Catholic Educational Association of the PhilippinesNATIONAL CONVENTION Davao City September 2011

Ricardo G. Abad and Kalil Christian Almonte Fine Arts Program, Ateneo de Manila University

Introductory Activity

LET’S FOCUS

Stand with feet about shoulder distant and turn the toes slightly inward. Drop the head down and allow arms to hang loose. With each exhalation allow a tension in the body to release. Emit a sound after each exhalation. Exhale 4 times, each one deeper than before, each sound stronger than before.

What word(s) What word(s) come to come to

mind when mind when you hear you hear PEACE?PEACE?

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CREATIVITY AND PEACE

“The creative challenge of the peacemaker todayis to break the addictive patters and culturally ingrainedmind-sets of intolerance, hate, bigotry, prejudice, greed and fear – which is the legacy of the old paradigm of behavior. The practice of the arts and skills of peace leadsto a new paradigm based on love, cooperation, respect,Interdependence and the fulfillment of our human/divine potential.”

Stephen Longfellow Fiske, The Art of Peace

Let us focus on five :

LISTENING

OBSERVING

ALIGNING

COLLABORATING

OPENING UP

ROTATIONS

THRUSTS

BIG & SMALL

NAME PROCLAIMNAME PROCLAIM

1. My Name

2. A Physical Quality I am proud of

3. A Physical Quality I am NOT proud of

“If we are to live together in peace, we must come to know each other better.”Lyndon Johnson

Get a partner. Imagine you are the two circles of a Venn Diagram. Chat for about five minutes. Discover what both of you have in common.Be ready to share your discoveries with the rest of the participants.

ABC

Form a trio. Imagine each one represents a circle in the Venn Diagram above. Chat for about five minutes. Discover what the three of you have in common.Be ready to share your discoveries with the rest of the participants.

A B

C

D

ABCD

Form groups of four. Imagine each one represents a circle in a Venn Diagram. Chat for about five minutes. Discover what all four of you have in common.Be ready to share your discoveries with the rest of the participants.

Was that exercise difficult? Will it be more difficult with more people in the group? What can be done to make the task easier?

Notes below

“The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.“-Sherlock Holmes (aka Arthur Conan Doyle)

Eight volunteers on stage.

Eight volunteers offstage.

Come on down!

Group 1 goes down the stage and observes. Group 2 goes onstage, forms a single line, freezes in a pose for a few seconds, while Group 1 watches. Group 1 turns back. Group 2 changes order. Group 1 faces back and restores the original position and pose.

Some observers finish faster than others. How did they do it?How is observation important in relating to others?

Notes Below

“I must follow the people. Am I not their leader?”Benjamin Disraeli

FOCUS

STAY WITH EACH OTHER

WHO’S LEADING?

WHO’S FOLLOWING?

How do we get to align (or mirror) well with others?What lesson does this exercise tell us about peace building?

Notes Below

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." Helen Keller

Let’s get 20 people one stage one by one.

Each one think peace.

Connect with another person.

Can someone take a picture when the group is done?

First person strikes a pose. The next one follows, also striking a pose but physically connecting to the other person. Others follow doing the same. Exit the sculpture, one by one, starting with the first person.

Think peace as you connect with others.

What did we learn from this exercise?How do earlier exercises reflect collaboration?What makes for good collaboration?

“Being judgmental makes you less attractive to most people since openness and positivity are two things that people like.”Henrick Edberg

THE IMPORTANCE OF SUBTEXT

TEXTWhat is told

SUBTEXTWhat is untoldor forgotten. TheMeaning!

Read the text to the tone of the suggested subtext.

TEXT: Ang ganda mo.SUBTEXT: Mukha kang mamaw..

Read the text to the tone of the suggested subtext.

TEXT: May I help you?SUBTEXT: I’m tired. It’s late. I want to

go home. Bakit pa dumating ito?

Read the text to the tone of the suggested subtext.

TEXT: I hate you.SUBTEXT: I love you.

Just be yourself.

Stay in the present moment.

Maintain your subtext. Imagine a good friend.

Let the conversation flow.

If you start feeling positive about the person, you are on the right track.

Walk around the room.Meet someone you do not know.Greet and chat with the person as

if she/he was a friend (your subtext). Assume rapport.After some time, meet another person you do not know. Do the same.Do it a third time. When done, reflect on the exercise.

Was “Assuming Rapport” difficult?How do we stay open to others?Can we use another subtext to achieve similar or better results?

Get a Post-it note.Express an idea related to peace.You may write a word, phrase or line. Or draw an image. Or fold it to make paper art.

When you’re done, stick the note on the back of the chair facing the speaker.The sight of chairs with colorful Post-it notes is our art for peace. A collaborative piece for peace.

Go around the room later to see what others have done.

Fill up Three Learnings Sheet

Form a circle. Maybe several circles.The first in the circle say “Yeah” in his lowest possible voice. The second says it louder, the third even louder, and so on, until everyone is screaming on top of one’s lungs. Several rounds.Top the previous!Release yourself!

Instructions

DO NOT:

REMAIN

REST

REDUCE

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”

“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world – that is the myth of the atomic age – as in being able to remake ourselves.”Mahatma Gandhi

Salutation to the Sun

Memorize the pattern of moves. Do it at your own pace. Do it twice. When done, stay in the prayer position. Keep eyes closed. At signal, open your eyes.

Thank you very much.