Meeting 1 — Perspective in everyday life¶
Goal of the meeting and introduction for the facilitator¶
During this meeting we want to show that changing perspective should accompany us every day. We give very practical and universal examples that confirm this thesis for every sphere of life, not only religious. This is an introduction to the continuation of the retreat, where we will change the perspective related to specific elements of spiritual development. Understanding the sense of changing the way of looking at different things is therefore the key to introducing further content well. The meeting takes place at the end of the day, so its character should be as loose as possible, but at the same time dynamic and forcing reflection in a discreet way. At the end of the meeting it is worth slowly introducing that Jesus was a person who undoubtedly changed the perspective for many people (see final prayer).
Getting to know the group¶
The goal of this point of the meeting is to form a “small community” in the group. It would be good if at the very beginning of their adventure with the retreat the participants got to know each other and gained awareness that the retreat of the whole group may depend on a single person. One can by all means invent something of one’s own here.
Quick introduction (optional)
Each person in the group gets literally one minute to tell as much as possible about themselves. Attention should be paid that these are to be valuable things that will help others in the first introduction to this person. Before starting the presentation we give three minutes for preparation. Measuring time will give the impression of fun, and at the same time allow to avoid wasting time.
Group CV (optional)
The group has the task of creating a common CV, which will contain sections based on knowledge about themselves, their abilities and features that make it unique. Let these be both skills useful for ministry at the retreat (e.g. singing and reading), as well as things “from outside” (i.e. for example assembling computers).
Introductory discussion¶
In this point the facilitator has the task to motivate participants and introduce them to the retreat according to the sentence “What is this perspective actually about?”.
First change of perspective – facilitator’s introduction
The whole retreat will lead to understanding the attitude of service and actively introducing it into life. One must try to ensure that everyone understands now that we should not concentrate exclusively on our own experience of the retreat, but ensure that everyone from the group (here it can be in the meaning of the small group in terms of meetings) experiences it and understand that the whole group is responsible for each one individually.
Following this path, activity in meetings, drawing from the liturgy, conferences and other points of the program lies not only in my interest, but in the interest of the whole group. So there is no place here for shame and thinking like “I will not participate, because it gives me nothing”. It is precisely my personal experiences that can influence someone else. Let’s be responsible for each other.
Perspective – what is it for us?
Time for specifics and entering the proper part of the meeting. Let’s create an atmosphere of loose discussion. The questions placed below are only of auxiliary character, because I believe that creating a discussion and adapting it to the group influences its quality.
What is perspective? What is it for you?
If you had to create a definition of this word, how would it sound?
Can you give a practical example of changing perspective?
What effects did this change have? Maybe nothing changed?
Why do you think one can change the point of view? Since something already works and is worked out, why change the approach to it?
Can you point out a situation in your life when you had a need to change perspective? What for? Did it bring an effect, or rather nothing changed?
Do you agree with the sentence: “Changing perspective brings a new look, and thus new solutions?” How do you understand it?
Practical exercises on changing perspective¶
We propose conducting several exercises to show our theories in practice. This part of the meeting has a workshop form, so it is good to properly understand its idea. Exercises should make us aware that changing perspective is often necessary, and certainly always very valuable. It is needed to enter well into the content provided for Saturday, where we will deal with the subject of evangelical change of perspective.
Looking at different events from the perspective of different location in time (i.e. for example being an adult, a child etc.).
The whole exercise consists in us being able to look at a specific situation putting ourselves in a different role. It is good to visualize it, so one can create a timeline on the floor. We determine the beginning and end and age, e.g. where on the axis is the 18th year of life. Then we ask a willing participant to move along the axis, playing different roles (10-year-old, 50-year-old or 75-year-old) and describe how they see this situation at a given moment. The first two examples will be better for younger groups, and the next two for older ones.
- Situation 1.
16-year-old Marta wants to go to a party in the company of her friend. They have to get to the place by bus and return the same way in the morning. Example roles: 16 years – Marta herself or her friend, 40 years – for example their parents, 65 years – grandfather, 7 years – younger brother.
- Situation 2.
15-year-old Gosia always allows her friend Kamila to cheat off her homework. Example roles: 7 years – child, 15 years – the interested parties themselves, 30 years – parents, 60 years – grandparents or Gosia at such age.
- Situation 3.
Due to social dissatisfaction early parliamentary elections were announced. Example roles: 7 years – child, 18 years – teenager, 40 years – adult, 80 years – elderly person.
- Situation 4.
30-year-old Stanisław works in a company where he earns 5 thousand zlotys a month, which is completely enough to support a family, but he is not fulfilled professionally there and has no prospects for development. Example roles: 7 years – son, 18 years – teenager, 30 years – Stanisław himself, 60 years – man from the older generation.
Conclusions (discussion):
In what can different approaches to a situation help?
In what way do you use them in your life?
Let’s read the participants these two sentences:
“From a distance certain things are only just noticed.
From a distance certain things cease to matter”.
Do you agree with them?
Where and how did you experience this in your life?
Did you have such an experience related to faith?
Skit – changing perspective objectifies the matter
Note
rather for younger ones
The goal of the exercise is to show that how we approach a situation determines what approach we have to it later. It is about cases when someone asks us for help in a conflict, and we, not thinking about the position of the other interested party, guided by good intentions immediately take their side. However, it is worth knowing other circumstances of the case to approach it as objectively as possible.
Four people are needed to perform the exercise. Two will be in some conflict, and two helpers (one for each side of the conflict). The task consists in playing a scene of a quarrel, and then asking for help.
- Course:
helpers leave for a moment;
two participants play the skit in front of the rest of the group;
one of the conflicted persons leaves, one helper enters;
the other side of the conflict conveys the whole situation to the helper and asks them to convince the opponent to their reason;
a swap takes place: these persons leave, the next two enter – the situation with the request for help repeats;
at the end everyone enters and the helpers report how they see the situation that happened.
- Topic of the skit:
During a walk of Michał and Natalia a dispute arose. It turned out that Natalia would like to go with Michał on Saturday evening to a friend’s birthday, and Michał at this time wants to go with her to the theater for a play that is played only on this day. During the argument they use appropriate argumentation, but also drag out many dirt from the past.
Conclusions (discussion):
What can this situation teach us?
In what way can objectifying the situation prove helpful?
What are your experiences related to objectifying situations?
Summary and application¶
The goal of this point is a short summary and presentation why such a short workshop meeting is important for the whole retreat.
Final Discussion
What element of today’s meeting was most valuable for You?
We are at the beginning of the retreat. How do you approach discovering something new, to take away as much as possible from this time?
Are you ready to look at your life from a slightly different perspective already today at evening prayer? (If there is time, the facilitator can encourage the fullest possible inclusion in evening prayer. It depends on us facilitators how participants will enter the retreat).
Facilitator’s inspiration :)
Application¶
During the night silence, at prayer think about where the perspective changed in your life. When, why, was it worth it?
The next day we will want to talk about it more, so it is worth being prepared.
Prayer¶
As an introduction to prayer we propose reading the fragment about the adulteress, to show that Jesus is the one who by changing perspective changes human hearts. Let this be a good introduction to what will be, and at the same time a good summary of what we did at the meeting (what it was actually for). Then let’s thank God for this time and ask the Holy Spirit to help us open up to the further time of the retreat.
Fragment for prayer:
but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple; all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus looked up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again.”
—Jn 8:1-11