Chai and Chat

…a place where to explore the spiritual side of life.
“Chai for the body, Chat for the soul.”

What is spirituality?

Spirituality is a recognition that there is something greater than me. There is more to life than a sensory existence. That something greater than myself has to do with God.
Spirituality is recognizing that our lives have significance beyond our needs to survive physically. It involves exploring our purpose in life.
Spirituality involves exploring themes such as love, compassion, life after death, wisdom, and truth. Often this is done by looking at the lives of others.

For example, here are three questions that can help you decide if you have a spiritual perspective on life.
1. When bad things happen to you, whom do you blame?
2. When good things happen to you, whom do you thank? 
3. Do you think the events were a mere coincidence? Why or why not?

“In his latest book, “How to Know a Person,” David Brooks argues that a crucial skill in our lives is woefully underdeveloped: the ability to truly understand and connect with others. The book emphasizes the profound impact of seeing someone “deeply and making them feel seen.” This concept, of accurately knowing another person and ensuring they feel valued, heard, and understood, lies at the heart of healthy relationships, families, organizations, and even society.”
https://closler.org/connecting-with-patients/deepening-connections-takeaways-from-david-brooks-how-to-know-a-person#:~:text=In%20his%20latest%20book%2C%20“How,understand%20and%20connect%20with%20others.

At Chai and Chat we seek to establish a format where we talk about life with a spiritual perspective but also with empathy and understanding. Hence, we choose themes to discuss that most people can relate to like A Hero Story and City Stories.

We also present these things with a bit of humor and fun.

Here is what we have tried.

  1. We serve great chai and sweet and savory snacks.
  2. We meet in a central locality at a time convenient for students. Ours start at 5:30 P.M. and ends precisely at 6:30 P.M.
  3. We begin with a question most people can answer like, “What did you make today?” Or, “Tell about a teacher that influenced you.”
  4. We involve students to present their “hero” or “city” with creative introductions. In the case of a Hero’s Story or City Story the others ask the questions found on the card.
  5. We often include art, making art together like creating city scapes, and either looking at it or drawing it as suggested on the Conversation Art Cards.
  6. We use the method of mutual invitation to conduct the discussions. That is when a person speaks, they then invite someone else until everyone has had a turn to say something. A person may say “pass” but they then invite someone else to speak. The facilitator keeps the conversation on track with responses and time.

Here is a list of topics we have discussed.

  1. Images from the Conversation Art Cards.
    https://crustore.org/product-creator/jane-fox/
  2. Philisophical questions sometimes based on the book, “Does God Exist? And Other Hard Questions,” by Jane Fox.
    https://crustore.org/product-creator/jane-fox/
  3. A Hero’s Story. https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1peWY15OPdkwoGvt306lxgQhcZswivdvH
  4. City Stories. https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1peWY15OPdkwoGvt306lxgQhcZswivdvH
  5. The series on Mental Health and Faith found on this website.
  6. Folktales From Around the World, found on this website.
  7. Three Questions, found under Conversation Discussion Guides on this website.

I am always looking to improve. Let me know what you have found.

Jane