VENT with CONSENT

These are some of the ground rules we’ll use when we go in to small groups. The practice involves listening to each other in a safe environment. Here are some parameters for LISTENING and VENTING with CONSENT. 

We take turns

Each person receives equal time

You can choose your listener

Gently and briefly validate the person being listened to

Exercise empathy, a calm mind, love, and encouragement

We begin and end with care (intros to start, and appreciations or something you’re looking forward to at the end)

Let it FLOW. Whatever feelings come up are great. There are no “bad” feelings

Sobriety is important in work like this; please refrain from drugs and alcohol before 

Refrain from blame, advice, or interruptions

Everything said is 100% confidential. Never repeat anything you hear someone say

Be DELIGHTED in each other, especially in the Listener role.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Half Dozen Sources from our February Gathering

  The Green Book https://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000006276181/traveling-black-us-greenbook.html?referringSource=articleShare President Barack Obama's Memoir https://obamabook.com Review of James Baldwin's Begin Again https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/30/books/review-begin-again-james-baldwin-eddie-glaude-jr.html The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song.  Henry Louis Gates, Jr on PBS. Being released this week. https://religionnews.com/2021/02/05/henry-louis-gates-new-book-tv-series-distills-centuries-of-black-church-history/ The Truth in Black and White.  The Kansas City Star Apologizes https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article247928045.html Bartunda Thurston' Ted Talks https://www.ted.com/speakers/baratunde_thurston
Read more

Copy of BuffBuzz post July 2020

Image
Hello, men.  Hello, Gay men.  Hello, naked Gay men! This post is for men of all colors, but specifically an invitation to men like myself, namely, White Gay men who want to work to eliminate racism. ELIMINATE racism? Pretty tall order, right? It definitely is but every bit of thought and care that you put into that effort makes a difference. It may be uncomfortable to consider gathering together as White men and I understand that. But that discomfort is part of the very reason I am doing this, namely, to examine our role in a system that is built on the oppression of BIPOC (Black, Indiginous, and People of Color.) And I want you to join me for a weekly Zoom gathering where we as GNIers look at racism in our lives, at the systemic nature of racism surrounding and hurting all of us, and create ways to think better about all people (yes, that includes thinking better about ourselves as White men.) We will meet for four consecutive Saturdays for one hour (longer if the tur...
Read more

Meacham on Reconstruction

 Right now I’m reading Meacham’s larger examination of “our better angels,” and the truths and untruths surrounding that idea, but....please try this more brief article from the NYTs. I’m finding I need to hear this historical correction over and over, and from many different mouths, to really have it sink in.  https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/23/books/review/lost-cause-meacham.html?referringSource=articleShare
Read more