Gentle Action is a cultural practice, subtle in nature so that a minimal intervention, intelligently made, can result in a major change or transformation. The reason is that such action makes use of the dynamics of the whole system in question.

Gentle action emulates the way complex systems normally undergo change. It is the natural method of influencing change in complex systems. It operates from within the system and is informed by the intelligence of the system itself―the collective intelligence that emerges from the relationships amongst its parts. Gentle action works slowly and naturally, bringing revitalizing change with minimal disruption. It respects the nature of the entities and processes within the system and the relationships amongst them. It seeks to utilize these aspects of the system, not to alter them wholesale or abruptly. Gentle action has a harmonizing and integrating effect.

Knowledge Sources

Resource for Gentle Action applied to indigenous people:

The Incarceration of Native American Women: Creating Pathways to Wellness and Recovery through Gentle Action Theory (New Visions in Native American and Indigenous Studies)

Resource for Gentle Action in general:

Gentle Action: Bringing Creative Change to a Turbulent World

Principles of Gentle Action

• Regenerative feedback loops: This brings stability to a system–or needed change.
  • Regenerative feedback loops keep a system working within a small zone.
  • Degenerative feedback loops push a system out of its established steady state. An example would be an invasive species destroying an ecosystem.
• "Be the change": Focus on changes you can make, not on changing others.
• Change from within: Rather than being imposed from without, change arises organically from within the system.
• Creative suspension: Practice deep and thorough "listening," to gain a full picture of the structures and dynamics of the system.
• Sensitivity to system type: Small and large systems have their own rhythms or "metabolic rates" (often fast for small systems, slow for large ones). Turbulent systems may be very sensitive to change, while stable ones tend to be highly resilient. Tailor the approach based on the size and state of the system.
• Work with what's already there: Utilize or re-direct rather than oppose the processes and energies of the system (like wu-wei, or "active non-action," as employed in martial arts).
• Small, collaborative actions: Employ many small actions (often originating from numerous individuals), working together and mutually reinforcing.
• Multi-level actions: Don't seek a single solution or plan, but look for a variety of leverage points on multiple aspects or levels of the system.
• Iterative actions: Utilize repeated actions, making appropriate use of existing personal habits, cultural customs, and/or environmental patterns.
• Highly coordinated actions: Attune to the rhythms of the system and carefully time for maximal effect, utilizing ample and ongoing communication amongst individuals working together.
• Flexibility and improvisation: Continually adjust based upon systems response and feedback in real time.

Comparing Gentle Action to a Typical Approach