In the protocols section, it would be good to have more discussion before circulating this. For (3), I’d be inclined to either use (a very abbreviated version of) Bohmian dialogue, as suggested in places on the BC forum, or preferably the approach of Insight Dialoge (see bottom of page — snappier than Bohm and arising in a Buddhist framework).
For (4) and (7), I think we should go as far as possible with tools that are reasonably familiar; i.e. BC Forum, Zoom and possibly Signal. We can migrate to other tools if there are no objections within the group. We’d still need a separate platform where anyone in the group could upload and reference documents (ideally format-agnostic) that they want to share.
The Protocols list doesn’t mention decision-making. I think it might be helpful to adopt a couple of ideas from Sociocracy: using rounds so that everyone contributes (or explicitly passes); and using consent (nobody objects) rather than majority vote or unanimity.
We recognise risks for the practitioner:
- Handling hot coals/rage [– can we say “anger” here instead of, or as well as “rage”? Rage to me is a really out-of-control thing – but including it is probably useful to convey that there is a spectrum…]
- Desolation/confusion
- Selfing/views, unwise expectations and grasping
- Living amid the rage and views of others, etc etc.
We also recognise risks for the sangha: clashes of commitment or fracturing along lines of:
- Engagement, different engagement and non-engagement or ‘quietness’.
- Diversity of life conditions and states of relative privilege — retirement/wage-earning/subsisting/parenting/care-giving, etc.
- Ethnic community, global North/South; reparative justice.
- Etc.
For these reasons we would seek a shared set of protocols for the group, regarding:
- Facilitation — in-group and rotating/non-participant?
- Speaking, in rotation
- Forms of response
- Online space — corporate (Zoom, Signal?) or other platform (Jitsi, BigBlueButton, laSuite meet, etc).
- Calendar — time of day (timezones), frequency
- Topics — a list of standing topics, selected from (randomly?) in each session? A programme (see above)? But also personal space: ‘Here is something I really feel up against just now’.
- A Bodhi College community group, in the community group space and participating in its forum(s).
- Pause: Stepping out of habitual mental reactions to anchor in the present moment.
- Relax: Softening physical and mental tension with acceptance.
- Open: Expanding internal mindfulness to include the presence of another person and the wider environment.
- Attune to Emergence: Yielding to change and not-knowing, letting impermanence guide the interaction.
- Listen Deeply: Listening with a receptive, whole-body awareness.
- Speak the Truth: Articulating subjective present-moment experience with care and discernment.
Comment
EK: It’s good to recognise the different types of risk but I’d be inclined to provide less detail; maybe just cover them in one or two sentences.