Details on why the Name Use matters
Beth Sutton
Some people have asked that we share more details about why we feel the Enki name needs to be used so carefully. For those interested, we wanted to clarify what we can. We put significant study and reflection into making this decision originally, and have been looking at it again more recently, so it will take some time to explain. But for those interested, we hope the following will both shed more light on the kind of consideration we gave this matter, and also increase understanding of the specifics of this issue. Since we put a lot in, it will take a while to describe.
As is true with all things Enki, we considered the issue from the perspective of the Enki Ecosystem, looking carefully through the web, at how each aspect affects the whole. In the synopsis below we do not go through each thread, but that is the work that underlies the perspective that follows.
1) First of all, many have asked why this same name use limit is not held by Waldorf or Montessori. The reason is purely a practical matter: Waldorf and Montessori have many schools and official online sites, trained teachers, and other programs bringing the clarity of their work forward. And they have been building their identities for almost 100 years. For Enki, the Facebook Group is, intentionally or not, a major part of the representation so it’s impact is much greater. Hopefully, one day that won’t be the case and this aspect of the name issue will be a moot point.
As well, it might be helpful to realize that identity is of equal importance to Waldorf and Montessori. In Waldorf, you have to do a long, intense training and successfully graduate, or you have to have the approval of an Anthroposophic or Waldorf official, to claim to be a Waldorf Teacher (as a certified and experienced Waldorf, Beth knows this first hand). You have to go through enormous training and ongoing supervision - and have the approval of an Anthroposophic or Waldorf official - to call your program a Waldorf, or even Waldorf inspired, one (again, Beth went through this with representatives of the Anthroposophic Society when she started Enki). We have been told by Montessori teachers that something similar is the case with Montessori.
This is what it takes to bring a specific approach into being and to maintain its integrity. Otherwise the new vision just gets lost in an eclectic soup. Because of the school presence, teacher trainings, and longevity of Waldorf and Montessori, their internet presence is of much less importance to maintaining clarity for them, but even there, the schools and the Anthroposophic and Montessori Societies oversee many discussion sites.
2) The second reason is one of great importance specifically because it is subtle: it is that the heart of Enki is a perspective and a process, not a curriculum or methodology. Bringing a process to take root in the hearts and lives of those working with it is not easy; anything that pulls the other way has a huge impact. It is much easier for a pedagogy, curriculum, or methodology to take root – Enki is a big shift.
3) The third reason is more complex. We will try to make it clear by use of examples. This reason begins with the same issue as #2: understanding that Enki is a very specific process. In relation to this issue, what matters is that when we look at or share any curriculum content and methodology, or personal experience, without the opportunity for processing, by definition, Enki is lost. The Facebook structure makes it impossible to unfold the Enki process. This has nothing to do with whether the people in that group are unfolding the Enki process in their lives or in other discussions. Only that the FB discussion itself, by virtue of the structure of Facebook, cannot honor the process that is Enki, and inevitably, content and opinion become the focus – and Enki is lost.
By way of example, on the google group Beth shared a story about a Madame Alexander doll. This is a cloth doll with a vinyl head and limbs and a fully detailed face with “open and close eyes” – really detailed. Had she posted about this on a FB page with the photo of her (adorable ) granddaughter totally in love with the doll, it would have become part of what makes Enki, and as a hardened fact, that would have been misleading.
However, she posted it on the google site in relation to a discussion about dolls and creative play and supporting the imagination. We were looking together at the question of how much definition opens a child’s imagination and identification, and how much closes it. In that context, it was opening to see that, while overall we recommend minimal detailing so the child can most fully live into the identification with his own emotions, for some, a fully detailed doll might be where that deep connection happens.
Also, having space not only for discussion on it, but also for a full story about the child’s connection, brings it more into the process realm. This is how we leave people free to make their own decisions while being informed by the Enki principles – that is what Enki is.
Another example – one with far reaching impact - is the subject of Martinmas (or Michaelmas or any other holiday). This was raised on the Enki Farm group. In that setting we could explore the reasons these celebrations might well support a given family’s “personal ideal” (because of their own religious commitments or because of their social/community realities and opportunities). AND we could explore how, in and of itself, Martinmas is a Christian/ Anthroposophic (Waldorf) Holiday so not part of the Enki blueprint except during a unit on Christianity or a Christian sage (as would be true for any religious holiday of any kind). With all that discussed and explored, the topic is fully part of doing Enki, regardless of whether a given family celebrates Martinmas or not.
