Public invited to Healing Democracy Action Circle

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BROOKINGS – Are you tired of the political discord in our country? Do you want to help heal the divisions?

Then the Brookings Healing Democracy Action Circle is meant for you, its organizers say. The first session will be held from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25, in Cooper Room A of the Brookings Public Library. The circle will meet once a month for half a year, then decide upon any “next steps” the membership might wish to take.

The Action Circle will be a nonpartisan space apart from the daily debate in workplaces and of 24/7 media­. 

It will be a place where, despite disagreements, members will work to make their politics reflect the dignity of the human spirit. They will wrestle together with provocative questions, undertake fun experiments in citizenry, and renew their sense of community.

The group will explore five “habits of the heart” that can strengthen democracy’s foundations, starting right here in Brookings:

 an understanding that we are all in this together; 

 an appreciation of the value of “otherness”;

 an ability to hold tensions in life-giving ways;

 a sense of personal voice and agency; and,

 a capacity to create community.

Parker Palmer describes these five habits in his latest book, “Healing the Heart of Democracy: The Courage to Create a Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit” (Jossey-Bass, 2011). Circle members will examine these habits together and try to put them into practice. 

All participants are asked to read up to Chapter 3 of Palmer’s book for the first session. 

For more information, contact Dianne Nagy (605-695-7596) or Phyllis Cole-Dai (605-592-6293).