Saturday, May 31, 2008

Big Book of Blobs




50 Blob Tree Tools with free CDR too
Ideas and questions of how to use.
For groups, teams and great for individuals.



The Little Book of Blob Questions

by Pip Wilson
Ian Long

  • Download £2.76
  • Paperback book £5.56
Download: 1 documents, 1303 KB

Printed: 28 pages, 6.14" x 9.21", saddle-stitch binding, black and white interior ink

Description:

The Little Book of Blobs is the companion book to the Big Book of Blobs (available from www.blobtree.com) and explains how to use questions effectively with others. Using the Blob Tree visual it crosses all boundaries of gender, culture, and language. Small at 28 pages, but beautiful.


Friday, May 30, 2008

Alesund Airport, Norway
homeward bound
full up
full up with feelings
experiences
wonder
stretch
relationships
old friends
new.

I feel I belong to this community
It is 'Fame - we gonna live forever'
it is a Folkhighschool which we don't have in the UK.
A buzzing 'University of Wholeness'
It is a centre where staff love each other
and it shows
working
smiling
all the non verbal
as well as 'positive word of mouth'.

This visit had an invasion
staff from other such places
from all around Norway
beautiful humans
connecting humans
passionate humans.

Into their midst came a stranger.
Who did not give a talk in the lecture time
a beautiful human with a strange tongue
needing translation.
Who did not use the Bible in a Bible Lesson.
Who used large visuals
and small words
and large group time
always in triads -
a place where none can be a loafer.

Strange this stranger
leading these 100+ humans
into a mass role play
disrupting the neatly lined seats
disrupting the comfort zones
inviting all on a journey
into a new place
because
"Growth does not reside in a place called comfortable".

He disturbed the comfortable
and
comforted the disturbed'.

Starting with a common experience
with feelings triggered
feelings energised
minds spinning
outwards to family, children, relationships.
Minds spinning
as the gut was spinning
"I don't want to be here-
but this is extraordinary
I am in free fall".

"I have just become a ten year old child
and I am grown-up wo/man.
Why do I feel so different?"
"How easy was that to do -
I am shocked in who I have become - in one minute"!
I am beautiful.
"I am beautiful".


And then comes the reflection
the objectives become clearer.
The experience is a senses surge.
The experience is bring real life into one room
real life into everyone present,
reality - yet
yet ............a facilitated learning experience.
Beauty - full ...............

Shalom
Shalom was the theme.
Wholeness
not finding it here
but an introduction to the road less travelled
and an invitation to join it
step on it
lift the eyes and walk into the unknown
choosing life not security.

"I will not
sacrifice freedom
for security"

That Pip Wilson strange-man was shaking too
That Oyvin Sonnesyn, translator extraordinary, was shaking too.
The feelings truly common.

When it was all over
(it will never really be 'over')
flashbacks began
reflective flashbacks
reflective learning.
Conversations related to 'experiences'
rather than the performance of 'the speaker'.
Wholeness being experience
Shalom being experienced.

100+ humans will be carrying this in their chests right now.
Retention from a lecture is 5%
Retention from this stuff is 75%

The experience lives on
the reflection lives on
and the Shalom of God that passes all understanding ...........




I am still in Norway but leave later today ....... it has been a large experience. I have been stretching myself to be the best I can be - the best I can become.
I am yearning to become.
I am a human being
and more important
A human becoming .......

I have contributed to this conference alongside 130 or so humans who have give so much ....... and, in that, .............. received.
In giving we receive.


I need to reflect - I have the stirrings in my gut. I feel the need to dig in my soul and reflect upon the experiences as an English, only, speaker midst a conference of Norwegian speakers.
I tried to capture all the debates - not just my inputs and other snippets in English. I had beautiful humans translating for me - how do they do this?
I struggle with English!

My expectations of the conference were as a human with no language skills (I only have two languages -English and Body).
Would I feel alone - would I feel isolated?
Would I feel trapped in a strange land?
My expectations helped me to 'feel' these occasions. Feel them and acknowledge them. "Here I am Pip Wilson - in a group of humans who are 'full-on' conversing in strange tongues - here I am with feelings about it ......" and I felt those feelings and felt good in them.

