Thoughts on Self Organizing

[Cheryl Honey]

Doug:
Good point...organizing is deductive process with an intentional
outcome...while inductive is emergence of what is already present from
within. Open Space fosters emergence of activity and outcomes. No one knows
the outcome...the open space allows people to awaken to matters of the heart
where others who are present support the bearer of the gift and empower them
by acknowledging the person (self) and their offering. I liken the process
to chemistry. Everyone is unique and when combined into a beaker/container
(this can be defined by many variables) everyone is impacted by the presense
of the others. From this combining of selves in the container emerges a
continuous redefining of "self" in "self-organizing" . This is the basis of
my work.

Sometimes these concepts are really challenging to express. Here is a story
I wrote to help get this idea across to the participants in my
transformative community building workshops. I consider my FSN workshop an
open space container...

Topic/Issue: How to create safe and nurturing environments where children
and families thrive.
(Every open space gathering has an intention - this is ours).

PROCESS OF FERMENTATION

People in neighborhoods and in the workplace are like grapes. They live
around each other. Family Support Networking instigates the process of
fermentation, because a healthy community is like a fine wine. People living
in relationship to one another.

What is exciting is each community has it's own combination of grapes, so
each wine has it's own unique flavor.

 In time...Family Support Networking nurtures responsible and resourceful
citizens' who feel empowered to play a part in the solution to making
neighborhoods safe and nurturing places for all families and children.

Question: Since each neighborhood is different...would they come up with the
same solutions to deal with their problems?

 Family Support Networking allows neighborhoods to tap innovative solutions
and access people and their ideas in other neighborhoods. This prevents the
agony of creating something from scratch. Many of the road maps to today's
problems have already been created. All we have to do is get connected to
the great ideas generated from the grassroots.

Family Support Networking enables people to help themselves and empower
others by sharing...ideas, resources, time, money, equipment, expertise,
tears and laughter. Memories which last a lifetime. It is easier than you
think to make a real difference in someone's life.

 Cheryl Honey
Community Weaver
Family Support Network
Bothell, WA
206.240.2241


----- Original Message -----
From: "Douglas D. Germann, Sr." <76066.515 at compuserve.com>
To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2005 11:19 AM
Subject: a very simple reason


> Funda--
>
>  << Maybe it is too much "self" organizing......"self" means you're alone,
> do
>  << anything you can by your own,
>
> Your post brought something out for me--this word "organizing:" is it
> possible we are less about organizing than about something like swarming.
> Not sure I know what to call it. It is a fluid process, never reaching the
> conclusion that the word "organizing" seems to imply. We come into being,
> go out of being, many times each second.
>
> To me, the self in this phrase is not a singular self but a gathering
self.
> Say! Maybe that is a better term for us to use: auto-gathering. Well, not
> sure I like it now that I have typed it.
>
>                               :-Doug. Germann
>                               Seeking people making community change.
>
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