February 12, 2022 – February 25, 2022 Project Update

February 25, 2022

Dear Kundalini Yoga and Sikh Dharma Communities,

We are pleased to be providing this biweekly update. We do so within the context of the pain and shock the world is experiencing right now with the recent military invasion of Ukraine. We know this is a deeply difficult and traumatic time for so many.

Compassionate Reconciliation Commission

The CRC will be meeting this Sunday (February 27) to further its collaborative work. The group has begun to use a consensus-based decision-making model and has recently made its first consensus-based decision together, specific to furthering the communication with the SSSC Board. More details on this will be available in the coming weeks. Meantime, the CRC will continue to make decisions together on its group protocols, purpose, communication methods, and refine its decision-making structure.

Overcoming Polarization

Polarization affects us all in today’s society. It is everywhere in our everyday lives—in response to the pandemic, in reports of climate change, and of course in politics. But polarization and violence is not an inevitable outcome of conflict. It is a condition that sets in when our differences are left untended and unexplored. When we exist in polarized relationships, it is because we have allowed a narrative to seep into our consciousness that says:

There is an “us” and a “them”
“They” are lesser in goodness, intelligence or humanity
“We” must ensure that “they” are stopped from ruining everything

Read more about the potential anecdotes to the pandemic of polarization on a blogpost recently written by Just Outcomes’ Aaron Lyons here.

Upcoming CRP Sessions and Trainings

Just Outcomes will continue to provide regular opportunities to learn more about Compassionate Reconciliation through monthly Q&A sessions (1 hour), informational sessions on the foundations of restorative justice (4 hour sessions) and a 14-hour Circle Facilitation Training (coming right up!). Below are the upcoming dates:

NEW OFFERING! Circle Facilitation Training (14 hours)—Register soon! Building on past reflections we’ve written about here regarding the use of Circles during challenging times (scroll through to our August 2021 update, for example), we are eager to foster more leadership in how to conduct Circle Process for diverse uses across your communities, especially to support difficult dialogue. This will be the third offering of this training.

This Circle Facilitation training is open to anyone, to a maximum of 24 registrants. It takes place across 4 x 3.5 hour sessions on 4 separate dates. Translation available. (Note that for some of the world, Daylight Savings Time begins on March 13, hence the differing times below). Register here.

The dates are:

March 9th- 4:00 pm – 7:30 pm UTC
March 10th- 4:00 pm -7:30 pm UTC
March 14th- 3:00 pm – 6:30 pm UTC
March 15th- 3:00 pm – 6:30 pm UTC

Please use this time converter to determine the time in your time zone for each session: https://savvytime.com/converter. We look forward to being with you for this interactive and connective training!

Q&A sessions—have your questions related to the Compassionate Reconciliation Project answered. The 2022 sessions are as follows:

**translation available

Restorative Justice 101 (4 hours)—learn more about the meaning of restorative justice, how it can benefit communities, and how restorative principles are guiding the Compassionate Reconciliation Project. The next sessions are as follows:

**translation available

Yours in kindness, compassion, and gratitude,
Catherine Bargen, Matthew Hartman and Aaron Lyons

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