Sources of inspiration from across the field

Ubuntu more than deserves a mention, not least because it demonstrates that many traditional and indigenous cultures have a beautifully integrative perspective on human relationships and deeply understand interdependence both between people and nature. There’s much inspiration to be gained from connecting with Ubuntu’s wisdom and practices

I gain inspiration from glimpses into worldviews – including buddhism and taoism – that see the world as fundamentally one of interdependence (balanced with autonomy). When one sees the world as a living, learning and loving system – a world with interconnection and compassion at its heart – and wants to help nurture a world that is increasingly like that, centering relationships becomes a must.

Inspiration, for me, comes from personal experience of working in communities that have lost in trust statutory services, or with organisations that have less traditional power than the health system

I’m inspired by nature as a model. We’re interested in what human communities can learn from how nature organises. Interbeing. Ecologies. Reciprocity. Forests. Mycelium and more!

We get our inspiration around relationships everywhere! It’s frequently from conversations with other people who work relationally, so each and every one of these practitioners are our primary source of inspiration

We’re conditioned to turn away from the things that most connect us – from the things that make us most human.

To human bravely is to intentionally choose to act from the things that foster a sense of shared humanity and connection (like vulnerability, curiosity, wholeness, compassion, openness, etc.) rather than from the things that damage it (like shame, control, superiority, separation, perfectionism, defensiveness, urgency, dominant culture, etc.).

It is a brave and radical choice to practice being more human rather than less.

I am inspired by Greg Boyle in his work with marginalised and demonised gang members in Los Angeles. His philosophy to care and support is: “If love is the answer, community is the context and tenderness the methodology