The Development of Spiritual Leadership
Challenges to Responsibility
The Music Choices provided for the week are: The Sea, God Only Knows, and I Choose You. Which of these songs resonates with you presently?
The Word
What is responsibility?
A Definition: Responsibility is the state of being the person who caused something to happen; a duty or task that you are required or expected to do; something that you should do because it is morally right, legally required, etc.
What is our responsibility as women? What is the responsibility to ourselves that guides us to our joy? Do we not have a responsibility for our own happiness even if there were no one around? What might this responsibility entail? Are we not important in our own right? Does our need for recognition not come from ourselves? How can we experience joy in the responsibility of ourselves? Can we have respect and compassion for our own worth as women to experience joy? Do we have the right to establish our own joy?
Relationship entails responsibility. The relationship we have to ourselves is our primary relationship. Without a relationship to ourselves, our choices are reduced to the influence of others. Responsiveness requires an identity. The development of an identity is key to unfolding the possibilities of our lives to move us toward fulfillment. Our desire to formulate who we are and what we want produces ideals that others can respond to in determining relationship. When we are responsible for our choices in responsiveness, our relationships can be understood in connection to the ideal we represent. If our ideal is one of victimization, a warrior mentality, unhappy spirit, or generally low self-esteem, our relationships will reflect that. If we move toward commitment to the ideal of fostering increased self-esteem based on fundamental truths of who we are as women, we can develop a clear identity while becoming stronger in spirit and healthier in our wholeness. Making the decision to develop a clear identity makes possible for healthier relationship. Embracing our responsibility as women to be a healthier spirit in relationship not only fulfills our purpose, but engenders trust as the basis for the healing and stability of all relationship.
The Soul Gift
Take a moment. Do you want to continue in this world as you know it? Would it not be better to embrace challenges as they are meant to be embraced as a means of changing the unknown through awareness into the making of meaning and a joyful life? Perhaps if we turn around this question of challenges to responsibility, we can view another approach to leadership. What is the responsibility that you choose to honor? How do you want this responsibility to lead toward your fulfillment? Is your fulfillment dependent upon your connection with others? Do we not create this world together through dynamic relations and responsibility?
Fear of love is the inability through goodwill and desire to recognize the worth/value and honor/exchange in relationship. Fear of love prevents growth and the opportunity for happiness, replacing both with chaos and greed. This starvation of the soul must be addressed to move out of fear and into transformation.
For women, having a responsibility for spiritual guidance is the responsibility of feeding the soul and maturing humanity to move toward contentment. Raising boys to reach maturity in their independence and have integrity of character and honor in relationship with women leads toward joy.
What is your responsibility to each other as women and men? What is your intention of responsibility as women and men creating life together? Your intention is the motivating factor behind purposeful creation. What do you want to create? Your ability to be playful to enhance worth/joy and value/care is to find a union of opposites that produce a contented life, moving from unhealthy stress and folly toward joy. Having respect with compassion for difference allows for greater exchange and the dignity of life.
The opportunity for women to take responsibility for spiritual guidance requires balancing your needs and the needs of others. As your responsibilities become clearer, you will be able to balance better your concerns. Balancing your own life inspires balance of others. Balancing is the spatial ability of women to take in the complexity of relationship, giving women the potential to transform relationship for the benefit of all. Men’s linear ability gives men the confidence to implement through action. Aspire to create relationships of balance and action.
The evolution of life requires women and men to meet the challenges of life together. The relationship of self to other signifies the relationship between humanity and that which is outside humanity. Trust in your ability to know one another, trust in your ability to care, and trust in a desire for union and peace. For self and in dynamic relations, address the concerns of character formation and maturity, resource management, and the opportunity to honor/exchange the energy of worth/value and care/joy.
Dynamic Relations:
- Self with the higher spirit
- Self with environment
- Self with significant other
- Self with family
- Self with community
- Self with humanity
Having a vision of mutual responsibility, though different from each other, enables these challenges to be met well.
Reflect on this…“What’s mine is yours, and what is yours is mine.”
-Shakespeare, Measure for Measure, V, i
Share in the responsibility of life, but know your own.
The Survey
What are you responsible for? (50 words or fewer)
Do you value responsibility? (y/n)
Dynamic Relations and Responsibility
Self
Is your intention to create adversarial or goodwill relationship? (choose 1)
Environment (animals, plants, nature, and human made forms)
Is your intention to honor or dishonor your environment?
