Staying awake, being connected, going for real - in 2010

What does keep you awake? What is real for you? How do you love actually and live really? What is your source of energy? How do you stay connected to the source, your purpose, your Self, dear people, learning networks of friends, nature and the world? How do you nurture this intricate web of connections?

These are the questions I'm asking myself in the beginning of 2010.

Today in the video with Peter Senge and Russ Ackoff on Systems Thinking Senge mentioned that it's important to have practices in order to learn anything. The same was in Konya during the Rumi's Festival: one can't be Sufi without practicing Zikr (prayer). The same is with the IllustrationFriday that would make a topic for the week and invite designers from all over the world to dive into the weekly challenge - to make a pick for the week.

So, what are the practices that help me be real and stay awake?

• Living and being together with the street photographers in Lviv for several days - allows you to feel what does it mean to be awake, connected, fully present. Especially in the way they interact with people, whoever they are (homeless, old people, children, dogs or cats); finding the places that are not touristic, but very warm and with the human touch; avoiding glamour staff, going for real life, real scenes, real stories, real moments. Sushka from St. Petersburg, and Danya from Kyiv.
• Embracng every interaction as an opportunity to set connection.
• Asking powerful questions - everyday, in the dialogue with the self, and others. Lead conversations that matter - every time.
• Playing Ney, the Persian flute, who is crying of being separated, longing for going back to the roots, for re-connection (from the poem of Mevlana Jalaladin Rumi).
• Jumping into new experiences, going for real relationship, not being content with having knowledge or someone's story about them.
• Learning one poem that speaks to my heart - once a week.
• Playing piano music often (min: twice per week) that helps me open up my senses. Go for playing in the public - to feel the energy of the bigger audience and practice how to dance with it.
• Making one 2-3 min video-scetch per week - around themes that matter (from the street and not only).
• Reading one book ~ bi-weekly.
• Writing one post per week, and personal journal every day.
• Creating monthly insights for social entrepreneurs - within Hub Kyiv (certain topics).
• Organizing Hub Open Club session with real stories and experiences - every two months.
• Inviting friends for creating gatherings - once per month or so.
• Learning facilitation tools - one per week.
• Practicing facilitation - once per month.
• Skyping with friends from the global network - once per week.
• Travelling - once per 2-3 months.
• Growing spiritually...
• Having time for the self (every morning and evening - prayer and dialogue), for the family and bigger family (with Godchildren, and with my own family to be created yet).
• Going for outings that would stretch me and help me find my edges.
• ...

What are your practices? Look forward to learning from you, my dear reader.