From Living the New Story

Karambu Ringera is a visionary, an activist and a compassionate, committed, formidable force for change. She is the Founder and President of International Peace Initiatives and a Lecturer at the University of Nairobi. Born and raised in Kenya, with a Ph.D. in intercultural communication, Karambu has used her extensive academic background and international experience working in many countries to design and implement models of effective community engagement, women’s grassroots organising programs, collaborative problem-solving models, pre-emptive and post conflict reconciliation, proactive health campaigns, and a successful, working model of “Amani Homes,” community homes of peace for orphans and vulnerable children.

Questions for ongoing reflection and dialogue

The following questions for reflection are part of Karambu’s 7 Steps to RECLAIM Your Power exercise. They are designed to support you in integrating the content of the session and enlivening your learning journey and process of self-discovery between now and our next session. In Session 6, you’ll have a chance to share your insights, and, of course, you are also encouraged to share your ‘ah-ha’ moments and questions in our ‘Living the New Story’ Facebook Group between now and then. You may also wish to engage in dialogue with each other between sessions by using our Open Zoom line. We encourage you to use this space to engage more deeply with Karambu’s exercise.

1. Who do you say you are? (Who Am I?)

2. What ‘stops’ you from living the purpose that you KNOW your life invites?

3. Identify an aspect or aspects of ‘wasteland’ or ‘woundedness’ in your life and apply the 7 Steps to RECLAIM Your Power (outlined here) to those areas of your life.

1. R = Taking responsibility for the change I want to see in my life. Becoming aware and accountable and embracing the challenge to transform.
2. E = Empoweredness. What I choose to do for myself. Choosing to see challenges as opportunities inviting growth and transformation.
3. C = Courage. Looking fear in the eye and moving beyond fear to overcome struggles.
4. L = Love and light. Recognising that this is who we are. Our love and light have the power to transform our lives.
5. A = Adjustiveness. Dancing with life like the river that continues to flow to find its way around an obstacle.
6. I = Intuition. Listening to the divine wisdom within. Allowing the heart to guide the mind.
7. M = Mindfulness. Being present in every moment, fully embodied. Acting from a place of pure intention, trust and gratitude for the gift of life. Waking up each morning invoking the intention: Today is a good day!

4. Take some quality time in silence to dig deep and excavate the values or principles that inform your life and work. Create your own meaning for the acronym RECLAIM and apply it to your life’s journey.

5. What is your new story based on the new KNOWING that this exercise invites into your life?

6. How do you choose to live your new story in every new moment and day with which you are gifted?

The ‘7 Steps to RECLAIM Your Power’ exercise is an iterative process. Continue to practise asking and attending to these questions in relation to yourself and also in communion with others. Notice what emerges and share about your experience in our Facebook Group and on the Open Zoom line calls. Allow the divine wisdom within you to inform, guide and support you to reclaim your power by listening to the ‘still small voice’ and taking action from there.