Feelings and Thoughts on OSonOS Berlin

[Francis Gastmans]

For you

Feelings and Thoughts on OSonOS Berlin
I am very thankfull I could be in Berlin. It was a great experience for me.
But this doesn't mean I always had a fine feeling during the Open Space.
There were many moments I felt puzzled. Things that happened also gave me
thoughts on what I felt was good and what I experienced as obstacles to a
real Open Space. I want to share my ideas with you. These are still changing
and searching thoughts. I only want to express my impressions and what I
learned of it today. Please: English is not my native language, so if I use
the wrong word or construct a strange sentence forgive me.
1.
First I was supprised by and could enjoy the things I experienced as luxury:
the constant fresh drank and excellent food, the clean environment, my room.
But the second day already I experienced the dark side of it. Luxury makes
the spirit lazy. In all cultures all  over the world people who want to meet
the Spirit in themselves and in the others tend to make their environment
sober, they live sober, simple.
My lessons:
A. Keep it all sober, maybe even very sober.
B. Give also food for the Spirit, for example: some spirit-thoughts on the
wall, or real art, or poetry, or tables with a landscape made of flowers and
leaves, or a silence-room for meditation (as counterpart of a video-room),
...
2.
I had the feeling of a well organised event. No it was more,  I had the
feeling of an over-organised event. For me there was too much control. There
was also too much "talking" and much too less "asking" from the part of the
organisers. It all made it not enough open for me.
My lessons:
A. "Keep it simple!", "Less is more"
B. Do not organise what need not to be. Dare to let things be unorganised.
C. Don't try to be perfect, don't try to organise the one and only good Open
Space, don't try to organise the Open Space other Open Spacers talk about.
3.
What I saw the second day was an illustration of what is written in the
books of Harrison Owen: the Tibethan bells, the way of walking around like a
priest, the words on the walls. It all gave me the impression of "his
masters voice".
I had the feeling of being in a circle of "the faitfull ones", followers of
a Master. For me Harrison Owen is not a Master but a servant of the Spirit,
like I am. I have to be my own master and at the same time a servant for
others.
Do not do what others do, do what your spirit tells you to do, ... even if
this is just the same as others do.
This reminds me of the words: "Do to others what you want that they do to
you". For me this is a wrong sentence, it rather should be "Do to others
what they want you to do. Do to others what the others want for themselves,
even if it's something you should not want that they do to you. Do to others
what's theirs, not yours."
My lessons:
A. Don't copy the Open Space as is written in the books of Harrison Owen.
B. Give every Open Space the colour and the sound of the place you are at
that moment. Give to others what their spirit asks you.
C. Use your imagination, experiment with different sounds, different ways of
walking and talking. Search for the expression that fits the Spirit NOW, at
this moment, at this place. This means: hard working inside yourself.
4.
I experienced little Open Space in the small groups. At home and at school
we didn't learn to listen carefully, we learned to debate, to discuss, to
fight for our opinion. We are not grown up with an open mind and an open
heart, as adults we still have to learn it. Open Space gives us the
opportunity to leave old habits and to open ourselves for the others. But it
is difficult.  When we meet eachother our old habits tend to come in the
meeting.
Another observation: people talked and talked, just a few persons asked,
gave me an inspiring question. I somethimes had the feeling that some of the
participants liked to hear themselves talking. For me this attidude closes
the mind, closes the circle. A good question opens the mind.
My lessons:
A. Together with the Law of the Two Feet maybe its necessary to tell the Law
of the Two Ears: the more you listen the more important words are exchanged,
the less you listen (= the more you talk) the less important words are
exchanged. ..."The Spirit will come to you by listening not by talking" ...
"Questions are more open than answers"
B. When I organise an OS, shall I tell people about a few pitfalls or shall
I leave it all open to the dynamics of the group?
5.
In each room there was a box with the right tools to write. Excellent. There
were no tools, no instruments, no materials to draw, to paint, to model, ...
to express in a more creative way. Our northern cultures are so fixed on
words. And I am one of the northern side of the earth.
My lessons:
A. As a facilitator I shall also give instruments, materials, ... for
creative expressions.
B. Next time as a participant I shall try to use less words an to use more
my hands, my feet, my body ... for creating images, express tales, touch
people, ..
6.
The Law of the Two Feet is very important. The dark side of doing it without
feeling: people react, stay or move because of their likes and dislikes. I
have seen many primary reactions, reactions without contact. When I explain
the Law to others I suggest people to listen first to themselves before
moving. In every person there is "a wise man" or "a wise  woman", besides "a
hungry child", "an angry father or mother", "an ever judging adult", ....
Why do you move now or why do you stay? Do you stay because of the voice of
the wise man/woman or because you listen to the voice that says "You should
not do this!", "Behave", ...
So I suggest: first listen to the wise man/woman in yourself, feel what
he/she tells you and then act accordenly. Your feet are the servants of your
wise man/woman. Stay in close contact with your own wise man/woman and try
to have contact with the wise man/woman of the other participants.
Let it all happen more slowly! Open Space is not a race to meet as many
people as possible in a short time, but to meet that one or two persons that
are the right people for you at this moment ... and then do what you have to
do.

With love
Francis
(The little fox)

Francis Gastmans
STP
Spiraal Training en Procesbegeleiding
Spillemansstraat 18 - 2140  Borgerhout
Tel. 0032/(0)3 235 39 99 € Fax 0032/(0)3 271 19 27 € E-mail stp at online.be

Amateurs practice until they can get it right; professionals practice until
they can't get it wrong.
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