Properties of circles

[Pannwitz, Michael M]

Dear Chris,
just walk the circle and get people to focus on each other.
Skip the rest.
Greetings from Berlin
mmp


On Fri, 9 Jan 2004 15:00:48 -0800, Chris Corrigan wrote:

>Hi folks:
>
>I was writing out the basic script that I use for opening OST meetings
>last night and while reading it I noticed that I spend a lot of time
>introducing people to the ideas and properties of circles.  I think
>circles are fundamentally important to process, and so I'm collecting
>other people's notes and properties of circles.
>
>So here is my script with the three things I usually do to bring the
>circle to awareness.  Have a read and then ask yourself what you can add
>to this.  What are the other cool properties of circles?
>
>                Circles are really rather neat forms of geometry because
>they force us to have a look at things in a particular way.   For
>example in a circle, we don't really know who "the leader" is.  In fact
>we may be forgiven for thinking that the leader is either not here, or
>is each one of us.  And as a leader who is not here cannot do anything,
>it must be that each one of is a leader.
>
>                Also circles teach us that there are some things that
>can only be done by groups.  For example, you will notice that this
>circle of chairs isn't really a very good circle.  It's actually a
>strangely distorted ellipse.  That is because for one person to set up a
>perfect circle of chairs on their own is a nearly impossible task.  But
>I'll show you a small miracle.  I'll stand in the centre here and ask
>all of you to stand by your chairs.  Now square up so that you are
>facing me and when you've done that check to see that you are sitting
>slightly behind your two neighbours.  Now sit down.  Have a look around.
>You have just made a perfect circle.  This is something only a group can
>do and it took only a few seconds.  If I had had to do that it would
>have taken me hours.  This is important to note.  It's as if we all
>carry the coordinates for calibrating a circle within us but they can
>only be activated by acting along with several others.
>
>                Finally, here's one more thing about a circle.  If I
>stand in the middle then you will all agree that you are looking at me.
>But none of you will agree that you have the same view of me.  You can
>see me, but your perspective is absolutely unique.  It is not shared by
>anyone else.  We agree on the object of our observation but none of us
>share the same perspective.  Remember that today as we work on these
>issues.  Without each perspective we would not have a full picture.  If
>you were all behind me then none of you could say with certainty that I
>had a face.  By surrounding me we have the whole picture, but we have to
>ask one another about the pieces that we are missing.  If you folks
>sitting behind me want to know how many fingers I'm holding up, you have
>to ask this person I'm facing.  That's how it is with problems too.
>Remember that today.
>
>
>So what else can we build into our openings about circles?
>
>Chris
>
>[PS Florian.some of this probably qualifies as "even"]
>
>
>
>---
>CHRIS CORRIGAN
>Bowen Island, BC, Canada
>http://www.chriscorrigan.com
>chris at chriscorrigan.com
>
>(604) 947-9236
>
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Noch 8 Plätze zu vergeben zur 3. Lernwerkstatt für open space-BegleiterInnen vom 25. bis 28. Januar 2004 in Vlotho. Jetzt anmelden   www.michaelmpannwitz.de/o_lernwerkstatt2004.htm

Michael M Pannwitz, boscop
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
FON: +49 - 30-772 8000   FAX: +49 - 30-773 92 464
www.michaelMpannwitz.de
www.openspace-landschaft.de

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