Obs: Suggested group dynamics received from Olímpia Nery, Spiritist Society ‘Semente de Luz’.
This technique can be used to work several themes: solidarity, reincarnation, law of cause and effect (note the attitudes of participants before the obstacles - patience, dedication, cooperation, among others).
The adolescents should be divided into two groups. Give each group a tray with a bottle of water and a disposable cup, which will be changed every time there’s a new ‘waiter’ who will be carrying the tray.
Start the group dynamics with one adolescent from each group. They will be the waiters, who should take the tray with a bottle full of water and a cup. They will need to go around the obstacles, serving water to one of the participants from his/her group, which in turn will become the next waiter.
If during the course the adolescent knocks something back down, he/she will have to go back to the beginning and start the route again. The game will end when the last participant from each group have drank a cup of water.
Suggested obstacles for the route:
The first obstacle is to place chairs in a "zigzag", representing the difficulties we face when we propose to follow Jesus’ example.
The second obstacle is a rope or string, symbolizing that we should get over these difficulties, with respect and simplicity.
The third obstacle is a passage under a second rope or twine (placed a little higher than the other one), which represents humility. We must have humility to achieve our ultimate goal which is to love our neighbour as ourselves. For this we need to decrease our attachment to materialism, work on our envy as well as selfishness (which should be written in three circles on the ground, in which adolescents should tread. It’s then we will be able to work with solidarity to serve others, which is represented by the glass of water.
Translation: Carolina von Scharten, London, linked to BUSS - The British Union of Spiritist Societies.
