Even in Florida, we hibernate, without the snow but certainly with lots of cold this year. Hibernating is what I have been doing after a "traumatizing" and "exhilarating" year of personal growth in 2009 much of it instigated by Open Space which captured my soul and fought with my intellect. <br>
<br>Harrison's invitation last December "<b>Opening Space 24 X 7: Wave Rider's Unite" </b> attracted me because I read into it a collective "call to action" for what Open Space can offer to a world riddled with pain, fear, chaos, confusion and conflict...more than any of us have probably seen in our lifetime. It would seem that on the basis of this very great need, <b>we could just go do it!</b> <br>
<br>And yet for me, I had to pause, and open up time and space in my life before rushing right in. <br><br>Borrowing from a concept in Harrison's book <u>The Practice of Peace</u> in which he eloquently dummies up some of Ken Wilber's work, I can attest that a little over a year ago, I was at the fourth level of consciousness called "Intellect" which means I valued <b>control, helping, fixing, doing, planning and the exhausting list goes on. </b>Some days I'm still there though now I truly feel myself shifting to others places called Soul and Spirit, feeling the exhilaration and pain which puts me face to face with all those things that I used to do which don't make me proud. Lucky, I am pretty good at self-compassion most days. <br>
<br>When you have lived the addiction of helping, fixing, and organizing it
hits you hard and you have to heal a bit, forgiving your ego before you
<b>jump right in</b>. At least that's what I've found myself doing. In
hibernation, I have spent days and nights reading as I've never read
before catching up on the great thinkers, philosophers, artists and
scientists as if my life depended on it while also exercising, eating
healthy, being quiet, etc. I needed this reflection time to connect Open Space with the bigger picture and to let it sink in. I needed to prepare by "not doing" and this has been the most difficult thing to do, knowing the great pain and need out there everywhere that so pulls us to do and fix. <br>
<br>Now if I am sharing this very personal journey with you, as the Open Space beginner and facilitator that I was, it is to gift this community back with the gratitude I feel for the path I am on. I also want to say there are lots of "me's" out there ready to be ignited and to be re-engaged in the "being and doing" of their lives, which I think is the way nature intends us to live our lives. Many are the corporate folks, like me, consumed and rushed on the fast treadmill of death, stressed out
and so exhausted without even knowing it. Lots of breathing out, no time for breathing in. Wave Riders and Peacemakers are needed. People need to hear and feel our invitation in more places, more often.<br>
<br>I know my journey is not unique and that the route that gets us there may be different but what I want to do in the most vulnerable way is say thank you to so many including Brian, who touched my soul more than I knew. He must be looking down on us now with that glint in his eye. In the meantime, even in hibernation, I still did Open Space just last week with a small group of girl scouts and the magic overwhelmed me again as I felt their joy, energy and gratitude to just talk which they said they never really get a chance to do. <br>
<br>So yes Harrison and others, I am in serious preparation to be Opening Space 24X7, wherever, whenever with whoever but I had a lot of internal work to do before I could be ready. It's getting closer but I'm not quite there yet. I'm working on the "being" that goes with invitation imagining what it would have taken me to be convinced to host an Open Space. And that is hard work cause it would have taken a lot for the "unconscious" me to have had the courage to open space and time in the midst of what feels like crisis on top of crisis. I know that it will be my intention more than my words that will create the opportunity. <br>
<br>So thank you all on this US President's Day, a day after Valentines. Hopefully others will join in to share their thoughts and let it all hang out.<br>Suzanne<br><br><br><br> <br><br><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">
On Tue, Dec 15, 2009 at 8:26 AM, Harrison Owen <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:hhowen@verizon.net">hhowen@verizon.net</a>></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;">
<div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-US">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Several days ago I sent a note to what I thought was going
to be a small group of friends, inviting thinking about opening space every
day, what that might mean, and how to accomplish all that in specifics. In
effect, I was taking off from my book "Wave Rider" which is my best
shot on the subject to date -- with the expectation that there is much more
"out there" in terms of ideas and actions. Along the way I did
suggest that OST (as the meeting approach) might be getting in the way of the
larger discussion. Even worse, I facetiously (jokingly) invited everybody to
join "The Imperial Society of Wave Riders!" Well you can imagine the
uproar this caused. Here I am suggesting that we eliminate OST and become
imperialists! Not a good day -- but I do think the proposed discussion has
merit. In fact from where I sit it may just be the most important discussion we
could have.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Given the state of the world (no need for detailed analysis)
superior human performance achieved in a peaceful fashion seems like a very
good idea. Or put another way how do we find the intelligence and energy to
deal with the massive issues we face without killing each other? I believe that
the 25 year Open Space experiment has clearly shown that superior performance
in a peaceful manner can be achieved any time we open space. It may not be
perfect, but it works better than just about anything else, and for sure it is
a lot less work. The reason for all this is that we are not really doing
anything. Rather, we are inviting the system (business, family, organization) to
do what it can do all by itself. Self organize. We are just helping people to
notice that -- and when they do magic seems to happen. Peace and high
performance show up. If we are honest about it, I think we might realize that
OST is in some real ways a fraud and a joke, at least it becomes all that if we
take credit for the power and effect of the process, and the special way that
we might "do" it. Rather like taking credit for the power and effect
of gravity -- which will continue no matter what we do!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Anyhow, I believe the community that gathers here online (and
anybody else who cares to join us) is uniquely positioned to engage in this
discussion not just at a theoretical level but at a very solid practical level.
We have the shared experience of hundreds of thousands of Open Spaces. And we
have something else -- the shared experience of life in our community. As the
world might see it the "Open Space Community" is a pretty strange
thing. It has no boundaries, no formal organization, leadership, or corporate
status. Membership is pretty much whoever shows up -- and the party has been
going on for 25 years. Odd but very effective. Indeed there are multiple formal
organizations in the world who with might greater effort have accomplished
substantially less. Think about it! Multiple Global and regional meetings. A
world wide reach. More training programs than you can name. And absolutely nobody
is in charge. There has never been a Business Plan, and if a budget exists it
has never been found. Is it all just a gossamer dream, a fanciful delusion, or
something much deeper and more important? I vote for the latter. I think this
is a conversation that needs to happen, not to the exclusion of all others, but
this is where my passion is.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Anyhow I invite you to share and think about our common
experience -- and let our experience be our guide. As a starting point we might
just begin with invitation. What would happen if all our projects began with
invitation as opposed to assignment?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Harrison </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
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</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Suzanne Daigle<br>NuFocus Strategic Group<br>7159 Victoria Circle<br>University Park, FL 34201<br>FL 941-359-8877; <br>CT 203-722-2009<br><a href="http://www.nufocusgroup.com">www.nufocusgroup.com</a><br>
<a href="mailto:s.daigle@nufocusgroup.com">s.daigle@nufocusgroup.com</a><br>
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