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<DIV><FONT size=2><SPAN class=400210617-13082005><FONT face=Arial
size=3>Harrison wrote: When struggle reaches its ultimate stages, it seems
that space just closes down and even the simplest act appears to be beyond the
realm of possibility. In such moments, available resourse, meager though they
may be, are often overlooked and bypassed. Opening space for such people in such
times may provide just the strength and spark they need to enhance their lives
and livelyhood. </FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><SPAN class=400210617-13082005><FONT face=Arial
size=3></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><SPAN class=400210617-13082005><FONT face=Arial size=3>In my
experience, Harrison, this feels like the stage of divine surrender -- which is,
for me personally, the ultimate personal opening of space. In the space of
the "realm of all possibility" - the invitation that expressed itself in the
opening of OSonOS -- I can surrender to the Universe. In such times I
cannot "see" how Judi or any human can achieve miracles. And yet in the
space between actions and words -- that space is where I can truly relax, allow
and surrender to something more powerful. I don't experience losing
myself when I surrender to the Divine -- actually it feels in that moment of
surrender - beyond my perception of limitation, that the Divine gets to be
Judi. There is a lovely sense of humility in that moment as well -- I
acknowledge myself for allowing and give thanks to the Divine for the perfection
the Divine constantly shows through this perfectly imperfect person. And
these moments, Harrison, are when the magic you speak of occurs -- I witness
breathing happening, people show up, resources become available -- big and
small. </FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><SPAN class=400210617-13082005><FONT face=Arial
size=3></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><SPAN class=400210617-13082005><FONT face=Arial size=3>Thank
you for this reflection and the opportunity to breath together. I send
breath to John in Haiti and Tova and Avner in their healing tents.
Judi</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV></FONT>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> OSLIST
[mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Harrison
Owen<BR><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, August 13, 2005 9:19 AM<BR><B>To:</B>
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: powerful poem! help me
understand it.<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Funda -- I am not sure that Opening Space is such a
minimal contribution to the lives of those who struggle in whatever way. In
fact it may just be the only truly useful one. Physical and social resources
are, of course, essential -- but the capacity to effectively use those
resourses is of equal importantance. When struggle reaches its ultimate
stages, it seems that space just closes down and even the simplest act appears
to be beyond the realm of possibility. In such moments, available resourse,
meager though they may be, are often overlooked and bypassed. Opening space
for such people in such times may provide just the strength and spark they
need to enhance their lives and livelyhood. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>ho</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>Harrison Owen<BR>7808 River Falls Dr.<BR>Potomac, MD
20854<BR>USA<BR>301-365-2093<BR>207-763-3261 (summer)<BR>website <A
href="http://www.openspaceworld.com">www.openspaceworld.com</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=fundaoral@ttnet.net.tr href="mailto:fundaoral@ttnet.net.tr">Funda
Oral</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, August 13, 2005 6:40
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: powerful poem! help me
understand it.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Dear John and everybody,<BR><BR>I live in a city where one
can see extreme cases ( richness and poorness, <BR>joy and powerty so
on...)<BR>in a short distance from each other.<BR><BR>One sees so big
problems, and so strong struggle for life<BR>that sometime the word "open
space" looks funny, silly and luxury.<BR><BR>I still believe that "opening
space", inviting people to<BR>exist, to talk, to express their needs and
struggle is<BR>"something", a very small step maybe, but still
helpful.<BR><BR>But it's not enough, the ultimate aim is to understand their
straggle<BR>and help them to get what they need...we don't need to be poor
with the <BR>poor;<BR>sick with the sick ( as Judi beautifully
mentions)...the least we can do<BR>is to open space to respect them.... but
this is only the minimum.<BR><BR>And i am very worried and sad to see that
in many cases all i could<BR>do would be to open space. I am not strong or
rich enough to end<BR>struggle.<BR><BR>I guess we need more trembling
hearts, more resources and better<BR>cooperation for
that.<BR><BR>Funda<BR><BR><BR>----- Original Message ----- <BR>From: "john
engle" <<A
href="mailto:englejohn@hotmail.com">englejohn@hotmail.com</A>><BR>To:
<<A
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</A>><BR>Sent:
Thursday, August 11, 2005 10:17 PM<BR>Subject: powerful poem! help me
understand it.<BR><BR><BR>> hi brendan, kairi and others.<BR>><BR>>
i've never opened space in a prison but i have participated in a <BR>>
touchstones discussion (<A
href="http://touchstones.org">http://touchstones.org</A>) with about 25 men
serving <BR>> life sentences. the discussion centered around "power" and
not <BR>> surprisingly, i learned a great deal.<BR>><BR>> great
that you are doing this! i look forward to following developments as
<BR>> you work toward opening space in prisons.<BR>><BR>> on
another subject, kairi, thank you for sharing that poem in your <BR>>
message. i love it! and, i loved being at OSonOS! Judi, you and your team
<BR>> did a great job at receiving us and making us feel at
home.<BR>><BR>> while i love the spirit of the poem, i just don't know
what to do with <BR>> "banish the word struggle from your vocabulary."
