<html>
<body>
This is awesome Chris - thanks for sharing this experience with
us.<br><br>
For me - it so beautifully illustrates the 'whatever happens...'
principle <br>
- it gives a different and so much more powerful meaning to what we
might consider 'success' to be<br>
- it speaks to me of a deeply spiritual and compassionate presence
with the community without needing to fix, manage or control their issues
<br>
- it models a truly courageous and insightful interpretation of being a
facilitator<br><br>
Brendan<br><br>
<br>
At 12:37 AM 12-03-2004 -0800, you wrote:<br>
<font face="arial" size=2 color="#000080">But Reinhard, I have also
experienced this situation of holding space from another angle, as the
facilitator for an Open Space meeting to which no one came. It was
in a small and very troubled First Nations community, racked with
violence and drug abuse, and no one, not even my sponsor showed up for a
community meeting at which 70 people were expected.<br><br>
I found myself in a strange situation, and instead of packing up, I
stayed and consciously held space for the community. I figured that
I was there for a reason, and they knew about Open Space and the role of
the facilitator, so I played that role, sitting in the longhouse alone,
in a half-meditative state, holding open the possibility for healing in
the community and reflecting on what it means to hold space. I had
a copy of the Tao Te Ching with me, which made excellent reading.<br>
</font></body>
<br>
</html>
*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu,
Visit:
<p>
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html