"For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one's personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one's surrender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it.”
― Viktor E. Frankl
Happy Belated Lunar New Year!
2024 is the year of the Wood Dragon —
a time for active growth, expansion, and courage.
🐉 About the Wood Dragon
Wood represents expansion and growth,
and the Dragon symbolizes strength and courage. Also enthusiasm.
Taken together, the year of the Wood Dragon is ripe for "rejuvenated beginnings, to set the foundations for long-term success" (Times of India).
A year of intelligent enthusiasm, “a great year to start new projects, explore new opportunities and create value for yourself and others" (ChineseZodiac.org).
The Wood Dragon, “possibly the most exciting time in 20 years” is believed to bring about opportunities, changes, and challenges, and it is considered a time for self-improvement and acquiring knowledge (Style). Perfect.
For further reading,
Five-phase transition theory (wu xing) in Chinese philosophy and medicine provides a compelling way to make sense of the seasons of a human life: an interconnected web of generating and overcoming, creation and destruction. Also organ networks for health and longevity.
A good Chinese-Medicinal-Primer-and-book-of-Chinese philosophy in one: The Web that Has No Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medicine.
In preparing this post, I explored the archetypal characteristics of Wood as applied to human psychology: a purpose-driven pioneer working on existential goals and strategies to get there, on a path of action with a talent for initiative. To do so, I revisited Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine.
For lighter/quicker reading, here’s a brief “What the Year of the Wood Dragon Means for You, According to Your Chinese Zodiac Sign” by Chinese Metaphysics expert Vicki Iskander.
And here’s her “Wood Dragon” Overview. Turns out 2024 is the start of both a 10-year and 20-year cycle, leaning more towards the receptivity of the divine feminine yin.
“Find your joy triggers, the little things that uplift you and bring you joy . . . to live a life of purpose to stoke the fire within, and share your light generously to bring light to those who need it.”
- Vicki Iskander
Of course.
"There's a time for certain ideas to arrive, and they find a way to express themselves through us."
— Rick Rubin
🐉 A More Personal Master of Arts?
Good News Letter #59 : Our Gatherings are Growing
Since last June, I’ve been building frameworks for a more Personal Master of Arts (MA) program to encourage and accelerate transformative good.
I’ve been inquiring:
What will education look like 50 years from now?
What will education look like in the 22nd century? (if Homo Ludens make it that far?)
What might a more biological, seasonal, liminal, emergent, agile, experiential, intergenerational, interpersonal, interdisciplinary and integrative approach to higher education look like in 2024? What if it were LEAN?
What if we created a kind of modern epicurean garden to cultivate wisdom, develop friendships, and avoid unnecessary desires and fears? While also establishing intelligent streams of income?
What if we upped the ante on project-based learning and masters-level projects, to help establish LLCs, non-profits, and workshops for growth?
🤔
“A personal essay is a conversation between the person you are when you begin it and the person you become by the end. You don’t need to know all the answers at the outset; your future self will lead the way.”
— Caroline Cala Donofrio
The same would apply to a personal master of arts program.
… And you can help!
If you are (or know) a recent graduate looking to do some good in a post-grad “gap year,” who likes learning adventures, and wants to reduce anxiety and promote well-being, let us know.
If you are (or know) an explorer, entrepreneur, or educator, who wants to reimagine education through a lens of entrepreneurialism, who wants to listen to your heart, and teach what you’re being called to teach, let us know.
If you are (or know) an emerging elder living a purpose-driven life, who wants to leave a creative legacy while enjoying a second childhood, let us know.
If any of this is exciting to you, reply to this email, jump on my calendar, or fill out this form. And thank you again for subscribing!
🐉 March Mindfulness
“. . . You know, being still is a superpower.. . .
Growth and expansion doesn’t come from doing.
Growth and expansion comes from relaxing and allowing it to sit . . .
"In working out, they say lift, rest, recover.
Sleep, when you’re training, is just as important as lifting.
It’s the same thing with expanding your mind and expanding your experience.”
— Will Smith’s counsel to rise-and-grind YouTubers in Talk to Strangers
In small groups (and on this Substack) this spring, I’ll be sharing invitations for creating, producing, and honoring natural processes of growth.
Embracing the creative act as a way of being, considering the psychology of creativity, and revisiting the timeless arts of self-improvement, we’ll begin with an in-depth exploration of mindfulness : the intentional, non-judgmental moment-by-moment awareness of the present moment.
Do you want to invest in your mindfulness practice this march?
To get daily invitations to presence via text or email, let me know. I’ll share weekly here as well.
To support our work, and to buy-in to your own creative unfolding, I’d encourage you to become a supporting member. And if you want to give a Wisdom Workshop a test-drive, just reply or send me an email with what kind of growth matters to you, and I’ll send you a link to our upcoming gatherings. Here’s what our people have said.
~~~~
As always,
Here’s to keeping the fires of our inner joy lit,
Sean
💚 Thank you, too, for following along on Spotify or Apple music. I’ve got a new song coming out this Friday! Made this playlist to share my best so far.
🐉 Cool review of “Put up a Bet” from a British Indie Blog, Wax Vinyl Records
😊 Thank you for your support! If you want to become a supporting member of our epicurean garden, do so here.
✍️ Writing Invitations and Zoom links to our Friday Open Space Forum below the paywall. I'm listening; replies to this email go to me.
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