By Michael B. Commons, Earth Net Foundation, Thailand

Never before in a meeting have I been part of such a diversity of clapping and appreciation methods. Three excellent facilitators- Enoch Opuka, Job Mainye, and Samson Ngugi, gave us a taste of this diversity teaching us different clapping strategies. So in future, if you want to appreciate someone, why be boring? You may take from these methods that I can recall from our recent ABC meeting.

METHOD1: DESCENDING / ASCENDING CLAPPING

This may be the easiest new method. The group can start with 1 and go to 5 claps or start with 5 and descend to 1.

1 clap - 2 claps - 3 claps - 4 claps - 5 claps or 5 claps - 4 claps - 3 claps - 2 claps - 1 clap

METHOD2: SHOW YOUR LEVEL OF APPRECIATION BY HOW WIDE YOU STRETCH YOUR ARMS AND THEN CLAP FROM THERE

METHOD3: SEND YOUR CLAPPING ENERGY AND RECEIVE CLAPPING ENERGY

Here, those appreciating clap while pushing their hands forward and out towards the person(s) they are appreciating. Those being appreciated clap, bringing their hands inward receiving this clapping energy.

METHOD4: CLASSIC 3 CLAP WITH CHAT

The group does a triple clap in rhythm followed by chants of thanks. Eg: 1, 2, 3 Thank you for your wisdom, 1, 2, 3; Thank you for your inspiration. 1, 2, 3; We are so lucky to have heard you 1, 2, 3 ----- etc.

METHOD5: THE FLOWER METHOD

1. Think of a beautiful flower - put your hands up and make the petals.

2. Let the flower radiate blowing in the wind (vibrate your hands).

3. Open the petals and clap.

METHOD6: THE MOSQUITO METHOD

1. Hear the buzzing and imagine mosquitos near your ears.

2. Grab the mosquitos with your hands.

3. Confuse the mosquitos by shaking them.

4. Then clap (killing the imaginary mosquitos).

METHOD7: THE TRAIN METHOD

The group starts clapping slowly like the rhythm of a train starting off from the station and increases the speed of the clapping rhythm until the train reaches full speed. I have participated in a similar clapping session in Thailand, where we then also performed a train whistle to complete the process.

METHOD8: ASK THE PEOPLE FROM EACH COUNTRY IN ROOM TO SHOW APPRECIATION IN THE OWN WAY

- This will yield different appreciation methods/languages depending upon the cultures of those present.