Practices and Principles
This programme took over a year to emerge from multiple conversations with the Centric ecosystem. We took our time to listen to and observe the world around us, including communities facing health injustices. We took this information and shaped a programme that was founded in Kinship, fairness, safety, and love.
Below is an overview of the methods and principles we employed to shape this programme
Walking: We are ardent, humble and dedicated students of the Zapatista method of “caminar”, which translates directly as “walking”, but it's more than that. It's ambling througha a long journey, where one is listening, questioning, observing the fullness of phenomena. Through this process space/time is created for ideas, thoughts, and concepts to emerge organically and authentically. Additionally, this method allows us to understand that we are in continual motion rather than trying to reach a predetermined destination. This provides the mind with flexibility and calmness, furthering our ability to think.
Gentle Time: “Walking” takes its own time, therefore, we employ gentle time in this and all the work we do at Centric. Gentle time means that deadlines and milestones are reached through listening rather than artificially. We still have to deliver within specific time constraints, but we do not strive to “fit” everything in. This might mean letting go of goals or outcomes that are not for this time.
Kinship: We are Kin to each other, with the participants and their relations, as well as with all other living beings. The Kinship allowed us to work in mutualistic symbiosis where there was no definitive line between teacher and student, we were both, seamlessly and simultaneously. This method created a space where everyone was able to grow, learn, and heal.
Cognitive Arch: We were conscious of creating a narrative arch that made sense to the cognitive learning process. Therefore we started with epistemologies, which was the knowledge origin of the ideas and concepts being introduced, then we moved towards new concepts and ended with contextualising the learnings to healthcare. This arch allowed participants to gently move the minds from one starting point to another.
Skin in the Game: All of the cohort, including the organisers, had what is colloquially known as “skin in the game”. Meaning that we all had deeply personal reasons for participating and creating the programme. We have all been witness to the oppression and marginalisation of our Peoples, which motivates both our roles in healthcare as well as seeking justice education to further our health practices. This common ground was crucial to creating a balanced ecosystem rather than a “teacher/student” report.
Solidarity: Due to the whole cohort having “skin in the game” it was important that we all showed solidarity with their respective histories of injustices and oppression stemming from colonialism, imperialism, extractive economies, and supremacy. This solidarity helped bind the cohort together and create a space where we could all learn and further our justice pathways.
Dignity: All participants were asked to share any accessibility needs they have, to ensure we can provide a tailored co-learning environment. We also provided participants with stipends to facilitate their own healing processes.
NB: we are students of this practice, not teachers or experts. We use this practice within the limitations of our knowledge and implement it within the context of the programme rather than simply appropriating or “cherry picking” what we needed.