A group online session is not simply a video call with a board on screen. It combines a shared game mechanism with private reflection by each participant. Without a clear separation, the conversation quickly becomes a stream of advice, and quieter players lose the chance to formulate their own response.
Article focus: Practical intent: learn how to run Leela online for several participants without disorder, pressure, or forced disclosure.
The basic anatomy of an online room
A workable room needs a shared board, a visible order of play, a time guide, and a separate place for personal notes. Before the meeting, participants should know exactly what the group will see: only the cell number, the topic of the intention, the player’s comment, or the full journal.
A group of friends may use a simple list. An unfamiliar group benefits from a moderator whose task is not to interpret cells, but to maintain the process. The guide to individual versus group Leela helps clarify what changes when several people share the same session.
Agreements to make before the first roll
Set the rules before personal material appears:
- total meeting length and an approximate time per turn;
- the right to skip a prompt or keep an answer private;
- a word or button that pauses the discussion immediately;
- no diagnosis, pressure, or interpretation of another person without invitation;
- the right to leave without explaining why;
- rules for screenshots, recordings, and forwarded messages.
“Everything stays in this room” is too vague if the platform stores history automatically or someone plans to record the call. Consent should describe the actual technology and the people who can access it.
A turn order that protects attention
One turn can follow this cycle:
- The player restates the intention or names only its general topic.
- They make the move and read the cell description.
- They receive two or three quiet minutes to write privately.
- They decide what, if anything, to share.
- Others ask questions only after permission is given.
- The facilitator closes the turn and passes control.
This is slower than free conversation, but it preserves ownership of the answer. A four-person game can take much longer than expected, so check how long a Leela game usually lasts and set a time or round limit in advance.
Three privacy levels
| Level | What the group sees | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Open | intention, cell, notes, and discussion | a trusted group with explicit agreement |
| Mixed | intention topic and cell; the response stays private | colleagues, classes, or new groups |
| Closed | only the move and readiness to continue | sensitive issues or uneven group trust |
Privacy does not prevent shared play. A participant may offer a neutral conclusion such as “I need more information” or “I am taking a pause.” A detailed personal story is not automatically a deeper answer.
What the facilitator does—and does not do
The facilitator holds the frame rather than deciding which interpretation is true. They return attention to the current player’s question, interrupt unsolicited advice, watch the time, and remind everyone that an interpretation is a hypothesis. If the facilitator is also playing, another participant should moderate during their turn.
Use Leela with or without a facilitator to compare the options. In a large group, facilitation matters because of participant dynamics, not because one person has privileged access to the cells.
A 75-minute example agenda
First 10 minutes: connection check, privacy agreement, questions about the format.
Next 45 minutes: three short rounds in a fixed order.
Next 10 minutes: everyone reviews private notes and chooses one conclusion.
Final 10 minutes: optional group closing without analysing other people’s decisions.
When a response needs more time, save the session and continue separately. An emotionally difficult moment should not be rushed merely to keep the schedule; pause the turn and agree on what happens next.
Problems that commonly derail the group
Group interpretation before the player speaks. The player starts choosing among other people’s stories instead of noticing their own response.
Competition for depth. Participants disclose more than they intended because vulnerability becomes a social standard.
Invisible screen recording. Recording changes the safety of the room even when it is technically convenient.
Advice disguised as a question. “Don’t you think you should leave?” already contains a decision.
A loose turn order. The most active people occupy the meeting while others become observers.
Starting a group session in Reflecta
Open Leela in Reflecta, decide who controls the shared screen, and keep private answers on each participant’s own device. For two people, see Leela for two players; for an informal group, use Leela with friends.
What each participant should leave with
The result should remain individual: one note, one fact to check, and one voluntarily chosen action. The group can support the process, but it cannot vote an interpretation into truth or decide what another person must do.
Sources and editorial method
This material is intended for learning and self-reflection. It does not promise to predict the future and does not replace professional help.