Testimony session

• “Testimony session.” Participants having a hard time being heard or understood are invited to tell stories of the experiences that led them

to their point of view and to describe what it’s like having or living with

this view. Not only must the rest of us not answer or argue or disagree

while they are speaking; we must refrain, even afterwards, from

questioning their stories or experiences or feelings. We may speak only

to their ideas. (This process is particularly useful when issues of race,

gender, and sexual orientation are being discussed.)

The goal here is safety. Most speakers feel unsafe if they sense we

are just waiting to jump in with all our objections. But we listeners need

safety, too. We are trying to enter into a view we want to quarrel with or

feel threatened by. We’re trying to learn the difficult skill of in-dwelling. It’s

safer for us if we have permission simply not to talk about it any more for

a while. We need time for the words we resist just to sink in for a while with

no comment.

3. The language of story and poetry helps us experience alien ideas.

Stories, metaphors, and images can often find a path around our

resistance. When it’s hard to enter into a new point of view, try telling a

story of someone who believes it; imagine and describe someone who

sees things this way; tell the story of events that might have led people to

have this view of the world; what would it be like to be someone who

sees things this way? Write a story or poem about the world that this view

implies.

4. Step out of language. Language itself can sometimes get in the way

of trying to experience or enter into a point of view different from our

own. There are various productive ways to set language aside. We can

draw or sketch images (rough stick figures are fine). What do you

actually see when you take this position? It’s also powerful to use

movement, gesture, dance, sounds, and role-playing.

5. Silence. For centuries, people have made good use of silence for in-

dwelling. If we’re having trouble trying to believe someone’s idea,

sometimes it’s helpful for no one to say anything for a couple of minutes.

That’s not much time out of a meeting or conference or class hour, but it

can be surprisingly fertile.

6. Private writing. There’s a kind of silence involved when everyone

engages in private writing. Stop talking and do 7-10 minutes of writing for