Pathways to Peace Meeting Facilitator's
Guide
Introduction:
The Pathways to Peace
workbook is the official guidebook for all Pathways to Peace programs.
The workbook should be used as the primary educational tool for the groups.
Pathways to Peace group participants need to learn about the content of
the workbook in order to help themselves and each other change their behavior
and grow towards their higher selves.
At least some time should be spent reading from the workbook during each
group session. Ideally, a group will read a part of each chapter during
the hour the group meets. Twenty to thirty minutes should be devoted to
reading the workbook, during the first half-hour of the group. Groups
should cycle through one reading of the entire workbook every four to
eight months. Reading of the material should be voluntary. If a participant
does not wish to read, he or she may simply say, "I pass" or
"I would rather not read today." No one should feel they are
being forced to read.
After reading from the workbook during the first half of the group session,
the last half should be opened up for comments from the participants.
The facilitator should help the group focus their comments on the content
of the workbook. Once the reading from the workbook has been completed,
participants should also be encouraged to talk in a general way about
personal issues that pertain to anger and rage. When discussion veers
from the main purpose of the Pathways to Peace program and message, the
facilitator should use the Pathways to Peace Eight Principles, Rules,
and Definition of Violence to help the group re-focus.
Using the workbook and the materials as the primary focus of the meetings
will keep the group process from breaking down into "blame and complain"
sessions.
Meeting Time: Approximately one
hour.
1. Open meeting. Start by introducing yourself to the group.
"Hi everybody. My name
is _____________, and I have a problem with my anger." Then starting
on your right or left, go around the group and have everyone else introduce
themselves by first name and tell why they are at the meeting.
2. Guide members through a brief relaxation exercise to help them reduce
their stress level. Take about 30 seconds. Speak slowly, using a soft
tone.
"Take a deep breath in,
then a deep breath out and relax your posture. Continuing to breathe in
a relaxed way, slowly and deeply, reflect on how important it is to learn
how to relax in this way. Practice this skill several times a day, until
it becomes a part of you. Use this technique whenever you feel stressed
or whenever you feel an anger trigger of any kind."
3. Ask a member to read the Pathways to Peace Principles.
4. Ask a member to read the Rules.
5. Ask a member to read the Definition of Violence.
6. Ask a member to read paragraph two on page two, "Pathways to Peace:
A Solution."
7. Make any announcements that would be of interest to the group.
8. Go directly to whatever workbook chapter the group is studying. Go
around the room, starting on your left or right, and ask for volunteers
to read a page or two from the chapter. Do not stop to do the exercises
in group, unless the group has decided to do so. Ask the participants
to complete the written work on their own time, before the group meets
again. Continue reading until at least half of the chapter has been completed.
Then ask members if they have any questions about the materials just read.
If so, encourage members to help each other find the appropriate answers.
Refer to the workbook, or to the Principles, Rules, or Definition of Violence,
when confusion occurs.
9. Ask members if they have any problems or issues having to do with anger,
that have come up over the past week and that they would like some feedback
about from the group. Start on your right or left, and give each person
a chance to comment. Participants who do not wish to comment may simply
say, "I pass" or "I don't want to comment tonight."
Those who wish to comment should be allowed 2-5 minutes to speak. Then
go to the next person. Do not allow a few individuals to take up most
of the time. Participants may comment more than once if everyone else
has been given an opportunity to comment.
10. Approximately two minutes before ending the meeting, pass the basket
for rent and coffee donations. (This is voluntary. No one should be made
to feel they have to donate, and no one should put more than a dollar
or two in the basket.)
11. Close the meeting with the following meditation:
"Everyone sit back and
get into a more relaxed posture again. Take a slow, deep breath. Maintaining
that more relaxed posture, continue to breathe slowly and deeply. Be aware
for a moment or two of all the angry people all over the world, and of
what they have lost because of their anger and rage. Some of them have
lost their families; some have lost their jobs; some have lost their freedom,
or their self-respect. Some have even lost their lives.
"Be aware also of all
of the victims of other people's anger and rage, and recognize they don't
deserve the pain they are going through.
"Be aware that it doesn't
have to be that way for us anymore. We can meet together as we have today,
and help each other find new ways to deal with the same old triggers-new
ways that do not violate other people's right to feel safe.
"Above all, recognize
that everybody in this room deserves to be happy, as long as it is not
at someone else's expense. Have a good week, everybody. See you next week."
12. Before leaving the meeting site, make sure everything is in order
(lights off, water taps off, etc.)
If You Need Assistance
If you need help starting
or facilitating a group, contact Pathways to Peace. We will be glad to do what
we can to assist you.
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