Showing up & being present
Harrison Owen
hhowen at verizon.net
Fri Oct 6 06:14:45 PDT 2006
"Being totally present and absolutely invisible," is I admit a rather
strange suggestion, to say nothing of being (apparently) contradictory if
not paradoxical. And when I wrote it years ago, it seemed just as strange --
but that had been my experience. So don't feel like the Lone Ranger (as we
say here in the Colonies). It is an odd one.
I think you will find that the whole thing is easier with large groups.
After all, when you have 500 people there is not a lot you can "do" that is
likely to have all that much impact on the surrounding chaos. The only
option is just to be there -- present.
My learning over the years is that "presence" has depths and layers of
meaning, and you never quite get to the end. Physical presence is obviously
the first level, but hardly the last. To this I would add, "Intellectual
Presence" -- really paying attention to what is happening and seeking to
understand how and why it is taking place. This is not so much about
specific details of discussion, but rather the total flow of the affair.
Then there is what I might call "emotional presence." I guess I mean being
open to and sensing the ambient feelings and moods -- good and bad.
I am sure there are a couple of other levels, but at least with these two it
is clear that you don't have to "do" anything to be present. But there is
also a problem with these two -- they tend to "hook you." And almost
inevitably you can become attached to a particular out come. When the mood
is sad you look for joy. And perhaps you will feel a sense of failure if the
joy does not appear. But the truth of the matter is (I think) that the
situation is what it is -- and more to the point it is not your situation in
which to either "succeed" or "fail."
There is yet another level which I might call "Silent Presence." Somehow
this goes beyond, beneath Intellect and/or emotions. The power of this level
of presence in terms of grounding/supporting a group is profound, I have
found. Don't ask me how it works, but it does.
Harrison
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, Maryland 20854
Phone 301-365-2093
Skype hhowen
Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website www.ho-image.com
OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the
archives Visit: www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Martin
Truelove
Sent: Friday, October 06, 2006 4:04 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: Showing up & being present
Hi Michael, Tree, everybody,
I think I sometimes show up, but I'm not really 'present', & this thread
has set me thinking about what the difference might be, especially if,
in open space, I can't demonstrate that presence by appearing to do a
great deal!
I'm early on in my OS practice, & it's just this concoction of mind,
intellect & soul that tantalises me so much.
I've just led an OS in London with leaders in the creative sector here
in the UK, & I really felt that my presence made a difference, but I'm
not entirely sure how! So these conversations really help.
All I can say about this list & all the contributors is that it sustains
my faith in OS, keeping my sprits up, helping me to 'hold the
intention'(thanks to you, Christine Whitney Sanchez for that durable
phrase!)& to continue to develop my practice.
With best wishes from the fells (hills!) of northern England.
Martin Truelove
-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of
Michael M Pannwitz
Sent: 28 September 2006 10:15
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: Appreciative Inquiry Course - Teachers College, Columbia U,
Nov. 9/10
Dear Tree,
as usual, your note started me thinking.
Why do I show up on the list?
Showing up is, as I have experienced, the very first prerequisite for
anything to happen. When nobody shows up not much will happen. Now,
showing up (which Loretta has certainly demonstrated)does not mean that
much will happen either (although she has gotten you and me showing up
and more). Being present is the next stage (more than just my body being
in a particular place now my mind, intellect and perhaps even soul are
there), interaction starts unfolding, truth might be told, followed by
the spirit dimension, letting go.
Ok, so why do I show up?
To learn, to contribute, to .... and to market myself and my ideas. So
its me, my passion and the stuff I'm interested in spreading. I wouldn't
be surprised if some others do that in this manner or similarily, too.
The way it is intermingled, embedded, part of a whole...it might be part
of our way of being or perhaps even be part of the open space mentality.
So, how are approaches, products, etc. (such as AI) perceived that show
up on the list "naked" (my assumption is that many of us have no idea of
what AI is, I havent been close to it myself and would not see much of
it other than that it shows up on this list every now and then and that
some of those actively participating in the list are enthusiastic about
it).
So, if Loretta is trying to promote something on this list it might not
be good marketing to do it by only showning up.
Greetings from Berlin
mmp
Tree Fitzpatrick wrote:
> Loretta, it is not the custom of the oslist for people to only show up
> when they want to promote a workshop. If you and Bernard participate
in
> this list as regulars, then I would be happy to learn of your workshop
> but I resist seeing notices lilke this when it feels like you are just
> using the list to market yoursel without meaningfully participating in
> the community.
>
> On 9/27/06, *Loretta Donovan* <loretta.donovan at gmail.com
> <mailto:loretta.donovan at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> Innovations in Business through a Positive Lens:
> Concepts and Practices in
> Appreciative Inquiry
>
> Taught by Renowned Instructors:
>
> Loretta Donovan and Bernard Mohr
>
>
> November 9 & 10, 2006, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
>
> Available for 1.5 CEUs/ non-credit or 1 credit
>
> Register by Phone at 1.800.209.1245 or Online for Course Code
CEOI&ORL
> 2010.001 at
http://continuingeducation.tc.columbia.edu/default.aspx?
> pageid=134&PK=771
>
>
> What if . . .
>
> . . . the quality and speed of organizational transformation
is
> determined by the very questions that we ask? Instead of
grinding
> resistance to change?
>
> . . . companies use inspired action and innovation that
combined
> best practices employees already knew along with their hopes
and
> ideas for the future?
>
> Applying David Cooperrider?s framework of Appreciative Inquiry
(AI), an
> exciting and proven approach to transforming business from his
> intensive
> two-day seminar will explore generative approaches to increasing
> business capacity, fostering creativity and strategically
positioning
> the work of the corporation.
>
> AI builds a constructive union between stakeholders and the
> organization
> based on inquiry into past and present capacities: achievements,
assets,
> strengths, elevated thoughts, opportunities, high point moments,
core
> values, traditions, strategic competencies, insights into the
deeper
> corporate spirit, and visions of valued and possible futures. This
> ?discovery? is then translated into descriptions of a desired
future for
> the organization and its stakeholders ? which in turn serves as
the
> basis for the development of the innovations which will most
rapidly
> move the organization in the direction it seeks to attain.
>
> This introductory course will focus on the five phases of the
> appreciative process: definition of the strategic need, discovery
of
> the
> organization?s positive core, dreaming of the environment in which
> excellence will be fostered in the future, design of the
structures,
> processes and procedures that embody the principles and strategic
> outcomes, and delivery of the initiatives that will move the
business
> forward to its new vision. It will highlight examples from the
> manufacturing, services, consumer goods and healthcare industries.
> Attention will be given to factors essential for effective use of
AI and
> preparing for implementation.
>
> *
> *
> ==========================================================
> OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
<mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
> ------------------------------
> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
> view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu
> <mailto:oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu>:
> http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
> <http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html>
>
> To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
> http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
>
>
>
>
> --
> Love rays,
> Tree Fitzpatrick
>
> . . . the great and incalculable grace of love, which says, with
> Augustine, "I want you to be," without being able to give any
particular
> reason for such supreme and unsurpassable affirmation. -- Hannah
Arendt
> * * ==========================================================
> OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU ------------------------------ To
> subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of
> oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
> http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about
> OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
--
Michael M Pannwitz, boscop eg
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
++49-30-772 8000
www.boscop.de www.michaelmpannwitz.de
Check out the Open Space World Map presently showing 418 resident Open
Space Workers in 68 countries (working in a total of 126 countries
worldwide)
www.openspaceworldmap.org
*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
More information about the OSList
mailing list