Distinctions

Perhaps it’s the sense of isolation; the pressure and angst; the lack of capacity or interest to hold multiple perspectives and nuance; or, the impact of the current state of things on younger generations, the planet, our loved ones and ourselves. What if these little (or big) fissures in the exquisite perceptive quality of the heart aren’t solely an emotional response—but a crack through which a new and different kind of sound and beckoning are emerging?

The word beckon – to gesture or encourage to come near – comes from Old English and German origin related to beacon. One might ask, nearer to what? What is calling? Sometimes the cacophony of internal, family, societal and dominant culture messages instructing us on who we should / need to be and what we should / need to do to survive, belong and succeed muffles, distorts or even seemingly mutes that call. The nature of beckoning I’m referring to requires a different kind of listening. Not the kind of listening that silences or rejects, the kind of listening that is subtle, inclusive, and curious. The kind of listening that reminds us that our concerns are not obstacles to overcome and our longings are not delusions to be silenced with a solution or dopamine hit. They are breadcrumbs, gestures, subtle whispers to welcome, greet and embrace. The kind of listening that as Mark Nepo suggests in his book Seven Thousand Ways to Listen, “invites us to keep emptying and opening, to keep beginning, to lean into all that we don’t understand. The kind of listening that awakens our hearts and stitches the world together.”

From Concern and Longing to Contribution

The bridge between concern and meaningful contribution requires more than good intentions. Living a life of practice, good company, and inquiry support us to clear and dissolve our misunderstandings about ourselves, others and the world. The question isn’t whether you have something important to contribute—you do. And this contribution is uniquely yours because it is you. Parker Palmer encourages us, “Before you tell your life what you intend to do with it, listen for what it intends to do with you. Before you tell your life what truths and values you have decided to live up to, let your life tell you what truths you embody, what values you represent.”

The word “vocation” comes from the Latin vocare, meaning ‘to call.’ Vocation isn’t just about what we’re called to do, it’s about who we are and simultaneously becoming. Mark Nepo says, “…we intuit ways of being before becoming fully aware of them. We are constantly drawn into our next phase of life.” What is the calling that is already being lived in, through, by and as you? What next phase of life or becoming is inviting you? In what ways do you find yourself stepping into ‘you as contribution’ more fully? Notice the moments, the places, the situations that call this forth. The world needs your specific combination of concern and longing. What practice, relationship, reflection, and/or learning community would support a fuller expression of you?

If you’ve made it this far:

“Blessed be the longing that brought you here
And quickens your soul with wonder.” – John O’Donohue

With much love,
Sahar Azarabadi

Dear Global Community,

As a little girl, I was very shy. Hiding behind my mother, I watched kids play together, not knowing how to enter what looked like the zone of fun. Groups felt daunting to me and from the outside, looked like a complex game of double-dutch. I couldn’t figure out how to step in without tripping on a rope and messing up the vibes. After all, I wasn’t being invited in either.

It would take time for me to understand some rules of engagement and how to connect with others in a way that felt safe for me to step in as myself. I felt like an outsider for a long time, trying to capture what it was that was preventing me from being “chosen”. That fed well into my enneagram 6-type narrative of not belonging. For someone who needed support, guidance, and a good solid ground beneath my feet, I sure wobbled my way on many ropes throughout the decades.

Small-talk was painful. I was much better at “serious” conversations, or being a good listener and observer. It wasn’t until I joined the PCC back in 2010, that I encountered a group of serious-conversations-type-of-people and a space where I could meet myself and others. I mean, we don’t tiptoe around our mortality, our capacity, our emotions, our bodies, and much much more. We encounter ourselves where we are.

I remember how I was called to courage and began to get in touch with an inner knowing. A guiding thread that would gain strength, day by day, and which would one day lead me right back “home” with New Ventures West. A place where we can pause, close our eyes, and speak to what feels true in the moment. A reminder to anchor. A reminder to breathe.

