[OSList] Beginnings, Middles and Ends... Where are we?

paul levy paul at cats3000.net
Thu Nov 22 14:25:01 PST 2012


Greetings all

What happens when we set up structure and spirit as two opposite ends, as a
polarity? We lose the essence of spirit.

*"Either you are with us, or you are against us" George W Bush*

Structure isn't something 'against' spirit.

It isn't minimal structure that allows space to open; it is* human freedom.*

Now, by freedom I don't mean this in the sense of "rights", of freedom to
choose. Instead I take the more Steinerian view as freedom as living
thinking, as inner life morally realised in real time, a consciousness of
will in the present - a self-aware flow that plays into the present and
future. Freedom is inner mobility. A healthy community is found when, in
the mirror of each human soul the community finds its reflection and when,
in the community, the strength of each one is living." (Rudolf Steiner)

Free flowing, and free-flowing human souls, who improvise in real time (or
as close to it as possible) will tend to freely choose a minimal structure
as a manifestation of their free spirit, because, in that freedom, flow is
better uninhibited. Spirit tends to manifest spiritual economy on Earth and
flows towards and through human freedom as a process. Human beings are
learning beings, and flow tends to happen unfussily. One of the greats
thinkers in England underlined this, As Ratty once said:

*"Believe me, my young friend, there is NOTHING--absolute nothing--half so
much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." (The Wind in the
Willows)*

Structure is a manifestation of Spirit. Human freedom is a manifestation of
spirit in human souls. Minimal structure is a manifestation of human
freedom.

It isn't minimal structure that opens space. It is human freedom.  Open
Space Technology, as expressed *tempor*arily through Harrison Owen, is a
technosophy - a technology of the free human spirit.

warm wishes

Paul Levy



On 20 November 2012 00:26, Harrison Owen <hhowen at verizon.net> wrote:

