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Exploration Garden: New Rules to Foster a More Focused Exploration Environment
ASilentObserver September 20th
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Hello everyone, 

Exploration Garden (EG) group chat was introduced in July 2023 as an extended version of the Sharing Circle. Since then, EG has undergone multiple iterations and changes to improve it for everyone

This post will share the next changes and updates regarding the Exploration Garden group chat. 


We want to emphasize the key distinction between the Sharing Circle and Exploration Garden: 

Sharing Circle is a space to share with others primarily, here you can vent, get validation, and express your thoughts/feelings/experiences to share those with others. The exploration garden by contrast is not so much a place to share, but rather a place to gain assistance in exploring our thoughts/feelings/experiences, here we are trying to learn and explore, seeking new perspectives, new understandings, and deeper meanings.


Based on the feedback received from the community and observations of trends within the group chat, we are rolling out the following changes to promote and foster an exploration environment in the EG.  

1. EG will only be open when a facilitator is present. Without facilitation, the sessions tend to get off track, and unable to keep up with the guidelines for running an effective exploration session. Here is the updated schedule of the Exploration Garden session: 

screen-shot-2024-09-23-at-9-37-17-am_1727109459.png

  • Host-L stands for assigned listener host 
  • Host-M stands for covered by community mod
  • Red rows represent no coverage at the moment, so no session will take place during these hours until we onboard new hosts to lead those hours. 


2.  Releasing an exploration guide for participants to understand how effective exploration works, the DOs and DONTs, Tips to get the most out of the session, and how to offer support to the sharers. Click here to access a copy of the exploration guide. 


3. If you want to join the Exploration Garden Hosting Team, you can now express your interest by filling out a short form here! 


The new changes will be implemented w.e.f Sept 20, 2024. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to share with us below in the thread or reach out to @Heather225 or me aka @ASilentObserver


44
Lou73 September 24th
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@ASilentObserver

Thanks for the update Obs. 

Hopefully we can get some more volunteers to help run the sessions. 

Sharing Circle will always be open and everyone is welcome to join when EG isn't open 💙💙

LabeledBPD September 25th
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@Lou73

its not the same. I’m sure we appreciate the invite though, thank you.

being confined to only scripted ( insincere, generic) supportive words are not what the EG was about.

 Difficult to lose the ability as seeing people as a whole and supporting as required. 


Lou73 September 26th
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@LabeledBPD

I appreciate that there is a script for the guidelines and intro, the same as the EG, but none of the responses or support are ever scripted. No matter the room, the support and care comes from those in it and I know myself and many other hosts, listeners and members show a great deal of care and get to know regular participants.

I understand that the changes to EG are difficult, I just wanted to welcome anyone that felt like they had been left without a safe space to be. 💜

SolitaryBird September 26th
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Thank you very much, @Lou73. And Sharing Circle has always helped me a lot.

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