Mystery and Depth

Fri May 6 07:41:27 PDT 2005

I don't think this is so weird at all. One of the more interesting phenomena
I have observed in virtually every Open Space I have been a part of is the
emergence of what I can only call the collective consciousness. Signs of its
presence appear in the manifestation of common themes that permeate all or
most discussions. I would call this true consensus, as distinct from the
sort of consensus that arises through some sort of programmed activity,
usually called consensus building - but which in most cases seems to be more
like a reduction to the lowest common denominator. But that is just a start.
Full bloom, this collective consciousness seems quite capable of making a
"rational decision" followed by actions. What is unique in the situation is
no observable person or group "makes" the decision, nor is there any sort of
vote or formal decision making. But the decisions and the resultant actions
are inescapable. It occurs to me that the powerful effectiveness of the
convergence effected by Peggy, Chris, et al - done simply by opening space
again at the end of an event - may be yet another manifestation of the
collective consciousness at work. Where it comes from, I don't have a clue,
but its origins would certainly have to be quite primal and deep. In short,
it seems to be something that we already know, as opposed to a later day
learning. Also the fact that it appears, in my experience, in cultures and
places of all sorts would suggest that this is something common to humanity,
and not just a special case.

Harrison

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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-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Wendy
Farmer-O'Neil
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2005 1:13 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Mystery and Depth

Hi all,

Just talked to Chris C. and he tells me that I HAVE to post this here...it's
an excerpt from today's entry on my blog.  I am feeling a bit unsure of
it...this is very raw thinking and even I don't really know where this came
from...Chris assures me that you will understand...

From: word gravity 

www.wordgravity.blogspot.com

Trying out some raw stuff on you again...
My friend  <http://www.chriscorrigan.com/> Chris Corrigan has been wondering
about the wonderful mystery that is
<http://www.globalchicago.net/wiki/wiki.cgi?GlobalChicagoHome> Open Space
and the depth that he feels functioning there. He has asked his community to
think about it...so here I go...pulling some threads...

I am currently reading  <http://www.openspaceworld.com/> Harrison Owen's,
The Power of Spirit. In it he pulls out this interesting tidbit from Gregory
Bateson, "the perception of difference is the essence of learning...learning
occurs when we notice 'differences that make a difference'." I guess I'd
probably say differences that matter--assuming there is a quality of
attention here. Harrison then spins it out by combining it with the
attributes of chaos..."chaos creates the differences that make a difference,
through which we learn."

Chaos draws the attention of the soul (rather than merely mind). Mattering
is the quality of attention that drives the self-organising principle. So
what is 'mattering'? The recognition/mirroring of the soul's
purpose?/passion? in another being/object/idea...from which connection, the
chain of action/arising unfolds...thought, action, and so on...

Add to that this interesting quote from
<http://blogs.salon.com/0002007/2005/05/04.html#a1133> Dave Pollard's site
yesterday (talking about John Livingston's 1994, Rogue Primate)...

He argues that, far from being less conscious than civilized man, wild
animals and wild human cultures actually have a greater 'participatory
collective' consciousness beyond...our primitive individual consciousness,
that extends to their ecological community and to the entire Gaia organism
of the planet, an interconnectedness to which we, and other domesticates,
have become numb, have lost from disuse or ideological counter-programming.

So, maybe, Open Space with its manifest chaos acts to un-numb us, as it
were, and reconnect us with our wild soul-mind...

I am also pulling in thinking from  <http://www.ericmaisel.com/> Eric Maisel
(Fearless Creating), who talks about the necessity within the creative
process of feeding and nurturing the "wild mind" (chaotic, original, deep)
versus the "tame mind" (structured, known, prosaic). 

Phew...that's enough of that...

Cheers all,

Wendy

Wendy Farmer-O'Neil
Prospera Communications & Consulting Services
1.250.713.2351/1.800.713.2351
weblog: www.wordgravity.blogspot.com

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