Open Space and Dialogue

[Murli Nagasundaram]

At 12:16 AM 12/24/99 -0800, you wrote:
 >Interesting responses...
 >
 >I have in fact only just stumbled upon Bohm's work and came to it quite
 >circuitously.  Lately I've been reading a lot of books about physics --
 >The Dancing Wu Li Masters, Paul Davies's works, Fritjof Capra's stuff.
 >This was just out of interest, but like everything, I found a way  to
 >integrate it into my facilitation practice, and anyway, quantum physics
 >has a lot to do with Open Space, so it's just like reading about Open
 >Space without Harrison doing all the talking ;-)...

*************************
Chris, I promise never to say another word! And if you believe that one ....
But the truly neat thing is that my words are decreasingly necessary when
folks like you Chris, and everybody else on this list are going as deeply
and collaboratively into some wonderful new territory (wonderful old
territory). Thank you!

And on the subject of fewer words. As most of you know, my practice over
the years has centered around, amongst other things, thinking of one more
thing NOT to do (say). I think we all know that the words and
"instructions" given at the opening of space are minimal in effect. On a
challenge, I once tried to open space without saying a word. And it worked
-- though to be honest there were one or two "ringers" (old hands) in the
participating group. Anyhow, I find myself asking how do we create the
conditions of dialogue and appreciative inquiry (note the lack of capitols
-- I am speaking about behaviors and not special methodologies) without
saying or doing a thing? Put somewhat differently, how do we enhance the
quality of our personal open space so that our own manifest being naturally
calls forth deep conversation amongst those who have come together?

We know, I think, that Open Space, even with best efforts to the contrary,
usually enables such deep encounter (High learning, High Play etc.). I just
want more -- with less.

Happy New Year everybody!

Harrison

PS -- Please note, I now have a new email <owenhh at mindspring.com> and new
website <www.mindspring.com/~owenhh>