Thank you for the many stirrings here. I mostly listen on this listserve. And learn.
I am coming to learn so much more about living open space. It has become a bit of a mantra for me. Way beyond method of course, which I've always known in my head. And so much more into life itself, self-organizing, and the niggly places where I feel challenged to open my heart, show up, let go (like watching my kids grow and watching our relationship evolve from nesting parenting to co-journeying humans -- something like that). With gratitude. Tenneson Tenneson Woolf [email protected] 801 376 2213 (mobile) www.tennesonwoolf.com www.berkanacollaborative.org www.berkana.org www.artofhosting.org Twitter, Facebook: TennesonWoolf Skype: tenneson_woolf On Jan 1, 2012, at 6:00 PM, Peggy Holman wrote: > This wonderful discussion evokes a practical example for me. > > It comes from the years of Spirited Work, a community of practice that met 4 > times a year in Open Space, using one of Angeles Arrien's archetypes as the > theme each quarter. (Winter - season of the warrior, Spring - the healer, > Summer -- the visionary, Fall -- the teacher). > > Two examples seem relevant to this conversation. > > The first is the remarkable maturing that happened to people who came season > after season, year after year. My favorite example was a 30-something geeky > guy who showed up one season. His focus was on getting a girl friend and his > lousy track record with intimate relationships. While he is still single, I > watched his interests and his way of relating to others dramatically change > over the years. He grew up. So did the rest of us, with increasing > non-attachment, equanimity, compassion, faith in mystery, and so many other > qualities I associate with a buddha nature. > > Secondly, during the last couple years of Spirited Work, Mark Jones > introduced the notion of Spirited Work as bodhi-sanga -- enlightened > community. I would say Open Space was pivotal to our growing in that > direction. > > best of the new year to everyone, > Peggy > > > _________________________________ > Peggy Holman > [email protected] > > 15347 SE 49th Place > Bellevue, WA 98006 > 425-746-6274 > www.peggyholman.com > www.journalismthatmatters.org > > Enjoy the award winning Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval into Opportunity > > "An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get burnt, > is to become > the fire". > -- Drew Dellinger > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Dec 18, 2011, at 8:19 PM, Arno Baltin wrote: > >> Hi Every One, >> >> I like this discussion on connections and would comment on the co-incidence >> topic in particular >> >> It seems to me that the connection between Buddhist Practice and Open Space >> is probably co-incidental. >> >> As following the discussion on OSLIST on connections of OST with other >> (spiritual) practices I am reading a book on a thinker and a poet of ours - >> Uku Masing. It is a collection of memories from his students, friends and >> admirers. There is a poem of his, quoted, in which he says he would rather >> be the "friend of the whole space" than exploiter of its resources. >> The friend of the space sounds very OS-like for me. And it reminds me of >> another co-incident of my getting closer to OST. It happened during my visit >> to US in 1992. My guide to the country was a Friend, Kersey Bradley. At the >> time he was an engineer on a cargo ship (Liberty) which took me over the >> ocean. He invited me to his home, introduced to his lovely family and helped >> to get further north from Pennsylvania. When in Worcester (MA) I met the >> local Friends and attended their meetings regularly. As looking back to >> these meetings from my experience of OST, this was and introduction into OS >> - the circle, space for expressing, listening, no particular leader of the >> meeting, the Spirit. >> Ten years later I was sitting in opening circle of OST led by Harrison in >> Tartu. >> I am grateful to these people and those co-incideces. >> Be well, >> Arno >> >> >> Arno Baltin >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> 2011/12/17 Harrison Owen <[email protected]> >> Bernhard – having said that “I was in”(for more discussion) – I guess I just >> sort of disappeared without further word. However, being at a loss for words >> is not a common state for me J -- and the topic you raise is, and has been, >> of intense interest to me. >> >> >> >> The similarity of the Open Space experience and the Buddhist practice and >> experience caught my attention some time ago. And, as I said in my prior >> post, it is not just Buddhism but many, perhaps most, of the other great >> traditions. But Buddhism is certainly a great place to start. >> >> >> >> I am not at all sure what the initiating moment was, but I rather think it >> was when I noticed a common phrase that folks used in the closing circle. It >> didn’t happen every time, but more often than not, somebody would remark, “I >> feel like I have come home.” Nobody ever defined precisely what they meant >> by “home,” and maybe they couldn’t – so I always took it at face value. >> Something about feeling natural and