Project Renaissance home page | The Stream Index
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Newsletter of Project Renaissance and Win Wenger
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January 2004
IN THIS ISSUE:
* Quote of the Month
* Announcements
* Events
* FEATURE ARTICLE: “Pathfinding - How to Find Your Way through the
Project Renaissance Maze” by Win Wenger - Part 1 of 2
* Comments & Feedback
Mary Hughes
Ursula Flink
* Links - archives, back issues, homepage
* Reader Questionnaire
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QUOTE OF THE MONTH
...
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
-- Robert Frost
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
~~~
WELCOME to all new members who have joined us this month. We hope to
hear from you and to give you much food for thought. Back issues are
available upon request. Just add the month to the subject line:
mailto:thestream@winwenger.com?subject=BackIssues
~~~
A WARM HELLO from Tijl Koenderink ( mailto:tijl@dare2b.nl ),
Executive Director of Project Renaissance
Dear people related to Project Renaissance,
For the people who do not yet know me, I am Tijl Koenderink. I am the
recently appointed Executive Director of Project Renaissance. I met
Win Wenger through his website, and am now trying to take some of the
practical work off his hands, so he can again fully focus on his
research and teaching work, without being encumbered by practical and
administrative details.
I must say that after I started taking inventory, my heart was truly
warmed by the sheer number and enthusiasm of all the people offering
help to the cause of Project Renaissance. People who truly believe
that if one can learn how to solve their own problems, then also
problems on a larger scale can be helped. When I found this out, and
as I was reading the letters, one thing was clear to me. I want to do
all I can to help these enthusiastic people work together, and help
them make a difference in their, and therefore our, world.
Even though the offers of help have been made without asking for any
compensation, Win and I felt that we should try to do something to
support all the noble volunteers. We came up with a reward system
that will give you a discount on virtually all tuitions to Project
Renaissance trainings if they are anywhere in your area or to which
you can travel.
Beyond that, we are currently working out the technical details that
will allow you to deduct the time you spend working for Project
Renaissance from your taxes, since you are working for a non-profit
organization.
In the coming months I will try to get back to as many of you as
possible, with more details on what you can do, and how you can help
us spread the word on empowering people to be what they can and want
to be.
If you would like to become a volunteer, please let me know. If you
have already contacted us and not heard back from us, please send me
your offer again. In the past months I have gone through an archive
of such an immense amount of material and communication that there
is always the risk of one or two having been lost.
For people who have considered doing something to help us but do not
have an idea as to what, or how, please look through the following
list of things we are currently working on:
* Design and execution of promotional activities and material
* Several pieces of software to aid the Project Renaissance methods
and learning in general
* Experiments with Project Renaissance methods in classrooms,
political and business environments
* Translation of Project Renaissance books, methods and the website
into as many languages as possible
* Setting up local support groups for Creative Problem Solving
In all these areas we will, of course, work with you and guide you
personally, to make sure to make an absolute best use of your
valuable time.
If you have any questions, of course feel free to drop me a line
and ask. My email address is tijl@dare2b.nl .
Again, my sincere thanks to all you have done and will be doing to
help us realize our vision.
- Tijl Koenderink ( mailto:tijl@dare2b.nl?subject=Volunteer )
~~~
TESTIMONIALS COMPENDIUM - Project Renaissance is collecting input
from successful users of its methods. Have you used Image-Streaming,
Borrowed Genius, Toolbuilder, Windtunnel or any of the many other
powerful problem-solving and creative solution-finding methods of
Win Wenger and Project Renaissance? Have you found them to be
personally helpful and effective for you? Do you think they are of
value to people in their everyday life? Would you take a few minutes
and write a short account of how they have helped you, and email it
to Project Renaissance's Executive Director, Tijl Koenderink, at
mailto:tijl@dare2b.nl?subject=Testimonials . Your name will not be
published without your authorization.
~~~
TAXONOMY OF METHODS – Project Renaissance is compiling an index of
all problem-solving methods in general use, from all sources. If you
know of any that you like, other than those developed and published
by Project Renaissance, please inform Win Wenger at
mailto:wwenger101@aol.com
~~~
MORE TRAINERS NEEDED - U.S.A.
Project Renaissance is seeking additional dedicated individuals who
like to help others help themselves, and who would like to learn the
techniques of Project Renaissance to this end. We are planning
trainer workshops through various channels.