Most times there was a swing. They, the majority, included me by speaking English .... I am eternally grateful for that.
Including the minorities is a massive principle and, on this occasion - I was the receiver and blessed ...............

Lots of the new friends I have made, have asked for samples of the resources I used at the conference. Especially the visuals.
I will post some of them HERE on this blog over the next 2 weeks.
They can then be printed or copied for your private use - they are copyrighted so they are never placed on the internet or sent by email.
I will delete them from this blog after two weeks.
A pretty big list of books and tools available (download or books/posters) is
available here.

Got to go ..... more later ....
you are beautiful
remember ...........




Thursday, May 29, 2008






This is where I am.
















.... and this is what I am doing .....









"wisdom is fleeting
and connected to the exact moment

when we learn something new
only for us to realize that the process of learning
this only reinforces how little we know"

"Become aware
of what is in you.

Announce it,
pronounce it,
produce it and
give birth to it."

Meister Eckhart
The Conference I am at organised the Andrea Crouch Concert last night in the harbour-side concert hall. It must have been 25-30 years since I saw him at Greenbelt. Then he was with The Disciples, his own band, this time with a local gospel band and choir.

His voice is, as it always has been, fantastic. A talented and gifted human.
He told us about his four attacks of cancer in various parts of his frame. He looked fragile and vulnerable. He did not move far from a mike stand support or the ever present physically supporting keyboards. His fragility added to his presence rather than hindered.
I guess he is about 65 now. Unsteady on his feet and I sensed his drifting during the set.

I am not a Gospel scene fan.
I love gospel music.
My faith is not residing in that place.
Bless him in it - but don't walk me to the water brother.

He made some hint about the recent changes in Californian law, which were subtle as he said, because he didn't want to be arrested.
I took him to mean the change of law to allow same sex beautiful humans to get married.
I used to be conserative in terms of faith.
I am not there now.
I love Andrea Crouch but not any view which condemns self determination.
I love gay humans as I love Andrea - and I have departed from opinions/beliefs which condemn and not strive for understanding.

"Everything depends on the lens you use.
Make your gaze beautiful. "
John O'Donohue
I am not at Wilson Mansions
I am in Norway - see below.

I am living Loveology
I am trained in the University of Vulnerability.

It is late
It has been all great
Now I must catch some zzzzzzedz

Many more reflections MUST come out of my soul
My soul needs to become undressed.
Otherwise it will all get trapped inside.
See you tomorrow - you are beautiful ........





Tuesday, May 27, 2008


One in ten young Norwegians chose freely to go to experience a Folk High School for one year prior to University or other paths.

I have clicked about my experience here since 1992.
Fame College - I call it.

This time it is not students but Staff from all over Norway.
Annual conference ........... and the sun shines on us.

I need to go to bed zzzzzedzzzz

you are beautiful ...........







hmmmm missed a day of blogging!
But here I am in Norway.

Sunday night I went to bed at 4 am because I was on a roll with prep for this week. I create bespoke slide shows with the Apple Mac 'Keynote' which is like the powerpoint thing - only not.
This keynote rocks.

Last night I crept into bed at 4am again - this time in Norway, in the Folk High School which now feels like home. loveitloveit
Oyvin met me at the Airport and we missed the ferry which meant we had to wait till 3.30 for the next one! .............. a.m. - that is.

I left London town, Romford City, four and a half hours before my flight time.
Gatwick bound in thrashing rain.
Terrible weather in the London area - sunny here wow.
I have never been here without the snow - but can see it clearly on the mountains when I was flying in - so beautiful.

Gatwick Airport. SAS, Scandinavian Airlines, to Alesund, then to Ulsteinvik. Place it in Google earth and you see the world spin and it will take you down to here - Ulsteinvik. I will wave.

Nearly went to Bergen.
I was given a boarding card 'Nigel Wilson' - just spotted it in time .......... I lurve Bergen too.


Last week en I flew into Belfast, the week-end before - driving to Bristol ....... here now and London in-between. Cultures, needs, gifts ....
The switch of cultures and groups is a challenge and ........ I loveitloveit ......

