Deep Democracy Institute

Deep Democracy Institute is an NGO (Non Government Organization) dedicated to providing Process Oriented Leadership training programs in conflict and developing regions to people who could not otherwise afford the training. Process Oriented Leadership is a multi-dimensional paradigm based in process oriented psychology, Deep Democracy, and the work of Arny Mindell that integrates psychology, organizational and communications theories, and political philosophy with physics, non-linear dynamics, and aboriginal wisdom.

Mission [Deep Democracy Institute (2007) [http://deepdemocracyinstitute.org/Our-Myth,109.html DDI Mission.] Portland, OR.]

The [http://www.deepdemocracyinstitute.org Deep Democracy Institute] provides worldwide diverse and multidimensional Leadership Training Programs. They are designed to teach skills and attitudes to unfold the potentials of organizations, teams and communities.

Vision [Deep Democracy Institute (2007) [http://deepdemocracyinstitute.org/Our-Vision,111.html DDI Vision.] Portland, OR.]

Deep Democracy Institute holds the vision that the worldwide development of diverse and explicit leadership cultures and leadership disciplines is one of the key elements for sustainable local and global development. We view the Deep Democracy Institute as a thinktank and network to facilitate, support, and implement leadership development initiatives for this purpose.

Why is Leadership Development a Key to Sustainable Local and Global Development

Each region of the globe, each community, each organization, and each person has a unique individual path of development. This individual path includes its own framework from which to view reality. Individual paths are reflected in diverse narratives and philosophies within local communities and within the global community. They create diversity on our planet and between cultures with all their aspects, for example the experience of space and time, or the place and importance of relationship, or the role of history and ancestors, and many more. This culminates in a multifaceted diversity about what it means to be human on this earth and in the universe.

The Deep Democracy Institute adheres to the Deep Democracy Paradigm, which suggests that all of these frameworks are equally valid and needed. Over time, all viewpoints must be heard and related to as all information in a system is vital for its sustainability and blossoming: at a given moment in history, some styles are more central and some more marginal.

The Deep Democracy Institute believes that leadership is the act of stewarding and tending to a chosen collective by assisting that collective in discovering its own developmental path and helping it to blossom. We consider the awareness process in developing leadership for each region, community, and individual to be the key to rediscovering innate value, appreciating and consequently developing it. Each group will apply its own style, way, and timing on this natural path. DDI's leadership trainings assist in making organizations and individuals aware of this process and facilitating its emergence.

Strategy [Deep Democracy Institute (2008) [http://deepdemocracyinstitute.org/Programs,125.html DDI Programs.] Portland, OR.]

In order to achieve this, the Deep Democracy Institute teaches leadership models which include expertise in facilitation, organizational and personal development, coaching, and self-management using an awareness based approach; which allows these programs to develop in collaboration with the participants based on their cultural beliefs, their organizational direction, and their personal style.

DDI's approach is based on the belief that leadership must assist organizations, communities, and individual members in discovering their natural potentials, unique beauty, and power. As a result of this process; individuals, communities, and organizations can access and use inherent strength, develop wholesome community experiences, and gain success on many levels.

Increased productivity and economic success is not our main goal but a necessary byproduct of the process. The question “Does It Grow Corn?” is a Native American Navajo standard by which to scrutinize new models and approaches and is a key concern for DDI in all endeavors.

The purpose of the Deep Democracy Institute is based on our underlying vision: that the systematic and consistent development of local leadership is the central issue in developing regions, communities, and organizations. We believe that supporting and training leaders across the entire strata of society is the key to forming civic societies, finding balance in the complex process of globalization, and forming lasting sustainable relationships. Of the many non-profit organizations that work towards better collaboration, more sustainable international relationships, developed civic societies, and reduction of poverty only a small few focus on developing local leadership. The Deep Democracy Institute strives to be a role model and champion in this approach, develop cutting edge leadership programs and educating organizations and the mainstream about the importance of leadership.

