The magic that happens...

Fri Sep 6 07:53:28 PDT 2002

Julie, I conduct workshops that center on living in the Heart.  We do much
work similar to mediation during the workshops yet we do it with each other
and I keep bringing the participants back to the heart.  We do it with
exercises that mirror everyday life and allow them to see how to work from
the heart in a variety of circumstances.  This "teaching" has been
invaluable for them in many different venues.

Perhaps teaching mediation in a heart-centered way allows people to have a
rule of thumb to go by - since if it is not coming from the heart (soul) of
the being, it is not coming at all.

Love and blessings,
Toni Sar'h
www.sacredspaceswa.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Julie Smith" <jsmith at mosquitonet.com>
To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, September 04, 2002 7:31 PM
Subject: Re: The magic that happens...

> Oh dear..... trying to explain the mediation process is a lot like
> trying to explain the OST process..... the words never seem to quite
> convey the experience..... but since you asked, Romy, I'll give it a
> try.....
>
> A mediator is a person who attempts to help people resolve conflict.
> Mediators are neutral, have no interest in the outcome of the dispute,
> and have no authority to make any decisions for the participants.  The
> mediation process usually consists of these stages:
>
> 1.  Beginning (Opening)
>
> 2.  Middle (Story-Telling)
>
> 3.  Middle (Creative Problem-Solving)
>
> 4.  End (Closing)
>
> The opening and closing are roughly equivalent to the same stages in the
> OST process, and meet some of the same needs.  They're a bit more
> structured, however.  The opening includes a conversation about the role
> of the mediator, confidentiality, and other details.  It ends with the
> participants signing an Agreement to Mediate.  The ending sometimes
> includes a formal written agreement between the parties.
>
> The middle part begins with story-telling.  Over time the story-telling
> begins to include ideas about solving the problem.  Many people rush to
> try to solve a problem before fully hearing or understanding each
> other's stories, however, so the mediator might actively slow things
> down by asking questions to help flesh out the stories.  Over time,
> story-telling and problem-solving weave back and forth as understandings
> merge and ideas emerge.  If there are multiple issues, the mediator
> might also help the participants decide how they want to structure their
> conversation, and might check in to see if they want to return to their
> agenda if they begin straying to other issues and topics.
>
> At a deeper level, I think the primary role of the mediator is to
> provide emotional safety for the participants.  When the dialogue
> between the participants is constructive, the mediator usually stays out
> of their way.  If it becomes destructive, the mediator usually becomes
> more active.  In these situations, the mediator might slow things down
> again by summarizing the various points of view, asking questions to
> help clarify issues that may still be misunderstood, or reframing toxic
> language into non-toxic language.
>
> All of that is how mediation feels to me in practice.  I'm still not
> sure how to best convey any of that to students, or how to help them
> find their own sense of how to help themselves and others through
> difficult conflicts.  The training manuals I have are filled with steps
> and stages, activities and discussion topics.  None of it resonates much
> with me anymore.  What's a person to do?
>
> .....okay, now I get it..... maybe I'm trying to teach something that's
> at a different level of consciousness than I'm reaching for.  Or maybe
> mediation itself isn't at that different level, but the way I'm trying
> to teach it is.  Hence the frustration.  I think this fits with the
> Wilber discussion, but I haven't read much of Wilber's stuff.  Any help
> or insights here would be most appreciated ~
>
> Julie
>
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>From  Fri Sep  6 19:00:47 2002
Message-Id: <FRI.6.SEP.2002.190047.0200.>
Date: Fri, 6 Sep 2002 19:00:47 +0200
Reply-To: thomas at openspaceconsulting.com
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: Thomas Herrmann <thomas at openspaceconsulting.com>
Subject: SV: Continuing to be surprised.
In-Reply-To: <A593A73C-C153-11D6-9E1E-0003936AD2F2 at ozemail.com.au>
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Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
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Dear Joan.
Yesterday I facilitated an Open Space meeting where one of the participants
is deaf. We had a couple of translators present who took turn to translate
for this woman. They were standing with me in the circle and also in one of
the openings in the circle, facing this person.
She participated fully all through the day, and seem to have had a great
day. I guess if several deaf people would have been there it would have
worked as fine.
Best regards Thomas

> -----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
> Från: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]För Joan Smith
> Skickat: den 6 september 2002 06:47
> Till: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> Ämne: Continuing to be surprised.
>
>
> I have been openspacing  for about 10 years now and continue
> to receive
> the 'surprise' I was promised at the event with Harrison in Melbourne
> many many years ago.
> I have always found the opening circle special - a time for touching
> with the eyes and making contacts  of many colours........  Feedback
> about the experience being powerful has always been spontaneous
> Recently I was openspacing with a group (89 people) from educational
> backgrounds who were excited about the OS experience.  During
> the circle
> opening, there was something in my   body that was telling
> WHAT? Nerves
> at being among so many highly educated people in one go?  Could be.
> Then there was the rush to name and write passions, get out there and
> sign up, causing utmost chaos (and fun) at the wall.  My initial
> feelings quietened and then it happened.
> I was confronted by two extremely disturbed participants - at first I
> wasn't picking up what they were saying.  However the gist of it was
> about  my walking around the circle.  Both these people had been
> teachers of the deaf and  were extremely upset that there were times
> when I was not facing them in particular, and IF I HAD deaf people in
> the group the circle would not be completely open.
> While the outcome was Ok and I think the issue  wasn't really about
> persons who are deaf  , just for interest I was wondering if
> anyone had
> openspaced with a deaf community?
>
> Best wishes
> Joan Smith
>
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