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Above the Line/Below the Line

Above the Line/Below the Line

(Materials): None for participants; Gong to signal transitions.

(Grouping) At the end of these instructions you will be invited to organize in groups of 4.

You will each get a turn.

(Purpose) To Use the LS Principle of Self-Discovery in Group Settings. To explore the value of offering and hearing comments on a type of “public confession” of one’s vulnerabilities & challenges.

(Invitation): Consider one area in your life that is challenging, ambiguous, gut churning, middle-of-the-night awakening.

After we finish instructions, you will have a 90 seconds to consider what is ...

—Above the line, the exterior view and context. The face you show others. How you want others to think of you.

—Below the line, your doubts, concerns, worries, & confusions.

At your turn, ask permission. (state briefly, why this may help).

Demo: Facilitators demo haring their above the line/below the line dilemma and receiving comments on what co-facilitators found meaningful.

(Activity) Please now take turns using 1 minute to share your above the line, below the line dilemma.

Other 3 each have 60 seconds to share what felt meaningful to them listening to the speaker’s dilemma. Each person can define “meaningful” in their own way.

Warnings: Careful with trying to “fix” their problem, and also select something to share that not extremely unsettling for you.

I’ll remind you every 4 minutes that you should rotate to the next speaker.

[After the 4th person had their turn.]”Now continue in your group of 4 and share what it felt like hearing comments on the meaning our partners found in your dilemma. You have X minutes to discuss.”

Transition to next section where two groups of 4 interact.

Sources:
Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process. Accessed 3/19/19 at https://lizlerman.com/critical-response-process/
Karl Jung’s insight: “If the separated condition is assumed at the start, as sometimes happens, then a union of opposites is performed.”
Barry Johnson’s Polarity Maps, accessed 3/19/19 at http://www.polaritypartnerships.com/

Other notes
1-2-4-ALL shifted to 4 - 8 - ALL

LS Essential Elements (reminder)
Invitation Space arrangement Materials
Distributed participation Groups configuration Sequence of steps
Time allowed