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<DIV><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff>I say the L2F (my coinage) works
everywhere. It is one of the most empowering thing about OS to me. However as
you say, cultural norms, politeness and the fear that others will form negative
opinions about you keep me from leaving when what is happening is something that
I don't want to participate in. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff>Loved Therese's very well made point about
the container and its importance. Alex and I talked this stuff in Goa
itself.....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff>I have two points to make:</FONT></DIV>
<OL>
<LI><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff>Religious ceremony and ritual is
different from cultural activity and should be recognized as such. Cultural
activity within reason is fine and inclusive. religious ceremony is not. For
example, the Goa OSonOS began with a Hindu religious ceremony of worshiping
Ganesha. I being Muslim and another of the participants of another faith did
not take part. For me it was the fact that idol worship is against my religion
so I don't take part it in. What was disconcerting is that firstly I had no
idea that this ceremony was going to happen or I would have simply come later
and would not have to be standing there with my hands behind my back while
everyone else was standing with eyes closed and hands folded in front of them.
Secondly the thought that being in India with all the undercurrent of communal
hatred I had a feeling I would be seen as the Muslim Fundamentalist Intolerant
chap. My own cowardice if you want to call it that........but I live here. As
it happened, one of my other Indian (in this case not even a Hindu) friends
noticed and obliquely spoke to me about the importance of being
"tolerant"......</FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT face=Verdana color=#808080 size=2><FONT color=#0000ff size=3>The
second issue is that the best thing about OS to me in the inclusiveness.
Having religious ceremonies in Opening or Closing Circles takes away from
that. Religion excludes those who don't subscribe to it. The lines are rigid
and so people do one of two things: either pretend to participate (which is
compromising on their integrity) or they walk out which is disturbing. If one
wants to have religious ceremonies or explain religion or its significance or
to start a dialogue on any religion, then the Market Place is the place to
start that discussion. People then have the option of volunteering for that
discussion if it interests them and it is not something that gets sprung on
their poor unsuspecting souls.</FONT></FONT></LI></OL>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana color=#808080
size=2><EM><STRONG> </STRONG></EM><FONT
color=#0000ff size=3> Yawar</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #808080 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=theresefitz@hotmail.com href="mailto:theresefitz@hotmail.com">Therese
Fitzpatrick</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, October 06, 2004 4:06
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: law of two feet in big
circles</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>I'd like to hear from folks on this list. Whazzup with
the law of two feet<BR>in morning and evening circles?<BR><BR>I agree with
Alex that it applies in the big circles and I agree with Alex<BR>that it
always applies (I happen to think OS is the way reality works and
in<BR>reality each of us are free to do exactly what feels right to us in
each<BR>moment). . .<BR><BR>Even if the nature of reality suggests that the
law of two feet applies also<BR>in morning and evening OS circles, what about
cultural norms? I know I can<BR>remove myself from an end-of-the-day
reflection circle and I sometimes do<BR>leave when things start to happen that
are beyond the scope of individuals<BR>reflecting on their day in
OS. Sometimes a small play will take over. . .<BR>that is no
longer individuals reflecting on their day. Sometimes there is<BR>lots
of singing. . . that is no longer individual reflections upon the day.<BR>. .
I love small plays. I love to sing new songs in groups. But I like
to<BR>hear individual reflections on their day in OS and whereas I have all
day to<BR>go to marketplace sessions about plays and songs, I just get the
one<BR>opportunity to have a reflection circle.<BR><BR>In my personal
cosmology, it is rude to dominate a circle of people gathered<BR>to reflect
upon their shared day in OS because, as Alex points out, even<BR>though the
law of two feet still applies during the reflection circle,<BR>taking up the
group's attention for something other than reflection is, at<BR>the very
least, not fair play.<BR><BR>As I waited too long for a bus this afternoon, I
had an insight into why the<BR>OSONOS circles seem to be veering into what
seems 'weird' to some. I<BR>haven't been to an OSONOS but I have been to
eight Spirited Work gatherings<BR>which has a similar dynamic of many of the
same people going over and over<BR>and many people becoming more and more
familiar with the concept of OS. I<BR>have noticed a tendency amongst my
SW cohorts to slip into sloppy thinking<BR>and to think that OS means anything
and everything that they want it to mean<BR>in every single solitary
moment. Just because one is among friends and<BR>among lovely OS
believers does not mean that one can be more sloppy in one's<BR>consideration
of one's fellow human being. And, again, I fall back on
my<BR>comfort of sticking with a form once it is created.<BR><BR>Some people
think sticking to a form is being rigid or anal retentive and/or<BR>somehow
wrong/bad. Over and over in my life I have found tremendous
inner<BR>power from holding myself to a bit of discipline. See my
previous<BR>discussion of holding to form. Holding to a brilliantly
simple form like OS<BR> can yield simply brilliant
results.<BR><BR>So. What do folks have to say about law of two feet in
morning and<BR>reflection
circles?!<BR><BR>_________________________________________________________________<BR>Express
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