I think we get into a lot of trouble when we start to call things that humans 
make up "natural."  The Law and the Principles are not natural; they are human 
constructs.  They may have been created to mimic "natural" emergent systems of 
self-organizing, but they are not natural.  My two cents worth.

John

On Sep 30, 2013, at 10:42 AM, Esther Matte wrote:

> Interesting thread!
> 
> From my perspective, the law and principles are natural. However, they need 
> to be mentioned to create the container for people to get reacquainted with 
> that very deep nature that has been covered, constrained, forgotten after 
> many, many layers of rules, habits and fears were created in modern society. 
> When you don't mention the law and principles, what you get is just a huge 
> brainstorm session without any individual or collective responsibility.
> 
> That's my two cents... and I'm looking forward to the Oct. 14 conversation 
> about Agile.
> 
> Cheers!
> 
>  
> Esther Matte 
> Discover - Engage - Accomplish
> Nurturing Life in Organizations
> 450-955-1693
> www.esthermatte.com
> 
> Le 2013-09-30 à 13:31, Daniel Mezick a écrit :
> 
>> I request help and guidance. Will you help me understand the rule of the 
>> Open Space meeting format?
>> 
>> If the 1 law & the 4/5 principles are natural and self-evident, I am 
>> confused about the need to mention them whatsoever. 
>> 
>> If the 1 law and the 4/5 principles are not natural and not self-evident, I 
>> am confused about how mentioning them is optional.
>> 
>> The 1 "law" (quotes) and "4/5 principles" (quotes again) are either 
>> self-evident, or they are not. I wonder which is the reality.
>> 
>> See also: 
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_law
>> http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_rights
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On 9/30/13 8:05 AM, Harrison Owen wrote:
>>> Dan – I have to agree with Lisa. As said multiple times before, the 5 
>>> principles and the Law are descriptive and not prescriptive. Or at least 
>>> that is the way they popped into my head: simple observations of what was 
>>> transpiring, as opposed to directions concerning what should be taking 
>>> place. I have always said “Principles” and “Law” with a             smile, 
>>> because if you really think about it, they are neither (principle or law). 
>>> More like, “funny things that happen on the way to the future.” There is an 
>>> essential humor, sense of fun in Open Space – and if we ever lose it, we 
>>> begin to take things much too seriously L I call it High Play.
>>>  
>>> Harrison
>>>  
>>> Harrison Owen
>>> 7808 River Falls Dr.
>>> Potomac, MD 20854
>>> USA
>>>  
>>> 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
>>> Camden, Maine 04843
>>>  
>>> 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 Lisa Heft
>>> Sent: Monday, September 30, 2013 3:22 AM
>>> To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
>>> Subject: [OSList] (was) Open Space in schools - now: OST boundaries? 
>>> constraints?
>>>  
>>> Dan - I have taken the liberty of adjusting the title of this topic to more 
>>> closely fit the changed content.
>>>  
>>> And: I look forward to hearing how others respond…
>>>  
>>> 1/ I see the Law and Principles and *invitations* not as constraints.
>>>  
>>> 2/ And not 'required' as in - some of us do not use the 5th Principle at 
>>> all. However, the saying, inviting and simple explanation of these 
>>> invitations help to create the structure (as there is a structure, just not 
>>> the structure that a lot of people have experienced in meetings) / to 
>>> create the container. What I mean by that is that I have observed that to 
>>> not offer the invitation of the principles and law (even in a group of 
>>> people who completely know and do                                           
>>>                 Open Space) is not inviting presence and possibility in the 
>>> same way. So different dynamics then occur.
>>>  
>>> And in saying that offering these invitations and explaining this process 
>>> help to create the container, I mean a living, breathing, nutrient-rich 
>>> container, perhaps similar to some containers like cellular walls, a bird's 
>>> nest, a lake, a poem, or a wisp of vapor… which have some form within which 
>>> there is flow. 
>>>  
>>> 3/ I notice that some super-good OST facilitators can use more words to 
>>> explain things, and some use less. And the experience can be amazing. In my 
>>> observation, it is not the amount of words, it is the complete true 
>>> understanding of inviting Opening Circle and agenda co-creation (which 
>>> include a brief explanation of principles and law and process), and getting 
>>> / staying out of the way so the participants can do their own work, see 
>>> their own patterns, feel                                                    
>>>        their own co-leadership, and so on.  
>>>  
>>> What do others think?
>>> 
>>> Lisa
>>>  
>>> On Sep 29, 2013, at 10:53 PM, Daniel Mezick <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Lisa says:
>>> "...
>>> The other thing is that for any kind of facilitation, I would not name 
>>> boundaries or constraints. It sets peoples' minds in the framework of 
>>> boundaries and constraints - rather than opportunities and possibilities.
>>> Like 'think outside the box' - you are still thinking…of the box! when / 
>>> because someone says that. "
>>> 
>>> Dan says:
>>> I notice that:
>>> 1/  the 1 Law and 5 Principles of OST are constraints-in-fact. Are they not?
>>> 2/ we are required to describe these as OST Facilitators; at least, 
>>> according to the OST Guide. Right?
>>> 3/ the general idea for the Facilitator is, "the less said the better".  No?
>>> 
>>> I think OST is a most wonderful game. 
>>> http://newtechusa.net/agile/how-games-deliver-happiness-learning/
>>> 
>>> Dan
>>>  
>>> 
>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
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>> 
>> -- 
>> Daniel Mezick, President
>> New Technology Solutions Inc.
>> (203) 915 7248 (cell)
>> Bio. Blog. Twitter. 
>> Examine my new book:  The Culture Game : Tools for the Agile Manager.
>> Explore Agile Team Training and Coaching.
>> Explore the Agile Boston Community. 
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> 
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