Wait for everyone to grab their drinks
and settle in.
Hand out physical question cards or ask
them to scan the table's QR code.
Say something like:
"Welcome, everyone! I’m [Your Name]. The goal of Curious Souls Cafe is
simple: we’re here to skip the small talk and dive into real, meaningful
conversations.
There are two ground rules today. First, this is a safe, non-judgmental
space—we listen to understand, not to debate. Second, we have a strict
'Right to Pass' policy. If a question makes you uncomfortable, or
you just prefer to listen, simply say 'pass.' No pressure at all."
Round One: Curated Questions (40
Mins)
Option A: Team Colors
Split the room into 3 teams (Blue,
Yellow, Red).
Have each team collaborate to choose
exactly ONE
question
to discuss deeply.
Say something like:
"We are split into the Blue, Yellow, and Red teams. I want your team
to collaborate and agree on ONE question you want to discuss
together.
I'm going to roll the
dice. If it lands on your team's color, your team gets to lead the way!
You will present your question to the room and kick off the
discussion."
Option B: Reveal & Match
Have everyone pick a question from
their
app/cards that resonates with them.
Open the
Virtual Dice
in the app (or grab physical dice).
Say something like:
"Take a look at your cards and pick a question you’d like to answer
today. If you are using the app, tap your card to reveal its secret
color.
I am going to roll this
colored dice. If it lands on Blue, everyone holding a Blue card gets to start
first! The person asking the question gets to answer it first, then
we’ll open it up to the table."
Option C: Paired Chat
Present 4 question cards to the group (using the
app
or physically).
Tell participants to pair up with the
person next to them.
Say something like:
"I've put four questions up on the board. Pick the one that
resonates with you the most.
I want you to pair up with the person sitting next to you. Take 10
minutes to discuss your chosen questions just between the two of
you. After that, we'll regroup and share what we learned with the
whole table."
Optional Challenge Twist: If you are using the dice to decide
who starts, remind them that rolling a "Striped" color means the group
has to complete a quick bonding challenge before answering!
Round Two: Write-Your-Own (Optional)
Read the Room: This round is completely optional! If the group
is deeply engaged with the curated question cards from Round One, feel
free to skip this and just keep pulling from the deck.
Option A: Pen & Paper
Pass out blank slips of paper and
pens to everyone.
Collect them in a hat or bowl, read
them aloud, and have the group vote (or draw them randomly).
Say something like:
"That was a great first round. Now, let's switch gears. Based on
what we just talked about, or whatever is on your mind today, write
down your own question for the group on the paper provided.
Fold them up and pass them to the center. We will pool them
together, read them out, and dive into the ones that catch our
interest for the rest of the session."
Option B: Live Board
Tell the group to navigate to the
Live Board
on the web app.
Give them 3 minutes to submit
questions anonymously and upvote their favorites.
Say something like:
"That was a great first round. Now, let's switch gears. Based on
what we just talked about, or whatever is on your mind today, I want
you to write your own question for the group.
Open the Live Board on the app. You can submit your questions
anonymously. Once they are up, take a minute to read through
everyone's submissions and tap the 'Vote' button on the ones you are
most curious about. We'll discuss the top-voted questions next!"
The Wrap-Up: Moments of Truth (10 Mins)
10 minutes before the end of the event,
interrupt gently to wind down.
Say something like:
"We are coming up on the end of our time together. To wrap things up,
let's do a quick 'Moment of Truth' around the table.
In one or two sentences, what is your biggest takeaway from tonight? It
could be something you learned about yourself, a new perspective someone
shared, or an intention you want to set for next week."
Don't Forget: Ask if everyone is comfortable taking a group
photo for the community before people start leaving. Remind them they
can step out of frame if they prefer privacy!
Time Management: Keep the session on track by enabling the
Global Timer
in your settings. It floats above your tools and can optionally
trigger an "Ambient Wrap-Up" color shift during the final minute!
Troubleshooting: Managing the Vibe
Defusing Debates
Step in early if the tone shifts from
"sharing" to "convincing" or arguing.
Validate their energy, but firmly
redirect the room back to the core rule.
Say something like:
"I love the passion here, but let's pause for a second. Just a quick
reminder of our ground rule: we are here to share personal
experiences and listen to understand, rather than debate who is
right or wrong.
Let's pivot back and hear a different
perspective on this..."
Chatty Participants
Don't let one person monologue for
more than a few minutes.
Use their pause for breath to jump
in, thank them, and pass the spotlight.
Say something like:
"That is a really interesting perspective, thank you for sharing
that!
I want to make sure we leave space to hear from
everyone tonight—does anyone else who hasn't spoken yet want to
weigh in on this?"
Overwhelmed Groups & Language Barriers
Bilingual Subtitles: If attendees are freezing up due to language barriers, instruct them to use the Bilingual Dropdown to enable native-language subtitles right beneath the English prompts.
Concise Mode: Instruct everyone to toggle the app to "Concise" mode to hide long background text and provide a shorter, punchier prompt.
Depth Slider: Adjust the slider to "Lite 🌱" to warm the room up with easier, low-stakes questions to build their confidence.
Say something like:
"Let's switch gears for a second. I am going to ask everyone to adjust our deck to pull some lighter, faster questions. Also, remember you can use the language dropdown at the top to turn on translated subtitles!
There are no right or wrong answers, just share the first personal story or thought that comes to your mind."
Feed Your Own Curiosity: Once the group is warmed up and talking comfortably, consider sliding the depth up to "Deep 🌀". As a host, it is important that you enjoy the intellectual depth of the meetup too!
Abstract Answers & Stalled Vibe
The Art of the Follow-Up: When a participant gives a brief, theoretical answer (like "I agree"), try to gently keep the turn going. Guide them out of abstract theory by inviting them to share a personal memory.
Ask bridging questions like: "Can you share a specific time in your life when you experienced that?" or "What did that experience teach you?"
Lead by Example: If the room is stuck in an intellectual rut, share your own vulnerable story first. This gives participants permission to drop the theory and speak from the heart.
Say something like:
"I love that theory, but let's bring it down to reality for a second.
Has anyone here actually experienced this firsthand? What is the story behind why you feel that way?"
Flat Energy & Vibe Shifts
Recognize when a room is disengaged or answering too superficially due to a lack of chemistry or language barriers.
Pivot to Action Prompts to shift the group from abstract "thinking" to interactive "doing" and storytelling.
Enforce the "Striped Dice Challenge": when someone rolls a stripe, pause the deep talk and have them complete a Meaningful Challenge from the app instead!
Say something like:
"Let's switch things up for a second to get some energy flowing! Instead of answering a deep question, we are going to do a quick challenge.
I'm going to pull up the Action Prompts deck. Whoever rolled the striped dice, read your challenge out loud and let's see what you get!"
Note: These digital tools and our in-person gatherings are provided
solely for entertainment purposes, intended to foster community
connection and reflection. They are not a substitute for professional
advice or therapy.
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