Pioneers of Change
25 years on
Patricia Sogayar
What was your role and involvement with Pioneers of Change?
I first met Pioneers in the launch meeting of the network in Brazil, on the 1st of May, 1999. It was love at first sight!! From then on, i became involved, facilitating the network in Brazil for 7 years, and co organizing many learning journeys, such as the ones around Critical Education (2001), Art for Social Change (2004), Sustainable Development (2005). Also co facilitaded some workshops during the World Social Forum in 2003 in Brazil (Hyprocates Club) and in Mumbai in 2004. Besides that, i participated in the annual gatherings in SF, in 1999, in México, in 2002, and in Egypt, in 2003. After that i designed a Sabbatical year to learn more about learning communities, which counted with the support of many pioneers. So i went to 11 countries, meeting different organizations and pollinating the learnings. During this period i got to visit Maaianne at Kufunda, Manish in Shikshantar, Mille in South África, Félix in Germany, Karsten in Denmark, among others! So, the roles were mainly the following: facilitator, host, co organizer of LJ, and pollinator;-)
What has your journey been since your time with Pioneers of Change?
Pioneers was a breakthrough in my life. It opened a trail i didn't know it existed, and showed me new possibilities, much more aligned to my essence. Through Pioneers i felt encouraged to go perceive my dreams, even if they were not what society would value at first hand. I quit my formal job, went to explore how learning communities work, got in contact with different realities, made new friends, with whom i feel very aligned till these days, learned new ways of facilitating, and leading. I started working in the third sector, facilitating groups, and getting connected to different tools and people, all in the edge of innovation in leadership, systemic solutions and positive change. I started spreading that in the organizations and groups i got involved, until these days! I also started creating different learning communities, within the corporate world, with rural producers, and within the education field, within families, first focusing first childhood, then parents, and finally youth, fostering an education based on respect, love, autonomy and shared values and agreements. During this process i realised the main challenges were related to reprograming old limiting beliefs and developed myself to become a vibrational therapist, working with energy medicine and other tools to support those changes in deep patterns. From parenting communities, to connection circles; from therapist to mobilizer, from cross sector dialogues, to iniciating or supporting new movements, all carry my spirit of catalyzing change, connecting people, bridging worlds. From different iniciatives, such as Change the World Now, The Heart Revolution, The Heart Channel, to Youth in the Centre, all of them carry the essence of Pioneers too, and I am deeply grateful to all it brought and still brings to my life !!
What values, lessons, or experiences from Pioneers of Change have stayed with you?
Oh, so many lessons and values are still so alive for me from Poc ! To start with, the 5 principles are something still very present, as values and as a way to live, as well as pearls to share with others. In terms of lessons, they were present in different realms.... Personally, I learned to know myself better, to reconnect to what truly matters to me, to go out of the certainties, and flow more with the unknown, paying attention to the syncronicities the Universe is always sending us ! I started asking more questions, and receiving the answers in very different ways. I learned i was not alone in the journey, and could count with the community, feeling i didn't need to be perfect to start sharing my gifts now. There are things I am still learning though, after 25 years!! 2 of them were sentences Toke had written during our first annual gathering, and were hanging on a tree. I sat there to be able to talk with others and deepen those concepts... Less is more, said the first sentence. And the other one: " You are not going to change the world by being busier." Those are such a good reminder for these days!! An eternal learning;-) In a more professional way, i learned the whole U Theory applied in different contexts, how to operate in a self organization mode, as well as how the self selection process applied to become a Pioneer worked so well. I learned the edge topics in leadership, spirituality, science and in other areas, not just through our own events, but also through participating in special events, such as The State of The World Forum. Overall, I had lessons and experiences about deep listening, without judgment; facilitation, where more important than the tools, was the presence we brought to the circle; the capacity to work with what needs to be brought up, even if that means bringing up difficult themes, so they can be seen and released; the ability to give space to what wants to emerge; the power of asking questions, as well as the power of cooking together, playing together and having moments of deep sharing. It is amazing to experience how deep friendships can be, when we share values, purpose and heart. I feel i found my soul family in Pioneers!! Friends I can be long time without seeing, but the connection and love for them will always be there!! Last, but not least.... being in Pioneers was about experiencing how to shine, and offer our best to the world! Each pioneer, connected to her/his essence, and to each other, making a difference and creating together new possibilities and realities!!
What advice would you give to today’s young changemakers as they navigate their own paths?
What ignites your heart and fills your whole body with Joy?? Go for it!!! Get together with like minded people, practice the 5 principles among you, cultivate the conditions for all to shine, connect and listen deeply, to each other, but also to the Earth and to the invisible stakeholders, so your action can be one that brings real change, aligned to what is needed and to the solutions that want to emerge! Laugh more! Play, dance, smile, enJoy the process! Remember you are not alone, nor are here to save the world. You are doing your best and leaving a legacy just by being Yourself, shining all your light and expressing your gifts!! Bringing the new Earth in can be light, fun, and possible, when we are in such a community!