Maria Arpa
This week
Speaking Truth to Power
Plus…
Maria’s Midweek Mindfulness
and
The Wednesday Whisper
Risky Business
Voltaire said, “It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong”. This is a great way to understand oppression and suppression. There are many places where daring to challenge the people with the power is to put oneself at risk especially where the ‘power-ful’ is more interested in retaining their power and privilege than accepting truth.
When I carry out social change work in communities and organisations, everyone expresses how much they want what I bring. The idea of equal voices, ground up governance, violence reduction and conflict resolution through a heart based language is seductive. Some even tell me it is what they dream of. But as the work progresses, there comes a time when the powerful must choose to relinquish some power or privilege in order to trust in power sharing. This is the moment of truth. I am usually prepared for some resistance and hesitation which may be masked in all sorts of ‘logic’. Sometimes the challenge to the person/people holding the power is too great and the moment of change looks like a steam train that was so far away when the work began it seemed it was never going to arrive, but in the time it took to look away the train gained momentum and an immediate choice is needed to trust the people, allow the change and join the flow of the river. It is in that moment I might expose the elephant in the room. Sometimes it involves rigid protest and sometimes it involves compassionate dialogue. There is no way to predict how it will go. What risks do I take? What happens if I misjudge? What happens when power wants to shoot the messenger?
In these moments the people on the ground discover the truth about their oppression. How much of it was perception and how much of it was real? This knowledge supports empowerment.
Maria’s Midweek Mindfulness
The DRM helps us to look after ourselves when we are taking risks. It helps us to assess risks and how to manage the fallout. It builds resilience and understanding.
The Wednesday Whisper
Is there a truth you want to speak to power? How will you do it? How will you take care of yourself?
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