Yes indeed, " lovely deep and enriching conversation -- and so close to my heart. The journey inwards is long. There are no quick fixes or techniques -- but an ever deepening surrender in faith and hope. To me Open Space is essentially about 'being' -- about holding the Space within one's self in a way that makes it safe for people to explore and express their essential abundance of mind, heart and spirit.
Birgitt, Julie, Jim and Brendan -- thanks for holding the Space for this sharing. Janet ----- Original Message ----- From: "BrendanMcKeague" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, August 25, 2003 6:58 AM Subject: Re: Do we open space or... > A lovely deep and enriching conversation - thanks folks. > > I agree - the journey inwards is necessary for me to hold in tension some > of the paradoxes I encounter - within me and in those I meet...in my work > with spirituality and nonviolence, I often refer to the words of Gandhi - > whose concept of satyagraha refers to 'soul-force' or 'holding firmly to > truth' - this is a notion that I feel in touch with while opening and > holding the space for others - in situations of conflict or addressing > what's important to them - its not so much what is going on 'out there' as > what is going on in me - holding to my truth of universal connectedness and > compassion....love I guess - and let the Spirit flow as she will > > Brendan > > > At 07:20 PM 24-08-2003 -0400, you wrote: > >Jim, > >I believe in the "love your neighbor as yourself" and that one of the > >reasons that we are collectively in such a mess is that we are doing just > >that. Cross culturallly we don't love ourselves and indeed the wars that we > >see externally are mirrors of the internal. "As above, so below". > > > >I agree with you that the way to bring about any change is simply to love, > >to be love and to act love. But it must be from a genuine self love to > >really work. > > > >Blessings to you and to all with whom you make Genuine Contact, > >Birgitt > > > >Birgitt Williams of Dalar International Consultancy > >www.dalarinternational.com <http://www.dalarinternational.com> > >View the calendar for upcoming training in the Organizational Health and > >Balance series of workshops featuring the Genuine ContactÔ program at > >http://www.openspacetechnology.com/training.html > ><http://www.openspacetechnology.com/training.html> > >We invite you to join the Genuine Contact list serve at > >http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/genuinecontact > >Contact information for Dalar International Consultancy: Po Box 19373, > >Raleigh, North Carolina, USA 27619 Raleigh, North Carolina USA > >Phone: 919-522-7750 Fax: 919-870-6599 > >As mentors to leaders and organizations we assist you in going beyond what > >has been before. We provide inspirational and practical "how to" guidance > >for leaders who want to achieve healthy and balanced organizations to > >produce exciting, tangible results for the organization and for its people. > >Our approach is holistic, creating a better future by tapping into ancient > >wisdom. > > > >We believe that Spirit matters and people are precious. We know that > >organizations incorporating these values have exciting, tangible results > >including wealth, prosperity, and abundance. These organizations tend to > >their health and balance on a daily basis. > > > > > > > > > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: OSLIST [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Jim > >Metcalf > >Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2003 6:10 PM > >To: [email protected] > >Subject: Re: Do we open space or... > > > > > >Dear Julie and Birgitt, > >Please excuse me for jumping in on your conversation regarding free will, > >accepting and not accepting. Such things are hot topics to me. > >The first thought that came to my mind is from Suzuki, the great teacher of > >music. He asked his students to memorize certain aphorisms, one of which is > >"When love is deep, much can be accomplished." That's been especially dear > >to me recently. > >My second thought is that extending a loving acceptance of others, full of > >promises, caring, and invitations, tends to create the reciprocal desire in > >others to accept and love in their turn. Of course, they can also choose to > >remain hard-hearted, stuck in their own old ways of dong things. I hope, > >though, that eventually our love will win out, and even such people will > >become open to loving, caring, communicating, i.e. to a genuine open space. > > > >Love with best wishes, > > > >Jim > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: OSLIST [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Birgitt > >Williams > >Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2003 5:51 PM > >To: [email protected] > >Subject: Re: Do we open space or... > > > >Dear Julie, > >Your words are wise about free will and the gift that we can either accept > >or not accept. It seems to be about accepting or turning away from who we > >truly are. > > > >I add one point though to what you say about "OST offering wide open > >accepting space" I add to that my thoughts that it is certainly wide open > >space and that the facilitator provides the best possible "wide open > >accepting energy". However, most OST meetings are within an existing context > >of an organization of some sort that likely does not have a "wide open > >accepting space". This larger "container" within which the OST meeting is > >done has an effect and indeed may create the conditions in which people do > >not feel that it is accepting or safe. > > > > > >Blessings to you and to all with whom you make Genuine Contact, > >Birgitt > >Birgitt Williams of Dalar International Consultancy > >www.dalarinternational.com <http://www.dalarinternational.com> > >View the calendar for upcoming training in the Organizational Health and > >Balance series of workshops featuring the Genuine ContactÔ program at > >http://www.openspacetechnology.com/training.html > ><http://www.openspacetechnology.com/training.html> > >We invite you to join the Genuine Contact list serve at > >http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/genuinecontact > >Contact information for Dalar International Consultancy: Po Box 19373, > >Raleigh, North Carolina, USA 27619 Raleigh, North Carolina USA > >Phone: 919-522-7750 Fax: 919-870-6599 > >As mentors to leaders and organizations we assist you in going beyond what > >has been before. We provide inspirational and practical "how to" guidance > >for leaders who want to achieve healthy and balanced organizations to > >produce exciting, tangible results for the organization and for its people. > >Our approach is holistic, creating a better future by tapping into ancient > >wisdom. > > > >We believe that Spirit matters and people are precious. We know that > >organizations incorporating these values have exciting, tangible results > >including wealth, prosperity, and abundance. These organizations tend to > >their health and balance on a daily basis. > > > > > > > > > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: OSLIST [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Julie > >Smith > >Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2003 7:12 PM > >To: [email protected] > >Subject: Re: Do we open space or... > > > > > >Doug, Birgitt and all ~ > > > >Synchronicity strikes again. Two minutes ago I read your exchange over > >Doug's question: > > > > >>> > > > >2. You said: "mankind has so long turned away and not realized the great > >gift that we can all make use of." Yet I wonder about that and I cannot > >very well put words to my wondering. Is this gift purely potential? Or > >does > >it actualize someplace? > > > >In other words, it is probably an assumed truth in OST circles that in > >each > >group are all the answers and questions that group needs--there is no > >need > >for an outside expert to come in and solve their problems for them. From > >this perhaps our "Whatever happens..." derives. If we then say that the > >Divine gift has been given to all humans, how can we say that some > >people > >have accepted the gift and others have turned away? Even if they turn > >away, > >is not the gift there? Somewhere in the Old Testament, maybe Isaiah, > >there > >is something to the effect that "my words do not return to me empty." If > >the gift is given, it comes back in some form. > > > >The logical answer is your words, "when we work with it intentionally." > >Still, I can't help but think that no matter how loudly the 5 year old > >rejects the parent, the parent still loves the child, still makes the > >gift. > >Agree? > > > ><<< > > > >Not quite an hour ago I was inspired to open the Dhammapada and came > >across what turns out to be a nice response to Doug's question. This > >comes from the introduction to my version of the Dhammapada, written by > >Ram Dass: > > > > "Here are the sayings of the Buddha, the Enlightened One. Had > >you but ears to hear, these very words could awaken you and through them > >you could realize your Buddha nature. These words come to you in > >purity; for them to touch you they must be received in purity. These > >words come out of divine simplicity; to liberate you they must be heard > >in simplicity. These words come from the soul; to feed that in you > >which thirsts, these words, which are words of wisdom, not knowledge, > >must be heard by the soul, not the intellect. For that which feeds only > >the intellect entraps, while that which feeds the soul liberates. And > >it is the soul that thirsts for truth. The intellect thirsts only to > >satiate its fascination. > > A transmission of truth is poured from one vessel into another. > >If you as a vessel are impure in body, heart, or mind, the truth cannot > >be contained... what is pure becomes impure... the power of the truth is > >too much... the cup is smashed... the transmission lost, and man > >continues to walk in darkness. In your lifetime you have read thousands > >of words such as those contained in this volume: the words of the > >Christ, of Lao Tsu, of the Patriarchs of Zen, of Rumi or Kabir or Saint > >Teresa or John, of Solomon and Abraham, of Mohammed, of Krishna or the > >Vedic Rishis... words that bespeak the secrets of the Universe. But how > >few you have received, how many transmissions you have lost again and > >again because you were not ready to hear." > > > >Returning to the heart of your question, Doug: "If we then say that the > >Divine gift has been given to all humans, how can we say that some > >people > >have accepted the gift and others have turned away? Even if they turn > >away, > >is not the gift there?" > > > >I think the answer is yes, the gift is still there, and eternally > >offered by God/Creator/Universe/SwiftlySwirlingSlowlySprialingSource. > >As Children of God, we have free will. We can choose to accept the > >gift, and we can also choose to turn away, to not accept the gift that > >is offered to us.... AND, the fact that we don't accept it in this > >moment doesn't mean it isn't still there, still being offered in each > >unfolding moment. Free will doesn't mean we get to choose what the gift > >is or the means by which it is offered, but free will does mean we get > >to choose when to accept it. > > > >For me, OST simply offers wide open accepting space for people to fill > >with their current understanding of their world. Because the space is > >explicitly wide open and accepting, people have an opportunity to > >explore and work and play in resonance with their true selves, to > >whatever extent they are willing and able, meaning they will get as far > >and go as deep as they are ready for. Since they're deciding, they'll go > >just the right distance for them in the moment they're in. OST raises no > >internal or external barriers to our true selves and therefore does no > >harm and wastes no time. That's why it's so good. > > > >Julie > > > >* > >* > >========================================================== > >[email protected] > >------------------------------ > >To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > >view the archives of [email protected], > >Visit: > > > >http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > >--- > >Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. > >Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > >Version: 6.0.510 / Virus Database: 307 - Release Date: 8/14/2003 > > > >--- > >Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > >Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > >Version: 6.0.512 / Virus Database: 309 - Release Date: 8/19/2003 > > > >* > >* > >========================================================== > >[email protected] > >------------------------------ > >To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > >view the archives of [email protected], > >Visit: > > > >http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > > > >* > >* > >========================================================== > >[email protected] > >------------------------------ > >To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > >view the archives of [email protected], > >Visit: > > > >http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > >--- > >Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. > >Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > >Version: 6.0.512 / Virus Database: 309 - Release Date: 8/19/2003 > > > >--- > >Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > >Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > >Version: 6.0.512 / Virus Database: 309 - Release Date: 8/19/2003 > > > >* > >* > >========================================================== > >[email protected] > >------------------------------ > >To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > >view the archives of [email protected], > >Visit: > > > >http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > > * > * > ========================================================== > [email protected] > ------------------------------ > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > view the archives of [email protected], > Visit: > > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected], Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
