Visioning 2005

What's next?

• Visioning Concept Map
• Synthesis of the Vision
• Tree grows & blooms -- photos
• The Visioning Tree Process -- How it works

Deep Spring Center Visioning Process Summary of Synthesis Meeting - First Iteration May 16, 2005

On 5/16/05 twenty-four members of the Deep Spring Sangha met to begin synthesizing the information gathered on the Visioning Tree. About 250 leaves, each representing an idea posted on the tree during the first 4 months of this year, were sorted into 10 topics. Three topics concern the essence of Deep Spring Center and seven topics are about manifesting that essence in the world. The topics were driven by what we saw on the tree and we believe they reflect the areas of greatest importance to the Sangha as we envision our future. Then small groups considered the leaves of each topic and composed the summary statements given below. Please keep in mind that these are the first iteration only, a kind of rough draft. We seek to determine the "sense of the Sangha” on each of these topics. For some topics there will be a consensus, for others there will be a range of viewpoints. We welcome your thoughts on any of these topics either by email to Alice (om@deepspring.org) or in person at the Sangha Gathering May 22, 3-5pm. In the coming months a small group will combine these summaries with input from the Sangha Gathering and email input to craft a draft vision statement for review by the Sangha.

The Essence of Deep Spring Center

Teachings

• Deep Spring fosters growth in non-dual awareness using as a spiritual basis the teachings of Buddhism.
• Meditation is our primary practice. We are inclusive. We support the opening to higher conscious, presence, kindness, freedom, compassion, equanimity and liberation.
• There is a range of ideas about our roots – Buddhism, Buddistic, non-denominational multi-dimensional, interdenominational incorporating teachings on non-duality from other spiritual practices.
• Lots of dots for Vipassana meditation, non-dual awareness, liberation, opening to higher consciousness, non-dogmatic.

Sangha

• The essence of Sangha is that it is a community, a sanctuary where learners and seekers find support through spiritual friendship and deepening practice. Sangha is individuals – families, children, young and old, finding connection. The qualities of the essential Sangha are love, hope, harmony, fun, inclusiveness, safety, laughter and diversity. It is open and welcoming and egalitarian and committed to loving-kindness.
• A point for real Sangha discussion is the terms "non-denominational” and "multi-denominational”.

Spiritual Growth

• Deep Spring Center supports Spiritual Growth and Inquiry through the concept living through being, integrating love, wisdom and tranquility by the practice of service, compassion, kindness & spaciousness – resulting in liberation and laughter.
• Deep Spring Center supports Spiritual Growth and Inquiry through the concept living through
• Manifestations: Bringing it into the World

Teaching/Learning

• Teaching/Learning is a fundamental activity of the center.
• Supported though: Library One-on-one mentoring Teacher training Diversity of programs: Retreats Workshops Classes Sunday/other sittings Free form Structured
• What to teach: Meditation Diverse viewpoints Commitment to practice Dealing with stress Support for experienced practitioners
• Programs on a dana basis

Space

• We want a welcoming, tranquil, clean, uncluttered, sacred place for practice, centrally located and accessible, including natural beauty with walking space.
• We want many amenities including multiple rooms for multiple purposes, larger hall, kitchen, library and a retreat center.
• We want to keep our low overhead model.
• Some suggest buying rather than renting. Some people like this spot.

Sangha Activities

• There was a wide range of suggestions regarding Sangha activities. Many suggestions focused on various types of activities mainly oriented internally to Deep Spring. These included many suggestions regarding more & wider range of social activities and fun activities, and many suggestions regarding practice support activities and processes.
• Other categories included providing ceremonial services to members (i.e.: marriages, funerals), more organized ways of welcoming and integrating and supporting new members, ideas about improving internal communications, and providing services for children and teens.
• Some suggestions focused on specific activities oriented externally to Deep Spring (i.e.: fall clean-up). A few suggestions focused on administrative issues regarding activities (i.e.: programs offered on a dana basis with a realistic view of resources).

