Illustration: Molly Costello CLab Learning Journey CULTIVATING OURSELVES TO CO-CREATE COMMONS OF DEMOCRACY We are living in radically changing times. We stand in this turbulence, often wondering where to turn. Some of us put our attention into illuminating what is not working or envisioning something new. Others of us work to change ‘the system’, believing that if those in power change, their decisions would shift us to the better. Yet, there are those of us who feel we are doomed and believe this is a natural flow and that we can only make a difference if we put our efforts locally, on a small scale. We, at the CitizensLab, have also been standing in these times, wondering, searching and asking ourselves what is ours to do. We looked within, we took our time and we realised that we hold a longer-term goal. We want to work towards seeing ourselves, individually and collectively, and all people of wider Europe, being core and part of collectively caring for the governance of our lives. We call this Democracy as Commons. As we have come to know that we carry this goal, our first action and offer, is to create a learning journey. A space where we can firstly cultivate ourselves, our own personal transformation so we can co-create the commons of democracy that lead to radical changes of governance. Learning Journey 2021-2022 We invite you to invest in a cycle of collective learning and inquiry. Summer: Living Systems Seeing with new lenses of our living system. How do we view life and what change is possible if we shift our lens and the way we relate to oneself, each other, all life forms? We will explore the deep cultural frames that we hold and how they shape how we view, make sense and act in the world. What change is possible if we shift our lens and the way we relate to oneself, each other, all life forms? Leaning from [indigenous wisdom], nature-based and regenerative practices, reflecting on the frames we each hold and fusing new connections across our wondrous web of life. We will connect to the season of summer, when nature is blooming and growing, so that we can take risks with engaging in new perspectives, feel the inner disturbance, and grow into new ways of relating with all life forms. Speakers and artistic contributors: Ben Haggard – Regenesis Louise Armstrong – Forum for the Future and School of System Change Awa Ndiaye – Spoken words Poet Alicia Sanchez – Violinist and Music Designer Blog Posts and Resources: Resources Summer Season: a Living System View Practices: What are we learning about Living Systems View? Autumn: Power Dynamics Creating healthy, collective power relations. How do we relate to our own power so we can regenerate it with health and, collaborate with others to create collective power? We will explore current societal power dynamics and how domination blocks the natural flow of collaboration in how life is created. What else is possible if we relate to our own power, regenerate it with health and collaborate with others to create collective power? How do we practice intersectional, healthy power relations? Learning from deep democracy, process work, and somatic practices to liberate ourselves and the collective from relations of domination, oppression and injustice. We will connect to the season of autumn, where we will harvest what is worthy and nourishing and we will release from power patterns that do not enable us to grow. Speakers and artistic contributors: Awa Ndiaye – Spoken words Poet Camille Barton – Embodiment Researcher Anita Paalvast – Aikido Practitioner and Coach Blog Posts and Resources: Resources Autumn Season – Power Dynamics Practices: What are we learning about Power Dynamics? Winter: Decolonising self Dismantling colonised thinking How can we come into relationship with our trauma, integrate ourselves and transform into freedom? We will explore how we can dismantle our own cultural history and challenge colonial mindsets in order to decolonise ourselves. Together we will seek to come into healthy relationship with our collective and individual traumas, by embracing our grief, liberating ourselves from oppressive structures and transforming towards collective freedom. We will use this season’s fallowness to go into the dark to ‘sit’ with what is neglected and integrate it into wholeness. Speakers and artistic contributors: Shadi Zaqtan – Palestinain musician and artist Sophy Banks – Healthy Human culture and Grief tending work Terrellyn Fearn – Indigenous well-being and community building. Co-director of the Turtle Island Institute Vanessa Reid – Hosting Transitions, Transformation Everdith Landrau – Bomba Dance teacher. Rhythms of Freedom Dance Project Tai Pelli – Writer, Speaker, Human, Indigenous and Environmental Rights Advocate Blog Posts and Resources: Resources Winter Season – Decolonising self Practices: What are we learing about decolonings self? A Collective Poem Spring: Democracy as a commons Seeding collaborations How am I now going to commit to commoning in my context? We will explore how we can act and practice democracy as a commons. What are our shared goals, what are the seeds for collaboration we want to plant in our context, moving from an inner towards an outer journey of societal transformation? We will be learning about principles and processes of commoning, social labs and intentional communities. Springs season of rising from the roots will enable us to find the courage to seek new growth from seeds that will bring change to ourselves and our contexts. Blog Posts and Resources: Resources Spring Season – A culture of care and kinship The approach We will journey with the seasons, allowing the natural rhythm, the pace and relationships we are part of to inspire us. Each season is made up of 4 sessions- Landing, Deepening, Integrating and Practicing. The Landing and Deepening Sessions will have expert speakers and practitioners offering input which we digest together in small and big groups. The Integrating Sessions will invite us to explore how we can integrate the learnings into our lives through embodied practices, art, music, ritual. The Practicing Session is optional for diving deeper into the topic and exchanging around how we can practice what we learned together with a Community of Practice. Whilst we encourage you to join us for the whole journey you can also join seasons. In each online session, hosted on zoom, we will have a mix of full group and smaller group moments – mixing up practical sessions with informal moments to get to know each other. This Learning Journey is a co-creation of the CitizensLab Core team. We will be the Learning Journey hosting team, together with the confirmed speakers and contributors. Alice Priori Maria Scordialos Louise Armstrong Carolin Göthel Read our blog post about the Learning Journey Approaches Fees and Registration The Learning Journey is based on the principle of the gift economy. Investing time: The most precious resource you have is your time, investing your time is the most powerful investment you can make. -Each season requires an investment of 6-8hours / 1 day of time -The full journey requires 24-32hours / 4 days of investment “What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” ~ Mary Oliver Investing money We know from experience that financial exchange can support us to be accountable to each other and investment/commitment to your learning and development. We’ve found people are more likely to commit and get more out if they invest money in these experiences. We want to make this experience open to people from all walks of life, and we recognise that our current system unfairly discriminates and disadvantages people from different backgrounds, so we’re offering a range of contributions depending on your circumstances and finances. >Investing in collective potential: this allows us to provide bursary places for those who may not be able to afford to join but are able to make the time investment and to invite more contributors, artists, and creatives into our journey. > Full cost – this covers the base cost of running the program >Pay what you can – for those who are currently out of work or other circumstances will make the full cost challenging (get in contact with an email, so that we can find the most suitable solution together). We invite those who can pay the full cost or investment cost to do so, in order to make this experience available to people from all walks of life and trust you to decide which contribution makes the most sense for you. CLab approach to value At CitizensLab we believe that we need to get better at talking about value and money. We’re always looking for new ways to do this and expanding our view of value and exchange. We’re grateful to our funder for their support in partially subsiding this first cycle. Course fees received will allow us to cover the core costs of the learning journey (this includes the design, hosting, tech support, paying contributors and graphic facilitators). Any additional course fees that are received will be invested in for participants that can´t afford the full cost and in inviting more artists and creatives into our shared journey.