Aloha everyone,
One of the enduring parts of Aunty’s Building the Beloved Community practice that stuck with folks, even if they only attended a session or two, is the Weatherball (or Weather Ball) and Blue Sky moment. These have become a way of opening circles around the world. Aunty always prefaced this practice the first time by sharing how she used it in her work at Hale Na‘au Pono; how she used it at home with her children. She used it often! The Weatherball is a way of knowing if now is the appropriate time for a conversation, or if later would maybe be better.
The first weatherball that I ever held was made from Aunty’s granddaughter’s baby clothes, and had a soft squiggle of fabric sticking out like a chicken’s wattle. That weatherball witnessed surely thousands of circles, and definitely traveled around the world, before being gifted to a community furlough program for women in Honolulu. In recent years, a member of a cohort from UH Maui College began making beautiful patchwork weatherballs to share, and Aunty Pua would give them out to her students. Indeed, we shared them at her funeral. If you would like one, I have a stash and could meet up with you, let me know.
Tonight, the weather is literally a dramatic torrent of rain, storm, and chilly wind coming down from the mountains as the sky splits open with thunder and lightning. Us local folks have experienced evening cold in the 60’s the past week or so, warranting heaps of blankets, warm fuzzy socks, and funny social media memes. I think Aunty would have hated such cold. But tonight, tonight we have the rain. As I was typing, it drove into the house and knocked over a big ti leaf stalk that was rooting on the counter—big jar down, water on water, waterfall in the kitchen. Surely, somewhere is flooding with all this wai. The world sort of feels that way these days—the news is a waterfall, work feels like a tsunami sometimes, and unless on fire, the days are wet with the bizarre worst and hopeful best humanity has to offer. I hope you’re keeping ahead of the current, or that the lightning is at least illuminating your path.
Internally, my weather is much better, thankfully calmer than the storm prompting us to batten down the hatches. A great blue sky moment I experienced yesterday was the fabulously clamorous Lunar New Year celebration right outside our Chinatown office. With some friends from here and others from out of town, and two adorable kids, we witnessed an endless parade of lions and dragons alongside thousands of other attendees. Lai see in hand, we fed neon lions their bright red envelopes and put signs on our front doors for good luck, good health, and good fortune in 2025. What dragons are you feeding this new year of the snake? It made me feel hopeful (and a little overwhelmed) to see so many folks out celebrating.
For the start of the new lunar year, here is a version of Aunty Pua’s instructions for the Weatherball and Blue Sky moment, shared May 9, 2023 with our Hawai‘i/Chicago cohort. In all of her teachings, in all her circles, she wanted us to see behind the curtain, to learn and hopefully share her methodology. Every time I share one of her principles or practices, I will also share her instructions for that practice, completely unedited. Through this sharing, may our beloved community live on. We need it now more than ever!
The Weather Ball/A Blue Sky Moment
- I usually use this as a warm-up exercise, even before people have introduced themselves.
- I like to use a cloth ball that has texture, shape and flexibility. You can us something else that may be more appropriate for the group. People in Kona like to use husked coconut. You could use a shell or something handy or symbolically important to the group or community.
- I usually explain that I like to find out how people are feeling and like to do it without being so direct. I also use this technique in order to get people comfortable with talking about themselves through metaphors. This seems to give people the needed distance from their life in order to talk publically about themselves. Some people have no problem with talking in a group, but most people have to get used to talking about themselves.
- Beginning with yourself, hold the weather ball, and tell what the weather is like inside of you today. When you are done, hand the ball to the next person and ask him/her to give their weather report, “What is the weather like in you today?”
- When each person has given their weather report, ask the group what they felt about the exercise; what they learned about themselves and each other; did it help to be holding the object? Why or why not?
- Often, when people describe their weather, it is about stormy weather. In order to restore balance I ask people to also tell the story of A Blue Sky moment they have experienced or been a part of something joyful, beautiful or nourishing.
One other piece of advice that I remember Aunty sharing is that people will only go as deep as the first person who shares. And that if you are going to ask people to do something, you must be willing to do it yourself. In this way, the facilitator usually goes first, by way of example and to build trust. If they go deep, or display vulnerability, it gives others in the circle permission to do the same. It doesn’t mean they will, but they know they can.
At the end of her Map of the Day for a group session, Aunty would share poem(s) for the group. In 2020, she wrote to one of our cohorts: “I’ve attached poems to take with you, like musubi and water on your long journey. Love to each of you.” I just love that sentiment. Poems as succor for the days ahead is something I will hold on to in my personal practice. And you, which poems, songs, or writing sustain you? Send them to me and we can make a playlist! Here is one musubi she shared that day:
Struggle by Mel King
Struggle
It’s a struggle
Developing Solidarity.
IT’S a struggle
Being Positive
IT’S a struggle
MAKING
Common Unity.
It’s a struggle
LIVING.
It’s a struggle
Because it’s slow
But if we Struggle
At developing Solidarity.
Being Positive
Shaping Reality.
Making Common Unity.
We will all Grow
Because to struggle
Is to work for Change,
And Change is the focus of Education,
And Education is the Basis of Knowledge,
And Knowledge is the Basis for Growth
And Growth is the basis for
Being Positive and Being Positive
Is the Basis for Building Solidarity
Building Solidarity is a way to shape
Reality and Shaping Reality is Living
And Living is Loving
So struggle.—Mel King
Community organizer, activist, educator from Boston, I met when he was a teacher at MIT. This poem uplifts the need for our communities to talk and laugh and share stories as we Build Beloved Communities. Mahalo Mel.
Mahalo nui everyone! Stay dry, unless being wet is your metaphorical jam!
Dawn
blue skies at Laniloa on O‘ahu