This might be a good place mfor me to offer again my free little e-book called The Tao of Holding Space, which is a rewriting of the Tao Teh Ching focussed on just these kinds of questions:
http://chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot/?p=1040 Enjoy! Chris On Apr 22, 2014, at 12:05 PM, Harrison Owen <[email protected]> wrote: > June – “The focus of being present can at times be so exhausting! Finding a > balance is so important but in our fast paced, ever present technology world, > I struggle with this.” > > June, I think you have just put your finger on the nub of the issue: “I > struggle with this.” If my own experience is any guide, becoming present is > inversely related to the struggle thereof. In a word, I think you are working > much too hard. Everybody will find their own way, but I find that when my > sense of presence slips away, the antidote is quite simply, STOP! Close your > eyes and breath slowly until the sensation of your flowing breath, in and > out, simply washes all the trivia away. > > I understand this can be difficult in the midst of total chaos (a classroom, > for example), but it is possible. And that possibility is enhanced if at some > other time (before or after) you take a longer time to gently and freely do > the same thing. It’s called practice. If you do that on some regular basis, I > think you will find that when the roof falls in and everything else seems in > shambles... even then it is totally possible to restore you sense of center. > It may only be an instant as the clock would measure it, but it is not about > how long, but how deeply. Try it. Works for me. > > Harrison > > Harrison Owen > 7808 River Falls Dr. > Potomac, MD 20854 > USA > > 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer) > Camden, Maine 04843 > > Phone 301-365-2093 > (summer) 207-763-3261 > > www.openspaceworld.com > www.ho-image.com (Personal Website) > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST > Go to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of June > Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 2:11 PM > To: World wide Open Space Technology email list > Cc: World wide Open Space Technology email list > Subject: Re: [OSList] Being present & presence > > Thank you to Harrison & David for this conversation that has peaked my > attention. Being present and having presence is key! This does not relate > specifically to OST but to my work in post-secondary. Successful and > effective teachers are present and have presence; how do we all get there and > stay there 100% of the time?! And how can I help the students to be present > when they are pulled in many directions as education asks so much of them? > > The focus of being present can at times be so exhausting! Finding a balance > is so important but in our fast paced, ever present technology world, I > struggle with this. > > As a beginner in OST I will be mindful of being present & having presence. > > June > Edmonton, Alberta, Canada > > Sent from my iPad > > On 2014-04-22, at 9:30, "Harrison Owen" <[email protected]> wrote: > > David said: “I'm curious about your hunch about why being totally present > makes a difference.” > > And David, I am curious about your use of the word “hunch.” Truth to tell, > the power of Presence for the facilitator is one of the few things that I am > totally certain of when it come to the facilitator’s effective role in Open > Space. When the facilitator is really (totally) present, just about > everything else that the facilitator may or may not do or say don’t make that > much difference. > > And what, you might ask, is Presence? Doubtless there are a many answers as > there are folks who think or talk about it, but for me it goes something like > this... > > I think we all know when we are not present – neatly caught in the phrase, > “Here but not all there.” You know the syndrome. The present moment becomes > virtually invisible, drowned in a fog of “might have beens,” “could have > beens,” “ought to have beens.” We are so worried and/or involved in the past > and the future that NOW is just about eliminated. No space. > > At a practical level, this renders us virtually blind. And even with our best > efforts, we find ourselves responding to just about everything except what is > immediately in front of us. Such a condition is not conducive to effective > behavior under any circumstance, but in the unique situation of a facilitator > in Open Space, I find it just takes you right out of the game. > > Genuine Presence is a wonderful thing, not only for the person who achieves > it, but also (and maybe equally) for anybody in the neighborhood. With > presence comes deep awareness of our surroundings at all levels...mental, > physical, spiritual. This is rich fare for whoever experiences it, but that > richness is shared. I don’t like the image very much, but real presence is > like a vacuum cleaner... drawing in, appreciating, becoming a deep witness of > what transpires. The effects of this can be multiple, but for people in the > presence of a Real Presence the experience is one of radical appreciation, > acceptance... we might say love. > > The image of the vacuum cleaner is really awkward, but it does capture my > experience that Presence initiates a vacuum which creates massive space, > available for the growth of the people in their power. And in Open Space that > is my