Honor those who have the courage to block

I didn't go to vision council for the first time in years last summer. I recently heard a nasty rumor that consensus minus one was used. This disturbs me. I've definitely sat thru councils where one person blocked & the process continued until eventually we reached consensus. Although this situation where someone blocks can be frustrating I believe that this means that spirit is not ready for us to be done- that there's not yet true consensus until all voices who r participating have been heard , their issues addressed, & they feel honored. I do not feel that the 1 family member who blocked can feel honored when "consensus minus one" is used.
I know that other groups may use " consensus minus one" but I don't believe it is right for our family.
I'm interested to hear others opinions, especially if u have experience with our vision councils.
Maybe it was just a bad rumor? Hopefully?

I honor you and empower you

 

i attended that vision council . here is my simple understanding as
more observer of than a participant in concensus :

the choice of Montana for the 2013 site had been predetermined
and this was expressed as 'an act of spirit , spirit had already spoken" .
it was expected by those who spoke for Montana that consensus would
be reached in one day . one sister did not accept this . all through the
council , of course , and until the end , heartsongs and visions were
offered . she had to endure , and her daughter was with her also .

 

Thank u for responding. I'm wondering how the years of tribal tradition that we have in vision council was seemingly so abruptly changed. I beg to hear from others who were @ this council so as to have a more thorough view of what took place @ that circle.
Granted, I didn't attend the council because I thought the selection was a given and that my time would be better spent by breaking down my kitchen and helping with cleanup. Shame on me. Now I am sorry that I missed that momma having the heart to share her vision and concern when it isn't popular. I trust that spirit wouldn't have brought her to that circle if there wasnt the intention of love guiding her heart there
It seems to me that we as individuals don't have the capacity to fully understand the voice of spirit until we are in a sacred circle with those of us willing to give up our egos and just listen. It is a beautiful feeling to be there when true consensus is reached and everyone in the circle feels good about what happened. It's a magical timeless moment that can only be understood by those who have been there.
If u are feeling frustrated and just want the process to be done then u may not be in a good headspace to do the high magic work of vision council. The voice of spirit is not rushed, it takes as long as it does.

 

it happened also in Arkansas not so long ago ... a similar manipulation
of consensus . some people still remember that i offered a block , which
is an odd sort of notorious honor . i am committed to protect the
spiritual consensus which is both a wild and careful thing to do and
i don't get real busy about it . napping in council is fine , and watching
clouds too .

 

I was one of maybe 8 people who sat through Vision Council this year from start to finish. But I'd rather not tell it all here. Send me an email at rainbowtopkat@yahoo.com and I'll pass along my phone number and we can have a talk about it. Short version - by the end of day one, everyone but one sister was ready to consense to Montana, she wanted Wisconsin because of a long story about a Wisconsin faction dating back to the split gathering in KY/AL. Day two, it was still her versus the circle until the late afternoon. Finally, the council consensed to ask her to stand aside from the decision if she could not consent to Montana. She refused. The circle (about 10-18 people at that point) consensed to operate by consensus minus one. She was the only block - one brother had been standing up for her right to block for a while, until he was satisfied that we weren't trying to bully her or attack her as a person. Once the circle showed unanimity in compassion and a desire to solve the issue without getting personal, he was willing to consense to the proposed consensus minus one. Then a sister worded the Montana consensus and called for consensus by passing the feather in silence. We passed it in silence - except the blocking sister, who said "love and light" and passed the feather on. We held hands, we said Om, we cheered, and I cried a little about the way it had ended. I talked to her afterwards, and she seemed relieved it was all over - like because of her feeling of principle she couldn't bring herself to back down when she was the underdog, so we had given it a way to be over without sacrificing her principles. She said she knew it wouldn't be Wisconsin - that she had felt the spirit was not strong enough.