Context:

Beauty acts on both conscious and unconscious levels in its effect on groups. Including beauty when [[creating a container]] for an event, for example, can call forth a subtle sense of gratitude and help soften the collective heart, opening the opportunity for deeper levels of work.

Instructions:

The application of this pattern, Beauty, might simply be elegance or symmetry in the color or shape of the room you choose, the amount/quality of [[light]] in the space, or a pleasing spatial layout. Or, Beauty can be included more explicitly, as in bringing in a large vase of flowers, a lovely tree branch, a pile of stones, etc..

If you consciously privilege Beauty by pointing to it in some way - e.g. creating a centerpiece and placing it in the middle of the room (if the chairs are in a circle), or some other prominent place, the effect can be much more direct.

One obvious way of bringing beauty into play is to hold your gathering in a natural setting, paying attention to the [[Power of Place - old]] to situate your meeting or conversation.

Integrating Beauty is not always focused on the physical. There is beauty in kindness, and taking care of the needs of the group (see [[Hosting]]); in mutual respect and doing things together, like [[Eating[[Breaking Bread Together]], or sharing collective tasks in a way that honors each contribution.

Cautions & Caveats:

The power of Beauty is universally applicable but it's not understood or appreciated by everyone and may be perceived as too "soft" for some groups. In those situations it may be more appropriate not to point to it directly.