facilitating metanoia? (formerly"Part three OST with children and families")

[Doersam, Laurel]

Perhaps it was the terminology that tripped me up, for when you put it in
the context of healers and healing, I get it.  I agree that the job of the
facilitator/healer is to set the conditions most carefully, to nurture and
perhaps expose innate abilities, and to help identify obstacles and help
open space for their removal.  Yes, indeed, my friend did have someone open
the space with great care and intention to allow the firewalking to be a
possible choice.  In fact, opening that space came from the external
facilitator as well as internally . . . on one occasion the internal
conditions were a bit awry and he ended up with burns and blisters.  So,
it's still the dance between healer and healed, facilitator and participant.

Laurel

-----Original Message-----
From: David C. Rupley, Jr., MD(H) [mailto:dcrupley at BIGPLANET.COM]
Sent: Monday, January 29, 2001 10:33 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: facilitating metanoia? (formerly"Part three OST with children
and families")


A few thoughts . . .

Laurel, thank you for your addition to this wonderful discussion.  The
firewalking story is a great example of how instantaneous and comprehensive
these metanoias can be.

Laurel, Great story and an example of what I hope to communicate.

I have a different view than what you express about whether these metanoias
can be facilitated, and also about our ability to share knowledge and skills
toward this end.  It may simply be an issue of terminology.  Let me respond
to your words.

> I don't think that this CAN be facilitated.  I think that the impetus for
> the change must come from within...

I agree that the impetus must come from within, but I believe that these
transformations not only CAN be facilitated, but MUST be facilitated, by
someone.  I use facilitate here in the sense of setting the conditions.  I
suspect that, for your friend, someone opened the space with great care and
intention for his firewalking to be a possible choice.

I agree with Chris and the trouble may be "facilitate" - to move to
different words - does a healer do any healing.  None that I respect would
say they do.  Never the less, we speak of healing as a act done to someone.
The someone actually does the healing.  The healer only identifies blocks to
healing and assists with their removal.  So with facilitators and
individuals and groups seeking transformation.  This is just as true in
spiritual practice - e.g. mediating is easier for beginners in a group.

Great thread.  Hope this contributes.

Dave
Spirited Growth
"Man's inner nature is identical to the nature of the universe, and thus man
learns about his own nature from nature herself."
from Rolling Thunder by Doug Boyd

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