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World Cafe Questions

see also Strategic Questions
from a note from Nancy Margulies
QUESTIONS are a central part of Cafe conversations. Any one of the folloing list might launch a
lengthy process of !iscovery. The folloing are the "uestions that e !iscovere! !uring #uanita
$ron an! %avi! Isaac&s recent 'omestea! Cafe(
)ho calle! you to this Cafe* )hat role !i! this person play in your
e+pectations*
)hat most attracte! you to the i!ea of participating in this Cafe*
)hat natural process might emerge, if e let it happen*
If there is a !eeper reason for us to -e here, hat is it*
Can e -ring our full essence to this !iscussion*
)hat stan!s in the ay of each of us -eing fully present in this gathering*
)hat social patterns are common to your culture* %oes .Cafe. have meaning*
)hat other terms or/ to convey a place here intimate informal conversations
might ta/e place* Aroun! the /itchen ta-le* at the .tavern. or .pu-. *
'o !o cultural !ifferences impact the ay in hich -ring ourselves fully
to the Cafe*
)hat are our in!ivi!ual rhythms an! ays of learning an! /noing*
At hat level !o e ant the conversations to -egin*
)hat is possi-le here* Can e .listen to the source. an! -ring in something
greater than ourselves*
Is there an in!ivi!ual, a collective an! an over0arching .source*
If so, oul! it -e helpful to tap into in!ivi!ual sources or collective
ones, rather than the ultimate source*
)hat !ras us together*
'o much !oes the first person ho spea/s set the tone for the ensuing
conversation*
)hat is the impact of .initiating con!itions. on the Cafe*
Can e -y0pass some of the trust issues that normally /eep us from opening
up an! move more "uic/ly to !eep conversations*
If so, hat processes might -est ena-le us to !o that*
'o can Cafe learning contri-ute to a collective intelligence*
'o can e -alance the nee! for !esign ith the !esire for emergence*
)here is the .-oth1an!. of these to*
'o can e offer hope*
)hat is the role of storytelling in our Cafe e+periences*
)hat are the most simple, elegant !esigns that might -ring us together*
In hat ays are e alrea!y connecte!*
)here is the .magic. in our self organi2ing, in our collective
.remem-ering. in our sense of .coming home.*
'o can e !evelop a CU3TU4E O5 COM6ASSION*
Our institutions are lagging -ehin! 00 hat might move them to a shift of
consciousness*
6erhaps e are alrea!y moving to a collective consciousness 00 if so, ho
can e ma/e it more visi-le*
'o can I remain open to grace*
)hat role !oes collective grief 00 a she!!ing of tears of 7oy as ell as
sorro, play in our coming together*
Can e step into the un/non*
)hat images, sym-ols, /ey phrases 8such as .I have a !ream.9 might cause a
shift*
To hat !egree might it -e possi-le for me to see the orl! through your
eyes*
)hen in life have you aite! until it as too late to have an important
conversation* )hat is /eeping us from the necessary conversations*
'o ell !o I /no myself*
)hat am I hi!ing*
Is there a ay e can !eci!e to 5EE3 first an! only then spea/* )hat might
result*
%o I give myself permission to -e fully myself* If so, hen !oes that
occur*
)hat is the relationship -eteen self0/nole!ge an! the a-ility to
participate in these conversations*
Coul! I ever ta/e a group to a place that I have not alrea!y visite!*
To hat !egree am I -eing hat others e+pect*
%oes our .e+pertise. !istract us from e+ploring the essence*
Collectively, hat are e letting go of*
'o comforta-le are e ith not /noing*
'o can the ."uality that has no name. -e source! into hope*
Can time an! healing flo through us*
'o can e share hat e are !eveloping through a ne mo!el that is not
-oun! to tra!itional conventions of rights, authorship an! onership*
'o !o e carry this .spirit. -ac/ to the orl!*
'o can e stay connecte!*
Are e alrea!y connecte! in ays e have faile! to notice*
)hat is the ne collective story that e coul! live into*
'o can e ena-le1encourage others to move to more flui! relationships*
)hat is the role of healing in our gatherings* 'o can e -ecome a healing
community*
Some "uestions that have occurre! to me lately are(
Can e heal the past through our present actions*
)hy are so fe people illing to loo/ at larger issues such as the potential
for conscious co0creation of our evolution, the nee! to rethin/ most of our
ma7or institutions, the !anger to human life on earth*
)hat oul! engage more people in or/ing toar! change*
If the Universe is trying to create something T'4OU:' us, hat is it
up to*
'o coul! this or/ -e more fun*
If I hol! clues an! intuitive /noing in my -o!y 00 can I learn to rea! the
signs an! tap into a !ifferent ay of /noing*
'o might e !evelop a ne language 00 ma!e of sym-ols an! signals that
oul! ena-le us another form of communication*

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