Comments on: Restorative justice, restorative knowing, restorative being

By: tibet permit

tibet permit — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 05:22:51 +0000

Thanks Howard,
Interesting article with message. Thanks for posting.

By: Margot Van Sluytman

Margot Van Sluytman — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:04:11 +0000

Dear Howard,
Artist to Artist, Soul to Soul, you continue to bring the voice of the commonality of our inter-woven relationships directly to the heart of the matter. Your second last paragraph above, is kindred and beautiful.
Thank you for your vision,
Margot Van Sluytman/RavenSpeaks

By: Jeremy Simons

Jeremy Simons — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 05:21:38 +0000

Thanks howard, look forward to more.

By: Judy Clarke

Judy Clarke — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 18:10:57 +0000

Hello Howard,
In my volunteer work at the Virginia Correctional Center for Women, Goochland, VA, I ooccasionally hear women express their longing for their children. Have you ever considered taking pictures of the beautiful faces of the women who are incarcerated and publish the letters that they write to their children? I think it would be great to show both sides of the conflict that you illustrate with the magnificant pictures of the children.

By: Katherine Griffis

Katherine Griffis — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:11:59 +0000

Dear Howard, One of the crispest comments I ever received from our spiritual direction teacher was that “contemplation” had nothing to do with withdrawal and was instead about being completely present in, and aware of, the moment. Charles Williams, in Descent into Hell, makes a similar connection: we either choose (and strive) to see things as they truly are or we choose illusion, which is to choose ourselves and to reject God and others.
While photography can be used as a distancing tool, it can also be just the opposite, allowing both photographer and viewer to see what might otherwise be missed. How can we truly move toward reconciliation if we’re not willing to take the time to look and to see the one with whom we wish to be reconciled?

By: Lou Furman

Lou Furman — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:47:50 +0000

Howard,

I look forward to your contemplative photographic imagery. I continue to hope that you will offer a course at SPI.

I remember the black and white dogs. They occupied my hands and mind for lengths of time when I was a young boy. I would be thankful to find a pair today so that I could marvel at the mystery of magnetism as I did then.

Thank you for extending your soothing voice over the internet. It will be a site to visit when I seek refuge.

By: Bill Leicht

Bill Leicht — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 22:03:59 +0000

HOWARD, Jill Strauss kindly distributed your RJ enterprise to the New York Dispute Resolution Forum. Hence I came, I read, I respond.

The martial arts as peacemaking have long seen the connection between art and love. Both of these latter are about awareness of being before decision on doing. Both consequently offer openness to transformation which occurs not between actors, but between beings. In fact the Alternatives to Violence Project principles of opening oneself to Transforming Power are identical to the principles of martial arts at the highest level: Affirmation, Attention, Trust and then Transformation (even though the names in many martial arts now tend to be in Japanese or other non-Indo-European languages).

The difference between peacemaking that arises from the martial arts and other sources lies not in principle but in focus. Somatics is the focus of the former, linguistics of the latter.

Many high level professionals have joined together in Aiki Extensions (www.aiki-extensions.org) to elaborate and clarify how exactly the insights and methods of the art of aikido apply to building peace; more recently this extends to practitioners of Taekwondo (a Mennonite group in Goshen, IN), Capoeira (a group of social activists in a Bogotá, Colombia), Karate (an Israeli/Palestinian group in the Middle East).

We have been in dialog for several years with all three and two now are member organizations of Aiki Extensions, Inc.

By: Jean Handley

Jean Handley — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:52:31 +0000

Howard, I was interested to hear what you said about your “opposite poles.” Most of my professional life I have balanced with some form of three dementional art: currently working in clay. And balance is definately what it is. Being involved in the lifes of people who are many times in crises and pain would take it’s tole upon me if I didn’t have this channel of creativity to keep me sane, connected to myself, beauty and have a sense of humor (you should see some of the “art” I turn out!). My art is a place of refuge and contemplation, as well as a time that I can totally call my own.

Some of my art is taking a piece that doesn’t seem to work and keep with it until the beauty unfolds within the piece. Many times it’s taking found objects, things other people throw away, and finding a way of incorportating it into the art.

And this is brings so much inspiration to my other work, which is predominately with “throw away kids” or those who are working with them. It helps me look for the beauty and treasures that always lie within if I’m patient enough to watch, look and listen for it.

Through my art I can “restore my soul”…which informs the work of restorative and creative justice.

By: Michael Bischoff

Michael Bischoff — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:02:08 +0000

Thanks for doing this, Howard. In addition to the bridge between restorative justice and photography that you talked about here, I see you building bridges in many ways–between many people and ideas. I have benefited from that bridge building many times, and I look forward to seeing how this blog develops.

By: Judah Oudshoorn

Judah Oudshoorn — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:52:01 +0000

Looking forward to hearing more! And bring on the quirky! I’ll be curious to hear more about your thoughts on restorative ways of being, as I often more think of restorative justice as a conflict/violence intervention tool.

cheers,
jude