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</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'>Dear Raffi and all who are following this thread,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=caption><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span class=caption>“If we make our goal to live a life of compassion and unconditional love, then th</span><span class=textexposedshow>e world will indeed become a garden where all kinds of flowers can bloom and grow”. ~Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross~</span><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'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>When we created the Harmony Project in 2001, we launched it with the belief that the facilitator of the Open Space Technology meeting be detached from outcome in order to be effective in ‘holding space’ for emergence. Hundreds of people around the world have committed to holding space for opportunities for harmony in the world. As each one made their commitment, we asked them if they could commit to not taking a side…for a lifetime….and truly hold steady in ‘holding the space open’. In any Open Space, once sides are taken, polarization happens, space closes, and instead of emergence from collective wisdom, the tendency is to shift to ‘mob rule’. History has shown us that when mob rule results, there is always a new form of tyranny waiting in the wings to take on leadership. Now, if there are people who are carefully doing the inner work to hold steady without taking sides, who are able to detach from outcome, and who approach the situation from heart wisdom, then real and lasting change is possible. I am wondering if you are experiencing collective wisdom emerging, or experiencing something that is closer to mob rule of being ‘against something? The former seems harder to do for humans at this stage of evolution, and yet we see glimpses of 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'>When I mentioned to you about ‘gods’, I was relating to forces that wish to control humanity for their own gain. Mythology is full of these gods, as are books on psychology to do with the gods developed by the ego. I recently read a fiction book, somewhat dark fiction, but very informative on the subject called American Gods by Neil Gaiman…an award winning book, recommended to me by son David. In turn, I highly recommend it to you and anyone else interested in the subject of gods and goddesses in America and their influence on the condition of life….and how we allow 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'>On the subject of allowing terrible things to happen, basically, humanity has been asleep and seems to be coming out of its sleep. This coming out of its sleep is the exciting part. What we will choose to do collectively once awakened is the scary part. For me, this is scary because after all of the activities of awakening, such as the one you are involved in, the masses do not have a plan. This leaves the situation ripe for those who sit in the wings who do have a plan…to take charge. Some will do things which are life nurturing, some will do things which could be more life depleting than before. History is full of these stories, as is mythology. And some will think they are doing good, but really are causing harm…while others appear to have intentions of doing harm and yet might end up doing good. There is a phrase in English ‘the pathway to hell is paved with good intentions’. <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'>This takes me to the most important point of my note. The most dangerous point comes when the protests are done….if there is nothing sufficient in place to create the new world that is desired. The most important thing that I can think of doing at this time aside from spending more and more of my day in compassion and unconditional love, is to teach others how to lead participatory meetings that use circles…such as Open Space Technology, Whole Person Process Facilitation, and Circle Work. Any of you who are reading this….if you know how to teach these methods, what are you doing to increase the number of people you reach with your teaching? When you teach these methods, you increase the capacity on this planet for humans to empower themselves, to flex their newly empowered selves, and to ensure that the capacity is present amongst humanity, after all of the acts of protest….to build a new heaven on earth by empowered humans through tapping into collective wisdom. <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'>Blessings to all,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Birgitt<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><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>Raffi Aftandelian<br><b>Sent:</b> Saturday, October 08, 2011 8:09 PM<br><b>To:</b> OSlist<br><b>Subject:</b> [OSList] occupy Open Space?!<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>Dear spaceniki,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>Glad to hear from you all.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>Birgitt, thank you so much for the reminder about not taking a side. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>And of course, you write something that intrigues me. You mention the "gods." Can you say more what you mean by that?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>Tomorrow's the first day i'll be joining the camp out!<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>Also, want to add that two people who know me the first thing they said to me about this is thiat this is Open Space!<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>One friend of mine has a good friend who reports for NPR (National Public Radio). That person was wondering what is driving all of this. My friend explained in three words: Open Space Technology. Apparently that reporter went to look up and learn more about OST...<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>much warmth,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>raffi<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'><br>p.s. feel free to share this with others but please don't include my name. thanks!<br> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>powered by ubuntu 10.4<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></body></html>