Experiencing Conversare

Does it seem strange to you for gatherings to be held purely for the enjoyments of the company of those present, some or many of whom may initially be strangers?

At first glance it may well seem an odd thing to do, and particularly in Hong Kong which is renowned for being a ‘busy’ place.

Nonetheless something is going on which indicates that those who come along are having experiences which resonate deeply with them. The evidence for this comes from their testimonials and from the fact that many of the previous participants keep coming back for more.

There are diverse possible reasons for this. Among these, at one level, is there is the lively experience of being in a context in which:

. everyone who comes is equally welcome no matter who they are.

Underpinning this is one of the principles of Open Space Technology (OST), being “Whoever comes are the right people.”

(In a future post I will expand on the significance of OST and other group processes which foster conversing among all present at a gathering).

A place where you come from who you are ‘in being’ instead of image/physical and communicate from there. And be accepted. Where else can you do that?

Jessica Syvones

. there is much to enjoy about the events. From engaging in conversation on topics of interest and exploring whatever comes up in these. And from the opportunity to participate in diverse activities such as singing and dancing, café style improvisational fun and games plus …

. the primary outcome of the event is that participants have a wholesome experience from interacting and learning about others and also about themselves.

Participants appreciate that experiencing is at the core from the nature of the invitation, from the introductory welcome by the facilitator/host and, for some, through their previous attendances.

I personally feel so small yet open to such huge potential – Absolutely nothing or nobody to answer to is both limiting and liberating. All people are potentially open to or limited by their current plight.

Jessica Syvones

Which brings up the question of the origin of the name given to this project. It comes from the Latin con versare meaning to ‘turn or to dance together.’

Have you ever thought of conversation as being a dance? What could happen if you keep this thought in mind the next time you meet with someone, such as a friend or colleague or child?

The photos in the first post were there to give you a sense of what is going on whenever we converse!

How’s that for illumination on the essence of conversation? Do you see that it has implications on how we engage with each other in our everyday lives? And does the nature of our dancing make a difference to the quality of our relating in every aspect of our social lives?

A nice insight into these questions can be seen in the response to the first posting by Lucas Pawlik in Vienna. Here is how Lucas expresses this in his response to the first post.

Coming up: Origins of Conversare and more on what goes on these lively events.

Alan Stewart
Hong Kong