UPAYA ZEN CENTER
STORYSHARDS
A RETREAT FOR WOMEN IN THE WORLD
VISIONS OF ENGAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP THROUGH PERSONAL STORY, COMPLEXITY SCIENCE & CREATIVITY

SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO
SEPTEMBER 14-16, 2012

VISUAL ARTIST & STORY GUIDE
LISL DENNIS
COMPLEXITY SCIENTIST & FACILITATOR
MERLE LEFKOFF, PHD

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

WWW.UPAYA.ORG

MEMORY – MOTIVATION – INTEGRATION
"SACRED SHARDS ARE THE MOTIVATING STORIES—THOSE INTEGRATIVE EXPERIENCES AND MEMORIES OF YOUR
LIFE—REFLECTIVE OF THE WHOLE VESSEL."
— LISL DENNIS

WHO

FRAMED WITHIN A VIBRANT AND EVOCATIVE MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION, STORYSHARDS IS AN UNIQUE RETREAT RECOGNIZING THAT SKILLFUL ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP FOR TODAY IS GROUNDED IN THE COMPLEXITY AND LEADING LINES OF YOUR PERSONAL STORY. STORYSHARDS IS A RETREAT FOR WOMEN ENGAGED IN THE WORLD WITH PASSION AND PURPOSE; FOR THOSE WHO HAVE A SENSE THAT PERSONAL STORY MUST CONTINUALLY RE-FORM AND ADAPT TO THE COMPLEXITY OF TODAY'S INTERCONNECTED SYSTEMS.

FOR WOMEN IN THE WORLD, STORYSHARDS IS A RETREAT FOR THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN THE FUSION OF THEIR OWN PERSONAL NARRATIVE WITH THE NEW SCIENCE OF CHAOS AND COMPLEXITY THEORY, CREATIVE VISION, AND SPIRITUAL PRACTICE.

A CREATIVE VISUAL EXPERIENCE, STORYSHARDS IS FOR WOMEN WHO HOLD A VISION OF THIER OWN CREATIVITY, AND EMBRACE THEIR OWN DEEPENING SPIRITUAL PRACTICE AS FOUNDATIONAL TO EFFECTIVE ENGAGEMENT, LEADERSHIP AND COMPASSIONATE SERVICE IN CREATING A BETTER WORLD FOR EVERYONE.

HOW WE ENGAGE AND LEAD IN OUR WORLD IS CHANGING RAPIDLY. THE STORYSHARDS RETREAT SUPPORTS WOMEN’S SPECIAL CAPACITY FOR ADAPTATION—IT IS FOR WOMEN WHO EMBRACE THEIR OWN ADAPTABILITY WITH FEARLESSNESS IN THE FACE OF GLOBAL CHANGE.

TOGETHER WE SHARE MEMORIES OF EARLY INSPIRATION, ROBUSTNESS, AND CREATIVE PRODUCTIVITY;
LIFE AT THE EDGE-OF-CHAOS; AND POSITIVE DISSIPATION ON THE PATH TO PERSONAL BREAKTHROUGH AND RESILIENCY. IN STORYSHARDS, WE ENTER INTO STORYCIRLES AND ENGAGE IN SPADEWORK WRITING PRACTICE. WE EXPLORE: WHAT ARE THE LEADING LINES OF YOUR PERSONAL STORY? AND, WHAT DOES THE
HERO'S JOURNEY LOOK LIKE TO WOMEN ENGAGED IN OUR COMPLEX RELATIONAL WORLD. WE ASK THE QUESTION:
WHAT IS YOUR STORY FORWARD?

COMPLEXITY – EMERGENCE – IMAGINATION
"COMPLEXITY SCIENCE IS OFTEN CALLED THE SCIENCE
OF EMERGENCE. COMPLEXITY THINKING OPENS MINDS
TO PATTERNS THAT ARE EMERGING, NOT BASED ON WHAT
HAS HAPPENED BEFORE. COMPLEXITY ENCOURAGES
PEOPLE TO USE THEIR IMAGINATIONS: TO OPEN THEIR MINDS TO A VARIETY OF SCENARIOS, INCLUDING NEW INSIGHTS INTO EMERGENT LEADERSHIP."
— MERLE LEFKOFF, PHD, COMPLEXITY SCIENTIST

WITH

THE RETREAT IS HOSTED BY A COMPELLING AND UNUSUAL COLLABORATIVE TEAM. VISUAL ARTIST AND STORY GUIDE LISL DENNIS, COMPLEXITY SCIENTIST AND FACILITATOR DR. MERLE LEFKOFF SKILLFULLY INTERWEAVE THE THREADS OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS, CREATIVE PROCESS, AND SPIRITUAL PRACTICE TO IMAGINE ANEW THE INTEGRATION OF PERSONAL NARRATIVE AND LIFE PURPOSE TO THE COLLECTIVE BENEFIT OF OUR WORLD.

