Worldwork Glossary

Facilitator

“Neutral” facilitator:  A neutral facilitator is not neutral in the passive sense, but actively supports and encourages all the parts to express themselves to completion. She may not agree with all the voices but she can support them to express themselves.

Participant Facilitator: In Worldwork, the concept of leader and facilitator is understood basically as a shared role. Therefore the old concept of participant changed, we call the new participant or “citizen” a “participant facilitator.” 

Filtering

The facilitator “filters” or “sorts” by gathering issues or feelings that are important to members of the group and which they would like to see addressed. The facilitator can help by repeating back and clarifying what each speaker has said, combine issues that are similar in nature, and write the various themes on the board. Process Filtering begins with a very general topic and watches for secondary processes and group consensus to go further.

Field

An area in space within which lines of force are in operation. It is simultaneously everywhere with everyone. It is here and now in its entirety, whenever we merely think of it. Fields are natural phenomena that include everyone, are omnipresent, and exert forces upon things in their midst. There is often a feeling of causal or a-causal interconnectedness between various places or people, and evidence for the existence of such interconnectedness as in the case of synchronicity.

It is the atmosphere or climate of any community, including its physical, environmental and emotional surroundings. We sense that vague atmosphere with our feelings, fantasies and hallucinations and are able to therefore differentiate between roles or parts.

Framing

The facilitator can frame a discussion by remarking about the different levels or dimensions people are speaking about. E.g. one person may speak about (consensus reality) issues and outer action while someone else is speaking about feelings (dreamland). Then, someone else might speak about a common ground (essence) that unites us. This clash of levels can be the source of conflict itself! The facilitator can frame things by saying that there are many levels arising simultaneously; one person is talking about outer action while another is speaking about her feelings. Ask which direction to focus on while remembering the others.