Connection Games: San Francisco Intro

Help us get the word out on Facebook also? https://www.facebook.com/events/591033763260647 Find more events, including Zoom tasters, at https://www.connectiongames.net Why do people love Connection Games? First, they experience an unusual level of heartfelt, intimate connection with self, others, and even humanity. Second, they receive a good amount of feedback on how they show up in the world, which they rarely get outside a therapeutic context or with (some) close friends. Third, they go home with new relating skills, which can significantly impact their lives. We hear rumors of growth, healing, and better relationships. Finally, this entire thing is fun! We love irreverence as much as we do reverence and find that keeping it light-hearted makes it easier to go deep and stay safe. How does this happen? We start with interesting personal shares in intro games like I Love, Heartfelt Questions, or Ground of Health. This experience of triangulation (you, me, and the thing we talk about) is safe but far less rewarding than interpersonal sharing. We usually practice this the rest of the time in games like IPRs, T-Group, Circle of Chiefs, and most of our menu’s “spicy” section. This work also has a transpersonal side—an I-Thou connection or a unified group field, which is magical, unpredictable, and often present. Especially when we focus on how to play by embracing our core principles: (0) Surrender To Not Knowing, (1) Practice Self-Leadership, (2) Invite Vulnerable Connection, (3) Consider Group Health, and (4) Take It Home And Grow Corn. What actually takes place is that we start in one circle, with ideally 15 people and 3 facilitators. After the intro games, if we have 7 or more participants, we usually split into smaller groups, each with a facilitator, then return to the large circle to “cross-share” our experiences and weave back together the quilt of the larger group. Given the many ways we can play, we can only do so much with a 2-3 hour stand-alone container. We hope some of you will join us for weekend workshops and (our favorite but logistically challenging) six- to eight-week closed containers. Mihai Banulescu will be the facilitator. In 2010, Mihai learned about and became devoted to Circling, T-Group, and Authentic Relating. Interested in variety and choice, he created the first “C-Games” menu in 2016 and has been leading Connection Games workshops and retreats ever since. Mihai writes software by day and poetry by night, travels in a camper van with his puppy Avon, and has taught blues/fusion partner dancing since 2014. More info at www.connectiongames.net Please enjoy our game haikus, and consider which games you might want to play: 💗 𝐈 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 What do you so love That you can't wait to share it? Feel the energy 🛟 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐂𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 I-Thou relating Weaving shared reality To embody Love 🙉 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 Use the talking stick Speak and listen from the heart Honor the silence 🤔 𝐉𝐏𝐂 (𝐉𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧) Speak close to normal Give feedback, stay connected Reach the outside world 🪄 𝐏𝐨𝐨𝐟! Fairy Godmother What single wish would you grant To this person? Poof! 🦋 𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐥𝐲 𝐎𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐥 What positive things Would the group say about you If you left the room? ☕️ 𝐓-𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 Give, receive impact Feelings in the here and now Practice deep presence 🫣 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬 T-Group building block, Reveal yourself in dyads Focused or splash 👑 𝐂𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟𝐬 Space is simply held Through Surrendered Leadership: Trust, express, be with 🔥 𝐇𝐨𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐭 Follow your interest Ask questions, keep the seat hot Welcome sensation 🙋‍♀️ 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐁𝐮𝐭 Not of my business, but... Interrupt to ask someone A spicy question 👩‍❤️‍👨 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 Why would you date me, And why would you not date me? Harder truths connect 🪞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 Judge, project. Listen. Take your projection back. Deepen connection 🪰 𝐅𝐥𝐲 𝐎𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐥 If I wasn't here, How would you talk about me? Discuss, then impact 🃏 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝 Random secret game For those edgy souls who say "Hell Yes!" to it all