BOTH LISL AND MERLE HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE AS WORKSHOP DESIGNERS, PRESENTERS, FACILITATORS, AND HOSTS. THROUGHOUT STORYSHARDS, THEY HOLD STORY CIRCLES, GUIDE WRITING PRACTICE AND EXPERIENTIAL EXERCISES. THE RETREAT IS STRUCTURED ON UPAYA ZEN CENTER SCHEDULING, WHICH INCLUDES OPTIONAL MORNING AND EVENING MEDITATION PRACTICE.

WE WORK TOGETHER IN SHARING MEMORIES OF EARLY INSPIRATION, ROBUSTNESS, AND CREATIVE PRODUCTIVITY; LIFE AT THE EDGE-OF-CHAOS; AND POSITIVE DISSIPATION ON THE PATH TO PERSONAL BREAKTHROUGH AND RESILIENCY. WE WILL EXPLORE: WHAT ARE THE LEADING LINES OF YOUR LIFE? AND, WHAT DOES THE RE-FORMED HERO'S JOURNEY LOOK LIKE TO WOMEN TODAY.

LONGTIME FRIENDS, LISL AND MERLE BRING THEIR COLLECTIVE GLOBAL EXPOSURE, SOCIAL IMAGINATIONS, AND CULTURAL SCOPE TO YOUR RETREAT EXPERIENCE.

"DEVELOPING CREATIVE AND IMAGINATIVE SCENARIOS ABOUT AN UNKNOWABLE FUTURE, WE INCLUDE STORIES
OF POSSIBLE, EVEN PROBABLE FUTURES PREVIOUSLY UNIMAGINABLE: A SHIFTING LANDSCAPE OF POSSIBILITY."
— MERLE LEFKOFF, PHD, COMPLEXITY SCIENTIST

WHY

STORYSHARDS RECOGNIZES THE IMPERATIVE FOR THE AGENCY OF WOMEN WORLDWIDE, FOR WISE, SKILLFUL AND SPIRITUALLY GROUNDED WOMEN IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE. THE NEED FOR CLARITY, FOCUS, MUTUALITY, AND ENGAGED ACTION IS PARAMOUNT: DRAWING ON MEMORY, ASPIRATION AND IMAGINATION, YOUR STORY LINES WILL ILLUMINE YOUR PURPOSE FOR COMPASSIONATE AND CREATIVE ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP IN YOUR FIELD.

STORYSHARDS UNIQUE SYNERGY OF ART, SCIENCE AND SPIRITUAL PRACTICE TAPS THE INTERWOVEN LEADING LINES AND LEVELS OF AWARENESS FOUNDATIONAL TO YOUR EFFECTIVE SOCIAL ACTION.

STORYSHARDS HONORS THE WHOLENESS OF YOUR PERSONAL STORY AS ESSENTIAL IN OUR FRAGMENTED WORLD, AND RE-FORMS YOU AS A VESSEL FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGE IN OUR COMPLEX INTERCONNECTED REALMS.

WHOLENESS – MUTUALITY – COMPASSION
"ABIDING IN THE WHOLENESS OF PERSONAL STORY IS THE VESSEL OF OUR VOICE; HOLDING US IN MUTUALITY, INTEGRITY, AND INTIMACY IN FAMILY, COMMUNITY,
AND IN COMPASSIONATE SERVICE TO OUR
SHARED SHATTERED WORLD."
— LISL DENNIS, VISUAL ARTIST, STORYSHARDS GUIDE

WOW

STORYSHARDS STRUCTURE IS A VIBRANT AND DRAMATIC MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION OF HIGH CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION VALUES—NOT A POWER POINT. PROGRESSIVE CONCEPTUAL SEGMENTS OF EVOCATIVE IMAGERY AND EXPANSIVE MUSIC, FROM DIVERSE CULTURES WORLDWIDE, STIMULATE THE IMAGINATION, DEEPEN THE INQUIRY, AND
GUIDE YOU ALONG SHARED STORY LINES—PULLING FOCUS ON AND MOVING YOUR STORY FORWARD.

