the clearness committee (a quaker tradition)

from time to time i will share spiritual practices that some people do and or are a part of a faith tradition. hopefully they will be useful to you. if you practice any, make sure to invite others into the process. i define spiritual practice as the discipline that connects you to the ethereal, indescribable part of yourself, others, and God. Sometimes it can be in the most concrete ways, (eg having a conversation) and sometimes it can be abstract (eg. out of body experience like Jesus' spirit ascending to heaven).

The Quaker tradition has a practice called the Clearness Committee. A person invites four to five members to form a group whose goal is to engage with the person seeking counsel. It's a kind of group process that brings clarity to an unresolved issue with one person (the seeker) being at the center of attention. The person looking for "clearness" prepares a statement that includes detailed information of the unresolved issue. Committee members get a chance to only ask open ended and unassuming questions. Questions must not include judgment and most notably should not weave in advice. Silence is encouraged and nobody rushes the process. A typical session can last 2-3 hours. According to Parker J. Palmer in The Courage to Teach, Clearness Committees invite "people to help each other with personal problems while practicing a discipline that protects the sanctity of the soul".

Clearness Committee can seem intimidating and invasive,especially if you like to keep things private. But there are aspects of the process that provide a holistic alternative to the often harsh and critical process of feedback. With Clear Committees, seekers have the freedom to pick people they trust. But that doesn't necessarily mean the panel is full of bias. Instead, the purpose is to create organically ran spaces where even time becomes unrestricted. I want to try this practice before I graduate. The thought of it now sounds terrifying. I am protective in nature, however, I recognize the value in the process. And as Palmer says this practice "protects" the sanctity of the soul." What better thing to protect than the soul? Beautiful, Just beautiful.