A couple of days ago, I wrote an article on making Better Resolutions. Coincidentally, a friend asked if I could facilitate a visioning process today. I shifted the post into an experiential exercise that was effective for many in the group.
The key here is stepping past the mind and story. To step into quietness or openness, then ask from there. We can then hear or feel the deeper movements of life in our being and observe the objections mind may toss up. Come to the deeper purpose of what is before us now and resolve what’s holding us from happiness and peace.
I divided the exercise into 3 parts.
First is to give everyone a pen and a sheet of paper divided in half. One side is My Vision. The other My Obstacles. I then gave people an overview, especially to explain the writing part in Step 3. Its important it be clear before you begin so people can just relax into it. Particularly to understand that if the world is consciousness, then obstacles arise from within. They are MY obstacles and we’ll experience them as resistance and ‘negative’ emotions.
The whole process is done with eyes closed until we begin writing. I used a little bell to signal the start and end of meditation.
Step 1 – Framing. Passive contemplation. This helps to step out of the usual constructs.
Start with about 5 minutes of silent meditation, until everyone is settled. Then while everyone keeps eyes closed, slowly read the main points.
These are summarized from the prior post:
“You are consciousness, consciousness contains the world.
You are co-creating your experiences.
You are here to awaken to who you are.
You are here as a way for the world to experience itself through you.
Consciousness creates with Intention and Attention. These are your key tools.
Energy is neither created nor destroyed, it just changes.
Water and energy flow through the path of least resistance.
Attention holds it from changing. If we feel resistance or holding, we feel a conflicting attention.
Learn to feel what is smooth and what resists.
Attention, Intention, and Resistance we feel may be personal or may be the group. You are always part of the group, never alone. Consciousness is undivided. You are That.
Resistance may be something to release, inertia or the past. Don’t try or use force. Just increase the power of intention.
Prepare the ground, plant the seed, then tend the soil. Leave the seed alone. “
Step 2 – Active Contemplation
After reading the above, ring the bell to return to silent meditation for 10-15 min.
After this, read the seed ideas, with silence between them. “What do I love? What do I want? What do I need? Listen. See what arises. Don’t reject anything. When you are ready, begin to write.”
As people write, you can repeat these points and the other points in section 3.
Step 3 – Followup
I then passed around a handout with the main points and the process from 1-8. I reviewed the next stages: Affirm, Release, Step, Share, and Observe. We followed this with a great discussion.
The group was appreciative. Several mentioned it was quite insightful, one said it unstuck them.
In a workshop scenario, the other steps could be done in the group. Visualize, symbolic destroying of obstacles, what is the next step. Sharing what is appropriate, and a discussion of Mindfulness for observation. One could also expand the first part into a review of purpose, then get into what now.
Let me know if you use this and what comes of it.
Davidya
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