Positive consciousness combines the power of positive thinking, collective action and digital multimedia technology to empower people to improve themselves and their communities. Positive consciousness is similar to Paulo Freire’s concept of critical consciousness but is positively focused. Seeking to identify resources and successes rather than limitations, obstacles and failures. The positive consciousness uniquely combines appreciative inquiry and extended language methodologies to work it’s magic.

Appreciative inquiry uses unconditionally positive questions to highlight available resources and past successes, encouraging self-efficiency, empowerment and hope, while traditional, critically-focused mythologies highlight limitations, failures and needs, which can be disempowering and overwhelming. Extended language encourages confident, credible and far-reaching communication by allowing participants to escape the structural, grammatical and epistemological limitations of written and spoken language through the use of multimedia. The freedom and creativity of extended language help bring to light shadowy assumptions and unleash hidden resources, often illuminating new alternatives for action and decision-making.

Digital Roots field-tested the positive consciousness methodology during a digital video project rural Costa Rica, in conjunction with The London School of Economics.