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by Kaisa Skogster
After an inspiring workshop with Vicki Robin on Conservation Cafés at Hollyhock
in July, a few Vancouver locals have decided to start the cafés here.
Once you experience the vibrant interactions of one of these cafés, you are left
to wonder about the barriers of social convention. Consider the way we spend our
daily lives following a cognitive map which defines our unique personal world.
On any given day we pass hundreds of people who we will never see again or get
to know.
Each day is a new mix of strange faces, passing you as they follow their own maps
to their daily destinations. Sometimes you may wonder what the person sitting
across the café is thinking, but it is only an exercise in personal speculation,
because the rules of social convention discourage interaction.
Enter the Conversation Café and the barriers break down. For an hour and a half,
in small groups of no more than eight, it’s an oasis from trepidation because
the rules of engaging set an atmosphere of non-judgment, honesty, respect of opinion,
honor of all points of view, and understanding, rather than persuasion. There
are no demands put on you and there are no pressures to buy or join something.
The common goal among participants is the desire to engage in meaningful conversation
and the power of that purpose sets the stage for people to open their hearts and
minds. After the Conversation Café ends you feel energized because of the experience
of positive connection and the freedom from those social barriers that limit such
interaction.
Topics of discussion can be predetermined, or can be generated by the participants.
Some of the topics discussed at the workshop included: How responsible are people
for their actions? What is an enriched life? Conflict between humans and wild
animals What is your version of an enlightened society? Globalization What do
you think about the Olympics? Choose one: sex or chocolate.
Take this opportunity to expand your cognitive map! Experience the infectious
new cultural creed. Come participate in Vancouver’s first Conversation Café,
which will be held on Wednesday, October 1 at Cuppa Joe Coffee Bar 3744 West 4th
Ave. (a half block west of Alma). Come by at 7:30pm for a short orientation to
the Conversation Café’s process and order your food and beverage, before
talk starts at 8 pm. Discussion lasts about 90 minutes so we will be finished
by 9:30 pm. The topic for this first C.C. is "Independent media and your
right to know." We invite you to come to this free event and help us grow
this network. Our goal is to establish Conservation Cafés throughout Vancouver
and list the schedule both in Common Ground and on the new Canadian website. Let’s
talk.
Article: Think globally. Talk
locally.
For more see www.conversationcafe.ca
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