STORYSHARDS RICH PRESENTATION IS A VIVID PICTURE
WINDOW THROUGH WHICH TO EXPLORE A SHARED NARRATIVE, AND ASSEMBLE THE SHARDS OF YOUR PERSONAL STORY. IT IS BEAUTIFUL, UPLIFTING - AND FUN.

INVITING – ENGAGING – INSPIRING
"STORYSHARDS IS VISUALLY STUNNING, HIGH-TECH,
AND PROVOCATIVE."
— ZULEIKHA, STORYDANCER PROJECT

OUTCOME

STORYSHARDS OUTCOME IS THE GROWING OF A CRITICAL
MASS OF ENGAGED WOMEN WHO HAVE GOT THEIR SHARDS
TOGETHER. TO SUPPORT AND INSPIRE WOMEN LEADERS WHO HAVE MOVED THEIR STORY FORWARD, AND ARE NOW READY TO TAKE AN EVEN STRONGER STAND IN COMPASSIONATE ACTION WITHIN THEIR OWN FAMILIES, COMMUNITY SYSTEMS, AND IN OUR COMPLEX INTERCONNECTED WORLD.

REFLECTION – CLARITY – CREATIVITY
"REPLAYING AND REINFORCEMENT OF OUR UNEXAMINED HISTORIES MAY CONTRIBUTE TO THE 'COLONIZATION' OF
SOCIAL IMAGINATION, BRINGING WITH IT RESTRICTIONS ON CREATIVE THOUGHT AND CREATIVE ACTION."
— CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE, NIGERIAN NOVELIST, ACTIVIST

MERLE LEFKOFF, PHD

MERLE LEFKOFF IS PRESIDENT OF ARS PUBLICA, A NON-GOVERNMENTAL SOCIAL-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT APPLIES COMPLEX ADAPTIVE SYSTEMS PRINCIPLES TO THE GLOBAL CONFLICTS OF CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY.
THE ORGANIZATION'S PRESENT FOCUS IS MIDDLE EAST PEACE BUILDING, NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT AND NON-PROLIFERATION. MERLE HOLDS AN M.A. DEGREE IN CONSTITUTIONAL LAW, AND A PH.D. IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION AND PUBLIC POLICY FROM EMORY UNIVERSITY IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA. MERLE IS SELECTED
IN THE ONE-HUNDRED ENGAGED WOMEN OF THE WORLD TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 2011 NOBEL WOMEN'S INITIATIVE IN QUEBEC. WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP IS A CURRENT PASSION. MERLE IS THE MOTHER OF FOUR, AND THE
GRANDMOTHER OF SEVEN.

MERLE'S PASSION IS THE PURSUIT OF SMALL BUT MEANINGFUL INTERVENTIONS THAT PROMOTE SYSTEMIC CHANGE, AS WELL AS FACILITATING THE MEANS FOR A POWER-SHARING LEADERSHIP TO EMERGE IN THE WORLD:
A NATURAL DISTRIBUTION IN ALL HUMAN SYSTEMS. IN PURSUIT OF HER PASSION SHE SPENT FOUR YEARS AS GUEST SCIENTIST AND AFFILIATE AT THE CENTER FOR NONLINEAR STUDIES AT LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY, WHERE SHE EXPLORED COEXISTENCE AMONG DIVERSE HUMAN GROUPS —CONCENTRATING ON THE STRUCTURES THAT EMERGE IN ORGANIZATIONS AND NATIONS THAT SHUT DOWN MOVEMENT
TOWARD PEACE BUILDING.

ALONG WITH HER COLLABORATORS, INCLUDING PHYSICISTS, MATHEMATICIANS, COMPUTER SCIENTISTS, AND SPIRITUAL LEADERS, MERLE CONTINUES HER EXPLORATION OF GROUP DYNAMICS AND THE APPLICATION OF WHOLE SYSTEMS AND COMPLEXITY METHODOLOGIES FOR PROMOTING RESPECTFUL AND IMPACTFUL DIALOGUE AMONG DIVERSE ADVERSARIAL GROUPS. SHE CONTRIBUTES HER SOCIO-POLITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE HUFFINGTON POST.