Healing

In Service of Healing and practicing loving-kindness, supporting various healing activities within the Sangha and open to the public, including:

• Healing circle offering body-energy work
• For care givers and end-of-life care
• For Sangha members experiencing difficult times
• Clinic

Outreach/Service

Within our available resources, 4 areas:

1. Teaching in a variety of settings - seniors - teens, children - prisons - 12 step programs
2. community service - visiting - day care for meetings - service projects
3. increase our visibility
4. support/help other meditation groups to form in other communities

Partnerships

• There is disagreement on whether a partnership with another organization would be in our best interest.
  (Few leaves, no consensus)

Aaron

• Aaron and Aaron's teachings are a key part of Deep Spring Center!
  (Few leaves, many dots, consensus)

The Visioning Tree grows and blooms

In full bloom...

"Leafing" -- a group process

Starting with the roots

The Visioning Tree - 2005

This is the Visioning Tree. With it we hope to create a shared vision for the future of Deep Spring Center. We hope you will actively participate. Here is how it works.

Roots = Sources. The teachers and traditions out of which Deep Spring has grown.

Branches = Topics. From January through March 2005 we will offer two new visioning topics each month for Sangha discussion. Branches will be labeled with the new topics at the start of each month. You may continue to post ideas on previous topics but please don't post on future topics. This will help focus the discussion.

Leaves = Ideas. We encourage you to form small groups and meet in a social setting to brainstorm ideas on the current topics. You may want to hold a potluck dinner, meet at a coffee shop, or gather before or after class. Brainstorm without criticism to generate a pool of ideas, discuss the ideas to reveal implications, then condense your ideas into a few key words or phrases. Write these key words on a leaf and pin it on the branch for this month. If your group comes up with more than one vision, use more than one leaf.

Stickers = Support. As a branch of ideas takes shape around a topic, periodically read the leaves that are posted there by others. If you are moved to support the ideas on a particular leaf, put a sticker on the leaf. Only one sticker per leaf per person please, but you may put stickers on any number of leaves.

Collages. If you are more visually oriented, you may want to create a collage of cutouts from magazines that convey your vision on this topic. Again we encourage small groups to work together. Post your collage near the branch for this topic. You may put stickers next to or on collages to show your support for others ideas.

Text. Groups with a verbal bent are welcome to write a paragraph or two on their vision, or a few bullets, and post them near the branch. You may put stickers on others text to show support.

How this will come together – We'll let things percolate through April, then in May 2005 we'll hold a Sangha gathering to examine and discuss the results. The "sense of the meeting” will be captured in a draft vision document that will be reviewed and approved in the Fall.

The Visioning Tree is brought to you by the Deep Spring Board of Directors. You'll be hearing more about it during classes and sittings in January. Questions? Contact a member of the Visioning Steering Committee: David Coupland, Cassie Cammann, Ann Thomas.

Deep Spring Visioning Topics

January

Identity – What is Deep Spring Center for me? Are we a Dhamma center? A channeling group? Nondenominational? Multi-denominational? What makes something a Deep Spring activity? What makes Deep Spring Deep Spring?

Purpose – How do I see the purpose of Deep Spring? How can our mission statement (next to the tree) be actualized in the world? What changes do we seek to create in ourselves? Our community? Our world? What is our purpose in forming an organization?

February

Communities –How do we encourage community? What events, forms of communications, and activities build community? What are the sub-communities within our Sangha? Who do we want to reach out to in the future (geographically, age, beliefs, ethnicity, socio-economic, other)?

Programs – What programs do we wish to offer? How could our programs be improved? What makes something a Deep Spring program?

March

Service – What forms of service do we wish to offer to others within Deep Spring, such as visiting the sick? What service do we wish to offer to the surrounding community? What is the balance between doing our own spiritual work and service in the world?

Place – Where do you see Deep Spring meeting? Envision our home. Downtown, on the outskirts, or out in the country? Rented or owned? How big? -- Are we sharing space with other group(s)? What happens there? Classes, retreats, a coffee shop, a library, ... What does it look like A good topic for collages.