Talking sticks and listening sticks

[Phil Culhane]

Choosing the stick - when I first put the stick in the centre of the circle
and invite people to pick it up if there is something they'd like to say,
there's always that pregnant pause. I've never had anyone jump on the stick
(yet!) like they sometimes jump on the markers at the beginning of day one.

Some people pick it up reverently and carefully, and replace it just the
same. Others pick it up like a loose football and toss it back when they're
done. Some groups will only pick up the stick once, and it's a fairly solemn
experience. With my group last week, there were some playoff-hockey jests
made back and forth, several individuals holding the stick three and four
times - yet they used the stick each time, no one speaking out of turn. Some
hold it like a torch or a baton, tightly gripped in one hand. Others seem
almost to caress it, noticing the texture and brailling it as they speak.

Is the difference between a "talking stick" and a "listening stick"
philosophical or semantic, Doug? Would I notice a difference were I refer to
it as the latter? Would I and the attendees perhaps react with it
differently if it were named differently?

Phil Culhane

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Douglas D.
Germann, Sr.
Sent: April 26, 2004 11:23 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Summary of a recent single-day event


Phil--

Sure, I'd love to talk about the listening stick!

Tell us, please, what you mean by "choosing the stick?"

                              :-Doug. Germann

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