<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Consolas;
panose-1:2 11 6 9 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}
span.apple-style-span
{mso-style-name:apple-style-span;}
span.EmailStyle21
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Definitely an oxymoron. I guess I could be more direct – but will restrain myself. The temptation to guild lilies is always with us and will prove irresistible, I suspect, so long as we think of Open Space as a process we “do”, a product of our own imagining, design and control. And like all human products, it is open to improvement (Extreme Open Space??). As one who had something to do with “the Beginning” I can definitely state that such a view vastly overrates the human (my) contribution. True, I did pour the martinis, and it was my arm raising the magical substance to my lips. But after that…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Fact of the matter is that the process does us – as it has been “doing” for that last 13 billion years. Mostly without the aid of human wisdom. As they say in the Great State of Maine, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Harrison <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Harrison Owen<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>7808 River Falls Dr.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Potomac, MD 20854<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>USA<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Phone 301-365-2093<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>www.openspaceworld.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas;color:#1F497D'>To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST Go to:<a href="http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org"><span style='color:blue'>http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org [mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Viv McWaters<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, May 19, 2011 7:06 AM<br><b>To:</b> oslist@lists.openspacetech.org<br><b>Subject:</b> [OSList] Fwd: [Mindful] Prepare for an open space session?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Hi all<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>This landed in my in box and i thought it might be of interest. I can't go so I won't be able to experience how open space is 'taken to the edge'. I'm trying to keep an open mind (trying being the key word) and am reminded that we humans seem to have an endless capacity to try and organise that which is self-organising :)<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Cheers<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Viv<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b>Mindful</b> <<a href="mailto:hello@thisismindful.com">hello@thisismindful.com</a>><br>Date: 18 May 2011 21:55<br>Subject: [Mindful] Prepare for an open space session?<br>To: <a href="mailto:viv@mcwaters.com.au">viv@mcwaters.com.au</a><br><br><o:p></o:p></p><div><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;background:white'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 style='width:6.25in;background:white'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt'></td><td width=190 valign=top style='width:142.5pt;padding:7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt'></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><o:p> </o:p></p><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 style='width:6.25in;background:white;border:solid #DDDDDD 1.0pt'><tr><td valign=top style='border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 style='width:6.25in'><tr><td valign=top style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:15.0pt 15.0pt 15.0pt 15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><em><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>We look forward to seeing participants ready to start at 9am Saturday morning at Hub Melbourne (we'll send a reminder of all the details Friday) tweeting with #mindful!</span></em><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'><br><br>We are always in a space, at a time, and so there will be a portion of the time we spend together at Mindful to experiment with this concept. We are really excited that <a href="http://thisismindful.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=a0c0a173e0&e=c6fb013ecc" target="_blank"><span style='color:#336699'>Steve Hopkins</span></a> (founder of <a href="http://thisismindful.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=00bb89b307&e=c6fb013ecc" target="_blank"><span style='color:#336699'>Trampoline</span></a> and <a href="http://thisismindful.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=b043ef1a21&e=c6fb013ecc" target="_blank"><span style='color:#336699'>Awesome Foundation</span></a> Sydney) is going to lead us in an experimental version of the popular <a href="http://thisismindful.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=1c0036fd9a&e=c6fb013ecc" target="_blank"><span style='color:#336699'>open space</span></a> technique during the day. This video and email describes where Steve will lead us. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:150%'><b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>Taking open space to the edge</span></b><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:150%'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>Open Space Technology is a fantastic tool for organizing groups of people together to solve complex problems. I've used and experimented with Open Space at events like Trampoline, CPX and the Lantern Mental Health Unconference over the last few years and have always been impressed by it's ability to create interesting conversations. At Mindful on the weekend, we're going to extend that experimentation once more, and push the concept further along.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:150%'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>Some of the things we'll play with are:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:150%'><strong><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>1) A human grid</span></strong><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'> <br><br>Open Space is great because it allows everyone the chance to set the topics, time, and place that sessions will occur. This is good except for when the crowd takes over and you get lesser quality sessions, which reduces the energy in the group.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:150%'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>So we're going to have a person act as the grid. That's me. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:150%'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>With a human grid, people will still pitch their talk to the group, but the human grid will only place the session into the agenda if it resonates with the collective assembled. Real interest can't be faked, and our intuitions as a group are excellent at detecting low enthusiasm. So we'll use that to select our sessions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:150%'><strong><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>2) Rule of two feet</span></strong><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:150%'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>We've all been there before. You arrive for a session but within the first 5 minutes you realise its not for you. But you stay. The rule of two feet is one of the most crucial aspects of an open space meet, so why don't people exercise it? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:150%'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>People get addicted to the people. They stay not because they're contributing or participating in the talk, but because they've become attached to the idea of being a part of the group.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:150%'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>This is a shame, because the very best Trampoline sessions we've seen over the 5 events so far has been where all of the attendees of a session were participating, through active listening, discussion and enquiry - which can't happen if some people in the audience would rather be somewhere else.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:150%'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>So, at Mindful, we're going to remind you during sessions to move on once it stops resonating for you. Perhaps we'll change the rule to the 'law of resonating feet' to really make that clear.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:150%'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>I'll stop sessions and nudge you to move on to what resonates.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:150%'><strong><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>3. Space and Time</span></strong><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:150%'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>In an open space setting, all you can really control is the space you're in, and the time you're in it. As we've discussed above, creating sessions which resonate strongly with people is the aim, but resonance is more than just a good topic. It's everything else, too. It's the ambient nature of the space you're in and a the suitable time to be in it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:150%'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>So how do you create spaces which resonate? You make them appeal to different frequencies of thought. At Mindful we'll create very different spaces, with different lines of enquiry to be drawn throughout the sessions. This way, it will hopefully become easier for people to discern what mood their resonating in at any given time and move to an appropriate conversation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>If you're keen to talk or lead a line of enquiry, then come prepared to do so! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:150%'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>--<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'>We look forward to meeting you, ready to start at 9am Saturday morning. <br><br><a href="http://thisismindful.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=bb5977f210&e=c6fb013ecc" target="_blank"><span style='color:#336699'>Buy Mindful* tickets at Eventbrite.</span></a><br><br>Thanks to our sponsor <a href="http://thisismindful.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=6bf5b17a50&e=c6fb013ecc" target="_blank"><span style='color:#336699'>Integral Development</span></a> (<a href="http://thisismindful.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=1f2be15097&e=c6fb013ecc" target="_blank"><span style='color:#336699'>@integral_org_au</span></a>) for enabling Mindful! <br><br><a href="http://thisismindful.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=025cbdc071&e=c6fb013ecc" target="_blank"><span style='color:#336699;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=212 height=71 id="_x0000_i1025" src="http://gallery.mailchimp.com/59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a/images/integral_development.gif"></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'><br>You can follow the <a href="http://thisismindful.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=38206afc43&e=c6fb013ecc" target="_blank"><span style='color:#336699'>participant list</span></a> and the <a href="http://thisismindful.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=17f2e01fb1&e=c6fb013ecc" target="_blank"><span style='color:#336699'>speaker list</span></a> on Twitter. Have a great week!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='line-height:150%'><span style='font-size:10.5pt;line-height:150%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#505050'><a href="http://thisismindful.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=5f00566f21&e=c6fb013ecc" target="_blank"><span style='color:#336699'>Ross Hill</span></a> and <a href="http://thisismindful.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=3da57e52b3&e=c6fb013ecc" target="_blank"><span style='color:#336699'>Jan Stewart</span></a><br>_<br><a href="http://thisismindful.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=336899b25f&e=c6fb013ecc" target="_blank"><span style='color:#336699'>thisismindful.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 style='width:6.25in;background:white'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr><td colspan=2 style='background:#FAFAFA;padding:7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:125%'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;line-height:125%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#707070'><a href="http://thisismindful.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=5feec393e6&e=c6fb013ecc" target="_blank"><span style='color:#336699'>Follow @thisismindful on Twitter</span></a> | <a href="http://thisismindful.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=21e12ef70f&e=c6fb013ecc" target="_blank"><span style='color:#336699'>Visit thisismindful.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width=350 valign=top style='width:262.5pt;padding:7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt'></td><td width=190 valign=top style='width:142.5pt;padding:7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt'></td></tr><tr><td colspan=2 style='background:white;padding:7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt 7.5pt'></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;background:white'><span style='display:none'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 style='width:6.25in'><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Sent to <a href="mailto:viv@mcwaters.com.au" target="_blank">viv@mcwaters.com.au</a>: <a href="http://thisismindful.us2.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=26f2fc5d7c&e=c6fb013ecc&c=c0580ab0e4" target="_blank">unsubscribe</a> | <a href="http://thisismindful.us2.list-manage.com/profile?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=26f2fc5d7c&e=c6fb013ecc" target="_blank">update profile</a> | <a href="http://us2.forward-to-friend.com/forward?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=c0580ab0e4&e=c6fb013ecc" target="_blank">forward to a friend</a> <o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;background:white'><a href="http://www.mailchimp.com/monkey-rewards/?aid=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&afl=1" target="_blank"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1026" src="http://gallery.mailchimp.com/089443193dd93823f3fed78b4/images/banner1.gif" alt="Email Marketing Powered by MailChimp"></span></a><br> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><img border=0 width=1 height=1 id="_x0000_i1027" src="http://thisismindful.us2.list-manage.com/track/open.php?u=59026299c97e28d9781a0d99a&id=c0580ab0e4&e=c6fb013ecc"><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br><br clear=all><br>-- <br>Viv McWaters<br>Beyond the Edge Pty Ltd<br>PO Box 665 Torquay 3228<br>Australia<br>+61 417 135 406<br>Email me: <a href="mailto:viv@mcwaters.com.au" target="_blank">viv@mcwaters.com.au</a><br>Connect on Twitter: vivmcw<br>Chat to me on Skype: vivmcwaters<br>Read my blog: <a href="http://www.vivmcwaters.com.au" target="_blank">www.vivmcwaters.com.au</a><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>