purpose, my job as facilitator. I think. > > Harrison > > > Harrison Owen > 7808 River Falls Dr. > Potomac, MD 20854 > USA > > 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer) > Camden, Maine 04843 > > Phone 301-365-2093 > (summer) 207-763-3261 > > www.openspaceworld.com > www.ho-image.com (Personal Website) > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST > Go to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David Osborne > Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 9:08 AM > To: World wide Open Space Technology email list > Subject: Re: [OSList] Open Space and Boundaries > > Harrison, > > Thanks for your response to this. I was serious.....as this seemed to be the > obvious question to me. Your answer as always brings up deep complex issues > in a rather straight forward manner. > > My experience beyond OS is that people (myself included) get stuck in > patterns where they do not embrace their full power. I love the purpose you > describe: " My purpose is to create an environment in which the people can > experience their own power to the maximum and do things they never thought > possible." or your > > Outside of open space I find myself constantly at this boundary of doing some > to bring people to the edge of leaping into the space of their own power and > capability. Sometimes they leap, other times they don't. Your message here > has been a helpful reminder and a clearer frame of the boundary. > > There is also another subtlety buried in your reply. Your described doing the > above by " being totally present yet absolutely invisible". I'm curious > about your hunch about why being totally present makes a difference. > > Many thanks, > > David > > > > > On Thu, Apr 17, 2014 at 11:45 AM, Harrison Owen <[email protected]> wrote: > David said -- “So I should do nothing........right? or is my passion and > caring to do a little bit ok?” > > David, I suspect something of a joke, but I think your question is important. > At least it has always been important to me. Some long time ago, I recognized > that if I empower you, you are in my power. And by the same token, whatever I > do for you, you cannot, or do not need to do for yourself. It is true that > some of us (most of us?) like to do things for each other, and I think that > is wonderful. When somebody puts on a specially elegant party with close > attention to every detail of guest comfort – that can be a thing of beauty. > And if the martinis live up to the standards of everything else, I am all in! > J > > But it remains true, I think, that if I empower you, you are in my power. And > whatever I do for you, you will not do for yourself. There are clearly times > and situations where our “doing” is needed, important, even critical. But > there are equally other times – it all depends on the purpose or goals or > situation. > > So in the peculiar situation of facilitating an Open Space: Why do we do it? > Doubtless each person will have to answer that one for themselves, but I am > very clear why I take on the role of facilitator. My purpose is to create an > environment in which the people can experience their own power to the maximum > and do things they never thought possible. To achieve this objective, the > people will need the most time/space available – which means that I need to > fill up as little space/time as possible. Something about being totally > present and absolutely invisible. > > Sometimes I know that my fellows may have felt that I was being uncaring, > particularly when I left people to struggle with an inability to express > themselves fully, a difficulty with language, or even physical barriers. But > what I discovered over and over, and over again is that people have a > marvelous capacity to help each other, and further – that when they learn to > help, or maybe even more importantly, ask for help... Everybody is stronger. > > So what do I do? As little as possible. And the reward has been to witness > amazing growth. > > Yes there are times when an emergent situation seemed to require a hand. But > even in those situations I have found it useful to wait just a little bit > longer than I felt comfortable, and more often than not a way was found, not > of my doing. > > And on other occasions, where I did sort of jump in, I was taught a lesson. I > remember particularly an Open Space I did with the North West Regional > Advisory Council of the AARP. Average age: well past 80. There was something > like 150 in the group, and the discussions were fast, furious and definitely > passionate. One particular lady, obviously well past 80, just happened to > have posted THE ISSUE. I don’t remember what it was, but I caught up with her > at the computers as she was writing her report. She had pages of flip chart > paper, and clearly didn’t see too well. I think it may have been the first > time she had confronted a computer, up close and personal and her typing > skills were of the One Finger variety. Truly I felt sorry for her. > > I sat down beside her and offered to help. She stopped her work, sat silently > for a moment, and then suddenly turned to face me saying, “Young man, I will > type my own report!” She did, and I learned something: One more thing not to > do. > > Harrison > > > > Harrison Owen > 7808 River Falls Dr. > Potomac, MD 20854 > USA > > 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer) > Camden, Maine 04843 > > Phone 301-365-2093 > (summer) 207-763-3261 > > www.openspaceworld.com > www.ho-image.com (Personal Website) > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST > Go to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David Osborne > Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 3:25 PM > To: World wide Open Space Technology email list > Subject: Re: [OSList] Open Space and Boundaries > > Harrison, > > So I should do nothing.......right? or is my passion and caring to do a > little bit ok? > > How do I decide? > > David :) > > > On Wed, Apr 16, 2014 at 3:09 PM, Harrison Owen <[email protected]> wrote: > David – good to hear from you. And yes I too believe that the invitation is > most important. And we can even help, a little bit. But generally speaking I > suspect folks tend to work much too hard in this area as well. When there is > a clear issue that people really care about (perhaps THE essential > precondition for opening space / self organization), I find that the people > involved usually have a word for it, maybe one or two. Those words may make > absolutely no sense to us and/or even turn us off... but we aren’t the people > who count. Actually I find that when folks take a lot of time and effort > defining their issue, there is a high likelihood that they really don’t have > one (issue) – or at least one that they really care about. I guess this is > another area where the conventional wisdom is rather turned on its head. > Conventionally we might think of an invitation as an effort to convince > people to come. This may be too strong, but I rather think that one sign of a > good invitation for an Open Space is that it drives people away. Or more > precisely, it quickly separates those who truly care from the “merely > curious.” At the end of the day the critical thing for me is not how many > people come, but rather how much they cared. Five people who care a whole > bunch are infinitely more effective that 50 people who just show up. I think. > > Harrison > > Harrison Owen > 7808 River Falls Dr. > Potomac, MD 20854 > USA > > 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer) > Camden, Maine 04843 > > Phone 301-365-2093 > (summer) 207-763-3261 > > www.openspaceworld.com > www.ho-image.com (Personal Website) > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST > Go to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David Osborne > Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 11:54 AM > To: World wide Open Space Technology email list > Subject: Re: [OSList] Open Space and Boundaries > > Harrison, > > I'm catching up on my email and finally have had time to read your response > here re containers. I agree with your perspective above fully. I see the > topic of what people care about as the focus or container for the > conversation. It is self-emergent and we can't force it...we are bystanders > or midwives. I do believe we can influence the forming process though. For > example; a clear invitation to discuss what's urgent and important, providing > a time, place, and safe space to have the conversation all seem to coalesce > the energy and support it either mobilizing or dissipating as the case may > be. I do believe as actors that care we are co-creators in the > process.....although we can't control it. Maybe this is an attractor from > complexity language ...or perhaps as I refer to it....it is the container of > the conversation.....and we're describing the same thing. > > Best as always, > > David > > > On Tue, Apr 8, 2014 at 3:48 PM, Harrison Owen <[email protected]> wrote: > David – I have known Glenda for some years, and have always found her to be > bright, fun and contributory. She has some wonderful insights about self > organization, and she works very hard. As a good academic, she certainly does > her detail, sometimes a bit more than I feel I want or need, but good for all > of that. However, when it comes to enhancing our function in a self > organizing world (or Open Space), I suspect she is working a bit too hard. > She and her fellows have developed a whole series of approaches and exercises > which enable you to do what I find pretty much happens all by itself. But > that is probably just me. And for those of you who want to know more about > Glenda, I suggest her latest book -- > > http://www.amazon.com/Adaptive-Action-Leveraging-Uncertainty-Organization-ebook/dp/B00C3WSKV4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396971594&sr=1-1&keywords=glenda+eoyang > > And now back to containers and boundaries. The issue (our differences) may be > purely semantic – but maybe not. As I think back over lots of Open Spaces, > and more particularly what I might call the natural appearance of Open Space > (Tahrir Square, for example, or the coffee pot) I fully agree that from the > outside they all look like bounded/contained experiences. There seems to be > an inside and an outside, a container of some sort. But the question for me: > – Is that boundary/container externally imposed, and therefore prior to the > process of self organization as a precondition – or is the boundary/container > a PRODUCT of the process of self organization? As I read Glenda, she would > opt for the former: Container as precondition. I find myself coming down on > the other side – The apparent container is actually a product of the process. > In a word, what starts out unbounded and