This proposal is being offered by Robbie A
Issue: In our SMR meeting script the Chair states, “With no other announcements, I invite you all to unmute and join me in the Unity Prayer, pausing at the end of each line to help us stay together.”
I suggest that the wording on the Unity Prayer slide actually include the word ‘pause’.
See the suggested change.
Add “Pause” in parentheses
while I appreciate the suggestion of a slide revision, I’m doubtful this will work. Unfortunately it’s the nature of zoom that audio cannot be “synched” between our (HUNDREDS of) devices. Maybe someday that technology will exist, but right now it doesn’t. For me, trying to control our voices by forcing this unnatural pause will interrupt my sense that this is a prayer. I respectfully suggest if people find the cacophony troubling, they can briefly turn off their own incoming audio while they are saying the Unity Prayer. I personally love the cacophony.
The zoom platform does not allow for voices in unison.
It seems like micro-management to add the word “pause” and it will not work anyway.
This less than 30 second cacophony has grown more fun for me as I worked with my trigger of needing to control it.
Just not sure this is necessary
I love the cacophony!
I lower my volume and just say it quietly. I used to be annoyed by the “unruliness,” but now I’m OK with it, maybe even playful with it via my Inner Child. Thanks for the idea but I don’t feel it’s necessary to add “pauses.”
I get the idea of wanting to add the word “pause” at the end of each written line to make it seem more together, but for me it feels too over-choreographed. I’ve come to more and more enjoy the “messy” spontaneity of all the different voices, speeds, cadences, rhythms. And it all dies down more or less around the same time anyway. Reminds me a bit of crickets or cicadas all chirping away together, then fading out!
I don’t mind people not staying together while reading the prayer. BUT if it’s a problem for others, maybe the prayer is read by the chair and everyone else stays muted and reads it to themselves.
I prefer the sweet cacphony
I like the comments I’ve read so far. It may be worth a try, but I can see that it would feel almost too choreographed or micromanaged. I’ve gotten use to the mess and, sometimes (only sometimes) I’m actually entertained by it!
I love that my usually easily disregulated nervous system doesn’t interpret is as uncomfortable and that allows me to end the meeting with an amused smile.
A little bit as if the inner children come out and have fun. 🙂
I’m for leaving it as it is. The somewhat chaotic delivery of our multitude of voices is too beautiful to rein in with stop/start prompts. My thoughts on this tend to be that it amounts to implying the group should all dress and speak neatly and wear a tie. Yes it’s my stuff. However I suggest the desire to have the prayer delivered in unison may be more about the person suggesting. Thank you for reading this💛
I feel the word “pause” , even if it’s in parenthesis, will be read out loud by some people anyway (I’ve heard this happen many times over the years with other scripts), also everyone will interpret the length of a pause differently. As a musician I appreciate the pause at the end of each line, but I’ve given up on the idea there is some way to corral everyone into doing it the same way, and I’ve come to appreciate the cacophony.
I prefer a loving parent inner child prayer.
I feel triggered by the idea of “put my hand in yours” and togetherness when I’m learning to set boundaries to protect my inner child and choose who to hold hands with. . This prayer comes from another 12 step program.
I disconnect from the cacophony.