goals?


Members of successful teams are all clear about goals and communicate effectively. The suggestion is that you use the ideas here to stimulate open conversations around what the team members desire. The team is being created (or re-energised) for a purpose - you need to spend time discussing this. Also, it is useful to see team members as ‘taking on’ the archetypes such as scout, storyteller, resource provider, etc.

Begin with the central idea or problem: WHAT DO YOU WANT? Why is this team being created? What is its purpose? What are the desired outcomes? What, exactly, do we want the team to achieve? Isivivane is flexible, so you might ask members of the team to reflect upon what needs doing and who would be able to fulfil more than one energetic role. It is also interesting to see how people perform when you not only refer to them as ‘marketing director’ but rather as a ‘scout’ or ‘resource provider’ above their normal title. It’s a new way of thinking.

The East : Researcher/ScoutIdentify the person who is most deeply connected to the desire of the team. Who has the energy and passion to go out and research all aspects and gather the information about the project? Who is looking outside the Company at what is going on and reporting back to the management team?Who is seeking new information about how to achieve your goal(s) or even what might be appropriate goals ?Are you visiting other companies looking for ideas? Who is going to seminars and what are you doing with the information gathered?Who is reading about what others have done to achieve similar goals?Does someone in the Company belong to a formal peer group where different approaches are discussed?How did you determine your goal(s)? How are you scouting out information about your goal?From where are you drawing information?What is the source of your inspiration?

The South East : Storyteller/Communicator/EmissaryIdentify the team’s most potent communicator. This person will be charged with the responsibility of talking about the project to stakeholders, listening to their views and feeding this back to the team. Who is managing the internal and external relationships that will promote or block

APPLICATION: CREATING A PROJECT TEAM


achievement of the goal(s)?Who is keeping people motivated with persuasive language to remind the team of the vision so that they complete what needs to be done?How are you working with the energy that is available?How are you riding the energy behind your goal/dream?What are you doing to keep people motivated to achieve the goal(s)?What is the source of the motivation?

The South : Negotiator/Resource providerIdentify the person best able to make the goal attractive enough to gain the resources needed for successful execution.What resources (time, money, physical energy) are necessary for the goal/dream? Who is providing what resources to achieve the goal(s)?How extensive is your commitment in time, money, energy, etc?

The South West : Innovator/Out-of-the-box ThinkerIdentify the most innovative and off-the-wall thinker.Who generates new ideas and approaches for the organisation? Who is capable of dreaming a larger dream of how the business can be conducted or even what the business is?What stimulates new processes and approaches? How well formed are your goals/dreams?Have you stepped out-of-the-box to consider other methods of achieving the goal/dream?What tools have you used to unlock your creativity against the task?

The West : Change Agent/TransformerWho is best able to manage the necessary changes needed for the project to become established within the organisation? If we don’t get buy-in from employees, the project will never fly. Discuss with Human Resources.How do employees gain a physical sense of what is going on in the organisation? Who presents what financial data to managers and employees?How do employees learn the ‘Company story’?Is the organisational ‘re-birth’ visible? How are you transforming your goal(s) into something physical that can be seen and related to by others?How have you changed your approach to make the goal(s) possible?What old, limiting thinking do you have to let go of or let die to make your dream possible?

The North West : Manager/Unique policy setterWho can establish what unique rules and habits will be necessary for the new system to be followed? Who determines what rules and policies are necessary for the organisation to meet its objectives given the current situation?How are rules, policies, boundaries and protocols established?


Who provides counsel, guidance and direction to the management team?Have you established the rules, protocols, etc. necessary to achieve your goal(s)?What patterns have you established to help the organisation realize it goal(s)?

The North : Administrator/GuardianIn order for the rules and protocols to be followed, identify the person who can set up a structure that is clear and easy for employees to implement and follow.Who ensures that the policies and rules are maintained and protects the safety of the organisation?How much time, energy and money are being spent to enforce the rules? Monitor the execution of programs? Audit behaviour? Maintain boundaries? Administer discipline?What are you doing to keep your goal(s) on track?What are you doing to protect your dream?How are you maintaining the Company’s boundaries?What help are you receiving in achieving your goal(s)?

The North East : Director/ChoreographerFind the person gifted in getting people to work together and to stay focused and motivated. Everybody needs to come to the party.Who is able to tell the ‘big story’ about the project internally and externally?Who will keep reminding stake-holders to live the dream?How do we reward people for sticking with the goal?What have you done to pull all of your resources together to achieve your goal(s)?Who blends all of the other energy inputs and puts together a plan for realizing the goals of the organisation? Who leads the Operational planning function?Do you have a concrete action plan to help you achieve each of the goals?



Begin with the central idea or problem: WHAT DO YOU WANT? The central hub contains the energies of the Sun/Male and the Moon/Female as a reminder to be wildly creative and clear-thinking (sun), as well as intuitively intelligent (moon); what feels right.

What kind of garden do you want to plant? Who will it feed? Where will the produce be sold? Who will profit? Is it for selling to the outside world or to provide good nutrition within the community? What part will medicinal plants play? Does the garden protect our national heritage of useful indigenous plants? Can these plants be processed into products like oils, soaps, etc?

