How we practice.
Preamble
(v.2020.01.24)
We, prime producers, having resolved to constitute our community as a voluntary, secular, equitable collective, hereby proclaim and promise each other:
• To cultivate braver love for others in our selves and our community;
• To advance, through art and science, the craft of intentionally serving others;
• To sow more conscientious livelihoods for individuals and organizations;
Together, we aspire to realize these promises through adherence to these practices:
• The practice of sharing; recognizing we are part of the same whole;
• The practice of mindfulness; recognizing our selves within that one-ness;
• The practice of compassion; recognizing each other as part of our one-ness;
• The practice of humility; recognizing we have much to learn;
• The practice of integrity; recognizing we must be true to ourselves and each other;
• The practice of forgiveness; recognizing we are imperfect beings in an imperfect world;
• The practice of gratitude; recognizing the privilege of intentional service;
We hereby adopt, enact, and present ourselves this constitution to provide the mutual trust, support, and resources necessary to grow toward a more loving, more trusting society.
Sharing
We will share our aptitudes, our attention, our time.
We will share our resources, our space, our responsibility.
We will share our failures, our obstacles, our hope.
It is a privilege to receive the gifts of space and time that have been shared with our community. Together, we are responsible for ensuring that our home remains healthy, sustainable, and nourishing. By respecting each other, our neighbors, and the environment, we can responsibly steward this place so that it may be shared with those to come.
Mindfulness
Through our lives, through interactions with others, and through our work in organizations,
We will seek a deeper understanding of who we are.
Through contemplation, self-reflection, and presence of mind, we will encourage one another to appreciate our own
limitations so that we may embrace and transcend them. In this manner, we strive to become our best selves and, ultimately,
to embody our ideal personal eulogies.
Compassion
We will treat others with respect.
We will serve those in need.
We will be compassionate to our selves.
Compassion is a celebration of this truth: in both the smallest ways and the biggest ways, we are all inextricably linked. Our relationships with one another ultimately define who we are, so we will create interactions that empower and nurture the best in each other. We will serve one another so that, collectively, we
may better serve the world.
Humility
We will not shy from the hard work, the unpleasant work, or the unpopular work.
We will seek the humor in our challenges.
We will learn with abandon.
Against the daunting, unforeseen challenges yet to come, we will not be afraid to ask for help. With the certain failures, together we shall cry, laugh, and learn. With our great successes, we will remind one another to keep perspective. We will stay humble.
Integrity
We will be build transparency in ourselves, in our interactions, and in our organizations.
We will be accountable to ourselves, to each other, and through our organizations.
We will keep our promises.
Honesty is primary in forging the trust that underpins our relationships. We must grant each other the ability to prove our selves, our words, and our work. As we support one another to stay true, we must proactively develop the kind of trust that is rooted both in real-life certainty and subjectively understood intent.
Forgiveness
When we fail, we will forgive ourselves.
When others fail us, we will afford them the opportunity to be forgiven.
We must forgive because we share responsibility.
Whenever possible, we will embrace misunderstanding or conflict as opportunities for dialogue and growth. We each undertake this project with full understanding of human failings and cannot let grudges or regrets distract us from our practice.
Gratitude
We are thankful for the privilege to serve others.
We are thankful for others.
We are thankful.
It is our observation that true fulfillment is not an external objective to be acquired in the future, but an intentional appreciation of the present. We will, whether joyfully or
somberly, assist each other in cultivating gratitude for the world around us, the people that surround us, and the light in each of us.
Note: The intention of this long-form preamble is to provide an unchanging framework of values to inform formal articles/rules and informal cultural practices that will change over time.
You can learn a little more about our practice at the Prime Produce community collective website.