Transgression and Transmission

Shapership is the art of opening new path towards the Future.

In our book, we develop the idea that Shapership can inspire leadership and entrepreneurship.Because it opens new windows in our mind.

Let’s look at those who practice shapership: the Shapers of the Future

Here under is an extract from our book on transgression and transmission ‍

Shapers adopt a new approach to Life, to Freedom, to Work, to Power, to Consumption and to Humanity, to the Heritages received and the one transmitted. Their approach may be an inspiration for everyone. Shapers open meaningful and progress-generating trails for the whole human “Eco-system”, trails that people may desire to follow.

They usually are "Maverick Souls", determined to serve the World by bringing significant, seemingly impossible and durable changes. They see things from an Eco-System Consciousness of Reality, way beyond any Ego-System Awareness.

Shapers have faith in an alternative Future which includes their Hopes and Aspirations. Something that may seem “impossible”: a Vision of a radically different Future, sometimes a Utopia, “a dream to make come true”. They know it is not going to be easy, but Shapers want this “impossible possible” to become Reality. Their Faith and their Hopes become their drive. After all, miracles are things that are impossible from an old understanding of reality and possible from a new one.

Shapers know that the famous sentence “I only believe what I see” should be reversed. And they reverse it! Shapers know that “The eye only sees what the brain is ready to understand”.

They have visions which open new eyes. They see tomorrow’s Reality. They see future possibilities and believe in them. They see what they believe in. And they make it a Reality that changes Reality. While the doubter is busy doubting, telling himself “I only believe what I see”, the Shaper is busy making the Future happen: “I see what I believe” then, “I create what I believe”.

The Essence of Shapership is Hope. Hope made visible because it is displayed! Shapers are “Eye-Openers”, “Eye Hopeners” and “High Openers” because they open Visions and new reasons for hoping!

Transgression is at the heart of the Shapers attitude.

In the film Lawrence of Arabia, a movie by David Lean, Lawrence decides to turn back and search for a man lost in the desert. Cherif Ali (played by Omar Sharif) tells him:

-       “But, Lawrence, you will not find this man. It is impossible. It is written”.

To what Lawrence, hitting his forehead with his stick answers:

-       “Nothing is written, Ali, except here!”

Shapers have the capacity to get out of the cave of dominant “representations”, and to inspire others to free themselves.

Shapers don’t consider the shadows on the wall as “Reality”. Their perspective puts another light on the world. They think big, they have transformative and radical Visions that resemble Utopias, and which open up time, space and matter to let Hope in.

They are not prisoners of facts and appearances. They are not captured by the dominant stories, taken for granted ideas and worldviews of their time.

They are not under the pressure to conform.

Neither the Past, nor the Present, nor the Future can become the "Prisons” of our Mind"! A great Alchemist of our time, Patrick Burensteinas, says this: there are two ways of living our Life: either to improve our incarceration, or get out of our prison. It takes courage to get out.  

Shapers ignore “Fatalisation”. They transgress taken- for-granted assumptions and situations. They get out.

They dare “The Age of Unreason”, as described by Charles Handy: “We are entering an Age of Unreason, a time when the Future, in so many areas, is to be shaped by us and for us; a time when the only prediction that will hold true is that no prediction will hold true; a time, therefore, for bold imagining in the private life as well as public; for thinking the unlikely and doing the unreasonable.” [1]

Transmission, and thus the notion of exemplarity, is also at the core of Shapership.

To fully understand the meaning of the word, we should read it: Trans-Mission:

1. ‍Beyond one’s own mission. The Shaper is at the service of “more” - other people or groups, a field, a region, a country, Humanity, the World. The Shaper does what she/he has to do, guided by her or his deep personal Awareness, Presence, Intention and Attention which are beyond any Ego System. A Shaper’s Eye, Heart, Soul and Spirit are connected to their body and to the world. She/he looks further than the tip of the nose and always in harmony with important issues of her/his time. A Shaper goes beyond one’s own desire while including it! A Shaper carries the hopes of many people. Her/his Life Mission is not “personal” but beyond her/his own person and Ego. It is “transpersonal”. Martin Luther King’s “I have a Dream” has opened the hearts of millions of people. Even if, as somebody who did not understand what Shapership is said: “It didn’t do him any good!”. Maybe not but he changed the world!

2. Beyond here and now. Shapership is long-term Thinking, meaning- making of the Past, the Present and of the Future we create for ourselves and the people we relate to. It leads to a “Cultural Revolution”, to Progress or to a Movement.It will open new doors to the Future for you, your family, your community and the world.

So think Transgression and Transmission

Versus obedience and Ego trips

It will open new doors to the Future for you, your family, your communities and the world.