Dear Ralph,
just got out my green measuring cup, placed the draft of the manual I
mentioned earlier into it, poured my last bit of gin over it, lit it and
through the ashes on my compost pile mumbling all the time "long live
Ralph who matters to all of us"...
Greetings from Berlin
mmp
Ralph Copleman wrote:
Jim wrote:
I've noticed that many Open Space events include an extremely neat
arrangement of pens and paper in the centre of the opening circle;
for example with several stacks of paper and with pens in orderly
rows, placed uniformly around the centre point
I tend to place those resources more simply - a single stack of paper
(fanned to make it easy to grab a sheet) and - literally - a pile of
pens poured from a bucket
Does it matter? If so, why?
And Michael added (somewhat tongue-in-cheek, I believe)...
oh, by the gods of open space, Jim, this is one of the most complex
issues...in fact, there really should be nothing at the actual
center it representing the void (sometimes obliterated with
flowers, candeles, scarfs and other schnickschnack)...and anything
near the center should be as minimalistic as possible, of
course...and conform to the international standards of
visualisation (only one color of paper only one color of
markers...all kinds of meanings are given to colors!!)...we at the
berlin open space cooperative (registered under the German coop
law) have been in the process of writing a detailed manual exactly
touching this one point... One thing I recently learned from an
insider is never, never to put my temple bells on the floor (I used
to deposit them among the paper stacks near the center)since it
dishonors the bells...well, one less thing to have there
And I think...
I cannot imagine the quality of any open space event I have seen
either as participant or facilitator since 1986 has ben affected by
the way pens, paper (colored or not), flowers, bells, scarves, tree
branches, stones, microphones, etc., are present or absent,
thoughtfully arranged or carelessly strewn. I have never seen a
participant have trouble picking up a piece of paper -- or give up
their willingness to post a session because the paper was too
difficult to pick up.
I don't put bells in the center because once my set was stolen (as a
joke, but I didn't know that until the next day). I always use white
paper because I believe it is the most environmental choice.
Avoiding placing something in the very center because it dishonors
the space? To me that's just hollow symbolism. ALL the spaces need
to be honored. The spirit in the space is so much more powerful than
I, so I don't feel comfortable making my own personal interpretations
of what honors it or doesn't. I don't think the space cares. And
spirit will overwhelm or supercede any attempt by me, mistaken or
otherwise, to reflect, coax, or capture it.
Each of us can do what feels right, that honors the spirit of the way
we honor spirit. Some participants will notice and feel supported,
and many will not.
Nothing matters to everyone, everything matters to someone, and many
things matter to no one. So yes and no, Jim. You'll never know.
Ralph Copleman
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--
Michael M Pannwitz, boscop eg
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
++49-30-772 8000
mmpa...@boscop.org
www.boscop.org
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