An interfaith dialogue.
Hold space for meaningful conversations about how different types of relationships shape our lives.
Collaborators: Lorena Estrella, Kartik Krishnan, Elana Wolpert, Damian Ashton
TOPIC DEVELOPMENT
The event development began by conducting a short informal interview with a leader of New York University’s Global Spiritual Life organization. The purpose of the interview was to get a sense of what opportunities and possibilities a leader in the interfaith community identifies. Based on this initial conversation, the idea of “cultivating relationships” arose.
THE INVITATION
We created an invitation for people of all faith & spiritual communities, as well as people who do not identify with a religious affiliation, to come together for an evening to discuss how we cultivate relationships with ourselves, our communities, and the spirits/ higher beings we believe in.
Our purpose was to create a space for storytelling and deep listening. We vowed to hold space for folks of interfaith groups to come together to have a meaningful conversation regarding relationships. Our mindful intention was for participants to share personal stories in a safe and supportive environment–an environment we facilitated.
“The conversations that I had today give me hope for the world.”
— Event participant
The event.
Arrival. Intros. Setup.
5:50
People arrive. Snacks are set out on a table. Welcome each person warmly into the space. Each person receives a name tag.
6:15
Introductions to the Facilitation Team
Discuss who we are & why we are hosting this event. Thank everyone for coming to the event. Briefly mention logistics about food, bathroom locations.
Purpose & Expectation Setting
We’re holding space for the next two hours for folks of interfaith groups to come together to have a meaningful conversation regarding relationships– relationships with yourselves, your community, and your spirituality. We’d like to create a space for storytelling and deep listening. We’ll be offering and collaborating on some community guidelines before we begin our discussion.
Activities Discussion
We will work through one facilitated activity–sometimes working in smaller groups, sometimes all together. The activity is designed to engage people to explore faith-based relationships and how faith might impact your own lives, and the intersection of identities.
Open the space.
6:30
Go-Around
Share your name, preferred pronouns, and the highlight of your week so far.
6:45
Community Agreements
We want to open the space with agreements for how we want to share our time together. We have some grounding agreements for the space, and invite you to practice with us. We are going to encounter differences, notice them and get curious about them.
Facilitator will read aloud and explain each agreement. Are there any agreements participants want to add?
Speak from your own experience.
Stories stay. Lessons leave.
Assume best intentions.
Take space. Make space.
Listen to understand.
Stay curious about differences.
Don’t generalize
We are here to hear each other, not to convince.
Respond, don’t react.
Challenge talkers to listen, and listeners to talk
7:00
Pair & Share
Turn to someone you haven’t talked to yet. You have 5 minutes together to discuss “Why was it important for you to be here tonight?”
Thank your partner for sharing. Check in with yourself. What’s coming up for you tonight? Was there anything you had in common with your partner?
Growth through conversation.
Small groups
Getting organized
For our next activity, we are going break into small groups (5–8 folks) to have smaller conversations. For this activity we will use words like religion, spirituality, and faith. We want to hold and honor all these identities, and how we might foster courageous conversations. We’re here from different traditions, we have different practices and faiths, but we may share the reasons we have these faiths. We share love.
We’re going to do three rounds with 20 minutes in each round. You’ll be rotating through three different conversations as you move through the circles. Between each round you’ll be shuffling to create a new group. As we start these conversations, let’s remember that we’re listening and respecting each other. So please move your chairs into three circles of 5–8 people.
[When they get in the circles, each host introduces their topics of community, self, and spirit.]
Different rounds of conversations
Ask the one big question that goes on the paper, everyone goes around circle and gives an answer. When the question comes around the circle, becomes open conversation. (each round is 20 minutes)
Self
Powerful question: What does your faith teach you about care and compassion for yourself? And why is that important? How do you integrate these practices into your everyday life?
Community
Powerful question: How does community show up in your life? How does faith/religious/spirit impact how we form and move those relationships?
Spirituality
Powerful question: How does spirituality play a role in your life?
Closing
Thank you so much. We really enjoyed having these deep conversations with you.
GO-around
What will you take back with you from the conversations you had today?
Learnings.
People are yearning to have deep conversations; they will take the opportunities that are presented to them to engage with others. We must craft those opportunities.
The construct of time is strange. Time really does fly by when you’re having meaningful conversations. Some participates stayed even longer than the allotted three hours to continue chatting!
Intention is important. We created the inviting, meaningful, and encouraging space we intended to create.
Engaging people framed with good intentions aids in the process of shifting mental models.
When facilitating, it’s important to “feel the conversation.” Read the room and adjust accordingly.
