This is a good question, because the Actual Freedom Trust website is the gold-standard for understanding the method, and what Actualism is about. And being that it was written by people that speak English, the only way to know exactly what Richard, Vineeto, and Peter means is to understand English. (In my oppinion). The obvious risk in translation is the potential for things to be watered down or inaccurately translated.
The method itself seems simple enough and I have no doubt that it could be adequately described in any language. But I also think reading the content, as opposed to listening to it, is an activity that is more participatory and sensual. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with listening to it, or watching the dvds, but I personally got more from reading the website.
SO! Tough question. There’s really nothing stopping this person from translating the website themself and making audio recordings. Or taking your google doc and doing it. The options I see are:
- Reach out to the operators of the Actual Freedom Trust and ask for permission
and - Properly credit and link back to the website with a caveat that the website is the gold standard. Maybe note the risk of mistranslation and encourage people to dig into the English version for clarity. Perhaps the operators of the Actual Freedom Trust could offer some advice here, if they be willing.
OR
- Do it without asking for permission.
If I were to give you any advice, it seems like you want to be considerate about the situation so perhaps it would be worth reaching out to the Actual Freedom Trust and seeing what they think. Spreading peace on earth is great, but if I recall there was some resistance to translating the site. There might be good reason for it and if you dig in you’ll better know what to do.
Edit: Here is the page on Actual Freedom regarding translation. One of Richard’s points is this:
P.S.: It is not so much a question of what I [quote] ‘permit’ [endquote] or not – I have no intention of becoming inveigled into being an official arbiter of what may or may not be published or otherwise provided (and thus having to somehow vet all and sundry derivative materials in multiple languages) – but more matter of each and every would-be publisher/provider having the nous to realise, for themselves and by themselves, just how important, how vital, the accurate presentation of the actualism writings are.
Hence my public response (rather than private communication).
Lest there be any misunderstanding: I would, of course, be well-pleased to see websites, forums, web-logs (and books, articles and so forth) flourish all around the globe from anyone wanting ‘to spread the [accurate] word’ about both an actual and a virtual freedom from the human condition as the madness, badness and sadness which it is epitomised by has gone on far too long already.