The magic that happens...

[Douglas D. Germann, Sr.]

Hi--

Do you have a way to explain the magic that happens in OST?

Going on now on my forums is a conversation about this very thing. It is
with Bernie DeKoven, the "Guru of Glee." (Bernie's website is
http://www.Deepfun.com ).

Here is the gist of the conversation so far:

 << Bernie (describing a "play" session): Despite the lack of apparent
 << profundity, by the end of the session there was such an intense feeling
 << of community, of caring, of loving, of a respite, of a restoration of the
 << soul and body and the willingness to play and invite others to share in
 << the fun - that everything I could have possibly hoped to accomplish with
 << my meditation games and my discussions and examinations and deep
 << reflections paled in comparison to what we were able to manifest
 << together.
 <<
 << Doug: What do you see in this happening of yours and in these parallel
 << happenings (such as in listening stick circles, and in Open Space
 << Technology) that is its root?
 <<
 << Is it simply that people have genius in them and we are, by opening soft
 << spot to soft spot, releasing this genius?
 <<
 << Or something else?
 <<
 << Bernie: My guess: people are re-discovering safety with each other. They
 << are touching alot and finding permission. They are laughing alot and
 << finding permission. They are sharing alot, and finding validation.
 <<
 << I think that laughter has a lot to do with it. As much as I see the value
 << of the Listening Stick and the empowerment of the Open Space Technology
 << environment - I think they are both most valuable when they are
 << accompanied by lots of laughter. I guess because laughter heals.

This question is deeply puzzling to me. What is the magic that happens in OST
and in other forms of getting people to open up to one another? What does it
look like? Banter, as Alan suggested? Tears, as we see in closing circles?
Most importantly, what happened that got us to this point? What is going on
in OST, DEEPfun, listening stick circles?

If you'd like to directly take part in the conversations with Bernie, you
can check it out, and add your wisdom, here:
http://www.footprintsinthewind.com/forum/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=GatheringPlac
e&Number=3888&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=0&fpart=

Or, I'd love to have your thoughts here on the OSlist.

                              :-Doug. Germann

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