disassociated (random people and > things) coalesces into a meaningful form, or better, organism/organization – > which is what self organization is all about, I think. > > I grant you that in an Open Space the “room” would seem to be a pre-existing > container, but I don’t see it as essential. In fact I’ve “done” a number of > Open Space in the middle of an open field. And when you look at natural > occurrences, I think it becomes quite clear that pre-existing > boundaries/containers don’t really have much to do with what is happening. > They may be convenient or inconvenient, but not determinative. The other > things you mention (time slots, bulletin board, etc.) don’t fit for me > either. Helpful to be sure, but you can get along quite well without any of > it, or so I’ve found. > > So what is going on? My sense is that self organization with humans (in Open > Space and/or everyday) commences when some sort of a vector of caring shows > up which draws people together. Someone, somewhere, sometime says, or just > thinks, “I care about... Not just a little bit, but I really care and am > prepared to take responsibility for what I care about. ” If this care/concern > is shared – and others care for the same thing, but maybe in very different > ways... the ball starts rolling. > > In Open Space, this caring is made concrete and specific with the invitation. > Of course, when the invite is sent out nobody has a clue whether anybody will > come... but if they care, they will come, and given a date/place, electronic > or physical they will all show up in one time/space. The vector of caring > will draw them in... > > If the story I am telling roughly reflects the facts on the ground, I think > there are some interesting and serious implications for the role of the > facilitator and the function of the container. EVERYTHING is well on the way > before there is a facilitator in sight or container at hand. In a word, the > system, from the first moment of its emergence does it all by itself. We are > bystanders, midwives at best. And the container (whatever that might be) is > the product of the process ... and not the precondition or cause. > > Harrison > > > Harrison Owen > 7808 River Falls Dr. > Potomac, MD 20854 > USA > > 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer) > Camden, Maine 04843 > > Phone 301-365-2093 > (summer) 207-763-3261 > > www.openspaceworld.com > www.ho-image.com (Personal Website) > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST > Go to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David Osborne > Sent: Monday, April 07, 2014 12:26 PM > To: World wide Open Space Technology email list > Subject: Re: [OSList] Open Space and Boundaries > > Harrison, > > I think this is one of the few times I have a different point of view that > you. I believe OS's have natural containers built in. I also believe you need > a container for open space to be effective. I think the difference stems from > having a different definition or viewpoint on what a container is and can be. > My view has been heavily influenced by Glenda Eoyang's theory and work in > this area. For something new to emerge from self organization something has > to hold our bind the diverse agents together for them to have exchanges > across their differences. > > - The room or space the OS is being held in is a container.... > - A concept or idea that people care about brings the people together.....it > binds or contains them creating the space to have the conversations to > emerge. > - The bulletin board is a container.....scheduling a specific conversation at > a specific place and time. > > In my experience there are always multiple containers that are massively > intertwined. > > My thoughts along the way. > > David > > > > > On Sun, Apr 6, 2014 at 9:33 PM, Michael Wood <[email protected]> wrote: > Thanks, Harrison, for your response to my question on 'boundaries', > particularly your paraphrasing of my question - which was spot on. One thing > I've taken from this brief conversation is that although considering the > boundaries can be useful, we also need to accept that boundaries are never > entirely clear, always moving on a spectrum from clear to uncertain/murky and > if we, as a sponsor or facilitator, get overly bound up with boundaries then > we might have moved, once again, into being too controlling. > > Michael Wood > Perth, Western Australia > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Thu, 03 Apr 2014 12:01:40 -0400 > From: "Harrison Owen" < [email protected]> > To: "'World wide Open Space Technology email list'" > < [email protected]> > Subject: Re: [OSList] Open Space and boundaries > Message-ID: <000301cf4f56$00776480$01662d80$@net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII > > It has been common for us to speak of Containers and Boundaries as somehow > essential to Open Space. I can't quite find the place, but I do remember > saying something like that myself, as in, "The role of the facilitator is to > create the container..." It certainly made sense at the time, but I always > felt a little uncomfortable with the image. Too mechanical, coercive... too > something. And Michael has brought the subject up again. "So...here we have a > situation where the 'boundaries' are actually in a state of complex flux and > uncertainty. The financial 'givens' are ambiguous; there is no 'locum' > pastor in place because