Mine too does not seem to have made it to the list..........here's what I 
wrote...........

Indeed it was lovely......Goa, the sea, a Bollywood film being shot on the 
beach (did you arrange that also Janet?)........with actresses in bikinis 
gyrating repeatedly to a tune for more than 4 hours at last count......Boy!! Do 
they need to work for that money?? And nobody talks of exploitation of 
women......Strange world we live in!!!

Anyway to come to the OSonOs; I discovered that Harrison was not an electron 
but actually exists and is a long lost brother in spirit. So my trip was 
fulfilled almost before it started. All the rest was a bonus. And indeed that 
was plenty of that.

Meeting so many fellow OpenSpacers (is that legit?) from so many places in the 
world. Doing all sorts of wonderful and crazy things. Some I laughed with. Some 
I cried with. Some I was awed by. Some ......there are always many kinds of 
people.

Once again for me, the effectiveness of the Technology part of the OST was 
reinforced. This is a marvelous method and Harrison is a genius and all people 
who do OS are wonderful.

One disconnect: There were repeated calls from 2-3 people who felt that what 
was happening in Goa was more a networking socializing thing and had no real 
purpose other than that. This they felt was a waste of talent and ability 
collected there. 

On the face of it, this seemed valid. Until I had a thought: OS in practice is 
all about clearly defined purpose. The entire session is around a theme which 
relates to a definite business problem / issue. So there's no problem there.

An OSonOS is however all about re-connecting of OS Professionals. It is a 
home-coming,  a battery charging, a meeting, a reinforcing of ideas, sharing of 
challenges and rejuvenating of strength and energy. That is its purpose and 
"business problem / issue." So it is not a purposeless and social gathering.

The problem I believe is that this is not clear to some people, especially 
those who are new to OS and come to an OSonOS as their first (or almost first) 
experience. This can create a sense of  - "I did not get what I was looking for 
and so I am disappointed. " I believe this is avoidable if we clear this 
especially for people who may be coming for the first time.

More later. Have to run now

Yawar
Mirza Yawar Baig
President, Yawar Baig & Associates
 
Telephone: + 91 40 23376563
Fax & Voicemail: + 91 40 23372526
Mobile: + 91 98490 38258
URL: www.yawarbaig.com

"Change is inevitable. Progress is optional."
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Raffi Aftandelian 
  To: [email protected] 
  Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 2004 2:57 PM
  Subject: reflections on Goa


  Hi folks!
  I'm reposting this because it didn't seem to make the listserv...
  Raffi
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Raffi Aftandelian 
  To: OSLIST 
  Sent: Sunday, October 03, 2004 1:01 PM
  Subject: reflections on Goa


  Hi all! 
  I wanted to put in my few words about Goa. It was all I could have wished for 
and more. It was funny how after the first day I was sad that the OSonOS would 
be over in two days. By the end of the second day, I was very full, so full 
that I felt too tired to carry on with the 4th (!) topic I'd posted-- "Personal 
preparation for OST". One of the Indian participants (Khosro, I believe-- I mix 
up his name because there's a Persian analog of his name) who'd never been to 
an OST meeting before, however was curious about this topic. And it was curious 
to be the one imparting information about OST. Prior to that I'd be the one 
doing the "downloading", listening to more experienced OST practitioners, 
challenging them (gently), asking questions. Now, of course, any human exchange 
is a lot more complex and curious than either "downloading" or "uploading".

  I took lots of notes and hope to type them up, much to digest for a while. 
It's hard even to imagine going to Halifax for now. There was so much from this 
event, and so much ahead in my personal life as many at the event learned.

  One of the interesting learnings was hearing how Seattle folks, or more 
precisely the Spiritedwork community there, include the Fourfold Way in opening 
space. I realized that there were certain OST meetings in the past where I 
definitely could have used those four practices. As I keep on hearing about the 
Fourfold Way I realize that it can no longer be a book gathering dust in a box. 
I need to bring those practices into my life. 

  One thing I somehow never got to say to you Harrison, but I did when we 
hugged upon meeting on Day One, was how grateful I am to you (and Spirit) for 
bringing OST to our Now and for bringing OS principles into our consciousness. 
It is such a gift.

  And I am so grateful for Janet Pinto's work in making this OSonOS possible. 
There were so many touches that just left me very grateful. So much care, 
thoroughness, and thoughtfulness went into the meeting. While I know that some 
participants felt awkward about the inclusion of the Ganesha celebration in the 
OSonOS - which I understand-- I really appreciated the invitation to 
participate in the celebration. And I really valued hearing the story of 
Ganesha.

  I left feeling much more confident in my abilities as an OST facilitator.

  Side remark to all: Shabbir looks like my father; and Zachary looks like my 
brother!!

  Also I want to express my thanks to OSI-USA for making it possible to come to 
Goa. A real gift. I'll be typing up my notes into Russian and sharing them with 
the OST world here.

  Warmly from a Moscow bursting with autumn colors (after a beautiful run in 
Sokolniki Park-- where the tsar and his buddies went falcon hunting in the good 
old days),
  Raffi
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