Keeping the Energy Up at the End of the Symposium

Written by Mark Bachelder

This offering came out of my observation, after being part of 8 to 10 symposiums, that the energy level generally declines, steadily, during the last third or so of the symposium. The energy, the level of excitement, the intensity of the audience's engagement tends to continually rise after completion of the loss-process, through How Did We Get Here, the Universe Story, etc. up through Paul Hawken and the Wombat video. There is a tendency for it to get a little flat during the many handouts, declarations, etc, and What Will You Do items. Not that these are not key to the intention of the Symposium, just that they are a little flat, and we and participants focus seems to dissipate, and I noticed facilitators' energy seeming to dissipate, too. A good performance, a good play or movie continues to build, all the way up to the completion, and has left me wondering if we couldn't have our symposiums do the same. After all, we're supposed to leave the participants Awakening, right?

To this end, we had input terrific input from several people. These are their (paraphrased) comments and observations, (and their accreditation, where I have that). All of these items have been tried and approved by various facilitators in various parts of our Awakening the Dreamer community:

As a suggestion for the "getting into action" group exercise: hand out the "personal practices" sheet, at the usual time, but tell folks "don't complete it yet", then during the getting into action section, have people share with the group like this:
What are some of their current personal actions, and what new ones will they be taking on?
What community actions are they involved in, and/or what new ones are they taking on (there can be lot of passion expressed here, and that can really bring the energy up!)
Have the group go around two or more times – first with their personal practices, and then with their community involvement shares.

The feed back form – allow 5 minutes for completing this (no more – if folks need more time, they can complete it after the close)

Alexandra Rebecca Hubbell's observation: the participants LOVE to hear from us about what we are doing – especially about our own personal practices (this is where I connected with the notion of eliminating plastic bags from my own life, for instance)

(Ingrid Martine) In the Closing section, alter the paragraph, (just after the Vaclav Havel quote) that says "we are almost done" and "we have a few housekeeping items": when we say these people start to leave, energetically and some times actually. They take it as a signal that the real symposium is over. Find a way to state where we are in a more compelling way. Also, the bracelet: don't call it a "little gift" – it is a sacred offering in partnership and community, and present them gracefully, elegantly, not in tangled mat.

After the "What gives you hope" video – ask the audience to respond – "popcorn" style – they get to weigh in the value of today's work as well!

AND – it has been suggested (and tried with great success) to change the order of things in the close section, like this:
What Gives You Hope video
"Popcorn" sharing from the audience, about "what gives YOU hope"?
Present the bracelets (as a sacred offering)
Close the sacred space
Have someone read the final Thomas Berry quote (and or find an even more compelling and energizing quote)
Finally, play the Willie Nelson song/Eco Spot
Now, it's over!

Mary Brown has used this format at the very end of the close:
First, close the sacred space, and then tell the Cherokee Story.
Then play the "What Gives You Hope" video
And then, as part of the volunteer acknowledgment have each volunteer read a quote, pertinent to "what gives you hope".
Then, have everyone in the room stand in a circle and pass the bracelets, and mutually tie them on to one another, and then stay and regard one another with admiration and respect.
Play the Willie Nelson song, as they do this. (folks have been known to break out in spontaneous singing!)

Some other music to be added at the end, after close and as people are milling about: Monty Python's "Universe Song" (it's both humorous and existential at the same time).

And finally, Cindy Dixon has offered wine and cheese parties to follow the close. It at least keeps people to the very end, and allows folks even more time to build community, or let the impact of the day's work sink in.