a first time

[Raffi Aftandelian]

Dear listers,
I just wanted to share that I had another "first" today. Conducted my first OS
facilitator "training" (that is if you can "train" others in OS)! So exciting
to see others excited about doing OS. Did the world change radically? I don't
know. But, I think people's notion of the now indeed became a NOW.

I conducted it for about 15 people for the Soldiers Mothers of St. Petersburg,
Alternatives to Violence Project, and for the Women's Crisis Center.

There are lots of little things that I would've done differently about the
training, but ultimately I think participants got the idea of the challenge of
just holding space, not doing. And what's important is that there are a few
OS'ers in Petersburg, folks to consult with should they need support.

I brought in elements of different OS colleagues' work in the training. Pieces
that I got from Birgitt's training: getting participants to articulate for
themselves their understanding of OS, OS's key ingredients, its essence.
Drawing on Michael and Jo's training- I had participants draw straws, and one
participant facilitated an OSonOS within the training and received feedback. I
translated Peggy Holman's OS preparation checklist into Russian (available on
request; apparently its a bearable translation).

I know I have a long way to go before I use OS as a tool confidently and well,
but from my work already with organizations I see that it brings about natural
and needed change. Indeed the necessary emergent structure come out of OS,
maybe not immediately. But, it's exciting to witness a few months down the
line with the organizations I've worked with subtle but powerful change as a
consequence of OS...

>From a the Zebra Internet cafe at the Moskovski train station in Petersburg,
Raffi

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