Moral Imagination

I really resonate with Lederach’s notion of peripheral vision. One of the ways he describes it is as “a lens that brings into focus the historical patterns of…relationships”  (p. 120). In this way, peripheral vision holds the background as the foreground of a situation, less distracted by the obvious content in the forefront, and more sensitized to the secret rumblings behind the scenes. To me, this is where the magic of life exists—through a curious openness to the non-obvious. In my own life I find I find that a shift in my focus toward the background can be achieved by shifting which sense my consciousness is centered in—from vision to hearing. Vision can very easily be seeking and goal-oriented, while listening is often automatically receptive and less linked to concept.

              

In cultivating sensitivity to serendipity in my own life, I have discovered a looseness and flexibility with situations, and a stimulating sense of curiosity to new possibilities. So I can see what tremendous benefit this approach can have in a heated situation of conflict—a place where certainty and attachment are the name of the game, and a fresh receptive curiosity is precisely what is needed to change patterns.

Lederach also describes peripheral vision with the following: “When one avenue offers resistance, peripheral vision does not counterpush against the resistance. It sidesteps, locates other avenues, and watches for openings and indirect channels” (p. 121). What comes to mind is water, fluidity, intuition—and the feminine principle. Perhaps Lederach is indirectly pointing to the need for feminine truth in our world and in conflict situation. The “powers that be” in the economic and political world, and many of the conflicts in the world are expressed in a masculine—confrontational, rational, goal-oriented , and linear sort of way generally.

Lederach thirdly defines peripheral vision as “the capacity to situate oneself in a changing environment with a sense of direction and purpose and at the same time develop an ability to see and move with the unexpected”  (118). I think it is important that he emphasizes a sense of direction and purpose here, not only the flexibility piece. I think that the rational goal-orientation of a peace-building process creates the structure from which the serendipitous discoveries can arise and make a difference. The art of balance he describes here reminds me of slacklining, a practice that requires one to be totally on point and focused on each step toward a goal, yet in order to reach the goal one must be relaxed to sway with a dynamic ground.