Found Poem -- June 8 to August 23, 2006 -- Opening Space for Conflict and Peace
Harrison Owen
hhowen at adelphia.net
Wed Aug 23 14:09:04 PDT 2006
Congratulations Lisa! Wonderful!!
Harrison
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Dr.
Potomac, MD 20854
USA
301-365-2093
207-763-3261 (summer)
website www.openspaceworld.com
Personal Website www.ho-image.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Lisa Heft
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 12:43 PM
Subject: Found Poem -- June 8 to August 23, 2006 -- Opening Space for Conflict and Peace
Hello, dear colleagues -
For the past several months I have held the honor of being the OSLIST Poet Laureate. With awe and respect I have gathered your words to create 'found poems' to share back with you all, as inspired by our colleague and past Poet Laureate, Ms. Laurel Doersam of Canada. You can find some of the other found poems I have shared by searching in the OSLIST archives and using the key words "Found Poem" in the "subject is or contains." area of the search page. Titles included "Holding / My Truest Self / Space", "The Mystery of Open Space" and "Touch the Now." You may remember some of the words I share with you below from a conversation thread with the titles of "A note from a young friend" and "A note for Josef". This is a long poem. Pour yourself a cup of tea. Lisa
___________________________________________________
Opening Space for Conflict and Peace
Found Poem -- June 8 to August 23, 2006
I'm very concerned about the war
I read the news about it everywhere.
I found a newspaper
and read the news
People died
children and old people.
oh my God, I couldn't stand to read it.
I saw the news on the TV
people suffered...
I turned my radio on and heard the news
After the news,
I cried.
What is wrong with this world??
Why do they do that?
What for?
Can't they stop the war,
make peace,
and live happily together?
What's wrong with peace?
Why do they reject peace?
What do they want now?
When is it going to be over?
Can we do something to stop the war?
Me, you, and the Imams and Rabbis?
Can we take action?
What can we do to stop the war?
What can we do to make them realize
that war won't do any good?
Why do people want to destroy ?
Why do people choose to kill themselves
and others -
rather than talk and listen?
Why do people believe that violence can stop violence?
Why do people hate so much?
I can't find any answer for these questions.
I feel hopeless.
A leaf in the storm of world wide war.
I sometimes despair
and hear with disbelief
the vacuous statements
by our so called leaders.
Presidents, Kings, Imams, Rabbis
I am afraid that this may be one of those times
when all the things we should have done
and did not,
all the things we should not have done
and did --
now come due
I am new in this place.
since it is a time of war
Why do you think
that space
is limited only
to love and good?
Isn't space unlimited by definition?
Do you believe
that terrorists will sit with you
in open space circles
that perhaps opening space
with Bin Laden
could have prevented the attack on the World Trade Center?
Being a Human Being is a constant learning process,
and sometimes that learning can be very painful.
But the greatest tragedy
would be not to learn.
I am not sure
that Opening Space
with or for Bin Laden
would have done much good,
but I am pretty sure
that had we (all of us)
diligently opened space for the peoples of the world
so that the chaos, confusion and conflict
that inevitably occur in the course of human living
might have found resolution
prior to
explosion --
the Bin Ladens of this world would find little fuel for their fires.
That did not happen and the fires are burning.
It could have been different, I believe --
and may still be different
if we get to work.
Fear is fear. Pain is pain. Injustice is injustice. Dead is dead.
One people's fear or pain is not more legitimate than the others.
It has never been more important than now
to create the spaces
for people to come together,
and through dialogue,
be reminded
that we are all human
and
what joins us
is so much much more
than what divides us.
for my self, I feel neither helpless nor hopeless.
In my understanding of life and humanity,
Evil is not evil for the sake of being evil
Terrorists do not become terrorists for the sake of being terrorists.
It all comes out of some closed, oppressed space.
There is only chance
and hope
in opening space
and hearts
and inviting
to witness
one another.
I hope our friends fellows neighbours
also feel,
they are not alone!
I wish them love
and strength
and courage
and that they, too,
do not feel help-
and hopeless.
It is supporting to know there are many,
who will keep on going in the spirit of Open Space
everyone in her and his place of the world
believing
that if I can
help just two people
to really hear
and listen
to each other -
and rediscover their common humanity -
then it is still worth
carrying on.
your words
brought such comfort
at this moment.
It makes me think
that what I offer
just might have some real value
after all.
I now feel less helpless.
And I know you are right,
the fever has to run its course -
it is sometimes just so hard when it hits so close.
I do not accept
that there is some 'evil'
that open space can allow in.
I refuse to accept
that terrorism and violence are the way!
Evil acts, in my view,
are a consequence
of misunderstanding, oppression, inequality
If we are ever to find a resolution to conflict
it can only come about - in the end -
by talking
and listening.
