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HowtoCreateanOmCafonnon-violenceforYoungAdults.
1.Asmuchaspossible,createalight,casualatmosphere(likethatofacaf)thatinvitesconversation,creativityandopenness.Servetea/coffeeandrefreshments.Althoughit
isnicetosetuproundtablesandcreateacafambiance,itisnotalwayspossible.Just
aimtocreatearelaxedsetting.Youmayalsoturnthisintoaworkshopifyoulike.Fee
freetouseyourcreativelicensetomakeityourown.
2.MovethroughthethreestepsofExplore,ExpressandExchangelistedonthefollowingpage.Theexplorationisthefoundation.Greatconversationthatisengaging,deep,
andmeaningfulissomethingthatappealstoyoungadults.Thequestionslistedonthefollowingpagearedesignedtostimulaterichconversation.
3.
Entertainmentisfrequentlypartofthecafexperience.Createanopenmicsegmentwheretheyoungadultscanshowcasetheircreationsandshareanyinspirationsor
thoughtsthattheyhavehadaboutthevalue.
4.
Inspirethemattheendofthecaftousetheentiremonthtoexplorethevalueofnon-violenceandtoseehowtheycanapplyitpractically.Theycanevencreatea
poem,song,painting,story,orvideoaboutthevalue.Encouragethemtoexchangeall
thoughtsandcreationswithyoungadultsworldwideonthewebsitelistedatthe
bottomofthepage.
5.
Bringavideocameraoradigitalcameraandpostyourcafimages/moviesontheSpotlightValuesnetwork,spotlightvalues.org
OmCaf
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ExploreThisstepoftheSpotlightValuesprocessisaboutexploringthevaluetogetherthrough
reflectionandconversation.Itbringsthevaluetolifeandmakesitreal.a)
Whatdoesitmeantohavenon-violenceinmythoughts?Inmywords?Inmy
community?Whatqualitiesorpersonalpracticesallowmetocultivatenon-violencein
mylife?
b)
Bullyinghasbecomeaseriousproblemthesedays.Asubtleformofbullyingcouldevenbegossiporanattitudeorcriticismtowardsothers.Often,likethebully,wedontrealize
thepainwerecausingthroughthat.Reflecthonestlyaboutatimewhenyoumayhave
bulliedeitherinaverysubtleorobviousway.Whatqualitiesorattitudeswouldallow
youtofinishthatformofbullyingandcultivateanattitudeofnon-violence?
ExpressThisstepoftheSpotlightValuesprocessenablesthemtoexplorethevaluecreativelyandexpressit.
Creativealternativestoviolence:Haveseveralsmallpiecesofpaper.Haveeachpersontherewritedownafewscenarioswhere
theissueofsubtleorsevereviolencecanarise.Subtleformswouldbegossip,stonewalling,
disrespect,criticizing,etctheobviousformsarewell,obvious.Examplesofscenarios:a)Your
bosstellsyouoffinfrontofyourpeersb)youfindoutafriendsaidtheythoughtyouwere
annoyingc)youwitnesssomeoneyoureallycareaboutbeingattackedverbally.Writeone
scenariopersmallpieceofpaper.Thenputallthescenariosinabowl.
Dividethegroupintogroupsof2orthree.Withoutlooking,havethempick2scenariosfromthe
bowl.Eachgroupwillcomeupwith3responsesforeachscenariothatarecreativeandnon-
violent.Discusshowusingcreativitytocomeupwithalternativesandthinkingoutsidethebox
arekeystocultivatingnon-violence.
ExchangeThisstepoftheSpotlightValuesprocessallowsthemtosharetheirthoughtsandcreations
withthegroupsothatthecollectivewisdomcanemergetobeexperiencedbyall.
Invitethegroupsuptosharetheircreativealternatives.
Concludetheeveningwithaguidedmeditationonthevalue.Meditationsonthevalueare
availableonthewebsite.
Ifyouhaveanyquestionsorwouldliketosetupaconferencecall,feelfreetoemailusat
[email protected]
non-violence
