At the moment I am entirely clear that it is essential to frame participatory practices as a field of study as fundamental as education in the liberal arts. That is why I coined the phrase "Process Arts" to represent the field. Also because I have no method and will not generate one called Process Arts so that rights related issues will not interfere with its adoption. I call what I do and teach other things: Healing Friction, Martial Nonviolence, and Associative Inquiry. Ideas like "Process Arts" are powerful and therefore dangerous because they are "bigger than any one of our approaches" and can distract us in the usual ways into factionalism based on methodological preference.

This is a copy of an email conversation I'm in the midst of with Cheryl Honey of Community Weaving fame.

Let's write and work and think together well over time, instead of in sudden bursts over the phone when we are already too stressed. Let's practice what we preach. Send me what you write and I'll post it to the wiki developing the process arts as a field of participatory practices. I am entirely clear of one thing. It is essential to frame participatory practices as a field of study as fundamental as education in the liberal arts. This idea is dangerous because it is "bigger than any one of our work" and can distract us in the usual ways into factionalism based on methodological preference. I hereby commit to pause each time I reach the beginning of that path and ask myself how I can support each individual's gift instead of reverting to defensive posturing and hilltop flag planting. Community Weaving, exactly as you envision it and independent of any group movement, is a beautiful thing indeed. We need to swap trainings.

Appreciating you too,

B

Here I repeat my commitment and notice that the need for it expresses some fear in me. I fear that the ideas I articulate, which are my vocation and livelihood, will not be credited to me in a way that will add to their usefulness and also to my flourishing. I hereby request some support in working with that, not only in the form of empathy but also in reality checks and compassionate challenges.

And I'd like to offer whatever help I can provide in developing this wiki as a resource for the field as a whole.

Warmly,

Brandon

Related writing:

Also see: