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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=jack@designinglife.com href="mailto:jack@designinglife.com">Jack
Ricchiuto</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> Monday, January 02, 2006 10:45
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: The Question of
Openness</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14px">This is a great
discussion on boundaries, especially given the interesting relationship of an
open space to its “boundaries.” Boundary in social and other bio-based
architectures can be a point of enclosure, entry, or transition. At the
boundary, familiar meets unfamiliar, known meets unknown, heaven meets
earth.<BR><BR>In open spaces I observe, I trust that if I interact with
non-judgment and non-interference, the group will discover and reinvent its
own boundaries. Often, this means what used to be enclosures becomes new
entries and transitions. And there is where the magic begins
...<BR><BR> <BR></SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2><FONT
face="Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12px"><BR></SPAN></FONT></FONT><FONT
face="Papyrus, Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 14px">Jack<BR></SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2><FONT
face="Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12px"><BR></SPAN></FONT><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12px"><FONT
face="Optima, Times New Roman"><BR>__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__.__<BR><BR></FONT><FONT
color=#808080><FONT face="Papyrus, Times New Roman">jack
ricchiuto<BR>two.one.six/three.seven.three/seven.four.seven.five<BR>www.designinglife.com
/ www.appreciativeleadership.com<BR></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT><FONT
face="Optima, Times New Roman"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14px"><BR><BR><FONT
color=#0000ff>> From: Pat Black <patblack@paulbunyan.net><BR>>
Reply-To: OSLIST <OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU><BR>> Date: Mon, 2
Jan 2006 10:06:17 -0600<BR>> To:
<OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU><BR>> Subject: The Question of
Openness<BR>> <BR>> The issue of boundaries is a fascinating one to me.
In the living, boundaries <BR>> that define life are semi-permeable
membranes. Solid concrete boundaries like <BR>> the walls you
described Harrison spell certain death to the living. The <BR>>
living transform their space with their living making it toxic to their
<BR>> current needs for living. Permeability allows for toxic waste
to escape to <BR>> the environment and be used for other processes while
allowing new nutrient <BR>> rich materials to pass through the membrane
into the cell. Only what the cell <BR>> can use passes through the
membrane. That is what insures its living. For me <BR>> this is
the heart of the brilliance of Open Space, particularly the principles
<BR>> like "whoever comes is the right people etc." It all fits
perfectly with the <BR>> organizing principles of creation which have
delivered life. <BR>> <BR>> I think of the individual people who
show up for open space as the organelles <BR>> and nutrients of the cell.
Each one has a contribution to make, even the ones <BR>> that create
toxicity. Each component can only be themselves and I suspect <BR>>
they are blind to the concrete ways the selfs aggregate into collaboration and
<BR>> ever new creation. The new creation is the surprise and
surprises prepare the <BR>> ground for ever new creations. The
measure of success in these groups of <BR>> people who come together to
open space is, were you surprised, how were you <BR>> surprised? If
we are present in the creation there is always surprise, there <BR>> is
always revelation. <BR>> <BR>> I do some work with organizations,
non-profits usually, that work for balance <BR>> in the world. Typically
they are social justice groups, environmental groups, <BR>> peace workers.
Typically the people in these groups are very heady. They <BR>>
understand the world through their developed analytic skills and linguistic
<BR>> abilities and their passionate response to injustice or unbalance.
When <BR>> different groups start working together on joint issues
things often break <BR>> down around linguistic descriptions or what I
think is actually their <BR>> orientation to the problem, their viewpoint
or perspective. So one of the <BR>> things I often do is have
participants draw pictures with big fat crayons of <BR>> their viewpoint of
whatever the issue is. Then we look at the pictures and <BR>>
describe what we actually see, like the picture is all red. Then we
describe <BR>> what we thing the artist is trying to say, how we
feel, what we learned, how <BR>> we feel about the learning until the
collective ahas begin. The ahas are of <BR>> co!<BR>> urse the
surprise percolating as the deconstruction of concrete boundaries <BR>>
allow permeability. <BR>> <BR>> And Harrison in the case of the
Artist institute the invitation was open to <BR>> anyone in the state so he
was invited and has come more than once. One of the <BR>> great
things about Bill is through his holding of space instead of management
<BR>> of the situation the situation resolves itself and the
provocateur is always <BR>> welcome as the demolition expert for those