If we are not talking, listening ~and~ respecting -
we end up commiting more acts of violence.
Believing that there are 'evil' people
is but one short step away
from saying
that negotiation, listening & building peace
can ~never ever~ work.
It is a long process.
It does not come about
through strength of arms
or firing rockets over borders
It is in the end about dialogue
What shows up in Open Space
is just plain people,
who come in all shapes and sizes
with multiple desires, histories and passions.
Even in violently conflicted environments,
the people soon find themselves
with more in common than difference.
To be sure
the conversations may be loud and confrontational --
but for the most part,
they are conducted with respect --
which often turns into hope
and trust,
and strangely,
even affection.
To be sure there are psychopaths and thugs.
Every society has them --
but when the space of that society
is kept open
the pathology of such people
can be marginalized
and the toxins they produce
flushed away.
when we close space,
build walls,
seek to dominate and control
these same toxins are concentrated
and eventually become lethal.
We know all about that, I think.
By accepting the existence of evil
we can allow it to move out from our space.
In vastness of the Space
which is the matrix of all that exists
there can be a place for evil
but it doesn't have to be our space.
Opening space is a sacred work
that should create a safe heaven
and a sacred ground for love to feel safe enough
to manifest and flourish
That there is evil in this world is not a question,
although it is interesting that
my evil
may well be
your good
and visa versa.
And denial of the presence of evil,
no matter how it may be defined and understood,
is not a healthy characteristic for any human being.
The role of the facilitator occupies a space
beyond, beneath, outside of all elements
of "blame and judgment"
this can be a real tough space to occupy.
"Whoever comes is the right people"
"Whatever happens is the only thing that could have."
These go to the heart of the matter.
The people who show up
and the events that take place
simply
"are"
and one must deal with them
as they are.
Obviously everything "could" have been different.
And indeed, one might have hoped that they would have been different.
But the fact remains, they are what they are.
I don't see this as "denial" in the least --
it is simply and profoundly
the radical acceptance
of things as they are
in the present moment.
Assuming the role of Space Opener is a "sacred work."
It can also be excruciatingly difficult,
and perhaps impossible for some people
at some times.
We need to be fully "there" --
in the present moment --
regardless of what we may think about it personally.
Many of the policies and actions of both sides
can feel short sighted, repugnant, and downright evil.
There may be more than sufficient blame to spread around.
As long as anything is seen as "opposing side"
the chances for peace decreases.
During the course of our days together
we may feel our own internal anger, fear, doubt, frustration
sometimes so intensely that we become practically immobilized.
At such times, our only recourse may be to withdraw to our room
or to take a long walk --
in search of our own centered presence.
To be very honest,
there may be moments when we do not think we can handle it --
but somehow, some way
we may find ourselves
drawn, pushed, shoved
to discover parts of ourselves and our own resources
that we have never seen before.
And in almost every case,
the needed strength, insight, calm
may come from a few words of just a silent look from one of the participants --
who in a marvelous and magical way
have become openers and holders
of the space.
In truth, we all do it,
and the results are mindblowing
There are times when our own personal
agenda, experience, feelings
are so strong
that it is impossible to rise above them.
And the remarkable thing is that
in every instance
somebody else who could stand in that space did so.
And if we ever reach a day
when nobody can step forward,
it will be a dark day indeed --
for the possibility space for human life will simply close.
But we are not there yet,
and goodness knows we have a lot of work to do.
When we open space
even sworn, lifelong enemies
who are convinced that the "others"
represent the epitome of evil --
find a way to treat each other
with respect,
and more often than not,
come to some reasonable and responsible solutions
for the issues at hand,
no matter how painful and conflicted.
Will this always be true?
I cannot say, but that has been my experience
I intend to keep opening space
so that wonderful people such as you
can experience that "playground"
in which real people with real differences
can meet each other
with respect.
And if you are looking for something to do right now --
you could try the same thing.
So - here's to large circles
and deep listening,
wide openness
and huge respect!
And somewhere
everything
and everybody
is connected
and every action
will have an effect
for all of us.
I am new in this place.
It may take time -
but we can get there!
Peace.
Imagine.
By Dania Pratiwi,Juliane Ade, Jon Harvey, Argene Carswell, Josef Ralt, Harrison Owen, Shay Ben Yosef, Filiz Telek, Pat Black, Funda Oral and Lisa Heft
August 23, 2006
___________________________
L i s a H e f t
Consultant, Facilitator, Educator
O p e n i n g S p a c e
lisaheft at openingspace.net
www.openingspace.net
* * ========================================================== OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20060823/846de027/attachment-0016.htm>
More information about the OSList
mailing list