The East : ScoutFind out as much as you can about the kind of garden you want to plant. Go on a course. Find out how other gardeners have done it. Read. Research. Become knowledgeable. Go back to your central idea and make adjustments based on your new knowledge.

The South East : EmissaryGo out and inspire the community to support your project. Have discussions with possible partners, other gardeners and those who will buy from you. Remember that the language you use to express your idea affects others deeply - express your vision in a positive, enthusiastic and powerful way if you want people to cooperate with you.

The South : Resource provider Make your idea attractive to get the resources you need to make it sustainable. Put together a beautiful document that you can present to resource providers. If people love your idea, you will find it much easier to access the land, water, seeds, materials, skills, funding and willing workers for your project. Think of how you can grow this idea and cooperage so that it is of benefit to as many people as possible. The South West : Out-of-the-box Thinker Design the garden. What plants grow where and when? Be creative in the lay-out of the garden to give each plant a place where it will flourish. Use other people’s junk creatively — old mattresses make excellent fences; leaky tin baths can be turned into wheelbarrows; tyres can be used for fences, edging and stacked to grown potatoes; old drums become rainwater reservoirs.

The West : Transformer Plant the garden — and remember from now on nothing will be the same. You will have to change your daily behaviour if you want the plants to survive.

APPLICATION: DEVELOPING COMMUNAL FOOD GARDENS


The North West : Unique policy setter Establish a daily, weekly and seasonal routine for yourself to tend the garden. When do I mulch? When do I water? When do I weed and check on plants? When do I transplant and prune? Work with the natural cycles of nature for optimum results.

The North : GuardianHaving set the routine, create a structure to ensure that the rules are followed. Who is responsible for what? How do we check that what we said needs to be done is done? Create a calendar.

The North West : Choreographer How do we dance (work) together? How do we celebrate the harvest? How do we keep each other joyfully motivated and in tune with the central idea? How do we keep focused on successes and make those bigger? How do we demonstrate gratitude?


Begin with the central idea or problem: WHAT DO YOU WANT? Come up with ideas of products you can make from the plants in your garden. Are they medicinal, beauty or food products?

The East : ScoutDo market research. Is there a need for the product idea? Will people want to buy? How much will they be prepared to pay? What is needed in the manufacturing process. Get as much knowledge possible.

The South East : EmissaryCommunicate for support. Write convincing proposals to persuade possible partners. Talk to a sample of your prospective target market to get their reaction.

The South : Resource providerMake the idea attractive to get the resources and/or funding you need. Write a marketing plan. Work out the growth potential of your product - is it local, regional, national or international? If you need a loan or investor, make sure you have a good financial projection document.

The South West : Out-of-the-box Thinker Think of innovative ways to advertise your product to your target market. What unusual ingredient, concept or delivery method will make the product stand out from the competition?

The West : Transformer Do a test-run of your product and asses how it went. What needs to change? Throw out what doesn’t work and find new solutions.

The North East : Unique policy setterDecide how your company is going to be unique. How do you treat customers and employees? How will you handle finances? What systems do you need to put in place to protect profits and pay debts on time? Write a potent vision, mission and values statement. The North : Guardian Create a structure for the habits and behaviours necessary to keep the company, employees and finances (including tax payments) on track. Be clear about all legalities. Set dates on which invoices will be issued and bills paid. Decide how you will remind yourself and others to live the vision, mission and values.

APPLICATION: DEVELOPING PRODUCTS


The North East : Choreographer Decide how you will build on positive actions. Establish occasions to celebrate successes and reward exceptional effort. How will your company contribute to the community in which you operate? How do you keep everybody working together joyfully?

In the centre of the wheel, write a short synopsis of the kind of person you want to be. Use your courageous Scout or Mars energy to examine what you are really all about. That means all of you — the nice bits and the not so nice bits.

East: What are the things you definitely know about yourself and how did you come to know them? What are the qualities you were born with and developed throughout your life that will help you to realise your dream? What is the source of your information? What books, newspapers, magazines and articles do you read? How is this information supporting your vision? Look out for any assumptions about yourself that are holding you back. (Someone once said ‘you will never be a writer / success / entrepreneur’. There is no reason for you to hold onto such an off-the-cuff remark. You can do anything you really put your mind to doing.)

South-East: How do you talk about yourself and your past successes and failures? Do you make excuses or boast? Is this your authentic voice? What kind of conversations do you have in your head and with other people? How do these conversations empower/disempower you? Are you given to idle chatter, gossip or trashing-sessions or are you prepared to have searching, mutually beneficial interactions with other people?

South: Are you able to see your own beauty as a unique human being? What do you do to nurture yourself emotionally, physically, intellectually and spiritually? Where do you feel most resourceful? What are the relationships that support you? How do you look after what you own? What is your relationship to the Earth and humanity in general? Do you actively contribute to art and culture? Do you use ‘my culture’ to justify out-of-date, sexist and racist power-play?

South-West: What are your night time dreams telling you? How can you express the language of your soul in art? Do you express your deepest pain and joy in innovative ways or do you get lost

APPLICATION: ENGAGING PERSONAL POWER


in fantasy, drugs and alcohol that give you temporary relief from reality? Do you outsource your imaginative life to television soaps, cheap novels and movies?

