Intro Theme Session

This is a script for a session introducing the Original Face group.  The actual session log is at: Theme_Session_on_Original_Face_group

Calvino:

Today we're having a theme session to talk about a group that we'd like to add to the other group opportunities around PlayAsBeing and Kira, which include the two dream groups, and the Ways of Knowing group.

This group is called "Original Face", which is taken from a Zen teaching story.  It means something like, to hold the question open, but really look to discover, who one really at a more basic level than self-concepts and ideas and conditioned habits.  Perhaps it's like asking - "Who is the 'I' who is the one that says 'This is Me'?"

We're going to wait a few more minutes and then start with a short 5-minute meditation.  If you see anyone arrive during the meditation we ask that you wait until we're done before saying hello.  One of us will greet them and tell them what's happening today.

Text: We're having a special theme session today, introducing a new group called Original Face...

Calvino:

OK, is everybody ready?  I'll type a message after 5 minutes, or you can look at the timer.

(Calvino starts the timer)

...

(((Ding)))

Calvino:

Thanks!

Now we're going to talk a little about the group we want to establish, and then open up for questions or discussions or whatever anyone wants to talk about.

Darren:

Before we do that we would like you to tell something about the group, and show you one of the tools we would like to use and that's the Talking Stick.

To give you an idea about what we have in mind: We see Original Face as a gathering of people all interested in contemplative practices, based on awareness. /We would like to meet once a week, share experiences, and learn from each other.  /Our daily personal experiences are the main part of our practice as well as the focus for our conversations. /We use the word practice here, because our tools we like to use are closer to practice then to just having a conversation. /The experiences we have and the awareness we can develop are more important then talking about trying to label them and putting them into boxes and concepts. /The group is about creating space, about openness.

Calvino:

We'd like to get a feeling of more depth and continuity, like an ongoing version of the online retreats we've been having at PlayAsBeing.

Darren:

The way we would like to share our experiences, is better understood we think, by showing you. So we put our Talking Stick (TS) we are going to use in the group, in the middle. That TS is giving someone the opportunity to speak, much like as in the dream circle. It's scripted, you can pick it up, put it down, or pass it on to someone else. /To show you I will pick it up for you. /If you look closer you can now see my name on the stick, so everybody can see who's talking.

/The stick is there to give people the opportunity to speak their mind without getting interrupted. /Of course you don't need to. /if you get the stick, you can speak or pass it on. /sometimes we will be circling, everybody allowing to speak, sometimes everybody can pick up the stick. /At the same time the stick is there to help us listen to each other. /Instead of following our own thoughts and starting to type already, before somebody has really spoken. /And here we find an important part of practicing, since listening and having patience with each other, is great practice.

Darren:

Okay, we'll show you how it works. /All three of us will use the stick. /Darren will pick it up first and when done, pass it on to Bruce, who will pass it on to Cal. /If he's done, he will put down the stick. /All three of us will try to shed some light on a specific basic idea on which we like to build this group on. /We all three will do that in our own words, trying to connect with our experiences at the same time. /Of course this time we prepared it bit, but it's to give you an idea. /This connecting with our own experiences, we also consider to be great practice. /Instead of only putting out our thoughts, we also try to connect with other parts in ourselves, getting a more open and bigger picture. /After this we will open the floor for any questions you might have.

/Okay, I will start to say something about procedures and how I feel about that.

Darren picks up the Talking Stick.

Darren:

We just said something about using the talking stick and we are using it right now. Our group will be grounded in using these kind of procedures, the talking stick going around the circle, meditation, a check-in and other techniques. These kind of techniques and procedures give us a structure, where we can build upon. The procedures we like to use will slow down the thinking process, thus creating more space, for instance for feelings we might experience, or even becoming more aware of others in the process. And to me that is the most important thing, not the topic we talk about, but the processes we see ourselves in and the processes we create during the time in the group. By slowing down and listening to each other, we might become more aware of all kinds of processes that are taking place, normally often taking place on unconscious levels. But everybody can feel when people are really connecting in a group. Then we are able to see better what is happening and how one feeling or thought flows into another, and maybe even allowing us to touche deeper levels and insights while we carry on.

