Talking sticks and listening sticks

[Lisa Heft]

Hello, all.

Phil, you asked:
< What has anyone else used, what has been your experience; what have
you found "useful"?>

I use a rock which was given to me by my mother when I was a child.  It
has fossils in it - skeletons which have become part of the stone - of
ancient sea creatures.  Really an amazing and magical stone.  And as I
feel it therefore knows many stories, I like to tell the story of my
mother giving me this stone full of stories and that now it can hear the
stories and reflections of 'all of you as well' (the participants of
each OS event or workshop I facilitate).  I ask the group to think back
to the moment when they were first sitting in this circle at the
beginning of the event - to think of what is different and what they've
experienced and felt since that opening circle.  I say that in this time
for reflection I will pass the stone (in larger groups it would be in
the center for people to come and pick up), as often when speaking and
reflecting people feel comfort in holding something.  If anybody wishes
to share with us what they learned, noticed about themselves, created,
want to announce, that we will listen - it is a listening stone.  And if
anyone wants to just hold the stone and enjoy it and take a look at it
and stay silent before they pass it to the next person, they are welcome
to do so.

I find that people r-e-a-l-l-y enjoy looking at all the captured lives
and stories in this particular stone.  And that it heats up after being
held in many hands.  And people notice that, too.

Take care,

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 openingspace.net
www.openingspace.net

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

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist