Seeds of self-organisation
Wendy Farmer-O'Neil
wendy at xe.net
Wed May 20 23:17:23 PDT 2009
Hi John,
It is still all self-organization--which is the point. We are all in
the ever-emergent flow of all that is. End of story. Whether you are
engaged in nurturing the flowers, smelling the flowers, or paving them
over, you are part of a self-organizing system. Self-organization
isn't a panacea for all that ails us, it IS the way things work. Good,
bad, ugly. Period. The degree to which you understand this and can
consciously capitalize on it--determines your personal experience of
freedom (responsibility). The deeper your understanding of self-
organization, the more choices you have at your disposal for how you
want to respond to influences in your environment--coercion being one
of them.
This is where having a bit of Aikido under your belt (sorry) can
help. Coercion is simply a vector of intention that is attempting to
either pull or push me off my center. If i am dedicated to non-
violence and peace, i want to get out of the way of that vector at the
same time as protecting the other person from their own bad
intention. So, if i check in with my own center and discover that
this vector is a pull, i don't resist the pull, i enter firmly
(keeping my own center). The person doing the pulling is now off
balance; i have taken their center. They have to now respond with a
new intention. If the vector is a push, again i don't resist it, i
turn. I see what they want me to see and in the process, take their
center while keeping mine. Again, they now must respond to me with a
new intention. This takes very little effort on my part, but a lot of
effort on theirs. Which of us will tire first?
So how does that look in interpersonal interactions? Here is a very
basic example: I am standing around smelling the roses. Mmmm.
Someone comes up and says, "Don't you have something more productive
to do?" I can say, "Thank you. I hear you value hard work and
effectiveness." I have taken an aggressive, angry, blaming vector and
stepped to the side of it, avoiding the blow. I have offered my own
vector of generative and appreciative reflection and kept connection
to the other. The conversations we can have from here are endless. I
have avoided solidifying into conflict. I am still flowing, still
have my full repertoire of possibilities. And i have opened space for
the other person to have many more possibilities also.
All we can do, John, is take responsibility for what we care about and
open space with a smile inviting others to do likewise.
Does that help at all?
Cheers,
Wendy
On 20-May-09, at 11:26 AM, John Rapp wrote:
> Harrison,
>
> How do you view coercion? "Force is not the way at all," enjoins Lao
> Tzu. But my own experience is that those of us who smell & allow the
> flowers to bloom are subject to others who prefer to push the river.
> They may/often fail, eventually. They affect a lot, now.
>
> Best,
> John
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On May 20, 2009, at 5:19 AM, Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net> wrote:
>
>> Christy -- I hate to seem like piling on -- but from where I sit self
>> organization is well beyond the seeding stage. It is in full bloom
>> and has
>> been for 13.7 billion years. It is just that some people won't stop
>> to smell
>> the flowers. Their loss.
>>
>> Harrison
>>
>> Harrison Owen
>> 189 Beaucaire Ave
>> Camden, ME 04843
>> 207-763-3261 (Summer)
>> 301-365-2093 (Winter)
>> Website www.openspaceworld.com
>> Personal Website www.ho-image.com
>> OSLIST To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options
>> http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of
>> Michael M
>> Pannwitz
>> Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 4:43 AM
>> To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>> Subject: Seeds of self-organisation
>>
>> Dear Christine,
>> I intrigued myself with your images:
>> unleashing self-organisation, stuffing the genie back into the
>> bottle,
>> seeds taking root...
>> Even though I assume to understand what you mean, it struck me that I
>> want to be more clear on the following:
>> - there is no way to "leash" self organisation
>> - its never been in a bottle
>> - its already deeply rooted, regardless of how much control or
>> ignoring
>> is employed.
>> I know that an OST event can be shut down hard and quick when control
>> takes hold but, of course, self-organisation will not be shut down.
>> To me, these "subtleties" are important, because I humble myself with
>> them and liberate myself from wanting to figure out the system or
>> being
>> attached to outcome...helping me to focus ("simply")on attempting to
>> hold time and space.
>> Greetings from Berlin where the first radishes of the year found
>> their
>> way from our garden to the kitchen table today...
>> mmp
>>
>> Christine Whitney Sanchez wrote:
>>> John & Rory,
>> ......
>>>
>>> John, what is also of interest to me is when the sponsors seem to be
>>> ready to unleash self-organization and once the genie is out of the
>>> bottle, want to try to stuff it back in. In those cases, I watch
>>> for
>>> where the self-organization seeds have taken root, even if the
>>> formal
>>> system seems to be ignoring them.
>>>
>>> Thanks for the great discussion.
