Draft of Report for Connections Group

Group Members: Christine Draper, Amanda Judd, Martha Lask, Ann McNeal, Daphne Lowell, Marjorie Huebner, Sox Sperry and Elizabeth Reid

Our Image: We want to extend the Community Long Circle to the web. The center circle consists of all kinds of configurations of movers such as indivuals practicing alone,dyads and peer groups or lead groups moving together. A small opening in the circle allows outer witness to see in and come in. The next layer out circle holds the common witness who watch over the safety of the inner circle. A larger opening allows the outside to see in and ask questions. The keepers answer questions and outwardly give information and seek to bring new people into the circle.See article in A Moving Journal Volume 5 #3.

Another image was one of pebbles in a pond that create overlapping circles every expanding outward. The movers are witnesses and keepers who maintain the integrity and privacy of the practice, people who practice, but also reach out to the world. Unlike the community long circle which is a public event this image is of a web site with private places where the public can't see in and public outreach where there is visibility and outreach.

We left our discussion with a feeling of excitement and satisfaction. One participants summarized it this way:

I guess what I felt was
very excited about the clarity of people wanting to keep us all
connected, concerned about keeping the feeling of AM/integrity present
in cyber space, and how we wanted our diversity represented. I felt
held by the presence of folks at the meeting...."

Summary:
1. We want to have a way to be connected to all outlying places in the world. We want a way to connect AM practioners, to announce workshops and events, share thoughts about the practice, perhaps even publish papers on AM and more.

2. We want both private and public cyber realm presence that is as safely contained as possible, knowing that nothing is air tight.

3. We want a web/internet presence to integrally reflect the values and ethos of the practice.

4.We want to use technological innovations.

5. We propose funding of some kind, for example through dues/subscriptions/tithes on individuals,peer groups or others? web site membership? or other fundraising efforts?

6. We want to be aware and sensitive of political concerns of our community, especially inclusivity and diversity.

7.We suggest this be an always forming web presence, that continually invites, where things are not set in stone, and we always pay attention to outreach.

8. We wish also for the hard copy and privacy of a directory of practitioners.

9. We suggest developing a private internal to the community (such as this site and exchange) Blog---to discuss developing a public web site.

10. We image this Web presence for the "collective" AM community. Many of us like the name "The Collective AM Community." (A few from the larger group came up to say that do not like the name "collective." An alternative suggestion was " The AM Gathering.")

11. We want a web designer (ideally from within the AM community). We want tenders (witnesses and responders to help this ongoing process) and contributors for funding and content.

12. There was also discusson about: the value of printed media for articles and other writings, of digital video etc; ideas about a web site could have blogs within it for discussions about specific topics, of pdf for flyers, documents that could be printed from a web site.

Large Meeting Response and Concerns:

Concern was expressed that we also continue to use a paper and ink, black and white forms of communication.

An offer was made to use mail for anyone who needs to get information that way.

Concern was express that the web draws people away from their bodies and into their minds and finger tips. The question was raised as to how a web presence could invite people into their bodies.

Concern was expressed that some have old antiquated computer systems where only very simple web sites come up. Could our web presence be simple and easily accessible to all?


Volunteers to tend and witness the ongoing process:
The following people offered to be tender/ witnesses attending to the ongoing process of developing a web presence:
Karen Kornhauser, Ann McNeal, Allison Buck, Donna Blank, Elizabeth Reid, Patrizia Pallaro, Amanda Judd and Christine Draper.

Michael Gardos Reid and Christine Draper offered to revise the directory. Daphne Lowell volunteers to help Michael and Christine with ideas about how to store and make use of directory info…databases and stuff.

Gennie Brukner and Martha Lask know web designers who might be sensitive enough for our web design.
Amanda Judd has volunteered to help with the web design.

Patrizia Pallaro has sent information about a socially aware site that does web hosting for not for profits. Here is a link for anyone who would like to check it out: http://www.thinkhost.com/infrastructure/ For more information check her comment in the comment section below.