Our Philosophy
unOther is based upon clear foundational principles. These principles and beliefs are our compass point for all our engagement.
innate dignity
Core to all that we do is our belief in the innate dignity of every person.
This value is not based upon any defining aspect of our being; our gender, our cultural identity, religious affiliation , level of education or social status. Our innate dignity just is.
Guest
Guest-ness is a core belief that the other has much to teach me and that our encounter is mutually beneficial; we both grow, heal and thrive.
The guest approaches an encounter with the other humbly; it is not about us. The guest enters the encounter space slowly, respectfully, gently. We do not rush in. We are totally other focussed, other centred. We hush our ego. We hush the voice that wants to label or fix or solve.
Presence
Guest’s twin is presence.
If guest-ness is HOW we come, presence is what we DO once we have arrived. Through our presence we choose to focus completely and freely upon the other.
When we think we know what the other needs or wants, when we look with ‘pity’, when we take over and fail to listen (both to verbals and non-verbals), when we rush in to ‘save’, when we ‘do good’, when we focus on the label and not the person, we can do the very opposite of what we have set out to achieve.
Our engagement can reinforce stereotypes, take the voice of the other away AGAIN, not be open to the gift of true, authentic, reciprocal relationship and most importantly take from the ‘other’ their personal power.
To not come as guest and be present to the innate dignity of those we are engaging with – keeps the ‘other’ as ‘other’!
