Themes: Noticing communication gaps and comparing intention with interpretation.

Participants: Any number, in person.

Materials: Paper, crayons (for variations).

Let the group choose an interesting issue or subject for a conversation. Break the group into pairs. Tell them to sit back-to-back with their partner, if comfortable, and take turns talking for two minutes each, saying whatever comes to their mind on the subject. After each partner has shared, have them reflect back to one another what they heard. Is anything missing? Has anything taken on a new meaning?

If you have younger participants in your group or if you have a mix of participants under 18 and participants over 18, change the way you describe the Deeper Joy activity so that it does not include the back to back touch at all but rather just facing in different directions. This avoids situations that compel younger children to consent for touch as well as avoids creating a situation where an adult will be physically touching parts of a child’s body, for safety reasons.

Variation: While one person describes their favorite place in the world or in their imagination, the other person draws what they are hearing on the paper.

Variation: Give both partners paper and crayons. Concentrate on drawing the same picture without looking. Compare drawings after a time.