exactly the same ways which psychotherapists apply. A fly may bang itself against a window trying to get out of a room until it runs out of energy and dies. If it goes sideways it can find the open window and survive. A psychotherapist can not do their job if the client is not receptive to the healthy truth which the therapist is offering. The client must become receptive. This is also a spiritual approach which has known many names – one, Kabbala, the ancient Hebrew system of wisdom, which translates as “to receive”. When the client receives the care of the therapist, they will want to change, and become healthier and happier. Large groups like Greenpeace, the Quakers, Stop the War should be employing teams of scientists, psychotherapists and spiritual guides to form and implement a strategy to improve the world by working on people’s minds.
It is the same with our species as it is with campaign groups. When a campaigner can look at their own behaviour and want to improve, they can become more powerful at what they do. If we think we know exactly the best way to campaign, we are closing the door to more effective possibilities.
Therefore before we campaigners can teach others how to receive, we need to work on ourselves. We campaigners also have to want to look at our own actions, we have to learn how to receive, and then we can become stronger. So….
Seek Out Criticism
Criticism is the fuel for improvement. When someone shows us our weaknesses we can iron those weaknesses out, make ourselves more efficient and effective. Madonna, a follower of Kabbala has used this to great effect. She turns the criticism and negativity to an advantage, and grew into a world dominating figure. If campaign groups cannot seek out criticism, they can not possibly become more effective. There is a little criticism to come, but the purpose is to benefit campaign groups.
Learn To Listen
In a scientific research group, a new recruit will be listened to very closely. The new person has little ego – little grasp of what the research is about – and so can see more clearly than those who have been working in the field a long time.
When a new campaigner is around, listen closely and try to understand where the recruit is coming from. They have arrived for a reason,; their mind has been working on a problem for some time, and they may well have spotted a good solution which was previously overlooked.
Big egos in groups can crush such priceless input. When we see in a group a person who is not being listened to, others must help them to be heard. Sometimes shy people in groups have