group-perception

Trigger: /group-perception

Group and paired perception exercises with consent frameworks, facilitation guides, and debrief structures. Based on cognitive deautomatization research and contemplative group practice traditions.

Agents

• Language Awareness Guide - Exercise design and facilitation
• Content Writer - Script polishing
• Ethics Guardian - Consent and safety review

Inputs

Input	Required	Description
exercise	Yes	Exercise type (see available exercises)
participants	No	Number of participants
context	No	Setting (workshop, retreat, classroom)

Outputs

• facilitation-guide.md - Complete facilitator script
• consent-framework.md - Informed consent protocol
• debrief-questions.md - Post-exercise discussion guide

Examples

Team workshop:

/group-perception --exercise collective-label-delay --participants 8 --context "team workshop"

Retreat pairs exercise:

/group-perception --exercise conversion-drill --context "retreat"

Classroom meaning exploration:

/group-perception --exercise meaning-collapse-circle --participants 12 --context "philosophy class"

Available Exercises

1. Collective Label Delay (10 min, 3-12 people)

Circle of participants with a shared object in center.

Phase	Duration	Activity
Name Storm	2 min	Everyone names the object rapidly
Silence	3 min	Look at the object without naming
Texture Report	5 min	Describe using only sensations, never the name

Debrief: "What showed up in the silence that wasn't there during the naming?"

2. Pronoun Relay (15 min, 3-6 people)

Phase	Activity
1	Person A tells a story replacing "I" with "the body"
2	Person B retells it replacing "I" with "the voice"
3	Person C retells it replacing "I" with "the pattern"
4	Group discussion: which version felt most honest?

Debrief: "What happens to the story when 'I' is removed?"

3. Meaning Collapse Circle (15 min, 3-12 people)

Choose a common phrase everyone knows ("I'm fine", "It is what it is"). Repeat in unison, increasingly slowly, for 3 minutes until it becomes pure sound. 2 minutes of silence. Each person shares one word or image.

Debrief: "What was it like when the meaning left?"

4. Map-Maker's Interrogation (20 min, 3-8 people)

One person presents a belief. The group asks only:

• "Who drew this map?"
• "What did they leave out?"
• "Where does the map want you NOT to go?"
• "What would change if you burned the map?"

Presenter listens and journals. No defending. 5 minutes silent reflection.

Debrief: "What's different about questioning the frame instead of the content?"

5. Conversion Drill (15 min, pairs)

Partner A states an abstract emotional complaint. Partner B guides through Anchor + Motion + Tilt to create a physical metaphor. Example: "I'm overwhelmed" becomes "Feels like holding a wet sponge that won't stop getting heavier."

Debrief: "What changed when the feeling had a body?"

6. Silence Sit (30 min, 2-20 people)

No speaking, reading, devices, or eye contact. Timer-based. At close: one minute of shared eye contact in pairs. Optional debrief: "What did the silence sound like?"

This is the most challenging group protocol. The deepest claim is that silence is not absence but the parent of language.

Consent Framework

Read aloud before EVERY session:

"This exercise involves [description]. You may notice shifts in how you perceive language or yourself. This is expected and temporary.

You are not expected to share your inner experience unless you choose to. You may stop participating at any time without explanation. There is no correct experience — whatever you notice is valid, including noticing nothing.

Does everyone consent to participate?"

• Wait for explicit verbal consent from each participant
• Anyone who does not consent may observe silently or leave without judgment
• Facilitator must NOT also be a participant

Facilitator Safety Guide

Issue	Response
Participant becomes distressed	Step outside together. Run grounding. No pressure to return
Group won't stop talking during silence	Gently redirect. If persistent, shorten and debrief
No one shares in debrief	Offer one observation yourself. Sit with silence. Close gracefully
Someone dominates debrief	"Thank you — let's hear from someone who hasn't spoken yet"
Participant refuses consent	Welcome observation or departure. No shame. Move on
Persistent disorientation	Run full grounding. If unresolved in 10 min, suggest mental health professional

Quality Gates

Before output is finalized:

• Consent script prepared and will be read aloud
• All participants explicitly consented
• Observation-only option offered
• Facilitator is NOT also a participant
• Grounding protocol ready (Pocket Exit)
• Quiet space available for stepping out
• Debrief questions prepared
• "No sharing required" stated explicitly
• Power dynamic awareness included
• Mental health contact information available

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"Silence is not absence — it's the parent of language. Listen long enough and you'll hear where words come from."