No. 28 A Single Truth

Facilitator______________
Date___________________

Group Session Plan from FUSN (developed by Bob Zeeb)

Chalice/Candle Lighting

Opening Words:

We choose our truths the way we choose our gods, single-sightedly, single-mindedly, no other way to see or feel or think. We lock ourselves into our ways, and click all the truths to one.

Your truth may not look like mine, but that is not what matters. What matters is this: You can look at a scar and see hurt or you can look at a scar and see healing. Try to understand.

Sheri Reynolds

Check-in/Sharing

Topic/Activity:
Many faiths talk about The Truth; nearly all emphasize some form of the golden rule "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Yet this rule operates at the level of principle. It does not necessarily address individual style or the nature of individual experience. Some would argue that it is better to do unto others what they would want done unto them - what would make sense in terms of their experience, not in terms of our experience.

But how do we know the truth of others? How do we know just what it is that others want from life, and most particularly from us, when we are so focused on what is true for each of us, "single-sightedly, single-mindedly"? How do we address the needs of those we love, of acquaintances, even of strangers? Tell a story that illustrates how you have succeeded or failed to meet someone else’s true need. And reflect on what you need to learn to do to be more successful at this. Tell us what it is you need to do to "try to understand."

Select the topic and location for the next meeting

Check-out / Likes and Wishes

Closing Words:

Let us cleave each to the other in such a way
that we are faithful to the other there
who stands a separate self apart from us,
a stranger to our deepest being, yet not
beyond the reach or touch of love from us.
We are joined by differences that make us one,
two different beats that form a single song.

Bob Zeeb