"Hold the lantern high, so we both can see."
For centuries there have been formal relationships where one lights the way, sharing insight, offering guidance, shouting back from the garden wall. In the modern West we know it as coaches, teachers, mentors. First Nation names it Elders. In Japan, the Senpai and kohai work together for mutual benefit. Not a guru, not a teacher but a guide, a beacon, a Sherpa; someone to support your journey and cheer you on, share enthusiasm, suggest choices, encourage understanding in an private conversation. Leo, from Journey to the East, has been Zoe's lifelong guide; his selfless service was unnamed but the greatest value for the Western travelers crossing a treacherous mountain pass.
Today everything has changed, we don't live in a village with a known Elder or even live in one place for very long; instead we share our lives on the phone and computer. The goal of Lantern Mentoring is to create a mentor / protege relationship with scheduled calls, access to a trusted confidant, figuring out the next step, working together to mindfully design a moral compass where clear estimation meets right action.
For years I have been searching for a way to practice listening, offer my gifts, shine a light on the dark, reach out to a heart that is lost. My studies have been both broad and in depth; they have led me to know that open inquiry and conscious conversation is the purest beacon. Lantern Mentoring is all about the deep art of experiments, testing to find a moral compass and tap unlimited passion.
My mission is to give away all that I know. The age of hierarchy is falling away and now there is a call to create a lineage that expands organically through service. It is the structure of the question that excavates the truth, that calls one to dig deeper, pull out their own vision and practice true Self-Discovery.
Zoe introduced me to the practice of servant leadership. She taught me that a true leader requires neither praise nor elevation from their followers, and that compassion, empathy and empowerment are key elements to helping others realize their own true servant leadership potential. Kirsten Bosch
When talking with you, you made me realize that there are actually people out there that will put their life aside for a cause, a belief, and a right. You've inspired me, that my words can leave an impact and I truly believe now because of you that words can be as get as actions. You've also made me realize that it is important to leave a mark and to have a story to tell. Jamie Pennington, Rollins College
