<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
Harrison and Michael-- I totally agree with you both. "Control is an illusion"
is my mantra. Even before open space and other spirit infusions in my life,
I knew that in my core being. However, it is so counter to the way we have
been socialized and educated that when the going gets tough (like our country's
administration run amuk), my natural adrenaline flows and I want to DO something.
Actually, I want to change something "out there." And then I must gently
remind myself that all I can to is change me - the inside (attitude, perspective,
etc.) and the outside (how I demonstrate the inside and behave). I know if
I do that kind of transformation, I contribute to the transformation of the
world. And if I don't, I contribute to the negative energy in the world and
hasten its death. Not a tough choice, just a challenge to carry out in every
intention, thought, word and deed.<br>
<br>
I recently renewed my license plates and decided to get a customized plate
"BEPEACE" that might make others "out there" pause and think. I have not
idea whether that actually happens. I do know that I am so much more at peace
when I drive, so conscious of being considerate and smiling. I cannot not
be "the change I wish to see in the world" when driving. Go figure --BJ<br>
<br>
Harrison Owen wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite" cite="mid:5.1.1.6.2.20030301091733.00bf92f0@pop.mindspring.com">
At 09:29 PM 2/28/2003 +0100, Michael Pannwitz wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite" class="cite" cite="">Transformation happens fairly
independent of the will of the people<br>
or the will of an organisation.<br>
I have not experienced people or organisations "will" transformation<br>
as little as I have seen people or organisations doing grief work.<br>
What I have seen is people and organisations navigate in<br>
transformation and that grief works.<br>
So my way of putting it would be<br>
"I believe I can attempt to hold time and space for people to<br>
navigate transformation"</blockquote>
<br>
My feelings precisely. Ever since we invented the notion of Organization
Transformation, back in the early '80s -- there has been an ongoing debate.
Some of my colleagues felt that Transformation was something you "did" to
an organization -- as in "We will transform our organization." Lots of folks
made much effort to achieve all that, but frankly I have never been convinced.
<br>
<br>
For me Transformation (of whatever sort) is something that happens. Indeed
it has been happening for at least 13.7 billion years -- in short for a long
time before we ever put in an appearance. And truthfully, it has done quite
well without our help. But there are some rough points, for sure. It seems
that Transformation inevitably requires the ending of one form as a new forms
appear. The word "ending" has a nice neutral tone to it -- but we experience
it as death or dying. Not a nice thing. But we do have a way of dealing with
all that pain and destruction, and it is called Griefwork. And we didn't
invent that either. And so from where I sit, the fundamental engines of transformation
(self-organization and Griefwork) operate, have operated, and continue to
operate with, or without, our permission. But we can certainly help along
the way. And here Michael's words, <font color="#ff0000">"I believe I can
attempt to hold time and space for people to navigate transformation" </font>
hit the nail exactly on the head, as far as I am concerned. <br>
<br>
All of this has more than an academic ring to it for me at the moment. One
more time our world is transforming. It is a given (and I really think it
is a "given") that people will die, along with ways of life, businesses,
and probably countries. Some of it is pathetically funny, particularly the
rank arrogance of my President, who seems to think he is in charge. We may
all end up on a charred piece of solar driftwood, otherwise knows as planet
Earth. That would definitely be an ending -- and also a transformation. At
such a time, it may be useful to remember that the demise of planet Earth
has been in the cards since the moment of its creation. And if we don't do
it do it to ourselves, it will happen anyhow, perhaps the unintended consequence
of a close encounter of the cataclysmic sort should a wandering asteroid
bump into us. But no matter the outcome, Michael's words constitute useful
counsel. <font color="#ff0000">"I believe I can attempt to hold time and space
for people to navigate transformation"<br>
<br>
</font>I think this is what we all can do. It is certainly my mission
of the moment.<br>
<br>
Harrison<br>
<br>
<blockquote type="cite" class="cite" cite="">Harrison Owen</blockquote>
<x-sigsep></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://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm" eudora="autourl"><font color="#0000ff">
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm</font></a>
<font color="#0000ff"><br>
<br>
<u><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a><br>
</u></font>To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,<br>
view the archives of <font color="#0000ff"><u><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu">oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu</a><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</u></font></a>
<font color="#0000ff"><u><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</u></font></div>
* * ========================================================== <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a>
------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu">oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu</a>, Visit:
<p> <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html">http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</a> </p>
</blockquote>
<br>
</body>
</html>
*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu,
Visit:
<p>
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html