\Holding space

[Harrison Owen]

At 04:43 PM 4/30/2002 -0400, john engle wrote:

>we talk a lot about what it means to open/hold space. we often say that it
>is tiring and that it can be draining. i often find it to be so. i ask if
>these are not characteristics that we put on ourselves as a result of our
>resistance toward letting go.
>
>if this is correct, why do we need to struggle so? what are we resisting and
>why? as we grow and become more mature, should we not arrive at a place
>where opening space, just like any other activity, is nothing more than
>breathing in, breathing out, ... breathing/nourishing our souls, being
>open/aware to what is happening?

John it is a wonder -- but not so strange. Ever since it has been apparent
that anybody with a good head and good heart can "do" an Open Space. It has
also been true, I think, that it will take the rest of your life to "do" it
well. Certainly that has been my experience. It is the old bug-a-boo of
letting go, and how to do it. And of course, the harder you try, the more
difficult it becomes. Somewhere in there you come to the conclusion that
real letting go requires letting go of letting go... or something. And then
suddenly you run into the odd phenomenon of boredom in Open Space. After
all what's to do? Why am I needed? And the answer, of course is -- You
aren't needed. And you aren't needed, at least in the sense of teaching the
folks something new. Truth is -- they are already there. And just about the
time you think you got that one right -- it all comes around again. To be
sure you are not needed to teach or do a process -- but you are very
critical as a silent witness to the moment of creation as it rolls out with
the group. And what would "silent witness" mean? Passive observer? Hardly!
And so it goes. Definitely a journey -- but a great one.

Harrison

>Harrison Owen

7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, MD 20854 USA
phone 301-365-2093
Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm

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