Darren passes the Talking Stick to Bruce.

Bruce: 

The group will focus on individual practice and experience, what we call the I-Approach.

We'll encourage everyone to use "I-Statements" as much as possible, and thus to honor YOUR experience, YOUR practice, and YOUR feelings about your practice.   This is why we are here - to explore our personal experience through contemplation - not to theorize/philosophize or to criticize/judge/advise each other.  If you feel you could benefit from advice in some aspect of your practice, then use an I-statement to ask the group for that.  Exercise your own responsibility and judgment when the advice you've asked for is offered.   In short: experience your own body, feelings, and Being - and share with us from there.

Bruce passes the Talking Stick to Calvino.

Calvino: 

One difference is that the group's dialogue is private and confidential, rather than recorded like the open sessions.  We will do a little more meditation than in the regular groups, and encourage personal reflection more than discussion.  Another purpose of the group is to support people in their own daily practices, whatever those are.  I think we can all learn from sharing our personal experiences.

We won't much talk about topics in the usual way (that is, "in general"). The real subject of the group is the lives and experiences of those in the group.  Occasionally we might talk about practice and listening, because these are so basic.

A session starts with a short meditation, then we have a "check-in" which is a way for each person to tell the group about his or her recent experience.  After that we have an open period in which anyone can decide to speak and present something to the group.  We will use the Talking Stick to give the speaker our full attention.

We are going to do an example check-in now.  The check-in often starts with a theme or question that is designed to get people thinking more deeply about their experiences.

Today's check-in looks like this:  What am I feeling right now?  What do I bring to the group today, and what do I want to leave outside?

Calvino:

:)
Well, .. my cell phone was ringing, I didn't answer, I guess I'm feeling an effort of giving my atention in one place :)
but I'm excited to be here...  in the back of my mind there's an awareness of lots of situations with my other relations, how much I'm connected in those places
I would like to be able to set some of that concern aside, knowing I'll get back to it,
to have a good focus where I am.  I feel a lot of joy of Darren and Bruce helping and working together .. I like working with people creatively.

Calvino puts down the Talking Stick.  Darren picks it up.

Darren: 

thanks Cal
physically I really feel awful, too tired, a pacing heart of stress-hormones
mentally though I seem to do okay
and I feel happy to be here talking about this new group, because I really believe in it
and I feel very confident about it
So I feel my focus is already here
and a soft attention
I would like to leave my headache outside though :)

Darren puts down the Talking Stick.  Bruce picks it up.

Bruce: 

I had a wonderful meeting in a town 22 miles away this morning -- focusing on gay rights -- and our rural environment.  I feel wonderful about the support of that meeting.
So, it sort of set me up for the whole day.
I am now choosing to focus here and now -- and although I feel very good about that meeeting...
to bring my focus here.
To expand it through ...
I am anxious to hear more from others about this group.
So, I will simply say that I am honored to be part of Original Face...
and feel that it can do much to give my practice the structure that I feel it needs

Bruce puts down the Talking Stick.  Calvino picks it up.

Calvino:

One other thing I want to say about the Talking Stick -- it's a focus tool
and I know it's also natural to want to respond while people are talking, and it can be good for the speaker to hear noises of listening.
I think it's good to keep it simple though, like words of agreement and hearing
rather than new ideas or things that might hijack the attention. I think it is nice to say things like
    :)
or
    Calvino Rabeni smiles
or
    yes :)
but if it were more than that while I had the stick, I think I'd feel a little distracted
anyway I like it not to feel rigid... it's a tool, not a rule
thanks,  Bruce and Darren

Darren:

If you want to hear more about the ideas for this group, see the group description on the web page at
http://wiki.playasbeing.org/Guardian_Pages/Guardians%27_Contributions/Calvino/Groups/Original_Face/Description or talk to Darren, Calvino, or Bruce, or another group member.