On 4/28/02 5:28 PM, "Audrey Coward" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I invite any and all of to share what you know or practise beside picking > up coffee cups. Audrey — My experience has been that holding space is a wonderful exercise in mindfulness — the cosmic mirror that reflects back my panic at being seen as not "doing" something! And a wonderful exercise in giving up that "expert" role — to simply hold space for the participants who are the real experts to find their way. I have watched the discussion of space invaders on the list with interest. I often find that space invaders, rather than filling in or closing the space, tend to s t r e t c h the space a little more. They often offer themselves while we are holding space. And once the coffee and tea cups are picked up, it can sometimes be tricky to seem to disappear. Especially if I'm experiencing a claustrophobic type of day! Two weeks ago I facilitated an open space for a group of 40 individuals. The space was small, and as I was checking out breakout spaces, someone pulled the circle of chairs in tighter. There had been a sudden snowstorm, participants made their way in through some treacherous driving. When I came back to the main space and stepped into the circle I realized how tight it was. I invited everyone to stand up, take a step back and push their chairs back twice. They hardly moved the chairs at all. So, I chose to do some very deep breathing and walked the small circle — owning the claustrophobia I was feeling. A blue jay was heckling us outside an open window and I realized that I was rushing the opening because of the claustrophobia I was feeling. I slowed down and smiled as I remembered how the participants had arrived, why they were there — and, oh yeah, none of the event is about me, which always helps me move out of the way! And, the space still opened — people jumping for the markers and paper. The building was small, the weather very stormy, no place to disappear........... a rich event, indeed. J In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind, there are few. (Suzuki Roshi, 1970) Judith L. Richardson Pono Consultants International Facilitating the Flow of Inspired Collaboration www.ponoconsultants.com 902-435-0308 * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected], Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
