Mutual Support for Holistic Improvement
By slightly modifying the simple mutual support for self-improvement group format, mutual support for holistic improvement group members affirm holistic democracy principles and open meetings with each member reporting on their recent efforts to: 1) become a better human being; 2) nurture compassionate community, and; 3) engage in effective political action.
Groups affiliated with the Network conduct these check-ins, and occasionally hold Network meetings to exchange reports on their work and support each other.
The agreed-on principles, such as the Declaration for Holistic Democracy or some similar affirmation, affirm: 1) mutual support for holistic development; 2) the need to control or overcome the desire to dominate and the willingness to submit for personal gain and; 3) the development of collaborative, respective co-equal partnerships.
These group members could develop trust, facilitate honesty, strengthen open communication, reinforce personal and spiritual growth, counter misinformation, encourage political action among their members, inspire politically inactive people to become more active, and contribute to deep transformation.
Political activists, in particular, could benefit from this kind of commitment to mutual support. Activists, after all, are often as addicted to activism as twelve-step members are addicted to mind-altering substances. But political activists are urgently driven to reduce suffering and injustice. It often seems to them there’s not a minute to waste and self-examination is self-indulgent navel-gazing.
By integrating the personal and the political, these communities would set aside time for their members to support one another in an open-ended manner with 1) their personal efforts to become better human beings, and; 2) their political efforts to help improve national public policy.
To the best of our knowledge, no currently existing organization uses an easy-to-learn method like this. Once the value of such a method is established, a wide range of groups might choose to use it — and join a growing, larger community.