Hi Catherine,<br><br>When I am working with fear in the process of the Work of Byron Katie (an amazing tool for individual fear work and similar to Open Space in some deep ways) - there is a part of the process where one is invited to experience 'who would you be without that thought - in this situation, in your life....' When someone has difficulty letting go into the possibility held in this inviation - I find it helpful to be clear that they are not being asked to actually 'let it go' - just to take some time to open thier mind to exploring what the situation/their life/their experience would be like without the thought/belief/fear. This differentiation seems to help relax the power of the fear to close the mind (and heart) which often manifests in some of the behaviours you have described - blocking, blaming, justifying, defending.... <br>
<br>It seems that if it is clear that the invitation in this process you describe is to explore possibility "<b>as if</b>" the company is their own - with some clear naming of fear and an invitation to put the fear and concerns aside for those hours of the Open Space - and being clear that there will be space to re-invite that closer detail considering, discussion and discernment again after the "as if" excercise, when the decisions are to be made - it could allow the fear and associated behaviour to relax and some more internal and external space to open. And likely when the time comes to make the decisions and revisit the concerns/fears - the magical shift of shared open mind and open space will offer some light into that space also.<br>
<br>A favorite fear quote of mine: <br><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><font size="2">"There
is no greater illusion than fear. No greater wrong than preparing to
defend yourself. No greater misfortune than having an enemy.<br><br></font></span></i><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><font size="2">Whoever can see through all fear will always be safe."<br>
<br></font></span></i></div><i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><font size="2">-- Tao te Ching</font></span></i><br><br>Also from Byron Katie: "Fear can be experienced only when the mind projects the story of a past into the future." - <br>
<br>my thought on this- finding it true in my experience - and thinking in the context of and facilitating and inviting Open Space - is the more we are able to invite people (and ourselves) into exploring possibility in the present moment (rather than projecting what it will mean or look like in the future), the less fear we experience and the more openness of mind, heart and possibility.<br>
<br>Good travels to you with this work.<br><br>Caitlin.<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Feb 18, 2009 at 1:40 AM, Catherine Pfaehler <span dir="ltr"><c.pfaehler@bluewin.ch></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
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<p><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Dear all</span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">Speaking of fear: I happen to prepare for an
OST-meeting, in which the participants want to find the new strategy of a small
graphics and printing company, which also offers workspaces for handicapped
people. The head of the company took part in an OST-meeting in November and decided
to use the same approach for his strategic planning task, thus involving all his
main employees (and some of the handicapped people as well). They created a
great invitation which states, amongst other things, that people will think,
discuss and act on that day as if the company was theirs. The theme is "Impulse
2013", the goal is to find out what needs to happen until then to secure
the company's well-being economically and socially.</span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">Now he tells me that about one third of his people
are fearful about what's coming up and creating alliances to prevent
change. Some of them cling to their machines and don't want them to
become outdated, which however is inevitable (no more spare parts available etc.).</span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB"> </span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">What is a useful input I could offer him in this
situation? The meeting will be on March 27<sup>th</sup>. (He loves sayings and
keeps publishing them inside the company. I have asked if he knows one about
fear. The one from A Course in Miracles is a bit too far out for his people –
so I asked if perhaps it would be enough to post a question on the bulletin
board stating "What is fear?")</span></font></p>
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<p><font size="2" face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">With love, Catherine</span></font></p>
<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Catherine Pfaehler Senn</span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">lic.oec.HSG</span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">Open Space Begleitung</span></font></p>
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<p><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">CH - 4052 Basel</span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";">+41-(0)76 - 488 15 46</span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS";"><a href="mailto:c.pfaehler@open-space-begleitung.ch" target="_blank">c.pfaehler@open-space-begleitung.ch</a></span></font></p>
<p><font size="2" color="#0000a0" face="Comic Sans MS"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; color: rgb(0, 0, 160);"><a href="http://www.open-space-begleitung.ch/" target="_blank">www.open-space-begleitung.ch</a></span></font></p>
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</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>An open mind is free to do what it does best - create. Byron Katie.<br><br>CAITLIN M FROST<br>Facilitation, Coaching, Project Management, <br>Principal - Harvest Moon Consultants Ltd.<br>
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