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<font face="Arial, Helvetica">Opening Space for Death and Life<br>
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The recent conversation about the use of Open Space at the time of death
may have appeared odd or aberrant here on a LISTSERVE apparently devoted
to the advancement of a meeting methodology known as open Space
Technology. All of which goes to show that Open Space is only minimally
about having better meetings, I think.<br>
<br>
That meetings do go better in Open Space is a matter of record, now
repeated thousands of times, but the essence of its impact has little to
do with the fundamental brilliance of the methodology (smile), and
everything to do with what I take to be the fact that in Open Space the
basic realities of life (and death) are confronted, or may be confronted.
At its best, Open Space is Truth Time, a moment in the life of any
organization when things as they are, are faced as they are. In
that moment of truthfulness, pretense vanishes and we can honestly get on
with the business of living and dying.<br>
<br>
Talk like this is not usual in organizational circles. Indeed it is not
usual in many other circles as well. It is all very well to speak of
life, but death is not supposed to be part of the conversation. At least
polite conversation. And yet, as Gregory Bateson has remarked, every
school boy knows quite well that what goes up will come down, what begins
will end, and what lives will die. It is just the way things are. Perhaps
if the ruler of the universe had consulted with us prior to the creation
we would have been able to suggest a better way, but that was not to
be.<br>
<br>
It is often remarked by those who frequent Open Space (and even by those
who have just dropped in) that the level of Spirit present is significant
and sometimes overwhelming. Somehow the everyday turns into a marvelous
tapestry of High Learning, High Play and Genuine Community. Even under
the most unlikely circumstances. All true. But what may sometimes be
overlooked is that the “highs” become high only in relation to the “lows”
– the light increases in intensity only in relation to the
shadows. <br>
<br>
The core of the Open Space experience to me is all about endings and
beginnings. The significantly new and innovative only appears when the
space is cleared and what was before is no longer. It is about life and
death, and Bette Middler had it just right in The Rose. “Those afraid of
Dying will never learn to live.” And the same might be said about that
nemesis of Open Space, CONTROL. If you have to have it, and can’t let it
go – The space will never open. The heights and the depths will not be
reached. <br>
<br>
No wonder Open Space is pretty hard on the Executive Mindset, at least
the sort that perseveres in the notion that I am in charge... Really? And
it is no less difficult for those consultants and organizational
technicians who offer better ways to be in control. Unfortunately the
promised nostrum of total control and perpetual life never quite seems to
work out as advertised. <br>
<br>
So here we are in Open Space – with lots of life, and plenty of death as
well. No wonder we find it necessary to learn a little bit about the
Griefwork cycle in order to comprehend the sometimes mysterious
happenings in Open Space. And on a good day we come to know that the
value of life lies not in the little (or big) things we pick up along the
way – but in the journey itself. It is not the things that matter, but
the process: life, death, and new life. At least that is what I
think.<br>
<br>
Harrison <br>
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<div align="center">
Harrison Owen<br>
7808 River Falls Drive<br>
Potomac, MD 20854 USA<br>
phone 301-469-9269<br>
fax 301-983-9314<br>
Open Space Training
<a href="http://www.openspaceworld.com/" eudora="autourl">www.openspaceworld.com</a>
<br>
Open Space Institute <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/" eudora="autourl">www.openspaceworld.org</a><br>
Personal website <a href="http://www.mindspring.com/~owenhh" eudora="autourl">www.mindspring.com/~owenhh</a><br>
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