If you'd like to find out more about the possibility of becoming a
trainer, whether full-time or part-time, please email your interest
to Project Renaissance's Executive Director, Tijl Koenderink, at
mailto:tijl@dare2b.nl?subject=Training
A special workshop will be held in Pasadena, MD, in May 2004. Look
for further announcements here under Events and on the website
calendar.
~~~
WANTED: Teachers and schools who are willing enough for their
students to succeed that they will try out specific Project
Renaissance techniques, with or without our help. Use your own
tests to measure for effects before - and after - the procedure is
used. Create your own pilot program, and/or we can help you design
a study. We'll be glad to help you professionally publish your
results, as per http://www.winwenger.com/validate.htm . Most of
the 40-some techniques readily available for immediate use greatly
improve student understanding, in many subjects; some rapidly and
greatly improve reading and language skills. For details, contact
mailto:wwenger101@aol.com .
~~~
WANTED: Volunteers to become informed on the methods Project
Renaissance is offering in the foregoing, and on what makes them
work, to help us FIND schools and teachers willing to respond to
this offer.
~~~
WEBSITE UPDATE - The Project Renaissance website has had several new
features added, plus enhancements on the front page. Check these out
at http://www.winwenger.com :
* You can now listen to an excerpt from improv music composed by Win
Wenger. Click on the link at the bottom of the front page, or on
the Improvitaping page, http://www.winwenger.com/improv.htm
* We've included a list of foreign publishers of The Einstein Factor.
Did you know the book had been translated and printed in so many
different countries? See http://www.winwengeer.com/forpub.htm .
* Winsights No. 72, January 2004, by Win Wenger, is about "Effective
Problem-Solving: Using What We Know" and includes updates on the
Windtunnel Method. See http://www.winwenger.com/part72.htm .
* The archives of Capital Ideasmiths, the forerunner of The Stream
as Project Renaissance's official newsletter, are now available on
the Project Renaissance website, all 6 volumes from 1998-2002:
http://www.winwenger.com/Capitalidea/capidea1.htm
~~~
SUBSCRIBER OR MEMBER? If you currently only subscribe to The Stream,
you can upgrade your participation in Project Renaissance to full
membership, free. Membership in Project Renaissance entitles members
to additional benefits. If you're not yet a member, please register
now, here: http://www.winwenger.com/regmem.htm or from link on
the homepage, http://www.winwenger.com .
~~~
DUPLICATE MAILING? If you received two (or more?) copies of this
issue of The Stream, please let us know by replying to:
mailto:thestream@winwenger.com?subject=duplicate
~~~
How you can participate...
* You can post messages on Project Renaissance's discussion board
about any Project Renaissance topic and join any ongoing
discussions. No log-in required. Please visit our homepage at
http://www.winwenger.com and click the Discussion Board link. To
post a message right now, click here:
http://bbs.cartserver.com/bbs/b/7733/#PostMessage
* The long-established, popular Image-Streaming egroup is here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/imagestream - requires Yahoo sign-in.
* Submit articles, comments or questions for possible inclusion in
The Stream: mailto:thestream@winwenger.com?subject=TotheEditor
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EVENTS
~~~
CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING INSTITUTE WINTERFEST - February 3-7, 2004
For details and to participate, see http://www.cpsiconference.com
Followed by:
BEYOND-EINSTEIN WORKSHOP INTENSIVE - February 8-9, 2004
Basic training with Win Wenger - $495 less discounts
Registration, 8:30 a.m. Sunday, February 8, 2004
Sessions, 9-5 Sunday and 9-4 Monday
Red Lion Hanalei Hotel, 2270 Hotel Circle North, San Diego, Calif.
Message Win Wenger at mailto:wwenger101@aol.com
or c/o the hotel at 619-297-1101
Experience key basic Project Renaissance ways to solve problems,
make discoveries, improve-deepen-accelerate learning, together with
some useful applications. Completely separate from Winterfest, but
Winterfest attendees pay only $295 for the Beyond-Einstein Training.
This San Diego-based workshop may be one of your best opportunities
to experience the basic forms of Project Renaissance with live
partners and professional facilitation. For more information,
contact mailto:wwenger101@aol.com .
~~~
MONTHLY MEETING of High Thinktank, free and open to the public.
Upcounty Regional Services Center, Room C, 12900 Middlebrook Rd.,
Germantown, Maryland.
