Chairs (1-3)

 An introduction to ritual mindset

Master of Scenarios:

Let’s try on ritual and ritual design

Ritual has a feel that is set apart

From ordinary moments

From ordinary being

Enabling one to practice diverse mindsets

Ritual is a complex competency

An empty chair is a ritual object 

Chair #1

An empty chair promotes introspection

To be thoughtful, intentional and authentic

To challenge and confront oneself with truth

Ritual transforms consciousness

This everyday act

Approaching and sitting in a chair

Which chair are you sitting in?

All chairs

Chair #2

Where is the chair?  

When is the chair?

And of course, Who is sitting there?

Imagine someone there

Ancestor or descendent

Mythical or historical

Any being, real or imagined

Depending on your intentions

A few thousand years ago

An ancestor sits with cup of wine and bread

She writes her thoughts

You hear her thoughts:

I am thankful for this moment

So many are so less fortunate

I sit here now in peace and comfort

Dwelling on my gratitude 

Demonstrating my good fortune

I want my children to have moments like this

And their children and their children

They will not know me

Of how I wished them well

How might my hope reach them?

How might that be possible?

I choose to act as if possible

To my descendants

Blessed art thou

Be blessed

With moments like this

She sips wine

She looks over at an empty chair

To my ancestors

I can almost see and hear them

Someone there is wishing me well

Thank you and blessed art thou

I see that you had moments likes this

Moments like this

Moments like this

Design your rituals for moments like this

Chair #3

This chair is gold

This chair represents “a seat at the table”

The ideal of everyone having their place

A symbol of our morality

How we might behave toward whomever sits in the chair?

Welcoming

Respecting

Valuing

Encouraging

Collaborating

Communing

With this chair

We invite ourselves to the table

We celebrate and leverage our diversity

We celebrate and leverage oneness

Even a god you do not believe in deserves a seat at our table