How much can the space holder participate?

[Chris Corrigan]

My experience is mostly that of the space holder, although there have
been times when, like Ralph, the boundary between client and me is fuzzy
and so my role has been allowed to bleed between both worlds a little.
Occasionally the OST event itself takes on a different feel and once in
a while I have had the process transform from OST to something else, and
then I get to be in a different space.

I am thinking of the recent story i posted about the OST event to which
no one came.  It was definitely happening, even without participants,
and my role was definitely that of the spaceholder and when folks
finally did show up, a story telling session emerged, and that's where
the process needed to go.  Holding space meant that I could let the
process do that (there was no malicious intent on the part of the
participants that led the process that way) and as a result I got to
share in the stories.

At OSonOS in Vancouver, I managed to participate in a number of
sessions, and I think I even posted one, but I was sharing my space
holding duties with the fabulous and amazing Ms. Laurel (our poet -"
laurel"ate) and thus we were both able to do that.

Ordinarily I stay out of the mix, and I like florian's admonition: space
holding can be a very deep practice - like meditation - and I always ask
myself if I am getting distracted, and how I can be more fully mindful
of the work.

Chris

--

CHRIS CORRIGAN
Consultation - Facilitation
Open Space Technology

(604) 947-9236
Bowen Island, BC, Canada

http://www.chriscorrigan.com
chris at chriscorrigan.com

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