West: How do you cope with depression and misfortune? Do you see these as opportunities to transform yourself? Are you able to surrender to the dark, uncomfortable times of change and find meaning with the faith that ‘this too will pass’? What relationships, thoughts and habits are you prepared to sacrifice in order to become the new person you want to be?

North-West: What new habits do you need to establish to achieve what you want to be? Are these YOUR rules, or rules that make sense to you? (If rules are set by someone else, it’s all too easy for us to rebel. This rebellion mostly happens unconsciously, so that you may interpret it as ‘weakness’.)

North: What structures do you need to put in place to maintain the rules? If you are not the authority in your life, someone else will step into the role for you. Being your own authority puts you in the position of being the author of your future development.

North-East: How do you celebrate and express gratitude for your life? Can you re-tell your history as a compassionate story with a positive ending about yourself, your family and humanity? Do you recognise your own successes and build on them? Practice praising instead of criticising, compliments instead of put-downs, giving instead of taking.


This tool has been used to great effect with people who have trouble managing their emotions and who tend to ‘fly off the handle’ when confronted with certain information. This model talks of building a delay between perception of the information and acting on and enforcing boundaries. A trigger to use this tool is when you have become aware of information that causes an emotional impact or a ‘feeling’ that overwhelms everything else in your life. You lose focus, your dream suddenly seems banal and in general, all is meaningless and you have an urge to do damage. An example of this could be if a friend of yours has let you down badly.

There is a part in every human being (our collection of shadow aspects) that sometimes wants to lash out swiftly and brutally at the one who caused the offence, whether the offence is a taxi racing past in the emergency lane or a beloved partner who has pressed your most painful button.

Before there can be any substantial gain in emotional intelligence or conflict management skills, Isivivane asks that we look deeply into our own hearts as human beings for the origins of violence — whether it is physical, emotional, acted out or even just played out in our imagination. We cannot settle an issue with another person until we have settled the dispute within ourselves.

Going to the centre — stop and consider.When we spend time in the still hub, holding the impulse to commit even an imagined hurt upon another, we can come into contact with the archetypal shadow energies. Even this central point has a terrible father and terrible mother aspect. We may be tempted to suppress these aspects, instead we have to invoke our power to choose, or set the ‘direction of the heart’ (Rilke). We can, of course, choose violence. We can, if we wish, deliberately hurt someone’s feelings, snap at a partner, slap a child, kick a dog, damage property, or swear at another driver, as long as we remember that like attracts like.

We can also choose to be victims and allow other people to bully us.

Most of us will want to choose to live a decent, dignified life, free to pursue our happiness, free of tyranny and respectful of other human beings wanting the same as us. This is the age-old philosophy of Love, where Goodness, Truth and Beauty replace Anger, Greed and Hatred.

APPLICATION: ISIVIVANE FOR EQ & CONFLICT MANAGEMENT


If we choose to bring about change through Love, we have a very rich tradition cultured here in South Africa. Gandhi himself said that he was born in India but ‘made’ in South Africa. And although, on the one hand, we have a terrible violent-crime rate (the shadow at play), we have the legacy of our Struggle heroes, who, despite extreme provocation, time and time again returned to their core quest of bringing about political change in a non-violent way. They were astonishingly successful and we honour them by becoming familiar with their philosophy by reading their books, articles and speeches.

Violence, in words and actions, grimaces and in-actions, is usually a stress reaction to a pattern of pain avoidance that starts in childhood. So, before deciding how to manage conflict, we could entrust ourselves to the wisdom of Isivivane.

For this exercise, set your central intention as wanting to gain insight into the dynamics between you and the other person or persons and why you feel so bad. The purpose could be ‘to examine this relationship through different lenses: spiritual, emotional, physical and intellectual.’

East: Remind yourself that you are a spiritual being having a physical experience. With the Scout energy, take a journey into the history of this relationship. How did it begin? What is the relationship based on? What is the nature of this relationship? What are the roles played out in this relationship? Is there equality or is this a boss/underling, parent/child (between adults), victim/helper connection.

South-East: Describe what information you became aware of. Find words that express what you have discovered about the relationship. Write, with great honesty, in a journal about what happened and what you feel. Take particular care to write for your own information only, in order to avoid ‘you did this and you did that.’ If possible, adopt a factual, dispassionate style or writing. The purpose is to get clarity on the situation and to discover the role you played in bringing about the dispute.

South:How does this information make you feel? What are your real feelings about this person and about your relationship? Are your feelings and the other’s feelings similar? Acknowledge the emotions. Remember that there are seasons in relationships too. Is the relationship merely changing or evolving? What are the good/beautiful qualities of the person and the relationship?

South-West: Using intuition and imagination, probe whether there is something else happening in this relationship. Is there an addictive element? Is there an unacknowledged undercurrent?