of legal uncertainties with the existing > pastor...etc." You might call it "messy boundaries" -- and he raises the > question whether one should press ahead with Open Space, or wait until the > "mess" is settled down. On the one hand, Michael "hunches" that one should > press on -- Open Space. But his hesitation comes, I suspect, from the prior > notion that fixed boundaries/containers are necessary for an effective Open > Space. What to do? > > Some thoughts (new ones for me): Containers are great for cooking soup, but > are unneeded and maybe even problematical in Open Space. It is all about > holding things together. In Open Space groups of people come together to deal > with their issues. At the very least that would mean gathering in some common > time/space, be that physical or electronic. It would seem that this > co-location could be facilitated were some suitable "container" provided, > presumably by the sponsor/facilitator. This certainly makes sense, and as a > rough way of speaking, it seems to describe what is going on. But as I think > about it, I think we may be missing a most important point. Coming together > in Open Space happens because people care to come. And they continue their > connection as long as they care to do so. (Law of two feet) > > >From the "outside" it might look as if they were held in place by a > container, but that is illusory. The actual dynamics are centripetal, the > force is mutual attraction... people are "there" because they care to be > there and not because they are contained by some external structure. In a > word, we as facilitators really don't do a thing, and creating a container is > the least of what we DON'T do. The people, from the beginning, do it all. > > > Of course, there are situations where groups come together under orders, > mandates, whatever. And they are definitely "contained." It is also true that > the tighter that container, the less likely self organization will take > place. If true, providing a container is not only unnecessary but also > destructive. In the name of Opening space, we effectively close it. Or so I > suspect it might be. Just thinking... > > Anyhow Michael, should my mental peregrinations lead anywhere useful, it > would seem that your "hunch" was spot on. Forget the boundaries/container. > Just invite the space to open. > > Harrison > > > > > > > > > > > Harrison Owen > 7808 River Falls Dr. > Potomac, MD 20854 > USA > > 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer) > Camden, Maine 04843 > > Phone 301-365-2093 > (summer) 207-763-3261 > > www...openspaceworld.com > www.ho-image.com (Personal Website) > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST > Go to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto: [email protected]] On Behalf Of Michael Wood > Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2014 9:59 PM > To: ' [email protected]' > Subject: [OSList] Open Space and boundaries > > A Case Study.... > One of the principles that I have generally worked with in Open Space is > helping the client get clear on the 'boundaries' of the space that's being > opened. For example, helping people who come into the space to know 'what up > for grabs here and what isn't? What decisions have already been made?' > > So picture this (purely hypothetical of course)....a church community in > which the pastor has (in many peoples' opinion) run off the rails and the > main church body is in the process of trying to dismiss him; the church is in > compete disarray and completely conflict ridden, many people have left; the > pastor who holds all the keys, banking passwords; church telephone > connections etc etc, has taken legal advice and had hunkered down in the > church owned house where he continues to hold the reigns of power (via some > of his 'allies' in the church) despite not formally being the Pastor of the > church anymore.... > > So...here we have a situation where the 'boundaries' are actually in a state > of complex flux and uncertainty. The financial 'givens' are ambiguous; there > is no 'locum' pastor in place because of legal uncertainties with the > existing pastor...etc etc. > > So in terms of 'Opening Space', do we wait a bit longer until some of the > legal boundaries are clarified, OR open space right away in the midst of the > mess....my hunch is the latter, but any thoughts from anyone? > > Cheers > Michael > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] To unsubscribe send an > email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] To unsubscribe send an > email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > > End of OSList Digest, Vol 38, Issue 3 > ************************************* > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > > -- > > David Osborne > > <image001.jpg> > > www.change-fusion.com | [email protected] | 703.939.1777 > > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > > > -- > > David Osborne > > > > www.change-fusion.com | [email protected] | 703.939.1777 > > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > > > -- > > David Osborne > > > > www.change-fusion.com | [email protected] | 703.939.1777 > > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > > > -- > > David Osborne > > > > www.change-fusion.com | [email protected] | 703.939.1777 > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
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