Ralph: I guessed your tongue was in your cheek, but my experience is that the "ritual" does make a difference. The ritual, even minimal, enhances the power of the beginning of the Open Space if it fits the community and culture. Or, it does the opposite. It and the facilitator connect to the energy in the group, or not. Like having a speaker before Opening the Space, inappropriate ritual reduces the energy - stifles it as Archie would say. I've led some of those following a speaker - because the client insisted. I have learned, like you, that once the space is opened, the group will then recover and do what it needs to do. The reviews were positive. However, those events (particularly if they are one day} do not reach the same level of energy, breakthrough and impact from my experience as event where the context and ritual fit.
I just led a 500 person one day Open Space for a major pharmaceutical. The context was set the day before extremely well by the VP (probably the most important factor). But I and the ritual were able to connect to the energy in the room and we blasted into agenda creation. At the closing, I did not use a traditional talking stick or leave the mike in the middle of the room in the closing, but carried the mike around looking for those "itching" to say something. (My last experience with the mike in the centre was a drag-the event went well, but not the closing.) It was magic-the energy was exhilarating. Because a film crew was there and had the idea, we ended with the "wave" around the room-ideal for Canada hockey fans. It did work to express the energy. I have heard that it has carried back into the workplace in surprising ways. I hope to hear more later. Even though I have some training in ritual, I have not been very fond of it. It becomes rote too easily. Finding a fit with the culture is important. Minimizing it is important. Some is necessary to engage the spirit in the room. Larry
