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as our name. It’s like standing over an abyss, times demonstrate in our programs, is when we
recognizing that ‘I,’ as we know it is not an ab- ask somebody who considers themselves very
solute.” But it is here, with this recognition, uncoordinated to play a game of catch. We
where transformation occurs. throw them the ball, and as expected, they don’t
catch it. When we change the game and ask
Transformation does not merely change our ac- them to just call out which way it’s spinning,
tions; it uncovers the structures of being and they think of themselves as fully able to make
interpretation on which we are grounded. This the call accurately, and at the same time they
revealing of ourselves to ourselves occurs in a (inadvertently) catch each ball. Changing the
profound way that can alter the very possibility game alters the way it “occurs” for the player.
of what it means to be human. And while trans-
formation is not an event, there is a definite be- In each of these examples, what people
fore/after quality to it. Transformative learning are saying to themselves (how the world
gives us an awareness of the basic structures “occurs” for them) results in two totally different
within which we know, think, and act in the outcomes. Occurring is a phenomenon that
world. This shift does not rid us of old contexts, arises in language. Language is far more than
just a tool that describes or represents reality.
it simply stops defining who we are. To know the power of language, other than
mere words, essentially requires a transfor-
“I am” is the language of identity. “I occur,” on mation from knowing ourselves as who we have
the other hand, kind of jolts that perspective, considered ourselves to be (our identities), to
orientation, and notion of ourselves. Each mo-
ment’s meaning happens inside of the back- knowing ourselves through language. We shift
ground of understanding against which it oc- in the way we define ourselves—not merely in
curs. The phenomenon of occurring begins to the way we think about our definition of self, nor
reveal and dismantle what we might normally merely in the way we believe our self to be, but
have attributed to a “cause-and-effect” model or in the actual experience of who we are as the
a just “the way things are” model of thought. But one who defines who we are. Who we are is
we don’t act out of what is there or what we fundamentally a conversation—a phenomenon
know, or a cause-and-effect model—we act out of language, created by our words—by our say-
of what “occurs”—our actions are directly corre- ing.
lated to how the world occurs for us. When identity stops being something that is
fixed, real, or just the way it is, there is this abil-
For example, if the world “occurs” to us that it’s ity to generate possibility. It’s worth seeing the
important to win, we take a lot of risks (we can’t difference in what an identity gives versus what
win if we don’t); if the world occurs for us that it possibility gives. Identity gives a “condition” in
is important to avoid losing, we take very few which life occurs. Possibility is a “clearing” in
risks (as we can only lose by taking risks). How
the world occurs gives two totally different kinds which life occurs. Possibilities are generated;
of lives. Renowned physicist Richard Feynman conditions are by default. When we recognize
wrote that two mathematically equiva- that we are not our identities, and the space of
lent formulations can “occur” unequal. People nothing becomes available, who we are can
investing their money who are told they’re likely show up as itself. It is from nothing that we have
to lose money every 30 years, invest differently the space in which to create. From nothing, we
than if they’re told they have a 3.3% chance of can create something we know we created, so
losing a certain amount each year. Same math, we don’t get stuck with what we create, be-
but occurring differently. cause we can again create something else.
Transformation leaves us with the presence of
choice—no more, no less. The actual choosing

Another great example of this, as we some- remains of our own making.

You can be socially smart but Existentially stupid.

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