Opening space 24X7 --Wave Riders Unite!

Tue Feb 16 06:22:19 PST 2010

Reposting this lengthy note sent to OS list from yesterday.  Seems it posts
on the Board but does not email out for some quirky reason  perhaps related
to gmail?!

Even in Florida, we hibernate, without the snow but certainly with lots of
cold this year.  Hibernating is what I have been doing after a
"traumatizing" and "exhilarating" year of personal growth in 2009 much of it
instigated by Open Space which captured my soul and fought with my
intellect. 

Harrison's invitation last December "Opening Space 24 X 7: Wave Rider's
Unite"  attracted me because I read into it a collective "call to action"
for what Open Space can offer to a world riddled with pain, fear, chaos,
confusion and conflict...more than any of us have probably seen in our
lifetime. It would seem that on the basis of this very great need, we could
just go do it!  

And yet for me, I had to pause, and open up time and space in my life before
rushing right in. 

Borrowing from a concept in Harrison's book The Practice of Peace in which
he eloquently dummies up some of Ken Wilber's work, I can attest that a
little over a year ago, I was at the fourth level of consciousness called
"Intellect" which means I valued control, helping, fixing, doing, planning
and the exhausting list goes on.  Some days I'm still there though now I
truly feel myself shifting to others places called Soul and Spirit, feeling
the exhilaration and pain which puts me face to face with all those things
that I used to do which don't make me proud.  Lucky, I am pretty good at
self-compassion. 

When you have lived the addiction of helping, fixing, and organizing, it
hits you hard and you have to heal a bit, forgiving your ego before you jump
right in. At least that's what I've found myself doing. In hibernation, I
have spent days and nights reading as I've never read before catching up on
the great thinkers, philosophers, artists and scientists as if my life
depended on it while also exercising, eating healthy, being quiet, etc.
After multiple Opens Spaces last year (as a facilitator and participant) I
needed this reflection time to connect my observations with the bigger
picture and to let it sink in. I needed to get better at the "not doing" and
this has been very difficult, knowing the great pain and need out there
everywhere that so pulls us to do and fix. 

Now if I am sharing this very personal journey with you, as the Open Space
beginner and facilitator that I was, it is to gift this community back with
the gratitude I feel for the path I am on. I also want to say there are lots
of "me's" out there ready to be ignited and to be re-engaged in the "being
and doing" of their lives, which I think is the way nature intends us to
live. Many are corporate folks, like me, consumed and rushed on the fast
treadmill of death, stressed out and so exhausted without even knowing it.
Lots of breathing out, no time for breathing in. Wave Riders and Peacemakers
are needed.  People need to hear and feel our invitation in more places,
more often.

I know my journey is not unique and that the route that gets us there may be
different but what I want to do in the most vulnerable way is say thank you
to so many including Brian, who touched my soul more than I knew. He must be
looking down on us now with that glint in his eye.  In the meantime, even in
hibernation, I still did Open Space (brief and adapted) just last week with
a small group of girl scouts, and the magic overwhelmed me again as I felt
their joy, energy and gratitude to just talk which they said they never
really get a chance to do.  Another Open Space planned for the 2nd of March.

So yes Harrison and others, I am in serious preparation to be Opening Space
24X7, wherever, whenever with whoever but I had internal work to do first,
working on the "being" that goes with invitation.  

Now as I seriously venture forth to do more, I'm imagining what it would
have taken "the old me" to be convinced to host an Open Space.  Let me just
say, it would have take a lot for that "unconscious" me to have had the
courage to open space and time in the midst of what feels like crisis on top
of crisis. I know that it will be my "intention" and "being" more than my
words that will create the opportunities. I've got my work cut out for me
but there's no place I'd rather be. 

Hopefully others will join in to share their intimate thoughts on "24X7" and
let it all hang out.
Suzanne

From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Harrison
Owen
Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2009 8:26 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Opening space 24X7 --Wave Riders Unite!

Several days ago I sent a note to what I thought was going to be a small
group of friends, inviting thinking about opening space every day, what that
might mean, and how to accomplish all that in specifics. In effect, I was
taking off from my book "Wave Rider" which is my best shot on the subject to
date -- with the expectation that there is much more "out there" in terms of
ideas and actions. Along the way I did suggest that OST (as the meeting
approach) might be getting in the way of the larger discussion. Even worse,
I facetiously (jokingly) invited everybody to join "The Imperial Society of
Wave Riders!" Well you can imagine the uproar this caused. Here I am
suggesting that we eliminate OST and become imperialists! Not a good day --
but I do think the proposed discussion has merit. In fact from where I sit
it may just be the most important discussion we could have.

Given the state of the world (no need for detailed analysis) superior human
performance achieved in a peaceful fashion seems like a very good idea. Or
put another way how do we find the intelligence and energy to deal with the
massive issues we face without killing each other? I believe that the 25
year Open Space experiment has clearly shown that superior performance in a
peaceful manner can be achieved any time we open space. It may not be
perfect, but it works better than just about anything else, and for sure it
is a lot less work. The reason for all this is that we are not really doing
anything. Rather, we are inviting the system (business, family,
organization) to do what it can do all by itself. Self organize. We are just
helping people to notice that -- and when they do magic seems to happen.
Peace and high performance show up. If we are honest about it, I think we
might realize that OST is in some real ways a fraud and a joke, at least it
becomes all that if we take credit for the power and effect of the process,
and the special way that we might "do" it. Rather like taking credit for the
power and effect of gravity -- which will continue no matter what we do!

Anyhow, I believe the community that gathers here online (and anybody else
who cares to join us) is uniquely positioned to engage in this discussion
not just at a theoretical level but at a very solid practical level. We have
the shared experience of hundreds of thousands of Open Spaces. And we have
something else -- the shared experience of life in our community. As the
world might see it the "Open Space Community" is a pretty strange thing. It
has no boundaries, no formal organization, leadership, or corporate status.
Membership is pretty much whoever shows up -- and the party has been going
on for 25 years. Odd but very effective. Indeed there are multiple formal
organizations in the world who with might greater effort have accomplished
substantially less. Think about it! Multiple Global and regional meetings. A
world wide reach. More training programs than you can name. And absolutely
nobody is in charge. There has never been a Business Plan, and if a budget
exists it has never been found. Is it all just a gossamer dream, a fanciful
delusion, or something much deeper and more important? I vote for the
latter. I think this is a conversation that needs to happen, not to the
exclusion of all others, but this is where my passion is.

Anyhow I invite you to share and think about our common experience -- and
let our experience be our guide. As a starting point we might just begin
with invitation. What would happen if all our projects began with invitation
as opposed to assignment?

Harrison  

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