Bought two sets of 'in ear' headphones at the duty free shop. I wear them out. One Denon, one Altec Lansing. What a programme I listened to on the flight. Gilles Peterson again. Look for Charlie Dark. He is on my blog PiPhone - look for a song called 'Prayers for angry young men'. Play it - hear the lyrics - fantastic.
He is a poet and works in schools with hard to reach young humans. This song feels like it too.

So here I am.
I will be blogging.
I will offer 100% of all I have.
My education will be used - I have been schooled in the 'University of Vulnerability'.
I will need it all.

I believe that vulnerability is a unit of beauty.
You are beautiful.



Sunday, May 25, 2008





..... here you see Albert Einstein .

Step back from your screen and look at it from a distance and tell me who it is??
Come on, get off your chair and walk away to the other side of the room ......








.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Everybody knows that they're guilty
Everybody knows that they've lied
Everybody knows that they're guilty
Resting on their conscience eating their inside
It's freedom, said it's freedom time now
It's freedom, said it's freedom time now
Time to get free, oh give yourselves up now
It's freedom, said it's freedom time

It's freedom, said it's freedom time now
It's freedom, said it's freedom time now
It's freedom, I'ma be who I am
It's freedom time, said it's freedom time
Everybody knows that they've lied
Everybody knows that they've perpetrated inside
Everybody knows that they’re guilty, yes
Resting on their conscience eating their insides
Get free, be who you're suppost to be
Freedom, said it's freedom time now
Freedom, said it's freedom time
Freedom, freedom time now

May the light of your soul
bless the work you do
with the secret love and warmth of your heart.

John O'Donohue

Wilson Mansions here::
I feel I have not clicked propa!
So here I am with a soul full of
beauty
and rammed with
videos
feelings
thoughts
love ...... what more is there .....

I have had a great week and need to reflect.
I have one day free to prep before I fly to Norway on Monday.
I suppose the forward is in my priority soul.
As much as I want to reflect - the bigger priority is Mr Preparation.

I told my wife today - that I love a man. She said it was ok.
It is Gilles Peterson.
I love him and spend so much time with him. He will be coming to Norway with me and to Venice on holiday (hey hey).
I also love BenjiB and Mary Anne Hobbs.
bootyfull stuff.

I penned some feelings as I travelled on the London underground - feelings of course. This thing I do a lot.
Telling you five words to describe my life at the moment. A great reflective act - I think.
anticipation
refreshed
calm
focused
blessed.

...... and you ......?

As I move around to different projects, different towns - different Cities, I come across whispering staff. It seems to be universal. Ones or twos gather in an office or the water cooler and whisper about the line manager or the boss. Or some one steps out of the room and the rest of those present, begin to talk about them. Un-creatively!

If the leader does not lay a platform - a climate of trust, the situation will deteriorate into whispers. Employees know that the boss has a the power to move them on - get them out - and the natural insecurity kicks in.

The platform to lay, it seems to me, is::
Climate - of trust
Involvement
openness
Confidentiality
Vulnerability
Freedom.

In a team or a department, there needs to be opportunities to gather and a sense of freedom, with security, to express frustrations, upsets, fears, vulnerabilities and the leader needs to be the one who lays the platform. By doing the opening first. Feelings are not explosions. It is bad if they have to come out like that. Feelings are signals and if shared early, they don't build up into the need to whisper and the inevitable explosions.

So much is required of a leader.
If you are one, in any context, do you lay a platform or you focused on only 'task' - and exclude process?

All of us can easily be controlled by 'shoulds' or 'emotions'.
Both tell us what to do.
The big decision is to decide how to respond, speak, react, act. Not put someone down because our emotions are telling us, or raise our voice because the 'shoulds and aughts' are in control.

These things are on my mind at The Leaning Towers of Pip Wilson dot com.
Late night or not - they are there with so many others.
I feel blessed by being among the beautiful humans I have been with this week.
All beautiful humans.
You are beautiful.

I will be clicking tomorrow - need to - even if you are doing other things - I will be here ....