Hi Julie and all during the last weeks I had so much to do here in Mozambique (my work as an OD consultant) and in Zimbabwe (trying to understand what happens, getting data, writing a text which reflects my slowly growing understanding of the co-responsibility system for the actual crisis there) , that I left the os-list discussion aside. I also had to remember September 11, 1973 when September 11, 2001 was globally remembered... Yes, and thank you Ann for your great re-framing text and those who saw immedeately how to use your text to broaden the necessary knowledge of such positions at different other national/political/media/institutional levels.
Just now, Saturday, no urgent work to do, I am rapidly going through the about 100 os-list-postings I collected without reading. I love the democracy-os discussion. But if I would start to participate in that discussion I fear i would be unable to stop. Because in trying to open space in a country with a very recent consensus on democracy (which seems to be one of the definitions of it being at least a common vision, since it is not yet here on earth materialized-Stop!) this question is even more important to be adressed than in other countries. E.g. holding up hands to vote is really seen as THE democracy here-Stop!) Anyhow, your very personal posting touched me deeply. I also try. And feel well and better with letting go! Thanks Bernd ----- [email protected], on 14.09.2002 at 13:11:29 (GMT/UT + 02:00) No attachments ------------------------------------------------- Bernd Weber ------------------------------------------------- e-mail: [email protected] ---- C.P. 1462, Beira, Sofala, MOZAMBIQUE fone: +258-3-32 98 59, cellfone:+258-82-43 79 77 ---- Gumpendorfer Straße 88b/18, AT-1060 Wien AUSTRIA fone: 00431 596 86 57, cellfone: +43 0664 7667872 ---- Wenn Du meine private elektronische Diskussionsgruppe abonnieren möchtest, sende einfach eine E-Mail an [email protected] ---- Inscricao no grupo de discussao "Sistemas organizacionais": Escrever um email para o endereco <[email protected]> On Sat, 7 Sep 2002 12:19:10 -0800, Julie Smith wrote: >Greetings, all ~ > >I think I've come to a resting place with the knotty problem of how >to integrate who I am with what I do for a living. Since so many of >you have helped me on this journey, I want to share my current >thoughts with you. > >I'm working on letting go and letting be. I'm imagining letting go >of text books and training manuals, letting go of expectations for >what will happen on any given day or in any given moment, letting go >of rushing and grasping, of trying to define what can't be defined. >I want to let go of external props that interfere with my internal >knowing and my ability to respond in the present to what is >happening in the present. And I want to let myself be who I am.... >quieter, calmer, more fully aware of myself and others. > >In the doing of all that, I'm thinking about working backward (only >backward might really be forward). That means entering the room >each day thinking first about people as people..... being aware of >the energy, the vibe, the spoken and unspoken needs of the people in >the room.... perhaps giving time and space for an opening each day, >an opportunity for connecting, sharing, attuning.... and not >expecting to progress on any other level until the group has started >feeling like a community (engaged conversation, caring, connection, >sparkling eyes, laughter....) During this community-building time >OST and play are two tools we can use to reach a place of deeper >understanding and authentic caring..... > >......and then allowing the learning to flow across many paths..... >learning about each other (and thus learning how to listen and >learning that each person has unexpected depth and wisdom.... >surprise!).... >learning about how we communicate and how we deal with conflict, >about the choices we have and the choices we make, about how we can >help others find their way through conflict.... learning how to >learn with rather than learning from.... > >......and perhaps ending each day with a closing, a time to reflect >and share the learnings of the day..... > >These are all things we're already doing in a rather haphazard way. >The difference for me is naming the priorities and getting things in >their proper order. When I started doing this work, I thought my >task was to teach people the theory, techniques, and skills of >mediation. My frustration stemmed from not knowing how to go deep >enough to get at what really matters. None of the skills and >techniques matter a whit unless the person/mediator is coming from a >deeper place of caring and compassion. This is a place that can't >be talked about meaningfully until it's been experienced. It can be >shared with but it can't be told to. But how to get to that deeper >place in a classroom? It seems so simple and yet so hard.... don't >attempt to describe to, but rather experience with..... which simply >requires following the unfolding that leads us there.... > >I think OST will become both explicit and implicit in the way I >work. >It's important to make it explicit because doing so helps break the >institutional trance and invites creative thinking about what's >possible. I also think it's important that it be implicit, in the >sense that it doesn't always need to be named. We don't always need >to call what we're doing OST. We can just interact with each other >naturally in new ways that don't require entering any kind of >structured process. >I'm imagining a classroom that works a lot like the OSLIST. Because >people on this list have integrated the principles into who we are, >we can just use them without need for planning, posters, themes, >invitations, or designated marketplace. I think groups of people in >classroom communities can do the same. > >My challenge is to slow down, to trust, to allow the unfolding.... > >I'm extraordinarily fortunate to be surrounded by people who are >searching for the same kinds of connection and learning I desire. >It's an amazing thing. Everywhere I turn, I hear "yes." Yes is an >invitation to deep learning, to becoming who we are. Such a great >gift in such a small package..... yes. > >Julie > >* * ========================================================== >[email protected] ------------------------------ >To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of >[email protected], Visit: > >http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected], Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
