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At 12:04 PM 3/7/2002 +0100, Toke wrote:<br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Our circle of open space learning
bouncing in its round corners but not breaking - i find that
healthy.<br>
- we have not found the Truth yet - but it would be wonderful to
nail it down so that all our clients and family members etc would finally
understand what we do ??!!</blockquote><br>
I<font color="#FF0000"> figure that if anybody ever really understands
what we do -- we are in deep trouble. Our cover will be blown. In my case
i try and do as little as I can decently get away with. When successful,
I do absolutely nothing at all. And for reasons which i have yet to fully
understand, sometimes I even get paid. <br><br>
</font><blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>I hold a few questions now
:<br><br>
What is the intent of the OST community in the first
place?</blockquote><br>
<font color="#FF0000">My answer would be to share, learn and support each
other.<br><br>
</font><blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Where and how does getting
started with OST practice and long time OST experience dance in our midst
?</blockquote><br>
<font color="#FF0000">I guess it might begin with the realization that
everybody, no matter how many times they have opened space, are always
doing it for the first time with "that" particular group. In a
funny way, every Open Space for me is always the same, and always totally
unique. So we are all newcomers, and should we forget that the arteries
of imagination and learning close up pretty fast.<br><br>
</font><blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>How do we keep inspiring
each other to go for integrity and staying the student
?</blockquote><br>
<font color="#FF0000">Probably by keeping on doing what we are doing. A
sense of humor and the absurd also helps.<br><br>
</font><blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Where is the border line
between a community of practise and a cult who know
best?</blockquote><br>
<font color="#FF0000">If we ever find the person who knows
"best" I guess we would then qualify for "cult
Status." The word cult has always interested me. the present
definition is a worry, but at root it means to "care for" -- So
I guess, being a cult wouldn't be too bad if we could see our selves as a
community that cared. <br><br>
<br>
</font><blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>How to trust more than I
have trusted until now ?</blockquote><br>
<font color="#FF0000">Speaking only for myself, I find the alternatives
to trust so exhausting and self-destructive as to make them unattractive.
We "trust" every time we take a breath that the incoming air
won't kill us. In most cases that's true, and in any case, stopping
breathing does not seem a positive option.<br><br>
</font><blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>How to find the balance
between accomodating clients and inspire to be a more human
amateur and less just professional pawn?</blockquote><br>
<font color="#FF0000">I'm not quite clear what you are asking here, but
to the extent that I understand, my thought would be that the real thing
is to be clear who the client is, and further that the client can change
in time. For example, when i start conversation with a group -- my
contact person (the CEO-- whatever) is my client, but should we do an
Open Space, my client becomes the whole group. My mission quite simply is
to create the space in which that group can experience and realize its
full potential. Should it turn out that my "original client"
(the CEO) is the major road block, and he/she acts that out by becoming a
Nasty Space Invader, I see no alternative but to protect the space in
whatever way I can. After all I have indicated to the group that the
space will be open, and should it close down suddenly through the actions
of a single person, my integrity is at stake. <br><br>
<br>
</font>I do know about Rainy Denmark -- having just passed through. but
take heart Toke -- Spring will come. My boat goes in the water next
week, and flowers and birds are sure to follow.<br><br>
Harrison<br><br>
Harrison Owen<br>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<div align="center">7808 River Falls Drive<br>
Potomac, MD 20854 USA<br>
phone 301-365-2093<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><br>
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