West:Where in your body do you feel the emotion? What physical effects are you feeling because


of this conflict? (Look for clues in language and in age-old sayings: Shoulders — carrying too much. Back — heavy burden, unequal load. Neck — can’t move, painful to look at all aspects. Head — unexamined, unexpressed anger. Stomach — can’t ‘stomach’ values, behaviour; ‘nervous stomach’, meaning there is fear — what fear?. Chest — ‘heart-sore’, emotional pain or ‘I can’t breathe’, the relationship is stifling. Throat — not speaking up — not saying the truth, not speaking your needs, etc.) Is this one kind of relationship masquerading as another? Is this relationship worth keeping? Could it transform? Should it be terminated? Take note now of all the names you have wanted to call this person. If this person is really the tyrant, bully, cheat or whatever names come to mind, can you find some mirror behaviour in yourself? It is typical to blame someone else for doing what we’re doing; or for displaying characteristics that we dislike in ourselves.

North-West: Examine the arena in which this relationship is operating. Where are the boundaries? Define the relationship — partnership, business, marriage, etc. Have we agreed on roles, interactions and protocols? Is there any formal agreement? Should there be one? How is this relationship unique?

North: How will the boundaries and rules be honoured and enforced by both parties?

North East: With all the insights that have been gained, how is the relationship going to change? How will you inform and discuss this with the other(s)? What is there to celebrate?

If, after this process, you decide that the relationship is worth keeping but needs to change, you may want to repeat the cycle together with the other(s).


Unfortunately, there is no such thing as parenting school. Most of us become parents and either blindly follow in our own parents’ footsteps or, if we hated our childhood, do exactly the opposite. For most of the population, it’s really easy to become a parent (noun); but difficult to parent (verb) children into psychologically healthy adults. Children are precious. If we fail them, what chance does humanity have of ever creating a world without wars and tyranny?

We may not be able to change the world, but we can change our own thinking and behaviour to become conscious parents. We can be the ones to stop abusive parenting cycles and start a new family legacy, based on love, responsibility and respect.

The DreamDecide what kind of family life you would enjoy. How are you going to treat each other? How will you support each member’s unique life path? What do you want to mean to each other? What kind of father or mother do you want to be? Is there a role model you can choose?

EastTake a brave step and look objectively at the family dynamics that are wounded, damaged and damaging. Look at the family as it is. Very often, the most sensitive person in the family will ‘act out’ all the hidden aggression or secrecy in a family. This can result in rage, tantrums, dangerous behaviour, drug and alcohol abuse, etc.

South-EastHow do you communicate with each other? Do you snipe, criticise or put others down? Are you habitually argumentative? (Isn’t it interesting that we reserve our worst behaviour for the people we ‘love’ most?) Can this change? How can each family member be allowed to speak truthfully without hurting someone else’s feelings? Are all members prepared to really listen to honest feedback?

SouthHow do you express your love for one-another? What can you do to bring beauty into the family home and relationships? How can you nurture each other’s talents and personal qualities? How can you establish and grow strong bonds with each person? What are your resources and how do you look after them? How can this family grow to become an example to future generations?

APPLICATION: HEALING FAMILY LIFE


South-WestExpect to find imaginative solutions. Allow creative expression. How do you deal with adversity in the family, like the death of someone close or financial challenges? Do you pull together and ride it out or do you expect someone else to make it all better? Everybody goes through difficult times — make it a learning, bonding experience or the family may splinter apart.

WestHow are the parents’ damaged childhood playing out on the children and repeating the legacy left by ancestors who created a less than perfect family model? What family secrets are there, causing undercurrents of distrust and fear? What painful experiences are not being acknowledged? (Deaths, miscarriages, jail-terms, being HIV+, mental illness — anything responsible for ignoring an issue or ignoring a living or deceased member of the family.) For a family to be a safe haven, there needs to be a way in which everybody can talk about and express not only their hopes and joys, but also their disappointments and pain. Look at behaviour that causes irritation: why is it there? Why is it irritating?

North-WestDecide how your family is unique and different from other families. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the image of a model family you grew up with, or see in supposed ‘perfect families’ TV series. Discuss the guidelines for behaviour that you will follow on a constant basis that will help you to become the family you want. Get everybody to agree (or risk rebellion).

NorthWho will make sure that guidelines and rules are adhered to? What systems, calendars, rosters or lists should be displayed? What are the consequences when rules are broken? How can each member of the family assume personal authority in specific areas?

North-EastHow do you compliment each other? How do you celebrate special days and successes? How do you show gratitude? How do you extend good fortune to the world around you? What are the stories you undertake to retell about yourselves, your ancestors and each other on special occasions? What are children being taught about giving generously and receiving graciously?


Centre: Spend time in the hub in meditation or wordless prayer until you feel the connection to your Higher Self, Love or the Divine. How to take this feeling of love, safety and bliss into the everyday?

East: the searchThe East is the part of the horizon where the sun rises. It is the place our ancestors looked to as the mark of a new day. To the East I learn about life as it first begins, its first breath, its first glimpses, its first touch. In this direction I greet the sun as it is from here that the sun and moon and all the other planets emerge as they travel around the ecliptic. Whenever I am faced with a new challenge I seek my cardinal East to gain insight into what it is that I must learn on my journey through life.

