​​Ben Roberts' Personal Invitation to DandDTrans Participants
​​A "community of inquiry and action" regarding the role that D&D can play in addressing the mega-crises of our time
​​Image courtesy of www.NewStories.org
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​​I invite you to join me in an inquiry around what we might do together, at the intersection of dialogue, deliberation, and systemic transformation, to "make enough of a difference to make a difference" (h/t Bob Stilger)
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​How Are You Answering "the Call?"
​​This moment in history calls for "all hands on deck." We face a looming set of "extinction level issues" brought about by the human presence on this sacred Earth, our one and only home.  As the poet Drew Dellinger asked, pressed by the insistent questioning of his great, great grandchildren in the middle of the night: "what did you do once you knew?"
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​My Personal Context
​​I have been working at this intersection of D&D and systemic change initiatives for five years.
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​A Declaration of Possibility/Theory of Change
​​What if, either through breakdowns or positive uprisings, major windows of opportunity suddenly open in 2015 for co-creating elements of "​+the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible​?" 
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​​Much more is in motion to address "the great unraveling" and bring forth "the great turning" than meets the eye. The sense of urgency is rising to a fever pitch. Who really knows what "cracks into the emerging future" might be about to open? What mass "co-arisings" might be primed to break forth? We can prepare now for such opportunities so that, if and when they come, we can make use of dialogue and deliberation tools to amplify and bring greater coherence to powerful impulses for change. Perhaps, in this "community of inquiry and action," we can begin to model/prototype a "pop-up ecosystem" that can quickly bring to bear all the process arts gifts that might be called forth in service to specific, emergent opportunities for systemic transformation.
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​My Requests
​​You are free to participate as much or as little as you like, as long as you honor these requests. As your host, I request that while you are "here," you let go of your cynicism, resignation, fears, and judgments, and show up as a co-owner and co-creator (even if that simply means expressing ​+"authentic dissent"​ about what we are doing!). 
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​​Open your mind, your heart and your will, and join me in community, according to the suggestions of the famous Hopi Prophecy:
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  • ​​"You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour, now you must go back and tell the people that this is the Hour. And there are things to be considered . .
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  • ​​Where are you living?
  • ​​What are you doing?
  • ​​What are your relationships?
  • ​​Are you in right relation?
  • ​​Where is your water?
  • ​​Know your garden.
  • ​​It is time to speak your Truth.
  • ​​Create your community.
  • ​​Be good to each other.
  • ​​And do not look outside yourself for the leader."
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  • ​​Then he clasped his hands together, smiled, and said, "This could be a good time!"
  • ​​"There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel they are torn apart and will suffer greatly. 
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  • ​​"Know the river has its destination.  The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above water.   And I say, see who is in there with you and celebrate.  At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally, Least of all ourselves.  For the moment that we do,  our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt. 
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  • ​​"The time for the lone wolf is over.  Gather yourselves!  Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary.  All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration. 
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  • ​​"We are the ones we've been waiting for."
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  • ​​-- attributed to an unnamed Hopi elder
  • ​​Hopi Nation
  • ​​Oraibi, Arizona, 2000
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