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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Tim – it is difficult to argue with
what you have said. And I don’t think the issue was about “best”
but rather about the possibility (advisability) of using a combination of Open
Space and Café. There are clearly situations where due to the needs of the “client,”
and the group, (and maybe also the facilitator) where Café will fill the bill. But
doing them (OS and Café) together raises issues of a different sort for me. I
suppose part of this relates to the pragmatic (some would say lazy) American
that I am – never doing more than I have to in order to achieve some
result. It also relates to a basic principle for me, which in medieval times
was known as The Law of Parsimony, and also Occams Razor. My version of all
this is to think of one more thing not to do. This is the way I have approached
Open Space Technology over the years – always trying to do less. Fewer
words, fewer actions, fewer introductions. . . removing accretions to reveal
the core. I think what I discovered in the process is not a new methodology,
design or process, but rather that the essential mechanisms of human community
and meaning making are already hardwired into each and every one of us and all
of us together. Further, that these mechanisms (dynamics if you don’t
like the “mechanistic” flavor) work quite well all by themselves
given a chance AND that they work better when unconstrained by layers of
lay-ons which we might have thought to be good ideas at the time. Such things
as community building activities and other icebreaking approaches at the start.
Or in this case – doing a Café to prepare the ground, as it were.
Internally (once the Open Space is under way), I have found that formal
processes like Dialogue and Appreciative Inquiry, although great in themselves,
actually seem to slow the field in Open Space. Or putting it another way, it
appears to me that dialogue and appreciative inquiry appear as natural
concomitants of just opening space. And it really isn’t about “doing”
an Open Space, but rather simply allowing the ongoing, natural process of
self-organization to do its job. Are there limitations to this approach?
Theoretically, I am sure there are, but at a practical level I personally have
never experienced a situation where The People, given the space could not do
very well all by themselves, and certainly better than anything I might dream up
for them.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Harrison</span></font><font color=red
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'> </span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>Harrison Owen</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>7808 River Falls Drive</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>Potomac, Maryland 20845</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>Phone 301-365-2093</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'></X-SIGSEP><font
size=3 color=red face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
color:red'><!--StartFragment --><X-SIGSEP>Open Space Training <a
href="http://www.openspaceworld.com/" eudora=autourl>www.openspaceworld.com</a>
</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
color=red face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:red'>Open
Space Institute <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org" eudora=autourl>www.openspaceworld.org</a></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
color=red face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:red'>Personal
website <a href="http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm"
eudora=autourl>http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm</a></span></font><font
color=blue><span style='color:blue'><br>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original Message-----<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b> OSLIST
[mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On
Behalf Of </span></b>Tim Merry<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Tuesday, March 23, 2004
11:03 AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> What is the deep intent
of a gathering and what form best serves that?</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Hi,<br>
<br>
I would like to add something to Cafe, Open Space discussion. It has stirred
something in me around the Art of Hosting. That it is more about the hosting of
the space, than the either/ors of Cafe/Open Space.<br>
<br>
I work with both Cafe, Open Space, Peerspirit Circle, Community Music, Theatre
of the Oppressed ... the bottom line is that these all are not tools, but ways
of being. They are experiments in how human beings can be together in a way
that nurtures their spirit and the blue planet we live in. These processes work
when they serve a deep and meaningful intent for all those gathered. We are on
the edge of design and discovery here, of re-learning and new learning, the bow
wave of the boat. Experimenters in the profound practice of gathering around
what we care about and taking responsibility in terms of action.<br>
<br>
It is not a question, for me, of which is better full-stop. It is a question of
what best meets people where they are at and invites the next step into whole
full living. Cafe works well in certain places, participative theatre catches
the spirit in another place, there are no final answers, Open Space is not the
solution, just one of many emergent phenomena which are a manifestation of a
shift/return in spirit and practice.<br>
<br>
These spaces are sacred in the world now. They are few and should not be taken
lightly. Each time a gathering is called it needs foreplay, conversation,
honing and shaping. We are challenged by life now to open spaces through which
the future can be born into the present. Cafe is one of these conduits, should
be honoured as such, and used when it is the appropriate form to hold the
storm.<br>
<br>
How can we call, design and host spaces that allow humans to create from their
best and highest goodness?<br>
<br>
be cool,<br>
<br>
Tim<br>
<br>