The gifts that we seek to develop in the east are:Our relationship with Mother Earth and all those beings with whom we share the earthOur Fire and SpiritualityThe innocent or ‘first’ MindProtectionEnthusiasmInsight, a new way of thinkingResearch, testing ideas in imagination before they become realityBirthSpringNew beginnings, new possibilitiesPlanning, dreaming of new directions

The SouthThe South teaches that whatever has had its beginning and lives has its time to become an infant that relies on life and its mother to nourish, nurture, love, comfort and protect from the harshness of existence. The South is the home of the midday sun, the place of Summer, and the realm of the material world, the physical, our sexuality. The sun travels across the sky, bringing warmth and light to all that grows below. The South is the place of play and innocent trust in the grace of higher powers that bring your ideas into fruition. This is also the place of taking action based on your ideas and insights, trusting in how the whole process of growth will unfold in your life.

In the South I can allow my heart to feel the love that joyfully explodes out of each of the 600 billion cells in your body: love for myself, my family, my relatives, my entire human species, the plants, animals, and all creation. I trust in Nature, in the way a pregnant woman KNOWS that a new life is developing within her womb all on its own. I am in awe of all creation, including myself

APPLICATION: SPIRITUAL GROWTH


The gifts that are developed in the South include:Our relationship with waterRelationships and partnershipsPhysical actionTrustPlayfulnessOur Emotional life, our feelingsGetting down and ‘Doing it’ rather than talkingWhat we nourish ourselves with in order to grow (food, ideas, people, literature, etc.)InfancySummer

The WestThe West is the place of Autumn and transformation. It reminds us all about one of the very few certainties in our lives — that we will die and that all things in creation have their conclusion in the physical sense. This is the circle of life. The West teaches that whatever lies on my path of life is unknown (I can set my intention, but I can’t control) and so we need to focus in the here and now knowing that the cosmic creative force, our ancestors and all the tribes and guardians are finding expression through us. The process has been going on for millions of years without our control; so the West is the direction in which surrender to our biological evolutionary path.

The sun sinks into the horizon at the end of the day and at the end of summer. This is the place of rest — the in-between time after action and before integration of your learning. The West is Autumn, the time of the harvest where we reap what our actions have sown. The West brings a time of assessment, learning, and emotional release.

The gifts that are developed in the West are:Our physical self; the earth.DreamingSexualitySelf examinationReflection, introspection and retrospectionGrowthTrusting our deepest feelings and desiresAdulthoodChange / Autumn

The NorthThe North is the space of Night, Winter, the Owl, higher perspective, and the realms of thinking and wisdom. It represents the still hour before dawn where we find authenticity and attain wisdom. We choose and take responsibility for our actions. Winter holds the promise of growth locked just below the surface. In the North we dedicate our thoughts and intelligence to expand our understanding in and of all things. You may think of life as an


endless series of cycles. There are cycles in our seasons, cycles in our days, and cycles in the process of growing and evolving as spiritual beings.

The gifts that are developed in the North are:

Our relationship with our breath rhythm and the air we breathe.Thinking logically and clearly without fear and prejudiceUnderstandingWholenessAwareness of the lesson, cycles and patternsGiving thanksWinter


In this Isivivane model, the human being is seen as being comprised of the Intellectual, Spiritual, Emotional, and Physical selves. In order to experience a balanced, harmonious life, you need to be in balance with them; all working together to the same end.

In the East we find fire and the spirit. In the South, we have the emotional self. In the West, we have the physical self and finally, in the North, we have the intellectual self.

BALANCE EXERCISEFind a still space in the outdoors, where you won’t be disturbed, to do this exercise, sit comfortably facing North, close your eyes and listen to the sound of your breathing.

With your eyes closed, look up towards a point on your forehead and touch your tongue to the centre of your palette.

Visualise the 5 golden Suns of this Isivivane with the centre Sun representing you sitting in the centre. Intellect above to the North, Emotions below you to the South, the Spiritual to the East / Right and the physical to the West / Left.

Are the suns the same size? Are they the same colour?Are the Suns the same distance from you?

Change them in your vision to being the same size, colour and distance from you. Bow to each point of the compass and acknowledge what you have done this day for the Spiritual, Emotional, Physical and Intellectual aspects of yourself.

Bring yourself back into present time space, bow to yourself and continue with your day.

An alternative to this exercise is to create a small Isivivane yourself. All you need is a small quiet space, if possible, in a garden or natural place. Have 5 fairly rocks, small enough to pick up, but heavy enough to ‘feel’ the weight,

APPLICATION: KEEPING YOURSELF AWARE AND IN BALANCE


and physically arrange them to create the kind of configuration that you are experiencing, then the experience that you desire.

SYMPTOMS OF BEING OUT OF BALANCEThere are certain symptoms that will quickly tell you when you are out of balance. Characteristic behaviours when your selves or submodalities are in and out of balance include:

In the East, positive aspects of the Spiritual self in balance will be enthusiasm, experimentation, fun, joyfulness and creativity. You will be angry and will misuse power when out of balance.

In the South, an emotional self in balance with the other selves will manifest innocence, trust, discovery, but will exhibit fear when out of balance.

Signs of balance in the West — the Physical self - include Intuition and Introspection but inertia, inaction and procrastination will result if there is no balance in the physical.

The North is the place of the intellectual self which manifests wisdom and harmony when in balance. Out of balance, there will be arrogance, know-it-all, over-intellectualising.

