Reflections on Residency Week: Blog Essay
May I perfect the multifaceted virtue of skillful means
and resourcefulness which makes all things possible
and swiftly accomplishes all that is wanted and needed
- Lama Surya Das, “Buddha Is As Buddha Does”
It seems to me that an experience such as the Cultural Sustainability residency week at Goucher College can be hazardous to one’s complacent existence; at least it was for me. Sometimes it requires an interruption from daily life, familiar surroundings and one’s circle of acquaintances in order to create an atmosphere where the fire of one’s life can be rekindled. Last week provided me with that opportunity which had been long overdue. Perhaps the word that best describes the time we spent together is “efficacious” since I believe the residency produced its desired effect; namely, gathering and inspiring students, and successfully launching a new innovative graduate studies program. Potent readings, charismatic instruction and enchanting personalities all contributed to a week of profound learning, personal insight, group dialogue and community building. There is no honest way to deny or even minimize the significance of our shared journey; nor to avoid the inevitable follow up question – now what? Hopefully the answer to this will not be “business as usual”, gradually allowing us to slip back into complacency regarding the world and crisis it faces. And yet, perhaps, even more urgent then the big picture global challenge will be that of the first Cultural Sustainability class attempting to sustain one another. Maintaining those spiritual connections and honoring the unspoken promises to “be our best” and “do our best” with humility and integrity are precepts that will be required of us on the road ahead. This is especially true if our individual objectives are to be realized and the MACS program is to maintain credibility and achieve long term success. It was initially somewhat of a surprise that I found the residency helpful on so many varied levels, at times connecting with my psyche in penetrating ways. There were meaningful self discoveries made as layers of personal “groundcover” were peeled away. At times emotions overwhelmed me and a kind of cleansing occurred. There was trust and safety within the group. The conditions were right for sharing and transformation.
Seeking a glimpse of “who I am” in the confines of my own solitary spaces can be revealing and beneficial; however, a self development process undertaken outside community can run the risk of being distorted, minimized or even dismissed. Conversely, it is in the intense light of the commons that “who I am” becomes most clearly recognized and understood. Often the eyes and ears of others are the ones best equipped to discern and confirm the identity of individual members within any group. Consequently, I am most grateful to have had the opportunity to interact with persons of openness, generosity and compassion. The group helped to define and validate me. Our intense week together has further prepared me for the tasks that lie ahead – whatever they may be. The question of “Now what?” still remains, but finding its elusive answer no longer seems all that important, for the group has helped to clarify my role in the field of sustaining culture. In the end, words and deeds, wisdom and virtue, skillful means and resourcefulness will frame the effectiveness of any leader. I enrolled in the MACS professional studies program not only to refine existing skills and develop new ones, but also to test aspirations towards leadership and teaching. The residency week has been a proving ground, allowing me to hear the call a bit louder and providing the opportunity for me to respond in modest but bold ways.
During the residency, quality education took place in the classroom, in the field and throughout the social networking opportunities provided. The offering of CSP Intro and CSP Leadership as companion courses substantially enriched the impact of each discipline. The blending of theory, coastal community life, storytelling and the hands-on experience of practitioners brought the notion of cultural sustainability to life. Through the voices of tradition bearers, social activists, artists, museum professionals, folklorists, educators and island residents, MACS students heard the words which had given birth to remarkable actions. This was and will hopefully continue to be about the people- the agents of change. Each one in their own way committed and entrenched with the community they serve. This was perhaps higher learning at its best.
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