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The whirlwind will not last the morning out;
The cloudburst ends before the day is done.
What is it that behaves like this?
The earth and sky!
And if it be that these cut short their speech,
How much more yet should man.

- Tao Te Ching 23

Mini-Manual Excerpts

Council

We gather in a circle to govern ourselves at Main Council, where we find out about ongoing activities, tell each other our heartsongs, and take care of other notions. It is held every evening in Main Meadow, and announced by the blowing of the conch shell

We pass a feather (or other sacred object) around the circle, letting each person speak in turn while holding it, without interruption. Talking, listening, and sharing our deepest feelings is how we find new perspectives on each other, and new ways to solve problems.

When many people are present, an inner circle is formed (often with one person at each of the four directions), and a person leaves the circle after speaking, opening a space for another wishing to join and speak.

The exact nature of council process is determined at the beginning of the meeting. It is best conducted with a minimum of chairmanship, but someone can be entrusted, if necessary, to: keep the subject of the discussion from wandering. remind long-winded speakers of their responsibility to others who want to speak, and keep discussions from turning into emotional arguments.

Consensus

Consensus is how we govern ourselves. This means coming to solutions acceptable to everyone, not just a majority.

If we have problems, we bring them up at our circles and discuss them. During the discussion someone usually brings out an issue and asks for consensus. If no one radically objects, then consensus is reached. (This is sometimes called consensus by silence, i.e. nobody speaks after consensus is asked for.) Otherwise a person may block consensus by expressing her or his concerns and the discussion continues. Through this process we attempt to solve our problems.

Consensus gives every person a chance to be heard and have their input weighed equally. The smallest minority has a chance to change the collective mind if their vision is keener. It is possible that Spirit has given them a message that is presently beyond the perception of the rest of the council.

If people exercise this power to go against the majority, they must have listened to the collective wisdom in good conscience. A block should not to used to place an individual's will above the group's. Working this out can be very long and exhausting to the participants.

Consensus works in an environment of trust, where everyone suffers or gains alike from the decision. Everyone must

listen,

participate,

get informed,

be rational,

and be part of the process from the beginning.

Council Mini Manual

• If at all possible, hold Council out on the land, under the sky. Make sure everyone concerned has plenty of notice of the time and place.
• Especially invite the people you disagree with or who disagree with you.
• Always hold hands first and bless the circle. As soon as possible, pass a feather around the circle to hear what each person has brought to be discussed.
• Make sure the feather makes it at least once all the way around the circle, so everyone gets a chance to speak.
• If no one else does, explain the Council tradition: passing the feather; facilitating a discussion by pointing the feather, making a proposal and asking for concerns; consensus by silence.
• If no one else does, offer a prayer for Spirit's guidance. If no one has a discussion to facilitate or a proposal to make, passing the feather and sharing heartsongs is always worthwhile.
• Once everyone has spoken, the feather can be put aside if it is no longer needed. Council is the process of figuring out how the group feels; it's not just for thinking.
• The goal is not necessarily consensus of action, but of understanding: once we understand each other, what to do should be obvious.
• The Council process only works if everybody present wants it to work. Councils get longer, not shorter, if more than one person is talking at a time.
• Listening without interupting the feather is a spiritual discipline (we do our best).
• Listening to others is also the only way to be sure they will listen to us when our turn comes.
• It is appropriate to interrupt someone who takes advantage of our willingness to listen.
  Interrupting too can be done respectfully.
• Anything can substitute for a feather, nothing can substitute for respect.
  Just don't let respect disintegrate into a rule.
• Watching out for the process is the responsibility, of every person present.
• Consensus doesn't mean that all of us agree, only that we agree to get out of the way, of the larger will -- a trusting, a humility, a surrender-.
• Consensus is not bending to the pressure of expedience or to anyone's personal motive.
• A single person's proposal naturally changes as it becomes evervone's consensus.
• It's dangerous when opinionated people get their way because someone doesn't love them enough to speak up.
• It is not just a right but a duty, to block a consensus which you see is not in the interest of the Family as a whole; it is a sacred responsibility not to exercise it for any other reason.
• It is not the person raising a concern that blocks consensus - it is the concern itself, once the circle recognizes it as everyone's concern.
• If the circle cannot be convinced to take heed of a given concern, the concerned person may stand aside as an acknowledgement that the circle is not bound by individual concerns.
• The Family cannot be expected to honor irresponsible blocking.
• Alot of us didn't grow with Council and Consensus. Be gentle, be clear, be patient.
• If the People disagree with the Council, they'll simply do something else.

How to council by email

Council

Sometimes we are not gathered in a circle, yet we want to come to a consensus about something, for example, where to gather.

There is no need to pass a feather, since anyone can send a message at any time. This puts an even heavier burden on each person to read what has been written by others. If you feel moved to reply, read again. If you feel really upset by a message, read it again tomorrow. Only then reply. Writing, reading, and sharing our deepest feelings is how we find new perspectives on each other, and new ways to solve problems.

The exact nature of council process is determined at the beginning of the meeting. It is best conducted with a minimum of chairmanship, but someone can be entrusted, if necessary, to keep the subject of the discussion from wandering. Remind each other of our responsibility keep discussions from turning into disrespecful bickering.

Consensus

Consensus works in an environment of trust. Everyone must

listen, read, or otherwise pay attention to input.

participate,

get informed,

be rational,

and be part of the process from the beginning.

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