QUESTIONINGAsk the subconscious mind: At the start of the day - What am I going to do today in the area of my Spiritual, Emotional, Physical and Intellectual selves in order to attain balance and wholeness?

At the end of the day - What did I do today; what will I change tomorrow in the area of my Spiritual, Emotional, Physical and Intellectual selves in order to attain balance and wholeness? MEDITATIONSit quietly and listen to the sound of your own breathing for around 5 minutes. Acknowledge the different aspects of yourself by starting in the East which is your spiritual fire. Bow to it. Continue around the wheel in a clockwise direction and Bow to your Emotional, then Physical then intellectual selves.


The AccountantThe AnalystThe AnimatorThe Buccaneer The Catalyst The ChefThe Chief The ChoreographerThe Citizen The Competitor The Connector The ConservativeThe ContrarianThe Cop The Crone (wise old woman)The Curator The Cyberanalyst The Defender The Devil’s AdvocateThe Idealist

The ImpressarioThe InyangaThe Jackal / Coyote The JesterThe Judge The Librarian The Loose CannonThe Lover The Maestro The Marketer The MatchmakerThe Oracle The Out-of-box-ThinkerThe Pattern-Recognizer The Physicist The Pilgrim The PoliticianThe PoseurThe Pragmatist

The PreacherThe Prodigy The ProgrammerThe PsychologistThe Professional MournerThe Publisher The PusherThe Rabble RouserThe RadicalThe Rain-makerThe Rescuer / HelperThe Resource ProviderThe Rulemaker / Policy-Setter The Saint The SangomaThe Sceptic The Scout / SeekerThe Scribe The Seeker

The SeerThe Senex (wise old man) The ShamanThe Software Developer The StatesmanThe Stirrer The Storyteller The Thinker The TransformerThe TransformedThe VampireThe VictimThe Visionary The Webmaster The Yoda

REFERENCE: FAMILIAR ENERGETIC ARCHETYPES IN ORGANISATIONS


The shadow archetypes highlight some examples of the typical negative attitudes that are evidence of ‘energetic blockages’ in various parts of the wheel. If you find it difficult to tell the story of your dream so as to convince others (the blockage), you can quickly identify that the blockage is in the South West. You can decide to grow and develop in this area or outsource it to someone else. Frameworks such as psychoanalysis suggest that the shadow aspects are learned or acquired during childhood. Mythologies all over the world tell us that shadow aspects are as ancient as our first gods and godesses.

SUN/CREATIVE THINKING Instead of playful creativity that is scintillating and daring, the shadow reveals itself in intellectual pride, wanting it to be ‘my idea’ and dismissing input just because it comes from someone else. It is selfish as opposed to magnanimous, protective of knowledge instead of confidently sharing, focused on ego instead of the task. Masculine, no-nonsense.

MOON/INTUITIVE INTELLIGENCE The moon is there to give emotional depth and free-flowing possibilities to your project. If excluded, you may experience moodiness and withdrawn, churlish behaviour. Ideas may dry up; there won’t be anything that you or anybody else will feel inspired to nurture. Female, subtle.

The Alchemycal Wedding, the marriage of male and female, light and dark, remind us that balance and peace between these two energies give us our greatest chance of happy, productive lives. Each allows the other, both within the individual and in partnerships. One is not subservient to the other. One is not at the mercy of the other. They are equal and different.

Shadow Energies — EASTThink of this energy as a knight setting out on a quest. In its helpful expression, it is in service to a worthy cause and will bravely go into the world to gather a wealth of treasure (information) to bring back to the cause. But its shadow is aggressive and brutal. It has forgotten its noble cause and will pillage, rape and plunder ideas that seem easier to achieve. It stumbles around looking for dragons to slay and gets lost in delusions of grandeur. The cause is forgotten.

Archetypal Shadow Energies - SOUTH-EASTThe power of language is that it creates what we talk about. In a campaign speech, John Kerry asked people how they would feel if they woke up after the election and George Bush was still president, thus instilling the idea that this was how it would be - not his intention at all, but did he speak it into being? Mercury’s shadow is glib, superficial chatter that alienates, disempowers and bores people. It talks, but never listens. It talks at people, not with them.

REFERENCE: SHADOW ARCHETYPES



Archetypal Shadow Energies - SOUTHThis energy asks ‘how can I make this idea attractive to those who can provide physical and social resources? How do I get others to love the idea?’ It is practical and seeks to grow and develop appropriate relationships with graciousness. Its shadow energy comes out in vanity and procrastination. It can be indolent, wanting others to magically see all the possibilities, shoulder the burdens and shower resources on it.

Archetypal Shadow Energies - SOUTH-WESTIf you’re not living the vision, or when you’re bored with your own project, expect to get melancholic, disappointed and addicted to empty flights of fantasy and drugs to escape from reality. Devoid of creative imagination, colleagues may sit over long liquid lunches complaining and blaming everything opposite to them in sex, race, sexual orientation and social standing for the terrible situation they are in.

Archetypal Shadow Energies — WESTWe may not like it, but many ideas and relationships come to a point where they either die or must be reborn or transformed. Be prepared to descend into the underworld and pay your respects to death if you want real transformation. Many people at this point experience anger, spiteful behaviour and depression. Doubts come up - ‘it’s too difficult, it’s never going to work, why on earth did I get involved in this?’

