Story of Day 2
Day 2 – March 16, 2020
That day was the first day of Open Space Technology (OST) – the mean of gathering that we use throughout the time of the Village. In an Open space there are no predetermined speakers or content; all the participants have the chance to call for conversations about topics or questions that they care about. At the Village, we began by inviting people to speak out the topics they wish to call, after which everybody else chose which conversations they wanted to participate in.
That day was the first day of Open Space Technology (OST) – the mean of gathering that we use throughout the time of the Village. In an Open space there are no predetermined speakers or content; all the participants have the chance to call for conversations about topics or questions that they care about. At the Village, we began by inviting people to speak out the topics they wish to call, after which everybody else chose which conversations they wanted to participate in.
I joined a conversation called by Narayan. The night before, he had posted a few pictures of the Village on Facebook. He wanted to thank a few friends who had not been able to make it here but had been great supporters of the Village. His post received a lot of love and positive comments, but also a critical view – saying that our gathering was “ill-advised and reckless with other people’s health.”
“This feels bigger than me, bigger than I can hold,” Narayan opened the conversation, “so I just want to put it in the center for all of us. Because I imagine others also have this inner conversation: Am I being reckless? Am I being irresponsible?”
At first I was angry when I heard that comment. I ruminated for so long on my decision to come to the Village, it wasn’t a reckless choice. But when sitting with a dozen people in Narayan’s conversation circle, I could step back from my prejudice and listened to different opinions.
“The night before my flight, I was like ‘Should I go? Should I not go?” Lannah shared. “At some moment I decided ‘I don’t want to live in fear, I want to be adventurous. I live my life!’” But then a realization came like “a slap in my face.” “My life is not only mine. It strongly relates to my parents and my loved ones… And what concerns me the most is: what if I come back and I bring the danger to my parents?” In the end she decided that she would try her best to take care of herself during the trip, and self-quarantine once she was home. “And that’s the best solution I can think of… If we avoid taking risks, it means we are not living. So this is my point. I am taking this risk. Because I am living. If I am not, I’d rather die.”
Just like Lannah, I was worried about carrying the disease back to my family, but I also didn’t want to freeze my life because of fear. I tried to protect myself as best as I could – never before had I been so obsessed with washing my hands as in the last few days – and I would self-isolate with my wife once we returned. For us, that was being responsible with public health; maybe the person who commented would disagree, but who’s to say which is right and which is wrong.
Narayan’s post received 18 positive comments, but only the 19th – the critical view – prompted us to be in conversation and distill learnings. “I honor that comment,” Narayan said, “I want to label (the post) not a mistake but as an action that has a consequence.” He said his post could be an incentive for other gatherings without many precautions because “other people are doing it, so let’s do it too.” That night Narayan answered the comment with respect and gratitude. He didn’t want to fuel the flame but only share compassion with the other person. This was just like the story shared in the circle by an Indian friend: India is going through a political unrest. A Gandhian was asked “What can be done in this time of increasing hatred?” The Gandhian replied: “Spread love.”
“This feels bigger than me, bigger than I can hold,” Narayan opened the conversation, “so I just want to put it in the center for all of us. Because I imagine others also have this inner conversation: Am I being reckless? Am I being irresponsible?”
At first I was angry when I heard that comment. I ruminated for so long on my decision to come to the Village, it wasn’t a reckless choice. But when sitting with a dozen people in Narayan’s conversation circle, I could step back from my prejudice and listened to different opinions.
“The night before my flight, I was like ‘Should I go? Should I not go?” Lannah shared. “At some moment I decided ‘I don’t want to live in fear, I want to be adventurous. I live my life!’” But then a realization came like “a slap in my face.” “My life is not only mine. It strongly relates to my parents and my loved ones… And what concerns me the most is: what if I come back and I bring the danger to my parents?” In the end she decided that she would try her best to take care of herself during the trip, and self-quarantine once she was home. “And that’s the best solution I can think of… If we avoid taking risks, it means we are not living. So this is my point. I am taking this risk. Because I am living. If I am not, I’d rather die.”
Just like Lannah, I was worried about carrying the disease back to my family, but I also didn’t want to freeze my life because of fear. I tried to protect myself as best as I could – never before had I been so obsessed with washing my hands as in the last few days – and I would self-isolate with my wife once we returned. For us, that was being responsible with public health; maybe the person who commented would disagree, but who’s to say which is right and which is wrong.
Narayan’s post received 18 positive comments, but only the 19th – the critical view – prompted us to be in conversation and distill learnings. “I honor that comment,” Narayan said, “I want to label (the post) not a mistake but as an action that has a consequence.” He said his post could be an incentive for other gatherings without many precautions because “other people are doing it, so let’s do it too.” That night Narayan answered the comment with respect and gratitude. He didn’t want to fuel the flame but only share compassion with the other person. This was just like the story shared in the circle by an Indian friend: India is going through a political unrest. A Gandhian was asked “What can be done in this time of increasing hatred?” The Gandhian replied: “Spread love.”
Open Space Sessions
- Round 1:
- How to make decisions listening to your energy (Narayan)
- What can be the simplest structure for the best communication of the Village? (Hoang),
- What is the consent decision making process we might use for the village? (Mel)
- Round 2:
- AoH Western Australia Zoom call
- Irresponsible, reckless comment (Narayan)
- What is the minimum structure rather than no/too much structure to let something we need happen? (Aiko)
- Feed the fish (Corina)