Meetings begin at 7:30pm sharp. New topics each time. Please check
the Project Renaissance website calendar for details and directions,
at http://www.winwenger.com/events.htm .
The next meeting of the group will be in February 2004, date and topic
to be announced.
~~~
THE-NEXT-IDEA 2004 CREATIVITY WEEKEND - April 2-4, 2004
Explore and Facilitate Personal and Organizational Creativity
You are invited to The-Next-Idea 2004 Creativity Conference April 2-4,
2004, at Harper's Ferry, W. Virginia (90 minutes from Washington DC)
to experience the Science, Art and Spirit of Creativity.
The conference is structured as a Micro-University experience with 3
to 4 different sessions every hour and a half. You will create your
own experience by choosing from - Business, Professional and Personal
Creativity as well as Facilitation Skills. For Sessions and Leaders,
visit our website at www.thenextidea2004.com . Here is a sampling of
the workshops:
* Team Building * Process Mapping * Quantum Thinking * The Tao of
Creativity * Inventive Thinking - Triz * The Creative Side Of Conflict
* Creativity and Ancient Rituals * The Modern "Socratic Method" *
How to Write a Book in PowerPoint * Consciousness and Sounds * Living
Your Style * Finding Your Purpose * CPS: A Creative Problem Solving
Primer * Team Building Through Symbols * Salon - Art of Conversation
* Metaphorical Mind Maps.
Cost: Conference registration is $130 for two days or $75 for one
day. Room and meals is $85 per day. For multiple occupancy (3 or
more), the price is $65 per day. So the average price for the entire
Creativity Weekend would be $300 or less. Registration:
www.thenextidea2004.com or contact Andre and Judy de Zanger at
1664 3rd Ave., New York, NY, 10128. Phone 212-289-8856; e-mail:
mailto:creativityinstitute@juno.com
~~~
PROJECT RENAISSANCE SPRING WORKSHOP - May 15-22, 2004
Training with Win Wenger:
May 17-19, 2004 - Project Renaissance Spring Workshop and Advanced
Trainer Training, Pasadena, Maryland.
May 20, 2004 - Private healing sessions with Chuck Bubar, by prior
subscription and appointment only.
May 21-22, 2004 - Beyond Einstein Training for trainers-to-be. Full
details to follow in next month’s issue. Mark your calendar now.
~~~
CALL FOR PROPOSALS!
July 15-18, 2004
Celebrating Individual Creativity: From Inspiration to Application
15th Annual International Conference on Creativity in Colleges and
Universities - on the campus of Northwood University, Midland,
Michigan.
A global assembly of those who value, teach, and practice Creativity.
The audience will comprise higher-education teachers and creativity
practitioners in both academia and enterprise.
PROPOSAL DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 20, 2004 - procedures for submitting
proposals:
* SUBMIT your presentation or workshop idea in a 30-word abstract,
supported by a 250-word description. Include in your description:
goals and objectives, ideas to be presented, and how your presentation
will benefit this conference.
* SPECIFY duration, any type of facilities and equipment required,
extent of audience participation, and size of group preferred.
* ATTACH a brief one-paragraph biography with your name, affiliation,
address, e-mail address, and phone number(s).
See our website for additional information: www.northwood.edu/abd .
Submit proposals by email to: mailto:creativity@northwood.edu
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Feature Article:
PATHFINDING
How to Find Your Way through the
Project Renaissance Maze
by Win Wenger
Very recently I received a letter which, I think, is a question
many readers here might echo: There are so many procedures offered
in the Project Renaissance website and in our books and articles,
where does one START? Is there an optimal way?
An initial answer:
The goal of Project Renaissance is to equip as many people as possible
as well as possible with access to their own perceptions and their own
resources, enabling them to better cope with such problems and
opportunities as they encounter, to learn more effectively, to live
a richer and more satisfying life in every human dimension. The main
thing is simply paying attention to your own perceptions and your own
thoughts and recording your observations as you go.
Our own understandings:
A good understanding can generate many different effective procedures;
but far more value to you than any of these particular procedures is a
good grasp of our own understandings, most of which are encompassed in
modern Socratic Method.
A "curriculum" through which you can effectively understand modern
Socratic Method, and understand why we see it as a major way to
improve life here on Earth both individually and as a community,
consists of examining the following articles:
* "Feed-the-Loop" ( http://www.winwenger.com/feed1.htm ) in the
T&L Techniques section of the Project Renaissance website.
