The broken world in which we live is marked by conflict. We are all prone to conflict regardless of how well intentioned or spiritually enlightened we think we may be. Conflict is a fact of life – not necessarily something to be avoided or denied – but rather ultimately an opportunity to make things better, if we can train ourselves to see it that way. This is not an easy thing to do, but it is worth doing.
Conflict presents an opportunity for growth through clarification of our beliefs, biases, true motivations, and genuine interests – provided we approach the opportunity not as a challenge to defend our entrenched position, but as an invitation to change our minds and hearts. At Yggdrasil, we will approach conflict in this way – with the intent to learn from it, and to align ourselves and our community with a deeper, more inclusive truth. Violence and abusive behavior will not be tolerated, but a sincere effort to address our differences, work through them wherever possible, and find ways to peacefully co-exist with them, when we are not, will be a daily practice.
In this practice, we will draw upon existing modalities for resolving conflict – such as those presented by Marshall Rosenberg’s Non-Violent Communication, Peer Mediation, or Brandeis University’s Creative Peacebuilding techniques using art, music, ritual theatre and dance to explore common ground. The use of consensus decision-making techniques will also be a central catalyst to and work hand in hand with conflict resolution skills. Beyond technique, however, it will be our intent to use whatever conflict does arise as an opportunity to tend our sacred wounds together in an environment supportive of that soul task, and transmute those wounds into something positive that contributes to the betterment of the whole community and the evolution of our vision.
