Edgewalkers

Serving Those Who Walk Between the Worlds

Consciousness

Knowing the Future

Judi Neal, Ph.D.

One of my areas of research when I directed the Tyson Center for Faith and Spirituality in the Workplace at the University of Arkansas was spiritual leadership. I interviewed numerous leaders in business, non-profits and the arts about how their faith and spirituality informed their leadership. I call these leaders “Edgewalkers” because they intentionally integrate their inner life with the very demanding outer life of being a leader. They tend to be innovative bridge-builders, and they inspire trust and loyalty in their followers because of their humility and authenticity.

These Edgewalkers have an uncanny knack for knowing the future. There are three ways leaders can know the future. The first way is the “Traditional” way of knowing the future. This skill is based in rational, linear thinking, and it projects the future from the past using analytics. Business schools teach various forms of forecasting, such as sales forecasting and human resources forecasting, as an important form of strategic planning. This form of knowing the future works well in a stable and predictable environment.

The second way of knowing the future is using what many leaders call gut feeling. This the “Intuitive” way of knowing the future. Neal Chalofsky, a retired management professor from George Washington University, told me that many CEOs he worked with confided they often made significant decisions through prayer or a sense of inner guidance, which they then justified with numerical reports. They told Neal that they could never be open about where the decision really came from because the company’s stock price would fall through the floor if they were honest about the source of their wisdom.

The third way of knowing the future utilizes visioning and courage to create what has never been created before. This way of knowing is “Co-creating with the Universe.” I’ve met several leaders who have a strong sense of calling from what they might call God, Source, or the Universe – a sense of sacred and selfless calling. They act on the wisdom of “the best way to know the future is to create it.” Jim Lumsden is one such leader. He was the CEO of MetServe, the privatized weather service of New Zealand. Every year he took his leaders offsite for “Advances.” He refused to use the term “Retreats” because this time was set aside to envision the future and to manifest the vision for the organization through inspirational literature, time in nature, and reflective writing.

Last weekend Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde invited our recently inaugurated President to have mercy on and compassion for the vulnerable. She is an Edgewalker. As a country, we can co-create a nation based on fear, greed, and power for the few, or we can work towards creating something that’s never existed before: a world that works for all of us. I choose to co-create a future of peace and harmony.



Judi Neal, Ph.D. is the founder of Edgewalkers International and the author of Edgewalkers: People and organizations that take risks, build bridges and break new ground.

“The Necessity & Significance of Freedom & Autonomy, Sovereignty & Liberation Now!”

by Patricia Campanile Senior Associate Edgewalkers International

We would all probably agree that we are living in unprecedented times in both our outer realities and inner consciousness. Daily we are being presented with truths and revelations, chaos and revolutionary shifts. What do we believe, how do we act, who do we trust, where do we go, and when?

Dr. Judi Neal, author of “Edgewalkers: People and Organizations that Take Risks, Build Bridges and Break New Ground” explains, “In my vision, Edgewalkers are supporting people to fully be themselves and to fully use their gifts so they can then make a positive difference to others. As Edgewalkers, we strive to have the freedom and autonomy to be all we can become. The purpose of realizing our full potential is so that we can fulfill our responsibility for healthy self-care first and then for selfless service to others.”

As an Edgewalker or someone who has committed to their own transformational journey, it is essential that we live in authentic alignment with our integrity to the best of our ability. Integrity is one of the Edgewalker qualities and defined as “a commitment to live in alignment with your core values, to align your words and your behavior, and to keep your word.” Now more than ever it is vital that we go within and identify and connect with our values and personal sense of freedom and autonomy, sovereignty and liberation. Sovereignty and self-liberation teach us to be in harmony with ourselves and the universe as a whole. It means choosing to be free from any self-inflicted negativity which cages our potential to outshine the universe. To be autonomous and sovereign means you have free will and can stand behind your actions and values.

Why is this significant now? Self-directing freedom and especially moral independence and personal autonomy are important because they lead to enhanced expressions of creativity and original thought. This in turn can result in increased productivity, innovative ideas and solutions, and an overall high quality of life. I sense and feel that we are being called to live and work from a higher consciousness in order to shift individually and collectively and create different results. As Albert Einstein said “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Freedom is the fuel, a condition in which people have the opportunity to think differently, speak, act and pursue happiness without unnecessary external restrictions. Freedom is important because its opposite is detrimental to our well-being and inconsistent with our true nature. Liberating ourselves from our own fears, limitations and judgments where we are NOT in alignment with our true, essential nature, allows us to be ourselves and work together while maintaining autonomy and respecting our differences.

It is important to remember and integrate what many great leaders have stated that “with great freedom comes great responsibility.” As citizens, we are obligated to use our freedom not only for our own personal good, but also for the greater good. Some people who have written about freedom say that “freedom without responsibility is anarchy” or “freedom without responsibility is chaos.” The desire for freedom as an end in itself is a lower point on the consciousness scale. It is an “everyone for themselves” and “survival of the fittest” point of view.

