temple bells - how to use?

[Lisa Heft]

I bow to you, Ms. Karolina.

I only know what I have noticed.

1) If you ring them 'to let people know things) - for example to  
signify the change in time for sessions - you are actually breaking  
into peoples' thought process. And there are always enough timepieces  
(electronic and otherwise) that people have and even clocks on the  
wall, plus session convenors' interest in their next sessions - to let  
people know in a participant-centered (rather than facilitator-driven)  
way when the time is shifting.  So when I do it, I only ring them at  
one certain time - to draw peoples' attention to the fact that Closing  
Circle is beginning. When I introduce how the day will go (usually  
after they post their topics on the wall), I include the fact that I  
will not be telling them about time, that they have these timepieces,  
but that I will see them in Closing Circle at ''x o'clock" and that I  
will be in the room if they have any questions.  And when I use them  
this once - they really capture peoples' attention, because they have  
not over-heard it.  If I am not mistaken, the fabulous Elwin Guild  
uses one ring of his bells after the very last comment / all is over  
at the end of the event.  Elwin, would you like to share how you use  
your bells?

2) I 'ding' the bells about 4 to 6 times, letting the full sound of  
each ding run out, before I start the next ding. I breathe. And I find  
the dings are much like a graceful breathing.

3) If it is a very large venue I hold them up to a microphone.

4) Some people hold them like cymbals (the 'faces' on vertical planes  
opposite each other); some people hold them both facing down, next to  
each other (lightly holding the straps so as to not affect the sound),  
and touch them to each other. This last method is my method.

5) When buying them - ideal is to go to an actual store (a Tibetan  
store for example) to listen to the music and tone of each set of  
bells, to feel which is the one set that speaks to you.

6) I went to great lengths to make a connecting piece that was not the  
original leather - so that I could put things on it that meant  
something to me. It turns out that it can affect the sound and can  
stretch and I am wondering if perhaps keeping the original simple  
leather piece might be best. Although mine is still the way I created  
it and I enjoy how it looks.

What do others do and know about their bells and their use of them?

Cheers from a gray California morning,
Lisa

Lisa Heft
Consultant, Facilitator, Educator
Opening Space
lisaheft at openingspace.net
www.openingspace.net

Ask me about the The Power of Pre-Work workshop for facilitators - 
August 18-20, 2010 - San Francisco
and the Open Space Learning Workshops - October 15-18, 2010 -  
Medellin, Colombia and December 15-17, 2010 - San Francisco

Join me on OSLIST - the World Open Space community in conversation  
(English) http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
and at the Open Space World Community space (all languages) http://openspaceworld.ning.com






On Jul 7, 2010, at 8:31 AM, Karolina Iwa wrote:

> from facilitating wikisym2010 in gdansk, poland,
> i am writing with a question:
>
> many of us - including me - use temple bells during os events to  
> attract participants attention.
> anybody knows the full code of respectful use of the bells?
>
> i would appreciate your contributions to decreasing my ignorance.
> thank you in advance for sharing.
>
> karolina.
>
>
>
> ____________________________________
>
> karolina iwa.
>
> trainer & facilitator
> collective intelligence & self-organisation
>
> D: +49 15774 932139   PL: +48 880 747578
> ____________________________________
>
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