<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><HTML><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"> Shay wrote: "So it is possible that during the 14MYears of open space, parts<BR>
of the space have closed around certain individuals or groups. Nazi Germany<BR>
in the 30's and 40's is an example. Organised religions have many times<BR>
sought to close the space around a particular point of view. As have<BR>
politicians and Monarchs."<BR>
<BR>
I think you may have it precisely right! Space in particular situations is<BR>
always opening and closing. That is true for discussion groups, an Open<BR>
Space Event, your life, and The Roman Empire. Rather like breathing out and<BR>
breathing in -- you can't do one without doing the other. And if you stop<BR>
altogether, you die. Call it the flow of life -- and in that flow, all<BR>
things have an ending, which is almost inevitably sad for somebody, but with<BR>
that ending comes the opening the space for new possibilities. Things may<BR>
seem to be different when we raise the ante to include wars and tsunamis,<BR>
but I don't think so. I think we find ourselves with a wonderful paradox:<BR>
Sooner or later everything stops, and were that not the case; it would be<BR>
very hard to go on. Shortly put, ending and beginning is fundamental to the<BR>
process in which we find our selves. At a micro/practical level -- every<BR>
time we open space for some organization or group some things will end and<BR>
others begin. Which is why I find it to be terribly important to remember<BR>
the Griefwork Process. We all go through it regardless, and we can help each<BR>
other. I guess that is part of the job description of the OS facilitator --<BR>
being with folks at the time of ending. And of course, that also provides<BR>
the marvelous opportunity for being present at the moment of renewal.<BR>
Strange work!<BR>
<BR>
Harrison<BR>
<BR>
Dear friends and colleagues,<BR>
<BR>
I've been catching up with some of the posts on the OSL and was reading the above. It reminded me of a dream I had this week after seeing my aging father (he's 93, very enfeebled by multiple health problems, very much wants to die or at least stop living like he is, teaching me a great deal at the moment about life.) I'm sharing it because I think it relates to the above thought by Harrison about breathing in and out, of endings and beginnings, about how OS really is, etc. Maybe it will speak to some of you.<BR>
<BR>
Warmly, Paul Everett<BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="3"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Lucida Grande" LANG="0" SIZE="3"><B>Dream, 3/4/05<BR>
<BR>
</B></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Lucida Grande" LANG="0" SIZE="3">I awakened this morning from a dream which I can’t remember the content of beyond the following:<BR>
<BR>
I was looking at this plaque-like object. There was a thick, rich looking backboard, long and narrow but not manufactured straight. More like a randomly occurring line, wavy in a way but not regular. Reminded me of polished mahogany from Africa, not Philippine mahogany.<BR>
<BR>
On the left hand half were some words on a lighter wood, still dark and somewhat polished but again not straight but randomly wavy, with a mostly smooth face, that had been stacked so you couldn’t see all the sayings, but could open them like a book hinged from its back in a horizontal position. As I was looking at it, I saw words like “God’s presence may not result in……” and then words such as tranquility, peacefulness, safety, etc., denoting all the “good” things we regard as being associated with God’s presence. The image that came to my mind was of a low, ranch-style brick house with immaculately tended lawn and flower beds. Nothing out of place at all. (In my conscious state I’d say “sterile” but I think the meaning was "undisturbed" or "un-disturbing").<BR>
<BR>
On the right hand side of the plaque was a single gray piece, like a piece of driftwood that had been worn by the waves into a very irregular shape, somewhat like a clamshell shape with the curved side down, with some ragged ends and a lumpy surface. On it were the words something like “God’s presence results in </FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Lucida Grande" LANG="0" SIZE="3"><I>Life!”</I></FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Lucida Grande" LANG="0" SIZE="3"> The image or meaning was shown as all of life, with its trials and tribulations, joys and sorrows, pain and suffering, etc. God’s presence wasn’t necessarily ‘beneficial’ as we humans see it. Nonetheless, He is there. end of dream.<BR>
<BR>
I was reminded in my somewhat conscious state of Fr. Toulouse’s saying “God sustains your every breath.” In talking about this with Joelle, she quoted Jung as saying “God is present, invited or not.” </FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Lucida Grande" LANG="0" SIZE="4"><BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" FACE="Geneva" FAMILY="SANSSERIF" SIZE="2"></FONT></HTML>
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