Significant Other
Is your intention playful in honoring or having an exchange? (choose 1)
Family
- In relationship, generally speaking, do you have an understanding of mutual responsibility through honor/exchange of worth/value and care/joy? (y/n)
Parents
Extended Family
Siblings
Partner/Significant other
Children
Pets
- Do you meet the challenges of character formation/maturity, resource formation, maintenance, and management well together? (y/n)
Parents
Extended Family
Siblings
Partner/Significant other
Children
Pets
- With whom do you still need to establish an understanding of mutual responsibility? Identify by name in any of the categories: (open ended)
Parent
Is the need based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Extended Family
Is the need based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Sibling
Is the need based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Partner/Significant other
Is the need based on care or self-interest or both? (check one)
Child
Is the need based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Pet
Is the need based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Community (types of interaction – a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage)
- With whom do you still need to establish an understanding of mutual responsibility? Identify by name: (open ended)
Friendship
Is the interaction based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Avocational Relationship
Is the interaction based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Professional Relationship
Is the interaction based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Social Relationship
Is the interaction based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Authority Relationship
Is the interaction based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Humanity
- How comfortable is your connection with these groups of people?
Children
1) Not at all comfortable
2) Do not know how to feel comfortable
3) Would like to feel more comfortable
4) Comfortable
5) Very comfortable
Women
1) Not at all comfortable
2) Do not know how to feel comfortable
3) Would like to feel more comfortable
4) Comfortable
5) Very comfortable
Men
1) Not at all comfortable
2) Do not know how to feel comfortable
3) Would like to feel more comfortable
4) Comfortable
5) Very comfortable
Women and Men
1) Not at all comfortable
2) Do not know how to feel comfortable
3) Would like to feel more comfortable
4) Comfortable
5) Very comfortable
Elderly
1) Not at all comfortable
2) Do not know how to feel comfortable
3) Would like to feel more comfortable
4) Comfortable
5) Very comfortable
Ethnic Diversity
1) Not at all comfortable
2) Do not know how to feel comfortable
3) Would like to feel more comfortable
4) Comfortable
5) Very comfortable
Sexual Diversity
1) Not at all comfortable
2) Do not know how to feel comfortable
3) Would like to feel more comfortable
4) Comfortable
5) Very comfortable
Disadvantaged (physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, financially)
1) Not at all comfortable
2) Do not know how to feel comfortable
3) Would like to feel more comfortable
4) Comfortable
5) Very comfortable
Advantaged (physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, financially)
1) Not at all comfortable
2) Do not know how to feel comfortable
3) Would like to feel more comfortable
4) Comfortable
5) Very comfortable
- To which one group do you feel the least connected? (Check group)
Children
Women
Men
Women and Men
Elderly
Ethnic Diversity
Sexual Diversity
Disadvantaged
Advantaged
- Do you accept this group in creating dignity and a mutual responsibility for life? (y/n)
- Generally, do you have respect for: (y/n)
Yourself
Humanity
Joy
Goodwill
Trust
Intuition
Life
Worth
Value
Peace
- Generally, do you respect the responsibilities you have created in your life?
1) No
2) Don’t know how
3) Need to re-evaluate for importance
4) Need to re-prioritize
5) Yes
What are you responsible for? (50 words or fewer)
I feel I am responsible for…
Repeat Response
Do you value responsibility? (y/n)
Yes/No, I value/do not value responsibility.
Dynamic Relations and Responsibility
Self
Is your intention to create adversarial or goodwill relationship? adversarial goodwill (choose 1)
My intention is to create ……. relationship.
Environment (animals, plants, nature, and human made forms)
Is your intention to honor or dishonor your environment? (choose 1)
My intention is to …… my environment.
Significant Other
Is your intention with your significant other playful in honoring or having an exchange? (choose 1)
My intention is to be playful in honoring or have an exchange with my significant other.
Family
- In relationship, generally speaking, do you have an understanding of mutual responsibility through honor/exchange of worth/value and care/joy? (y/n)
In general, I have or do not have an understanding of mutual responsibility through honor/exchange of worth/value and care/joy.
Parents (y/n) …. I have or do not have an understanding of mutual responsibility through honor/exchange of worth/value and care/joy.
Extended Family (y/n)…I have or do not have an understanding of mutual responsibility through honor/exchange of worth/value and care/joy.
Siblings (y/n) I have or do not have an understanding of mutual responsibility through honor/exchange of worth/value and care/joy.
