On May 24, the members of IP Switzerland met at the Bäckeranlage in Zurich to look back on the past year and update IP’s policies. We practiced Integral Politics: constructive responsibility and inner work on several levels.
Addressing All Levels of Being
IP’s general assembly meetings have always been something special for me (others feel the same – see the post by François Suter). When I took part for the first time in 2020 – in the middle of the coronavirus lockdown – there was piano accompaniment, followed the next year by relaxed dancing to pop music, and later group dance, embodiment exercises and workshops.
Once again this year, we sang songs by Manni Matter, paused for a minute at 12.00 noon, as we have done for over eight years, with the thought “peace in me, peace around me, peace in the world”, and tought us our favorite physical training exercises: As always, we tried to address all four levels of being.
Consensus and Constructive Responsibility
For a couple of years already, IP’s policies state that we decide on proposals for the general assembly by consent decision-making. This procedure is particularly important to me: In a traditional majority vote, almost half of those voting could be “outvoted” and would therefore not feel heard. With consent decision-making, all voters give their approval to the respective proposal.
All voices are heard and objections are integrated. I was able to experience these elements – receiving permission and the integration of objections – particularly directly this time: I had submitted three proposals to the general meeting.
While some members expressed different preferences on the mode and amount of my proposal to flexibilize the amount of membership fees, my proposal was “good enough for now and safe enough to try”: no one had a serious objection. No one saw the proposal as jeopardizing the purpose and vision of the IP.
My proposal to make the IP’s annual budget more flexible was somewhat different. It also included that the General Assembly should waive some competence – the approval of the annual budget (offset by added transparency). There was an objection here, which we were able to resolve by adapting the proposal. In future, the General Assembly will approve the financial forecast presented.
This characteristic of hearing all voices on proposals and asking for consent, with then being able to easily adapt proposals and making decisions within everyone’s tolerance limits feels very unifying and liberating for me. And it presupposes that everyone is prepared to take responsibility for their own objections by voicing them. There is no abstention in consent decision-making. This is in line with our vision: “People act out of a constructive, life-affirming responsibility.”
With Open Space to New Initiatives
We were also able to practice this attitude of responsibility in the afternoon – in an open space: the members present were able to contribute topics and exchange ideas with others in working groups. Five working groups were quickly formed:
Dialogue on the document “Field of action of the IP”
Life Design – from thinking to acting
New ways of working – cooperative-regenerative
“Health” as a policy area in the IP
How to bring suggestions into circles in a meaningful and constructive way
The Integral Politics at the Integral European Conference
At least two initiatives have emerged from this “spontaneous conference”: The health circle is to be revived and the former monthly online meeting “Generator” will also have a new edition on July 8.
With the Intelligence of the Heart
Personally, I am also delighted that the General Assembly has once again elected Kathrin Schelker and myself for the role of co-chairs. It is important to me to provide the IP with new energy – in still quite small but steady steps.
As I already wrote in our 2024 Annual Report, the vision of IP is still absolutely worth preserving and striving for.
I am very much looking forward to the coming months with the IP. In keeping with the guiding principle of the Veilleuse, our spiritual center, which Ruth Bänziger reminded us of at the general meeting: “May we work with the intelligence of the heart and help shape Integral Politics for the benefit of all beings and contribute to the healing of the earth.”
