Third Side Forum

Holding Multiple Perspectives

For a day notice your conversations and how you hold multiple perspectives. At the end of the day briefly consider these questions: Do you hold multiple perspectives in your conversations? Do you invite others to share their perspectives? Are you open to letting in other perspectives? If not, why not? Do you feel you’re holding more then one perspective?

Managing Hostility

'Yet enforcing order does not stop riots, hinder war or reduce world problems. It may even kindle the fire of group chaos. If we don't permit hostilities a legitimate outlet, they are bound to take illegitimate routes.' - Arnold Mindell, Sitting in the Fire

Going to the Balcony - Witnessing Triggers

For a day observe when you defend yourself and your views At the end of the day briefly consider these questions: What happened? How did you feel defending yourself? Why did you feel the need to defend yourself? What have you learned today that can help you communicate with others in a way that won’t trigger any negative defensive reactions? If they are triggered, what strategies do you have or can you come up with to manage your triggers?

Responding to Injustice

"Justice entails a requirement to act when we become aware of injustice. Indeed, failure to do so may be wrong." Dalai Lama

Consistent focus

The pursuit of peace and progress cannot end in a few years in either victory or defeat. The pursuit of peace and progress, with its trials and errors, its successes and setbacks, can never be relaxed and never abandoned. -- Dag Hammarskjold

Framing Conflict

Language provides us with powerful imagery and frames for the many issues we face. In discussing conflict what images and possibilities does your word choices invoke? What is your language of conflict? Is it a language of war or creativity?

The importance of time …

"People try nonviolence for a week and when it doesn't 'work' they go back to violence, which hasn't worked for centuries."
Theodore Roszak

Responding to Resistance

Witness your response to resistance

At the end of the day briefly consider these questions:  How did you respond to resistance?  Why did you feel a need to respond in this way? Did your reaction change when you were responding to different people?  Do you notice a pattern in how you react to resistance?