Partner/Significant other (y/n) I have or do not have an understanding of mutual responsibility through honor/exchange of worth/value and care/joy.
Children (y/n)I have or do not have an understanding of mutual responsibility through honor/exchange of worth/value and care/joy.
Pets (y/n) I have or do not have an understanding of mutual responsibility through honor/exchange of worth/value and care/joy.
- Do you meet the challenges of character formation/maturity, resource formation, maintenance, and management well together? (y/n)
Yes/No I do/do not meet the challenges of character formation/maturity, resource formation, maintenance, and management well together.
Parents Yes/No I do/do not meet the challenges of character formation/maturity, resource formation, maintenance, and management well together.
Extended Family Yes/No I do/do not meet the challenges of character formation/maturity, resource formation, maintenance, and management well together.
Siblings Yes/No I do/do not meet the challenges of character formation/maturity, resource formation, maintenance, and management well together.
Partner/Significant other Yes/No I do/do not meet the challenges of character formation/maturity, resource formation, maintenance, and management well together.
Children Yes/No I do/do not meet the challenges of character formation/maturity, resource formation, maintenance, and management well together.
Pets Yes/No I do/do not meet the challenges of character formation/maturity, resource formation, maintenance, and management well together.
- With whom do you still need to establish an understanding of mutual responsibility? Identify by name in any of the categories: (open ended)
Parent
Is the need based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Extended Family
Is the need based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Sibling
Is the need based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Partner/Significant other
Is the need based on care or self-interest or both? (check one)
Child
Is the need based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Pet
Is the need based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Community (types of interaction – a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage)
- With whom do you still need to establish an understanding of mutual responsibility? Identify by name: (open ended)
Friendship
Is the interaction based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Avocational Relationship
Is the interaction based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Professional Relationship
Is the interaction based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Social Relationship
Is the interaction based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Authority Relationship
Is the interaction based on care of other or self-interest or both? (check one)
Analysis:
XXX
If self-interest
If care
If both
Humanity
- How comfortable is your connection with these groups of people?
Children
1) Not at all comfortable
2) Do not know how to feel comfortable
3) Would like to feel more comfortable
4) Comfortable
5) Very comfortable
Women
1) Not at all comfortable
2) Do not know how to feel comfortable
3) Would like to feel more comfortable
4) Comfortable
5) Very comfortable
Men
1) Not at all comfortable
2) Do not know how to feel comfortable
3) Would like to feel more comfortable
4) Comfortable
5) Very comfortable
Women and Men
1) Not at all comfortable
2) Do not know how to feel comfortable
3) Would like to feel more comfortable
4) Comfortable
5) Very comfortable
Elderly
1) Not at all comfortable
2) Do not know how to feel comfortable
3) Would like to feel more comfortable
4) Comfortable
5) Very comfortable
Ethnic Diversity
1) Not at all comfortable
2) Do not know how to feel comfortable
3) Would like to feel more comfortable
4) Comfortable
5) Very comfortable
Sexual Diversity
1) Not at all comfortable
2) Do not know how to feel comfortable
3) Would like to feel more comfortable
4) Comfortable
5) Very comfortable
Disadvantaged (physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, financially)
1) Not at all comfortable
2) Do not know how to feel comfortable
3) Would like to feel more comfortable
4) Comfortable
5) Very comfortable
Advantaged (physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, financially)
1) Not at all comfortable
2) Do not know how to feel comfortable
3) Would like to feel more comfortable
4) Comfortable
5) Very comfortable
Analysis: This is a graph of how comfortable I feel with these groups.
Graph colums
- To which one group do you feel the least connected? (Check group)
Children
Women
Men
Women and Men
Elderly
Ethnic Diversity
Sexual Diversity
Disadvantaged
Advantaged
Analysis: I feel least connected with….
- Do you accept this group in creating dignity and a mutual responsibility for life? (y/n)
Yes/No I do/do not accept this group in creating dignity and a mutual responsibility for life.
- Generally, do you have respect for: (y/n)
Yourself (y/n)
Humanity
Joy
Goodwill
Trust
Intuition
Life
Worth
Value
Peace
I have respect for…..
I do not have respect for…
- Generally, do you respect the responsibilities you have created in your life?
1) No
2) Don’t know how
3) Need to re-evaluate for importance
4) Need to re-prioritize
5) Yes
- Generally, I do not respect the responsibilities I have created in my life.
2)
