Y2K Open Sentences Practice
A practice adapted from Coming Back to Life: Practices
to Reconnect Our Lives, Our World, by Joanna Macy and MoIly Young
Brown (New Society Publishers, 1998).
This "three-sentence" exercise is designed for use at Y2K meetings
of various sizes, after participants have just received information on the
issue. It provides a swift, easy way for people to voice their inner responses
to Y2K and the condition of our world. The structure of the exercise helps
participants both to listen with total receptivity and to express feelings
and thoughts that might usually be censored for fear of judgment or adverse
reaction. The sequence of sentences moves from thoughts or viewpoints to
feelings, then to possibilities that tap new energy and ideas. The exercise
lasts approximately 15-20 minutes.
People sit in pairs, face to face and close enough to attend to each other
fully. One is Partner A, the other Partner B. They are asked to sit in silence
until the exercise begins. The facilitator/guide for the exercise speaks
the unfinished sentence, then the pairs respond: Partner A repeats the sentence
and completes it in her/his own words, speaking to Partner B, and continues
spontaneously for the time allotted. Partner A does this for each sentence
before switching with Partner B. The facilitator again speaks each sentence,
with Partner B repeating the sentence and completing it. The listening partner
- and this is to be emphasized by the facilitator - keeps silent, saying
absolutely nothing, and hearkening as attentively and supportively as possible.
For the completion of each open sentence, the facilitator allows a few minutes
- or longer if the momentum is strong. Provide a brief warning each time
before speaking the next sentence, saying "Take a moment to complete
what you are saying," or "Thank you." A clap or a small bell
may be used to bring the group to silence, where they rest a few seconds
before the next open sentence.
The Y2K questions may be phrased by the guide in the following way:
1. I've just heard a lot about Y2K and the questions I still have are
...
2. What I'm hearing about Y2K makes me feel...
3. But Y2K presents some new possibilities, and facing it together could
enable us to...
To order Coming Back to Life, contact New Society Publishers
at 800-567-6772 or on the web at www.newsociety.com.