Hi Michael, and others: Okay, let me rephrase this. I'm not looking for a script for opening, I'm looking for more perspectives on what circles do for process. It's a theoretical question, not one of practical significance! How's that for candour?
Seriously, I am interested in this primarily because I am currently looking at how process is a significant arena of colonization and why recovery and transcendence of indigenous process is a truer and deeper form of decolonization than simple systemic change. As part of this inquiry, naturally I have been working with circles, both in Open Space and in other process, including many indigenous processes here in Canada. And I have noticed that circles have important impacts on process both from an observational view and from the perspective of a participant. And thus my inquiry about what other have observed circles "doing." So? Chris --- CHRIS CORRIGAN Bowen Island, BC, Canada http://www.chriscorrigan.com [email protected] (604) 947-9236 > -----Original Message----- > From: OSLIST [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of > Pannwitz, Michael M > Sent: Friday, January 09, 2004 3:18 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: Properties of circles > > Dear Chris, > just walk the circle and get people to focus on each other. > Skip the rest. > Greetings from Berlin > mmp > > > On Fri, 9 Jan 2004 15:00:48 -0800, Chris Corrigan wrote: > > >Hi folks: > > > >I was writing out the basic script that I use for opening OST meetings > >last night and while reading it I noticed that I spend a lot of time > >introducing people to the ideas and properties of circles. I think > >circles are fundamentally important to process, and so I'm collecting > >other people's notes and properties of circles. > > > >So here is my script with the three things I usually do to bring the > >circle to awareness. Have a read and then ask yourself what you can add > >to this. What are the other cool properties of circles? > > > > Circles are really rather neat forms of geometry because > >they force us to have a look at things in a particular way. For > >example in a circle, we don't really know who "the leader" is. In fact > >we may be forgiven for thinking that the leader is either not here, or > >is each one of us. And as a leader who is not here cannot do anything, > >it must be that each one of is a leader. > > > > Also circles teach us that there are some things that > >can only be done by groups. For example, you will notice that this > >circle of chairs isn't really a very good circle. It's actually a > >strangely distorted ellipse. That is because for one person to set up a > >perfect circle of chairs on their own is a nearly impossible task. But > >I'll show you a small miracle. I'll stand in the centre here and ask > >all of you to stand by your chairs. Now square up so that you are > >facing me and when you've done that check to see that you are sitting > >slightly behind your two neighbours. Now sit down. Have a look around. > >You have just made a perfect circle. This is something only a group can > >do and it took only a few seconds. If I had had to do that it would > >have taken me hours. This is important to note. It's as if we all > >carry the coordinates for calibrating a circle within us but they can > >only be activated by acting along with several others. > > > > Finally, here's one more thing about a circle. If I > >stand in the middle then you will all agree that you are looking at me. > >But none of you will agree that you have the same view of me. You can > >see me, but your perspective is absolutely unique. It is not shared by > >anyone else. We agree on the object of our observation but none of us > >share the same perspective. Remember that today as we work on these > >issues. Without each perspective we would not have a full picture. If > >you were all behind me then none of you could say with certainty that I > >had a face. By surrounding me we have the whole picture, but we have to > >ask one another about the pieces that we are missing. If you folks > >sitting behind me want to know how many fingers I'm holding up, you have > >to ask this person I'm facing. That's how it is with problems too. > >Remember that today. > > > > > >So what else can we build into our openings about circles? > > > >Chris > > > >[PS Florian.some of this probably qualifies as "even"] > > > > > > > >--- > >CHRIS CORRIGAN > >Bowen Island, BC, Canada > >http://www.chriscorrigan.com > >[email protected] > > > >(604) 947-9236 > > > >* > >* > >========================================================== > >[email protected] > >------------------------------ > >To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > >view the archives of [email protected], > >Visit: > > > >http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > > > > > Noch 8 Plätze zu vergeben zur 3. Lernwerkstatt für open space- > BegleiterInnen vom 25. bis 28. Januar 2004 in Vlotho. Jetzt anmelden > www.michaelmpannwitz.de/o_lernwerkstatt2004.htm > > Michael M Pannwitz, boscop > Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany > FON: +49 - 30-772 8000 FAX: +49 - 30-773 92 464 > www.michaelMpannwitz.de > www.openspace-landschaft.de > > * > * > ========================================================== > [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
