Closings

[Lisa Heft]

Hello dear colleagues -
 
I was wondering what you folks do for closings.
 
Usually the amazing reflections shared in a Closing Circle are
completely enough, and powerful, and amazing. And nothing more is
needed.
 
In addition to that, sometimes, in some instances, in some cultures, and
where appropriate to the event and the people, we do one more thing.
 
Some of you experienced a group poem at OSonOS Halifax or saw my post
about that.  And if I'm not mistaken I posted how to do that (if not do
remind me and I shall - I haven't visited the archives to double-check
that).
 
Sometimes as participants have returned to their Closing Circle seats I
have placed a brightly-colored paper (or shape cut out of paper) on
their seats, along with a marker. I have asked them to reflect in
silence and to think of one word that describes.whatever is pertinent to
the event but often something like: After having shared this experience
together, what do you bring back out with you into the world / your
community?  After silent reflective writing, I invite participants to,
in turn, stand, say their word and tape their shape to the wall,
creating a mosaic of gifts, emotions, whatever I am inviting.
 
Other times - for example for a faith community - we have set up candles
in the center and the group has stood for a final prayer (ideally
through song).
 
You can see photos of some of these closings at
http://www.openingspace.net/gallery/agora.cgi?cart_id=6584162.28703*qu7_
p6
<http://www.openingspace.net/gallery/agora.cgi?cart_id=6584162.28703*qu7
_p6&next=126&exact_match=on&product=Anatomy_of_an_Open_Space_Event>
&next=126&exact_match=on&product=Anatomy_of_an_Open_Space_Event
 
(see Marei sitting in the circle at OSonOS 2003? See Mikk singing a song
he learned from a tree, at that same event?  See the cross on the floor
made of candles from a strategic planning session I did with a Catholic
diocese? (we hoped the hotel sprinklers would not turn on!).  See the
balloons tied to the chairs?  At OSonOS 2003 (thank you Thomas and
Gerard for facilitating) at the very end we all untied our balloons and
walked outside the magnificent barn we were meeting in and released our
balloons into the air.
 
And see the circle of people doing something physical together - that is
our group at OSonOS 2003 making the sound of rain.  Ms. Gabriela, would
you please describe that for us?  Gabriela was the one who invited us to
do that.
 
And: what else have you done, dear colleagues, for closing?
 
I will collect your answers here and make a paper for us all to share in
the future.
 
Thank you,
 
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
 <mailto:lisaheft at openingspace.net> lisaheft at openingspace.net
 <http://www.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
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20060210/7fe44d59/attachment-0007.htm>