* "Winsights" articles Nos. 33, 52, 55, 56, 57 and 63 indexed in
( http://www.winwenger.com/winsight.htm ) and "Dynamic Format"
( http://www.winwenger.com/dynform.htm ) in the CPS Techniques
section of the site.
Practical practices:
1) Make frequent practice of ImageStreaming, as per the final page
of our online ebook, "You Are Brighter Than You Think"
( http://www.winwenger.com/ebooks/bright3.htm ).
2) Make frequent practice of "Noise-Removal Breathing" and the other
"Calm-Breathing Patterns," in Winsights Nos 28 and 29
( http://www.winwenger.com/part28.htm ) and
( http://www.winwenger.com/part29.htm )
For solving problems:
1) "Windtunnel" in Winsights No. 55 ( www.winwenger.com/part55.htm )
and updated in Winsights No. 72 ( www.winwenger.com/part72.htm ),
"Situational Problem-Solving" ( www.winwenger.com/part68.htm ) in
Winsights No. 68, and Crabapple process in "Working with Metaphor"
( www.winwenger.com/part56.htm ) in Winsights No. 56.
2) Another basic path, good to have in its own right, is the Basic
Associative Process ( www.winwenger.com/part48.htm ) in Winsights
No. 48.
3) An advanced problem-solving procedure is "High Thinktank"
( www.winwenger.com/htt.htm ). It is especially good for use on the
most important issues and problems because it sidesteps our conscious
expectations as to what the answer "ought to be" and goes straight
for perception of whatever IS the best answer.
If a problem doesn't solve by one of these methods, it likely will by
one of the others. There are few if any problems which YOU can't
readily solve via one or several of these methods, and it is important
for you to know that.
~~~
Next month:
* Paths to enhance, improve and accelerate learning
* Inventing, innovating, making discoveries
* A published curriculum in self-training form
----------------------------------
About the Author: Win Wenger, Ph.D., is the founder of Project
Renaissance. This unique, non-profit organization is dedicated to
increasing individuals' potential and accelerating the dawning of a
new Renaissance. See also http://www.winwenger.com/wenger.htm
~~~
To send feedback privately to the author, email Win Wenger at
mailto:wwenger101@aol.com?subject=Paths
To send your comments about this article to The Stream, write to:
mailto:thestream@winwenger.com?subject=Paths
To post your feedback or promote a discussion of this topic:
http://bbs.cartserver.com/bbs/b/7733/#PostMessage
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COMMENTS & FEEDBACK
~~~
Mary Hughes ( mailto:mary@mindassociates.org )
Your article in the [December 2003] edition of The Stream - "The
Problem of Problems - A Meta-Level View", by Kate Jones, I am in full
agreement with. Every year I list out actions under New Year's
Resolutions; by mid-January I have already broken them. This year
I have taken a different approach.
I have set the Resolutions at a cognitive level.
Two words summarise: Discipline and Focus.
On a daily basis I just track my actions and ensure they align with
Discipline and Focus. It’s working. This just underpins that if you
change your thinking, the actions will follow. I used ImageStreaming
to clarify what Discipline and Focus meant in my life. This guided
the actions.
I shall keep you informed of progress. Thanks,
- Mary Hughes
------------------------------
To send feedback privately to the writer, email Mary Hughes at
mailto:mary@mindassociates.org
To send your feedback about this comment to The Stream, write to:
mailto:thestream@winwenger.com?subject=Comments
~~~
The Einstein Factor Express Story – A trainee’s experience - Part 1
by Ursula Flink ( mailto:aon.964445658@aon.at )
Once upon a time there was a woman called “little bearess,” about 40
years old, with a very nice husband and very sweet children living in
a town called Linz in Austria. Ever since her school days she had been
interested in the topic of human biology and especially everything
connected with the human brain. She was a personal trainer and her
business was running quite well, but there were a little bit too few
adventures and challenges in her life.
One evening, while she was talking with her husband about their news
of the day, there was a program on TV about scientific brain research,
and the woman stopped talking and listened with fascination. The next
day she had to buy some school supplies for her children and went to
a bookstore. And she asked for a book about brain research, and the
seller showed her a handful of books on this topic. The most
interesting one for her seemed to be the book, „Der Einstein Faktor“
by Win Wenger and Richard Poe, and so she bought it.
