Gentle Action:
I ntroduction & Discussion with
Author F David Peat
Hosted by

Gentle Action
F David Peat, author & physicist
http://www.fdavidpeat.com
Pari Center for New Learning
http://www.paricenter.com

Gentle Action

Gentle Action
Conversation forums
Blog
http://www.gentleaction.org
Facebook
http://bit.ly/GentleActionFacebookGroup
Twitter
http://twitter.com/fdpeat
Gentle Action book
Study guide following each chapter
Webinar series
Including today’s discussion

Gentle Action
Today’s discussion
• Introductions
• Where did the concept of Gentle Action
come from?
• What does Gentle Action mean?
• Six characteristics of Gentle Action
• Open discussion

Gentle Action
Where did the concept of Gentle
Action come from?
It was created in response to:
• The attention we give to “the cost of
inaction”
• The aggressive language we typically use to
describe action
• Asking, “Why do well-intentioned
organizations end up disrupting a
community, or an economy, or an
environment?”

Gentle Action
What does Gentle Action mean?
A kind of minimal but highly intelligent
activity that arises out of the very nature of
the system under investigation.

Gentle Action
A kind of minimal but highly intelligent activity that arises out of
the very nature of the system under investigation
What doesn’t follow:
• A prescription or strategy, i.e. Seven Steps
to Gentle Action
• A series of rules, or even suggestions,
would imply we’re standing outside the
system and making those observations

Gentle Action
A kind of minimal but highly intelligent activity that arises out of
the very nature of the system under investigation
What does follow:
• Characteristics that are common to ways
in which an individual or organization
might discover new and creative measures
that can spread within a system
• For each characteristic, examples of what
each of us can do in our own lives, families,
work, and community to help bring about
Gentle Action and creative change

G but highly intelligent activity that arises out of
entle Action
A kind of minimal
the very nature of the system under investigation
Characteristics
periods of creative suspension
+
seeking appropriate levels of control
+
operating from within a system
+
honoring complexity
+
responsive and flexible
+
trust

Gentle Action
A kind of minimal but highly intelligent activity that arises out of
the very nature of the system under investigation
Characteristics
periods of creative suspension
+
seeking appropriate levels of control
+
operating from within a system
+
honoring complexity
+
responsive and flexible
+
trust

Gentle Action
A kind of minimal but highly intelligent activity that arises out of
the very nature of the system under investigation
periods of creative suspension
Composer
Michael Tippett
Composers and artists
The Fetzer Institute
Peter Benenson
Gordon Shippey
Artist
Anish Kapoor

Gentle Action
A kind of minimal but highly intelligent activity that arises out of
the very nature of the system under investigation
periods of creative suspension
Composers and artists
The Fetzer Institute
Peter Benenson
Gordon Shippey

Gentle Action
A kind of minimal but highly intelligent activity that arises out of
the very nature of the system under investigation
periods of creative suspension
Composers and artists
The Fetzer Institute
Peter Benenson
Gordon Shippey

Gentle Action
A kind of minimal but highly intelligent activity that arises out of
the very nature of the system under investigation
periods of creative suspension
Composers and artists
The Fetzer Institute
Peter Benenson
Gordon Shippey

Gentle Action
A kind of minimal but highly intelligent activity that arises out of
the very nature of the system under investigation
Characteristics
periods of creative suspension
+
seeking appropriate levels of control
+
operating from within a system
+
honoring complexity
+
responsive and flexible
+
trust

Gentle Action
A kind of minimal but highly intelligent activity that arises out of
the very nature of the system under investigation
Characteristics
periods of creative suspension
+
seeking appropriate levels of control
+
operating from within a system
+
honoring complexity
+
responsive and flexible
+
trust

Gentle Action
A kind of minimal but highly intelligent activity that arises out of
the very nature of the system under investigation
Characteristics
periods of creative suspension
+
seeking appropriate levels of control
+
operating from within a system
+
honoring complexity
+
responsive and flexible
+
trust

Gentle Action
A kind of minimal but highly intelligent activity that arises out of
the very nature of the system under investigation
Characteristics
periods of creative suspension
+
seeking appropriate levels of control
+
operating from within a system
+
honoring complexity
+
responsive and flexible
+
trust

Gentle Action
A kind of minimal but highly intelligent activity that arises out of
the very nature of the system under investigation
Characteristics
periods of creative suspension
+
seeking appropriate levels of control
+
operating from within a system
Gordon Shippey +
honoring complexity
+
responsive and flexible
+
trust

Gentle Action
A kind of minimal but highly intelligent activity that arises out of
the very nature of the system under investigation
Characteristics
periods of creative suspension
+
seeking appropriate levels of control
+
operating from within a system
+
honoring complexity
+
responsive and flexible
+
trust

Gentle Action
A kind of minimal but highly intelligent activity that arises out of
the very nature of the system under investigation
Characteristics (a recap)
periods of creative suspension
+
seeking appropriate levels of control
+
operating from within
+
honoring complexity
+
responsive and flexible
+
trust

Gentle Action
A kind of minimal but highly intelligent activity that arises out of
the very nature of the system under investigation
Today’s discussion
• What is meant by “Gentle Action” and
where did the concept come from?
• Characteristics of Gentle Action
• Open discussion

Gentle Action
A kind of minimal but highly intelligent activity that arises out of
the very nature of the system under investigation
Conversation forums
Blog
http://www.gentleaction.org
Facebook
http://bit.ly/GentleActionFacebookGroup
Twitter
http://twitter.com/fdpeat
Gentle Action book
Study guide following each chapter
Webinar series
Including today’s discussion

Gentle Action:
I ntroduction & Discussion with
Author F David Peat
Hosted by

Gentle Action
Evidence
• Of trust
• Of opportunities for empowerment
• Of an “output emphasis” on “good questions”
rather than answers
• Of a context that actively encourages broad ripple
effects of even the tiniest of actions
• Of an explicit dance forward into the “do-able”
parts of a problem and then back, to take into
account the overall context and meaning of the
much wider issue, on both the individual and
organizational level

Gentle Action
Evidence
• That participants are able to express their
individuality
• That participants value their local and global
citizenship
• That participants are taking personal
responsibility for what is going on

Gentle Action
Evidence
• Of a sense of obligation to the rest of the world
and a responsibility to the future
• Of careful consideration for the ethical and moral
dimensions of the decisions being made, and
actions being taken

Gentle Action
Evidence
• That the experiences and advice of elders is
honored
• That family and community connections are being
highly valued
• That artists’ participation is encouraged and
celebrated

Gentle Action:
I ntroduction & Discussion with
Author F David Peat
Hosted by