If you attended TWO events at Day of Dialogue, write a 3-4 page response discussing the events, what they covered, and what you thought of them. I will present a mini draft of the paper.
Reflective essay on transformative justice and online guided meditation for a day of dialogue
The Beginning
The Day of Dialogue, which was held online through Zoom, was a great chance to talk about important personal and social issues. Two sessions that really affected me were “Thinking Through Transformative Justice” and “Online Guided Meditation with Campus Ministry.” They were very different from each other but still very powerful. Each session gave participants new ideas about how to deal with conflicts and improve their mental health, both in a systemic and a personal way. The point of this essay is to break down the topics and conversations that were talked about in these sessions, think about what they mean, and apply what they taught to a bigger picture of how to make society and individuals peaceful.
Transformational justice: a new way to solve conflicts
Foundations for ideas
Transformative Justice (TJ) is very different from traditional systems of punishment. It tries to get to the bottom of bad behavior by focusing on healing and getting people involved in the community instead of punishing them. The first part of the session was an overview of TJ. It was explained that TJ is a way of solving problems that focuses on repair, reconciliation, and rebuilding relationships instead of getting even.
Talks with experts and real-world examples
The panelists were experienced professionals from a range of fields, such as education, social work, and community activism, who brought a range of points of view to the discussion. They talked more about how TJ can be used in different settings, focusing on how flexible and transformative it is. One of the panelists talked about a program in an urban school district where TJ was hired to deal with conflicts. To do this, the school had to change its rules about discipline to support restorative practices and teach students and staff how to solve conflicts. Peer mediation teams were also set up.
Part that is interactive
There were interactive parts of the session where people could ask questions and share their ideas on how to include TJ in their communities. This segment made the point that community involvement is very important in TJ, and many of the people who took part were interested in how to create spaces where people can talk to each other freely and respect each other.
Thoughts and insights from the author
The conversation made me think about how well our current justice system works and showed me how TJ could completely change how we think about and deal with justice. The focus on healing over punishment really hit home for me, especially since people are still arguing about how to change the justice system.
Online meditation with a teacher through Campus Ministry
How to Start Meditating
While the discussion about TJ was intellectually stimulating, the meditation session was a calm contrast. The session started with a discussion about how meditation can help mental and emotional health. The facilitator was a member of the Campus Ministry with a lot of experience in spiritual guidance.
Methods and practices for meditation
People were shown a variety of ways to meditate. The first one was mindfulness meditation, which involved paying attention to our breath and thoughts without judging them. After this practice, a guided visualization and a progressive muscle relaxation exercise were used to help the person feel very calm and centered.
Parts that are interactive and reflective
In this session, too, people were encouraged to talk about their own experiences and thoughts on how meditation affects their daily lives. A lot of people said they felt calmer and less stressed after doing the practices, which shows how quickly they helped.
Getting deeper in your own practice
Everyone was welcome and cared for, so it was easy for both new and experienced practitioners to get involved deeply. The session not only gave us a break from the stresses of everyday life, but it also gave us the tools we needed to make meditation a part of our daily lives, which is good for our personal growth.
In conclusion
For me, the Day of Dialogue was educational because it taught me a lot about transformative justice and personal well-being. These sessions showed how important it is to find new ways to solve problems in society and keep your own balance through activities like meditation. Focusing on both systemic change through TJ and personal health through meditation is a complete way to make society more fair and peaceful. After thinking about these talks, I want to use what I’ve learned to make a difference in the world by fighting for transformative justice in my community and using meditation to improve my own health and strength.
