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Heartland: Connecting Those Who Are Changing the World Through Vision in Action

Heartland is a global network, serving you and all those called to be social and organizational pioneers. Connect with others who, like you, are making a difference with your life and work by joining this community of "leaders", as defined by Margaret Wheatley: all those who are called to step forward and serve in these times.

Heartland offers dynamic online community services, publishing, and commerce opportunities in support of its global member base and a growing legion of daring new culturalists and leaders.

Experience the power of one multiplied by the power of many: participate in this blog by adding your comments to our notes, attend a Thought Leader Gathering, sign up for an Art of Convening TeleTraining series, or register for the next VisionHolder TeleConversation (click the links below for details!).

Attend and Engage: The Thought Leader Gatherings are held in Minneapolis, MN and the San Francisco Bay Area. These member-based, bi-monthly morning 'conversations' bring together leaders in corporate, non-profit and independent organizations, who are devoted to combining visionary and 'on the ground' discourse ensuring both breakthrough ideas and direct action.

Become a Convener or Hone your Art: The Art of Convening TeleTraining curriculum is designed to develop both the practical aspects of convening meetings, groups and gatherings, and the 'inner' qualities that help focus and hold attention and presence. This work is based on applying our Principles of Essential Conversation and Principles of Convening to your meetings, gatherings and events, & imbuing them with authenticity, heart and impact.

Be Inspired by our unique VisionHolder Calls: The Heartland VisionHolders are those among us leading by example, creating the new story through their lives and work. They are the architects, authors, and point people charting the course for an emerging positive future for business, society and our cultural institutions.

If you hold a vision for a new future unfolding, Heartland offers you connections, access and exposure. Join our vibrant community - come share your vision, join our conversations, and be in community with other seekers looking to step forward and stretch their minds.

We invite you to take your place in our circle...

I am convinced that love is the most durable power in the world. It is not an expression of impractical idealism, but of practical realism. Far from being the pious injunction of a Utopian dreamer, love is an absolute necessity for the survival of our civilization. To return hate for hate does nothing but intensify the existence of evil in the universe. Someone must have sense enough and religion enough to cut off the chain of hate and evil, and this can only be done through love.
—Martin Luther King, Jr., 1957

Comments

[Omer L. Rains]

Namaste “Old Friends” from Sept. 2008 MWJ:

I am transmitting with this note via Shutterfly the photo’s that were taken with my camera on our journey. The most significant to me are the ones taken of each of you individually and collectively at or near the end of our trip. Also, Craig asked that I send you the nicknames I gave each of you the day of my “solo” when I went to an area remote from our base camp on what I called “JIVA Wine Island.” They are as follows (in alphabetical order):

Bruce—Yachtman
Craig—Big Chief
David—Ox (or Little Ox)
Jeff—Minnetonka
Jerome—JayBro (basketball talk for “soul brother Jerome)
Mark—Captain (changed to “Big Bear,” a better name suggested by Mark)
Nils—Danish Prince (not “Jyske”—pronounced Use-ka—as I told you as a joke. By the way, Jyske also
isn’t Danish for “Beaver”)
Will—Big Heart

Sharing our recent journey with each of you was an unforgettable experience. Nature is my cathedral. It always has been and always will be. But to be in such truly wonderful surroundings with a group of truly extraordinary people made this occasion especially meaningful. I’ve long felt that trips into nature like the one we just concluded facilitate my never-ending struggle to be a new and better being. I will add that one of the epiphanies occasioned by my ruptured brain aneurysm and stroke was that I should surround myself only with people who also are dedicated to good deeds and who wish to contribute to others in some small or sometimes large way. With each of you I sensed that I achieved that goal. Returning to Bedford, I felt strong (my knees notwithstanding) and dedicated to maintaining my newly found friendships. In this regard, I’m blessed that JayBro will be visiting us this coming week and he and I also expect to see Little Ox next Thursday. I so look forward to seeing each of them. If any of you are ever in the greater NYC area, you definitely have a place to stay. Before closing, I want to give special thanks to those of you who have shared photographs with me, to David for sharing his poems, to Craig for the follow-up phone calls, and to Jeff for helping me think through what should be done about my knee. You’re a great group, we had great leadership, and unless I miss my guess we are all better people for having shared our journey together.

“Wisdom Walker” (I know I don’t deserve this name Jeff, but thanks for giving it to me)

Omer L. Rains
Ph. (914) 714-0630
Fax (914) 931-1679
email: senorains@worldnet.att.net
web: www.senorains.com

From: Shutterfly [mailto:share@service.shutterfly.com]
Sent: Saturday, October 04, 2008 2:49 PM
To: senorains@worldnet.att.net
Subject: Omer, your pictures were shared

Congratulations Omer,

Your pictures were shared successfully! Below is a copy of what your recipients will see.
To share your smiles with more friends, just forward this email to them.


Pictures for you!

From: Omer Rains
________________________________________
Pictures from Omer Rains

(1 of 43 pictures)
If selecting "See pictures" doesn’t work, copy-and-paste this address into your browser:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0EcOWTVqyZsnEA

[Amy Lenzo]

I ... just want to testify! :-)

As part of the team that produces Thought Leader Gatherings in the California bay area, I wrote a blog on my experience of this last one (September 2006), that I wanted to share with you here, in case anyone is curious and hasn't yet experienced a Heartland event.

I would encourage anyone who has been part of one of these powerful experiences - whether it's a TLG or an Art of Convening seminar series, or a Better Way to Live and Work training, or any of the other special events Heartland convenes - to share your thoughts and experiences here so that your voice can be heard, and your wisdom shared.