Not much to add to this font of wisdom except perhaps to say that this principle is also the one I struggle most with. In that sense it is the basis of my practice. I present it as an invitation to follow threads. If we feel as if the conversation should be going in one direction and the passion of the moment takes it in another direction, I invite people to follow that. It is in that rich ground of friendship and engagement that innovation is born. It is there we truly experience emergence. And emergence is, after all, why we choose to engage in conversation in the first place.
Because we can never know what will emerge, trusting in one another will take us to a place that none of us could have guessed at prior to meeting. And thus, whatever happens is the only thing that could have. Chris On 4/23/07, Peggy Holman <pe...@opencirclecompany.com> wrote:
I did a search of my OSlist archive. The last time this subject came up in depth was in 2001! I've copied some excerpts below. A new insight for me on whatever happens is that it helps reframe disonnance, disturbance. I know now that perturbations in a system are a sign that something new is wanting to emerge. When conflict, anger, frustration or even excitement, hope, aspirations show up in Open Space, they are a reminder to be curious; to "welcome disturbance", knowing that it could well reveal something pivotal. So rather than resisting or in other ways block unexpected energies, whatever happens is a great reminder to be present to what is showing up. open-heartedly, Peggy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry Peterson" <lpa...@inforamp.net> To: <osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu> Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2001 8:06 AM Subject: Re: Whatever happens... (was: Dear OSLIST) >I agree with Michael and Joelle. "Whatever happens" is a key principle to > inform how we operate in Open Space. At first I struggled a bit with that > one. I later recognized that it was my desire to shape or control the > outcomes that was driving that struggle for me. As a social justice > activist, I was convinced that I had to control and that certainly something > else "could have" happened if "right people" had been there, or if people > only had a better consciousness of the real situation. I came to realize > that once the space was opened, it was best for me and the participants to > assume that whatever happened was the only thing that could have and then > learn from that. The principle opens the group up to tremendous learning > about where the group is at now -- not some ideal sense of where you think > it ought to or should be. In my work with corporations or with activist > organizations, if there is a need to provide perspectives or information to > the whole group that will affect how people see what is possible, then that > is done before opening space. However, accepting what manifests in Open > Space as a reflection of the situation now is critical learning for deciding > what to do next. We cannot change history only our perceptions of it. > "Could" it have been different -- we like to think so. However, it wasn't > and the complex of variables that led to what it was were the reality at the > time, including our own behaviour. > > Larry *********************************** ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Herman" < mher...@globalchicago.net> To: <osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu> Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2001 6:08 PM Subject: Re: Whatever happens... (was: Dear OSLIST) > artur, > > i think that 'whatever happens is the only thing that could have' is > necessarily absolutely true. if there was anything else more likely, > more possible, it would have happened. this does not mean that it is > most desirable. does not mean that it should be repeated. and, > especially does not mean that we understand all of the conditions that > made it the most likely outcome (most likely in that it did in fact beat > out all other happenings that might otherwise have happened in that > moment). that we don't understand all of those conditions is, i think, > the little bit of mystery that this particular principle points to. > indeed, i thnk that's what the principles are for... pointing to the > mystery, the surprise, the unknown. ******************** ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joelle Lyons Everett" < jleshel...@aol.com> To: <osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu> Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2001 11:52 PM Subject: Re: Whatever happens... (was: Dear OSLIST) > > I don't take "Whatever happens is the only thing that could have" as an > expression of fatalism, but as an acknowledgment that in the course of the > meeting we will do what we can, given the time, resources, and our capability > to take action, maybe in a new direction. It reminds me of a statement I > heard early in my training for working with organizations: "Begin where the > client is. Not only is this philosophically the 'correct' position, but it > is the only place you can begin." > > The most interesting comment I've seen about the 4 principles came from > Angeles Arrien, who states that they are statements about spiritual > detachment--the ability to work hard on something without being attached to a > particular outcome. This rang true for me; I find that facilitating Open > Space is very closely related to my inner struggle to stop trying to control > everything in the world. Spiritual work, and it doesn't come easy to me. > > > Joelle ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ----- Original Message ----- *From:* John Engle <j...@johnengle.net> *To:* osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu *Sent:* Monday, April 23, 2007 7:06 PM *Subject:* Re: [OSLIST] whatever happens... these are great! thanks for your affirmations, lisa, and for your reflections alan and doug. no one will ever be able to argue or dispute, "whatever happens is the only thing that did" i can't even say it without a grin and chuckle. that's a good sign. i look forward to learning what others think. thanks again! john *douglas germann <76066....@compuserve.com>* wrote: John-- How about "Whatever happens is the only thing that did"? :- Doug. On Mon, 2007-04-23 at 18:22 -0700, John Engle wrote: > Hi fellow listers. > > I know that some have been through this hundreds of times but I'm > wanting to get the most recent reflections on the principle: > > Whatever happens is the only thing that could've. > > My colleagues in Haiti and I continue to have smart people from a > variety of cultures let us know that this principle doesn't sit well > with them. > > It communicates fatalism to some instead of encouraging > responsibility. While i'm totally comfortable with the principle, if > enough people tell me that it communicates something to them that is > different than what i'm trying to communicate, there's a problem. > > For me, what's worse is that often times people remember it as: "What > happens is that which is supposed to happen" or "There's a reason for > everything that happens." This can have us sounding like Christian > fundamentalist. > > We've been experimenting in Haitian Creole and in English with this: > > What Happens is what happens - learn and move forward. > > Here's an example of a text that would explain this principle: > > This principle helps us to not lament over should'ves, to not wallow > in regrets. We're all responsible for how we use our time and space > together during this meeting. Let's assume that responsibility and be > prepared to accept what happens and to continually strive to learn and > to keep moving forward. > > i covet your thoughts. > > John > > > > > www.johnengle.net Open space facilitation > www.circlesofchange.com Participatory learning and leadership > www.harvesttime.cc Harvesting for justice that all may have enough > > telephone Haiti: 509-461-3067 > > email: j...@johnengle.net > telephone: 202-236-6532 > fax: 202-449-8343 > > John Engle > P.O. Box 337 > Hershey, PA 17033 * * > ========================================================== > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To > subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about > OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: > http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist www.johnengle.net <http://johnengle.net> Open space facilitation www.circlesofchange.com <http://circlesofchange.com> Participatory learning and leadership www.harvesttime.cc <http://harvesttime.cc> Harvesting for justice that all may have enough telephone Haiti: 509-461-3067 email: j...@johnengle.net telephone: 202-236-6532 fax: 202-449-8343 John Engle P.O. Box 337 Hershey, PA 17033 * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
-- CHRIS CORRIGAN Facilitation - Training Open Space Technology Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot Site: http://www.chriscorrigan.com Principal, Harvest Moon Consultants, Ltd. http://www.harvestmoonconsultants.com * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
