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<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left><SPAN
class=968491409-10112005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff>Hello everyone, I
am new to the network and am enjoying the discussions. <SPAN
class=923342712-10112005> </SPAN>I was fascinated by<SPAN
class=923342712-10112005> <SPAN class=047193112-10112005>Lisa's story and
by </SPAN></SPAN>Chris's description of the circle <SPAN
class=047193112-10112005>Lisa</SPAN> held at OSonOS. Would <SPAN
class=047193112-10112005>Lisa </SPAN>say a little more about it please. Many
thanks. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=968491409-10112005><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff>Cliodhna</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=968491409-10112005><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=968491409-10112005><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff>"</FONT></SPAN><EM><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff>But I also
wanted to remind you of the circle you held for us at OSonOS this year where
participants were you kicked off the conversation by turning to the person on
your left and asked a question. THe're job was to answer the question and
then turn to THEIR left and ask the next person a question, and so
on. <SPAN
class=968491409-10112005>"</SPAN><BR></FONT></EM></DIV></DIV><BR>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> OSLIST
[mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Chris
Corrigan<BR><B>Sent:</B> 09 November 2005 22:40<BR><B>To:</B>
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: Talking Circle in
Prison<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>Lisa:<BR><BR>Of course there is a long tradition of circle gatherings
in prisons with Native Brotherhoods, for all the reasons you cite...they are
powerful, healing, non-outwardly chaotic processes. <BR><BR>Certainly,
PeerSpirit Ciricling as a formal process would be well suited for prison
work.<BR><BR>But I also wanted to remind you of the circle you held for us at
OSonOS this year where participants were you kicked off the conversation by
turning to the person on your left and asked a question. THe're job was to
answer the question and then turn to THEIR left and ask the next person a
question, and so on. <BR><BR>It was one of the most powerful, and
elegantly simple, processes for balancing advocacy and inquiry, and it just got
deeper and deeper as we went along.<BR><BR>Thanks for your reflections
here. They are really useful.<BR><BR>Chris<BR><BR>
<DIV><SPAN class=gmail_quote>On 11/9/05, <B class=gmail_sendername>Lisa Heft</B>
<<A href="mailto:lisaheft@openingspace.net">lisaheft@openingspace.net</A>>
wrote:</SPAN>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=gmail_quote
style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(204,204,204) 1px solid">
<DIV>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Hi, all
–</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I just
wanted to share that last week I was working inside two women's prisons in
Central California.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">One of the
things I was doing was training inmates who are peer health educators – on a
new curriculum I developed that teaches other inmates who are about to be
released about HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases, how
substance use affects disease transmission and progression, self-esteem, and
communication in relationships.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The other
thing I did was the reason I was thinking of you all – I also attend the
annual prison health fair at several prisons, where I set up a circle of
chairs so people can just talk and converse and ask questions about absolutely
anything that is important to them.<SPAN> </SPAN><SPAN>Because that is
health, too.</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">So this last
time I had the pleasure of hosting an all-day talking circle.
<SPAN> </SPAN>Or maybe I should call it a listening
circle?</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">It's the
closest thing to Open Space I can get – in prison you cannot do anything that
an onlooker (say a guard looking down from a tower or across a prison yard)
might interpret as chaos.<SPAN> </SPAN>Therefore, so far I cannot set up
a delightful-chaos-of-Open Space situation. But I can do one circle, that
lasts for a <SPAN>day, that</SPAN> goes wherever anyone wants it to
go.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">As this was
during the health fair (imagine a big gymnasium – along the walls are tables
with community agency representatives offering brochures and information -
Planned Parenthood, transitional houses, family support agencies); and in the
center, a circle of chairs. <SPAN> </SPAN>With a sign that says "Join the
conversation".<SPAN> </SPAN>In other prisons I have done this outside on
the exercise yard. <SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Yes, it's a
health fair.<SPAN> </SPAN>And yes, I am there to answer any questions
anyone has about health issues. <SPAN> </SPAN>I am also a health educator
so I can share general health education about a cross-section of
concerns.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">But it's
mostly about listening.<SPAN> </SPAN><SPAN>And inviting others to share
their thoughts.</SPAN><SPAN> </SPAN>And about affirmation, and about
belief, and about support for people to take good care of themselves and each
other.<SPAN> </SPAN><SPAN>To treasure themselves.</SPAN><SPAN>
</SPAN>It's really a participant-led conversation, with me doing some deep
listening and holding space for participants in the circle to share, support
each other, listen, and just be in a safe space.
<SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Here are
some of the topics that came up. The participants shifted and changed
throughout the day.<SPAN> </SPAN>There had been some sort of fight the
day before, so the institution was on a modified 'lock down' (lock down is
when you must stay in your cell with the door locked and cannot leave for days
– usually inmates can leave to go to their meals and prison jobs, as long as
they have 'ducats' – papers that give them permission to move about the prison
for a specific reason or appointment).<SPAN> </SPAN>So on this day, only
one 'yard' at a time (one section of the prison) was allowed to come to the
health fair, so the overall population did not mix.<SPAN> </SPAN>So we
sort of had 3 sessions (though the law of 2 feet and butterflies and
bumblebees were definitely in effect throughout the
duration).</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Topics
included:</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in; TEXT-INDENT: -33.2pt"><FONT face=Wingdings
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN>§<FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN>
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Methamphetamines (serious drugs – this topic came up
several times during the Talking Circle, as some are in prison because of it
and some have seen their loved ones affected by it)</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in"><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in; TEXT-INDENT: -33.2pt"><FONT face=Wingdings
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN>§<FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN>
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Fibroids (non-cancerous tumors in the
uterus)</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in"><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in; TEXT-INDENT: -33.2pt"><FONT face=Wingdings
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN>§<FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN>
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Cysts in breasts (they feel like
lumps)</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in"><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in; TEXT-INDENT: -33.2pt"><FONT face=Wingdings
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN>§<FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN>
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Inner peace (how to achieve peace amidst the chaos and
constriction of being in prison – these are women who are housed 8 or 9 in a
cell that was originally designed for 2 people)</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in"><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in; TEXT-INDENT: -33.2pt"><FONT face=Wingdings
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN>§<FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN>
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Access to proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment
(inside prison, doctors are often unable to access and prescribe certain
medications, and may not have access to diverse tests and laboratory analysis;
there may also be some communication issues with some inmates feeling listened
to or not by some clinicians)</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in"><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in; TEXT-INDENT: -33.2pt"><FONT face=Wingdings
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN>§<FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN>
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Drug use and self-esteem (how when you use drugs it
erases your outline, in a way – the boundary between your self and the world /
others, so that you may not care for or protect yourself during those times;
but you may use drugs because you need to erase bad feelings or because you do
not love yourself)</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in"><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in; TEXT-INDENT: -33.2pt"><FONT face=Wingdings
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN>§<FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN>
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Relationships (speaking up for your needs, getting
away from abuse, finding another someone who treats you as a
treasure)</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in"><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in; TEXT-INDENT: -33.2pt"><FONT face=Wingdings
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN>§<FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN>
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The oppression (my word) of the system (the experience
of being in prison)</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in"><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in; TEXT-INDENT: -33.2pt"><FONT face=Wingdings
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN>§<FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN>
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Menopause and hysterectomies</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN-LEFT: 1in; TEXT-INDENT: -33.2pt"><FONT face=Wingdings
size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings"><SPAN>§<FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=1><SPAN>
</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Meditation (how to start, how to practice, in a place
where there is no quiet time or private space)</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Most of
these women come from communities, families and lives where nobody ever told
them anything about health, and they may not access healthcare due to lack of
resources or mobility. <SPAN> </SPAN>They mostly come from lower income
communities. Then they come into prison and sometimes they stay for decades,
so health issues around aging and depression are added to their
worries.<SPAN> </SPAN>There are also myths about health being shared as
truths, because in most institutions there is no education regarding
health.<SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I thought
you might like a little look into this rich setting for dialogue, conversation
and holding space,</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Lisa
</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black">___________________________</SPAN></FONT><SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P><B><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: blue">L i s
a<SPAN> </SPAN>H e f t</SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: blue">Consultant, Facilitator,
Educator</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: blue">O p e n i n g<SPAN> </SPAN>S p a c
e</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">2325
Oregon</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Berkeley,
California</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">94705-1106<SPAN>
</SPAN>USA</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">+01 510
548-8449</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><A
onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"
href="mailto:lisaheft@openingspace.net" target=_blank><FONT color=black><SPAN
style="COLOR: black">lisaheft@openingspace.net</SPAN></FONT></A></SPAN></FONT><SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><A
onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"
href="http://www.openingspace.net" target=_blank><FONT color=black><SPAN
style="COLOR: black">www.openingspace.net</SPAN></FONT></A> </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P></DIV>* *
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</BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR><BR clear=all><BR>-- <BR><BR>CHRIS
CORRIGAN<BR>Consultation - Facilitation<BR>Open Space Technology<BR><BR>Weblog:
<A
href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot">http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
</A><BR>Site: <A
href="http://www.chriscorrigan.com">http://www.chriscorrigan.com</A>
<br><br>
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