Openness

This session, the last of five introductory sessions for a Small Group, is about opennes—to other people, to ideas, to new experiences, to a greater spirit. The questions encourage members to think about times when they have felt particularly open to or closed off from the new, and to consider what they can do to become more open.

In addition, this session includes about 10 minutes for group members to discuss ground rules and decide together whether any of the rules need to be modified to fit the group, and another 15 minutes or so for members to brainstorm and choose topics for future gatherings.

Member Preparation

In preparation for this session, spend some time reading the quotes below, and thinking about openness to other people, to ideas, to new experiences, to a spirit beyond ourselves.

In addition, we will also spend part of this session brainstorming topics for future gatherings. Please spend some time thinking about topics, service projects, and/or experiences that you’d like to explore this year as part of Small Group Ministries.

"By being receptive, we can avail ourselves of the spiritual wealth available to us. By being open, we can receive things beyond what we ourselves might imagine." - Deng Ming-Dao in Everyday Tao

"This is the heart of our humanity—being here, open and giving to others. There is so much that is lost and never retrieved when we close off to others." - Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spiritual Literacy

"The old divines talked about the gift of faith. It seems to me that there is an earlier gift, a desire, an openness to receive the light when and if it is offered. This openness is a quality of perception like poetry or divination or the wonderful imagination of a happy child." - Morris West, A View from the Ridge

"Doubt is a state of openness and unknowing. It's a willingness to not be in charge, to not know what is going to happen next. The state of doubt allows us to explore things in an open and fresh way." - Bernard Glassman and Rick Fields, Instructions to the Cook

These questions provide ways you may want to approach this topic. Remember to focus on just one or two of the questions, if you choose to use them, as this will allow you to explore the topic in more depth.

  • What does openness mean to you? Is it openness to new ideas, to opposing opinions, to strangers, to different experiences, to God or the Goddess, to “the light when and if it is offered,” or to something else?
  • When do you feel most open to the new or to something beyond yourself? Are there circumstances or environments in which you are more comfortable being open? Do you need to make an effort to remain open?
  • Have there been times in your life when you have felt closed or unable to accept certain experiences, ideas, or people? What, if anything, did you do to become more open?

Special Materials

  • Ground rules, written out on a large piece of paper or poster board
  • Large pieces of paper or poster board for listing changes to ground rules and future session ideas.
  • Colored markers (preferably a different color for each member of the group).

Further Exploration