Deep Democracy Explained [Deep Democracy Institute (2007) [http://deepdemocracyinstitute.org/Deep-Democracy-Explained,114.html DDI Explained.] Portland, OR. ]

Deep Democracy is the philosophical basis of the Worldwork Paradigm, a psycho-social-political theory and methodology (Mindell, 1995). The term Deep Democracy was developed by Arny Mindell in 1988 and first appeared in Leader as Martial Artist (Mindell, 1992). Mindell, a physicist and Jungian Analyst, has researched and written extensively about how awareness interlinks with reality (Mindell, 2000) and how we perceive it on different levels creating different frameworks of reality. An example for this is how we perceive time: the measurable reality of the seconds ticking in a clock, the dreamlike "subjective" perception of time as it passes during an encounter with a lover or during a conflict with an opponent and the sentient essence of timelessness at the moment of sunrise that transcends "known" time (if only for a moment) and replaces it with an experience of a hopeful future. Mindell calls this paradigm Processwork. He formulates these principles and demonstrates how they can be used to facilitate individual, relationship, and group transformation in many of his books.

In the late eighties, Mindell started to formulate these principles as a philosophical principle that he called Deep Democracy. Unlike "classical" democracy, which focuses on majority rule, Deep Democracy focuses on all voices, states of awareness, and frameworks of reality whether central, marginal, or previously invisible. Deep Democracy also suggests that the information carried within these voices, awarenesses, and frameworks are all needed to understand the complete process of the system. Deep Democracy is an attitude that not only focuses on but values the inclusion of voices that are both central and marginal (Mindell, 2002).

This type of awareness can be focused on groups, organizations, one's own inner experiences, people in conflict, etc. Allowing oneself to take seriously seemingly unimportant events and feelings can often bring unexpected solutions to both group and inner conflicts.

Although the term and the concepts of Deep Democracy are now being used by various groups in different ways, Mindell formulates their common denominator: Deep Democracy is the experience of a process of flow in which all actors on the stage are needed to create the play that is being watched.

Deep Democracy is a natural process that occurs in all community building processes but often goes unnoticed or unused. Just as conventional democracy strives to include all individuals involved in the political process, Deep Democracy goes a step further in the effort towards fostering a deeper level of dialogue and inclusivity that makes space for all people as well as all of the various and competing views, tensions, feelings, experiences, and styles of communication in a way that supports awareness of relative rank, power, privilege, and the potential of these forces to marginalize other views, individuals, and groups.

"Deep Democracy is our sense that the world is here to help us to become our entire selves, and that we are here to help the world to become whole" (Mindell, 1992).

Evolution of Deep Democracy

"The most fundamental forum is your own heart. Both as a facilitator and as a human being, you must learn to hear yourself there" (Mindell, 1995).

Deep democracy has many aspects, many of which relate to philosophical concepts derived from quantum physics. Deep Democracy at its deepest manifestation refers to an openness towards the views of other people and groups. It also embraces emotions and personal experiences that are most often excluded from conflict and rational public discourse (Mindell, 1992). As R. Buckminster Fuller said, we need to support the intuitive wisdom and comprehensive informed-ness of each and every individual to ensure our continued fitness for survival as a species (Fuller, 1981).

Deep Democracy has crossed over into many fields and has been picked up by many authors, some using it as defined by Mindell, others using only particular aspects (as it is often the case with crossovers). For more information, please see www.deepdemocracymovement.net

One of the primary concerns of Deep Democracy is the use, maintenance, and awareness of metaskills. The concept of openness to diversity and dialogue between various views doesn’t mean that the facilitator goes along with what the group wants—that is only one metaskill (although it often reflects a lack of awareness). Facilitators must also practice, embody, and express other metaskills such as toughness, anger, intractability, love, detachment, concern for the well-being of the others, and a genuine desire to achieve consensus. Some of the metaskills in the above mentioned list are organic responses. However, when a facilitator uses her internal organic responses to better inform her intervention, she is using a metaskill. This is why the human development (the internal psychological and spiritual growth) of the facilitator is so important.

Deep Democracy involves not only openness to other individuals, groups, and diverse views, but also an openness to experiences including feelings, dreams, body symptoms, altered states of consciousness, and synchronicities as well as an awareness of signals, roles, and the structural dynamics of the interactions between parties involved.

History

The [http://www.deepdemocracyinstitute.org Deep Democracy Institute] was founded in 2006 by [http://www.maxfxx.net Max and Ellen Schupbach] and [http://www.processmind.net Stanford Siver] . In 2007 a pilot program was developed and implemented in the West Bank, Palestine, programs in Ukraine and Sierra Leone began in 2008.

Notes

References

* Audergon, A. (2004) The War Hotel. London: Whurr Publishers.
* Audergon, A. Ph.D. (2004). Collective Trauma: The Nightmare of History. Psychotherapy and Politics International, 2(1), 16-31. [http://www.globalprocessinstitute.org/Articles/Collective%20Trauma%20PPI_Audergon.pdf pdf]
* Audergon, A., Ph.D. (2005). Psychological Dynamics in Violent Conflict: Presentation to Ministry for Peace Meeting, January 18, 2005. Grand Committee Room, House of Commons, London. Retrieved 12 Aug 2005, Ministry for Peace [http://www.globalprocessinstitute.org/Articles/Arlene%20Audergon%20ministry%20for%20peace.pdf pdf]
* Carter, P. (1978). Speech to Parliament of India. Retrieved 3 Oct, 2004,Jimmy Carter Library from http://www.jimmycarterlibrary.org/documents/
* Fuller, R. B. (1981). Critical Path. NYC: St. Martin's Press.
* Goodbread, J. (1997) Dreambody Toolkit. Portland, OR: Lao Tse Press.
* Greene, J. (1999)Deep Democracy. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.; Community, Diversity, and Transformation edition
* Holmes, O. W. (1919). Abrams v. United States, 250 U.S. 616, 630 (1919). Retrieved 3 Oct, 2004,US Department of State from US Department of State, http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/43.htm
* Mill, J. S. (1859). On Liberty. NY: Norton.
* Mindell, Amy (1994/2001) Metaskills: the spiritual art of therapy. New Falcon/Lao Tse Press.
* Mindell, A. (1992). The Leader as Martial Artist: An Introduction to Deep Democracy (1st ed.). San Francisco: Harper San Francisco.
* Mindell, A. (1995). Sitting in the Fire: Large Group Transformation using Conflict and Diversity (1st ed.). Portland, Or.: Lao Tse Press.
* Mindell, A. (2000). Quantum Mind: The Edge Between Physics and Psychology. Portland, OR: Lao Tse Press.
* Mindell, A. (2002). The Deep Democracy of Open Forums. Charlottesville, VA: Hampton Roads.
* Siver, S. (2004). [http://www.stanfordsiver.net/pdf/ShadowsofPeaceNATO.pdf Shadows of Peace] . Paper presented at the Russian Academy of Science Conference on Conflictology sponsored by NATO, April 2004, St Petersburg, Russia.
* Siver, S. (20006). [http://www.stanfordsiver.net/pdf/PW_Facilitation_Conflict.pdf Process Work and the Facilitation of Conflict.] Cincinnati, Union Institute & University. PhD Psychology of Conflict: 420.
* Stiglitz, J. E. (2003). Globalization and Its Discontents. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., Inc.
* Toms, M. (2002) A Time for Choices: Deep Dialogues for Deep Democracy. New Society Publishers.
* US Department of State. (1919). Abrams v. United States, 250 U.S. 616, 630 (1919). Retrieved 3 Oct, 2004,US Department of State from http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/43.htm
* US Department of State. (2004). What is Democracy? Retrieved 21 Sep, 2004,US Department of State from http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/whatsdem/whatdm8.htm

ee also

*Arnold Mindell
*Deep Democracy
*Process Work
*Worldwork

External links

For further information on Deep Democracy see:

* http://www.deepdemocracyinstitute.org/
* http://www.deepdemocracymovement.net/
* http://www.maxfxx.net/
* http://www.aamindell.net/