Cultivating Ecological Understandings in Participatory Action Research - Insights from Dharma Yoga Metaphor

Abstract

As a PhD researcher, I worked with Participatory Action Research (PAR). To this reference, this paper reflects upon my personal experiences and intellectual development in maintaining inner calm and balance when faced with the outcomes and reactions of practitioner research that follow. I achieved this by utilizing the metaphor of Dharma Yoga, derived from the Vedic tradition. In this reflective inquiry, my focus lies in the field of education, where the application of Dharma Yoga metaphor emphasizes ecological principles like authenticity, relationality, and ethical responsibility. Through this emphasis, I hypothesized that ecological PAR encourages individual growth and societal advancement through inner transformation and outer manifestation of those involved in PAR. My reflection, first, observed the prevalence of the procedural aspects of the PAR model prevalent in the Northern Hemisphere, which centers on organizational learning. Thereafter, my reflective observations shifted to the values of fairness, self-governance, and empowerment embodied in the Southern Hemisphere’s PAR paradigm. Mindful of the limitations in both forms of PAR, I began integrating the metaphor of Vedic Dharma Yoga, which eventually created an additional dimension of ecological epistemology. This framework involved reflective introspection, practical implementation, and collaborative involvement as means, through which practitioner researchers in the field of PAR can engage in selfless practical activities and maintaining inner calm and balance throughout the process. Also, it acknowledged the valuable attributes of both Northern and Southern PAR paradigms while enriching them with the intricate ethical connections between practitioner-researchers and their practical applications.