Dialogue Zone & Storyspace FAQ



Welcome to this experiment. We are attempting to host these dialogues and storyspaces using software created for email discussion lists. This means we're bending the eGroups software creatively to our purposes. We would like to suggest a few processes to enable clear communication in this odd medium.

Before posting, you will need to register with eGroups. It is a very simple process. You can do that here.


What is the difference between a dialogue & a storyspace?

Dialogues are a group exploration of a seed topic. Storyspace is a place to trade tales.


About the Haven Dialogue process

For the Dialogues, we have chosen a particular form which has served us well in the many dialogues we have hosted over the years online and offline. That form is simple. We will offer a seed topic to begin a particular dialogue. Seed topics may be suggested by anyone in the Haven community. Because each voice is valued as necessary in articulating the whole emerging vision, it is essential to speak from your heart about your own ideas and responses, rather than critiquing someone else.

We have discovered that in a dialogue the best ideas will speak for themselves. They need no defense. Give it a try. Dialogue is an evolving art and we welcome your contribution to the experiment.

For some excellent background exploration of the Dialogue process, we suggest you read an excerpt from David Bohm's On Dialogue and Dialogue Culture by Heiner Benking.


Understanding titles of the Dialogue & Storyspace posts

The Haven editors initiate new dialogues and storyspaces every month. You'll be able to recognize these by their names. Let's look at edge-dialogue1: 3rd Mind Interaction #1 as an example.

edge-: this dialogue is related to the edge-ucation zone of Haven.
dialogue1: this section of the title let's you know it is a Dialogue. We number the dialogues & storyspaces initiated by the Haven editors in each zone (edge-ucation, right livelihood, and deep ecology) to give us another way to identify them.
3rd Mind Interaction #1: this is the actual title of the Dialogue.

We will keep a running list of the dialogues and storyspaces here.

Participating in dialogues and storyspaces

Let's say you find a dialogue or storyspace that you'd like to participate in. We'll use as an example Storyspace2: EarthStories Project. You'll find the initiating post in the message list of The Dialogue Zone & Storyspace. Locate the message titled Storyspace2: EarthStories Project and click on it. To contribute your story, click the reply hyperlink in the upper part of the window. It's in parenthesis. This will bring up a post message window. Please do not change the subject line. If you have a title for your story, put it in the message body. You may want to delete the original post before adding your own words. Add your post and then click send. We are hoping that this process will make it easier to follow the dialogues and storyspaces as they evolve. We'll see about that.

How to initiate a dialogue or storyspace

To initiate a dialogue or storyspace yourself, above the message list on the Dialogue Zone & Storyspace page you'll notice a link that says: [Post to this group]. Click post and it will bring up a window that says POST:. In the subject line, type storyspace: and then your title, or dialogue: and your title. Type your ideas in the blank field, and click send in the bottom lower left. Preview doesn't seem to work very well we have noticed. What you see there is not always what you get. Alas. We're talking to eGroups about this situation. If you're unhappy with your post, you can delete it and start again. And don't forget to read the eGroups help FAQ.

Let us know if you have any other questions or problems and we will add it to the Dialogue Zone & Storyspace FAQ.


Enjoy yourself!







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