evolving agendas

[Lisa Heft]

Hi, Frank -

 

Frank asked about the merits of recreating the agenda for each day of an OS
versus creating the whole agenda on the first day.

 

I have tried this once or twice.I suspect it was more about me than about
them.  Me wanting them to go deeper.  Very about me, no?

 

At the 2002 Practice of Peace conference I convened, Day 1's theme was 

 

Practicing    Sustaining

 

P e a c e

 

Nourishing   Actualizing

 

 

And I observed so many participants were talking about 'stuff out there' -
like George Bush, like other countries.  And I wanted them to bring it
closer to home and self.

 

So for Day 2, after a conversation with the fabulous BJ Peters, I made this
the theme:

 

 

 

     Contributing to a peaceful and harmonious

 

     w o r k p l a c e     l i f e    c o m m u n i t y

 

What are my opportunities?  What are my issues?

 

 

And it's true, on Day 2 the conference participants spoke more from and
about their own world and what they could do for peace.

 

However, having had more experience since then, I have observed that Day 1
people often talk about what's out there, and Day 2 they almost always
'bring it home' to self and solutions.  It's that overnight percolation
thing, and that 'naming one's experience and truly being heard' thing.  So I
really don't have to do anything to 'help' them, I just have to breathe.
And get over myself.

 

As others have mentioned, in a more-than-one-day OS there is a 30
minute-or-less Evening News at the end of Day 1 (announcements,
housekeeping, where we will be meeting for dinner, sleep well, see you in
the morning) and a 30-minute-or-less Morning News at the beginning of Day 2,
along with an invitation to announce any "Late-Breaking Sessions.  Then
we're 'off and running' again.

 

As Harrison has observed - I find that in some events there are plenty of
Late-Breaking Sessions, in others there are just one or two, but either way,
people still have a full rich day (or whatever) of discussions to explore.
And as Ms. Tree confirmed - yes, new ideas happen -- during dinner, as one
is taking an evening walk, in one's morning shower, in one's dreams, eating
one's morning muffin - and these can radically alter someone's idea of what
they want to talk about the next day.  And new theme or no, my messing with
it or no, even if they post a new topic or no, they talk about it and great
things happen.

 

Peace back atcha, and I am glad you are in the world, Frank,

 

Lisa

 

___________________________

L i s a   H e f t

Consultant, Facilitator, Educator

O p e n i n g  S p a c e

Berkeley, California, USA

 <mailto:lisaheft at openingspace.net> lisaheft at openingspace.net

 <http://www.openingspace.net> www.openingspace.net 

 

 


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