How to Host a Nexus Event: Sharing your Favourite Song
A Nexus Hang Plan
A ‘Nexus Hang’ happens whenever you get together with your friends for meaning-making through the arts. The way it happens is through a simple three-step process:
- First we invite our friends together for this hang with a purpose.
- Secondly, somebody who’s designated to be the facilitator, makes a plan for a shared encounter with some work of art.
- Thirdly, right after the encounter we have a conversation about what we just experienced and how it connects to our lives.
That’s it.
We’ve used movies, short stories, concerts, paintings, walks through the woods. Our local hang in Beijing has settled into a once-a-month rhythm.
Here’s An Example:
Several weeks ago we had a simple encounter with a simple plan. As the Hang facilitator, I asked everyone to come with a song to share (via YouTube, Spotify, Apple music and a good Bluetooth speaker), one that has been significant in their lives, and then talk a bit about why they chose this song.
We had Chinese folk songs about mountain landscapes, Japanese pop songs about the loss of a lover, the final movement of Mahler’s Resurrection symphony, and many other songs with varied grooves – music that sought to capture in sound what could not be contained by words. We went around the circle. Each person came ready to share their song with the group, and its connection to their life. Melodies and tears flowed freely. There weren’t lots of words. We mostly let the music speak of our hearts.
A couple of hours after we started we each left to go our separate ways. Our musical sharing left us all feeling that we had revealed something from deep inside ourselves, without having to explain too much. I believe we all felt a little more understood, which is perhaps a small thing, but if felt precious.
JKG, Beijing, August 2019
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Kyle, great idea about a discussion around a song. When time seems short a song seems perfect. Thanks for opening this possibility.
“I believe we all felt a little more understood, which is perhaps a small thing, but if felt precious.”
This is so very important and basic to us as humans…our souls are watered and thrive on those moments when we feel heard and understood. This is perhaps one of the greatest gifts we can give to another…to really listen, with the purpose of understanding.