Activity 5: Sharing the Blessings (20 minutes)
Materials for Activity
- Optional: Cordless microphone(s)
Preparation for Activity
- If more than five small groups have created blessings, think creatively about how each group can present within the allotted time. Decide how you will select just five of the small groups to conduct their blessings. Instead, you can extend the time allotted for this activity. Or, you may choose to reconvene participants into two, separate groups—each led by a workshop co-leader—so that all may conduct their blessings.
- If you have decided to divide your whole group into two, separate groups to share blessings, arrange to use an additional meeting space for this activity.
Description of Activity
Gather all participants together to enact the blessings. If you have decided that participants will share blessings in two separate groups, allow time for one co-leader to gather his/her small groups and relocate to another meeting space.Remind participants that the blessings will flow in this order: Blessing of our minds, our hearts, our hands, our spirits, and our community. Ask participants to maintain silence between the blessings. Invite them to pay attention to the flow of the blessings as a whole, as well as to the role of their small group's work in shaping the overall experience.
Invite participants to get comfortable in their chairs, take some deep breaths, and prepare to receive the blessings. Signal the first small group to begin.
After the groups have conducted their blessings, guide a discussion with these questions:
- What was it like to create and participate in these blessings?
- What was it like to receive them?
- What realizations or learnings have you had that you can carry forward?
Including All Participants
You may wish to provide a microphone to help all participants hear presenters who speak softly.Last updated on Saturday, April 19, 2008.
