Challenges and Blessings
created by Kathleen Rude and Joanna Macy, June 2012
Background Information
This exercise was created during a five-day workshop in Madison, WI, shortly after the courageous, yet unsuccessful, effort to recall (vote him out of office before his term was completed) the Wisconsin state governor.
It was also inspired by the book Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier, by Robert A. Emmons. “When we remember how difficult life used to be and how far we have come, we set up an explicit contrast in our mind, and this contrast is fertile ground for gratitude.” R. Emmons
Participants in this workshop had all been impacted in some way by the recall effort and the legislative upheavals leading up to the recall. People expressed discouragement, burn out, disillusionment and hopelessness. We found that this practice helped people honor and share their experience of this difficult time and then find the gifts, both outer and inner, that came from living through it.
Some participants told me that they felt real resistance around looking at the recall issue because they had been so overwhelmed with it and just wanted to put it behind them. But once they did the practice, they were surprised at how much better and invigorated they felt. It helped them find the blessings and also helped them heal.
Instructions:
Invite each participant to pick one situation or issue that is challenging or difficult for them. It can be something they are dealing with now or something in their recent past. It can be personal challenge or a social/environmental/political/Great Unraveling issue.
Depending on the amount of time you have, divide into groups of four, three or in pairs. One person speaks while the others in the group listen without comment or prompting. Each person speaks to both parts of the exercise before moving on to the next person.
The facilitator will keep time and let participants know when it’s time to switch prompts and people.
1. Recalling the Difficult.
Allow 4-5 minutes for each person to remember their experiences of the challenge they faced.
2. Connecting to Gratitude: Allow 4-5 minutes for each person to explore the things they can be grateful for (blessings that arose) that came from this difficult experience.
If you have time, let each group share impressions of the exercise together and then come back into the larger group for sharing. Or share just in the larger group.