Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: games

[Gordon (weil]

Bill Johnson writes:
> 
> Does anyone have experience in using physical contact -- changing handshakes,
> "patty-cake" or "rhythmic clapping" games, etc.  -- to encourage group trust,
> bonding, etc.?   Are those mechanisms considered too silly or artificial?

We have hired a facilitator to help our group work through tough issues.  She is
a dancer by profession, so naturally she likes to work with things in a physical
way.  Generally we start each session with some sort of group contact or 
relaxation exercise to get people relaxed and to recognize each others humanity 
in some way.  It definitely helps to relieve the tension people bring to the 
meeting.  Some people in the group may be skeptical, but even the skeptics can 
tolerate a couple of minutes of whatever we do.  So physical games are probably 
good as long as some people are into it, there is a general recognition that 
there is a point to it all, and it isn't too much of an imposition for people 
who are not into it.

- Gordon