At someone's last night at the Art Monastery, we use the Gratitude Fishbowl. The person who is leaving "sits in the fishbowl." This means they are the recipient of gratitude and appreciation from the other members of the group. The person in the fishbowl is not allowed to respond to these gratitudes. This can be difficult, but they must sit there and take it!

Adaption: Gratitude Circle is a more open form where anyone in the circle can appreciate anyone else in the group.

Gratitude can be a powerful transformative tool. Often we don't realize that we forget to share our gratitude with people. This method offers an opportunity to do that.

This exercise can work nicely sitting in a circle but also over a meal or drinks. Sometimes it can get going and last for more than an hour. Follow the energy of the group, as time allows. It is particularly true for Gratitude Fishbowl to set a time limit (something like 5 or 10 or 15 minutes depending on the size of the group). In addition to that, if you notice that not everyone has offered gratitude and there is a longer pause between people speaking, then leap in to close the exercise. (It doesn't feel good for the fish to sit in the bowl with everyone looking at her or him and no one is talking.) Close by making a toast or cheering and clapping.

If you do this exercise regularly, participants begin to prepare for it by noting things they are grateful for or want to celebrate. This can have a powerful transformative rippling effect on the whole group.