These principles and assumptions underlie the work of Mending the Sacred Hoop:
All people are equally worthy of respect.
Right relationship with each other and the Earth are inextricably intertwined.
All over the planet, there were tribal ancestors of all colors who knew how to live in harmony with each other and the land.
All over the planet, there were tribal ancestors of all colors who killed other humans and exploited each other and the land.
True racial reconciliation and healing requires deep and sincere acknowledgement of the historical damage done, without blame or guilt.
People’s physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual aspects are all equally significant and important to their being.
Social change strategies that engage all four aspects of being human will be the most effective.
Rhythm and music are powerful methods of both healing and community-building.
Expressions of art, music, and story reveal both the unity and diversity of human culture in ways that are readily accessible. Therefore, the arts are well-suited as a bridge between people of different traditions.
Our Tools:
· Council Process. The Council process creates a safe space for deep witnessing of another’s speaking from the heart. Through years of trial and error, we have developed a process, based on the traditional Native talking-stick council and modified with techniques adapted from modern business facilitation practice. This Council process does not "belong" to any particular tribe or tradition, creating neutral ground for people from many backgrounds to be in the circle together. Mending the Sacred Hoop is intended as a container for a Council of Elders of the Five Colors, a circle within which the listening and acknowledgement required for healing can happen, and the wisdom of the Old Ways of all Five Colors can be brought to bear on the work of creating social change.
· Open Space. Open Space, developed by Harrison Owen, is a process in which any number of people can participate, design their own agendas and hold productive meetings within a specific topic. This process was used by participants in the convention to create the new post-apartheid constitution of South Africa. Jay Vogt, an experienced Open Space facilitator, has volunteered to lead this portion of the conference. Advantages of the Open Space process include:
It encourages leadership, initiative, and creative thinking from participants.
It creates space for many diverse viewpoints and approaches.
It facilitates networking among participants.
It can be both goal-oriented and process-oriented.
Egos and individual agendas are not supported by the process.
· Rhythm/Drumming and Dance. Over the past ten years in our work with Earth Drum Council, we have learned that drumming and dance create an experience of community. We’ve come to call this the principle of the Universal Heartbeat; by entraining together in a common pulse, people tap into the place within themselves where they are connected to everyone and everything else. This is not a theoretical or esoteric idea, but a palpable experience. Over and over again, we have had people talk to us about this experience, and tell us it has changed their lives. This anecdotal evidence of the power of rhythm to effect change – both personal and social – is supported by research in the field of music therapy. The use of sound and rhythm for healing is increasingly recognized by the medical and therapeutic professions. Research shows that rhythm influences the brain, integrating left and right hemispheric functions. And entrainment (a concept borrowed from physics that refers to the tendency of rhythmic systems to synchronize for greater efficiency), achieved through drumming and/or dancing together, creates a group experience of connection. We postulate that this is why the popularity of drumming is spreading so rapidly, and why drumming is such a powerful community-building tool.
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