comfortable, just the way I am. The >> implication was that in other situations the feeling was being un-natural, >> ill at ease and to some extent inauthentic or “put on.” What popped into my >> head was a phrase I had often encountered in the Buddhist literature about >> seeing/meeting my “original face.” >> >> >> >> When combined with observed and/or reported feelings and behaviors in Open >> Space, such as: -- focus and presence, the capacity to treat others with >> respect, the ability to listen and engage the other with depth and >> sensitivity, an expanded sense of vision and possibility, renewed hope, >> fundamental life change, an acute sense of spaciousness such that the >> present moment (Now) just grew and grew… it seemed like something was going >> on. The fact that most or all of these things are also the reported results >> of Buddhist Practice (certainly my practice which is pretty much Buddhist) >> was more than sufficient to alert my curiosity bump. Something was >> definitely going on. But what and why? >> >> >> >> That Buddhist Practice could produce such results was understandable to me >> given the original insights of Gautama, centuries of intense study, communal >> practice, and no small amount of discipline. But what about Open Space? We >> just sat in a circle, created a bulletin board, opened a market >> place…originally inspired by two martinis. And our history in this >> enterprise is hardly extensive, at least in comparison to the Buddhist >> community. I confess that it made absolutely no sense at all. >> >> >> >> The questions, however, are fairly clear even if the answers are a tad >> wispy. What are the connections? What is the means/mechanism? You mentioned >> a “collective Master function” – about which I would love to hear more. But >> my thoughts have been going in a slightly different direction. No certainty >> for sure – but just to share. >> >> >> >> First for the connection. It seems to me that the connection between >> Buddhist Practice and Open Space is probably co-incidental. But that does >> not make it a weak connection, for co-incidental, as I am using the word >> here means that the two are connected through a prior (coincident) >> connection… with the power of self organization. Yes I know – the whole >> notion of self organization nowhere shows up in the Buddhist literature, so >> far as I know. But if the present general scientific contention is correct >> that self-organization has been operative for at least 13.7 billion years it >> would be rather odd if we (present day humans) were the first to notice the >> effect upon human life, be that individual or collective. So my thought >> (suggestion) would be that the Buddhist community, being the keen observers >> of the human condition that they are, discovered a (the) fundamental power >> of life (by whatever name) and created a practice enabling human beings to >> fully align themselves with that power. Once in alignment, the experience is >> of full authenticity, being fully what we really are, seeing our original >> face. Or coming home. Is this really true? I don’t know, but given another >> lifetime, I would surely like to find out. I guess I should have been a >> Hindu? >> >> >> >> My story about Open Space is that, quite serendipitously (dumb blind luck), >> we arrived at a similar place by a very different route. Every time we open >> space, the process of self organization is initiated, re-initiated – or >> maybe just brought to our consciousness. And the net result is that we (the >> participants) find ourselves in a environment which allows/invites us to be >> as we really are. Almost without knowing it, we find ourselves in alignment >> with a fundamental process of the cosmos. Once there, we experience a >> strangely comfortable world, which looks just like the “everyday” world, but >> feels rather different. We have come home. Obviously, not everybody in >> every Open Space shares this experience. For some people it just doesn’t >> “take,” or if it does “ take” the level of resistance is such that the new >> experience is perceived as strange, weird, or worse. But for many people in >> multiple times and places over our 25 year adventure – it definitely feels >> like we have come home. At least that is a possible story. >> >> >> >> Would I suggest that Open Space somehow supplants the Buddhist experience? >> A straight simple shot to Nirvana? Absolutely not! But I do think the two >> experiences can be very complementary. At least that has certainly how it >> has been for me. Even though a first encounter with Open Space can feel like >> “coming home,” that homecoming is often taken with baby steps. What is >> missing is a deep appreciation of the full power and possibilities at hand. >> It is sort of like coming back to the old homestead with lots of warm >> feelings, but little knowledge of all the rooms and spaces, nooks and >> crannies that await our exploration and appropriation. In my own case, it >> was my practice (largely Buddhist, as I said) that became my guide, both as >> facilitator and participant. I don’t have a clue as to whether others might >> share – they will have to speak for