On Thursday, Mar 18, 2004, at 17:13 Europe/Amsterdam, chris macrae wrote:</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><?fontfamily><?param Times New Roman><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080>I
enjoyed half a day with Amanda Bucklow yesterday who is keeping the circle open
on how do we explain or do other ‘pre-work’ for openspace to the
people who most need to permit it- this being one of 6 project circles that
emerged from the UK OSonOS in February <u><?color><?param 0000,0000,FFFF><?/color>http://www.openspaceuk.com/projects/index.html<?/color></u><br>
<?/fontfamily><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Times New Roman><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080> <br>
<?/color><?/fontfamily><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Times New Roman><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080>I am just
jotting some notes which blend that conversation with the one I have been
trying to rehearse on Open Space as most undervalued technology there is and
wholly different from any other facilitation café etc . Any comments: anything
stand out? anything my own baggage? I bet some of this is so obvious to all of
you (apologies if its all obvious!) chris macrae<br>
<?/color><?/fontfamily><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Times New Roman><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080> <br>
<?/color><?/fontfamily><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Times New Roman><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080>DISCOVERING
:<?/color><?/fontfamily><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080>INNOVATION, RENEWAL,
PEOPLE CONNECTIONS<br>
<?/color><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Times New Roman><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080>If we are
going to resolve and sustain reconciliation of any of the world’s biggest
conflicts, open space will likely play a part in communing’s immense but
invisible way. Given that, most other innovation challenges are childsplay for
OS. 3R’s of Renewal: <br>
<?/color><?/fontfamily><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Times New Roman><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080>-Restoring
trust where illwill was systemised; <br>
<?/color><?/fontfamily><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Times New Roman><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080>-Restoring
spirit where many may have forgotten the experience. <br>
<?/color><?/fontfamily><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Times New Roman><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080>-Restoring
access to the sustainable connections so that the community/network will be
strong whatever the forces are out there that will seek to disconnect the
people again. <br>
<?/color><?/fontfamily><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Times New Roman><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080> <br>
<?/color><?/fontfamily><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Times New Roman><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080>1 Know that
there is a great energy force when people come around the same deeply human
context, the more so if their passions are diametrically in conflict. Know the
3 C’s (Conflict, Change aka Chaos, Confusion) as a way to see through the
system’s barriers (Conflict means there’s huge value here
(let’s turn system of that from destruction to construction); Change is
always part of the root cause of conflict and the longer this has compounded
the more complex or personally frightening the change field is likely to be.
Usually the top, if has insisted on ruling above all, will have compounded
conflicts however unknowingly so it is the first Confusion to caringly get a
peaceful timeout from –space from the top is one of the greatest gifts a
facilitator can host <br>
<?/color><?/fontfamily><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Times New Roman><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080> <br>
<?/color><?/fontfamily><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Times New Roman><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080>2 Innovate
through big conflict by taking ‘power over people’ wholly away from
the conversation so that there is a climate of high trust with people seeing
and respecting one another as people first and , and everyone flying through
the Space’s equality of participation freedoms, and all the self- and
mutual confidences that multiplies<br>
<?/color><?/fontfamily><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Times New Roman><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080> <br>
<?/color><?/fontfamily><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Arial><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080><?smaller>3 Provide a
stage/circle/dance-space where people feel the spirit as the very opposite of
what they may experience in everyday organisational work etc; leaving the
question open why cant we open more spaces every day in every way; could it be
the secret of lifting ourselves up from misery starts with something so
naturally simple? <br>
<?/smaller><?/color><?/fontfamily><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Times New Roman><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080> <br>
<?/color><?/fontfamily><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Arial><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080><?smaller>4 Establish
during the days of the space enough deep connections and seeds for
conversations so that from the parting, the network, the community will
continue; make sure everyone leaves with full documentation and permission
access to find where all those seeds for reconnecting with are whenever most
needed<br>
<?/smaller><?/color><?/fontfamily><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Arial><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080><?smaller> <br>
<?/smaller><?/color><?/fontfamily><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Arial><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080><?smaller> <br>
<?/smaller><?/color><?/fontfamily><br>
<?fontfamily><?param Arial><?color><?param 0000,0000,8080><?smaller> </span></font></p>
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