Interbeing Contemplation

Activity Outline: Exploring Interbeing Through Everyday Objects

This outline details a group activity designed to help students explore the concept of “interbeing” using a simple everyday object as a starting point. It draws on the ideas presented by Thich Nhat Hanh in the sources and aligns with David Whyte’s concept of the “conversational nature of reality.”

Objectives

• Define and explain the concept of “interbeing” in your own words.
• Identify the various causes, conditions, and relationships that contribute to the existence of a simple everyday object.
• Articulate the implications of “interbeing” for your understanding yourself, your relationships, and the world.

Materials

• A variety of simple, everyday objects (e.g., pencil, piece of paper, apple, water bottle, t-shirt).

Procedure

1. Introduction to Interbeing (10 minutes):
2. Object Selection (5 minutes):
   • Get into small groups of 3-4.
   • Each group selects one everyday object.
3. Interbeing Exploration (20 minutes):
   • Each group will brainstorm and list all the causes, conditions, and relationships that contributed to the existence of their chosen object. For example, consider…
     • Natural resources and raw materials involved
     • Manufacturing processes and technologies
     • People involved in the production, distribution, and sale of the object
     • Historical and social factors that influenced the object’s creation and use
     • Environmental impacts related to the object’s lifecycle
   • Go beyond the immediate and obvious connections. If you choose a pencil, consider not only the wood and graphite but also the tools used to harvest the wood, the miners who extracted the graphite, the factory workers who assembled the pencil, the truck drivers who transported it, the store where it was sold, and the people who designed and marketed it.
   • Create a visual representation of your findings on chart paper, drawing lines and connections to show the intricate web of relationships.
4. Group Sharing and Discussion (15 minutes):
   • Facilitate a class discussion, focusing on the following questions:
     • What surprised you most about the interconnectedness of your object?
     • How does understanding “interbeing” change the way you view this object?
     • How can the concept of “interbeing” be applied to other aspects of our lives, such as our relationships with each other and the environment?