This unique Gathering will explore these questions:

• How do we make meaning of our lives through story?
• What are the stories we tell ourselves about others? About ourselves? How do those stories reduce us?
• What learning and significances are right in front of us, in the stories of our days?
• How can we summon the courage to move beyond the limits of who we think we are into what we were meant to be?
• How can we relinquish our “role” in order to discover who we might be beneath the mask?
• What treasures can be found in the in-between space between me and you, between perception and preconception, between my Self and the Other?

We’ll explore concepts such as:

• Life as a finite or an infinite game
• Intention and direction
• Wicked problems, tame solutions
• Naming our vicious and virtuous circles, those patterns of behavior that either reduce us or allow us to live expansively…

Designed for individuals and leaders whose lives and work could be enhanced by an exploration of their personal stories and those interested in stepping “toward the disturbance” to create an expanded capacity for working and living creatively (and with greater meaning), alone and with others across difference.

Learning Activities
Our teaching is oriented more toward learning (a process that leaves us changed) than toward problem-solving (a process focused on changing our surroundings). We believe learning should be a beneficial search for surprise and is most meaningful when it is embodied, not just intellectual. This Gathering will:

• Utilize both cognitive tools and experiential and creative techniques
• Use improv theatre, ritual, metaphor, mask, story, writing, and other narrative tools
• Explore “role” and other expressive personal and organizational “masks”
• Be 80% experiential–not in the sense of simulations, games, or role plays—but as unmasked engagement with others
• Invite participants to extract meaning from experiences as a collaborative learning community
• Use focused free writes to help participants frame experiences in their own language for deeper exploration
• Experience how changing ourselves can deeply impact our families, communities and organizations.

Session schedule

We will begin at 6pm on Friday, November 10 (check-in will begin at 5pm) and close at 1pm on Sunday, November 12.

Guides: Patti Digh and David Robinson, co-founders, The Circle Project

Patricia Digh’s first book, Global Literacies: Lessons on Business Leadership and National Cultures (Simon & Schuster, 2000) was named a “Best Business Book” by Fortune magazine. Her most recent book is The Global Diversity Desk Reference (Wiley, 2003). Patti has published over 75 articles on intercultural and diversity issues and was formerly the Vice President of International and Diversity Programs for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) with over 200,000 members worldwide. Her clients have included DaimlerChrysler, JP Morgan Chase,  Discovery Communications, PBS, the American Red Cross and American Cancer Society, among others. She serves as an adjunct faculty member at the University of North Carolina at Asheville where she teaches courses on cultural literacy and leadership and is also on the faculty of the Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication. She writes a weekly e-newsletter, 37days, focused on living intentionally.

As a life long visual and theatre artist, David Robinson has mastered the competencies now recognized by organizations as invaluable to their sustainability: creative, imaginative, symphonic, and mythic. His 20 years of professional directing experience help him design programs utilizing theatre techniques and creative processes to facilitate the recovery of the creative impulse and transformational experiences. David has been Artistic Director of The Dimensions Theatre Project, General Manager of The Seattle Shakespeare Company, and Artist-in-Residence for the Lincoln Unified School District. He has taught for The Seattle Repertory Theatre, The Seattle Children’s Theatre, and Bringing Theatre into the Classroom. He has also served as curriculum consultant for MacMillan-McGraw Hill, The Teacher’s Curriculum Institute, and Lincoln and Hayward Unified Schools and serves on the faculty of Antioch University.

Patti and David are the co-founders of The Circle Project, a collaborative endeavor focused on exploring organizations as storytelling systems, engaging people in experiential learning around diversity issues, and methods for personal learning and organizational change.

Here’s what people are saying about The Circle Project’s work: 

• I never use the word “perfect,” but it applies to what you did for this program!
• The feedback was off the charts. Since I’ve been here, we haven’t had a session rated so well.
• I see myself differently–thank you!
• Great facilitation and unique work.
• Profound.
• Thoroughly enjoyed your open, welcoming, reassuring facilitation.
• I felt my edges, enjoyed letting go, and allowing myself to retreat.
• Great modeling of safe experimenting.
• It was a wonderful self-discovery trip.
• This was a very unusual experience for me–thank you for taking me to a different world.
• An opening through which I will continue to move over time…

Location: We will meet at the Bend of Ivy Lodge, a beautiful Gathering place nestled on 63 acres of land that slopes gently down to the Ivy River, just 20 minutes north of the unique mountain town of Asheville, North Carolina. Called the "Paris of the South" and "Santa Fe of the East," Asheville is a special place.

Our location will support our purpose. Imagine 63 acres of quiet serenity down a gravel road, a beautifully restored barn, sleeping rooms that showcase art from around the world and bring people into community, gorgeous wooden beams—add delicious organic vegetarian meals on the porch, sitting areas by the pond and in the covered pavilion, and a remarkable meeting space. You’ll leave TV and email far behind here. Our Lodge will be non-smoking.

As a recent guest at the Lodge wrote, “I was aware of the sacred all around me, from the craftsmanship of your construction, to the beauty of the natural environment, to the love, thoughtfulness, and spiritual qualities of your design of space, to the art and books all around- all of this encouraged quiet connection. Thank you for creating such a place and sharing it with others!" 

We urge participants to stay “on-campus” with us to maximize your experience and build a community of learners. If you are local and would like to go home at night or stay elsewhere, we ask that you plan to participate in all sessions, which end on Friday and Saturday nights at 9pm.

The financial ponderings: The spirit and intention of the 37days essays is to engage fully in life, to offer something back to the world, to allow for people to examine their own life stories, to be transparent and write with great intention and direction—it was begun to offer Patti’s stories to her daughters. These retreats are somehow different from our work in corporations—even though the lessons learned are as beneficial for that audience as they are for individuals seeking personal insight and expansion.

For these 37days retreats to occur, we want to honor those intentions of gifting from which 37days itself sprung – and we must also acknowledge that there are expenses involved in any such gathering. We will need at least 10 participants to hold this retreat and can accommodate no more than 14 residential participants and 6 commuter participants, so early registration is recommended. Like our location, our size will also support our purpose.

If 10 people attend, we can cover our basic expenses if each pays $375 (housing and meals included). So we’d like to offer this retreat on a sliding cost scale between $375 – $675 and ask that you place yourself on that scale and pay what you can within it. If you are able to contribute more and help support our work in the world, please do. If you can only pay expenses, we welcome you as well.

Your tuition is all-inclusive, covering double occupancy lodging with shared baths, delicious organic vegetarian meals and snacks, and all Gathering materials. You may reserve your space with a $150 deposit; the balance is due by October 15, 2006. 

Tuition: $375-675 (place yourself on the scale). If you’d like a single room and we can accommodate your request, we’ll ask you to pay an additional $175. If you’d like to join us, but stay elsewhere, your tuition scale will be $275-575. To register, complete the registration form (PDF).

Cancellations: If you should have to cancel, we’d miss you, but we understand that life changes our best-laid plans sometimes. Cancellations over 30 days prior to the Gathering will receive a full refund less a $25 administrative fee. Cancellations between 1-30 days prior to the Gathering will forfeit all fees if the space cannot be filled. If the space is filled by another participant, you will receive a full refund less a $75 administrative fee.

Limited to 14 residential participants and 20 participants in total.

Thanks for your interest. We hope you can join us. As you contemplate the possibilities, enjoy this photo of a lily pad made the afternoon that Patti and her two daughters visited the Bend of Ivy Lodge…(click to enlarge it for the full effect)

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