Activity 2.2.4 Removing Barriers

Purpose

To acknowledge barriers and observe what happens when these are removed

Materials

Handout–Diagram Example

Time

45 mins

Method

1. Acknowledging barriers can assist in alleviating them. In this exercise, participants will imagine an hourglass cylinder with small holes on the sides (see diagram on next page). Note: you can ask participants to first draw out the image and then go through the complete activity in order to have a clear image in their minds.
2. Ask participants to imagine marbles labeled with their hopes and goals and then set them aside. They can have as many marbles as they wish.
3. Next, participants will imagine sticks being placed through the holes in the cylinder. These sticks are labeled with reasons (barriers) for not being able to obtain their goals.
4. The marbles (goals) they had set aside are now placed in the cylinder and held up by the sticks (barriers).
5. Once they have the complete picture in their mind, ask participants to imagine they are slowly removing each stick and acknowledge each barrier as they cast it aside.
6. They may not have to remove all the sticks to see their marbles start to fall.
7. Ask them to notice which marble fell first.
8. They should pretend to hold this marble in their hands and tell themselves that their goal is now in their hands. Ask them to silently acknowledge this and make a mental note on how this feels.
9. Ask them to note which stick they removed first and which stick allowed the marble(s) to fall.
10. Ask participants to talk about the process of getting their marbles to fall. Did they have to remove a lot of sticks, or just a few? Did the marble they want fall first?