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A dictionary of terms as they are used and redefined by Elias


 
 

Cooperation

Elias distinguishes between cooperation and compromise. The point in cooperation is to keep acting in line with preferences and make choices which are not limiting self, despite the fact that other people are having different preferences and are coosing differently.

**Session #1970**:

ELIAS: It also allows you to recognize whether you are cooperating with yourself. Remember, cooperation is NOT teamwork! Cooperation is NOT what other individuals can do to acquiesce to you. Cooperation is what YOU can choose to do to allow yourself to continue in your own direction and to continue with your own guidelines, uninterrupted by other individuals’ choices or expressions or behaviors, and not expecting other individuals to change what they express. If you generate different choices in cooperation with yourself, not opposing yourself, it is not necessary for other individuals to change any expression.

**Session #1304**:

ELIAS: I may offer the suggestion to you to merely pay attention, and what may be significant to pay attention to is cooperation - not compromise, not acquiescing, but cooperation.

FRANK: This is a sort of a way to practice that?

ELIAS: Yes. Recognize that there are differences of perceptions and different preferences, but that those differences are not threatening and that you may incorporate an action of cooperation.

FRANK: And the difference between cooperation and compromise is … I would say that compromise means you accept something you don't want, and cooperation is you find something that both people do want?

ELIAS: In a manner of speaking, yes. It is engaging your choices and not limiting them to the "either/or" expressions, not acquiescing in expressions that you do not prefer or that you do not want to be incorporating, but allowing yourself to engage your creativity and explore more of your expressions to discover the similarities in the differences that may generate a cooperation.



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2006-08-11 19:15 • Link meInfoDiffEdit [Log in]