The Relevance of Contemplative Studies and Practices for Improving Participatory Urban Governance

Figures & data

Figure 1. The Tree of Contemplative Practices. Source: CMind 2014. The Centre for Contemplative Mind in Society. [permission obtained].

Table 1. Integrating contemplative practices into Participatory Local Governance.

Contemplative Practices (what)	Potential use in Community Engagement Processes (how)
Stillness:	Moments of silence and quieting the mind, or lightly guided internal reflection to open or close a meeting or workshop, before or after a tea/lunch break, or after a difficult conversation.
Grounding exercises	Light guidance to focus attention on the body (physical sensations and breath), and observation of thoughts without holding on to any single thought.
Centering	Guided or silent reflection on a chosen issue related to the workshop, service or discussion at that time (e.g. a material challenge, positionality, project process).
Relational:
Dialogue and sharing circles	Facilitated dialogues to: 1) agree to guiding norms for the workshop (e.g. respect, listening, learning); 2) unpack participant challenges and expectations around a service/issue; 3) reflect on power disparities, material challenges and positionalities.
Storytelling	Group or peer conversations where participants share stories related to the material issues/challenges to be dealt with.
Deep listening	Light guidance to practice deep and respectful listening: listening without judgment or interruption, asking questions rather than offering answers or solutions.
Movement:
Contemplative/ Experiential Community Walks	Group walks through relevant neighbourhoods to: 1) observe and be part of the lived realities of residents; 2) examine together specific service or infrastructure issues. Combines silent walking with discussion and reflection during and after walks.
Body movement exercises	Physical exercises such as a guided mental scan to bring attention to the physical experiences by focusing on bodily feelings. This can happen through witnessing gentle moves like standing or walking around the room.
Creative:
Journaling (audio or written)	Individual and group journaling (written, audio or graphic) after specific discussions or between meetings and workshops, to give participants moments to reflect on specific questions or issues around the project/service that may be emerging. It will be a pause for reflecting and sharing both within and with others.
Artistic activities	Music/art-based activities or physical spaces to provide participants an alternative to discursive thinking.
Generative:
Visualization and Gratitude	Guided meditations for taking a pause to acknowledge the structural and material challenges while envisioning the material outcomes needed and a potential action plan.
	Guided dialogues on interactive exercises focused on appreciating specific issues. For instance acknowledging the agency of residents living in challenging conditions and the institutional constraints that officials face.

CMind. 2014. The Tree of Contemplative Practices [Illustration]. The Center for Contemplative Mind in Society. http://www.contemplativemind.org/practices/tree.

 Google Scholar