Feelings: Mirroring

SORT TITLE: Feelings Mirroring

TITLE: Physically Expressing and Mirroring Feelings

BY: Edwin Rutsch

DESCRIPTION

In an empathy circle online or in person, everyone feels into their body.

Silent Mindfulness: Take a minute or two, sense into the body.

Find a sensation/feeling that you are aware of.

Translate the feeling into a motion with your body.

• What does the feeling look like?

• You can use sound as well.

Everyone else in the circle mirrors the activity until the first person to do the motion feels like they have been seen.

Keep doing the activity until the first person indicates they have been seen and mirrored to their satisfaction.

Then we move around the circle with each person sharing their feeling and motion.

This exercise can be done at

• the beginning of the meeting

• the end of the meeting to do a check on how everyone is doing,

• points along the meeting way, perhaps if energy is flagging,

• at transitions between activities.

• etc.

Exercise Extensions

1. MIRRORING FEELINGS 2

maybe change to: Feelings Mirroring Extended

2. Feelings Desired

• 1. Once you have expressed how you feel now.

  2. What is a feeling you desire to have?

  3. What feelings would you like to have in the meeting?

VIDEO DESCRIPTION

Mirroring Feelings with Motion

VIDEO EXAMPLE

Create and post here a coupled of samples of the activity.

SUPPLIES NEEDED

None.

OBJECTIVES/GOALS

• Tap into and physically express a feeling

• Supports mirroring feelings and creating resonance which releases Oxytocin and

• Gets participants out of words and "the head" and into the rest of the body.

• Is a fun activity, people generally have fun and laugh.

• Supports exercise for people sitting a long time, especially online.

TIME NEEDED

for 5 participants about 5 minutes

HOW DOES THIS ACTIVITY FOSTER EMPATHY?

How Does this activity Support Building a Culture of Empathy.

Each person feels into their body, this is self empathy. This is becoming aware of the feelings and sensations in the body. Empathy is being aware of feelings, being able to express them, others to be able to read them, and to accurately reflect them back. Synchronized movement releases oxytocn which fosters empathic connection.

REFERENCE LINKS

COMMENTS

Possible reactions

• people may feel self-conscious

PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK