There are many terms and acronyms used in CMG company and it’s possible you’d hear one of them before it was explained to you. Reviewing this list can help you arrive more informed.
CMG BUSINESS
PC – “Planning Committee”. These are the groups that spend up to one year planning a specific Gathering. For many years now, there have been three PCs working concurrently: Spring (SoCal), Summer (NorCal), and Fall (SoCal again).
LEC – “Local Events Committee”. Separate from the gathering, there are committees around the state that plan local events like pool parties, hikes, game nights, bonfires, dine-outs and more. Currently we have LECs for Bay Area, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Palm Springs, and San Diego.
Assemblies – These are the times when we all come together in one place (could be indoors or out, depending on the camp, the headcount, the weather, and the PC’s preference). There will be some sort of led activity. Sometimes it’s all listening to a presentation, but usually they are interactive in some way.
Workshops –– Think of these like break-out sessions at a conference. All attendees are welcome to submit a workshop that they’d like to give, to share information, ideas, art creation, activities, discussions, and more. They run concurrently in two to four time slots throughout the weekend and you’d choose the one you’d like to go to (or, if none appeal to you, fill your time as you see fit.)
AMM – The “Annual Members Meeting”, generally held in January or February, most often of late on Zoom. At this event anyone is welcome to attend, share thoughts, concerns, or plans for CMG’s future. Anyone may submit a proposal for vote, though there are regulations on who may cast a vote. To see the dates of the next AMM, which you are welcome at, go to any page on our website and scroll to the bottom. If details for the next one have been announced, you will see a button for that. fit.
CMG TRADITIONS
Twinkling – You might see people holding their arms out in the direction of the current or previous speaker, wiggling their fingers in that man’s direction. This is called twinkling, to send love and light in the man’s direction. It can be done to show support, appreciation, or agreement.
Pass the Shush – If the current speaker (or attempting) speaker is awaiting quiet in the room, he (or someone else) might say “Pass the shush.” If you hear that, immediately stop talking (if you are) and make the “Shhh!” sound for about four seconds. If we all do it and stop immediately after that, the room can be silenced in about eight seconds total, allowing us to continue. It only takes a few chatterboxes to undermine the speaker, especially during announcement times.
“Ho!” – no, it’s not someone calling the speaker a “ho”. It’s a shortening of “A’Ho,” a word from various Native American tribes, most commonly used as an interjection of agreement, like “amen” or “I agree”” or “yes.” You may hear it used as a way of showing support for a speaker’s comments without interrupting him. It’s not exactly a CMG tradition, but it’s been used enough in other men’s communities that you might hear it from time to time. We tend to twinkle instead.
Heart Circle − In a Heart Circle, a group of men (typically between 3 and 20) create a circle of safety to share what they are currently feeling, from confusion or sadness to heartfelt joy and appreciation. Participants take turns speaking from the heart by passing around a talisman, agreeing that only the person with the talisman is to speak (briefly, please, 2 or 3 minutes max). If you want to speak next, move forward a foot or so inside the circle so the man speaking knows to pass the talisman to you next. If no one is waiting to speak, place the talisman in the center of the circle. We sit in silence until someone picks it up to begin the sharing process again. No cross talk is allowed. Speak only when holding the talisman. Please share your feelings without putting anyone down or anyone’s comments or feelings.
Don’t use the Circle for attacking people who have upset you. Instead, share more generically how your anger feels. If you want, ask for support, which will be given privately, later, outside of the circle. Please don’t disrespect your Heart Circle by refusing to stop talking or taking more turns than others.
Puppy Pile – You know how puppies kinda lie all over each other in a safe, warm-and- fuzzy way? That’s what this is. Show up in your regular clothes or pajamas and join us for relaxation, quiet conversation, cuddling, fellowship, perhaps just being held in a loving way by a new friend. Bringing pillows and/or sleeping bags may boost your comfy-ness factor, but it’s not required. Note: This is a sensual-but-not-sexual environment which should have a facilitator. Over-aroused “pups” will have their canine behavior interrupted.
“Vibes!” – At some points in time, tensions can rise and words may be coming forth that are counterproductive and disharmonious. If that should happen, anyone in the room can yell “Vibes!” and all parties involved should cease speaking for 10-15 seconds to catch their breath, rethink their tone and either try again or choose to move on. This is far more commonly used in board meetings and AMMs, but it can occur at Gatherings.
Elder – CMG sometimes has to deal with problems. If they escalate, sometimes the parties involved will call for assistance from the official Elders of CMG. This group has evolved over the years. The original elder group were selected by the board, but moving forward the Elders themselves occasionally expand their ranks by honoring a longtime member with inclusion. The list of our official Elders can be found at www.TheCMG.org/circle-of-elders . Note that there is no age bracket to be selected to be an official Elder; the title comes from having shown involvement, wisdom, level-headedness, and a love for what we do.
NOW YOU’RE READY TO SPEAK CMG WITH EASE! 🙂