Less is more.Just ask the group to take in a deep breath and let it out while you do the same. Two is enough. I would not use any exercise except to ask participants to make eye contact and appreciate the treasures in the room and as the day unfolds more of the treasures will reveal themselves. Those who need to mourn will mourn and those who are ready to go on will. Some will do a bit of both and of course we are always unsure of the outcome.
All the best to you tomorrow. Audrey Coward ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sharon Quarrington" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, May 02, 2003 6:49 PM Subject: Silence and Breath and an OS tomorrow (Sat) > I am opening a space tomorrow for an alternative school and as I sit > here trying to write what I am going to say in the opening I'm having a > bit of trouble. I've rarely included the "breath" in my openings and > this time I need it. > > This is a school in conflict - it was started by a group of > homeschoolers who took their proposal to the board of education and > after two years of work finally managed to sell the idea. The school > became an "alternative" but the spaces in it were/are open to any parent > in the district - and most of the joining parents are not homeschoolers. > The "sell" of the program was that it would bring in new people into the > board (they get funded per student so homeschoolers are lost money). Now > that the program is permanently approved they do not need to attract > homeschoolers. The teachers and admin are "in charge" and are refitting > the program to align with board policy - which will take it even further > from the initial dream. > > The conflict between the parents who started this program and the one > who now "own" it has been very painful but all agree that it is time to > move on and get some clarity on where the program is heading. > The group has agreed to come together in Open Space and come up with > priorities for next year. We have worked hard on givens (mostly on > cutting them down....) > > Somehow I need the opening to help the group focus on the future and yet > I know that many are grieving the past. I would like to use the breath > to help us all get "in the room" and focus on being present for the day. > The group has also asked for an opening "exercise" to help them get > centered. > > So a few questions for more experience folk: > > How do you introduce the breath (a script would help....) do you just > ask people to take a few deep breaths? > > Should I ask them to reflect on the past as part of the opening and then > let the group think silently or should I ask them just to try to clear > their minds and breath? > > Is there anything else people have used as part of the opening to help a > group get centered? > > Thanks, Sharon > > * > * > ========================================================== > [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
