Forum
– written up by Kosha Anja Joubert
Every Project/ Organization/ Community needs to give time and space to
- Strengthening of vision and purpose
- Deep sharing with the aim of building compassion and mutual trust
- Strategizing and organizing to realise our visions
Whenever we neglect the first two, the third (organizational meetings), tend to become more difficult.
One method we have found to be very helpful in building trust and maturity within community, while also strengthening inner purpose is called the FORUM:
Worldviews:
- Belief in our capacity as humans to build a life-supporting culture
- Compassion, generosity and co-empowerment makes us happy
- Belief that humans carry an unfathomable depth in their being: mystery
- Life is constant change: practice of seeing with fresh eyes constantly
- Self-responsibility: responsibility not for all that happens, but for how we deal with it, for our reactions, feelings, thoughts and deeds
- Belief that diversity is a treasure
- Belief that win-win solutions can always be found if we dig deep enough
- Any step an individual takes is ultimately a step of the whole: political relevance
Goals:
- Focus on transparency (leading to integrity and mutual trust) – Heart-to-Heart-Communication
- Building a pool of common values
- Visibility of undercurrent/ background to what is happening – listening and learning from feelings and processes
- By allowing light to fall on these processes, instead of leaving them in the dark, they often change out of their own accord. Solutions and transformations come about naturally.
- Supporting growth and unfolding of individual potential
Basic format:
- Age-old format of people coming together in a circle
- Space in the middle seen as a stage that participants can step onto
- Person ‘on stage’ (presenter) is supported by a facilitator
- Once the presenter is finished, others can give feedback and express what they witnessed
Person ‘on stage’
- Visible and in the focus of the group– this may make us feel vulnerable, but also gives a higher intensity
- Practice of showing ourselves – becomes more natural as time goes on
- Conscious decision to ‘work’ with a certain theme
- Focus on creating the reality that we wish for
Facilitator (Most often with Co-facilitator)
- Invites the person ‘on stage’ to relax and try out unusual ways of expression
- Makes sure a non-judgemental atmosphere is maintained
- Keeps focus on choreography of energy for the whole group
- High awareness of own personality, of strengths and weaknesses
- Own transparency within group essential
The Circle
- Holds and transforms energy – heart space
- Holds a non-judgemental attitude of connectedness: open receptivity – deep listening
Feedback
- Helpful because it aligns self-perception and how others perceive us
- The feedback we give is meant to lighten people up and to awaken their curiosity. It gives them information they need to go through the changes they wish for. It deepens their self-awareness.
- Ex. Let people know when their ‘inner light’ comes on – this shows when they align with their inner vision and heart’s intent.
- In receiving feedback it is helpful to come from a place of sobriety. Don’t judge whether the feedback is right or wrong, rather focus on what it triggers in you. Then you can consciously decide which feedback you wish to work with more.
We applaud to show our appreciation for the courage of individuals to express themselves and make themselves vulnerable. We also applaud to finish off one phase and prepare the space for something new.
(With gratitude to my friends from the ZEGG and Tamera Communities who developed the Forum over many years)
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