MERLE IS A RECOVERING INTERNATIONAL MEDIATOR. FOR THIRTY-YEARS SHE WORKED IN MANY HOT SPOTS, INCLUDING: NICARAGUA, THE BALKANS, SOUTH AFRICA, NORTHERN IRELAND, EASTERN EUROPE, AND THE MIDDLE EAST. WITH A DEEP INTEREST IN LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, MERLE HAS BEEN A TRAINER FOR THE SALZBURG SEMINAR IN AUSTRIA, AND THE KELLOGG FOUNDATION IN THE U.S. THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP ASSOCIATION SENT HER TO THAILAND TO TRAIN THAI GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN HOW TO RESOLVE CONFLICTS DURING DEMOCRACY BUILDING INITIATIVES.

MERLE IS A BOARD DIRECTOR OF THE UPAYA ZEN CENTER & INSTITUTE, SPACES FOR PEACE, AND IS A HUMAN DIGNITY AND HUMILIATION STUDIES GLOBAL ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER. SHE IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE SPIRITUALITY, EMERGENT CREATIVITY, AND RECONCILIATION DIALOGUE AT ST. PAUL UNIVERSITY IN OTTOWA, CANADA, WHERE SHE ASSISTS IN DESIGNING A VISION AND STRATEGY FOR "RECONCILIATION AS AN ASPECT OF THE WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT APPROACH TO NATION BUILDING". SHE PRESENTLY SERVES AS A MEMBER OF THE NEW MEXICO GOVERNOR'S JUVENILE JUSTICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, CONCENTRATING ON PREVENTION STRATEGIES FOR KEEPING KIDS AT HOME AND OUT OF TROUBLE.

MERLE IS AN AVID OUTDOORS PERSON: AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY SHE SKIS, HIKES, CLIMBS COLORADO'S FOURTEENERS, AND SEEKS ADVENTURE
WITH HER SEVEN GRANDCHILDREN.
MERLE@ARSPUBLICA.ORG

LISL DENNIS

KNOWN FOR HER GRAPHIC COLOR-INTENSIVE STYLE,
LISL DENNIS' WORLDWIDE CAREER AS A DECORATIVE ARTS ANDTRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHER GARNERS A FULL SPECTRUM OF IMAGES, IMPRESSIONS, MEMORIES, AND EXPERIENCES. LISL'S CAREER PATH AND LIFESTYLE KEEP HER CONNECTED TO THE WORLD AND TO ALL CULTURES.

CURRENTLY, LISL IS PRESENTING STORYSHARDS: RE-FORM THE VESSEL OF YOUR LIFE. THE INSPIRATIONAL MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS HER STORIES AND IMAGERY OF PILGRIMAGES AND CEREMONIES FROM A DIVERSITY OF
CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD.

FROM 1968-1970, LISL BEGAN HER CAREER AS A STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER ON THE BOSTON GLOBE. SUBSEQUENTLY,
SHE BECAME A WRITER, LECTURER, TV HOST, EDUCATOR, TOUR LEADER, AND RETREAT FACILITATOR. AS TRAVEL EDITOR FOR OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE, SHE WROTE THE TRAVELER'S EYE COLUMN EXPLORING THE CROSS-CULTURAL ASPECTS OF THE CREATIVE EXPERIENCE IN FOREIGN CULTURES.

LISL'S TELEVISION APPEARANCES INCLUDE HOSTING ESPN'S CANON PHOTO SAFARIS IN BRAZIL, CANADA, AND CENTRAL AMERICA, AS WELL AS HOSTING AN 18-CITY SATELLITE MEDIA TOUR FOR CANON VIDEO. SHE HAS BEEN A GUEST ON CNN'S TRAVEL GUIDE AND ON THE CHRISTOPHER LOWELL SHOW.
LISL TAUGHT CREATIVE VISUALIZATION WORKSHOPS FOR THE YOUNG PRESIDENTS ORGANIZATION (YPO) IN SANTA FE
AND IN MOROCCO.

SPONSORED BY CANON AND KODAK, LISL PRESENTED FOR SEVERAL YEARS VISUAL JOURNEYS: CREATIVITY & ADVENTURE IN TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY, A NATION-WIDE SEMINAR SERIES. SHE FOUNDED AND TAUGHT FOR TWENTY-YEARS, THE TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP IN SANTA FE, AND TAUGHT FOR THE SANTA FE WORKSHOPS. AS A PUBLIC PRESENTER, LISL HAS LECTURED AND CONDUCTED WORKSHOPS FOR: NEW YORK SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS; PHOTO EXPO; AMERICAN SOCIETY OF TRAVEL WRITERS; REGIONAL ASMP CHAPTERS; VAIL VALLEY ARTS COUNCIL; NORTH AMERICAN NATURE PHOTOGRAPHERS ASSOCIATION; NEW ENGLAND CAMERA CLUB COUNCIL; AND THE COUPEVILLE ARTS CENTER ON WHIDBY ISLAND, WA.

