'CERES Calling' NEWSLETTER (Spring Equinox)
Heartlight in Burlington (comingSoon)
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Vermont holds a unique history of independence, invention and leadership and a deep and enduring commitment to living with conscious respect and love for the environment. Its Green Mountains and world re-nown lakes and rivers, forests, and farm land form an incredibly diverse eco-region that supports a vital and constantly changing living system.
The people of Vermont know about change, in our weather, in the seasons, in the topography and in our people. Vermont exercises the time-honored tradition of the town meeting, a grass roots democratic process that keeps its citizens vital, engaged and adaptable to change.
In the birthing of the Ceres Project we asked how we would work together to make decisions and organize our efforts to communicate within our organization and to integrate the diversity of individuals and organizations that comprise the living entity that is Vermont.
The answer that came to us was to pattern our system after Mother Nature, the most effective and efficient system of creation that exists- a living system, constantly changing, and sustaining itself through an intelligence and interdependence we are only beginning to understand and appreciate.
After extensive research into social/organizational systems and architecture for decision making systems we found a non hierarchical system based on equivalence (the valuing of each person's unique contributions). It is an organizational model that is a living entity that engages the whole person in a dynamic, compassionate, fun and effective process. This unique system is called Sociocracy, and it has been developed over thirty years in the Netherlands.
The sociocratic structure is based on circles of individuals who meet regularly to address policy and leadership issues. The people in the circle share a ÒsociosÓ that is, a common focus, vision, purpose or aim. This system facilitates policy and leadership decisions and is based on the equivalence of each person and a consent based decision making process. A consent process differs from consensus in that a decision can only be made when no one has any reasoned and paramount objection to it. All arguments have the same weight. The decision will not be the orders of one person, or the counting of votes for or against, but a result of reasoned arguments.
Sociocracy can operate within AmericaÕs statutory legal system and can be adapted to any existing organizational structure.
John Buck
During the last two years the Sociocratic Center of North America has been developed by John Buck, a consultant certified by the Sociocratic Center in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He received his Masters Degree in Sociology from George Washington University, including a thesis that examined several sociocratic organizations in The Netherlands.
John is currently working with several co-housing and intentional communities along the East Coast as well as the State of Maryland Alternative Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO). John is assisting in the implementation of a sociocratic approach to networking Vermont within the Ceres Project. John is also affiliated with Eco-Village international and is available for consulting with profit and non-profit corporations, public and governmental organizations and communities throughout the United States.
Many decision-making tools will be available on this site as an interactive resource center for decision-making. The tools area is presently under development and will eventually be available for your use.
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