Spaces within Spaces On September 21st of 2001, we experimented with an Open Space Technology meeting within an Open Space Technology meeting within an intentionally created open space within the great open space created by our creator. The following is a story of what unfolded. The story begins with my comments and observations and is added to by a few observations and comments from other participants. Others who participated are invited to add further comments to our record by sending them along to me should you choose (if you dont see your input below, it is due to a technology failure and I apologize and would love to have your comments again for the record).
A bit of background linking this to my vision of what is possible I have come to understand that all organizations are Open Space Organizations. My work has been to assist those that choose to do so, to become conscious of themselves as Open Space Organizations, opening as much space as possible within clear and defined constraints. The paradox seems to be that the clearer the constraints or givens are, the clearer the definition of where the space is open for real degrees of freedom for action and creativity. For me, the conscious Open Space Organization, as I understand it is not a self organizing system. Rather, a matrix or nutrient field is provided that is clearly bounded and ready to nurture whatever is created. The matrix then gets filled in by choices that are life nurturing or life depleting. The conscious Open Space Organizations is life nurturing rather than life depleting. The conscious Open Space Organization is aware that within it, there is always the blueprint for its own health. My vision is for more and more of us to learn about the conscious Open Space Organization, developing within us the skills and capacity to assist organizations as mentors in this way. On September 21st, we had the opportunity to experiment with how it felt to be in an Open Space Technology meeting, that was within another one, that was within an intentionally created Open Space that was within the greater Open Space of the universe and beyond. For reasons that have to do with the way that I listen to guidance from Spirit, I initiated an intentional Open Space for the morning of September 21st (separately noted for this list). And then I was guided to hold an Open Space Technology meeting for most of the train the trainer program of the Genuine Contact program, that also was to begin on the 21st. This Open Space Technology meeting was to last 2 days. And then I was guided to host the inaugural meeting of the International Alliance for Mentoring also on the 21st and in this case as a short meeting in the evening. I looked at that whole configuration and was simultaneously overwhelmed by the sheer ambition of it all, and then I laughed out loud when I understood that this is what is faced by organizations daily, getting more heightened as they become aware of themselves as conscious Open Space Organizations. I felt as though I was being challenged to walk my talk yet again. So we did it. Seeing what there was before me, the design included the following to give those who participated maximum learning experiences. The intentional opening of space at 7am eastern standard time for harmony in the world included people who were not physically present with us but who had responded to an invitation. All of us, the 20 physically present and the many who were present energetically, co-facilitated the opening of the space and the holding of the space, with a lifetime commitment made to hold the space. More and more people can join us in the cofacilitation over time. There is no limit. All are cofacilitators. The participants in the world do not know or need to know that we are holding space for them for harmony. The 2 day Open Space Technology meeting for working with the Genuine Contact program was facilitated by me. I made a choice of a design that did not include report forms. Instead, recommendations that were made in the different groups were noted on one big chart for us to vote on later. The meeting design included voting and action planning based on these recommendations. There were a number of givens about the Genuine Contact program that were stated as data prior to the Open Space Technology meeting, defining where the degrees of freedom for creativity are. In my observation, voting and action planning based on only the recommendations was an excellent way to move items to action. However, people missed not having the reports and desired them as well. In the future, based on my learning, I will use the pulling out of recommendations for the action planning AND I will have reports so that everyone has a book of proceedings. The evening long Open Space Technology meeting for the inaugural meeting of the International Alliance for mentoring was facilitated by Judi Richardson. The design included reports but no convergence and action planning. There was only one given which was the definition we would use for mentoring. Beyond that, everything was open for creation. For Judi there was the challenge of opening a space that had a short time frame and a broad theme. As might be expected from the design, items did not move to action. Interestingly, participants who were incomplete with that, wove their passions/responsibilities and action planning into the Open Space Technology meeting for the Genuine Contact program in the work of the following day. I listened to participants discuss that this was a way to do this, because under the givens, no one had said this was not allowed, this carry over between meetings. I found that interesting. For me, I was elated throughout the whole process, always aware of the energy of each Open Space the universe, the open space for harmony in the world, the Open Space Technology meeting for the Genuine Contact program, and the Open Space Technology meeting for the IAM. To me it felt like we were in an accelerated pace of working WITH nature, rather than against nature. Productivity and commitments were high. Follow up has taken place over the 6 weeks since the event, including a list serve for the Genuine Contact program, planning for an annual Open Space Technology meeting on Genuine Contact, planning for a second annual meeting for the International Alliance for Mentoring and much more. Birgitt Observations about the dynamics of opening a Space within a Space within a Space On Friday morning the large space was opened. Then the space for the Open Space Technology meeting was opened. Then the space for the second Open Space Technology meeting was opened. Then the space for the second meeting was closed again. Interesting question: did the closing of the space for the second meeting affect the space for the first meeting? It was my feeling that it did a little bit, but not much. I had to remind myself that not The Space was closed, just one little space, and there were a few larger Spaces still open. But when I reminded myself, I could feel the Open Space and I did not have to remind myself again. During the posting of topics in the second OST meeting, there was one participant who lost track of which meeting it was - she had some trouble placing her session in the time schedule. On the last day of the larger OST meeting, I myself was confused about the time for a brief moment. There was one participant in the second OST meeting who was not a participant in the first OST meeting. But (presumably since that person had been part of all the earlier meetings) there was no noticable difference. I do find it interesting how it would be if a number of new people would show up in the second meeting - what that would do to both spaces. When the first OST meeting continued the next morning, it continued as if it had not been interrupted. The quality of the exchanges on the second day, both in morning/evening news and in the sessions, was very high. Is it possible to speak of different Spaces? Or is every Open Space Technology Meeting a manifestation of the Great Universal Open Space? I like to think that all we do when we open the space is remind each other of the Great Universal Open Space, home of Spirit. The experience of an Open Space Technology Meeting within another Open Space Technology Meeting within again another Open Space Technology Meeting has increased my sense of the universal Open Space that is ever present, whether we are conscious of it or not. So I could also say: it has incresed my conscience of it. Koos In this medium I was very aware if the layers of cultural differences between English speakers, saying the same words with different meaning. I became confident of the form of Open Space. Essence is a given for me. Catherine Boundaries collapse open space -- invitation expand without retreat is there really any personal experience? gathering -- some arrive, more arrive, more arrive tickled by space I sit -- me and the space until there is nothing left but the space.... Judi Space within space--Givens bounding the space within space--Givens keeping things out of the space within space. These are the things that came into my being when I thouhgt about dealing with space within space. Edward C. I discovered it is important to me to close the one space before entering another unless they are part of the same context. I am begining to think of the challenge of imagining infinity and the fact that there are no boundaries....In fact, I cannot fathom what that is...In Genuine contact..Open Space the givens are the boundaries and so important..To me the value in creating open space is pushing the boundaries until there is a safe place to explore what is determined to be significant to the participant/s. For me the space within a space is the smaller safe space created within the larger safe space. I had difficulty connecting with the larger IAM space...having arrived late. Bev It was like being in a system within a system within a system and that is how life is. The difference was that this space within the space within the space had no borders and was so warm and welcoming. That is how life should be. Eiwor
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