Connection Activities

Various activities, exercises, and techniques that aim to create a deeper connection between participants.

Many of these activities also lift our mood and energy as a side effect. See also Raising Our Vibration for the focused practices we run specifically for that purpose.

• Connection
• Relaxation
• Play and Games
• Touch
• Creativity
• Advanced
• Inspiration

Connection

Directly connecting between participants using questions and relating.

• Connection Questions
• Focus chair: One person is the center of attention, sharing an experience or dilemma, and everyone gives positive support, empathy, clarification questions, suggestions, challenges, etc.
• Sharing circle: Sharing about our experiences and emotions in relation to some topic.
• Eye Gazing: Looking into each other’s eyes

Relaxation

Experiencing relaxation together makes people feel more comfortable with each other.

Some of the practices below come from traditions that use spiritual or “energy” language. We use them because they can help people feel calmer and more connected, regardless of whether you take the underlying framework literally.

• Breathing exercises: Synchronized breathing, pranayama, or deep breathing cycles
• Sound healing: Relaxing spa music, Tibetan singing bowls meditation
• Chanting: Guided meditative chanting
• Meditations: Guided meditation, silent meditation, or walking meditation in nature
• Energy work: Practices like Reiki and chakra balancing. Many people find these practices deeply relaxing and grounding.
• Visualization: Guided imagery exercises - for example, picturing a flow of warm light moving through the body, or imagining yourself “recharging” before a challenging day. The point is the felt sense of calm and renewal that the imagery produces.
• Nature connection: Forest immersion, barefoot walking
• Water connection: Visiting together a swimming pool, hot tub (jacuzzi), the beach, lake, river, hot springs.

Play and Games

• Warm up exercises such as Zip Zap Zop, Jump-in Jump-out
• Clapping games such as 1, 2, 3
• Game of “Tag” / “You’re it”
• Theatre improv games such as “what are you doing?”, role playing a scene, acting out emotions
• Psychodrama games such as insisting on saying “No” under attempted coercion
• Home Games: Board games and card games
• Venue games: Going together to play darts, mini-golf, bowling, pool, table tennis, arcade, escape room

Touch

Pleasant touch is one of the most direct and powerful ways to feel connected with each other. It releases oxytocin, the “bonding hormone”, and other hormones (like serotonin and dopamine). These chemicals don’t just make us feel good - they deepen trust, reduce stress, and create a felt sense of being held and supported by the group.

All touch is always consensual and respectful. No one is ever expected to participate in anything they are not comfortable with.

• “Object” exercises:
  • Middle stick: Everyone forms a circle facing inwards, and one person stands in the middle of the circle and behaves like a stiff “stick” that falls to some direction and the person there catches the “stick” and nudges it to another.
  • Catch me: In a pair, one person falls backwards and trusts the other person to catch. Doing it gradually, first a small fall, then gradually larger.
  • Lead me: In a pair, one person is blindfolded and the other person guides them to walk through a room, making sure they don’t bump into anything.
• Holding hands
• Circle massage: In a circle, each person sits behind the next person, and gives them a gentle shoulder massage, and gets one from the person behind them.
• Therapeutic touch techniques:
  • Access Bars: Gently touching specific points on the head. Practitioners may describe it as releasing mental tension; many people simply find it relaxing. Example.
  • Holistic Pulsing (“The Power of Softness”): Gently rocking the body in a specific pattern. Example.
• Light “Fight”: Tickling, or pillow fight - causing laughter
• Group hug: The group forms a circle, where each person puts their hands on the back or shoulder of the person next to them. Moving gently back and forth sideways. Also moving inwards and outwards.
• Angel walk: Creating a powerful, supportive atmosphere in which one person receives pure love, affirmation, and positive attention from the group. Participants form two lines, facing each other, creating a kind of “tunnel” or pathway. One by one, each person in the group walks slowly through this “tunnel,” while the others, standing on either side, act like angels, offering:
  • Loving affirmations
  • Whispers of encouragement
  • Supportive touch (like a hand on the shoulder)

Creativity

Creating arts and crafts together is a great way to bond, especially when working together to create a shared piece of art.

• Decorating objects with glitter, paint, stamps
• Origami
• Collage
• Mandala painting
• Basket weaving
• Large scene painting
• Photography exercises: (e.g.: Take a picture with dramatic contrast, take a “peeking” picture through a hole in a gate/wall)
• Preparing a special meal

Advanced

There are also further activities that are at a more advanced level. We explore these only if the group is ready. Details are shared during advanced sessions.

Inspiration

The activities here were partially inspired by these sources.