The Practice of Peace - Last month's OS in San Francisco (long)

[Lisa Heft]

Hello, dear colleagues -

I just wanted to share with you how the Practice of Peace event went
last week.

I hold learning workshops for mutual learning regarding the method of
Open Space Technology.  I have been experimenting with whether or not to
hold additional workshops for those wishing to go deeper into their
learning about Open Space (those experienced with the method) -or-
instead, holding a themed event where both new-to-the-method and
experienced-with-the-method people can join in a full Open Space for
deeper work ( on the method or on the issues relating to the theme or on
both).  As I had booked a site in September earlier this year, I felt it
would be useful to hold a themed event on The Practice of Peace -
whatever that meant to them (in the world, peace within, peace with the
land.) as I felt that, especially as I am in America, people would have
some floating feelings after marking the anniversary of the New York
bombings, what is now known here as "9/11".

- - -

Fifteen people came to the OS, including the ten members of the Los
Angeles County Human Relations Commission.

These are the people who work very hard in the communities of Los
Angeles to solve and ease conflict in a high-conflict community.  You
may well remember seeing television footage of the Los Angeles riots a
few years ago.  Through these peoples' dedication and hard work you have
not heard about anything else like that, and you can believe there have
been plenty of close-to-that-point situations in that rich and diverse
community.

The Los Angeles folks came up to San Francisco to get some feedback and
new insight on their work in community.  Also participating were an
organizational development consultant, a body worker, a conflict
management consultant (hi, those of you on the OSLIST!), a transition
coach and some other rich individuals.

Because not everyone was able to be there all 2.5 days, I opened the
space each day and had closing circle each day.  Nobody came to just the
last half-day, by the way.

- - -

Day 1 theme: P E A C E --  Practicing - Actualizing - Sustaining -
Nourishing

Day 2 theme: Contributing to a Peaceful Workplace / Life / Community:
  What Are My Opportunities?  What Are My Issues?

Day 3 theme: Before we all go our separate ways, what do you really need
to know from us / our gathered wisdom?

Day 3 was more of a non-convergence convergence.  Now that you have
participated in this, what do you want to post as a topic for some work
or specifics you might need some help on?

- - -

Here are some of the topics that came out of this event, including the
Day 3 topics (a few more are floating in to me today electronically - I
will email the book of proceedings to all participants this week):

- - -

1      How do we create community groups for peace and inter group
relations who are going to have sustained support from institutions?

What are effective strategies for getting buy-in from institutions?

2    How do you bring law enforcement into peace work (in LA County)?

3    Is there ever balance?  Incorporating spirituality.

4    How do you move beyond expected roles and responsibilities to reach
consensus?

5    What is the embodiment / practice of peace in our lives?

Loving the Enemy

Working for Peace & Staying Detached from Anger

Why Are Humans So Addicted to War & So Frightened of Peace

How do I practice peace with those with whom I disagree or dislike

Why do we fear our enemies?

How to deal with disruptive energy while creating/sustaining/maintaining
harmony

8    Listen to me Hear Me Roar
9
What do children think about our "adult" ways?

Why Is Conflict Bad?

How Can We Use Conflict Creatively?

Working for Peace in the Belly of the Beast

How Do We Influence the Power Brokers Who Seem Determined To Go to War
Regardless of Cost

What Specific Actions Can Be Taken (or are being taken) Now Individually

How can we connect what we do in our own smaller communities (the
personal/work environment) with the larger community (the public sphere)
so that we learn from each and apply what we learned to the other?

- - -
One really wonderful thing that happened is that one group had conflict
within the group and others in the group hurried to facilitate or ease
that conflict.  The group then took a deep breath and processed how each
of them felt (why squish the conflict? Was that what you were doing? I
didn't see my actions as aggressive - you did? Etcetera) and applied
them to their own feelings about engaging in conflict (or facilitating
conflict) in their own work and communities.  Really a marvelous micro
into themselves of the larger questions they were asking about their
work in community.

Another great thing that happened is that the Human Relations
Commissioners took a real, hard look at how they could build in
replenishment and affirmation in their own workplace so they could stay
fresh and full of spirit for their work in the community.

- - -

Let's hear it for the peacemakers.(each one of us, eh?)

Lisa

- - -

L i s a   H e f t
Consultant, facilitator, educator
O p e n i n g  S p a c e
2325 Oregon
Berkeley, California
94705-1106   USA
(+01) 510 548-8449
lisaheft at pacbell.net
www.openspaceworld.com

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