MULTIPLE MAGAZINE CREDITS INCLUDE: TRAVEL & LEISURE; HOUSE BEAUTIFUL; ISLANDS; EBONY; ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST; AND TOWN & COUNTRY. THE THIRTEEN BOOK TITLES TO LISL'S CREDIT ON THE SUBJECTS OF LIFESTYLE, THE DECORATIVE ARTS, AND THE CREATIVE PROCESS INCLUDE:

LIVING IN MOROCCO: THAMES & HUDSON
SOAP FOR BODY & SOUL: STEWART, TABORI & CHANG
THE ESSENTIAL IMAGE: AMPHOTO
SHOOTING PORTRAITS ON LOCATION: AMPHOTO
TILES - LIVING WITH CERAMIC TILE: CLARKSON N. POTTER
BEHIND ADOBE WALLS - SANTA FE & TAOS: CHRONICLE BOOKS
THE TRAVELER'S EYE: CLARKSON N. POTTER
MARTHA'S VINEYARD HOUSES & GARDENS: SCHIFFER BOOKS
COLLECTING PHOTOGRAPHS: E.P. DUTTON

OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST LISL HAS PILGRIMAGE TREKKED
IN THE HIMALAYA TO: HOLY MT. KAILAS; TO EVEREST'S
KANGSHUNG FACE BASE CAMP IN TIBET; AND SOLO TREKKED
IN BHUTAN. IN SUMMER, SHE HIKES AND BIKES — IN WINTER,
LISL IS AN AVID SKIER.

ACTIVE SANGHA MEMBER OF UPAYA ZEN CENTER IN SANTA FE, NM, LISL HAS PARTICIPATED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF RETREATS. WITH HER HUSBAND LANDT DENNIS, A WRITER,
LISL LEADS TOURS TO INDIA AND MOROCCO. WWW.VISUALJOURNEYS.INFO

WITH FORTY-YEARS OF EXPERIENCE GUIDING AND TEACHING
THE CREATIVE PROCESS IN THE FLUX OF FOREIGN CULTURES,
LISL BRINGS HER STORIES AND IMAGERY, HER WIT AND WISDOM, AND HER FACILITATION SKILLS FORWARD IN STORYSHARDS:
RE-FORM THE VESSEL OF YOUR LIFE.

WWW.STORYSHARDS.INFO
LISL@CYBERMESA.COM

PARTICIPANTS

"A POWERFUL VISUAL JOURNEY, STORYSHARDS CONNECTED
THE BITS AND PIECES OF MY HEART AND SOUL. MY RETREAT EXPERIENCE HELPS ME, TO THIS DAY, HEAR MY INNER VOICE
WITH GREATER CLARITY, AND ENHANCES BOTH MY PERSONAL
AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES."
— KATHY WALSH, EVENT COORDINATOR, NATIONAL DANCE INSTITUTE, SANTA FE

"STORYSHARDS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE. I WAS UNPREPARED FOR THE DEPTH OF THE INSIGHTS THAT WERE BROUGHT FORWARD. I HAD NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT MY ANCESTOR GIFTS BEFORE: THE CAREFULLY PRESCRIBED
BOUNTY OF ASHKENAZI EASTERN EUROPEAN JEWRY WIPED
OUT IN THE HOLOCAUST. WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE EDUCATED BRAIN, BUT NOT NECESSARILY THE EDUCATED
MIND AND HEART. I HAVE HAD TO RECONSTRUCT THAT SHATTERED VESSEL DURING MY OWN JOURNEY."
— MERLE LEFKOFF, PHD, COMPLEXITY SCIENTIST

"LISL'S PRESENCE AS THE STORYSHARDS GUIDE IS POWERFUL. SHE ACHIEVES THIS THROUGH HER EVOCATIVE WORDS AND PICTURES AS A BACKDROP AND COMPELLING PATHWAY. MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT'S HER ABILITY TO SUGGEST, THEN BE WITH EACH OF US, AND THE GROUP AS A WHOLE, IN A VIBRANT CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE MOMENT."
— CHASE AULT, MARKETING CONSULTANT