A Note from Carol

Wed Apr 13 08:21:52 PDT 2005

Apparently my response to Carol went (originally) only to her. Which turned
out to be fortuitous as she sent me a delightful note in return. I know I am
probably in error, so I will just say I am sorry to Carol - and press on.
What she had to say really made me smile, and I think it has a lot to do
with the "access" thread. So I pass it along with apologies (if necessary).

***************

Thanks Harrison, you always raise up my spirit. BTW I was the only one to
receive your below email, so my little Rojet  has become six months today.
He is a very special little one, I keep saying to him lately how much he
inspires me and what I receive from him is more and more inspiration. He
went with me to a two OS for Arab leaders from all over Israel a week ago,
Osama took care of him. But every time I have five minutes I would go and
spent it with him. The whole event was a very remarkable one. I managed to
facilitate one of the most challenging groups I ever met. Very conflicted
and diverse group of people, Christians, Moslems, Druze, Bedouins and other.
In the beginning they didn't like each other at all, at least to say. At the
end of the second day they were thankful to each other for the rich
experience and for being listened to "for the first time" as they stated. I
even ended up helping them summaries all results in a booklet which they
said it is so precious to them. Once I have time I will write about this
experience and my learning to you and to all the list.meanwhile this
Thursday I will have an Israeli Palestinian (from Israel with Tova) OS
meeting for two days, wish me luck my friend.

Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, Maryland   20845
Phone 301-365-2093

Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com/>

Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm
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>From  Wed Apr 13 11:35:41 2005
Message-Id: <WED.13.APR.2005.113541.0400.>
Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 11:35:41 -0400
Reply-To: robyn at litglobal.com
To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
From: Robyn S Berkessel <robyn at litglobal.com>
Organization: LIT Global
Subject: Re: What I have learned
In-Reply-To: <425C9026.3030608 at mira.net>
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

The question for me is in the present continuous - what am I learning?
Participatory planning meetings have been part of my modus operandi since
the mid 80s when I was trained in  Search Conferencing a la Fred and
Merrelyn Emery (Australia).  Approx 10 years later I was told about Open
Space Technology.  I read some and loved it; and, finally after too many
years, I had the great fortune of attending Harrison's opening space on the
Practice of Peace at the invitation of Michael Herman in Chicago only last
year.   Having experienced the Practice of Peace,  living in open space  is
now a continuous learning process of discovering I can open space daily /
hourly when I need it for me, and for and with others.   It helps me in
times of urgency, frustrated with desire to make a difference.   In such
times Harrison's words "we muddle through" come up for me.   They are so
leveling and humbling.  They allow me to catch my breath and settle....the
principles of self-organizing simply are.   My husband, Juergen, also
attended in Chicago, so we have that wonderful experience in common.   We
feel blessed.    Professionally, I am far more patience and gracious;  when
I can open space with clients I love it because I know they will benefit.  I
would like it to happen more, but when it happens, it happens and it's
powerful.  I feel empowered as the participants take back their own power
and it's powerful in every sense - we connect to something deeper and more
powerful than we ever could as individuals and it moves us all.

Thank you, HO, and all you wonderful people: your stories mostly send
tingles up my spine.  I read the OSList.serv and so often find myself
bowing my head in gratitude.  I am learning.

Robyn
  _____

Robyn Stratton-Berkessel
LIT Global ...connecting the dots
+1 732 291 0462
http://www.litglobal.com

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Brian S
Bainbridge
Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2005 11:21 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: What I have learned

Dear Harrison
Talking recently with Larry Peterson, it became clear
that I had omitted one of the important learnings from these recent years.
And I am labeling it "The Role of Ritual". I recall that, at Days Inn in
perhaps the Third International OSonOS, you just opened the space by saying
something like "Well here we all are, and we all know what to do - so let's
get on with it". I, and Larry (and I have heard you say) reckon that the
ritual at the start of an OS gathering is very important. It would be no
surprise to you to hear me say how important I see ritual as being, given
that you and I are priests.  We may not understand its origin or its full
meaning, but its impact is always something that matters in some fashion to
those present.  The same applies, IMHO, in an OS Event. Walking the circle,
engaging the eyes, focusing the spirit, opening the space, inviting the
participation and the passions to emerge, etc. - all vital. No less vital is
the opportunity, I believe, of evoking spirit with some kind of talking
stick exercise at the close of the event, which challenges/invites
participants to touch into their own soul and share whatever they are able
to with others present. That, too, is ritual of a special and growing kind.
Enough from me. Cheers and blessings,  BRIAN

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