Growing a Community of Resilient Rebels

Start: Saturday, June 19, 2021 2:00 PM

End: Saturday, June 19, 2021 4:00 PM

Rebels Rising Moon Workshops.

This is the first of a series of four inter-related workshops which aim to offer an opportunity for XR members to strengthen their individual wellbeing and resiliency skills, so that together we can collectively respond to stressful/critical events with strength and compassion.

The four workshops will each be of 90 min in length, followed by a 30 min optional shared gathering, with food and open conversation.

Each workshop will be practical, interactive and skills-based,and will naturally build upon one another, but will also stand alone, and will be available to all who wish to attend. The 90 minute workshop will follow the transformative journey as outlined at the Work That Reconnects Spiral(Gratitude, Honouring our Pain, Seeing with new eyes and Going Forth).

Where: Pinakarri Community,

When: first workshop on 19 June, 2:00-4:00pm (timed to correspond with the winter solstice and rising moon). Remaining workshops - dates to be confirmed (likely they will run every 4 weeks).

Why: To help activists feel more empowered to sustain their commitment to XR activism by feeling supported within the organisation, rather than feeling they need to step aside from the organisation while they seek respite elsewhere in order to restore, repair and rejuvenate. This regenerative function adds value to our organisation as part of a holistic and progressive humanistic movement that challenges established modes of artificial separation that divides people from one another and focuses too narrowly on function rather than fulfilment as the purpose of human endeavour.

The workshops are informed by:

  • eco-psychology & positive psychology.

  • Trauma Informed Transformational resilience.

  • The Work That Reconnects

  • Non-Violent Communication (compassionate communication)


Psychology

Eco-Psychology and Positive Psychology, are both relatively new fields of study within the discipline of psychology, both having gained in prominence over the past 25-30 years.

Eco-psychology

This field explores human relationships with nature, seen through a psychological lens. This exploration includes an endeavour to understand why humans continue to harm and create irreversible damage to the very habitat which is vital for our survival. It also considers, how the present climate crisis impacts all humans on a deep psychological and emotional level; and how this climate distress / eco-anxiety has the potential to propel people to take action. It also acknowledges, however, the experience of eco-distress can become overwhelming for many people and can lead to a state of denial and apathy.

Positive Psychology

Positive Psychology is the scientific study of what makes life most worth living. It is an approach to studying human thoughts, feelings, and behaviour with a focus on personal strengths, and the creation of a meaningful life.


Transformational Resilience and Trauma Informed Practice

The International Transformational Resilience Coalition (ITRC) recognises that climate crisis driven disruption is the greatest challenge to the psychological, emotional, spiritual and social health and welfare for humanity today and into the future.

Resilient growth model.

Presencing skills– including the knowledge that we can calm/manage our body mind and emotions in any situation, which builds self-efficacy.

Purposing skills – including adversity-based growth skills, finding one’s own unique meaning, direction and hope.


The Work That Reconnects

The Work That Reconnectshelps people discover and experience their innate connections with each other and the self-healing powers of the web of life, transforming despair and overwhelm into inspired, collaborative action’. – Joanna Macy.

The Work That Reconnects is a map for personal empowerment and transformation, deepening our capacity to act for the sake of life on Earth. It recognises that we humans belong to this world, and are an important part of the web of life.

The Work That Reconnects involves a transformative journey around a spiral of four successive stages:

  1. Through gratitude, we connect to our personal power and become more present to life.

  2. By honouring our pain for the world, the truth of our inter-existence is made real to us.

  3. Seeing with new eyes brings fresh understanding of who we are and how we are related to each other to all life on Earth.

  4. Going forth we grow and consolidate a life-sustaining community.



Non-Violent Communication (compassionate communication)

NVC is a skills based ‘language of life’ that helps people to transform old patterns of defensiveness and aggressiveness into compassion and empathy so as to improve the quality of all human relationships.

The NVC model has four components:

  1. Observation - without evaluation, observe what is.

  2. Feelings – distinguishing feelings from thoughts.

  3. Needs – understanding we all have needs. When they are met we feel a sense of deep wellbeing. Conversely, when our needs are not we can experience deep despair.

  4. Request – learn to make requests that can be carried out.