Virtual Reality & Facilitation - Breathing Life into Things

photo credit - Rita Ahuja (my sister)

It was the last stop - enveloped in a living version of the Starry Night with deep music playing, the tears just started streaming - Theo van Gogh finally found his brother Vincent in an asylum and the last scene was filled with joy in the open land with Vincent happily painting. This was my first experience in virtual reality as part of a live exhibition of Vincent van Gogh's work and life story in Melbourne - beyond just still paintings on walls, the whole experience created heightened awareness - it engaged the audience and brought them in through - touch, sound, sight, feeling ... my 13 year old who otherwise would have been bored out of his mind - was mesmerised - curious to explore what was at the next turn, behind the door, outside the window, up in the sky ... engulfed in a live sensory illustration of one of the most beautiful art work of all time. And I reckon this story will stay with him for a long time because he really "experienced" it.  While there were many of us in that space moving through the story - it felt like a real "individual" experience. 

This got me thinking - how our role as facilitators of group conversations and dialogue are so much about heightened awareness. Typical meetings or gatherings without intentional design or a host can feel like a museum with still paintings on the wall - where a usual guest may just feel overwhelmed or confused or just plain bored. Unless you are really into art and know your way around a museum, the whole experience can die even before it takes birth. While you are physically in the museum - "are you really present and engaged?" And how soon we forget all that we read or heard as in most cases it engages only one of our senses. 

As facilitators we bring alive the content - the purpose - the reason for gathering. We think of ways in which we can spark that curiosity and child like wonder - about what comes next? We include moments where participants are really getting fully involved with their body, mind, spirit and emotions. We focus on not just what the collective achieves but what the individual experiences and takes with them. A well facilitated gathering feels complete - like a story - with a beginning, peak moments and an end. It touches us deep within sometimes catching us unaware - thus sparking something new. 

This experience left me a lovely design question - next time I plan a gathering in work or life, I will ask myself, "how can I really bring it alive for everyone present"? 

                                                        photo credit - Rita Ahuja (my sister)