Listen, Reflect, Review and Report

Process (Basic Steps)

a) Preparation

            The following are some elements that could be helpful in having a fruitful session of Conversation in the Spirit.

            Share the theme or question for the Conversation in the Spirit with the participants in advance so that they have sufficient time to consider it in prayer and note their thoughts and movements of the heart and decide what to share in the group.

            Divide the participants into groups of six to eight members.  Let each group have a space to meet where they will not be disturbed by others. Set aside about one hour and a half for the exercise.  Each group chooses a facilitator, secretary and timekeeper. Let each one know how much time they have for sharing in the first round and how long will be the silent time after the first and second rounds. During the second and third rounds, the interventions are to be kept brief and to the point so that nobody dominates the sharing. 

            It is good to inform the members how the final decision will be arrived at if the Conversation in the Spirit is being conducted as part of a process of discernment with regard to a particular issue.  As Sosa, the Superior General of the Jesuits, points out, “Establishing how the final decision is to be made is something that should be clearly and precisely settled from the very beginning of the process of discernment. Those who take part in the discernment should know and accept from the start the manner by which a final decision is to be made.” There are different ways of making a decision. In a community, the final decision, after adequate consultation, often rests with the superior; in a province, with the provincial; and in a General Chapter the decision is arrived at by a majority of votes.

            When all the members are gathered, the facilitator welcomes all and leads the group in prayer.  Each member may share in a sentence or two their interior state at that moment.

b) Three Rounds of Conversation

i) First Round

            Each person, in turn, shares the fruit of their prayer.  There is no “right” or “wrong” answer.  Share honestly the thoughts and movements one experienced during the prayer.  Use “I” while sharing, not “we” or “you.”  Everyone gets an equal amount of time (about three minutes) for the sharing.  To avoid being preoccupied about what to share and being distracted while another person is speaking it would be good to write down prior to the meeting what one wants to share.

            The others listen to the one who is sharing with full attention. They welcome what is said with reverence and gratitude knowing that the Holy Spirit can speak through each one. They do not judge or reject what is said. They notice how they are affected by what is being shared, e.g., whether they feel happy, enthusiastic, hopeful, sad, tense, frustrated. 

            There is no discussion, chatting or other interactions between the participants during the first round.  One may ask for clarification about a word or phrase if necessary. No one takes notes during this round. 

ii) Silent Reflection

            A brief silence (about three minutes) is observed after everyone has shared. During this time, each one reflects on how the sharing of others has touched them, the new insights received, and the interior movements experienced while listening.  Each one tries to personally respond to questions like:

• How did the words I heard stir my heart or spirit?
• What threads of God’s presence or common inspiration can I recognize in what was shared? Was there something I had hoped or expected to hear but did not?
• Did any person’s sharing move me in a special way?
• Have I received any light, grace, or new understanding from this time of sharing? What might the Lord be revealing to me?
• In what moments did I feel a sense of communion, peace, or harmony with my sisters and brothers as we shared together?

iii) Second Round

            Participants share what emerged during the silent reflection.  No one is obliged to speak and there is no particular order for sharing. There is no discussion, and no evaluation or refutation of what others have shared. One does not also bring up what one forgot to share in the first round. The emphasis is on what resonated with an individual while listening to the others and becoming aware of how the group is being moved before seeking a ‘solution’ to issues. The sharing is kept brief with no one dominating the sharing.  No one takes any notes.  When the sharing is over or the time allotted is over, the participants observe silence.

iv) Silent Reflection

            During the period of silence (about three minutes) the participants reflect on what happened during the second round and what moved them. They note the common points that seem to be emerging in the group and also the divergences and tensions.

v) Third Round

            Participants share what emerged during the period of silent reflection.  Now there is time for discussion and clarification.  If there is a particular opinion with which one disagrees, keeping alive one’s curiosity and in a spirit of wanting to understand and not refute, one tries to ask the person concerned what makes them hold that opinion. Participants move from an “I” to a “we” perspective and try to look at the issue from the perspective of the group, noting especially the common points that are emerging and the divergences that have surfaced.

vi) Thanksgiving Prayer

            The third round concludes with some moments of prayer.  It may be led by an individual or it could be shared during which participants thank God for the time spent together and the graces received.

vii) Review and Report

            The group reviews what happened during the Conversation in the Spirit.  They identify the common points and the main differences that emerged during the meeting and what they would like to report as a group.  The secretary makes a note of the various points to be reported.

Many Benefits

            Considering a theme or topic using the method of Conversation in the Spirit has many benefits/fruits.

            Everyone gets an opportunity to share.  Therefore, no one feels marginalized or left out. 

            Since all are listened to with respect and attention the “voice of the voiceless”, the voices from the margins are heard.

            As the Conversation moves from one round to the next the wisdom of the group is built on, and people get to see new possibilities and options.

            As people share the fruit of their prayer and speak from a faith perspective, there is greater openness and effort to keep the ‘ego’ under control and avoid the tendency to debate, get one’s point of view through, and consider one another as “winners” or “losers.”

Some Limits

            Conversation in the Spirit can appear to be time-consuming and slow, when quick decisions and actions are called for.

While Conversation in the Spirit produces a positive experience of faith sharing and helps people to understand each other better, it does not emphasize sufficiently the need to weigh the pros and cons of what people say, which is also needed to make a serious decision.

            It invites us to listen deeply -- to God, to one another, and to the stirrings within our hearts. Although it may seem slow, it fosters communion, discernment, and trust. Its real fruit is not merely consensus, but a shared openness to the Spirit’s gentle guidance in our common journey.

Blurb

During the silent reflection, each one reflects on how the sharing of others has touched them, the new insights received, and the interior movements experienced while listening to them.