The Path of the Four Elements

Participants should be able to connect individually to the four basic elements and to the emotions resulting from them.

The exercise can be implemented in several ways. However, it is important to take some conditions into account:

  1. participants should walk through each station alone
  2. before the trail, we can prepare the exercise by sitting in a circle, listening to soothing music, possibly supplemented with an art activity (painting, coloring, drawing)
  3. participants start individually on the path from the big circle and they return there
  4. while the individuals are at the station, the other members of the group can receive a short thought-provoking, inspiring text every few minutes in addition to the music
  5. when the individuals return to the group, we can ask them to write about their experience a short poem

The success of the exercise depends on the openness of the participants, so the trainer must strive to create this safe space for the group.

Medicine Walk

In order to get clarity about a topic or to determine your spiritual location, you go out alone into nature and trace this topic there. In the mirror of your environment, guided by your intuition, you receive “medicine”, a gift of impressions and impulses.

The Medicine Walk is an ancient and a modern practice. We have always made medicine walks into nature or pilgrimages, because the space out there gives us the possibility to reconnect. To reconnect with levels within ourselves that are not accessible to us through the mind alone, the deep inner knowledge about nature and being. It is a magical experience. Magical because it is animated by many different encounters – with plants, trees, animals, stones, branches, images…. All the living beings out there invite you to get in touch with them. For example, an encounter with a squirrel. You can ask a question about something specific that is on your mind and see/listen to what happens, what comes up as an answer while observing the squirrel. You can also let yourself be drawn to interesting places. It’s a free space out there, follow your intuition.

If you feel a burning question in you – take it with you on your Medicine Walk!

Freewriting

You can use freewriting for various purposes, e.g. for reflection, integration, generating ideas or conflict resolution. Set a clear timeframe (10-20 minutes maximum) and start writing without stopping. If you have the intention to generate ideas, write down every idea you can think of about your topic, no matter how “crazy” it is. You can judge later (and no one else is going to read it). Don’t worry about correct grammar or spelling, that is not important in this exercise.

Reflection Fishbowl

After a program, course, or project, the organizing team can use this method to reflect on each person’s roles and effectiveness. Reflection Fishbowl is a powerful tool for internal use amongst a team that has worked closely and trusts each other.

Dare to Ask

The intention of this exercise is to a) open up and dare to ask any kind of questions concerning your project/enterprise and b) receive as many suggestions as possible in a short period of time. You will be surprised and overwhelmed about the collective wisdom of a group.

Backcasting

Open Sentences

Incomplete sentences trigger the wish to finish them. Just like questions, open sentences can be used in many different ways, for all kind of topics. We present to you Open Sentences, an exercise we had especially good experiences with, introduced by Joanna Macy. This exercise is embedded in a setting of pairwork with a deep listener as a support to explore thoughts, feelings and ideas around a topic. This method helps people listen with rare receptivity as well as speak their thoughts and feelings frankly. It helps dive right into things that matter, creates trust, and vitalizes the group.

Gratitude Circle

Highlights Reel

Intention Setting

The purpose of setting intentions is to clarify, both within oneself and within the group, what each person’s aim is.