Download Griefwalking (40-60 minutes) Tap into social support while moving

Griefwalking(40-60minutes)
Tapintosocialsupportwhilemovingforwardthroughalossorprofound
transition
Whatismadepossible:
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Thestructureprovidesindividualswithasafewaytoreflectonandsharetheir
experienceofloss,transition,orgriefwithothers.
Individualsgetthesupporttheyneedinmovingforwardthroughtheirgrief/loss.
Groupswillpracticeformsofhelpingthatrequirenoimmediateaction,butopen
uppossibilitiesfordeeperconnectionasneedsandresourcesarewoven
together.
SequenceofSteps:
1. (7mins)Relatedtoalossorprofoundtransitiontheyhaveexperienced,invite
everyparticipanttorespondtofouropenendedsentences**usingtheSpiral
Journal(seecollateralmaterialsonpage4):
• Yes,itistruethat…
• Itishardformetoletgoof…
• IwillalwaysrememberorIwillneverforget…
• IfIdidletgo,itwouldbepossibleto…
2. (2mins)Onceeveryonehascompletedthejournal,createfourlisteningstations
inanopenspace.
3. (1min)Inviteanyindividualwhowouldliketomovethroughgrieforlossto
momentarilysteptotheside.ThesewillbetheGriefwalkers.
4. (1min)Everyoneelseevenlydistributesthemselvesateachlisteningstation.
5. (10-30minsdependingonthenumberofGriefwalkers)One-by-one,each
Griefwalkerprogressesthroughthelisteningstationsandreadsaloudtothe
grouptheirfullsentence.Thegroupdoesnotrespond.Onepersonfromthat
stationaccompaniestheGriefwalkertothenextstationbyplacingahandon
his/herback.Ifpossible,thepersonmostmovedbythestatementshouldchoose
tobetheiraccompanist.
a. Ateachstation,theGriefwalkeronlyreadsasinglesentence.So,atthe
firststationitwouldbe“Yes,itistruethat…”;atthesecondstation,“Itis
hardformetoletgoof…”;etc.
b. Ateachstation,anadditionalpersonwilljointheGriefwalker.Bytheend,
everyGriefwalkershouldhave4peoplewithahandonhis/herback.
6. (10-20mins)Eachgroupof5thenprogressestoaquietspaceanddebriefsonits
own.Potentialguidingquestionsforthesmallgroupdebrief:
a. WhatdidyouexperienceastheGriefwalker?Whatdidyounoticeasthe
accompanists?
b. Howareyousharingorcarryinganyofthegrief?
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c. Howwillyourespondtowhatyouexperienced?
d. Now,whatdoyouneedfromeachother?
Figure1GriefwalkerandtwoaccompanistsatthethirdstationataSeattleLSUserGroupfieldtest.
Oursorrowistheothersideoflove,
forweonlygrievewhatwedeeplycarefor.JoannaMacy
InspiredbytheworkofJoannaMacy,StephenJenkinson,andtheMyGiftofGracecards.
AdditionalConsiderations:
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CreateasafetyvalvefortheGriefwalkers.Aplaceorpersonofftothesidethat
theycanmovetoatanymomentiftheactivitybecomesoverwhelming.
EverystationneedstohaveenoughpeoplesothateachGriefwalkerhassomeone
theretogreetthemandaccompanythem.So,for5Griefwalkers,thereneedto
beatleast20people(5ateachstation).
Thisstructureisnotintendedtopermanentlyhealoralleviatetheperson’slossor
grief.Griefisnotaproblemtobesolved.Griefwalkingisawaytomakespacefor
anindividualandagrouptoprocess,support,andattendtotheexperienceof
lossandtransitiontogether.Thereisnoattempttofixanyonewiththisstructure.
**Othersentencesthatmightprovokehealingandrebuilding(mostlydrawnfromMy
GiftofGracecardsandJoannaMacy’ssequenceofAffirmation~Despair~Reconnection
~ActiveHope):
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Imustacceptthat…
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Ineedhelp/supportwith…
Imustlearntolivewithout…
Ineedtogiveup…
Ineedtosaysorryto…
Imustapologizefor…
Iconfessthat…
Itgivesmecomfortwhen…
Idon’tunderstandwhy…
Mypainislike…
Iamangrythat…
Iamembarrassed/ashamedof…
Itishardformetoaskforhelpbecause…
Itisimportantformetogiveaway…
Ineedgivemyselfpermissionto…
Riffs+Variations:
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Griefwalkerscarryaritualwalkingstick/talkingobjectwiththemandleaveitat
thefinalstation
LSStringingOptions:
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CombinewithBobDylanMadTeavariationtocollectivelyinviteawiderdynamic
rangeofemotionsandsensemakingintoyourwork
DADorTRIZtoexplorehowhealingandrebuildingafterlossisoftenneglected
DrawingTogethertofocusattentiononthepresentmoment
UseConversationCaféinthesmallgroupstodebrieftheirexperiencetogetheror
furthermakesenseoftheloss/transition
FollowwithHSRorImpromptuNetworking
PrecedewithAppreciativeIntervieworotherstructuretomoreslowlydipinto
thegrief
FurtherQuestions,Ideas,orUncertaintiestobeExploredandEvaluatedwithFieldTests:
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Isthisaboutsensemakingorritualexperience?
Doesitmatterifthepeopleatstations2-4don’theartheaccumulatedresponses
ofeachGriefwalker?
Afterstation4,whatotheroptionsmighttherebe?
o Griefwalkersgreeteachotheranddebrief
o EachGriefwalkersfinishesstandingalone,leavingbehindtheir
accompanists
Whatisthecollectiveresultofdoingthis?
o Whatisdifferentwithamixedgroupvs.intactteam?
Isthestructuresimpleenoughforanyonetolead?
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