The ZEGG-style Forum (of no relationship to Landmark) is a dynamic process that provides an artistic way to create communal transparency, personal growth, and a place for clearing energetic blocks. It not only gives a public forum for topics that need exposure, but also shows what's going on in the community, bringing to light many of the things that are lurking underneath the surface of communal dynamics.
For the community, one of the primary benefits of the forum is that it ensures continual transparency about key issues, thereby engendering a greater trust and empowerment among community members. It also allows a venue for speaking heartsong and/or releasing some of the emotional tension that can often derail business meetings.
For the individual the point of the forum is to see the truth of what is going on, of who a person is. It's a place to see and really be seen, to reveal to the community as a whole who you are and witness other members of your community as they reveal themeslves to you. It's also a safe place to give and receive feedback. To do this, though, each person must be willing to engage in personal growth. They must be willing to look honestly at themselves and be open to receiving feedback as to how others see them.
Beyond everything else, the forum supports what is authentic, alive and true. It reveals the shadow sides we so often hide from ourselves, supporting what comes to light beyond politeness and the daily games of hiding and disguise.
When "the middle is free" a person from the circle stands up and shows whatever is present for them in the moment. They can do this through speech, dance, song, and/or movement. There are normally two or more facilitators, any of whom may or may not work with the person in the middle. Those who did not stand up (everyone else) are there to observe as empty buddhas; those listening should be empty, putting their own reactions aside in order to see the person in the middle clearly.
The individual (and the group) is asked to trust the facilitators. Everyone is at choice to do something or not, but don't argue verbally or covertly with the facilitators' intuitions/directives, rather choose to do them or not. Of course, though all participants are asked to follow the directives to the best of their ability, everyone is at choice, and if something doesn't feel right, then don't do it. (Yet push your edge! See what happens!)
Once the person in the middle has sat down, the floor is then open for mirrors and appreciations. They can also do this through speech, dance, song, and/or movement. (More will be said on this later.) Once this is done, the middle is cleared and the next person may go up.
We learn to be social beings through clarity in knowing what others think and value about us. In the ZEGG-style forum, mirrors show what wasn't said or something that needs to be revealed. The point is to see the truth--to reveal all the various layers of truth. The person giving the mirror takes the underlying emotions and gives them voice. This can be done through sound, movement, playing the person, just giving commentary etc.
A mirror in this context is not a "reaction" per se--it is not about ourselves, but rather the person we're mirroring. If the mirror seems to be more about the individual giving the mirror rather than the person who went up in the middle, the facilitator may ask the mirror-giver to sit down.
The intention of a mirror is to contribute to the person. Give mirrors to people you care about--that you feel genuine compassion for. The person receiving the mirrors should allow all the feedback to sink in, sit with the mirrors for a day, and then see what fits and what doesn't fit. Take the mirrors as a gift.
In the ZEGG-style Forum the facilitators perform many roles. They hold the container. They direct the performance to draw out the essential issue being presented. They facilitate the movement of energy, helping an individual to release blocks when possible. They are given full leadership of the process and are responsible for maintaining the form of the Forum (or not), maintaining a "safe space" for participants, deciding on when to end the forum, etc. They also have the power to make exceptions to the "rules" and the group is asked to trust their judgement. Having been given so much power by the group and it is best to have rotating facilitators if possible.
As I learned it, and as the ZEGG literature clearly states, the forum leaders are not there to give answers, solve problems or give advice. If this should happen, it should be the exception to the rule, not standard practice. Also, it is my belief that all persons holding power (of any kind) should be held accountable for their decision-making. In my forums, feedback, questions, concerns, and of course appreciations re: the facilitation is welcome, and space is given for that after each forum.