Welcoming Ghosts
**Before doing this activity we suggest you take a look at the "Different Dimensions of Reality" diagram & explanation.**
How
1. Facilitator asks everyone to think about a recent interaction (related to the food system in some way) that felt uncomfortable or unsatisfactory and answer:
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What was the topic?
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What are the general issues around that topic - write them down and think widely - include issues of sexism, racism, homophobia... Include climate change, emotions, anything that comes into your mind as you think about the situation.
2. Everyone draws a map or diagram of the different people involved in the interaction.
3. Think about the CONSENSUS REALITY level, what were people talking about?
4. Take a few moments to remember what it felt like while you were there, look at the diagram, and your list and consider:
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Were people actually addressing each other or were they talking to a ghost or an absent figure?
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What was the atmosphere like? What might have created it?
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What feelings were you experiencing? Why?
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What feelings may other people have been experiencing?
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What wasn’t said?
6. Consider, if you were completely free to say or do anything, what would you have said or done? Why didn’t you do that? What beliefs or ideas stopped you?
7. Did this give you any insights into what was happening in the various levels of reality?
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Share your diagram with others and tell them about your situation, share your answers from step 6).
Why
This activity will allow you to understand many of the different elements that influence our interactions with others. `this is especially useful when you are left with an uncomfortable feeling after an interaction.
Tip
When you notice a person with whom you disagree try to pause and reflect deeply, is there a tiny (even 1%) part of you that agrees with them at some level, or understands where their view comes from? There is almost always a little part of us (maybe that we don’t like) that does agree or even just has the same energy, if we can acknowledge that and recognise it in ourselves, we can feel more free to listen properly to what the person is trying to communicate underneath the what we perceive in CONSENSUS REALITY.