> I’ve been thinking about us, or should I say OS….****
>
> ** **
>
> It seems to be a truth of life that everything (us included) has a
> beginning, middle and an end. The separation between beginning and end can
> be quite various (longer or shorter), but one thing is for certain. For
> every beginning, there is an end. Along the way it is inevitable that
> people ask, how are they doing, and what next?****
>
> ** **
>
> What is true for life in general seems to be true for organizations of all
> sorts, including ours, by which I mean the Good Old OS Community. Perhaps
> you never thought of the OS Community as an organization, and certainly if
> you understand organization to be what might be called The Standard Model
> (The Leader, Board of Directors, and all the Rest) the OS Community doesn’t
> qualify. On the other hand, were you to look at what OS Inc. has done, that
> assessment changes, I think. As a matter of fact there are loads of
> Standard Model organizations that don’t even come close to our
> accomplishments. First of all we have been around for 27 years with
> thousands of “members” all over the world. Each year “we” produce global
> gatherings in multiple places, along with training programs and
> consultations. And when it comes to the end product, Opening Space, the
> numbers get a little mind boggling. Not bad at all – just don’t look too
> closely at how it all gets done. J So how are we doing? Well past the
> Beginning for sure, but what now, and where next?****
>
> ** **
>
> Quite a while ago, I found myself thinking and writing a lot about the
> natural life cycle of organizations (“Spirit: Transformation and
> Development in Organizations” and “The Power of Spirit”). Beginnings,
> middles and ends were pretty central to this – but there was more. All
> about what seemed to be happening along the way, and what, if anything, we
> might do about that.****
>
> ** **
>
> To represent my understanding of the natural history of organizations, I
> came up with a simple graph which, for lack of a better term, became known
> as The Spirit Chart. Unfortunately we cannot do graphics here on OSLIST,
> but the graph is simplicity itself, and so I am sure that you can quickly
> draw it, or imagine it in your mind’s eye. The vertical axis is titled
> “level” and the horizontal axis is “time.” On the chart, there are two
> lines, one called “Spirit” and the other “Structure.” At Time 1 (the
> beginning) Spirit is high and Structure is low. Over time (moving from left
> to right) the lines cross in the middle, and at the end -- Spirit is low,
> and Structure is high. And there you have it: Beginning, Middle, and End.*
> ***
>
> ** **
>
> As you might suspect, I did not gather masses of data in order to
> construct my chart. Indeed I really can’t imagine precisely what that data
> might be or how to gather it. All that said, common sense and experience
> supports the story that the graph seeks to tell… All organizations start
> out with High Spirit(s) – and virtually no Structure. At the moment of
> creation it is all potential, a wonderful idea, a gigantic WOW! The good
> news is that something is moving and shaking. Excitement and optimism rule
> the day. But there is a price. Orderly procedures simply do not exist,
> massive amounts of energy is burned for minimal results, the Wheel is
> constantly re-invented.****
>
> ** **
>
> But then things change. Rules and Structures are created to focus and
> direct all that wonderful Spirit. Initially there is resistance from some
> Free Spirited Folks, but the net result is positive and beneficial.  Work
> gets done, schedules are kept, product goes out the door. And best of all
> there is plenty of Free Spirit around to creatively explore new
> opportunities, new ways of doing business.****
>
> ** **
>
> But over time, the lines cross. The Spirit Line and the Structure Line
> intersect and then separate, with Structure rising and Spirit falling,
> being constrained in smaller and smaller spaces by the overburden of
> Structure. For a while nobody notices, for the organization is doing the
> business in productive and orderly ways, and who could complain about that?
> But there comes a time when the organization is defined and imprisoned by
> its structure and rules. Spirit is in evidence mostly by its absence –
> except in the stories and memories of how it “used to be.” When you are out
> of Spirit, you are out of business. At least that is the story.****
>
> ** **
>
> But there could be a different ending. Were it somehow possible to release
> the Spirit from its prison,  renewal might happen. But for that to occur,
> the prison walls must break. Or to put it in slightly different terms, the
> confining structure must shatter so that the Spirit may reform in new ways.
> This, I think, is an accurate, albeit metaphorical picture of
> Transformation: Spirit breaking loose to take on new form (trans-form).***
> *
>
> ** **
>
> So where are we? Clearly we have had our initial WOW! And although it is
> certainly true that each time some new person joins our happy Tribe, having
> just experienced the opening of space for some group of people – that WOW
> is heard once more. It is also true that for a large (and increasing)
> number of our band the experience is no longer a strange one. We’ve been
> there before, and while it is always a delight, it really becomes quite
> predictable. I would never say boring, but predictable for sure. Sit in a
> circle, create a bulletin board, open a market place, and the folks will go
> to work. Every time.****
>
> ** **
>
> The curious thing is that 27 years into our adventure, our organization is
> still as lively and spirit filled as it is – a status that just about
> everybody recognizes in all of our common gatherings, as for example the
> recent WOSONOS in London. In my own experience of organizational life, this
> record is pretty remarkable. In every other organization I have known, or
> been a part of, by the time it reached its 27th year, an awful lot of the
> original Spirit, enthusiasm, to say nothing of agility and flexibility had
> disappeared.  People talk about “mature organizations” -- when they finally
> got beyond the “wild days in the garage” (computer start-ups, for example)
> and settled down into a more orderly mode of being. Think of Amazon, Apple,
> Microsoft, et al. Somehow we seem to have escaped some of that, and how
> could that be?****
>
> ** **
>
> I think part of the answer comes from the nature of our “product” and what
> we do. The truth of the matter is that every time we think we have it all
> figured out, and have “finally” arrived at the “right” way of doing things
> – we are in for some surprises. It turns out that we really didn’t know
> what we were talking about. Somehow, Open Space was/is so much more than we
> ever thought, and what we do/did, so much less. What starts out looking
> like just another approach to better meetings or group technique subtly
> morphs into the story of the cosmos (self organization). And we really
> don’t DO anything at all. We simply offer an invitation, and then get out
> of the way.****
>
> ** **
>
> To be sure, there has been a developmental process in our approach as we
> have gone along, but it apparently moves in the diametrically opposite
> direction from similar processes found with other approaches. Put it all
> under the heading of “Thinking of one more thing NOT to do” and pretty soon
> (well maybe someday) – we’ll end up with nothing. No approach at all!****
>
> ** **
>
> Of course, there have been a few signs of approaching Middle Age. You
> might call it hardening of the organizational arteries – conversations
> about the “right” way to conduct an Open Space, usually accompanied by an
> expanding list of critical details with attendant Do’s and Don’ts.
> Fortunately we then receive a marvelous report (Sandy Gee, being the
> latest) how just about everything was “wrong” – but surprisingly – it all
> worked just perfectly.****
>
> ** **
>
> To be sure I have heard some chatter about “guidelines” (Thomas H. J) –
> but no proposal that we “get ourselves organized” – and certainly nothing
> as forbidding as a governmental structure with appropriate Boards and
> Bylaws! So we seem to be dodging the bullet, at least for the moment. And
> it may be that we have some distance to go before the end. I doubt,
> however, that our longevity will ever have anything to do with what might
> be called The Standard Organizational Approach, usually characterized as
> “institutionalization.” Indeed I more  than suspect that once again we will
> find success by going in the opposite direction. Rather than building
> durable structures that might last for the ages (none do … so far) – it
> will be a story of the constant shattering of structures and procedures to
> release the Spirit in new and vital directions. Transformation, I believe
> it is called.****
>
> ** **
>
> But there will come an end, of that I have no doubt. But I hope that the
> end of OS Inc might occur with hardly a ripple or note. Not unlike old
> soldiers who never seem to die – they just fade away. OS Inc will become
> quite invisible when it is clear to all that everything is Open Space.
> Blending into the woodwork, as it were. Nothing new, Nothing special. Just
> what is.****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> Harrison****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> Harrison Owen****
>
> 7808 River Falls Dr.****
>
> Potomac, MD 20854****
>
> USA****
>
> ** **
>
> 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)****
>
> Camden, Maine 20854****
>
> ** **
>
> Phone 301-365-2093****
>
> (summer)  207-763-3261****
>
> ** **
>
> www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com%20/>****
>
> www.ho-image.com <http://www.ho-image.com%20/> (Personal Website)****
>
> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of
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> ** **
>
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