Dear Julie, I am not attempting to understand what you wrote but I certainly feel inspirited and am sure that my experience bears out what you expressed. Thanks. greetings from thunderstorm after a steaming summerday berlin mmp
On Sun, 8 Jun 2003 11:45:19 -0800, Julie Smith wrote: >Dear Artur ~ > >For me, the "it always works" aspect of OST is the only possible outcome >from any OST, not because of any particular "positive" or "negative" >effect, but because during the time the OST is taking place, the group >operates by proper principles, principles that honor the inherent wisdom >of every person in the room, and that invite each person to express >their wisdom in the manner of their choosing in the moment they're in. > >I don't think it matters if there is high energy or low energy. Both >are valid. (Note the growth of plants. High energy in summer. Low >energy in winter. Or bears. Hibernation is necessary to growth and >survival. To all things a season....) > >I don't think it matters what level of passion and responsibility is >evident. It isn't particularly important that any of us express passion >or take responsibility for something. What IS important is that we each >have the opportunity to authentically express whatever it is that calls >out in us to be expressed. If that expression in a particular context >is lack of passion or responsibility, that is as valid as it's opposite. >(I'm reminded of Thomas Edison, who conducted thousands of experiments >before he created the light bulb that "worked." Another way to see this >progression is that each and every experiment "worked" in the sense that >with each "failure" he learned something he didn't know before, and came >closer to reaching his goal. Thank goodness for "failure!") > >In terms of "did it work?" I also don't think it matters what happens >after the OST. OST invites each of us to be fully present, fully "in" >the moment we're in. We aren't asked to participate in something >planned by someone else in some other time, but to actively create our >own experience in the unfolding moment we're in. That is the radical >difference that OST brings to group dynamics. For me, THAT is >sufficient for OST to "work." It invites us to play with presence and >Now in groups. Even if no one in the room accepts the invitation to be >fully present, the fact that the invitation was made is sufficient for >me to feel it "worked." Even if there is no apparent change or >transformation in the group after the OST, or even if things appear to >be worse, the invitation to presence and authenticity was given. Some >invitations need to be given more than once before they can be received. >Every invitation matters, even if we can't perceive it's manifestation >in the world. > >As I think more on the question of lasting impacts of OST, I realize >that clearly, "later" isn't "now," so in some ways trying to pin down >the future into a construct we interpret as positive contradicts the >very principles of OST. When it starts is the right time, and by golly, >when it's over, it's over. Creating conditions (if x happens, OST is >successful) is not very OST-like. I think we're bouncing between >paradigms here, but can't quite articulate what I mean by that. > >For me, the OST invitation itself, the principles of OST, are a way of >truth-telling. They tell a truth about what it means to be human. >Simply speaking them out loud, giving them away, "works." Whatever >happens next is..... well, the only thing that could have, given >everything that is. > >I think we tend to see "good" things happen during and after OST because >our nature and the nature of truth is "good." When we're invited to >manifest who we are, we find we like what we see. And.... most of us >also have a bit of not-truth and not-goodness to contend with. If we >see THAT part emerge during or after an OST, then perhaps that isn't a >failure, but simply evidence of some of us learning something we didn't >know before, on our way to reaching our goal. > >Leaving us with (whew!) It's All Good.... (with thanks to Chris C. for >introducing me to the unbidden hidden 5th Principle.... or perhaps it >isn't really another principle, but an outcome of the 4 Principles..... >yes, that's it..... OST always works because the 4 Principles always, >inherently work because they reflect the truth. Truth, goodness, joy >and love are all the same. Find one and you find them all. OST >principles speak the truth about who we are and how we can properly >conduct ourselves with each other. Therefore it works. Every time.) >Okay, I'll stop now..... > >Julie > >* >* >========================================================== >[email protected] >------------------------------ >To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, >view the archives of [email protected], >Visit: > >http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html Michael M Pannwitz boscop Draisweg 1 12209 Berlin, Germany FON +49 - 30-772 8000 FAX +49 - 30-773 92 464 www.michaelmpannwitz.de An der E-Gruppe "openspacedeutsch" für deutschsprechende open space-PraktikerInnen interessiert? Enfach eine mail an mich. * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected], Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
