NOTES on possible formats

Two examples of formats I have seen used. First is a from a monthly women's group related to Step
work; second, is from an actual AWOL I participated in outside of Boston circa 2001.

Example #1

 People arrive and mingle for 15 mins or until all are present
 Often but not always "pot luck" meal / buffet for half hour w/ social conversation
 After food, gather in living room / circle for discussion group
 Typically, we would go around the circle with each person sharing 3 to 5 mins on the
topic/sub-topic---which would be established in various ways; the favorite method turned out
to be that one person would have created x number of small chits each with a different word
on it, such as was relevant to the overall theme (which was 12 Steps of AA) for example
[ "hope," "faith," "acceptance," "honesty," etc.] and each person draws one from the basket
and passes them on. Once everyone has a chit, sharing procedes either by round robin or
random

Other ways to establish the topic include consensus; a selection or page from a relevant work; fiat;
drawing at random from a basket of topics and everyone share on that one topic.

The meeting time ran about 2 hours, more if the food was holiday season or elaborate, less if only
dessert and coffee. Although sometimes lighter fare would be followed by a longer discussion
session (whether or not this was desired by all remains uncertain [!]

Example #2

(from a "AWOL" recovery group of approx 10 people that met weekly for three or four months)

(a) getting current also called "checking in," or "check-in" - 3 min limit

(b) Might be followed by 5 to 10 minutes round robin reading of the passage/text for the week

(c) Reading usually followed directly by a 10 minute free writing. I found it amazing what would
emerge in a short writing exercise on a topic/reading/idea. Even five minutes of writing would often
produce a crystallization of thought which would not have come--or so it seemed--just from
discussion, sharing, or speaking.

(d) [optional]sometimes there might be a 5 minute guided meditation between reading and writing
(people would then have the benefit of writing on either the reading or on what came up in their
meditation.)

(e) After writing completed (with or without guided meditation prior), individual sharing (this is
equivalent to "discussion"**) for a time pro-rated (?) based on number of participants and time
available. Note that having a clear start and end time for the meeting overall but also for the various
parts of it really helps both for structure and for focus.
 ** In my experience "discussion," such as one might have in a commitee or a
working group, meant that speaking is allowed to flow amongst the
participants, with courtesy dictating the changes of speaker; so not only is
there "cross talk," but it is expected, and contributes to the generation of
ideas/comments.
Individual "sharing," on the other hand, at least in step meetings generally, is
usually uninterrupted by cross talk and this is by design. Once the person
sharing completes their share, then others can chime in or go around the room
or be called upon to respond---which is a typical format for "speaker
discusison" or "open discussion" step meetings.

No bias or preference for one or the other is intended; only to be aware of the
different styles and their advantages/disadvantages

Ideas/Questions for discussion

first meeting on Practicing the Power of Now ....These are taken from the longer list,
Question Series for book discussion groups [appended]

1. What is it about this book that interested you before you read it

2. In your life, what have been your most consistent or reliable or satisfying
sources of inspiration? Did you find [the passage/ chapter / book ]
inspirational--why or why not?

3. What is a key question you are currently dealing with in your life. What in
your reading of this passage / book could relate to your question (when
questioning, do you seek answers, or do you seek something else [ to learn; to
grow; to be inspired; to guide your decisions/direction going forward)

4. What message, if any, do you perceive the writer/author to be sending to his

reader(s)

5. What event or situation in your life past or present is informed by the

reading; how, in what way(s)
 Question Series for book discussion groups
1) What do you know of this author, his life and/or work?

2) What is it about this book that interested you before you read it

3) What is it about this book that spoke to you when you read it (or afterwards)?

4) What, if any questions did you bring to reading this book; of those, which is most important to
you and how does it bear on your life now

5) Do make a distinction between cognitive understanding i.e. rational intellectual "thinking,"

and experiential understanding e.g.
 Dealing with loss
 Explaining / excusing / attributing blame versus allowing
 peak experience,
 spiritual experience
 hope versus trust (?)

6) For a given passage What if anything "jumps out" for you in this passage

7) What about or in this passage appeals to you; why?

8) What do you presume the author to be talking about in this passage, and how would you apply
it to your own life

9) Does the author's use of language affect you in any way, positive or negative

10) In your life, what have been your most consistent or reliable or satisfying sources of
inspiration? Did you find [the passage/ chapter / book ] inspirational--why or why not?

11) What is a key question you are currently dealing with in your life. What in your reading of
this passage / book could relate to your question (when questioning, do you seek answers, or
do you seek something else [ to learn; to grow; to be inspired; to guide your
decisions/direction going forward)

12) Does this author/writer remind you of anyone if so who?

13) What message, if any, do you perceive the writer/author to be sending to his reader(s)

14) Is the passage/chapter/book helpful to you in your life; how?

15) Did the passage/chapter/book raise any new questions for you or result in any new
realizations? What do you plan to do with these?

16) What event or situation in your life past or present is informed by the reading; how, in what
way(s)
# # #