The process of conflict resolution can be illustrated in Aboriginal Art.

These paintings are excellent examples of both concepts.

Like mediation, Aboriginal (meaning - from the beginning) art often encompasses a satellite or x-ray view. A satellite view provides an overview of the subject, and an x-ray view provides an insight.

The Meeting Place

This painting "The Meeting Place" shows a series of meeting places. Those around the edge show meetings at a campfire with two people who have a shield and spear at their side. The lines to each campfire represent their journey.  The central circle shows a group meeting with no spears or shields.

The corollary with mediation is that the central process involves people sitting down to have a discussion and leaving behind their defense and attack mechanisms.

The meeting is also on an equal footing with each person present having an equal part to play.

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Meeting of the animals

"Meeting of the animals" is a combination of both views and shows animals gathering around watering holes and other meeting places. All the animals are seen in an x-ray view showing their internal organs.

The significance to mediation is in the artist's insight which is a similar process by which a skilled mediator seeks to understand, and take into account, the individual participants in a mediation. A mediator does this to gain an integrated and comprehensive understanding of both the people and the issues.

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Eagle Dreaming

This painting "Eagle Dreaming" shows baby eagles in the nests being guarded by one of their parents while the other is out foraging for food, flying in a pattern between two mountains.

The parallel with mediation is that the process is first of all about protecting what is most important to you, and then trying add value to your position.