Loomio
Mon 15 Jun 2020 2:26PM

#3minutes2flourish - launching this Wednesday 17th June, first event 7pm Sunday 21 June

LL Louise Livingstone Public Seen by 40

For several weeks, a few of us have been working on an idea that was seeded through 'Alter-Narratives' (a project that also began through this platform). Alter-narratives is a political organisation that challenges “Business as Usual” post Covid-19, inviting people to join the growing conversation and dare to imagine the future we all deserve.

This coming Wednesday (17th June), we will be launching #3minutes2flourish. Specifically, #3minutes2flourish is an open invitation to everyone across the UK (and beyond) to take part in 3 minutes of contemplation each Sunday evening at 7pm.

The motivation for this action was born from the idea that we are shaped by the narratives of our global community and in turn, we sculpt our societal story. We now find ourselves standing at the edge of limitless possibilities; at a place between stories, as our global system takes a pause and loosens its grip on our minds and lives. In this space, there is opportunity for us to wonder "what if?" To frame this motivation, we were inspired by the success of #clapforourcarers. As this initiative has now finished, we felt there was opportunity, and space, for us to create something similar, but which expanded the focus outwards - envisioning and imagining a world that we all would wish to live in. A world that works for all beings. A world where all beings are given the opportunity to flourish.

On Sunday 21st June at 7pm, we invite everyone across the UK and beyond to hold in their hearts and minds a vision of a new narrative that allows all life on earth to thrive as follows:

1.     Step out onto your doorstep, into your garden, or just open your window for three minutes.

2.     Observe yourself. What can you see? What can you hear? Give yourself permission to feel whatever arises in your heart in this moment. How do you feel about what is happening in the world? If you could change it, how would you change it?  

3.     Visualise the world that you wish to live in. Close your eyes, and imagine a world that is fair, kind and just; a world that honours nature, each other, and life itself. What does it feel like/ look like/ smell like? 

4.     Celebrate your vision when the 3 minutes are over, by listening to a song that carries deep meaning for you!  

5.     Share your vision and song with us on Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #3minutes2flourish. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3minutes2flourishcommunity/

Our hope is to stand in unity with thousands across the country to imagine a new normal into being that flourishes for all. The clearer our collective vision is, the more confident our steps towards it will be, and the more possible it will become. We are asking everyone to please like and share through our social networks, and to join us in the run-up to, and the launch of #3minutes2flourish!

Please add comments below, or alternatively email us at: [email protected]

Thanks everyone for getting involved! :)

OS

Oli SB Mon 15 Jun 2020 5:04PM

I love the intention of this. I agree that developing new narratives and imagining what could be possible are essential activities... but I question the practical value of the idea above. Clap for carers worked well because it made noise, which others heard, and created solidarity through a shared experience... and I worry that the idea above does not contain any of these essential elements that made clap for carers such a success... I would love to see an idea of this nature succeed, as we so clearly need to create a better future... would you be open to exploring / co-creating other ideas which might have a higher chance of going viral? Forgive me if other ideas have already been explored somewhere I am not aware of...
best
Oli

LL

Louise Livingstone Tue 16 Jun 2020 8:11AM

Thanks Oli, great to hear from you. Always open to exploring/co-exploring other ideas. This is what Alter-Narratives was set up for, of which #3minutes2flourish is a small part. We'd love to have you on board for other initiatives - we did put a call out a few weeks ago for this kind of thing. Have you joined Alter Narratives on Facebook? Also, Ben Stollery is the lead on Alter Narratives, did you want to drop him an email and add your interest to the group? Be really good to have you on board! Email: [email protected]

IA

Indra Adnan Wed 17 Jun 2020 9:00AM

Hi Louise, Oli,

Not sure.. I do think it's helpful incubate ideas in the Loomio groups before moving into the public realm.

There's still quite a bit of grafting to do to get the co-creators working together across the groups - but if we did, I think we'd have new levels of innovation to unleash : )

PG

Phil Green Thu 18 Jun 2020 11:33AM

Hi Louise, kind of echoing and supporting Oli's comment, as well as hopefully adding something, (sorry if I state the obvious, or if there's more that I'm not seeing yet):

Getting better at visioning may be something that as individuals we need to get better at, particularly so's we become more responsible, in a more natural and routine way, about the needs of future generations, but its when visioning is done collectively and shared that it works best / really comes into its own / really can become something more empowering.

As well as helping each other get better at visioning, we also need to help each other with the whole process of empowering ourselves to act on and realise our shared/co-created visions/dreams. If we're using tech / online stuff to help with this there's probably opportunity to build in continuous learning as to what helps us not only get better at visioning, but also helps us move to act and realise our dreams. (I see this as less about conventional resources and more about tapping the power/wisdom of community)

We have a couple of pages on CASwiki which might be of interest: Visions, Visions UK

Other than commenting via Loomio, probably not able to offer much more at present (challenging personal health issues), but have joined the Alter Narratives fb group. Great collection of links in the timeline! best wishes, Phil

LL

Louise Livingstone Thu 18 Jun 2020 12:05PM

Thank you so much Phil for engaging in the conversation :) Great suggestions and ideas. I do agree we need to get better at visioning. We are hoping as the initiative grows, we can build learning and development into what is emerging. We are also going to work on collective visioning around a theme each week. Thank you so much for the links too. We will definitely take a look. Let's continue communicating through Loomio. If you do think of anything else, do get in touch. Sorry to hear about the health issues, and wishing you healing. Warmest wishes, Louise