Fellowship of Reconciliation Training

Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), a group of folks from many faiths, and no particular faith, who cooperate in supporting nonviolence and justice in the world, held a training in personal and social transformative nonviolence in Olympia, Washington. Two trainers led our group of almost 30. One trainer, a West Point graduate with a military background, flew in from Phoenix; the other, a long time social activist who has worked with a number of Catholic organizations, came out from Philadelphia. Three generations and as many races were represented among the participants: most from the Centralia-Oakville-Olympia area, with some from Seattle or Everett.
Exercises and materials from a number of justice and peace organizations and leaders were integrated over the three days. Personal reflection and journaling balanced and deepened the practices and techniques, small group discussions, skits, and activities exploring and experimenting with group dynamics and community building.

We began by creating a shared history, each of us placing on a “timeline” on the floor, markers for the non-violent successes and leaders which had touched our lives, as we spoke of our mentors and heroes/heroines. In one exploration, “What is violent/non-violent?,” we physically positioned ourselves according to our opinions, our “stance” in relation to situations described. Listening to the reasons others chose their particular place on the spectrum of violent/non-violent sometimes caused participants to re-think their position, literally “moved” by the heartfelt thinking and speaking of another. This prepared us for learning nonviolence principles, as developed or adopted by FOR, Martin Luther King, Pace e Bene, and other groups.

Throughout the training, practices and generous rest periods reminded us to center ourselves and anchor in our true selves, releasing “old scripts” and communicating with respect and patience. These all can be challenging, and we worked with them from various angles. In one non-verbal practice, developed by Barbara Deming, one member of a dyad firmly resists a fist pressing towards them while reaching out with their other arm, palm up, in a gesture of reconciliation. These simultaneous actions provided a visceral experiencing of of protection and peace. After most practices, we paused to reflect on our feelings and thoughts and responses, sometimes sharing them. Frank discussions arose, with opportunities to tap into the accumulated wisdom and experience gathered in the room.

In another powerful exercise, similar to Joanna Macy’s work, six of us stood in each circle, role-playing an American soldier, a Congressman, a soldier’s parent, an Iraqi villager, an Iraqi government official, and a CNN reporter. We each spoke from our role, then moved around the circle to speak, as best we could, from each position, learning as much from other’s perspectives as from the process of changing our own positions.

We entertained ourselves while learning about Bill Moyer’s (of Movement for a New Society, not television, fame) Movement Action Plan (MAP) by breaking into groups to produce short skits illustrating the eight stages a social movement progresses through. We looked at what we would continue to do, or what we could do, to support nonviolence and justice in our own communities, and we recognized from others' efforts the kinds of steps that lead to success, in whatever time frame that success may require.

For some insights into how long that might be, and how to survive in the interim, see Margaret Wheatley's essay, "From Hope to Hopelessness" http://www.margaretwheatley.com/articles/fromhopetohopelessness.html