[OSList] occupy Open Space?!

Birgitt Williams birgitt at dalarinternational.com
Sat Oct 8 09:05:04 PDT 2011


Dear Raffi,

I am fascinated by the adventures you choose to take. What comes to my mind
are two things. One, it is important not to take a 'side' as the gods don't
care what side you take so long as you do take a side because it allows them
to divide and conquer. Note that I use small letters for 'gods'. The second
is that it is important to take a stand for what truly is heartfelt and
meaningful to you.

 

Blessings,

Birgitt

 

From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Skye Hirst
Sent: Saturday, October 08, 2011 10:10 AM
To: Raffi Aftandelian; World wide Open Space Technology email list
Subject: Re: [OSList] occupy Open Space?!

 

I'm so glad you are there and sharing your experience.  I too feel this is a
most exceptional event of process, and a rich one in the history of our
"becoming"  as humans.   Skye

On Oct 8, 2011, at 12:35 AM, Raffi Aftandelian wrote:





dear open space and genuine contact friends (aka spaceniki and, perhaps,
"wheelies")-

 

Tonight marked the spirited kick-off for Occupy San Diego, one of the many
local initiatives around the world taking place in solidarity with Occupy
Wall Street. Speaking as a process artist (OST facilitator and Genuine
Contact Program certified trainer) and a charmingly flawed co-human with a
heart who is planning on camping out (occupy?!) on site for  while, I wanted
to share some thoughts and observations and also extend an invitation.

 

First off, taking part in all of this- tonight's march or attending the
General Assembly (I was at last night's assembly- 130 people were there!)-
really stretches me. I can't align with any of the adversarial language and
expression here. So, as we marched today I was just silent, holding my
multi-colored sign which read, "What does a wise, compassionate and glocal
response to massive economic injustice look like?"  Heck, even calling it
"Occupy" make me shudder!!!

 

It is physically just very challenging to be in the presence of all of that
energy. That said, from the the *moment* I heard of Occupy Wall Street, I
had an *immediate* intuitive hit that this is something different, that this
is something that I have to support. And at the very least this initiative
could be supported by bearing witness-- and the simplest way I could do that
is just camp there, just sleep there. That's it. 

 

Perhaps the act of sleeping in a public space can be a way of claiming *and*
opening space, a way of dreaming the New Story into being?

 

Also, I'm amazed to see how many different people locally have heard of the
local Occupy San Diego initiative and how many different people I know
showed up tonight! It's almost as if somewhere deep down there was a part of
us that knew this is something we need to support.

 

One of the things that encouraged me while attending General Assembly last
night was the readiness and willingness of people from disparate points of
view to hear each other out. What I'm seeing is messy, imperfect, and I know
and imagine that ball has been dropped. But overall, it's a rather
encouraging picture. It's also encouraging to see meditation part of the
picture, too. A 20+ minute flash mob still silent sitting meditation took
place after the march tonight

 

And indeed it has a lot of open space feeling to it. The general assembly
and committees had been meeting at Children's Park (high play and high
learning anyone??) here downtown. The park is made up of large circular
patches of grass bordered with concrete. Each committee met in a different
patch - marked with the name of the committee. And you just went to the
committee you wanted. And from what i could see, if you wanted to create a
new committee, you could do that, too! (apparently, there is a process
committee here, too).

 

I'm curious if there are other process artists out there on or off these
lists who are also supporting Occupy... where you are. I'd love to enter
into conversation (skype call anyone??) on or offlist to explore the ways we
as process artists can support this initiative. Drop me a line!

 

 

much warmth from the pacific coast,

raffi

 
p.s. to catch some of the flavor of our local "Occupation," see 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/occupysd/
http://www.livestream.com/occupysd

p.p.s. I look forward to circulating widely this piece by zen teacher and
peacemaker, Bernie Glassman
http://www.elephantjournal.com/2011/10/we-are-the-100/

p.p.p.s. to borrow a turn of phrase from a fellow spacenik who lives
DownUnder-- "What can happen?"

powered by ubuntu 10.4

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Skye Hirst, PhD

The Autognomics Institute

Perceiving the Process Nature of Life-itself

 

 

skyeh at autognomics.org

www.autognomics.org

Twitter @autognomics

 






 

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