themselves. >> >> >> >> So if it were true that the operative power of self organization were the >> connecting link between the Buddhist experience and Open Space would that >> somehow consign both to a realm dominated by a purely physical force, >> thereby reducing each to the level of a side show in the great drama of >> Physics? Do we suddenly and necessarily find ourselves in the company of all >> those who choose to understand life and our part in it simply as the product >> of quarks and neutrinos, hormones and peptides? What about those other >> realities that some of us call Spirit or Consciousness? The choice is >> clearly there to be made, but from where I sit, the two poles (Spirit and >> matter) and not mutually exclusive. >> >> >> >> One of the oldest discussions of humankind is the precedence of >> Spirit/Consciousness and matter. Is matter the product of >> Spirit/Consciousness? Or did it somehow occur that matter evolved to become >> conscious? For the vast majority of human history it was understood that >> matter emerges from Consciousness, indeed I suspect that is the majority >> opinion even today. Recently, however, the relationship has been reversed, >> at least in parts of the Scientific West. I suspect there will never come a >> day when the issue is resolved at the level of proof. It will remain a >> matter of discussion, choice, and experience, which I rather think to be a >> good thing. >> >> >> >> Speaking personally, however, I am clear about my experience and my choice. >> In the beginning, indeed before any possibility of beginning – there is >> Consciousness/Spirit. Given this experience and choice, self organization >> assumes the position of a manifestation of consciousness. Self Organization >> is what Consciousness does in time and space, along with many other things. >> Is this true? I don’t think we will ever know, and indeed the wondrous gift >> of this Great Cloud of Unknowing is a less than gentle reminder of our >> limitations. In the meantime, and all that said – It works for me. Those of >> you who know me will hardly be surprised. After all I am the guy who opened >> his first book on Organizations with the line, “Spirit is the most important >> thing.” I haven’t changed. >> >> >> >> Enough of this esoterica! And if you have read this far you may well be >> asking yourself, “Where’s the Beef?” What possible practical benefit? What >> makes you think that filling the space of OSLIST with this sort of stuff >> could have any useful application. Fair question. >> >> >> >> I think there are at least two reasons. The first I might summarize under >> the heading of “Beer in the Fridge.” >> >> >> >> If you are thirsty for a beer in my house, all you really have to know is >> how to open the refrigerator door and open a can. The fact that major >> scientific advances, over multiple years, possessing mind bending >> complexity – lie behind the coldness of the beer just waiting your parched >> throat doesn’t really affect a thing. If you want the beer, get it. On the >> other hand if you are a real aficionado for whom all the little things >> count, you really do need to know something about Refrigeration Mechanics, >> the flow of gasses, the way pressure can raise and lower temperatures. Same >> thing with Open Space. If all you want to do is have a good meeting, no >> problem. Sit in a circle, create a bulletin board, open a market place, and >> go to work. Ain’t Rocket Science. However, should you want to enhance the >> quality of the space, raise the level of impact, extend the positive effects >> for yourself and the participants, looking under the hood, thinking about >> the details, asking impossible questions… is probably a good place to start. >> >> >> >> My second reason may be a little more abstract. And it is all about the 5th >> Principle: Wherever it happens is the right place.” For me the cutting edge >> in what we do is not so much about doing an event but rather coming to an >> understanding that Open Space is a 24X7 reality and that we may learn how to >> enhance the power of the experience wherever that might be taking place… >> Tahrir Square, OWS, or the kitchen table. Learning to do that well involves, >> at the least, looking for linkages and connections – potential allies in a >> common undertaking. >> >> >> >> So I am done for the moment. As I said at the start, being at a loss for >> words in not my common state. Maybe I should work on that? >> >> >> >> Harrison >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Harrison Owen >> >> 7808 River Falls Dr. >> >> Potomac, MD 20854 >> >> USA >> >> >> >> 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer) >> >> Camden, Maine 20854 >> >> >> >> Phone 301-365-2093 >> >> (summer) 207-763-3261 >> >> >> >> www.openspaceworld.com >> >> www.ho-image.com (Personal Website) >> >> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST >> Go to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org >> >> >> >> From: [email protected] >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Bernhard Weber >> Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 12:13 AM >> To: World wide Open Space Technology email