self organizing systems and world peace

[PKaipa at aol.com]

In a message Birgitt Williams writes:

 -----"if Open Space is a self organizing system,
> why don't we have world peace?
>
> -----"if Open Space is a self organizing system,
> why are so many of us on the list working
> as consultants who facilitate Open Space Technology meetings
> and thereby interfere in a self organizing system?"
> >>
Dear Birgitt:
Here is my humble reflection. It begins with a story.
Once upon a time, in India, there was a young boy. When he turned 8, he
wanted to go to a teacher to learn. As it was the tradition then, he went to
a teacher who asked him about his parentage, his lineage. The boy did not
have many answers and upon inquiry, his mother told that she ran around in
her youth and was not sure who the father of the boy was. So she could answer
any questions about his lineage from his father's side.
The boy felt ashamed. He had a choice not to return to the teacher and go
through the humiliation of admitting the truth. But his urge for learning the
true nature of his self was so strong that he went and told the teacher what
he learned. The teacher was taken aback by the straightforwardness and the
burning urge to learn of the child. He welcomed the child to his school and
during the first few days realized that the kid is really interested in
knowing the true nature of self. Noticing that the kid was associating
himself more with other human beings but was ignoring the nature, the wise
teacher called the boy one day and told him to take 100 cows to the forest
and return when they turn a 1000. Kid was not sure whether it was a gift or a
punishment. it would take him away from the conversations he was having with
other students and teachers about the nature of self. But he understood that
there is something profound about being in the forest with 100 cows. As
walked into the forest, he got fascinated by the beauty of the nature. He
observed dew on the leaves and grass flowers in the early mornings of winter.
He watched how rain drops fall differently when he stands under a huge tree.
he watched how animals behave around watering holes. How the ecosystem works
and he was curious and learning from every experience in the forest. Slowly
he began to learn that when he is curious, thirsty, the world becomes open to
him. An open system to reflect his true self. he began to understand that he
is that system. And the system is his self. they are all not only
interdependent but also interpenetrating parts of each other. Each is a
system and a subsystem of something greater. A holon (whole/part according to
Art Kestler and later Ken Wilber). The system extends to nature, animals,
birds, inanimate beings, rocks, streams and everything. They self organize as
part of each other. Their behavior is different with others around them. As
he learned these truths about himself in the forest, his doubts began to
disappear. When the cows multiplied to 1000, one of the cows informed him
that it is time to go home and they did return. The truth that the kid
learned gave him a glow and others who watched him knew that he is
self-realized. The teacher was very happy to find that the young child found
his answers and clarified any gaps that he might have before graduating the
kid from his school.

Do you see, my friend. Self organizing is not about world peace. World peace
as an intention can self organize itself. The question is who is holding that
intention and how is that held? If it is a place to go to, there is no
chance. The inherent polarity between peace and war would cancel each other.
Can we hold peace not as a polarity but an inquiry in which violence exists
as a part that is also whole?
Similarly, the role of faciliatators is to hold the intention firm. It is
like catalysts in a chemical reaction. They accelerate the process while
remaining as they were.

Open space (whether it is technology or process or whatever) allows us to
selforganize. Only thing is that we means humans mostly. When we can listen
to and align with all of nature and can allow for violence to coexist with
peace in peace, maybe it emerges faster than otherwise??

I also have some opinions and questions but your question allowed me to
explore deeper. I thank you for that,
reflectively
prasad kaipa
selfcorp
408 866 8511

*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu,
Visit:

http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html