That is what is so special about this community. Wherever we look, we find ways to create meaning together. We find ways to take responsibility for our evolution, while also bringing others alongside us. What strikes me most deeply is how our graduate community has become a gateway of truth and belonging – we are all here to witness and support each other through the ongoing journey of becoming. In a world that often feels fragmented, we’ve created something rare: a space where vulnerability is met with presence, where growth is celebrated collectively, and where each person’s unfolding serves the whole.

This witnessing isn’t passive! It’s an active choice to see and be seen, to hold space for transformation, and to trust that our individual journeys are woven together in ways that strengthen us all. The shy little girl who once watched from the sidelines now understands that the most profound invitation isn’t to join someone else’s game, but to co-create spaces where authentic connection can flourish. In fact, it’s far from being a game. It’s life at its fullest.

For me, it is the gift that keeps giving and creating a world of possibilities. And speaking of possibilities, I’m excited to share that the Graduate Engaged Pathway will be opening for a new cohort this October – we’ll share information about it in the coming weeks. For those ready to deepen this journey of witnessing and supporting one another while exploring what it means to be fully engaged in our lives and work, keep this on your radar. It’s another opportunity to step into that space where we encounter ourselves and each other exactly where we are.

With love and appreciation,

Karen Kininsberg
NVW Communications

NVW PCC B – January 2025

Chinshu Huang, Santa Cruz, California, USA
Corinne Celko, Portland, Oregon, USA
Dana Faataui, Pacifica, California, USA
David Hyatt, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
Eva-Marie Costello, San Francisco, California, USA
Grace Trueman, San Francisco, CA, USA
Hani Anani, Oakland, CA, USA
Jaye Matthews, Hillsboro, Oregon, USA
Jennifer Beuthin, Traverse City, MI, USA
Jory Rucker, Woodland Hills CA, USA
Kevin Engholm, Edison, New Jersey, USA
Maya Hagan, Seattle, WA, USA
Meghan Trikha, Burlingame, CA, USA
Michelle Hodgden, Caldwell, Idaho, USA
Shannon Thompson, Hillsboro, OR, USA
Tina Dyer, Elk Grove, CA, USA
William Lowe, Charlotte, NC, USA
William Oldfather, Brighton, Australia

NVW PCC C – June 2025

Ada Kong, San Francisco CA, USA
Allison Burtch, Longmont, CO, USA
Caroline Gladstone, Shaker Heights, OH, USA
Darren Nakata, Portland, OR, USA
Dennis Xiao, Pennsylvania, USA
Jennifer Butterfoss, San Francisco, CA, USA
Jenny (Li) Zhang, San Jose, CA, USA
Julie Bauch, New York, NY, USA
Lu Deng, San Carlos, CA, USA
Melissa Mangini, Berkeley, CA, USA
Serena May, Berkeley, CA, USA
Tex Dworkin, San Francisco, CA, USA
Terence Thang, San Francisco, CA, USA
William Carbone, Lisbon, Portugal

CONVIVIUM

Cécilia Trân
Christian Provencher
Isabelle Branco
Jaime Lerakis

THIRDSPACE PCC D

Kim Mertens
Nana Reynier
Sanjay Anand
Thuy pham
Elaine Bray
Roman Eggenberger
Jodi Wootten
Rod Wootten
Elissa Mouawad
Adi Ofek
Caroline Giles
Ally Setton
Claire Moon
Miriam Baumgaertner
Jojo Lowery
Yasmeen Akhtar
Suchita Prasad

CENTER for COACHING

Arti Schroeder
George Eadie
Heidi Villa Vicencio
Liina Muatunga
Linda Dörig
Loreen Le Roux
Lydia Scholtz
Malgorzata (Gosia) Bukowska
Milos Despotovic
Nadia Wiggill
Preeya Daya
Sean Redpath
Sebastian Basler
Veli Dlamini