Find a place where you can be quiet with your thoughts. Make yourself comfortable; light a candle to mark the time as different from your other activities. Close your eyes and breathe deeply for about five minutes; perhaps repeat a word or phrase to separate yourself from the activities of the day. After you open your eyes, consider:

• Have you ever felt incompetent or inadequate because you thought you were too far from perfection? What standards were you associating with "perfection"?
• Can you think of any flaws you find in yourself that could be turned around and viewed as gifts or blessings?
• What are your expectations for this session? What do you hope results from it? What difference do you hope it makes?

Today you will guide the group to think about specific ways in which they are imperfect and ask them to envision these flaws as gifts. Be gentle and accepting, as you would want a leader to gently guide and accept you.