Self-Organization is What Consciousness (Spirit) Does

[Jeff Aitken]

Harrison's post reminds me about four questions offered by Wheatley and
Kellner-Rogers, authors of A Simpler Way [www.berkana.org]. They offer four
questions for group reflection after a meeting or crucial event which are
intended to support self-organizing the way that Life does it:

1. Can we talk?

2. What just happened?

(To me these are the implied questions of the closing reflective circle of
an OST. Nice to speak them out loud.)

3. Who else should be here?

(The third question might speak to the Exterior development of a system --
thinking about Wilber's quadrant model.)

4. Who are we now?

(The fourth question might speak to Harrison's notion of a new and bigger
Self, which we might call the Interior development of a system. "Life
organizes around a Self. Organizing is always the act of creating an
identity." - A Simpler Way, p 3)

Think these can be helpful after OST? Seems like another level of the work,
beyond action planning.

Cheers - Jeff


[PS: I do not expect that one let go of the benefits of an identity in
order to embrace the benefits of a new & larger one. I enjoy this body and
personality and cultural heritage, thank you very much. Let's not become
hairless gray cerebral space aliens; long live Star Trek!]


At 10:09 AM -0500 12/27/01, Harrison Owen wrote:
> Further to our ongoing conversation about self-organizing systems -- a
>possibly weird thought. Self-Organization is what Consciousness (Spirit)
>does. Rather than being in opposition (as in either/or), or even in
>juxtaposition (as in both/and) there is unity. Self-Organization and the
>work of Spirit are one. The problem comes when the "self" in
>self-organization is understood to mean my self. Then it seems that I am
>imprisoned by unseen powers that restrict (destroy) my freedom. And I
>don't like that. However as the evolution of consciousness proceeds (My
>Spirit grows up, my Now gets bigger),  it is realized the my self is
>inextricably related to all selves -- and ultimately to The Self, -- and
>there is no problem. This is not the destruction of ego (self), but the
>transcendence. And what else would The Self do -- but organize. How about
>those bananas?

-
Jeff Aitken
JA at svn.net
Consultant/Facilitator: Specialist in Open Space Process
410 Prospect Street, Petaluma CA 94952 USA
(01) 707-769-8155

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