Larry -- thanks for your example. Here is one from recent trip to facilitate, demonstrate and train in OST, capacity building and coaching in Siberia. I'm also including the pictures that went with it for those who would live to have a look!
Some of these teddies went to OSonOS for the Access Queen table and 4 went to the Children's Ward in one of the hopsitals. The bears were knitted by Elders in my Mother's church. I leave the following in the reflect tone it was written in. So much is coming back -- the pictures of teddy bears brought back an interesting energy exchange. I had been walking around the room sending love to the hearts of the babies. As I was leaning over the premature baby's crib and Michelle took the picture -- a split second later the baby in the crib directly to my left sent a signal to his equipment -- it was three beeps -- everyone jumped and thought there was something wrong, there wasn't. I laughed and thanked the baby for letting me know that he knew we were there! In the afternoon of that same day, a woman in a perceived position of power was sitting in a place to bless or block a project that was born out of one of a two day OST meeting we facilitated with nursing faculty, medical administrators, board members and students in the most incredible falling down building ever! In fact the building right in front of it is totally abandoned and falling down -- a physical representation of the crumbling and rebuilding that is going on in people's hearts. Michelle moved to open the meeting -- and I was again amazed at how we had not spent hours planning the facilitation -- it just emerged. I was sitting next to our translator, Marina, who was doing an amazing job of detaching and translating everything to me -- without emotion. Marina had an intention to learn and watched very closely throughout the two weeks -- and shared her learnings with us. I found myself called to participate in some of the discussions -- the Head Nurse of the Region and President of the Board (same person) was sitting there -- with her supervisor watching. When she and I had met the week before, I found myself handing her a bear's claw totem that had been given to me by the Chief of Bear River First Nation at the occasion of facilitating a group in birthing Mi'kmawey Debert -- she loved it. I also found myself sitting physically next to her after walking the circle in this meeting. I heard the three beeps in my heart and opened up the energy from the baby to this very brave woman. I moved into a coaching role and found myself talking about the courage I had witnessed in formal and informal leadership with the group. It was clear I was to just help her sit -- sit with whatever was coming up -- to sit with her -- to connect the energy of the baby and bring whatever words and actions were necessar y -- to ask some of those questions that needed to surface. After breathing with her a bit, I looked around the circle. It was like she was the commander and her generals had made a decision without her, and her supervisor was there to watch it all so she needed to save face -- she was hearing about a project to create a School of Best Practices for Nurses (including leadership training) for the first time. Her first few comments were about obstacles and I sat watching several women who were beginning to show tears -- sensing possibility of their hopes being dashed, this time by one of their own. It was as if I was watching the dance of feminine and masculine energy in each person -- when to reflect, when to do! Then a small blonde woman with an amazing smile -- Tatiana (Board Member) -- stood up and said I have gifts for Judichka and Michellichka! She had small round wood carvings from a sacred tree in the Altai, made by a carver friend of hers -- in the center was the outline of a Maple Leaf. She also had a small red cross to the side of each for our work in health care. In the center of Michelle's is a finely carved outline of a swallow -- for her heart and bravery, swiftness. In the center of mine is an eagle -- for vision, clear seeing and bravery. Everyone clapped as she presented them. Tatiana had brilliantly facilitated the connect ion to heart and mind in a few moments. We sat breathing -- and what came out of me was ..... you are like fine Russian Artists -- standing in front of an empty canvas -- the possibilities are endless. You have spent 5 days with us and our processes -- you know your own capacity, you have recognized the leadership in each other, you know your desires, you have formed a collective, the colors and what you paint are yours to choose. Whenever it starts is the right time! As a few more people spoke, the Head Nurse graciously accepted the proposal. And, Michelle, with her amazing heart, who could not hear the interpreter in the beginning to know what was going on, sat across the circle from me fully trusting whatever was happening, a bright smile on her face. How brave is Michelle? We had not discussed our co-facilitation and Michelle had just started right in during our very first facilitation with the Board -- to my surprise and delight at the same time. Part way in it came to me to provide space for vision, celebration, appreciation of the careers of these nurses all in one-half hour space. I turned to Michelle and invited her to be a nurse again. She was a little surprised and agreed. Marina and I were the only two in the room who had not been in the formal nursing profession. I then invited all to participate in an appreciative inquiry of their nursing practices, and it came to me to demonstrate this with the Head Nurse of the Region (the one mentoined above). She was willing and we spent a few minutes -- me appreciatively inviting her to explore one of her most treasured memories. Marina was amazing -- sitting back and watching it all and every now and again brilliantly making an observation. Marina was our translator throughout and it was she and her sister who instigated bringing us to Siberia. Then Marina and I had the joy of watching a room full of nurses reminiscing about their careers with joy and new passion. The group Michelle was in was simply delighted to have her to themselves right away! A wonderful way to launch desires for expansion, recognition and professionalism. During the OST facilitations we chose to both hold the space -- dynamically and magnetically, honoring the feminine and masculine. As one of us dynamically facilitated the opening of the space with words and actions, the other magnetically held and supported the space. It was an interesting experience and I'm sure we will have more to say as the debriefing continues! And since that time -- well, yesterday Marina's sister, Irina had a follow-up meeting at her Department - 16 women explored the creation of the school of best practices for nursing (the project mentioned above) . Plans were discussed and put into motion - will receive the full report soon. Tamara Yakovlevna Tselischeva is a main nurse of the clinic for lung problems and a board member, she wrote to the Russian Ministry of Health to point out that there has been little done on nursing reform and to request support for the Association. She also expressed displeasure at the appointment of someone's son-in-law to the position of Main Nurse for the City. Everyone was surprised at this act -- at one time in Russia that would have been a very risky thing to do -- voice displeasure in the government. Marina pointed out to them that Tamara might just be an engine for stimulating the government al support (even Marina is jumping into the coaching role with ease and also mentored her sister in facilitating the follow up meeting). The Head Nurse of the Hospital of Veterans is using the processes we demonstrated with her staff and has sayings and principles from the meetings on her walls -- in Russian of course. It is a beautiful sunny day here in Nova Scotia.... after a night of rain that the trees and birds loved! with love, Judi www.ponoconsultants.com www.emergentfeminine.com (902) 434-6695 fax (902) 435-1085 Reap the Rewards! * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected], Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
