At 09:26 AM 10/7/2003 -0700, Chris Corrigan wrote:
I think an OSonOS is different from most other OST meetings because of who is there. There is no doubt in my mind that someone will eventually begin an OSonOS by pointing at the papers in the middle of the circle and saying&lets go! My ego prevented me from doing that in Vancouver, but Laurels morning and evening news circles were perfect. Short and sweet and inviting enough to have some significant business attended to without imposing more facilitationon people.
Chris -- I tried to get away with "There's the paper and the wall. . . Go to it! at an early OSONOS. Everybody sat there and looked at me like I had taken their money for a movie and only showed the last part of the final reel. I guess i learned from that experience that the opening is much more than giving instructions on how to proceed. After all, everybody knows what to do (certainly in an OSONOS) , but they have to be in the mood to do it. And the opening ritual (and yes it is a ritual, I think) deals with that. Like all rituals, it can be well or poorly done -- heavy handed or light as a feather. Knowing the difference, and how to make that difference is where practice comes in. No formula will work, but genuine presence with that particular group is a good place to start. And having said all of the above, it is also true that a first timer with zero practice can surely do the job, even if lines are muffed and confused. And therein lies the secret, I think. It is not only about presence, but authentic presence. Really being there as you really are. If a first timer is a little nervous and fluffs a bit -- well that is authentically who they are, and folks will deal with that. If I did the same thing, folks might reasonable suspect that I was there -- but not all there. harrison Harrison Owen 7808 River Falls Drive Potomac, MD 20854 USA phone 301-365-2093 207-763-3261 (Summer) Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
