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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'>Nancy</span></font><font color=red
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'> – For sure the
world is filled with dead rituals along with their cousins, the myths. That is
just what happens when Spirit moves on. But just because we have some dead ones
does not invalidate the class. Myths and rituals (what I call Mythos) are
profoundly useful if only because they form the essential ground of our self
understanding. In a very real sense, we are the stories we tell (and the
rituals we enact). But as our consciousness changes (evolves or devolves) all
of that is made manifest in our mythos. I suppose you could get into an
interesting conversation about whether Mythos creates consciousness or visa versa.
I would guess it sort of goes both ways. The church has a wonderful word for
myth and ritual, but because it is churchy, people tend to shy away from it –
but it still has power I think. The word is Liturgy. Comes from two Greek words
“</span></font><font color=red face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;
color:red'>laos</span></font><font color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial;color:red'>” and “ergos”
(people/work) – and can be translated “what the people do.” I
like that. All of life is liturgy. It is what we do. </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'>And why bring any of this up on </span></font><font
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'>OSLIST</span></font><font
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'> (apart from the
fact that you gave me an opening, for which I thank you)? I think that when we
pay attention, deep attention to what is happening in Open Space, we are quite
apt to catch Spirit in the act – performing new stories/myths, new
rituals, new mythos. It is what the people do. Sure they are having a meeting.
Maybe they a designing a new airplane, launching a new business, solving deep
problems in their community, and that is very important. But they are also
creating new understandings of what and who they are. It is a birthing process,
and we are privileged to be there in that moment. I think it helps if we have
some idea of what is going on, even if we don’t understand (or even care
about) the details.</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></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 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 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 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 20854</span></font></p>
<p 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 </span></font><font size=2 color=red face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:red'>301-365-2093</span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=2 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Skype hhowen</span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Open Space Training</span></font><font
color=red><span style='color:red'> <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.com/"><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>www.openspaceworld.com</span></font></a>
</span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Open Space Institute</span></font><font
color=red><span style='color:red'> <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/"><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>www.openspaceworld.org</span></font></a></span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>Personal website</span></font><font
color=red><span style='color:red'> <a href="http://www.ho-image.com/"><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>www.ho-image.com</span></font></a> </span></font></p>
<p align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3 color=red face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:red'>OSLIST</span></font><font
color=red face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial;color:red'>: To subscribe,
unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives Visit: </span></font><font
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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'> </span></font></p>
<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>Nancy Wells<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Tuesday, April 24, 2007
11:17 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> Re: Imposed Structure,
Self-Organisation, Ritual</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>
<div>
<p style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Interesting topic... form exists as long as there is
life ... we create form in as many ways as we choose... and... ritual is, in my
mind, only of value if there is a deeper understanding of what is behind the
ritual.... call it spirit, call it nature, call it unity... if one is
just 'going through the motions' of a ritual then it has lost its sense of
meaning/purpose... so if you find meaning/purpose in ALL things, then no matter
what the form or ritual can you come to the same place? Or do some
forms/rituals lend themselves more easily to coming together? Certainly
the circle form has been around in many cultures for centuries...</span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Just random thoughts floating through...</span></font></p>
<p style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:.5in'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Nancy<br>
<br>
<br>
</span></font></p>
<blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #A0C6E5 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 3.0pt;
margin-left:2.5pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt'>
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size=1 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:5.5pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
<hr size=1 width="100%" noshade color="#a0c6e5" align=center>
</span></font></div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left:
.5in'><font size=1 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:5.5pt;font-family:Tahoma'>From:
<i><span style='font-style:italic'>Scott Willard
<revscott_2000@yahoo.com></span></i><br>
Reply-To: <i><span style='font-style:italic'>OSLIST
<OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU></span></i><br>
To: <i><span style='font-style:italic'>OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</span></i><br>
Subject: <i><span style='font-style:italic'>Re: Imposed Structure,
Self-Organisation, Ritual</span></i><br>
Date: <i><span style='font-style:italic'>Mon, 23 Apr 2007 10:42:26 -0700</span></i></span></font></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>One thing that I would add to the definition of ritual
is that ritual is all about spirit. I just finished
reading The Healing Wisdom of Africa- great book. I believe it was
by P.M. Some' and he states very clearly that ritual is an opportunity for
spirit to impact the lives of the observant. To me, that's what happens
in OST. One idea sparks the room and the market
place, conversations, evening news act as litany that welcomes the spirit
of unity and community to emerge. </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Writing this, I wonder about what happens after
folks leave the room. While in the ritual space of OST a pseudo community
is formed. Do folks have experience in fostering community once the
meeting is closed and folks go back to their homes? I see the
meetings that happen all over the world, where folks go back time after time
for OS on OS, but what about smaller scale scenario's?<br>
</span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Scott Willard<br>
Affinity Consulting Group<br>
affinity-scottwillard.com </span></font></p>
<div>
<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'> </span></font></p>
<div>
<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'>-----
Original Message ----<br>
From: Andrew Ballance <andrew_ballance@yahoo.com><br>
To: OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<br>
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2007 5:45:56 AM<br>
Subject: Imposed Structure, Self-Organisation, Ritual</span></font></p>
<div>
<div>
<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
again!<br>
<br>
On the subject of my writing.. When it rains, it pours.. I didn't want to
clutter the previous post with too much reflection and interpretation. [If you
didn't read the previous post, you need to, or you might not know where this is
coming from]<br>
<br>
There appeared to be a polarity at play here, between order and chaos, or
between imposed structure and self-organisation, something that the chaordic
thinkers have probably already chanced upon. To paraphrase what some of the
participants said, "Why do we need Open Space? Surely we can just decide
to be free, and have whatever conversations matter, that's our decision and
responsibility, and if anyone needs some help doing that, I'm here to
help." This is an important point: Open Space is a structure. To my mind,
though, there is an important dimension to it: it is a ritual structure.
Rituals allow us to say or do things that don't normally come out in everyday
conversation, they set the tone and say it's ok to express yourself now in a
particular way.<br>
There are two definitions of ritual that I find quite interesting in this
context:<br>
- any practice or pattern of behavior regularly performed in a set
manner<br>
- a prescribed code of behavior regulating social conduct, as that
exemplified by the raising of one's hat or the shaking of hands in greeting<br>
It's clear to me that OS already is the first of these. That's great, because
that's the way we get results, or rather that's the way in which we as
facilitators regular social conduct for a period of time. But what about that
word 'prescribed'? What do you think of that? What happens if it is prescribed?
By whom? If it's not by anyone in particular, then that means OS is accepted
practice. But as accepted (expected?) practice.. does that limit its
effectiveness? Is that no longer a structure that generates energy, but one
that feels like an imposition and so acts as a dampener?<br>
<br>
OK, enough philosophising for one day. Not that I expect we can come to an
answer to these questions, I'd be interested to hear what other people think
about OS as ritual?<br>
<br>
Andrew</span></font></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=1 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:5.5pt;font-family:Tahoma'>Ahhh...imagining that irresistible
"new car" smell?<br>
Check out <a
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