What is PingingTea℠
PingingTea℠ is a transpersonal phenomenological fishbowl social practice performance art and improv theater combined event designed to provide an alternative solution for solving interpersonal conflict and/or improving personal relations. Actor-participants℠ are self-selected because they welcome a unique and new opportunity to turn a new leaf in a relationship that matters to them. Any type of disagreement between Actor-participants℠ is fair game for the confidential and voluntary self-mediation that takes place onstage by the parties themselves during PingingTea℠.
PingingTea℠ takes place in a fish-bowl format with the audience surrounding the center stage where the pre-registered Actor-participants gather in dyads at café tables to discuss their conflict for a half-hour period while drinking tea. The observing audience sits around the center stage at a distance, unable to overhear the conversations of the Actor-participants℠.
During the self-mediation, Actor-participants℠ who feel they are feeling comfortable and/or making progress toward resolving their conflict are instructed and are expected to ping their tea cups with their respective Conversation Partner℠ to signal to their partner they are experiencing progress and/or comfort in their talks. The pinging sounds are made in the spirit of “cheers!” It is expected that parties will be pinging their tea cups frequently and the pinging will create an atmosphere that will be characterized by a light and celebratory tone.
Prior to the mediation event, Actor-participants℠ register with the Convener of PingingTea℠ and agree to adhere to basic stated expectations. They will be signing basic releases of liability, human subject and media permits, as needed. They will be provided with specific guidance to pace their mediation experience and enter the self-mediation with awareness and skills. The audience will be briefed about how their observation-meditation may be enhanced.