how do others see this?<BR>><BR>> removing the word struggle from MY
vocabulary seems like it could have <BR>> some positive outcomes. at the
same time, it's hard for me to think of a <BR>> better word that
describes daily life for so many people. and, not <BR>> acknowledging
this seems like i might be missing something as i work with <BR>> folks
in circumstances so much different from my own.<BR>><BR>> i'm in haiti
as i write and catching up with friends and colleagues. there <BR>> are
at least hundreds of thousands of people here--some estimate in the <BR>>
millions--that don't consume a meal each day. and when they do, they don't
<BR>> know when they'll eat next. i can't begin to imagine what living
with so <BR>> much uncertainty and discomfort must be like. and i've also
learned that <BR>> far too often we who live in financially prosperous
countries romance <BR>> poverty, saying that poor people are
happier.<BR>><BR>> it serves us (people who live in financially
prosperous countries) well to <BR>> see things this way and it pains me
when i have US American visitors with <BR>> me in Haiti and conclude
after a week here that the people are "so happy." <BR>> in many cultures,
those in the southern countries included, it is <BR>> appropriate to put
one's best face forward especially when meeting <BR>> visitors. those
same Haitians who looked so happy to the visitor might be <BR>> totally
stressed out because they're worrying about how they're going to <BR>>
pay school fees for their kids and get a meal together, etc. when they
<BR>> speak in their own language to me, "struggle" projects from their
facial <BR>> expressions, body movement and words.<BR>><BR>> i
would not feel comfortable asking folks who live such realities to <BR>>
remove "struggle" from their vocabulary.<BR>><BR>> thanks for your
patience as i vent and live emotions connected to being <BR>> with
friends in extremely difficult situations.<BR>><BR>>
john<BR>><BR>><BR>> <A
href="http://JohnEngle.net">http://JohnEngle.net</A><BR>> email: <A
href="mailto:john@johnengle.net">john@johnengle.net</A><BR>> P.O. Box
337<BR>> Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033<BR>> tel.
202-236-6532<BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>>>From: Brendan
McKeague <<A
href="mailto:mckeague@iprimus.com.au">mckeague@iprimus.com.au</A>><BR>>>Reply-To:
OSLIST <<A
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</A>><BR>>>To:
<A
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</A><BR>>>Subject:
Re: There is a river flowing now very fast<BR>>>Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2005
08:26:54 +0800<BR>>><BR>>><BR>>>"Banish the word
'struggle' from your attitude and your vocabulary.<BR>>>All that we do
now must be done in a sacred manner and in
celebration.<BR>>>aahhh....thank you so much
Kairi<BR>>><BR>>>What a moment to receive this gift - the start
of a brand new <BR>>>day...beautiful and inspiring...today I will let
go a wee bit more...<BR>>>I am about to depart for a day's
'space-making' in a maximum security <BR>>>prison with long-term
offenders..<BR>>>I will be present and holding space with individual
men - my dream is that <BR>>>one day there may be more collective open
space within such confinement...<BR>>>.<BR>>>Anyone ever opened
space in a prison?<BR>>><BR>>>peace to
all<BR>>>Brendan<BR>>><BR>>>*<BR>>>*<BR>>>==========================================================<BR>>>OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR>>>------------------------------<BR>>>To
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