A duty to take part?

[Julie Smith]

Exactly so, Doug.  Thanks for the insight.

Yes, we are taking part, whether we think so or not..... so then we must
take responsibility for HOW we take part.  OST helps us learn to act
with integrity toward others by teaching us how to let go of being
fearful, controlling, and untrusting.  It does so by requiring that the
facilitator completely let go of content and almost completely let go of
process, while at the same time inviting the participants to heartily
engage in both content and process.  The facilitator (and to a lesser
degree, the participant) then has the opportunity to learn that every
place and every moment and every person are filled with wisdom,
intelligence, and grace.  And we learn that very often, the best thing
we can do is to get out of the way so the inherent goodness and wisdom
of others can emerge and be expressed.  We learn that our silence and
stillness support insight, growth, and deep learning for ourselves and
others.

Once we begin to master our fear, control, and lack of trust, the part
of OST that requires the separation between facilitator and participant
begins to feel limiting because at a deeper level we know the separation
is a false one. We're all in this together.

At some point we realize that if we make the choice to repress our
expression of OUR wisdom, intelligence and grace, then we deprive
ourselves and the whole of some necessary learning. The loss isn't
catastrophic because there will be other times and places and people
where the potential for the necessary learning will emerge again, but
the loss is still a loss,   a lost opportunity to learn this lesson and
enable the emergence of the next lesson.  The loss means our individual
and collective learning slows down and our individual and collective
suffering lingers longer.  This isn't something to feel guilty about.
We've all done it.  It's just something to know, and to take
responsibility for.

The book The Celestine Prophecy articulated this piece very well.  There
are moments that call for us to be silent, and moments that call for us
to speak.  Part of the art of living is to become aware of each, and to
take responsibility for both.  If the moment calls for our wisdom and we
withhold it, we interfere with learning and extend the duration of
suffering.  Everyone has a part to play.  We are each absolutely
essential to the whole.  We must each develop the courage of silence,
and also the courage of speech.  If we fear either one, we need to find
a way to let go of that fear so we can bring our whole selves to each
moment.

OST helps us master our fear of silence.  It may also mask our fear of
speech.  Where ever we are in our learning, adorning ourselves with the
hat labeled "OST facilitator" does not negate our deeper duty to be
aware of what the moment is calling for from us.  Our deepest duty is to
be aware and to respond wholely to that awareness.

Julie


-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of
Douglas D. Germann, Sr.
Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2003 6:16 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: A duty to take part?

Larry, Michael, Julie--

Step by step, higher and deeper you have taken this conversation. Thank
you
each for the experience.

An observation that came to me from your conversation: we are perhaps
just
at the threshold place where scientists were when someone discovered the
principle of observer participancy: there is nothing observed without
the
observer. In some real way the observer participates whether he or she
thinks so or not. We are part of the system. So we are taking part.

                              :-Doug.

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu,
Visit:

http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu,
Visit:

http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html