The Question of Openness

Mon Jan 2 12:45:10 PST 2006

This is a great discussion on boundaries, especially given the interesting
relationship of an open space to its ³boundaries.² Boundary in social and
other bio-based architectures can be a point of enclosure, entry, or
transition. At the boundary, familiar meets unfamiliar, known meets unknown,
heaven meets earth.

In open spaces I observe, I trust that if I interact with non-judgment and
non-interference, the group will discover and reinvent its own boundaries.
Often, this means what used to be enclosures becomes new entries and
transitions. And there is where the magic begins ...

Jack

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jack ricchiuto
two.one.six/three.seven.three/seven.four.seven.five
www.designinglife.com / www.appreciativeleadership.com

> From: Pat Black <patblack at paulbunyan.net>
> Reply-To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
> Date: Mon, 2 Jan 2006 10:06:17 -0600
> To: <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
> Subject: The Question of Openness
> 
> The issue of boundaries is a fascinating one to me.  In the living, boundaries
> that define life are semi-permeable membranes.  Solid concrete boundaries like
> the walls you described Harrison spell certain death to the living.  The
> living transform their space with their living making it toxic to their
> current needs for living.  Permeability allows for toxic waste to escape to
> the environment and be used for other processes while allowing new nutrient
> rich materials to pass through the membrane into the cell.  Only what the cell
> can use passes through the membrane.  That is what insures its living.  For me
> this is the heart of the brilliance of Open Space, particularly the principles
> like "whoever comes is the right people etc."  It all fits perfectly with the
> organizing principles of creation which have delivered life.
> 
> I think of the individual people who show up for open space as the organelles
> and nutrients of the cell.  Each one has a contribution to make, even the ones
> that create toxicity.  Each component can only be themselves and I suspect
> they are blind to the concrete ways the selfs aggregate into collaboration and
> ever new creation.  The new creation is the surprise and surprises prepare the
> ground for ever new creations.  The measure of success in these groups of
> people who come together to open space is, were you surprised, how were you
> surprised?  If we are present in the creation there is always surprise, there
> is always revelation.
> 
> I do some work with organizations, non-profits usually, that work for balance
> in the world. Typically they are social justice groups, environmental groups,
> peace workers.  Typically the people in these groups are very heady.  They
> understand the world through their developed analytic skills and linguistic
> abilities and their passionate response to injustice or unbalance.  When
> different groups start working together on joint issues things often break
> down around linguistic descriptions or what I think is actually their
> orientation to the problem, their viewpoint or perspective.  So one of the
> things I often do is have participants draw pictures with big fat crayons of
> their viewpoint of whatever the issue is.  Then we look at the pictures and
> describe what we actually see, like the picture is all red.  Then we describe
> what we thing the artist is trying to say,  how we feel, what we learned, how
> we feel  about the learning until the collective ahas begin.  The ahas are of
> co!
> urse the surprise percolating as the deconstruction of concrete boundaries
> allow permeability.
> 
> And Harrison in the case of the Artist institute the invitation was open to
> anyone in the state so he was invited and has come more than once.  One of the
> great things about Bill is through his holding of space instead of management
> of the situation  the situation resolves itself and the provocateur is always
> welcome as the demolition expert for those concrete walls we are all prone to
> building.
> pat black
> Date:    Sun, 1 Jan 2006 11:00:26 -0500
> From:    Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net>
> Subject: The Question of Openness
> 
> Open Space is a curious beast. It is open, but always within certain
> boundaries. Absent the boundaries, and there would be no defined space =
> (to
> be opened). So whatever Open Space is all about - it is not about the
> elimination of boundaries. They seem to come with the territory. But =
> that
> said - we have obviously not said it all. Just a start!
> 
> First there is the nature of the boundaries. For some people, when you =
> say
> "boundary" the conjured image is immutable concrete walls, all set about
> with razor wire. Now that for sure is a boundary, and perhaps necessary
> under some conditions. The concrete wall is a boundary established by =
> the
> powers that be with the objective of containment (The Berlin Wall - =
> keeps
> the citizens in), or protection (The Great Wall of China-keeps the
> barbarians out). Or maybe both? But that is definitely not the sort of
> boundary I would anticipate in Open Space.
> 
> For me, the boundary in Open Space has a very different origin and =
> function.
> The boundary in Open Space has its origin in the people who care to show =
> up.
> This is obvious even in purely physical terms. To be sure, some one =
> person
> may rent the hall and set up the chairs, but you don't have an open =
> space
> until the people arrive. No people, no open space - and also no =
> boundary.
> Just a bunch of empty chairs! But when the people come, as they usually =
> do,
> the assembled circle of folks describes the edges (boundaries) of an =
> empty
> space. And while nothing is physically present there is still a massive
> presence consisting of all the (as yet unspoken) hopes and fears of =
> those
> who cared to come. The people create the boundary and its function is
> neither to contain nor protect them (the people), but rather to provide =
> a
> welcoming space for all that they are and hope to become.
> 
> This people-created-boundary is not set in concrete, for almost as =
> quickly
> as it is established it dissolves into multiple new open spaces with =
> their
> attendant boundaries. And so it goes through an endless process of =
> creation
> and dissolution, stasis and disequilibrium. In the moment (perhaps a
> nanosecond) it all seems quite fixed, but in fact there is a continuous
> flow. It is the flow of organism, or life. Were that flow to cease, life
> would cease; the open space vanishes with a poof!=20
> 
> So much for the poetry and abstractions! This understanding of bounded =
> open
> space has some very practical implications and applications, I think. =
> For
> example, the notion that the space/boundaries are created by all those =
> who
> cared to come casts the role of "The Organizing Body" (be that the =
> Corporate
> Executive Committee or a single person) in a rather different light. It =
> is
> not about exclusion, but rather inclusion - of all those who might care =
> to
> come. Obviously there may be some practical limitations (the room is too
> cramped, the budget too small), but each of these represents a =
> compromise to
> the potential power of the open space. And to be sure, life is always a
> series of compromises which just have to be "lived with." But that does =
> not
> make them any less compromising.
> 
> However, when the organizing body seeks to exercise its role in an =
> exclusive
> fashion - all under the heading of insuring that the "right people" show =
> up,
> it always seems to me that "compromising" turns into its completed state =
> -
> Compromised! As Michael H. points out such situations do exist, as when =
> it
> is determined that the Open Space is "only" available for Senior =
> Management.
> As if Senior Management was the only folks who cared?!?!?
> 
> And what about the strangers? Particularly those strangers who are =
> deemed to
> be socially unacceptable? Pat Black tells of the "Provocateur" who =
> showed up
> at the Arts Open Space. Doubtless, he or she was not on the guest list. =
> And
> I am sure that his/her performance made many of the participants =
> distinctly
> uncomfortable, all the while offering Bill Cleveland (the facilitator) =
> an
> anxious moment or two. But I would be willing to be any amount that the =
> open
> space became full, exciting, and rich - filled with deep learning =
> moments of
> surprising sorts. And none of that could have occurred with the =
> obnoxious
> stranger.=20
> 
> So anyhow, Open Space has boundaries for sure. But we may want to =
> explore
> their nature, origin, and purpose. It could be they are not what they =
> seem.
> Be prepared to be surprised!
> 
> Harrison
> NEW EMAIL ADDRESS!!!!
> hhowen at verizon.net
> Harrison Owen
> 7808 River Falls Drive
> Potomac, Maryland   20854
> Phone 301-365-2093
> Skype hhowen
> 
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