Self-Organization????

[Birgitt Williams]

Harrison Owen wrote
My friend Birgitt Williams appears to have some difficulty with the notion
that organization, forming in Open Space, is in fact self-organization at
work. Or in her words, "For me, the conscious Open Space Organization, as I
understand it is not a self organizing system." And in answer to the
question -- If not self-organization, then what -- she says, "Rather, a
matrix or nutrient field is provided that is clearly bounded and ready to
nurture whatever is created. The matrix then gets filled in by choices that
are life nurturing or life depleting. The conscious Open Space Organizations
is life nurturing rather than life depleting." All of which seems to me to
be a rather nice description of self-organization at work. Be that as it
may, it occurs to me that it might be useful to chat a bit about why I find
the theory of self-organization so attractive, particularly in reference to
the Open Space experience, either as event, or a continuing phenomenon.

First off, please note that it is the theory of self-organization. And
theory is never to be confused with The Truth or The Facts. It's only
theory.

Harrison,
For me, I am clear that the conscious Open Space Organization is not a self
organizing system. IT IS MUCH MORE THAN THAT and I am as clear as I can be
in my communications that the two for me, do not equal each other. I believe
that Spirit is all that is, and that all is Spirit and that we are connected
through Spirit. Spirit is powerful and active and there are infinite
possibilities.

For me, the conscious Open Space Organization includes self organization at
work but is not limited to this definition as a definitive description (or
even theory) of either Open Space Technology or the conscious Open Space
Organization. Spirit is much more than that. You may see it as useful to use
the theory of self organizing systems to explain what happens within Open
Space Technology. I see it as limiting and a disservice to the wholeness of
Open Space Technology.

The effect we have as facilitators working with energy is very influential
in both the Open Space Technology meeting and the conscious Open Space
Organization. The matrix I referred to is not a “pre-condition” only but
also an ongoing and active ingredient. This is work with energy, with the
unseen, with Spirit. Deeply powerful and non-visible. And the facilitator
“holding space”  influences the self organizing behavior that is part of the
Open Space Technology meeting.

I do not believe that there is such a thing as a self organizing SYSTEM. I
do think there is self organizing behavior. I do not believe that there is
such a thing as a system. I believe systems are illusions, human constructs.
We are all one in Spirit.

Harrison, I have huge respect for you as you know. And we both know from
about a decade of conversations and debates between us, that we have
different perspectives. I think you would be both surprised and disappointed
if I agreed with you. Over the years, you taught “opening space for Spirit
to show up”. I taught “opening space to work with Spirit that is present
everywhere always”. You taught that organizations are shifting from
proactive to interactive and eventually if all goes well to the state of
inspired. You taught that with use of Open Space Technology organizations
could make that leap from pro-active to interactive. I taught that the
inspired organization is always present, exists NOW. The inspired
organization  simply needs to be uncovered—to get the barriers to accessing
Spirit out of the way. I called this the Open Space Organization, and over
the last few years as my own learning has evolved, the conscious Open Space
Organization.  And then of course was the huge debate we had for years
regarding “givens”. I remember when I introduced the importance of “givens”
as essential for working with Open Space Technology, you responded by saying
that with “givens” I was going to ruin Open Space Technology. I still stand
behind my belief and experience that it is through clear definition of the
“givens” that we define where the degrees of freedom really are rather than
where they are assumed to be. The “givens” create the matrix (or womb) for
the OST meeting to take place.

And now we see the importance of the theory of “self organizing systems”
differently. It is not a matter of me not understanding, simply a matter of
my view of Spirit with Open Space Technology and the conscious Open Space
Organization, my experience with Spirit and my love relationship with
Spirit. All of this for me minimizes the importance of “the self organizing
system theory”. I am informed based on my background in the healing arts and
my journey with Spirit.

Blessings,
Birgitt


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