[OSList] trainings on NON-VIOLENCE

Tue Jan 17 13:00:54 PST 2012

Thank you for answering this dear Frauke,

My belief is that when OST meetings are well done, they are the best vehicle
for transforming energy non-violently. Also, they can be effective with
rapid transformation, not long drawn out
and in this day and age, ‘rapid’ is
important or people burn out and I think anger escalates. 

Years ago, we facilitated an OST meeting in a neighborhood full of gangs.
The gang members showed up because we had something that they wanted to
use
two gyms and a basketball court. The meeting space was a ‘weapon free
zone’ so we took the weapons at the door, stored them, and gave them back.
Our Board of Directors was very worried about giving the weapons back, but
after much deliberation, it seemed like the best option. The topic was about
the use of the basketball courts and the gyms and other space we had. With
their interest in this common topic, violence was put aside, and the usual
behaviors in an OST meeting emerged. From gang ‘warfare’ to having these
same young people work together to run a community center together was a big
leap, and it happened in an instant. They still had some problems outside of
the community center with each other but the violence on the streets went
way down.  We had periodic OST meetings, interspersed with periodic Whole
Person Process Facilitated meetings within which we planned for  the OST
meetings. This worked for years until I lost touch with this group
for all I
know it is still working. I worked closely with our  Chief of Police on this
one. He was amazed at the results and then allowed me to come in and do some
other things too. As well as the highly participatory meetings, one of the
keys that I have found is a good planning meeting not only about the content
we discuss but also about how we facilitate the planning meeting. I have
also found that it is imperative to have a topic of mutual concern/passion
that needs to be addressed and I never have this topic be ‘conflict
resolution’. I trust that conflict resolution is a by-product of a well done
OST meeting.

Warmly,

Birgitt

From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Frauke Godat
Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2012 3:37 AM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Subject: Re: [OSList] trainings on NON-VIOLENCE

Dear Birgitt,

Just in regards to your question around why focussing on non-violence, here
are some of my thoughts:

There have been internal and systemic conflicts within the Occupy and Real
Democracy movement throughout the world. I have written this blog article
about it in December (based on an article from The Future of Occupy blog):
http://streethostingberlin.posterous.com/occupy-camps-dealing-with-internal-
and-system 

Also, some of us from Art of Hosting Berlin have been attending 2 planning
meetings for an Occupy Berlin World Café/OpenSpace. Working together with
the calling team and communication there has been very much dominated by
anger, fear, control, violence (in language), and deep national trauma.

Transforming this energy non-violently into positive creation processes, I
find the most challenging at the moment...

Best,

Frauke

On Tue, Jan 17, 2012 at 12:57 AM, Birgitt Williams
<birgitt at dalarinternational.com> wrote:

Dear Claudia,

I am intrigued that the desire is for trainings and events on NON-VIOLENCE.
I am eager to hear from you why this is the focus. With the current
knowledge coming out of positive psychology, might it not be more
advantageous to focus on trainings and methods that lead to peace, harmony,
being in genuine contact with one another? I do recommend our Whole Person
Process Facilitation for leading meetings that are intended for people to be
in genuine contact, tap into collective intelligence, and move on to the
natural state of humans: peace.

Blessings,

Birgitt

Next on line WPPF is found at
http://www.dalarinternational.com/genuine-contact-program/advanced-workshops
/whole-person-process-facilitation

From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Dr. Claudia
Gross
Sent: Monday, January 16, 2012 4:19 PM
To: oslist at lists.openspacetech.org
Subject: [OSList] trainings on NON-VIOLENCE

Dear OS friends all over the world!

In Egypt, we are going to celebrate the 1st Anniversary of last year's
revolution on 25th of January.
I hope the whole world will join us in these celebrations :-)

With regard to this occasion, I am posting three different questions that
are not directly related to Open Space...
Just thought that all of you might have a big pool of training methods,
exercises, energizers, etc.
which when brought together could be a giant source for all of us.

Very much looking forward to hearing more about your ideas!

Claudia

No 1:
Which training methods, exercises, energizers, etc. do you recommend
for trainings and events on NON-VIOLENCE?

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-- 
Frauke Godat

---------------------------------------------------------------
Harvest from the Art of Hosting Training Berlin in November 2011 is online: 

http://aohberlin2011.posterous.com/

---------------------------------------------------------------
phone (mobile): +49 (0)176 50 47 88 06
Twitter: @futureatschool @fraukeatschool
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