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January/February 2002 NW Newsmakers
Community News

Cafés for a New World

Coming Together To Envision Our Future In The Post September 11th World
Since September 11th, Americans have been asking themselves, “What can I do?” Reaching out to others, in heart-felt communion and communication, is something we all can do. During the month of January 2002, concerned citizens, colleagues and friends from networks across the nation and around the world will host Commons Cafés. The local January conversations are part of a much larger network of conversations exploring questions critical to our common future. Through the Café process, we can see that we are not alone. We discover that each of our conversations is critical to help us co-evolve a future that works for all.

The goal of the Commons Café is not to advocate any particular position. The goal is to create inclusive communities and a future that works for all.

The Context for the January Cafés:
 In the face of the changes to our world in September 11th, we have three choices:

1. we can pretend that things are “normal”,
2. we can blindly react to the changes, or
3. we can envision a world that works for all.

Instead of looking at each other through the media or through opinion polls or talk radio, we will interact with each other across a table, over a cup of coffee or tea. Picture this: A few friends gather at a crowded coffee house. Conversations deepen. Fundamental issues are discussed. People at another table overhear and join the conversation, presenting different points of view. The conversation is lively, furious, but friendly. No one is trying to “win”. Someone said that we cannot predict our future – we can only create it.

This initiative is being sponsored locally by the Commonway Institute. Go to www.commonway.org/cafesindex or call Sharif M. Abdullah, (503) 281-1667, for more information.

The Great Turning - A Vision of Hope for the Earth

Joanna Macy speaks on Friday, January 11, 2002, at 7:00 pm at the First Unitarian Church, 1011 SW 12th Ave, Portland.
For more than 30 years, Joanna Macy has inspired activists who seek to create a culture that sustains the human spirit and all life on earth. Her metaphor “The Great Turning,” provides a context for earth-centered work at a time of indifference. With a Ph.D. in religious studies, Joanna is a respected eco-philosopher and a scholar of Buddhism, systems theory, and deep ecology. Her books include World as Lover, World as Self; Thinking Like a Mountain; Rilke’s Book of Hours; and Coming Back to Life: Practices to Reconnect Our Lives, Our World. Her website (www.joannamacy.net) offers more information on her books and teachings. Tickets are $5-$15 (sliding scale). For advance tickets, or more information, call the Northwest Earth Institute at 503-227-2807.

January Birthday Parties Honor Poet William Stafford

Portland - Friends of William Stafford (FWS) will celebrate the birthday of Oregon's most famous poet with eight poetry reading parties and a special tribute to his work throughout the Portland area during January. The public is invited to these free events.

These are not the usual kind of poetry readings, according to Paulann Petersen, FWS Board member who is in charge of the events. The eight "parties" feature six to seven readers, each of whom will read a Stafford poem and one of their own written in the spirit of Stafford's work. Members of the audience, the guests, are then invited to read a favorite Stafford poem or to tell a personal anecdote about the late Oregon poet laureate.

In all, 56 poets and FWS Board members, many of whom are also poets, will be among the readers that include Verlena Orr, Joe Wheeler, Michele Glazer, Maggie Chula, Harold Johnson, Ursula K. Le Guin, Vern Rutsula, Barbara LaMorticella, Brenda Shaw, Kate Gray, John Morrison, Judith Barrington, Don Colburn, Sandy Polishuk, and Sandra Williams.

The readings will be held at:
Mountain Writers Center, Friday, Jan. 11, 8 P.M.;
Lake Oswego Heritage House, Sunday, Jan. 13, 2-4 P.M.;
Belmont Library, Tuesday, Jan. 15, 7 P.M.;
Multnomah Central Library, Thursday, Jan. 17, 7 P.M.;
University of Portland, Monday, Jan. 21, 7 P.M.;
Clackamas Community College, Thursday, Jan. 24, 7 P.M.;
Broadway Books, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 7 P.M.;
and the Heathman Hotel, Thursday, Jan. 31, 7:30 P.M.

Other readings celebrating Stafford's birthday will be held in Silverton, Ashland, Eugene, Salem, Corvallis, Monmouth (Western Oregon University), Madras, LaGrande, and Vancouver, Washington.

Stafford was born on January 17, 1914. He was one of America's most celebrated poets and a favorite professor at Lewis and Clark College, where he taught for 30 years. Known for his encouragement of other writers, Stafford is the author of more than fifty books and a recipient of the National Book Award. He died in August, 1993.

Friends of William Stafford, P.O. Box 592, Lake Oswego, OR 97304. Contact: Paulann Petersen, <ppetersen@jps.net> (503-236-5229)

Special Event at the Classical Chinese Garden

Master Ou Wenwei is the internationally known originator of Pan Gu Shengong. He will be visiting the Portland Classical Chinese Garden for Chinese New Year 2002 on February 17th, where he will be offering a number of demonstrations.

From 11:00 am to 1 pm Master Ou, who is a World Class Calligrapher, will demonstrate his technique, creating the characters as a form of poetic energy dance, and he will explain each movement as he strokes ink onto paper with brush.

From 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm Master Ou will join the practitioners to whom he has taught the ‘Moving’ form of Pan Gu Shengong, and there will be a demonstration of this simple yet effective Heaven, Earth, Sun and Moon Qi Gong.

From 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm the transmission of Qi (also spelled Chi or Ki) will be demonstrated by the Qi Gong Master. This involves the balancing and harmonizing of vitality which restores and rejuvenates the life force. Come and experience this vital energy, pure and simple.

For more information, call 503-691-1915 or email DSelbylite@earthlink.net