open_space - "law of choice"

Sun Mar 14 13:04:49 PST 2004

I agree with what has been said about working for what one cares about, to
stand on one's feet and stay with a topic even when it is difficult. At
least to do so when it is right to do so.

I'd like to share about the law of two feet from another perspective. I have
found myself in sessions at an open space event where I felt quite certain
that I was in  the right place for me to be.  When the topic went up in the
marketplace, boom!, I was sure I knew where I needed to be.  And I went
there.

On a few occasions, I have been right there in a session, caring about the
topic under discussion, feeling quite in my right place when, uh-oh, I start
getting an inner nudge that I am in the wrong place. So I have an inner
dialogue, "what is going on?" I ask myself.  "I want to be here in this
room."  Sometimes I argue with myself, telling myself it would be rude to
get up and leave my colleagues in the midst of, perhaps, a difficult
conversation.  Sometimes I tell myself that it is not good to flee difficult
conversations.  Sometimes I fret that I will be seen as impolite.  Then I
remember I am in open space.  I remember I am free.

On a very few occasions, I have trusted my inner nudge to leave a session.
I have left sessions without having a clue about where I should go but clear
that I was supposed to leave the sesssion I just left.

On these very few occasions, of course, I have stumbled into the right
place.  Each time I have honored the law of two feet when it starts telling
me to move in the middle of a session, I have had conversations I really
REALLy was supposed to have or made connections I was supposed to make that
I would not have made if I had stayed.

Now when a flutter of doubt arises in me about being in my right place, I
move.  I am free, under the law of two feet, to leave a session and return.
I am free to take a walk.  I am free to be wherever what is meant to happen
can happen.

The law of two feet works in many ways.  Is there something about not being
attached to outcome?
If the law of two feet works for me, it works for all.  Is trust embedded in
the law?  I think so.

>From: Marei Kiele <MareiKiele at web.de>
>Reply-To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
>To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>Subject: Re: open_space - "law of choice"
>Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2004 20:47:39 +0100
>
>Dear Vona,
>
>I would like to add something to you question "2" - something Peggy Holman
>wrote some time ago: That the law of the two feet does not only open the
>space to walk away but to stand on my two feet and work for whatever I care
>about as well. To be "brave" as you said it.
>
>What makes it different to stay and be "brave" (as you said) is the
>knowledge that everybody else has the right and the oppurtunity to walk
>away and use their to feet whenever they feel like. I have a better feeling
>standing up for what I care about knowing all the time that I am not
>forcing others, that they don't HAVE to be there with me.
>
>And coming to conflicts: Who wants to avoid a confrontation can do it. But
>who cares deeply will stay in contact or come back. And then the contact
>can develop on a deeper lever than feeling forced to.
>
>This for me is the gift of the law - making it easy not only to leave but
>to stay as well.
>
>Hope this helped in any way,
>it did for me,
>
>Marei
>
>
>
>Dear EVerybody experienced in Open Space,
>
>I am doing a research o n the use of O.S. in the Catholic church. It is
>connected to an O.S .even held last autumn in Hungary. I've made several
>interviews with the participants and many quesitons arouse. If you have any
>ideas, opinions about the following quesitons. Feel free to answer.
>
>1. If the participants do not know much about O.S. in advance, they can
>bring up a topic, but can they take responsibility for their topic if they
>did not have the chance to prepare for that topic?
>
>2. The Law of Two Feet can give you the chance to "step out" of those
>situations, which seem to be awkward and problematic but if you are brave
>enough and stay there, maybe you can solve your problems. Isn't it
>dangerous to step out of each situation which we find at first sight
>uncomfortable or boring. Maybe it is just the temptation to escape and
>avoid something.
>
>3. Have you ever participated in an O.S. in religious context? What was
>your experience?
>
>4. Many religious people expect guidance from the church. But in an O.S.
>everybody can bring up topics and there is no guidance. IN a religious
>context people need spiritual guidance, they want to be filled with words
>and want to be supported. How can O.S. work for these type of people?
>
>
>
>I look forward to any replies.
>
>Best wishes, Andrea Vona, University of Economic Sciences, Budapest,
>Hugary.
>
>
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