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<DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=owenhh@MINDSPRING.COM href="mailto:owenhh@MINDSPRING.COM">Harrison
Owen</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</A>
</DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Monday, August 04, 2003 7:44 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: Fw: [Master Facilitator Journal] Opening Space for
Natural Evolution</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT
face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">About the current contents of this
'Master Facilitator Journal' ezine Harrison commented:</FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>Thanks for sharing this Alan. It is a very good summary of OS, I think --
and what I particularly enjoyed is that the author ran on for several pages --
even quoted me directly on a number of occasions -- and never mentioned my name.
This is what I call being totally present and absolutely invisible.
Wonderful! With the appearance of stuff like this it is totally obvious that OS
is well beyond being "The Harrison thing". Talk about the dissolution/damage of
professional reputation -- this is the ultimate. It all disappeared in a grand
void -- call it open space. And Thank God for that. Harrison </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3>G'day Harrison (and All)</FONT></P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" size=3>This 'play
with ideas' was triggered by your note and in turn may evoke others'
responses - perhaps even a posting at Bramstrup! - as your observations have
implications for all of us "first generation
'spacers'." </FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" size=3>I see two
separate yet related issues emerging from the review in the ezine for
facilitators. </DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><BR>Firstly I concur with you that
your not being named is a 'wholesome' development. For not the least
reason that having a name attached to an idea, concept or theory (for example,
'Personal Construct Theory' being called Kellian, after its inventor George
Kelly), tends to render it a technique rather than a way of being.<BR><BR>Open
Space is very much the latter, in my and many others experiencing, and as such
it cannot be anybody's 'thing,' </FONT></P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3></FONT></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" size=3>I would suggest
though, that not having your name associated with Open Space has nothing to do
with 'dissolution/damage of professional reputation.' For reputation has do
with the stories associated with a person; this is how it is created
and sustained. </FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" size=3>On this premise
how is your reputation being damaged? For just one 'take' of what
you have set in motion is: </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT
face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><BR>When historians in the
future come to study the origins and early impact of OST and other
conversational processes I suspect that they will be most fascinated by
why, from the late 20th century, we humans (or at least some of us) chose to
interact in ways which explicitly supported mutual respect, connectedness,
transformation and emergent creativity - and that we
found means to do this quite naturally. </FONT></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3>In ways which did not require that people who were addressing complex
issues had particular training or experience, nor knowledge of complexity
science or insight into theories of self organizing systems. </FONT></P><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS" size=3></FONT></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" size=3>I believe that
the essence of OST will come to be seen as it
being a very powerful yet gentle way of promoting respectful
relating, through enabling people everywhere to notice and
choose a preferred way of being - and just do
it. </FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" size=3>Further, the
historians will also find wondrous accounts of how those of us [first generation
'spacers'] who were fortunate enough to know about your invention, have formal
training and to adopt its precepts, were showered with gifts beyond
price.<BR><BR>Including knowing that our combined efforts had some influence in
bringing to widespread consciousness that 'letting go' of the illusion of
control leads to forms of governance based on [actual]
'participatory democracy' at many levels. </FONT></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3>This outcome of transformation has arisen, as Romy noted so
exquisitely in a posting recently forwarded by you (Fwd: Master Planning
& opening space. Sun Aug 3, 2003):</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3>"... [from planners and politicians] seeing that how genuinely
aligning with the desires of the people (rather than doing so in theory only)
GIVES them extraordinary power, rather than taking it away."</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3>Related to this, I sense that it has also come about through the
recognition that co-creating conditions in which 'all voices are heard'
leads to the exact opposite of the anarchy which <FONT
face="Comic Sans MS" size=3>people 'in charge' fear will be </FONT>let
loose. </FONT><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" size=3> </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3>Accounts of such experiencing, gathering momentum all around our
little planet in less than 20 years since your release of OST into the public
domain, are likely to resonate down the ages. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3>While there is much further work to do to expand awareness
of such seemingly counter intuitive perspectives, I believe that
noting that increasing numbers of people are experiencing such
a transformation is deeply affirming of </FONT><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS" size=3>the story so far.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </P></FONT>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3>On the second issue I also believe that it is going to be
'interesting' to observe the influence of people who see articles such
as the above and try OST for themselves - without any connections
to professional practitioners, training, or publications. As
Larry in Toronto and doubtless others have commented: "Folk who are being
exposed to OST from people who don't really understand it are not seeing
the profound implications" - including having FUN. How may this
'phenomenon' fit with 'our'(?) principles? </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3>I wish you well for further silent (while not as 'noiseless' as you
experienced just under two years ago) girding of your loins by the lake.
</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
size=3><BR>With love<BR><BR>Alan<BR>Adelaide</FONT></P></FONT></BODY></HTML>
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