But sharing short posts on Martinmas or Michaelmas on FB leaves room only for “me too,” and “like,” “share,” or short comments, but no space for real discussion. None of those replies bring forward how these holidays relate to Enki, so they muddy understanding of what it is to do Enki.
On top of that, on the base of the short posts, Martinmas very quickly starts being seen as part of Enki, and Enki starts being seen as Waldorf lite or multicultural Waldorf. We have seen this happen repeatedly over the years – it is not a theory, but direct experience. That has a huge impact on bringing Enki into the world. For perspective, it took us 12 years to establish a separate enough identity that people really looked at the depth of Enki, and the paradigm shift began to percolate. It is still an uphill climb though and most still come to us seeking Waldorf Lite – and that is not what we are, or to what we commit our time and hearts.
Most of the above could be said about posts on Herb Fairies, and Simplicity Parenting, and NVC, and Nebel’s Science, and when to use pens or start recorder – or anything else. All of them are great educators in the context of discussion, and through that discussion, people will find many different answers to meet their personal needs, and Enki grows. That is what Enki is. But in quick posts they are great misleaders in regards to what Enki is.
4) Fourth is part of the last – these web discussions require participation of those who have worked deeply with the Enki process: because of their experience and training, the Leadership is one part of that team – a critical part.
5) Fifth: We do realize that some feel that calling the group “Enki Families” does not mean it represents Enki. Over the years, we have seen, and we have been told by advertising consultants, that this is not true. We have seen and been told that once the Enki name is in the title or group/program name, all disclaimers that follow wash away in the recipients perception.
Another part of this representation issue ties in with defining Enki. As we have said, Enki is defined by the activity of questioning through the Web – period. So imagine a parent has worked with the Guides and, because of their particular child’s needs, has come to see integration in an early academics/Better-Baby program, which they then call “Enki Babies.” Or imagine someone comes to feel a beauty contest for her 6 year old is integrating, and calls it “Little Enki Beauties.” Most would likely agree that we have both the right and the responsibility to get the Enki name removed from these programs.
You can say those are far fetched examples and have nothing to do with this situation, but in truth, sharing experiences and ideas without space to question through the web is father from Enki than is the use of “Little Enki Beauties” based on deep exploration (yes, a situation where a beauty contest was appropriate for a young child because of that child’s needs and path to integration would be unusual. It would be a personal adaptation for a personal ideal and not the Enki blueprint, so the Enki name should not be used, but the point remains that it is the process and not the content that define Enki.)
Beth: an actual example I have lived is around videos. If I just post the end point of our lives I will say, “the cartoon film of Pocahontas saved us when my grandson was two – he saw it about 50 times over a couple of months.” In that post, I am not manifesting Enki. But if I say, the same thing, and one of you says, I don’t see how watching cartoons at two could support integration; was there something unusual for you?” I would say, “When my grandson, at 2 years old, he was in extreme pain and strapped to infusion machines and living in terror as disease tore through him, and all the adults in his life were exhausted and terrified. So watching Pocahontas over and over became our Personal Ideal.” Then the very same content manifests Enki.
But I would still not put watching Pocahontas into Enki as a blueprint activity. The blueprint describes the most commonly integrating activities and methodology, for this day and in this overall “culture.” Exactly how that might apply to any given person, can only be discovered by that person. This is why I was so reluctant to write materials for the first years of Enki (it took 5 years for me to agree to write the Guides and another 4 to agree to start on the Resource Books) – my greatest challenge has been how to write about a process and also provide support materials, without creating a dogma.
Our goal is to nurture the heart of Enki, which is this ability to stand in the questions/ perspective described by the web, with total freedom for each person to decide what answer comes of that. But shifting from having an answer to a question as our ground, to letting the act of questioning be our ground is not so easy and it is easily impacted by the kinds of things we describe above. Hopefully, the details on this sheds light on how we processed this and why we see the use of the name as so important.
Beth and Amy