Striking Up a Conversation Can Be Easy for Uninitiated

Here are some of the ways to join or start a salon:

* Plan an evening of conversation in your home with some interesting friends or acquaintances. You can give it a theme or let the conversation take its own course.

* Put an ad in the personals section of a newspaper, journal or magazine--one that you relate to generally, geographically or philosophically. For instance, if you belong to an organization of like-minded individuals (political, religious, activist, environmental), consider putting an item in their newsletter to recruit people.

* Visit a local coffeehouse. They are often hubs of activity and active, often stimulating, conversation.

* Contact the Utne Reader, 1624 Harmon Place, Minneapolis, Minn., 55403. Call (612) 338-5040 to be placed on one of their salon groups or to join (starting in April) the Neighborhood Salon Assn. ($20 annual dues).

* For a computer salon experience, contact the WELL, 27 Gate Five Road, Sausalito Road, Sausalito, Calif., 94965. (415) 332-6106 for data, or (415) 332-4335 for voice contact; or the Utne Reader Online Salon, Institute for Global Communications, 18 DeBoom St., San Francisco, Calif., 94107. ($15 sign-up fee, $10 monthly subscription fee; connect time $5-$10 an hour).

* For information on study circles, including training material, clearinghouse services, public talk series or assistance with material development, contact the Study Circles Resource Center, Route 169, Box 203, Pomfret, Conn., 06258. (203) 928-2616.

* For information on the council process, contact The Ojai Foundation, which uses councils to explore values, family relationships and other topics in its Foundation School curriculum and Mysteries Program for elementary and secondary school students. The Ojai Foundation, Attn: Wild Store, Box 1620, Ojai, Calif., 93023. (805) 640-0550.