Advanced Butterfly Behavior

Tue Aug 15 05:13:27 PDT 2006

I am not sure that I would see such occurrences as "advanced butterfly behavior. Narrow minded and shortsighted come to mind. Folks will do what they will do -- and whatever happens is the only thing that could have. . . but I really think that the conveners of such groups are short-changing themselves and all those who come to the session (and maybe all those who don't, as well). By arbitrarily restricting the diversity of the group the potential for new and deeper thought/experience is radically reduced. I must also confess to a certain abhorrence to terms like "culturally mature" -- and even more with those who think they could make such a determination. I am reminded of the situation at the recent OS for Imams and Rabbis. As it happened there were several young students present including a delightful 19 year old lady from Indonesia. On the face of it, I doubt she would have made anybody's list as "culturally mature." And given her natural modesty I am sure that she would never have made the association for herself. But the fact of the matter is that her natural charm, intelligence and curiosity made her in my eyes (and for others as well) one of the real stars of the gathering. If nothing else, she was willing to ask questions that everybody else was assiduously avoiding. Would I do anything to stop such segregated gatherings? No -- but I guess I would hope that part of the learning curve for the Culturally Mature was coming to see that there are really better ways than hiding out in a room, talking to each other.

Harrison

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  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Peggy Holman 
  To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 
  Sent: Monday, August 14, 2006 8:26 PM
  Subject: Advanced Butterfly Behavior

  As I mentioned in my last e-mail, now that I'm back after about a year away from the OS list, I've got a variety of questions, stories and learnings to share over the next few weeks.  This question popped to the top of my list.

  There is a situation that I have now experienced twice in long OS gatherings with many experienced OSers.  It is a dynamic that has an important and potentially dissonant energy.  I'm wondering if others have encountered this and what their thoughts are on it.  My suspicion is that we'll see more of it as more people attend longer OS gatherings and generally develop more experience with OS.

  My hunch is that this is a phenomenon that deserves a name, much like bumblebees and butterflies.

  So, with that preamble, here's the description and two specific examples:

  There's a session that emerges from what is happening in the mix.  The convenor(s) have some very specific people they wish to meet with and aren't interested in having it open to whoever wanders in.  It is similar to what happens when butterflies meet but because there is more intentionality and potentially larger numbers, it is its own thing.

  Two examples:

  At the April Evolutionary Salon:

  We had an expert in a process who was willing to do a session but he felt that his work required a targeted group (in his terms, the "culturally mature").  We were interested in experiencing this and quietly put the word out to the people we wanted in the room.  When others also came, they were welcomed.

  At the Practice of Peace in 2003 and in her words:

  On the last day of the conference, I woke up with a clarity of what I should do if I really cared to take this rare, international opportunity one step further into the future.  I saw a session with specific people (very engaged and personally interested, committed to the theme I was passionate to explore, with very "concentrated energy" that I felt was essential for a breakthrough in clarity and identifying what was next.)  

  She was fine if others appeared  but did not wish to announce the session.  She pulled the post-it for the space from the time/space grid and then quietly put out the word to the people she  had in mind.  Some of them came to the session and others chose to go to other sessions. A few others appeared during the session and were welcomed.  She created a session report an hour after the session was over. She had intended to talk about the session and the experimentation during the closing circle.  (For a variety of unrelated reasons, that closing circle never quite happened, so this became painful unfinished business for her.)In both cases, there was some reflection by the hosts after the OS completed.  Some saw the sessions as fine, appropriate butterfly behavior.  Others were disturbed by the lack of transparency, feeling that it was a drag on the energy field.

  I am reflecting that as participants become very mature, posting such sessions, complete with a mindful request about who comes is an ideal for this; also VERY challenging to do!

  Thoughts?

  Peggy

   _____________________________
  Peggy Holman
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