Restorative Justice and the Triangles Work by Christine Thomas

The following remarks were broadcast in the Triangles Webinar on October 23, 2017:

I work in the field of restorative justice.  Restorative Justice is an aspect of Restorative Practices, which at its heart is a social science based in right human relationships.  Along a continuum exists a range of strategies and practices which are aimed at building and fostering healthy respectful relationships and responding to and repairing where possible relationships when conflict and harmful behaviour occurs. These practices are deeply connected to the field of peacebuilding.

I have spent the last 16 years working in the field of Restorative Justice with adolescents. Young people between the ages 10-16 who have broken the law and in so doing have caused harm to others.  The process of a restorative justice conference is a formal justice response to this wrongdoing and harmful behaviour and brings the young person, their primary support and the person harmed by their behaviour and their primary supports. It includes the arresting police officer and at times various community agencies or other community members who in some way have a stake in the process.  The goal of this process is to provide the opportunity for the young person to take responsibility for their behaviour, for the person harmed to tell their story and for the parties’ present to come to some mutually agreed upon way for the young person to make amends– if achieved the outcome is recorded in a legal agreement.  This process is facilitated by a highly skilled convenor who guides the parties through a particular process to achieve this outcome. 

Often during the subjective work of the Triangles meditation, I am led to pondering the relationship of the subjective work to that of service work I am involved in.

The fourth stanza of the Great Invocation points out the relationship of humanity to the three aspects of divine life – the energies of intelligence, love and will, and mankind's deep responsibility to implement the spread of love and light on Earth.

“Right here the work of the Triangles—so close to the heart of the Hierarchy at this time—becomes obvious. Through the network which the Triangles are creating, light or illumination is invoked by the daily work and attitude of the Triangle members; thus light can indeed ‘descend on earth’ and goodwill, which is the love of God and basically, the will-to-good, can also stream forth in fuller livingness into the hearts of men; thus they are transformed in their lives and the era of right human relations cannot be stopped” (Discipleship in the New Age: Page 168).

Pondering upon this 4 primary lines of thought emerge: (Service, Right Human Relations, Good Will and Evolution as stimulated by the principle of Conflict)

The first – is that of service – DK particularises that “service is a method of producing phenomenal outer and tangible results upon the physical plane…..through the ‘centre which we call the race of men’ the Plan of love and light works out.”

He says: “By right of this creative quality, service will eventually be regarded as a world science.  It is a creative urge, a creative impulse, a creative momentous energy. This creativity of service has already been vaguely recognized in the world of human affairs under varying names, such as the science of vocational training.  Recognition of the impetus coming from a right understanding of social relations and their study is not lacking.  Much is also being studied along this same line in connection with criminology and the right handling of the youth of any nation and national group” (Esoteric Psychology, Vol. II, p. 130). The issue of Youth is further elaborated on in Problems of Humanity.  And so here we see that this is more than that of the subjective work – that it is the active precipitation of love in action on the physical plane. For me there is a direct link to the work of restorative justice and fostering right human relations.

And so we have the second line of thought – that of "right human relations" which is today being discussed and increasingly realised as a major human need. Whereby DK states that “The illumination of men's minds, so that they can see things as they are, can apprehend right motives and the way to bring about right human relations, is now a major need; the motivating power of goodwill is an essential to right action; given these two—light and love—it will not be many decades before the idea of right human relations will have become the ideal of the masses and will be rapidly taking form in all national, public and community affairs. The history of humanity has been that of the apprehension and the use of ideas as applied to human living and as expressing forward moving concepts; today the two ideas needed are light upon our way and practical goodwill” (Discipleship in the New Age, Vol. II, p. 169).

And so we move to the third line of thought – that of evolution as stimulated by the principle of conflict as we consider DKs words, “The development of right motive is a progressive effort, and constantly one shifts the focus of one's incentive when one discovers himself, as the Light shines ever more steadily upon one's way, and constantly a newer and higher motive emerges” (A Treatise on White Magic, p. 204).

This progressive expression is paralleled in the restorative justice process whereby a person who has been harmed by a young person’s unlawful behaviour is angry and hurt as a result of the incident which has occurred. Through the process of pre-conference preparation, the person harmed is able to have their story heard and assisted to gather what is most meaningful to him from the process. Through the restorative justice conference itself there is often a shift of such significant proportions that we see more often than not forgiveness and an active expression of good will – where people who have been harmed offer their support, jobs and genuine and heartfelt well wishes to the young person.  We see young people who have at a point in time not considered the impact of their behaviour express remorse and apologies for their behaviour, often wanting to over extend themselves to make amends.  We see relationships between parents and children strengthen and connections between strangers take place. 

It might be said that the effect of the Principle of Conflict, operating under Ray IV and controlled by Ray II, will be—as far as humanity is concerned—to bring about right human relations and the growth of the universal spirit of goodwill among men (The Rays and Initiations, p. 612)

And so we here we might consider that this principle is at play and offering an opportunity for the expression of Good Will and the deeply spiritual qualities of courage, responsibility and forgiveness.

And the final line of thought - Goodwill – whereby we are called to recognise that goodwill is a dynamic energy which can bring about world changes of a fundamental kind, and that its mode of expression is through the activity of the individual man and woman and through their massed intent. The massed power of goodwill, the dynamic effect of intelligent and active understanding, and the potency of a trained and alive public opinion which desires the greatest good of the greatest number, are beyond belief. This dynamic power has never been employed. It can, today, save the world (The Externalisation of the Hierarchy, p. 211).

The process of restorative justice invites people into a place where good will can be exercised and cultivated – often where some of the most harmful behaviour has occurred.  Through a facilitated process and dialogue parties are able to hear one another and move from their positions of separativeness, to one of connection and recognition of humanity in the other.

Restorative Justice offers us a new way of managing harmful behaviour and a basis on which to build a new justice system that places those most affected at the centre of the system. It offers an opportunity to centralise our thinking and our actions around right human relationships.  To move away from punitive and separatist ways of thinking.

There is much work to be done. Our subjective work and service must go hand in hand so light can truly descend on earth.

“A spirituality that is only private and self-absorbed, one devoid of an authentic political and social consciousness, does little to halt the suicidal juggernaut of history. On the other hand, an activism that is not purified by profound spiritual and psychological self-awareness and rooted in divine truth, wisdom, and compassion will only perpetuate the problem it is trying to solve, however righteous its intentions. When, however, the deepest and most grounded spiritual vision is married to a practical and pragmatic drive to transform all existing political, economic, and social institutions, a holy force – the power of wisdom and love in action – is born. This force I define as Sacred Activism.” – Andrew Harvey

Thank you for the opportunity to share.