>>>
>>> Warm wishes from toasty Phoenix,
>>>
>>> Christine
>>>
>>>
>>> *
>>> *
>>> ==========================================================
>>> 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
>>>
>>>
>>> Christine Whitney Sanchez
>>> Collaborative Wisdom & Strategy
>>> 480.759.0262
>>> www.christinewhitneysanchez.com
>>> Skype: christinewhitneysanchez
>>> P Please consider the environment before printing this email
>>>
>>> On May 14, 2009, at 8:26 AM, Rory O'Connor wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi John & Christine,
>>>
>>> I'm probably more practised in Spiral Dynamics that OST - which is
>>> not
>>> saying a whole lot. What I thought Spiral Dynamics could bring to
>>> OST
>>> was insight into how we might engage with people at all stages of
>>> the
>>> process - from forming the theme i.e. someone living in CO/Red Life
>>> conditions is not going to want to sit around and reach consensus
>>> on a
>>> theme. Likewise, DP/Blue and ER/Orange are probably going to have
>>> different questions that need to be answered in order to feel
>>> comfortable with the process. I do find that people living in FS/
>>> Green
>>> are probably most open to Open Space because of the emphasis on
>>> valuing
>>> other human beings. GT/Yellow might use it if/when it is
>>> appropriate to
>>> the Life Conditions of the people they are working with. They may
>>> opt
>>> for something else if THAT is what is required.
>>>
>>> It's not to say that OST would not work, it's just that how it's
>>> introduced may need to be tweaked. And again, my caveat on all this
>>> is
>>> that I have only facilitated a handful of OST events
>>>
>>> I'd love to explore more about how both OST and Spiral Dynamics
>>> might
>>> inform each other, and look forward to your response.
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>>
>>> Rory
>>>
>>>
>>> On 14 May 2009, at 15:52, Christine Whitney Sanchez wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi John,
>>>>
>>>> I suspect many of us on the list have "dabbled in Spiral Dynamics".
>>>> I've seen OST as a second tier methodology that works all the way
>>>> down
>>>> the spiral. How about you?
>>>>
>>>> Warm wishes on this beautiful Phoenix morning,
>>>>
>>>> Christine
>>>> * * ==========================================================
>>>> 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
>>>>
>>>> Christine Whitney Sanchez
>>>> Collaborative Wisdom & Strategy
>>>> 480.759.0262
>>>> www.christinewhitneysanchez.com
>>>> Skype: christinewhitneysanchez
>>>> P Please consider the environment before printing this email
>>>>
>>>> On May 13, 2009, at 12:33 PM, John Rapp wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Michael/Peggy & fellow OSTers -- I've used OS/WR principles for
>>>> many
>>>> years in my work, which is mainly in & around law firms. I did 2
>>>> major open spaces, both for 100 so people, in Jakarta (1999) and
>>>> Taipei (2002). Both were very successful on the day, and sources
>>>> of
>>>> sadness after, as the "powers" chose to ignore 99% of what came up.
>>>>
>>>> I want to try again, as one of my personal missions is improve the
>>>> world by changing the practice of law/yers. I'd love to help, and
>>>> hear others' experiences with law. And anyone who has dabbled in
>>>> Spiral Dynamics in this context would pique interest too.
>>>>
>>>> Best
>>>> John
>>>>
>>>> On May 9, 2009, at 10:55 PM, Peggy Holman
>>>> <peggy at opencirclecompany.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Michael,
>>>>>
>>>>> I did an OS with a law firm a few years ago. It included all of
>>>>> the
>>>>> support staff and none of the attorneys. It was a productive,
>>>>> successful meeting for them. The main thing I'd say is that we
>>>>> were
>>>>> a strange cultural mix. They never really felt that comfortable
>>>>> with
>>>>> me, but they sure liked the experience. As an example of the
>>>>> cultural challenge, I often suggest a few minutes of silence
>>>>> when a
>>>>> group gets together at the end of the day or on the second
>>>>> morning.
>>>>> This is one of the few groups that made it clear that this didn't
>>>>> work for them. It just made them uncomfortable. So, after
>>>>> trying it
>>>>> once, we simply got on to talking about the day.
>>>>>
>>>>> Peggy
>>>>>
>>>>> ______________________________
>>>>> Peggy Holman
>>>>> The Open Circle Company
>>>>> 15347 SE 49th Place
>>>>> Bellevue, WA 98006
>>>>> 425-746-6274
>>>>> www.opencirclecompany.com
>>>>>
>>>>> For the new edition of The Change Handbook, go to:
>>>>> www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook
>>>>>
>>>>> "An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not
>>>>> get
>>>>> burnt, is to become
>>>>> the fire".
>>>>> -- Drew Dellinger
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Apr 30, 2009, at 7:10 PM, Michael Wood wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> I am talking with a bunch of lawyers in a couple of weeks about
>>>>>> "sustainability" in the legal profession. i.e. sustainability of
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> lawyers themselves since they often seem to work under such
>>>>>> punishing conditions - depression on the increase etc.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Any stories out there about use of Open Space in law firms?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Michael Wood
>>>>>> * * ==========================================================
>>>>>> 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
>>>> * * ==========================================================
>>>> 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
>>>
>>>
>>> *
>>> *
>>> ==========================================================
>>> 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
>> mmpanne at boscop.org
>> www.boscop.org
>>
>>
>> Check out the Open Space World Map presently showing 468 resident
>> Open
>> Space Workers in 73 countries working in a total of 139 countries
>> worldwide
>> Have a look:
>> 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
>
Wendy Farmer-O'Neil
CEO Prospera Consulting
wendy at xe.net
1-800-713-2351
The moment of change is the only poem. -- Adrienne Rich
*
*
==========================================================
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