FW: higher learning through silence in OST

[Peter Strobosch]

Alaya email
-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Strobosch [mailto:peter at alaya.nl]
Sent: maandag 5 december 2005 12:45
To: OSLIST
Subject: higher learning through silence in OST


      Subject: Higher learning through silence in OST
     Peter Strobosch
      Drachtenpad 14
      6835 KC Arnhem
      The Netherlands
      Phone +31 (0)26 4820122
      Mobile +31 (0)6 28067422
      Fax +31 (0)26 4820124
      Email peter at alaya.nl
      Website www.alaya.nl
      & www.largescaleinterventions.com

      Hi all,

      I came back recently form an OS conference I facilitated near Joburg,
South Africa. Inspiring working room and envrionment, amidst giraffes,
zebras and antilopes! Sixteen highly qualified participants from development
organisations all over the world. We did a 2,5 day conference.
      After having worked the first 1,5 days according to the regular OS
schedule I took the decision to step out of the regular schedule for the
third day as I sensed that people head's were full after 1,5 days of
intensive and inspired dialogue and discussion, and that some breakthroughs
might unfold themselves by creating more mind-heart connection. During the
evening of the second day I wrote a guided imagery focussing on the theme of
the conference. The morning of the third day we celebrated the report with a
glass of non-alcoholic champagne, after which we did some physical playing
outside with the intention to get the particpants a bit out of their heads.
Directly after that I guided them through the imagery, with some music at
the background, leading them to individually answer some of the questions
that were at the heart of the conference. After that the particpants made a
drawing of their answers on a flipchart and wrote the answers down. All in
silence. Only after that the particpants started reading the document. From
celebration until reading took the whole morning. From the imagery until
reading the particpants worked in silence, so practically the whole morning.
Consequence of this approach was that in the afernoon there was no time for
separate action meetings. Being a small group, we worked on convergence and
prioritization in plenary during the afternoon. Each participant used
his/her drawing which made their interventions very lively and connected
wthh the heart.

      The important thing to mention is that the participants expressed that
doing the imagery and drawing in silence before reading the document had so
to say increased their perspective of reading the document. They read it
with their minds and their hearts, and not only with their minds. They  had
also come to, both individually and collectively, some breakthroughs in
learning and follow up actions to which, as they said, most probably would
not have come to if we had continued the  third morning with directly
reading the document after celebration. Their awareness was higher, they saw
things from a more holistic point of view, and in consequence the sources
for their follow up actions were of a different nature. And most certainly
the atmosphere we worked in was full of Spirit...

      Be well all of you,
      Peter Strobosch














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