<html><div>I find this discussion to be wonderful -- and best of all
there probably is no one right answer...</div>
<div>****************************</div>
<div>Joe said ......</div>
<div>>I want to reinterate that I am sure that in some or many cases
the effect of</div>
<div>>changing roles would be neutral at worst. However, informal as
it is, this is</div>
<div>>a discussion of professional standards. This is no longer
Harrison and a few</div>
<div>>others doing magical work. It is about many people who
adhere to very</div>
<div>>differing professional codes or none at all. I have to say
that think it is</div>
<div>>dangerous, even irresponsible to suggest that there should be no
standard of</div>
<div>>practice regarding this question. Joe</div>
<div>************************************</div>
<div>The question of professional standards (the standards of a
professional) is not a light one. I am quite clear that for PRACTICAL
reasons I do not do sessions in an environment where I am a stranger. And
for many of the same practical reasons, I do not intervene in anybody
else's session either to contribute or to make process suggestions.
(Folks pretty well do it on their own, and in the process of figuring
things out they only get stronger.) But would I go so far as to say that
I SHOULD never intervene, offer a session, or contribute to one -- and I
think the answer is no. It all depends.</div>
<div><x-tab> </x-tab>I
have had situations (very rare) where somebody basically "freaked
out" with all the freedom of Open Space. Some people cannot take
Freedom Shock. It makes them very nervous and quite dysfunctional. In
such a case, I did what came quite naturally. I held them until
they could find the ground again -- a good hug does wonders. But it
has its risks. Was I going to be hauled up on charges of sexual
harrassment? Possibly, but it seemed the humane thing to do. And frankly
I responded quite instinctually, and certainly before a lengthy thought
process could kick in. </div>
<div><x-tab> </x-tab>I
guess that might be the pivotal question for me -- what is the humane
thing to do? And corollary to that -- am I being authentic in my
response? If the drive is ego (somebody else was talking about this) the
notion of authenticity goes out the window. Anyhow, I can think of some
"safe" suggestions for professional behavior -- like be careful
of those hugs. But the only problem is that hugging seems to be endemic
to Open Space. I have even seen Canadian Bankers do it (Sorry to my
financial friends north of our border) -- Was I going to stand there and
say "I don't hug" -- Anybody who knows me would know THAT
was a bald face lie.</div>
<br>
<div>So I hear Joe's request for Professional Standards (no committees
please!) but at the end of the day I have to ask what is humane, what is
authentic -- and for the rest -- throw caution to the winds.
Whoever said Open Space was without risk?</div>
<br>
Harrison
<br>
<div align="center">
Harrison Owen <br>
7808 River Falls Drive <br>
Potomac, MD 20854 USA <br>
301-469-9269 (phone) <br>
301-983-9314 (fax) <br>
email owen@tmn.com<br>
Website
<a href="http://www.tmn.com/~owen" eudora="autourl">http://www.tmn.com/~owen</a><br>
Open Space Institute website<br>
<a href="http://www.tmn.com/openspace" eudora="autourl">http://www.tmn.com/openspace</a></html>