Wednesday, February 15, 2012

January 12, 2012: The Virtues Project.

      On this date, Sharleen presented some basic elements of the Virtues Project to our group.
     The Virtues Project was founded in Canada in 1991 by Linda Kavelin Popov, Dr. Dan Popov and John Kavelin. It became a global grassroots initiative to inspire the practice of virtues in everyday life. There are now a multitude of international facilitators who have developed a strategy that can be taught and utilized across all religions and to some extent across most cultures. The intention of this Project is to teach and empower individuals to live more authentic meaningful lives, to help families raise children of compassion and integrity, to enable educators to create safe, caring and high performing places of learning, and and leaders in the workplace to encourage excellence and ethics in the work place. The hope is that this program would mobilize people worldwide to commit acts of service and generosity, to heal violence with virtues. It was honored by the United Nations during the International Year of the family as a "model global program for families of all cultures."

The program starts with a list of virtues that are worth cultivating. Educational material is sold to any group who wants it. Some of these guides are aimed at educating children. Some are aimed at religious organizations. Others are intended to be used in the workplace.

A brief list of virtues that are valued and worth practicing is presented here. There is a much more comprehensive list of virtues on the website at

assertiveness           gentleness            peacefulness
caring                      helpfulness          prayerfulness
cleanliness               honesty               purposefulness
compassion             honor                  reliability
confidence              humility                respect
consideration          idealism                responsibility
courage                  joyfulness            reverence
courtesy                 justice                  self-discipline
creativity                kindness               service
detachment            love                      steadfastness
determination         loyalty                  tact
enthusiasm             mercy                  thankfulness
excellence              moderation          tolerance
faithfulness             modesty               trust
flexibility                obedience             trustworthiness
forgiveness            orderliness            truthfulness
friendliness             patience               unity
generosity

Here is a much more comprehensive list of virtues: http://www.virtuesproject.com/Pdf/ComprehensiveListofVirtues.pdf

The five Strategies of the VirtueProject"

These strategies help us to live more authentic, purposeful lives, to raise children of compassion and idealism, and create a culture of character in our schools and communities.

1.  Speak The Language of Virtues
     Language has the power to discourage or to inspire. Using virtues to acknowledge, guide, correct and thank awakens the best within us.
2.   Recognize Teachable Moments
     Recognizing the virtues needed in daily challenges helps us to become lifelong learners open to the lessons of character.
3.   Set Clear Boundaries
     Boundaries based on respect and restorative justice create a climate of peace, cooperation, and safety in our homes, schools, and communities.
4.    Honor the Spirit
     We sustain our vision and purpose by integrating virtues into our activities, surroundings, celebrations and the arts.
5.    Offer Companioning
     Being deeply present and listening with compassionate curiosity guides others to find clarity and to create their own solutions. It supports healing and growth.

To learn more about the Virtues Project, the various material that is available to learn these techniques and strategies, how to order materials, and how to  become a facilitator. Go to www.virtuesproject.com

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