Opening Space for Our World

[Larry Peterson]

Well.  I Opened Space yesterday (the 21st) as well, and twice earlier in
the the week since the 11th. (I heard that today was actually the
equinox, at about noon.) All were with "clients" and all created the
conditions for high learning and connection. One was not really an OS,
but a learning from AI.

On Friday, with a Faculty of Business meeting for the first time as a
whole faculty, I initated a max-mix table discussion with an
appreciative question, tell a story of when it worked.  Given the
tension of the week and other factors, they "loved it" and each other.
The Vice President who was there was flabbergasted at the positive
energy that emerged and stayed with the group through the other guided
appreciative questions.  It did open some space for spirit.

The next was a small space within a larger process to clarify the
structure and functioning of a team.  Many errors had been made in its
formation by management, there was need for some guided context setting.
The space for self-organized, spirted team work was about 4 hours.  But
the healing was wonderful and the "practice" of being a team invaluable
to moving forward.  Again a taste of spirit and connection in difficult
times.

Yesterday, I opened the space with 170 local leaders of an elementary
teacher's union.  They jumped to put up topics (after the previous day
of "required" workshops).  They had wonderful discussions and many were
looking to open space in classrooms and other ways in schools.  (We've
seen this before, just not with this particular group.)  But for one
woman it was especially difficult and helpful.  She had experience three
"very painful" open space events in church organizations in her part of
the province.  She had opposed the use of OS and almost did not stay,
but did.  By the end, she said, "oh, so that's open space".

These were not about some grand theme, even in these difficult times.
My personal energy was distracted.  I picked up a copy of the NY Times
in the hotel and had to give it a read while holding space. But it felt
like connection to spirit and healing was happening for them and me.

Larry

Larry Peterson
Associates in Transformation
Toronto, ON, Canada
416.651.6913

larry at spiritedorg.com
www.spiritedorg.com

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