Small Group Evaluation

This evaluation is simply the collection of individual participant feedback collected as per the small group process.

The Small Group Process

Participants were divided up in small groups of 8 to 10 each. The groups met in their own quiet spaces for 35 minutes once every day to consider the proceedings of the day. Feedback from individual members of the group was requested as per the following instructions:

The process starts with 5 minutes of silence in the circle.
Then the group facilitator will invite all present to say a few words (2 minutes per person) on what they heard in the presentations that inspired them, stimulated their imagination or moved their heart.
Then the group facilitator will give a round stone to the person on his/her left. After sharing his/her thoughts, that first speaker gives the stone to the person on the left whose turn it now is to speak.
There is no pressure on any participant to speak. All sharing is voluntary. If you do not wish to speak, just hand the stone to the next person.
We ask you to honour the rule that only the one holding the stone should speak. All others should listen respectfully.
When the stone has gone round once the facilitator will give each one a slip of paper with the request that you write one word or sentence expressing what you feel about, or an insight into, Globalizing the Human Mind so far, this weekend. Return the paper to the facilitator as soon as possible.
During the small group meeting, you may hear something that impels you to judge the speaker, or want to solve his/her problem, or try to change his/her opinions. All these urges will lead to a discussion. This is good, but we ask you to initiate the discussion only after all the paper slips are returned and the time of Mindful Listening is completed.

Listing of Participant Input:

  • Subjects of each speaker merge with each other. Great to have the questions.
  • (There is) an understanding that the whole universe is one and the essence of spiritual traditions is the same.
  • Love your neighbour.
  • Everybody needs to be one minded.
  • Each tradition and every individual’s insight spring from our shared humanity.
  • Discussions focused on universality and spirituality help me to refocus on issues of importance to humanity.
  • From the faces of all those who came today, tranquility was apparent. Let us spread the practice and the message.
  • Thank you, O God, for all the love You show us and for the love and unity I feel with everyone here today.
  • Patience + Suffering = Blessing.
  • Advancing my spiritual journey through the life lessons of others.
  • Openness is a start.
  • (Conference is) very good, seems working.
  • Take people as you would like to be treated.
  • Oneness, truthfulness and sincerity are messages to reflect upon and were expressed by the speakers. Gratitude to the organizers.
  • Focusing on what unites us. Easier said than done.
  • How do we propagate this energy into the world?
  • True knowledge is self knowledge. You change the set point of your happiness by cultivating gratitude; so keep a gratitude journal.
  • Hope – to globalize our minds. The challenge may take aeons. Hurried patience best.
  • Importance of respect, compassion and sharing as one.
  • No more hatred, no more war, no more hunger, no more greed. All are brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers in the globe.
  • Harmony requires and respects difference. How do human beings know?
  • I feel a sense of gratitude and connection from the conference proceedings of today.
  • Today’s session motivates me to meditate and thank God for his blessings.
  • Oneness of the absolute in three different traditions – Catholicism, Sufism and yoga.
  • Gratitude is essential for globalizing peace and justice in our world, especially as we walk with others who suffer and as we reflect on our lives and their lives. Our own and others’ suffering can breed gratitude and pull us into compassion.
  • Gratitude – count your blessings and rejoice in what you have in life. Suffering of life helps our spiritual growth.
  • The gift of Consciousness of God; this great love must be returned to others with service from you in some way best suited to your abilities and nature.
  • World Peace can be achieved if we are all on the same wavelength.
  • The importance of tending to the internal world as well as the external. Even attending to it prior to…
  • There is no other – may I really, really realize this.
  • Thank you Oh God, for our unity in the beauty of our diversity.
  • Gratitude
  • It would be amazing if everyone could start as an equal.
  • People matter - and they are beginning to change how the world works.
  • You cannot be kind to others if you’re at battle with yourself.
  • Thanks what ever in to.
  • Valuing organizations trying to bridge the religious, etc., gaps.
  • No separation.
  • I am so uplifted by the weekend experience that I am speechless. What can I say?
  • Gratitude – thank you – the Common Good – sympathy – empathy.
  • Independence of thought, pursuing individual experiences, thinking for yourself, living in moderation and attaining internal clarity.
  • Globalizing the world. It has to begin with me.
  • Inclusive better than exclusive.
  • It is amazing to see universal thoughts in all religions of the world.
  • All events in life are blessings. Be grateful for all.
  • Sharing individual experiences does add depth to the process of reflections.
  • Inclusiveness.
  • God is connected to us as we need.
  • Peace needs to start within before it can be shared.
  • There is consensus for change. But do we know the form of the change?
  • No religion is higher than truth.
  • We are more similar than we are different.
  • Spirituality is experienced here.
  • Cohesion.
  • Very grateful and humbled. Great progress in the journey of life.
  • Spiritual awakening does happen to normal people – focusing on and noticing what is happening within us every moment. Be mindful – there may be a time to change.
  • THIS WEEKEND HAS GIVEN ME HOPE THAT THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD THAT CARE ABOUT IT THAN THOSE WHO WOULD EXPLOIT IT.