Dear friends and colleagues in Open Space, When we work with Open Space Technology we strive to be unattached to outcome. A wonderful teacher, Angeles Arrien, has advised that cross culturally, we know that if we can't laugh about our situation, that we are attached to outcome. She asks the question "in what areas of your life do you find you cannot laugh?" "Examine these and see if this means you are attached to outcome." It is a good diagnostic tool.
I recently reread Angeles book The Four Fold Way. In it she notes that Harrison Owen is one of the best teachers of detachment. In the Four Fold Way, there are four immutable laws of Spirit. In the north, "show up and be present", in the east "tell the truth without blame or judgement", in the south "follow what has heart and meaning", and in the west, "let it go--detach from outcome, be open to outcome". She places the four principles of Open Space Technology in the west, placing them as principles of detachment, placing them as excellent guides to learn the art of letting go, of detachment. I was wondering what your thoughts were on this. If the four principles are about detachment or "letting go", does any of the rest of Open Space Technology fill in the other three directions of the Medicine Wheel of north, east, south? What goes with "show up and be present"? What goes with "tell the truth without blame or judgement"? What goes with "follow what has heart and meaning?" I have done a lot of reseach on the Medicine Wheel (or healing circle) and how it is used cross culturally. I would like to sort out for myself that Open Space Technology also really creates the healing circle and I find this framework to be a useful one to play with. Thanks for any input. Birgitt Birgitt Williams of Dalar International ******************************************** For your ongoing professional development join us in Sweden or in North Carolina, USA in November for the Advanced Program in Open Space Technology focusing on the Open Space Organization! This is also credited as Session Four of our Genuine Contact Program. Upcoming training dates for the four basic components of our Genuine Contact Program (more info www.openspacetechnology.com) #1: Open Space Technology: Sweden Nov 12-15; Ontario Nov 21-24 #2: Process Facilitation: North Carolina Mar 5,6; British Columbia Mar 18, 19; Ontario April 23,24 #3: Cross Cultural Conflict Resolution: North Carolina Mar 7,8; British Columbia Mar 16,17; Ontario April 19,20 #4: Advanced Program in Open Space Technology focusing on the Open Space Organization: Sweden Nov 16,17,18; North Carolina Nov 27,28,29,30; British Columbia Feb 2,3,4
