page 6 - Out in the Mountains

 

The Blocks Game

173/1 Walter Zcichncr

I met in late September with a group of
gay men to share and discuss our
spirituality. I enjoyed hearing about this
very intimate part of peoples lives and
sharing myself. We decided to meet every
month or so and take turns sharing a
reading or experience with the group. The
group is open to other gay people who'd like
to participate. Anyhow, a theme I perceived
throughout the conversation was that we
were talking about connection, the wholeness
we each have at the core of our being.
Each person shared something that said to
me that spirituality is an experience, not an
idea. We also talked about the excitement
of claiming our spirituality as gay people in
a world where organized religion has been
and continues to be, oppressive to us.

I talked with the group about a process
I have experienced that has been a powerful
spiritual experience for me, and my desire to
offer this process, a game, to our gay/lesbian
community. The men supported me to write
about the game and offer it to the
community through OUT IN THE
MOUNTAINS, so I am. I‘m offering this
because it is a powerful community builder,
which I know I can benefit front, think
others can benefit from, and which I think
can be a powerful manifestation of
spirituality, community and common unity.

THE BLOCKS GAME

A group assembles in a large comfortable
space. The first task of the group is to
choose what they would like to experience
during the game. This is done in the form
of a brainstorm. Examples of what people
might want to experience could be Love, Joy,
Trust, Community, Integrity. Empowerment or
anything that you can feel. Usually a long
list is compiled, not everything being of
equal importance to everyone. Through a
simple process of the group shouting out
numbers from I to 10 what each word is as
a priority the list is reduced to 5 or 6 that
the entire group is aligned with. These
words are Part I of the game. Through a
similar process one word is chosen for Part
II. The group then divides into groups of 4
to 6 people who will be together for the
duration of the game. At this point the rules
are explained. The rules are:

»

I. You are with your group for the
entire game. If someone in your group
decides to stop playing then your group stops
playing. You can take 10 minute breaks as
often as you like, but you must stay
together as a group.

2. The game is played by each group
doing demonstrations of each word. The
demonstrations are nonverbal, and can
include only the participants and the wooden
blocks that are provided. The demonstrations
are made to groups of people called
Receivers; people who have played the game
before, and who have come only to receive
and support the participants. The
demonstrations are for the purpose of
communicating the essence of each word to
the receivers so that the receivers "get" the
word, experience the feeling through
witnessing the demonstration. The receivers
are present with the intention of receiving
communication, so they are ,'clcarcd‘ before
they start receiving. Once a group has
demonstrated all of the Part I words from
that group, the group moves on the
demonstrating the Part 11 word. When they
have completed that task then that group is
invited to join in receiving eotnmunication
from the other groups. The game ends when
either everyone has joined in receiving, or no
one wants to demonstrate anymore.
Everyone is always a winner.

That is how the game is played. It
sounds simple, and it is. It's also very
powerful in confronting people with their
blocks to giving/receiving support, issues of
commitment, whatever issues the specific
words bring up. I've been part of this game
at least 12 times, as participant, receiver,
overview person and workshop leader in a
men's workshop that has incorporated the
blocks game. I think the game, in addition
to bringing up the issues just mentioned,
offers a powerful opportunity for community
to form(common unity), increased access to
feeling and creativity.

The game was designed by liuckminstcr
Fuller and Marshall Thurber, and is based
on the theory of SupcrLearning, which
means integrating right/left brain learning so
that both rational—linear and
nonrational—eircular thought processes happen
and are experienced simultaneously.

Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund Receives Bequest.

William "Scott" Mahoney died at the
Veteran's Hospital in White River .lunction,
Vermont on the 2lst day of July, W86. In
the September issue of OITM, a tribute to
him said, "His commitment and energy and
wit will long be remembered and
appreciated." Scott‘s commitment will be
remembered and appreciated not only by
those of us that knew him, but also by gay
men and lesbians throughout the United
States.

