Open Space Rap

Thu Jun 26 02:58:20 PDT 2003

Dear OS Listers

Recently at Shamabhala Institute in Canada, Nova Scotia, I wrote a rap to introduce open space. 

Toke Moller and Marianne Knuth invited me into their module on convening conversations and the art of hosting to offer it to thier group. It was well recieved and has given me the inspiration to offer it here! Below is a copy of the rap ... have pics of the shambhala reading if you're interested ...

I would love any feedback, additions, changes, break beats to put under it, recording contracts ...

Enjoy ...

Tim (tim at engage.nu)

The Open Space Rap

Welcome to Open Space,

This is the place

Of a new fashion,

You get to organise

Around your passion!

The  task:

To ask 

'what really matters to me?'

Then take responsibility

Guided by our core question 

Which I am about to mention

READ CORE QUESTION

Let's get this started

'cause this train has already  departed

Here's the first mind bender:

We ain't got no agenda!

Yet ...

But I'll bet 

in 30 minutes or less

No stress

That wall will be full

And choice will be the tension

In a packed programme guided by our intention:

CORE QUESTION AGAIN (?)

How to do it?

How  to fly?

Let me try and 

Clarify:

If you got a workshop 

to offer to the question

Head to the centre,

Grab a pen and write the intention

Or topic and your name,

To give it some fame

Announce it to us all,

Then take a time a time and place

And stick it to the wall.

So simple

No trouble atall.

But here's another mind blaster:

You do not have to be 

A master

Expert

Or Mentor.

This here is a curious centre.

If you know nothing 

and want to know more,

Don't hold or stop

Host a workshop!

It's a sure 

cure

To learn more.

Which brings me to the principles and one law:

'Whoever comes are the right people'

to have around.

They  are the ones with the passion

For the ground 

You are hoping to cover

Everyone else is searching in the other

Workshops

Serving our core intention.

We working together

In sperate places,

It's a great invention!

So, what happens if no-one comes?

All alone.

When was the last time

You got to stop and reflect

On your own?

Especialy on something that 

Gets you out of your seat

Makes your heart beat.

This time is for your passion

To bring

Unqiue learning

To us all.

Honour the call.

'Whatever happens is the only thing that could have'

So let go of expectation

Of what this should be,

Set it free.

Trust the open space form

It holds the storm.

'When it starts is the right is the right time'

It's no crime

To chat or have a cup of tea

Be free and see

When you begin

Don't force it to be happpenin'.

'When it's over it's over'

Don't hang on

Move on

To where you belong.

To fill the time gap

It's a trap

So get up and get movin'

To find a space where

You be contributin'.

You see 

this ain't now normal meetin'

Cause we be 'law of two feetin''

Use your feet

Don't just sit

SPLIT

To move to where you

Learn of share.

So be aware

You can be like the

Humble 

Bumble bee,

Tripping from place to place

And cross pollinate,

Connecting info

Helping collective wisdom grow.

One other character

Who arrives with a flutter

Is the butter - fly. 

Who hangs out, looking good

As a butterfly should.

A place of still

To stop and reflect

Have the conversation you least expect,

A wonderful insect!

Some final words on

Workshop hosting.

It ain't all coasting!

If you pin it up on the wall

You responsible for that call.

The workshop gotta happen, 

Even if you don't go

You responsible for opening the show.

Second thing,

There's only two 

(PHEW!)

Please record what is cooking

'cause we all looking 

to see

in gallery.

Have no fear it is pretty clear,

There a template set up 

for the usin',

Now we're cruisin

Into the final moments before

Opening the wall

And the market stall.

Just to say again

Grab a paper and pen

Write your workshop

Announce it to us all

Then stick it to the wall

With a time and place,

Take your time 

this ain't no race.

With no more ado,

I Open Space ...

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Harrison Owen 
  To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 
  Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2003 1:37 PM
  Subject: Re: Is it possible to live OS?

  At 12:49 PM 6/24/2003 +1200, Mike Copeland  wrote:

    I'm finding open space has hit me right between the eyes in the last four months. I'm taking initiative wherever I want to lately and am not waiting for permission; wherever that was meant to come from anyway! I'm actually doing what I want to do. Is that OK? I mean I thought I was meant to do eveything I didn't want to do! 

    The big thing is I'm not intervening anymore. Getting out of the way is so freeing. I feel all my life I've been trained to get IN the way! Although I do miss out on that exhausted feeling.

    I know this may sound like I'm a babbling convert here, but quite honestly if this is living open space long may it continue.

  Sounds like you have it right -- to me. But then what else could I say given my reply to Raffi Aftandelian (above) ? If it is true that life is all about self-organization, as is Open Space, when you remember what you already are, it feels great. Certainly much better than pretending to be something you are not???? Of course, it doesn't always feel great. Sometimes the great hooded monsters of Chaos, Confusion, and Conflict rear their ugly heads, and things can get downright unpleasant, made even more so if we take it as a personal insult because they are not following our plan.

  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

  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

  * * ========================================================== 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 

*
*
==========================================================
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
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20030626/99c4cd48/attachment-0015.htm>