Dr. Judi Neal shares that ” Edgewalkers are committed to the grander scheme of things, to do our part to elevate the collective level of consciousness, to take a stand for compassion, social justice, and a sense of oneness.” As a certified Edgewalker Coach, Facilitator and Senior Associate I am honored and excited to be a part of our global Edgewalker community. It is not an accident if you are one of the individuals in our world fortunate enough to live in a community, society, country where you are free and available to show up and speak up, shine your light, contribute your unique gifts and live your highest purpose. By embracing your freedom with responsibility, liberating your autonomy, and standing in your sovereignty you can and will make a difference on our planet! The time is NOW!

“Holding the Light for Humanity”

Patricia Campanile Edgewalker Senior Associate

I AM holding the light for humanity.

I AM an Edgewalker, walking on the leading edge.

I AM creating the space for awakening.

I AM intending for the Highest Good for mankind.

I AM free from the inside out and the outside in.

I AM evolutionary consciousness.

I AM a beacon of light for the world.

I AM faith, hope and love.

I AM innovative and a visionary.

I AM curious, collaborative, cooperative.

I AM ONE with the UNIVERSE.

I AM Higher Intelligence.

I AM a Divine expression of Source.

I AM a Master on a Masterful journey.

I AM manifesting and attracting with ease, grace and flow.

I AM trusting and surrendering.

I AM holding the space for peace on earth.

I AM choosing joy now!

I AM positive, optimistic, aware.

I AM powerful, brave and courageous.

I AM strong in my body and centered in my essence.

I AM supporting a healthy, sustainable planet.

I AM compassionate for all species.

I AM healing, growing, becoming.

I AM blessed and grateful.

I AM expansive and abundant.

I AM healthy, vibrant and energized.

I AM love in action.

I AM embracing diversity.

I AM authentic, unique, one-of-a-kind.

I AM open hearted and open minded.

I AM!

As Edgewalkers we hold the space of Light for ourselves and others during the holiday season and for the coming New Year. We can choose to focus on gratitude, elevating our consciousness, and opening our hearts as we move into the New Era. Whenever we put I AM before any statement or sentence we are setting the stage and fertile ground to create and attract what we want. It is essential to be conscious and careful of our words, intentions and actions as they do make an impact on our relationships and our environment. I invite you to share your I AM statement(s), your vision of this New World and the practices we can use to inspire each other as Edgewalkers, individuals and conscious community.

I wish you all a blessed holiday season and a happy and healthy New Year as we hold the light for ourselves, our community and humanity. Thank you for being you. You are needed. You are loved.

We do make a difference, one light at a time!

Patricia Campanile Senior Edgewalker Associate

Conscious Choices in Uncertain Times…

Patricia Campanile Senior Associate Edgewalkers International

Decision Making has never been one of my strong points. Even when I was younger I had difficulty deciding what I wanted. Actually, I wanted too much and the thought of choosing ONE thing meant I had to close off my other options. Life is a smorgasburg for me. I often get the sample platter when I eat Indian food so I can try everything. I realize that some of what fuels this indecision and resistance to making one choice is that I have a serious case of FOMA (Fear of Missing Out). I have learned the hard way that choosing from fear, from missing out, or in reaction to what I did not want, resulted in not always making clear and conscious choices that were best for me. The more I focused on what I did not want or the fear of loss, I kept attracting what I did not want and loss and disappointment. I did not have the commitment and focus to clearly connect with my inner desire. I had not identified what I truly wanted and needed in order to make the best decision for my life and create the results that supported my life, work and relationships.

One aspect of my spiritual journey as an Edgewalker has been discovering HOW to make conscious choices. Over time I have strengthened my intuition by trusting my gut instincts and being quiet while feeling and listening to my body. At times I am conflicted when my heart wants one thing and my mind says another. When this happens and I feel stuck or paralyzed and don’t know what to do, I co-create with the Universe and ask for CEO signs (Clear, Easy, Obvious). I am learning non-attachment and accepting that just because I have a plan, LIFE often has another path for me that is far better than I could have ever imagined.

Staying awake, curious, conscious and available to shift is required to thrive and grow. It is also necessary to recognize and allow any feelings of loss, grief, disappointment, regret, and sadness we may experience when things don’t go according to plan. Loving what is, knowing that everything that happens is happening FOR us, NOT to us, enables us to stay open to Plan B, C or whatever life presents us. Timing is everything and knowing when to choose is key in discovering and following our right path. When we make conscious choices in spite of uncertainty and the unknown, a fertile ground is laid for new ideas, opportunities, creative solutions, innovation and new beginnings. We can choose to stand in our mastery and sovereignty, knowing that we are in authentic alignment with our Highest Truth. When we do this LIFE magically organizes itself to support our intentions, dreams and desires.

Now more than ever, with so much uncertainty and unknown, plans can change in a moment. It takes courage and wisdom to adapt and be flexible. These qualities and skills are getting a lot of practice with all changes in the world. What we resist persists has new meaning. We are NOT in control is often a difficult realization that can also be a relief. If the door is not opening is not our door. Individually and collectively we are being asked to stop, breathe, let go, and see what happens. Go with the flow and more WILL be revealed in perfect time!