Hi Paul: I am a serious reflective observer and listener on the OS list. I rarely choose to send messages. However, your reflection on "attention is responsibility" and the poem you and Joelle wrote compels me to write. I especially enjoyed both messages you shared. Thanks.
I hope you, Joelle, and your family are well. Please give Joelle my best wishes. Carpe' Diem! Nancy Walton-House, MEd, OSR-I Walton-House and Associates bringing possibilities to life consulting assessing facilitating training coaching 38207 SE 45th Place Snoqualmie, WA 98065 425-888-9609 home office 425-442-4926 cell [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> "The way organizations are is a product of how we think and how we interact; they cannot change in any fundamental way unless we can change our basic patterns of thinking and interacting." Peter Senge, The Learning Organization "I must study the plain, physical facts of the case, ascertain what is possible, and learn what appears to be wise and right." Abraham Lincoln, on writing the Emancipation Proclamation 1862 "Almost anything you do will seem insignificant, but it is very important that you do it. You must be the change you wish to see in the world." Mohandas K. Gandhi ----- Original Message ----- From: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, June 24, 2004 9:45 PM Subject: Re: A thought to take us further? ---------------------- Information from the mail header ----------------------- Sender: OSLIST <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> Poster: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Subject: Re: A thought to take us further? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --part1_1a9.2577cfe3.2e0d07db_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable In a message dated 6/24/04 7:03:32 PM, [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> writes: > Paul-- >=20 > Not sure how to say "Attention is taking responsibility" in three words to > stay in your format, but that certainly plays off the attention lines. >=20 > It is true, yes, that attention is about taking responsibility? The same a= s > all the other good things you listed? >=20 > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 :-Doug. > =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 Passion dances= with responsibility.... >=20 Damn!! sometimes when moving my hand for the mouse, my thumb will brush a=20 key and that is the signal to send, when I don't intend to send but to do=20 something else to the written material. Sigh. So, I'll start again---and= =20 remember this is not Truth, only definitions that have proven useful to me: Purpose is: Meaning, Made Important, All Depending On You. What is Meaning? Meaning is Difference---the difference somethin= g=20 or someone makes by being in the context of the current situation=20 or "Now". So, the meaning of a cup at a conference or h= ome=20 is the difference it makes by being there, perhaps allowing you to drink a =20= =20 liquid, draw a circle, hold a bunch of writing instruments, etc. =20 It's the "why" of existence at that moment. Think about this wit= h=20 respect to your relationships if you want a different viewpoi= nt. Made Important: We make something or someone important by giving= =20 it/them our attention, our life's time. The quality of our=20 attention tells how important it is to us. In fact, my guru taug= ht, and I=20 have found this to be true, that 'attention heals', in personal=20 relationships. Lack of attention results in distance, diminishme= nt or atrophy. All Depending On You: That you have the feeling that whatever it= =20 is you are about, it all depends on YOU doing it, even if it=20= is=20 "non-doing", it still depends on you. When I have that kind=20 feeling about something, that it has Meaning (makes a difference), is Import= ant=20 (I'll give it my attention) and that the quality of outcome depend= s on=20 me, then that is a high state to be in, in my own experience. =20 Maybe it's "Flow" (Csikszentmihalyi)? So, yes, attention is about taking responsibility, but also much, much more.= =20 Attention is a choice, every moment what you and I are giving our attention= =20 to we are making more important than another moment we might have given our=20 attention to but chose not to. So, attention also creates our future becau= se=20 it contains the decision about what to give our life's time to---the collaps= e=20 of the wave function in the New Physics. And it is through attention that=20= we=20 become aware, which promotes insight, knowledge, action and results. You c= an=20 see this, perhaps more clearly, by what you don't give your attention to and= =20 hence, what doesn't happen. Since what I have just written wasn't really known by me before I wrote it,=20 at least not quite in this way, I'm thankful to you for prompting this=20 reflection. As I think more about it, perhaps in the word "responsibility"= you are=20 also talking about the issue of outcome and the giving of your attention to=20= it,=20 as a whole 'gestalt'. Anyway, that's enough philosophy for tonight. =20 Dishes are calling and they don't get done by the New Physics. :)=20 Be well, Paul * * =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html<http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html> To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist<http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist> --part1_1a9.2577cfe3.2e0d07db_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><HTML><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Gen= eva" FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" SIZE=3D"2"><BR> In a message dated 6/24/04 7:03:32 PM, [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> writes:<BR> <BR> <BR> <BLOCKQUOTE CITE STYLE=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px;=20= MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px" TYPE=3D"CITE"></FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#0= 00000" FACE=3D"Geneva" FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" SIZE=3D"2">Paul--<BR> <BR> Not sure how to say "Attention is taking responsibility" in three words to<B= R> stay in your format, but that certainly plays off the attention lines.<BR> <BR> It is true, yes, that attention is about taking responsibility? The same as<= BR> all the other good things you listed?<BR> <BR> =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 :-Doug.<BR> =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 Passion dances w= ith responsibility....</FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Geneva" FAMILY= =3D"SANSSERIF" SIZE=3D"2"><BR> </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Geneva" FAMILY=3D"SANSSE= RIF" SIZE=3D"2"><BR> Damn!! sometimes when moving my hand for the mouse, my thumb will bru= sh a key and that is the signal to send, when I don't intend to send but to=20= do something else to the written material. Sigh. So, I'll star= t again---and remember this is not Truth, only definitions that have proven=20= useful to me:<BR> <BR> Purpose is:<BR> <BR> Meaning, Made Important, All Depending On You.<BR> <BR> What is Meaning? Me= aning is Difference---the difference something or someone makes by &nb= sp; being in the context of the current= situation or "Now". So, the meaning of a cup at a = =20= conference or home is the difference it makes by being there, perhaps allowi= ng you to drink a liquid,=20= draw a circle, hold a bunch of writing instruments, etc. It's the "wh= y" of existence at that mo= ment. Think about this with respect to your relationships if you want= a different &= nbsp; viewpoint.<BR> <BR> Made Important: We=20= make something or someone important by giving it/them our </FONT><FONT COLOR= =3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Geneva" FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" SIZE=3D"2"><I>attention</I= ></FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Geneva" FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" SIZE= =3D"2">, our life's time.&= nbsp; The quality of our attention tells how important it is to us. =20= In fact, my guru taught, a= nd I have found this to be true, that 'attention heals', in personal relatio= nships. Lack of att= ention results in distance, diminishment or atrophy.<BR> <BR> All Depending On You: = ; That you have the feeling that whatever it is you are about, it all  = ; depend= s on YOU doing it, even if it is "non-doing", it still depends on you. = When I have that kind fe= eling about something, that it has Meaning (makes a difference), is Importan= t (I'll give it my attenti= on) and that the quality of outcome depends on me, then that is a high state= to be in, in my own exper= ience. Maybe it's "Flow" (Csikszentmihalyi)?<BR> <BR> So, yes, attention is about taking responsibility, but also much, much more.= Attention is a choice, every moment what you and I are giving our at= tention to we are making more important than another moment we might have gi= ven our attention to but chose not to. So, attention also creates our= future because it contains the decision about what to give our life's time=20= to---the collapse of the wave function in the New Physics. And it is=20= through attention that we become aware, which promotes insight, knowledge, a= ction and results. You can see this, perhaps more clearly, by what yo= u don't give your attention to and hence, what doesn't happen.<BR> <BR> Since what I have just written wasn't really known by me before I wrote it,=20= at least not quite in this way, I'm thankful to you for prompting this refle= ction. As I think more about it, perhaps in the word "responsibility"= you are also talking about the issue of outcome and the giving of your atte= ntion to it, as a whole 'gestalt'. Anyway, that's enough philosophy f= or tonight. Dishes are calling and they don't get done by the New Phy= sics. :) <BR> <BR> Be well,<BR> <BR> Paul<BR> </FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Geneva" FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" SIZE=3D"= 2"><BR> <BR> </FONT><FONT COLOR=3D"#000000" FACE=3D"Geneva" FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" SIZE=3D"= 2"></FONT></HTML> * * =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html<http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html> To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist<http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist> --part1_1a9.2577cfe3.2e0d07db_boundary-- * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected]: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