Coming back home she started reading, and with every single word her
fascination grew and grew. Step by step she got addicted to doing all
the exercises, and every day she would spend all her free time
practicing the methods that were described in this unique book. She
did Image-Streaming and passed through whole adventure tales; she did
Creative Problem Solving , Over the Wall, Cognitive Structured
Enhancement, and Instant Replay; and solved many years-old problems
within minutes.
Her husband and her children noticed that there was something special
going on, because little bearess often forgot to do very important
things like preparing the meal for the children at the very moment
when they came home from school or running after the children to
bring them their stuff and similar things. Her family asked her about
these changes, and she said only, “This is all because of this book!”
And slowly they, too, got interested in this mysterious book. One day
she started to do some of these wonderful exercises with her husband
and-—behold!-—there were tremendous effects coming out. The husband
was surprised and fascinated and asked little bearess where all these
tremendous methods came from. And she searched for the name Win Wenger
on the Internet and found the website called “Project Renaissance”
and came to know all about the author and inventor. Her husband
called: “Where is this man living and teaching?-—Find it out and go
there, please!”
No sooner said than done, it came about that little bearess landed
in Baltimore on the 13th of November 2003. At the airport she met a
man from Great Britain and a woman from Northern Ireland, and they
were picked up by a very nice young guy from the Netherlands. The
four nations round-up was perfect and—-leaving the airport-—she said
in a solemn tone to her three companions: “We are the pioneers!”
And this was the beginning of a week of the most exciting trainings
and specific experiences that she had ever done!
- Ursula Flink ( mailto:aon.964445658@aon.at )
----------------------------------
If you would like to discuss more about Ursula’s Einstein Factor
experience, email Ursula Flink at mailto:aon.964445658@aon.at .
The entire chronology of Little Bearess' adventures will be published
on the Project Renaissance website. Look for announcements in "What's
New" ( www.winwenger.com/new.htm ). At this time Ursula has completed
4 chapters.
To send your comments about this story to The Stream, write to:
mailto:thestream@winwenger.com?subject=Comments
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LINKS
* Back issues of THE STREAM by email upon request from
mailto:thestream@winwenger.com?subject=BackIssues
* Archived copies of Capital Ideasmiths are here:
http://www.winwenger.com/Capitalidea/capidea1.htm
* Project Renaissance homepage: http://www.winwenger.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UNSUBSCRIBE: If you do not wish to continue receiving this
newsletter from Project Renaissance, please send an email to
mailto:thestream@winwenger.com?subject=TheStream-unsubscribe
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PROJECT RENAISSANCE
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READER QUESTIONNAIRE
A chance to examine your love/hate relationship with browsing…
1. When visiting any website, what are the most important features
you look for - Please rate these from 1 to 5, where 1=lowest,
5=highest importance:
a. good navigation _____
b. useful content _____
c. stuff to buy _____
d. interaction with others _____
e. lots of movement, cool
flashy things and sounds
and zany humor _____
f. Other____________________________ _____
2. Which of the following website features tend to irritate you the
most? Please rate these from 1 to 5, where 1=least annoying,
5=bugs you to the max.
a. Broken links ______
b. Lots of cookies ______
c. Incessant pop-up ads and banners ______
d. Crammed-full pages of tiny print ______
e. Links to everywhere and no way bac ______
f. Other _____________________________ ______
3. How do you react when a site has too many irritating features?
Please rate these from 1 to 5, where 1=least annoying, 5=bugs you
to the max.
a. Nothing. ______
b. Get the heck out of there, go
elsewhere and never come back. ______
c. Write the webmaster a nice email
offering to fix it all. ______
d. Write the webmaster an irate email. ______
e. Forward all your spam email to the
website owner or management ______
f. Other ____________________________ ______
4. Please rate ( http://www.winwenger.com ), the website of Project
Renaissance, on the following points from 1 to 5, where 1=least
satisfactory and 5=most satisfactory:
a. Ease of getting around (navigation) ______
b. Interest of subject matter ______
c. Visual presentation, appearance ______
d. Speed of download ______
To return this questionnaire, simply reply to this email, deleting
all but the questionnaire portion. Mark your rating in the answer
space provided.
..................................................................
Project Renaissance home page | The Stream Index