[OSList] raising inspiration
Harrison Owen
hhowen at verizon.net
Fri Nov 29 12:35:25 PST 2013
I really can't argue with Michael P. in his response to Michael W. --
Inspiration in Open Space is something that just seems to happen, if by
inspiration we mean the appearance of spirit, with a capitol or small "s."
And I'm really not sure that we can do anything to increase its appearance.
Spirit, for better or worse, always seems to have mind of its own. That
said, the appearance of Spirit/spirit in Open Space is (for me) a matter of
more than incidental concern. I find it just awesome in every sense of that
word. Wonderful is another word that comes to mind. Just like clockwork, it
seems that whenever/wherever space is open, spirit shows up.
It might be tempting to think what we did it. Like some sorcerer, we have
waved our hands, mumbled some words... and POOOF! Spirit!! Oh the POWER!!!
What a fraud.
The truth of the matter, I think, is that Spirit was there all the time,
buried under the layers of abuse, rules, regulations, social constraints,
organizational structures and procedures... just hiding out. Were we to
create some new special procedures, methods, tools -- we would only make the
situation worse. What we can do is Nothing at all. Just get out of the way.
I guess this could sound a lot weird and mystical, but actually it is just a
practical, everyday experience whenever space is opened. At least it has
been my constant experience whenever I have been privileged to be in open
space. The cases are multiple, and usually go something like this. Some
group of people, typically an organization of some sort, shows up and sits
in a circle... and in what seems just a moment, pass from dispirited
cantankerousness into a state of excited interchange and (dare we say it?)
inspired performance. Contrary to their expectations and the expectations
and perceptions of their friends, managers, and enemies...it turns out that
somebody really is home. They demonstrate capacity and competence. It is
exciting just to be in their presence. WOW!
But did we do it? I don't think so. We just got out of the way, otherwise
known as being totally present and absolutely invisible. Or something.
If I haven't lost you, and you want some more try:
http://openspaceworld.com/spirt_shows.htm
Harrison
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Dr.
Potomac, MD 20854
USA
189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
Camden, Maine 04843
Phone 301-365-2093
(summer) 207-763-3261
www.openspaceworld.com
www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)
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-----Original Message-----
From: oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org
[mailto:oslist-bounces at lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Michael M
Pannwitz
Sent: Friday, November 29, 2013 8:40 AM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Subject: Re: [OSList] raising inspiration
Dear Michael,
I dont invite "leadership as a combination of passion and responsibility"
when I facilitate an os-event.
In that sense I dont have to elevate anything (although I have had the
experience, especially referring to romantic passion, that it has at times
been elevated, it being a complete mystery to me, how that happens, but it
happies me, when it happens).
In my experience a lot of things that I observe happening in an open space
event happen without me being much interested in them happening but they
certainly are meaningful. But really, whether they happen or not, I dont
really care.
What I focus on, is to have time and space expand for the unfolding of
selforganisation. And that keeps me really busy, just no time to think of
all those things that ensue: passion, responsibility, peace, love,
ingenuity, high performance, community, creativity, fun, play, high
learning, you name it.
These things, wonderful as they are, just happen or take place in the wake
of selforganisation doing its thing.
As I probably often have said on this LIST: they are byproducts of my focus
on the force of selforgaisation.
Have a great weekend, slowing down is a good idea... I will be doing a bit
of that on my trip from Berlin to Krakow on Sunday, 8 hours on a long
distance bus, trying to follow the invitation to a Stammtisch in Krakow on
Monday.
Cheers
mmp
On 29.11.2013 05:47, Michael Wood wrote:
> In OST we invite leadership as a combination of passion and
> responsibility. A question I sometimes mull over is, 'is it possible
> to elevate 'passion' (clearly I'm not just referring to romantic
> passions)? If to be inspired is to be 'in-spirited', then is there
> anything we can do to raise Spirit amongst people who might not
> currently be experiencing very much of it? Or is it always a
> gift/grace which catches us by surprise?
>
> When I ask this question of my own experience I find that inspiration
> sometimes comes to me in silence, when I slow down. At other times
> I've been inspired from the outside by an inspirational speech in
> which a great vision of alternative future has got my attention. In an
> OST event there will be certain people who will be there immediately
> because they are already inspired by the topic. But can anything be
> done to inspire the currently uninspired? Or doesn't it matter that we
> even try to do so?
>
> Michael Wood Perth, Western Australia
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--
Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin, Germany
++49 - 30-772 8000
Check out the Open Space World Map presently showing 419 resident Open
Space Workers in 72 countries working in a total of 143 countries
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