This energy urges us to face our demons and to change our limiting ideas about ourselves. We may have to shed all previous assumptions about who and what we are. This can be a dark, lonely place, but don’t despair. Remember, this is West, the death of the day, the disappearance of the Sun, symbol of Life. Here, nothing is easy. But everything is necessary. When we are intentionally conscious, we courageously submit to the softening process, as a seed needs to soften before it can germinate. Release what is unnecessary. Be prepared to sacrifice assumptions that are no longer useful. Shed the protective husk.

Archetypal Shadow Energies NORTH-WESTUranus helps us to experiment to find self-regulating patterns or rules that we can commit to following. If we don’t claim what is uniquely ours, we will rebel. Like teenagers who resist all rules imposed by teachers and parents, we end up rejecting the disciplines necessary to turn our dreams into reality.

Archetypal Shadow Energies NORTHSaturn is about authority. We can use this energy to create structures and ways of self-regulation necessary to work efficiently and finish tasks on time. If we do not claim our own authority, Saturn’s shadow kicks in - we experience this as a strict, unbending force; we feel we are at the mercy of perceived authority figures from the outside world that limit our actions like a strict parent or tyrant boss. We ourselves become over-critical, harsh and even tyrannical.

Archetypal Shadow Energies NORTH-EASTIf we don’t celebrate or tell the story of our successes and extend gratitude and generosity to partners, family, friends, co-workers and the community in which we operate, it involves us in pointless drunken parties, over-indulgence and wastefulness that depletes what we have built. If we don’t tell the narrative of our project in a grand, empowering style, we


cannot inspire others to dance in step with us.Ever hear talk in the workplace about someone or other being engaged in ‘playing games’? Well, maybe that someone is smarter than we think because using a game analogy to think about almost everything you do has the potential to make life in all its aspects lot more rewarding, interesting and fun. Whether it is soccer, chess, baseball, your relationships, religion, the economy, tertiary education or any other aspect of human endeavour, the basic principles of game apply. Might your attitudes and behaviours towards your key relationships change if you experienced their underlying game nature? Might you feel a little more light-hearted and creative? Would that be useful?

In the context of organisational life, many seem to think that game playing is something done outside of working space and working hours. Work is work and fun is fun and never the ‘twain shall meet. People often even talk about their work as being ‘serious’ and their leisure activities as being ‘fun’. But true game players have uncovered the secret of having fun and getting the results they want by simply understanding the game and applying principles of game theory to everything they do.

The way in which you think and talk about your experiences not only describes but makes those experiences ‘real’ for you and others. Understanding that game structure underlies all human experience is both helpful and empowering — those who see it as “life” tend to have a serious approach that is not particularly helpful in the creative process. And serious thinking might also set them up for the anxiety and worry that are precursors to stress-related disorders.


A game is defined as a learned cultural sequence characterised by Rituals, Rules, Roles, Resources, Goals, Language, Values and Style.

RULES In order to play a game well, you need to be clear about what the rules are — both written and unwritten — and work with them stretching the boundaries where possible. Rules stipulate what can and cannot be done and not playing by the rules means you risk penalty or even exclusion from the game. Can the rules be bent or questioned? Are the rules applied consistently? Are the rules of the game stifling innovation and creativity? Is everyone clear about what the rules are?

ROLES Every human being plays a number of different roles in day-to-day life. In addition to the kinship roles (you are someone’s child, lover, brother/sister, father/mother etc..) you probably play many different roles in the workplace as well. Think of the roles of friend, confidante, coach, mentor, boss, subordinate or even petty tyrant that you play within the context of your job title. Are the roles clear for you? Are there better ways to perform these roles? Are you expending the appropriate amount of energy in these roles? How would you know if you were performing your role exceptionally well or badly? Who gives you feedback? Some organisational theorists have suggested that organisational job titles are the same as roles performed by actors on the stage. The difference is that you interpret, direct, script and perform the role yourself. The challenge then is to perform the role as best as you can without attachment to it— be open to new experience by changing and evolving your performance. RITUALSA ritual refers to Speech, action, singing, and other activities which often contain a symbolic meaning, performed in a specific order. In organisations, audits, year-end functions, teambuilding and weekly meetings are examples of typical rituals. A characteristic of ritual is that it has the quality of ‘collapsing time’ — a 15 minute presentation by the MD can encompass many years of the organisations’ history. Another characteristics of ritual is that they can be performed so regularly that they start to lose their meaning and many people ‘go through the motions’ without quite understanding what they are really doing and why. Be clear about the rituals you engage in and their outcomes. Are they really necessary? Could they be changed, simplified or even removed? What relationships exist between rituals and outcomes?

REFERENCE: THE ISIVIVANE GAME


RESOURCESIt is likely that ‘money’ springs to mind when you hear this word but resources also means emotional support, know-how and process knowledge, equipment, networks, access to information, support systems and ‘people you know’. The question of resources asks you to make clear what is it you actually need to make the game work. You may also wish to see a well designed vision or goal as a resource.

