Evolutions in the Co-Active Accessibility and Wholeness Project: Evoke Mutual Inclusivity

‘Wholeness Week’ (Post 3 of 3) –Continuing their discussion of the Co-Active Accessibility and Wholeness Project, Nick Kettles and Barton Cutter delve into Evoke Mutual Inclusivity, the project’s third and final guiding principle.

Nick: If you’ve been following this discussion you will have noticed that the focus of the first two principles – First Address Wholeness, and Honor the Lens of Challenge – both point towards brokering a mutually inclusive relationship. So in truth the third principle – Evoke Mutual Inclusivity – is in fact the alchemy which is possible when we align with the first two in relationship to people who have a disability or any other challenge for that matter. I use the word alchemy because that is what we have noticed when we got over just trying to ‘accommodate’ Barton into CTI’s certification program. Yes, there were logistical considerations, and it wasn’t until we got curious about how our journey together informed our experience of wholeness, that transformation was possible. With a wide-eyed curiosity about how wholeness can be experienced as our foundation, and the values of honor and empathy on each wing, there is no longer a sense of inclusion being about bringing marginalized people into the fold so they can experience what they have been missing and we have been enjoying. Inclusion is the doorway through which everyone’s experience is enriched, and together we discover new depths about what makes Co-Active tick for our mutual benefit.

Barton: This word alchemy connects with me on so many levels, as it is both the art and the science of transformation. In the context of Evoke Mutual Inclusivity for people with disabilities or other challenges, the logistical aspects of accessibility are representative of the science, they need to be present, but alone, they are basic and the picture is left incomplete. The art, by contrast, is where the beauty of Humanity comes to life- where the infinite hues of wholeness merge with the blank canvas creating an unexpected masterpiece. Just as the hyphen in Co-Active points to the space between, the natural result of Evoke Mutual Inclusivity calls that space to the foreground upon which we may stand in our wholeness and marvel at what emerges. From here, no marginalization can survive, and we are left with a mutual appreciation and respect for NCRW within ourselves and each other. Thus mutual inclusivity becomes the natural choice for the basis of any relationship.

This week, the CTI Transforum Blog is focusing on the topic of ‘wholeness’. This is the last post in the series “Evolutions in the Co-Active Accessibility and Wholeness Project”. Read the 1st post in this series and read the 2nd post in this series here.