The following are General Principles for our Restorative Writing Community, both for written comments and live Zoom sessions.
Inspired by: The Agreements for Multicultural Interactions at EBMC, via The Embody Lab, adapted from Visions Inc., ‘Guidelines for Productive Work Sessions.’ Available at:
www.visions-inc.org
Try It On:
Be willing to “try on” new ideas, or ways of doing things that might not be what you prefer or are familiar with.
Practice Self Focus:
Attend to and speak about your own experiences and responses. Do not speak for a whole group or express assumptions about the experience of others.
Practice “Both / And”:
When speaking, substitute “and” for “but”. This practice acknowledges and honors multiple realities. Refrain from blaming or shaming self and other.
Take Space / Make Space:
Encourage full participation by all present. Take note of who is speaking and who is not. If you tend to speak often, consider “moving back” and vice versa.
Be Aware of Your Power:
As you engage throughout the course, be mindful and bodyful of the power attributed to your identities and roles, and how that power impacts others.
Practice Mindful Observing:
Try to avoid planning what you’ll share as you observe others. Be willing to be surprised, to learn something new. Observe with your whole self. Be open for the embodied experience.
Confidentiality-of-the-moment:
Take home learnings, but don’t identify anyone other than yourself, now or later.
Right to Pass / Agency of Self-Care:
You can say or type ‘I pass’ if you don’t wish to share. You can turn your camera off in live sessions at any time.
Understand the Difference Between Intent & Impact:
Try to understand and acknowledge impact. Denying the impact of something that you have shared by focusing on your intent is often more destructive than the initial interaction.