another (successful) OS and sooo many questions (not short; probably qualifies as "long")

[Pannwitz, Michael M]

Dear Raffi,
to your questions:
>My questions:
>
>1. What do I do about my conflictedness about OS?
Keep this question alive as long as you want to be an
os-practitioner.
>
>2. What do I do after opening space?
Drop the notion of "opening space".
Best, you might "caress" it.
And keep doing that after you introduce ost.
>
>3. Has anybody ever tried just leaving where the OS was happening for the
>day and come back for closing circle?
I heard of people doing that and still being present.
Not a good idea for me but I keep trying.
>
>4. At what point do you leave the room after opening the circle?
I stick around till after the point where I said a few things about
the market place. Yes, I stay till everyone has posted their topics
because it is then that I say a few words about the market place. At
that point, I also exchange the black markers with red markers so
that the "late" or "new" topics that emerge but can not be announced
to the whole group at that point are plainly identifiable as being
added when people visit the bulletin  board.

>Was this a "boo boo" that I sat in circle while people posted their
>topics, announced them?
My practice is to not sit in the circle at all but to leave it at the
point where I invite people to post their issues....hanging out a
distance from the circle and later, when market is getting ready,
approaching again.
>
>Should I have left immediately after having given the opening talk?
No.
>
>By having sat around waiting until everyone has posted their topics am
>I preventing the space from fully opening? Unintentionally making the
>group dependent on me because I am sitting waiting for potential
>questions and wanting to be "available, just in case..."?
No, the space is "fully" open, your presence is not a very important
factor in regard to the "size" of the space even you or I would think
we are pretty important for such things.
Not sticking too close is more of a signal to yourself on what you
believe that the potential of selforganisation of the group is. That
is it has more to do with you or me than with the group.
>
>5. How do you say, "offer a topic which you have passion about" in
>Russian?
Try "issue" rather than "topic" (in German this makes a difference
that makes a difference: the german word for topic is usually "Thema"
and for issue "Anliegen", which translates back into "something I am
concerned about")
And: whats wrong with eros?
>This is one thing I'll put to the Russian listserv. I have
>not yet figured out a way to say this simply and succinctly in
>Russian. What you suggested, Elena, is ok, but I think it needs
>something. The word for "passion" in Russian ("strast") has an
>erotic connotation, so it's a little awkward to use.

>
>6. What to do if you ring the bells for the closing circle and people
>don't come?
If nobody comes....hmmm?
Usually, most or all come.
I just start with those that are there.
>When I rang those delicious bells (thanks again Michael Pannewitz!) for
>closing circle, a participant asked if she could continue working in
>session. I answered, "my job is to let you know that it is time for
>close circle. What you do with that information is up to you."

Maybe I would have said: Time for working session is over,  if you
are not finished (when its not over its not over) you might want to
reconvene at another time.
>
>And people didn't regroup until an hour later. Is that ok? Would it
>have been better to say something else/do something else?
Hmmm, was there a timeplan? Did you get paid for overtime? Did people
have to catch a train (you)?

>7. To those who do peace work, conflict resolution work, and work in
>sister fields: What other tools, training, (spiritual) practices have been helpful in making
>you a better facilitator and trainer?

Well, I think I answered that question in an earlier mail but here
goes (again):
"Faciliating the Whole System in the Room" with Marvin Weisbord and
Sandra Janoff, this year in Berlin in September.

>Also, I see that I would like to develop further in how I design
>workshops (to learn how to design better). And to understand adult
>education principles better.

Start a Moscow regional osonos (come and visit the one in Berlin for
a taste of a regional exchange, stay at my house)
>
>8. Anybody out there trained in processwork? Familiar with it?
>I'd be curious to learn what this kind of work has done for you and
>others. Your doubts about this kind of work would also interest me.
>
>Mindell writes that "conflict work without reference to altered states
>of consciousness is like a flu shot for someone in a manic or
>depressed state of consciousness. Most groups and social problems
>cannot be well facilitated or resolved without access to the dreamlike
>and mystical atmosphere in the background".

To me, the "dreamlike and mystical atmosphere" is not in the
background but fully present when groups/systems/organisations/...
meet/process/breathe/live/transform/...there must be trillions of
approaches to this phenomenon. And, I suspect, its not something you
"learn" but rather remember in a  life long journey.

>
>That strong statement would seem to challenge OS. Yes, in principle OS
>does not disallow processwork from happening. But the likelihood I
>think of processwork happening in an OS without processworkers present
>is pretty small.

The opposite might also be observable.


>Is OS necessarily always the best tool for conflict work, then?

Is war always the best way or love or hiding or praying or , or , or?

>I am sure I still have more questions but nothing else comes to mind
>right now!

Great questions, keep them coming.

peace
mmp




Michael M Pannwitz
boscop
Draisweg 1
12209 Berlin, Germany
FON +49 - 30-772 8000     FAX +49 - 30-773 92 464
www.michaelmpannwitz.de

An der E-Gruppe "openspacedeutsch" für deutschsprechende open space-PraktikerInnen interessiert? Enfach eine mail an mich.

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