<html>
There has never been a question in my mind -- Love is what makes the
space go round. Or something. But how to understand that Love? Or better,
How to be it? <br><br>
Love is one of those wonderful words, at least in English, that can mean
just about anything you want. It seems to stretch all the way from raw
fornication to Divine Essence, and I suppose everything in between. In
the very early '80s I found myself thinking a lot about Transformation in
Organizations and the way in which the Griefwork process enabled that
process for individuals -- and for organizations as well, I thought.
Starting from the work of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and friends I identified
a sequence of stages it seemed we all went through when chaos shattered
our lives in one way or another. Shock/Anger, Denial, Memories, Despair,
Open Space, End/Vision. There is good old Open Space right in the middle!
But for me at the time, it had nothing to do with a "Meeting
Methodology" -- rather the searing/peaceful moment when it is all
over and all starting. That incredible time without time in the moment
between breathing out and breathing in. Nothing there and everything is
potential. We all reach such a space as individuals or organizations
sooner or later. Nobody would choose it for sure. So how do we cross that
space?<br><br>
Some of choose not to, and that is called "cashing in the
chips" -- But if we do cross it, or at least when I have crossed it,
the "decision" to go was made in response to a question --
<i>What was I going to do with the rest of my life?</i> Note it is a
question and not a statement or a plan. Questions create space.
Statements close it off. And the quality of asking always seemed to me to
be critical. It can not be an idle question -- rather a question posed in
Love. <br><br>
But what would this Love be? For me, Love has two faces. One (which we
all enjoy) is called Acceptance. We are taken just the way we are, warts
and all, no further question. But that is not the only face of love. The
other is Challenge. And we often don't like this one too much. This is
the expectation that we become everything that we could be... nothing
more, nothing less. Love, it seems to me, is neither Acceptance nor
Challenge, but rather the space in between. And the magnitude of Love is
measured by the distance between. Great Love is ultimate acceptance and
ultimate challenge. <br><br>
When we hear the question (What are you going to do with the rest of your
life?) asked with compassionate acceptance and radical challenge it
becomes possible to deal with our inadequacies and failures while
simultaneously moving on, across The Open Space to some new Vision for
our existence. At least that is my story.<br><br>
When Open Space Technology appeared in the spirit of Two Martinis, what
struck me was the way in which this age old transformational drama seemed
to be taking place before my eyes. People were crossing Open Space. And
so the name -- Open Space. And I believe every time we Open Space, that
drama <i>can</i> take place again (no guarantees) provided we start with
a question (which itself is Open Space) and travel with Love. Not just
warm fuzzy love, but also the hard Love of radical challenge.
<br><br>
So if we are to talk about the central act or meaning of Holding Space --
I think <i>Love</i> will do it. Once the space is open and the folks are
at work, there is nothing to do but take folks just the way they are, no
matter what shows up AND expect the very best. Acceptance and Challenge
-- just Love. I find that really doing all of the above is not
accomplished with out energy and intention. So at the end of every Open
Space, when I have really done my job, I feel pretty much like wilted
spaghetti, but happily so, <br><br>
So that went on a little longer than I anticipated. And if you are a real
glutton for punishment you might check out my last book, "The Power
of Spirit."<br><br>
Harrison <br>
<br>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<div align="center">Harrison Owen<br>
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://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm" eudora="autourl">http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm</a><br><br>
<font color="#0000FF"><u>OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
</u></font>To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,<br>
view the archives of <font color="#0000FF"><u>oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu<br>
</u></font>Visit: <a href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html" eudora="autourl"><font color="#0000FF"><u>http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</a><br><br>
<br><br>
</font></u></div>
</html>