9-Apr-07 6:00 PM CST

Houston – An Integration Machine?

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting & staffing with numerous men from other Warrior communities, they are all impressed with the number of men we initiate. Time & time again I hear Houston referred to as “the weekend machine”. Well, the wind is changing directions. Integrating has been idling in neutral, while we had the hood up tinkering with the engine and swapping out the “drive-train” and now is the time to roll-out Houston’s new machine; the Integration machine. This vehicle has one destination; creating healthy vibrant community!

We’ve all heard the saying “it isn’t the destination that matters; it’s the journey that counts!” This journey begins with the initial I-Group Cycle, now known as Primary Integration Training (PIT). In March we began a new, exciting, and cutting edge way of doing PIT. Rather than separate the men into smaller groups meeting on different nights, we are choosing to do one large PIT Group that meets together in the Great Hall. This idea was born partly from necessity and partly from vision. It will allow a man to stay connected to all the men from his weekend as well as choose the men we wants remain connected with in an I-Group beyond his PIT. If you’d like more information about this please contact myself, Tom Flaherty @ t.bone0520@gmail.com. If you like to be part of this cutting edge vision and staff a future PIT, at any level, contact Jeff Phillips at houstonswildturkey@earthlink.net. We are no longer waiting for the weekend to form the staff and it is not a requirement for you to have staffed the weekend in order to staff a PIT. The PIT will meet on Tuesdays for even numbered months and on Wednesdays for odd numbered months.

For the initiated man we have numerous programs we are starting, or have already started. Don Neumann and Chris Cefalu have hosted an Open I-Group for I group members who want to do carpet work or learn how to facilitate it more effectively. The goal is to have one of these Open Guts Training I Groups each month. Watch for information in the weekly email blast to find out whom the Guest Magician is that month

April showers not only bring May flowers, this year they will also bring Saturday Morning Circles. Beginning on May 5th, we will not only have an Open I-Group we will also start our first Open Circle. An Open I-Group is a group that will meet weekly and is open to any initiated man. We recognize that many men travel during the week or work or go to school at night and can’t make a “traditional” I-Group meeting on a week night. So, we are stating a new tradition. An Open Circle is a group that is open to ANY man. The purpose is to expose un-initiated men to our work, to help break down the wall of secrecy that surrounds us and has become a barrier to more men getting what we all got. So, if you have a man that you judge would benefit from this work and he has not accepted your invitation to the weekend invite him to this Open Circle. If you’d like to help staff one of these open groups or if you have a man you want to bring to the Open Circle contact me. If you want to be a part of the Open I-Group all you need to do s show up Saturday morning May 5^th at 9AM. Look for flyers around the Lodge coming soon with more information.

There are many other exciting things the Integration Council is working on so keep watching for more news & information. If you want to be a part of this shift, this cutting edge vision of re-creating Houston as an Integration Machine, then contact me or come to our next meeting; we meet the 1^st Thursday of every month in the Community Room at the Lodge.

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