A Quiet Time

Fri Mar 3 03:38:29 PST 2006

Nice reflections Paul - not all that weird, although we might want to be a
little careful with all that touchy-feely stuff. Our reputation, you know
:-)

I am not a physicist - but I have wandered about in that world a bit, and
one of the things I have learned is  that everything from the atom on down
(so to speak) is pure energy. And an atom therefore is just some dense
energy. A bunch of atoms is even denser energy - and with enough atoms you
eventually get a "thing" - animal, person, planet, star. but it is still all
energy. Sometimes this energy radiates - stars shine. I guess people do to.
Which is another way of saying that the energy extends over time/space - but
it is still the same old energy, albeit in perhaps in somewhat different
form. So then you get to Paul's point about old light, and how we don't even
know if the stars we see exist. I guess that is one way of looking at it.
But you could also understand our perception of the star to be a very
Realtime reality. In short we are not looking at an "old" star which is a
long way away. We are looking at the star-as-light right NOW. It is all
continuous energy.

So where am I going with this? It might be something like - "everything is
always connected. It is not about past and present. It is all one big Now,
if we have the sense to perceive it." I rather like this idea, particularly
in Open Space, but elsewhere too. I am a great fan of touching, especially
hugs - and our reality, should we choose to see it that way - is just one
big hug. That is often my experience in a really good Open Space.

Harrison 

Harrison Owen

7808 River Falls Drive

Potomac, Maryland   20854

Phone 301-365-2093

Skype hhowen

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

Open Space Institute  <http://www.openspaceworld.org/>
www.openspaceworld.org

Personal website  <http://www.ho-image.com/> www.ho-image.com 

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-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of
EVERETT813 at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2006 4:25 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: A Quiet Time

Dear Fellow 'Spaceniks':

Well, this is going to be weird, be warned.

Wendy wrote:

"This principle is an opportunity to invite the presence of each soul
gathered--to invite them as fully as possible into the present moment."

This provoked a remembrance in me about what I felt at the time was a
profound insight.  It may or may not be to others.  It has to do with
physics and light.  And it has to do with being "fully as possible in the
present moment" with others.  When is that, anyway?

When we look out at any celestial object, sun, moon, 'star', etc., we are
seeing old light, that is, the light of the past moment in time in our
present moment in time.  Thus, from the point of view of us, the viewer, we
are seeing the past.  As a silly example, the light we get from the sun is
about 9 minutes old, as I recall.  We don't know if nine minutes from now,
or in the next second for that matter, the sun won't 'wink out'.
Fortunately, so far, it hasn't.

When we we see an impossible-to-fathom galaxy far, far away, we don't really
know that it exists in our now because it took millions of our years for the
light from that galaxy to reach us.  Millions of years of linear time have
passed for that galaxy.  It is really, really "old" light.  It could have
entered a black hole meanwhile and right now, in this present moment, it
might be disappearing.  We simply don't know because the light hasn't gotten
here yet to tell us of its changed circumstances.

So, what does this have to do with being here, now, in this present moment.
Well, when I am standing in front of another person in a room, even just
three feet apart, the light coming from that person is in an infinitesimally
small bit of time in the past.  Scotty could beam that person up and I would
realize they were gone a nanosecond later (more silliness).  Thus, in
physics and light, we are never in the EXACT same time as the person we are
talking to as long as we are not touching.  Each is in the infinitesimally
small past of the other.  

However, the insight was that when we are touching, and only then, are we
able to be fully present in the exact same time-moment with another human
being.  Thus, hugging is so rewarding on multiple levels.  We are truly
'together' at that moment.  Holding hands is another example, as is making
love, giving a massage, etc.  Fully present, fully alive, fully functioning
in the same physical time/space moment.  Thus, touching is transformative.
It is the moment when healing of all kinds can occur (doesn't necessarily
happen, but can occur).  It was mind blowing for me at the time and still
is.  Because the present moment is the only time transformation can occur.
Whew!!

Well, what might this have to do with open space sessions?  I've often
wondered what the energy flow might be if we were connected by holding
hands, touching bare feet, etc., during a discussion session (some would be
rendered speechless because they can't wave their hands---that thought
occurred to me, lol) and whether or not the psychic energy bouncing around
in the exact same space/time continuum might not produce insights and aha's
of an order of magnitude 'greater' than now is achieved.  

I warned you this was going to be weird.   :)

Paul Everett

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