Activity 4: Sacred in the Everyday (20 minutes)
Materials for Activity
- Paper for drawing or writing for all participants
- Drawing and writing implements, such as pencils, colored pencils, markers, crayons
- Bell
- Clock, watch, or timer that shows seconds
- An assortment of everyday objects, at least twice as many as you have participants in your group.
- (Optional) A cloth large enough to cover the objects until you begin the activity
Preparation for Activity
- Set out writing and drawing materials convenient to the space where you will lead this activity.
- Make sure participants will have seats at tables for writing or drawing.
- Collect an assortment of your own and borrowed everyday objects. Make sure you have enough different objects — at least two different objects for every one participant in your group. If you are concerned about the possibility of theft, omit from your collection items of value such as a computer, a cell phone, or precious jewelry. A participant who has kleptomania may be tempted to take even small items, such as a puzzle piece; do not include any item that its owner cannot easily replace.
- Place the collection of everyday objects on a table in the center of your meeting space.
- (Optional) You may wish to cover the collection with a cloth before you begin this activity.
Description of Activity
Introduce the activity with these or similar words:The hymn "Spirit of Life" asks that the spirit move in the hand. Throughout a typical day, what kinds of things are the work of our hands?
Listen to a few responses, then show participants the table upon which sits the collection of everyday objects. These objects may include car keys, eyeglasses, a needle and thread, a cell phone, garden tools, salt and pepper shakers, note pads, a child's toy, a guitar pick, a puzzle piece, playing cards, a sponge, a remote control device, a book, a file folder, pencils or pens, a lunch box, a watch, a grocery list, a "to do" list, a newspaper, an envelope, a screwdriver, diapers, matches, a cooking utensil, an eating utensil, a lipstick, a hairbrush, deodorant, a candle, a toothbrush, a coffee cup, matches, napkins, duct tape, a bar of soap, postage stamps, a laptop computer, a PDA, a phone book, a flashlight, a mirror, a dog leash, scissors, earrings, a corkscrew, a calculator, a hammer, a pacifier, socks, or a pair of shoes.
Instruct participants to come forward and select one of the everyday objects. You may say:
Choose an object because you feel moved to select it. It can be something you use frequently or something you don't use at all.
Invite participants to return to their seats and hold in their hands the object they chose. Explain that they will have a time for meditation on the object, guided by three questions you will read aloud:
Ask participants:
- What does the object remind you of from your own experience? It might call to mind something everyday and mundane, or it might call to mind a peak or a turning point in your life. Whatever it calls to mind, hold it in your thoughts.
Pause for a minute or so. Then ask participants to reflect on this question:
- How does your experience with the object you are holding relate to your spirituality?
After allowing a couple of minutes for reflection, ask,
- Thinking about all of this, how might you say the Spirit of Life moves through your hand in relationship to the object?
Allow another minute or two for reflection. Conclude the time by sounding the bell.
Invite participants to rise in silence and gather materials for writing and/or drawing about their reflections they have had. Tell participants they can write, draw, or move; some participants may find that using body movement or drawing with their non-dominant hand can facilitate their expressiveness.
Allow three to five minutes for writing, drawing, or movement. Then ring the bell.
Conclude the activity by sharing these or similar words about the purpose of this reflection:
Reflecting on these everyday objects can help us get in touch with how we feel and live our spirituality in the everyday—not just at the times we're worshipping or meditating or traveling through beautiful country, but how we feel and live our spirituality during the workday, while we do chores or errands, when we wait in line, or when we listening to the music while being kept on hold during a phone call.
Invite participants to hold on to their reflections from this activity to use as a basis for sharing in the next activity, Activity 5: Triad Sharing.
Including All Participants
If some participants are not able to move to the table to explore and choose from the collection of everyday objects, bring an assortment of at least ten objects to them and invite them to select one.
Last updated on Friday, April 18, 2008.
