Elemental Principle: Communicate (6)
By maestro. Filed in Productivity |
Powerful communicators often appear peculiar yet confident. Abraham Maslow described similar traits when asked about self-actualized people. He said, “These individuals are less inhibited, less constricted, less bound, in a word, less enculturated.” Prophets by definition are not enculturated. They do not get caught in the power of cultural stories but instead bring forth new narratives.
The prophets, the centered communicators like Susan B. Anthony, did not buy into cultural stories about God, the Universe, and the roles of women and people of color. They didn’t constrict and hide from the old accounts but instead responded with courage to the world with trust in the guidance they embodied. And through their bold action, their ideas took form and substance. They understood that they controlled the stories and their fear. They confronted the old myths and described new possibilities.
We may perceive prophets to be activists or those who are fighting against injustice. I believe we act as prophets whenever we honestly and inclusively communicate, bringing together perceived opposites. Prophets are compelling when they tell stories or describe truths that unify and create new possibilities. They sometimes make implicit sense, or they open new doors and appear crazy. Regardless, we are prophets when we dis- cover what is deeply and completely right for us and then communicate it in all that we say and do.
Taken From : The Way of Conflict—Elemental Wisdom for Resolving Disputes and Transcending Differences