concrete walls we are all prone to <BR>> building.<BR>> pat
black<BR>> Date: Sun, 1 Jan 2006 11:00:26 -0500<BR>>
From: Harrison Owen <hhowen@verizon.net><BR>>
Subject: The Question of Openness<BR>> <BR>> Open Space is a curious
beast. It is open, but always within certain<BR>> boundaries. Absent the
boundaries, and there would be no defined space =<BR>> (to<BR>> be
opened). So whatever Open Space is all about - it is not about the<BR>>
elimination of boundaries. They seem to come with the territory. But =<BR>>
that<BR>> said - we have obviously not said it all. Just a start!<BR>>
<BR>> First there is the nature of the boundaries. For some people, when
you =<BR>> say<BR>> "boundary" the conjured image is immutable concrete
walls, all set about<BR>> with razor wire. Now that for sure is a boundary,
and perhaps necessary<BR>> under some conditions. The concrete wall is a
boundary established by =<BR>> the<BR>> powers that be with the
objective of containment (The Berlin Wall - =<BR>> keeps<BR>> the
citizens in), or protection (The Great Wall of China-keeps the<BR>>
barbarians out). Or maybe both? But that is definitely not the sort of<BR>>
boundary I would anticipate in Open Space.<BR>> <BR>> For me, the
boundary in Open Space has a very different origin and =<BR>>
function.<BR>> The boundary in Open Space has its origin in the people who
care to show =<BR>> up.<BR>> This is obvious even in purely physical
terms. To be sure, some one =<BR>> person<BR>> may rent the hall and set
up the chairs, but you don't have an open =<BR>> space<BR>> until the
people arrive. No people, no open space - and also no =<BR>>
boundary.<BR>> Just a bunch of empty chairs! But when the people come, as
they usually =<BR>> do,<BR>> the assembled circle of folks describes the
edges (boundaries) of an =<BR>> empty<BR>> space. And while nothing is
physically present there is still a massive<BR>> presence consisting of all
the (as yet unspoken) hopes and fears of =<BR>> those<BR>> who cared to
come. The people create the boundary and its function is<BR>> neither to
contain nor protect them (the people), but rather to provide =<BR>>
a<BR>> welcoming space for all that they are and hope to become.<BR>>
<BR>> This people-created-boundary is not set in concrete, for almost as
=<BR>> quickly<BR>> as it is established it dissolves into multiple new
open spaces with =<BR>> their<BR>> attendant boundaries. And so it goes
through an endless process of =<BR>> creation<BR>> and dissolution,
stasis and disequilibrium. In the moment (perhaps a<BR>> nanosecond) it all
seems quite fixed, but in fact there is a continuous<BR>> flow. It is the
flow of organism, or life. Were that flow to cease, life<BR>> would cease;
the open space vanishes with a poof!=20<BR>> <BR>> So much for the
poetry and abstractions! This understanding of bounded =<BR>> open<BR>>
space has some very practical implications and applications, I think.
=<BR>> For<BR>> example, the notion that the space/boundaries are
created by all those =<BR>> who<BR>> cared to come casts the role of
"The Organizing Body" (be that the =<BR>> Corporate<BR>> Executive
Committee or a single person) in a rather different light. It =<BR>>
is<BR>> not about exclusion, but rather inclusion - of all those who might
care =<BR>> to<BR>> come. Obviously there may be some practical
limitations (the room is too<BR>> cramped, the budget too small), but each
of these represents a =<BR>> compromise to<BR>> the potential power of
the open space. And to be sure, life is always a<BR>> series of compromises
which just have to be "lived with." But that does =<BR>> not<BR>> make
them any less compromising.<BR>> <BR>> However, when the organizing body
seeks to exercise its role in an =<BR>> exclusive<BR>> fashion - all
under the heading of insuring that the "right people" show =<BR>>
up,<BR>> it always seems to me that "compromising" turns into its completed
state =<BR>> -<BR>> Compromised! As Michael H. points out such
situations do exist, as when =<BR>> it<BR>> is determined that the Open
Space is "only" available for Senior =<BR>> Management.<BR>> As if
Senior Management was the only folks who cared?!?!?<BR>> <BR>> And what
about the strangers? Particularly those strangers who are =<BR>> deemed
to<BR>> be socially unacceptable? Pat Black tells of the "Provocateur" who
=<BR>> showed up<BR>> at the Arts Open Space. Doubtless, he or she was
not on the guest list. =<BR>> And<BR>> I am sure that his/her
performance made many of the participants =<BR>> distinctly<BR>>
uncomfortable, all the while offering Bill Cleveland (the facilitator)
=<BR>> an<BR>> anxious moment or two. But I would be willing to be any
amount that the =<BR>> open<BR>> space became full, exciting, and rich -
filled with deep learning =<BR>> moments of<BR>> surprising sorts. And
none of that could have occurred with the =<BR>> obnoxious<BR>>
stranger.=20<BR>> <BR>> So anyhow, Open Space has boundaries for sure.
But we may want to =<BR>> explore<BR>> their nature, origin, and
purpose. It could be they are not what they =<BR>> seem.<BR>> Be
prepared to be surprised!<BR>> <BR>> Harrison<BR>> NEW EMAIL
ADDRESS!!!!<BR>> hhowen@verizon.net<BR>> Harrison Owen<BR>> 7808
River Falls Drive<BR>> Potomac, Maryland 20854<BR>> Phone
301-365-2093<BR>> Skype hhowen<BR>> <BR>> *<BR>> *<BR>>
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