Body-Oriented Approaches in Peace Studies

Body-oriented approaches of learning as an experience of peaces and conflicts are an enriching tool for Peace and Conflict Studies. Elicitive Conflict Transformation and a transrational understanding of peaces build on the capacities and abilities of the conflict worker and her or his experiences with peaces and conflicts. The ability to self-reflect and the understanding of various perspectives, which draw on the empathic and intuitive qualities of the conflict worker are crucial, besides the theoretical and contextual knowledges of peaces and conflicts (Dietrich, 2011). Body-oriented approaches with reflection provide the possibility for students and conflict workers to enrich their perspectives on themselves and their surroundings.  The transformative learning theories build onembodied and emotional experiences of conflicts and dilemma, as a way to transformprevious understandings into something new (Kasl & Yorks, 2012).  

The Heroine’s/Hero´s journey provides a structured and guided frame for an embodied experience of peaces and conflicts. The journey is based on the mythological work of Joseph Campbell (2008) and his map of archetypical patterns. According to his understanding, myth is the symbolic and collective wisdom of life cycles, transformation and initiation. Based on this understanding, Rebillot (2011) created a one-week long workshop, using methods from theatre, gestalt therapy, body - work, dance and indigenous rituals to create a holistic concept called the Heroine’s/Hero´s journey. The heroine/hero is the archetype who starts an adventurous journey following his or her call and intuition out of dilemma and crisis. The person separates from his or her known environment and spends one week with a small group for an archetypical self- and group discovery experiencing the desires of the heroine/hero and the resistances of the antagonist as conflicts and dilemmas. Through the embodied experience and possible transformation of the various opposing forces,symbolized as heroine/hero and antagonist, the participants receive a broader view on their desires, needs and actions. 

The inner wisdom or intuition is guiding the heroine/hero through this journey of fears, shadows and unknown inner terrains, while the antagonist is the embodiment of resistance. Yet both the heroine/hero and the antagonist aremeaningful aspects. In the one-hour workshop, I will introduce one phantasyjourney where the participants can meet their inner heroine or hero archetypeto experience the qualities of her/him.  The journey intends to make participants experience and connect to their inner images and qualities of this archetype. 

References

Campbell, J. (2008). The hero with a thousand faces. Novato: New World Library. 

Dietrich, W. (2011). Variationen über dievielen Frieden. Band 2: Elicitive Konflikttransformation und die transrationaleWende in der Friedenspolitik. Wiesbaden: VSVerlag für Sozialwissenschaften. 

Kasl, E. & Yorks, L. (2012). Learning toBe What We Know. The Pivotal Role of Presentational Knowing in TransformativeLearning. In: Taylor, W. E. & Cranton, P. (Eds.) The Handbook ofTransformative Learning: Theory, Research, and Practice. San Francisco: Wiley,503-520. 

Rebillot, P. (2011).Die Heldenreise. Das Abenteuer der kreativen Selbsterfahrung. Wasserburg amInn: Eagle Books.