The Art of Hosting: What's alive in me?

The Art of Hosting Week (published on 17 Oct, finally!)

06 Oct 24

I am grateful to have this moment to reflect on the week. Feelings and questions are alive. I may not be able to put into words the principles, theories of the week. What stood out to me were touching moments when I saw myself in others’ stories and expressions. It’s the power of connection. Or maybe it’s the universal emotions we share as humans? 

We have gained more colours of thoughts as the season is changing. 

first time seeing frost, its power in killing vegetables...

and the next day, it's like this stunning with the sun

What’s alive in me?

Alive need

We have a need to express ourselves in different ways, and speaking to express ourselves is one of them. Upon every movement, every circle, every space, we sit or stand around to share our stories and the reason behind them. The mind can deceive the reality as it constantly stays active with thoughts and questions. Speaking out loud helps to filter what’s the essence I am feeling, the essence I am learning, the essence of the point I want to get across. 

Alive interest

Holding space, and facilitation for meaningful conversations, as always! I am happy just to be there and create that little space for people to share their voice, share that they are heard. I love doing prep work involving designing and material craft to hold space. The process of prepping is an art to think through the purpose of the activity and how we want to design the components of it.

This is the big picture of the Art of Hosting tree that I want it to be alive in me

I would love to design the Open Space Technology for Youth Initiative Forum. 

power of collective wisdom

Harvesting: to capture collective memory.

Memory could entail learnings, energy, key essences, gratitude. The harvest could come from the host, a few people or everyone. The way of harvesting is unlimited to forms such as artistic, poetic, musical, movement, wordy, etc as long as it is digestible to others. Harvest allows lessons and learning moments to be heard and seen. It reinforces reflection on the past on a deeper level then it could be passed on tomorrow. 

The design of harvest is a design choice to ask: 

What can we harvest in this moment, in this group? 

What form of harvest serves the group well? 

How can we capture what happen concisely and creatively? 

How much do we want the group to participate and bring their learning? 

The host is advised to look at available materials, and notes of the day to consider possibilities of using them purposefully. 

A poem we composed in hosting Harvesting 

Alive pride 

I am proud to see our capacity as a collective. I got to see different styles, personalities and creativity in creating art and putting it into practice. Everyone added a color in how they showed up over the week. As a whole, we made the week full of colors and tastes. Moving forward, I am confident that we will become more supportive and open to practise the Fourfold path at YIP. 

Alive questions

I wonder as a host, how could I respond properly to complex ideas and opinions, so as to guide the conversations. Especially in the week of Privilege, Power and Oppression. This boils down to my English capacity as well, and I may ask anyone in the circle to clarify that for me. I often hold this anxiety about not being competent in certain body of knowledge in order to respond to the participants. It’s okay to say I don’t know or we could explore together, or ask anyone in the circle to help. At the same time, I want to also be resourceful to questions and concerns. I should ask this question to Isabel, Mansi and Steph and YIP OTs. 

My question from the Question Activity: 

What can I do to practice Hosting at YIP? 

Questions I received from my Yippies friend that I want to carry with me

What does hosting mean to me? 

Do I feel that hosting is a big part of my life?

What kind of change do I want to experience? 

Do I want to host myself or others? 

What is my role at YIP?

How does being hosted or hosting make me feel?

What difference can I make?

Below is favorite “Solo” activity. No stone has the same shape and beauty, so do humans. The beauty increases when stones and we come in a group, a collective.

This is the principle of the week, something we carried on our Solo time, and we brought back those nature piecies.

Questions I would like to carry with me from the Fourfold Practice as the landscape of the Art of Hosting. This practice is a gift to create space in different realms. There are a lot more tools and guidelines being introduced but I would like to highlight my favorite. This practice revolves around Yin and Yang philosophy. We could have the consistency in applying the guidelines but also should maintain flexibility and open-mindedness to failure and imperfection. 

1. Host Self and Be Present: 

Be present to be dedicated to others, with the will to listen

How do I look after myself to be present? 

Can I be prepared physically, intellectually and emotionally? 

What is my contribution? 

Can I be awake in my habitual way of thinking? 

Can I be open to others and open to my unconscious bias? 

2. Be Hosted: Practice being a participant

In a world where everyone wants to be visible and to speak, who is listening? 

Who is not speaking? 

In such a context, how can I learn and be responsible for my learning? Whose voice should be heard? 

How can I invite others so that I could learn more? 

How can I use my voice to amplify others’ voice in order to generate something new? 

How can I show up as a full human being, and beyond human being, considering nature and land, etc? 

3. Host Others and Harvest

It’s not just about me but it’s about other people. Look my internal self (my presence) and the external space (read the energy). Always have co-host to have more capacity and awakeness. Trust people I am hosting. 

Can I step up to host something that enable something larger? 

What the intention for the session I will host? 

What kind of flow can I design to activate or engage people? What space and time are to be considered? All learning design elements!

Have I prepared well enough for others to land comfortably? 

Am I aware of diversity of needs and backgrounds? 

4. Co-create a community of practice

Constant learning 

Relationships: listen to myself and connect with the whole ecosystem around us

Integrating three other components as learning happens at different times

How could I practice more to improve myself and build the community around me?

The week brought me back to my first time speaking in front others, feeling heard, being allowed to take my time to think, feeling brave in tears. That feeling came alive again, affirming my belief that holding space for free expression is the right approach to education. A space being held well is so powerful to me. I feel seen and valued whether I speak or not, just be.

Anousha read this poem in our last circle, I really like it!

Now I am so curious to know how the Art of Hosting community is doing in Vietnam, my home country. I look forward to finding possibilities to create spaces of freedom of expression and learning, spaces of care for self and the world.

The week brought me back to places and experiences I had with facilitation before, feelings of hesitation, fear, anxiety, excitement, enthusiasm and belonging. These feelings remain abundant and will arrive whenever I am in this space. I will continue seeking new learnings and practicing to be a conscious person, bringing meanings, questions, love and joy to the world. 

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