list >> Subject: [OSList] Individual and collective master (was: OST - Open Systems >> Thinking) >> >> >> >> Harrison and all >> >> >> >> I like the recently upcoming discussion about the history of Systems >> Thinking, but I would also like to make a big jump from this. >> >> >> >> I am not shure, but to me it seems to not be by pure "accident". >> >> 1. Recently Stanley park wrote "Now is the territory of Peace- Nirvana" >> >> 2. And some days later you Harrison wrote "Open the space of your life and >> the lives of those around you, and you will discover your own natural >> state". >> >> >> >> "Your own natural state", that is exactly how Buddhist masters (like e.g. >> Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, the contemporary Tibetan Dzogchen-teacher) >> refer to what is often called enlightenment, liberation, Rigpa, ... >> >> >> >> Although it is not really possible to "feel" something behind the words of a >> written posting, I always felt some kind of reluctance by side of you, when >> somebody in the group related the effects of OST or the OS spirit to central >> Buddhist concepts. Would you prefer to not discuss it (treat it as a tabu) >> or am I completely wrong here? (And my feeling demasked as pseudo-feeling;-) >> >> >> >> I am here in Sri Lanka at the beginning of the 7th year of residence, the >> place/space where Gautamas words have been put into Pali language and >> written down some hundreds of years after his passing away/paranirvana. So >> all this is resonating in me as a kind of effect of the Spirit of the >> space/genius loci. >> >> >> >> Anyhow I would like to invite you and all to explore, if the following idea >> makes sense: >> >> >> >> What the two citations above seem to hint at in my eyes , is a quite >> specific function/effect of Open Space: being a trigger for processes during >> which not only things get done, as it has been pointed out again and again, >> but a trigger for processes that may also lead to enlightenment. If there is >> some value in that idea, then OS might be a collective equivalent of a master >> >> >> >> A master also can only be a trigger, because as already the historical >> Gautama (called the Buddha) stated, that he can, on basis of his own >> experience only show the way, point to the right direction, but the >> practitioner has to do the work. There is no way that the master can do it >> (the full liberation, the reaching of the natural state) for the student. >> >> >> >> So I am wondering if the efficiency and effectiveness of OST in getting >> things done, is not intrinsicly knitted together with (alias dialectically >> connected to) this "collective master function". Two sides of one medal? >> >> >> >> Of course I am not interested to tie OS to Buddhism as a belief system. >> >> But of course my understanding of the ways to enlightenment is also not tied >> to a specific belief system. I have luckily been exposed to "passion, >> responsability and love " in- and outside of OST in various cultures like my >> own Christian culture in Austria, Candomblé in Brazil, animistic cults (as >> the christians call them) in Africa, Buddhism of the Theravada, Mahayana, >> and Tibetan tradition (Buddhism fused with Bön), Yoga in India... And it >> always works and in all kinds of places. >> >> >> >> So once again: might it be legitimate, make sense and be useful to look at >> OST as a kind of set up for a collective master without a present individual >> guru? >> >> Or not? >> >> >> >> Bernd/Colombo >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> . >> >> >> Bernd Weber >> >> Change Facilitation s.r.o., A Global Partner Who Makes Change Happen in >> Complex Environments; www.change-facilitation.com, >> www.change-management-toolbook.com [email protected]; >> Regional Phone numbers: >> >> -Austria: +43 664 135 4828, landline + 431 5968657) >> >> -Sri Lanka: landline +94 11 2785859, iPhone +94 777740757 >> >> >> >> >> >> NEW: Intensive Learning Workshop >> >> "Playing with the Waves of Change" >> >> www.change-facilitation.com/ >> >> >> >> You want to have the design for a "Playing with the Waves (of Change) WS 2 >> completely taylor-made according to your individual learning interests & >> needs & limitations? Then have a look to the questionnaire at >> >> www.surveymonkey.com/s/5ZDS6JQ >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> If you get Email from my account <[email protected]> >> please do not use the reply button but answer to <[email protected]>, because my >> change-facilitation.org INBOX is not working for the time being. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Am 13.12.2011 um 22:11 schrieb Harrison Owen: >> >> >> >> >> discover your own natural state >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> OSList mailing list >> To post send emails to [email protected] >> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: >> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> OSList mailing list >> To post send emails to [email protected] >> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: >> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
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