Early in August, llrucc Murray. [Executor
of Scott Mahoney's estate, filed his Last will
and Testament in the Probate Court for
Orange County. In that will. Scott left all of
his assets to a trust. Murray and Ellie
Spiclburg are the Co-Trustees of that trust.
Although the terms of the trust are not It
matter of public record, Murray and
Spiclburg have announced that the primary
beneficiary of the trust is the Lambda Legal
Defense and Education Fund of New York.
After making certain payments to specific
friends of Scott‘s, all of the remaining
income and. ultimately, the principal of the
trust will go to Lambda. Murray and
Spiclburg estimate that the principal of the
trust will exceed $150,000.00.

When Tom Stoddard, Executive Director
of Lambda, learned of the bequest, he said
"We are extremely pleased to be the recipient
of this gift. It will enable us to continue the

legal work on behalf of lesbians and gay
men throughout the United States. The work
that we will be able to do as a result will
be a tribute to Mr. Mahoncy's commitment to
human rights for all."

David Curtis, of llinesburg, Vt., and a
member of the Board of Directors of
Lambda commented, "Scott Mahoney was a
very special Vermonter. His gift to Lambda
is a reflection of the special nature of the
man. This bequest, which represents the
largest single bequest ever made to any gay
rights organization, will enable Lambda to
continue it's vital work in the area of
lesbian and gay rights and will serve as a
lasting memorial to Scott."

Scott Mahoney was a lifetime Vermonter.
He was born and raised in Barre, and
graduated from UVM in I960. lie was a
longtime resident of Newbury when he died.
It was only after his wife died after 45
years of marriage that he came out as a gay
man. As usual, Scott accomplished that
process with style, wit and grace, speaking
at the Gay Pride march in Burlington and
being interviewed by the Valley News (it
was front page news). In the article in the
Valley News, he ended the interview with
the comment, "... I think I am a nice
person." Scott was more than a nice person.
He was an exceptional human being,

 

Ncurologically this is reputed to increase the
use of synapses in the corpuscollosum of the
brain. This means that more of the brain is
used after participating in a SupcrLearning
experience than was being used previously.
Part of the stimulation that occurs during
the game that is responsible for this result is
the use of music constantly throughout the
game; specifically SupcrLearning music(60
beats per minute).

As I've said, this is an intense game,
and can bring up a lot of feelings for
people. It can take anywhere from 6 to I2
hours. It is very much oriented to
dismantling blocks and barriers both in us
and between us, and to building community.
I believe its valuable, which is why I'm
offering it.

I‘d like to put on a blocks game for our
lesbian/gay community in December or
January. on a Saturday. We need a large
comfortable space where we can be noisy
and healthy snack food. We could either get
these things from within' our community or
people could contribute $5.00 to $l0.00 and
I'd arrange a space and buy food. If you
are interested in participating, receiving or
finding out more you can contact me at The
Forsberg Center, 323 Pearl St., Burlington,
VT. 863-S510. '

Lesbian Nuns: Breaking Silence

Jog E. Book Review

Sister Rachel was a beautiful
woman, though all that was visible was
her face, constricted by her starched
white habit. It was in the second grade
and I was in love. This woman
radiated goodness, a striking contrast to
the nun I had as a teacher the
previous year. Sr. Laurainc was a
wicked, evil woman, or so it seemed at
the time. I can not imagine any
six-ycar—old who would not be terrified
of her. In the eighth grade, Sr.
Virginia brought a vitality and life to
science that has remained with me to
this day. Still later in my education I
would learn calculus from a brilliant
old woman with a Ph.D. in
mathematics who was also a nun, and
two computer languages from a nun
with a Ph.D. in computer science. A
now dead aunt of mine was a nun and
I have a sister whom I respect and
admire a great deal who is a nun. I
am an atheist. My life so far has been
filled with nuns.

It was with great interest that I
began reading “Lesbian Nuns: Breaking
Silence“. In this compilation of stories
we are treated to everything from the
sublime to the ridiculous - from
individual searches for purpose and
meaning through austerity and
asceticism to young women in bridal
gowns singing "Veni, Sponsa Christi
(Come Spouse of Christ)" at their
profession of final vows. This certainly
is a queer world we learn about,
including: flagellation, chapter of
faults, Mother General, Stigmata, etc.
The stories, contributed by former and
current nuns, are mainly reflections on
life as a lesbian in the convent, what
possessed them to join or remain and
the circumstances of departure. The
stories are all filled with emotion,
much of it anger. Many of the accounts