Circle of Power Groups

Circle of power groups are far from the only way for citizens to  organize for their wellbeing, even so, they can be a darned good way

        Citizen assemblies can be another effective way to organize. In such assemblies there is no need to do what an authority or anyone else says we should do. In our assemblies we can learn to trust each other more appropriately. We can listen to one another more carefully and carefully come up with  that which we truly and deeply want in our governance. 
        

            We can also learn to better use that which we have. We can learn to better inspire, inform, and support our elected representatives and others inside of government. It is okay too to act as we decide best to act "inside" our system of governance. Continuing to continue to act in civil society seems also important.
       

             So, the idea is to use our assembly to be better, more effective, active citizens. An perhaps act to act gently and persistently to re-assemble our republic. And we could even allow the more radical among us to consider the true nature of democracy. Still it is well remember that many of us are in this together and that we have a lot to learn and that we do not always speak exactly the same language. So, to learn to act together we need to practice listening to one another carefully.
        

            People who have thought much about citizen assemblies use and interesting word, '''commision.' In dealing with  a working government, even one which is working far from perfectly, we learn that there is a vocabulary they often use which we do not often use and I hope that we seldom do use. We could usefully get ''commissioned" to support and inform parts of government. This is one way to get listened to on the inside. It can be powerfully useful, but it is not necessary. Will want to get powerful people in government to listen to us more carefully and that may be an ongoing goal, but "there is more than one way to skin a cat." Please do not practice on our cats.
       

            Our governance is a public thing and each assembly has the power of being a mini-public.
            

            Our assemblies can become a kind of corporate entities and by so doing gain outside monies from philanthropies and other interested parties to support our ability to do. However, the tendency to do that is the reason why I like our little circles of power to be our principle organization. Still,when has the time and energy it seems fine to be a member of more than one organization. Our very citizenship makes us a member of an organization. My maternal grandmother was a member of about a dozen clubes, her union, and a political party. I found her to a good citizen, a good person, and a good grandmother. I imagine that all her clubs found her to be a member in good standing.

            The special power is produced physically. Goodwill is important. It is well done in a neutral, semi private, and quiet place. It is done by sitting in a circle facing inward. It is best when the chairs are the same or similar. There is no other furniture except perhaps a small table at the center of the circle. Using the circle their may be from 3 to 33 approximately.

            The idea is to give each participant a short period of time to speak at each session for a limited time as the other participants practice listening with care. To learn more about this energizing practice go to the associated site Dialogue With RCS.

            We need to better talk together about our governance,

            Thank you for reading.

Learn to Organize as You Organize to Learn

 Co-operation:

                There is a hope among many that we can effectively co-operate for our mutual well-being; co-operate for the well being of our health, education, economy, civic life, and more. We know about co-operation, but too many of are out of practice.

Organize:

                In order to organize for fair and practical results, we need to learn to co-operate better than usual. Better co-operation takes talk which includes better listening and hearing; it most often takes face to face communication. To get on a well understood same track or same page usually takes an ongoing conversation or dialogue. Carrying on a dialogue effective takes some practice. Such practice takes place in a dialogue group.

Practice:

                You can practice such dialogue as we teach each other the nature of the dialogue, as we teach one another, say, active citizenship, self governance, participatory democracy, appropriate mutual trust.

Learn:

                Learning to practice the dialogue effectively can be an important first step to more effective co-operation. Learning to to use the dialogue is a very useful early step in many collective activities and may be vital throughout those activities. The practice of the dialogue makes us more understanding co-operaters and more effective doers. 

Dialogue:  

                Use of the dialogue is a great aid to organizing to learn, as we become more effective organizers. The dialogue leads us to be more meaningful listeners and understanders. It is a democratic way to think together so as to be thoughtful and effective individuals of useful action. It is a democratic way to think together so as to be free, thoughtful, and effective people of good and useful action. Powerful, beautiful, broadly meaningful, and good action results when you so will.

Action:

~ Powerful co-operation results for those who practice learning to more truly understand one another.

~ Practicing democratic listening results in more powerful understanding.

~ We develop powerful understanding by practicing the dialogue and so coming to better use it.

~ The dialogue is simple, but it does take practice.

~ The practice is effective when it takes place in a dialogue group.

~ I dialogue group begins when two people find a third person to practice with them.

Check out these two sites;

~ Governance With RCS

and

~ Dialogue With RCS

                

                Thank you for reading; may it lead to reasoned action.

                                                                                                                        rcs

                                                                                                  

             

                 

           

We Can Do Democracy

 Governance With RCS: YouTube tells that I cannot show this video with  R. Nadar in Colombia.

                

             It seems that someone belives we are not all ready to practice self-governance. They are probably right.

 I'll repeat what I had to some time ago about this nice little video:

                Forty years of lack of practice are resulting in loss of our hard one democracy. We have passed our governance into the hands of others and now we are passing into superfluoueness. Do we believe ourselves useless?

                I suggested to U.S. citizens that a reread of Our Declaration of Indepence may be useful. When we do not use it we lose it.

                Nadar is reminding us of that which we can do. Listen carefully for what can be done. He says that it takes only about 1% of us to be strongly effective an I believe that he is correct. However, if we will not teach 20% of us to do democracy we may not deserve it.

                We can learn to do it by doing it, has been said. I have heard it said that "practice makes perfect."  I do not believe that; however, from experience, I know it helps. Who has told us the meaning of democracy and how we can work it? Know matter, we can find out for ourselves.

                We already know something about co-operation, and some of us have usefuk ideas about democratic organization. We have begun on the way to taking care of ourselves and that is the way of self-governance. 

                We can learn how to more effectively co-operate and organize. Some of our grand- parents and great grandparents did. 

                Some of our youth have good ideas of freedom: freedom to claim duties, freedom to claim rights, freedom to claim free communication, free elections, and more. And they already know that very little comes to us without a cost.

                Check the meaning of superfluous and of democracy.

                                                                                                                    by Richard

Organization: What's to like in yours?

 We know that organization increases our power enormously. We know that our organization informs us and educates us well.

We are capable of forgetting the pleasures and satisfactions of organization. I expect the pleasures and satisfactions I am recalling just now will not be the same as yours. Even so, among mine you may find one or two of yours.

I have an interest in ad hoc organizations and those of longer term. Below are are many of my personal likes, of the moment, in organizations. Among mine you may find one or two of your own.

An organization which attracts me often has:

~ members who feel connected, involved, and respected.

~ the motive of helping me an others to thrive.

~ a clear understanding of costs an benefits.

~ members who promote widespread participation and responsibility.

~ members who embrace reality and who are willing to approach the truth.

~ members who value honesty and justice.

~ a mission I find valuable and pleasing.

~ plenty of talk in which all participate.

An organization which pleases me is one which:

~ which keeps me in the information loop.

~ most members feel well connected with leadership.

~ makes very clear who pays how much and who gets what.

~ moves in the direction of democracy.

~ tends to be inclusive.

~ tends to safeguard that which I value.

~ includes those who study and promote actions good for me and others.

~ advocates and protects people and processes important to me.

~ promotes dialogue which leads to appropriate action.

I find an organization congenial when it includes:

~ teaching the process of organizing.

~ the process of advocating and protecting me.

~ objectives very like my own.

~ individuals I like and respect.

 I expect to post more on organizing and organizations here.

Right now and just below were it says "comments," note a like of your own or question me on one of mine. It is easy to do so anonymously if you so wish,