LANGUAGEEach game has its own language which allows participants to talk about (and even create?) common experience. The game of Law, for example, requires that many years be spent at university and doing articles. During this period, the budding lawyer will come to know a language that not only allows the experience of law, but it also acts as an effective ‘barrier to entry’ to non-lawyers. But lawyers are not the only ones with a unique language — every field of human endeavour has its language, set of symbols, metaphors and figures of speech that are continuously repeated. What language do you engage in? Is it the language of creativity, opportunity, teamwork and success? Could you appropriate language from other areas to expand your experience and describe your world?

VALUESValues are standards or qualities considered worthwhile or desirable. They are abstract ideas about what an organisation/ society/ community believes to be good, right, and desirable. They represent your deeply held beliefs demonstrated through day-to-day behaviours and are the fundamental principles that guide community-driven processes. Values provide a basis for action and communicate expectations for participation and make a public pronouncement about how the organisation expects everyone to behave. Values should endure over the long-term and provide a constant source of strength for the individual or organisation that holds them. It has been suggested by a number of writers that values create conditions that make certain beliefs and behaviours more likely. It is important to understand that whilst these values are influenced by the culture from which you come, you are ultimately responsible for constructing your personal values. So spending time on your values is an important exercise which becomes more useful as you read over and update them from time to time. What values do you need to support in order to play a particular game? Are these values reinforced and expressed in both your language and behaviour? Is there a discrepancy between expressed values and behaviour? How do you come to know what values are required to successfully play the games you are engaged in?

GOALSWhile the attitudes of gameplaying should always be light-hearted, often the outcomes of games such as Mergers and Acquisitions, restructuring, rightsizing and day trading can be deadly serious. Every game has a goal, even if the goal is to simply continue playing the game in a sustainable manner or to win. While soccer, rugby and cricket matches come to an end with winners and losers, the game continues — season after season. Typical goals of business games might include sustainable profits, the creation of wealth and having rewarding interpersonal relationships. For organisations, goals are normally articulated in a Vision/Mission statements and in strategic plans. On a personal level, your narrative or ‘story’ articulates your goals as experienced through your identity. What are your personal goals? What are the goals of the games that you are playing? Do they contradict each other? Are the goals worth the effort? How have you reached clarity and agreement with your fellow players about what the goals and nature of the game are?


STYLE Style is the way you play the game. Style embodies your behaviours, thoughts and words. Irrespective of what you are playing, you bring your unique personal style to the game. Style is learned and developed over time and is strongly influenced by role models, self perception and particularly by feedback. Much as sportsmen view videos of their performance in order to improve themselves, feedback allows you to see which behaviours provide the desirable outcomes. Where do you get your feedback from and is it helping you to achieve the desired results? Are you flexible enough to question your own style, open enough to ask for feedback and creative enough to experiment with new styles? Are you aware that much of your style is influenced by your early childhood experiences and from observing how others respond to situations?

Seeing the game nature of human activity is empowering in that it allows you to be light-hearted and playful — traits often associated with creativity. By contrast, not understanding the game is a sure recipe for confusion and helplessness. The experienced and effective game player knows that it is possible to change positions while deeply embedded within the game without losing face.

Using a game metaphor in all aspects of your life ensures a light-hearted, open and humorous approach to situations that others (who don’t understand the idea of game playing) might take seriously and as ‘real life’. In other words, conceptualising human activity as a game is an empowering and a strategic tool that helps you get what it is you want.


IDEAS & EXPERIMENTSTry and see whatever you do as a game. How could the games you play become more interesting, rewarding and FUN? Try to name the games around you — these could ‘big games’ like the economy, science, love, poverty, culture, politics, medicine, parenting, education, retailing, advertising and war.

Remember the root of the words Delusion (Deludo — Latin for ‘Outside of the game’) and Illusion (Inludo — Latin for ‘In the game’). Are there some games you want to enter? Are there some you wish to leave? What do you have to sacrifice in order to play? Can you be flexible enough to play in different ways? Who is inviting you to play?What are you perceiving? How do others see it?

Remember that ‘seeing’ a particular game is a product of your perception and creative ability. Your leadership ability is about seeing a new, empowering game and somehow influencing others to see and experience it in the same way you do.

Try deconstructing your key relationships in terms of a game. What are the Rules, Roles, Resources, Goals, Rituals, Language, Values and Styles required to play the game really well? How confident are you about your gameplaying? How many games are you involved in right now?

Where do you get feedback from that tells you how well (or badly) you are perceived to be playing the game? How open are you to feedback — particularly negative feedback? What adjustments can you make to ensure that you become even more proficient?

Engage the language and metaphor of play and experimentation in whatever you do. Some languages engage this concept in interesting ways - in high forms of Japanese, for example, every verb is preceded by saying ‘played at’. For example, I play at being the MD, I play at being an artist, I play at being a coach and I play at being a father and even my father is playing at being dead. Somehow the word play is a reminder that you are still learning, experimenting and growing in a light-hearted, open way.

Remember, it isn’t just life and death, it is a game. Enjoy it!

Be clear about what games you are engaged in, how much energy you expend in playing, what results you expect and why you are doing it.Develop leadership intent around a game — how would you like to see the game in the future? What needs to change to attain the positive outcomes?


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