Right On Baby! And Larry is right. Stole the words from an early computer game.
Dates me -- and Larry. We are talking a long time ago. No attachment to the
words. But the reality remains. Rarely -- .0009% -- a malignant space invader
shows up. So then what? How about some new words for an old experience? The
ball is in your court!
Harrison
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Dr.
Potomac, MD 20854
USA
301-365-2093
207-763-3261 (summer)
website www.openspaceworld.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Corrigan
To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu
Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 5:57 PM
Subject: Re: SpaceInvaders
I think we're in agreement here Harrison about what we do, just not as to
whether we use the term or not
I have been in that dreaded position of actually having a member of the
group, one who weilded much power and influence, grab the mic and try to demand
that we do this another way. And my reaction to it was to think about what he
ws saying and conclude that my responsibility was to the openeing of space. I
thanked him for his thought and suggested that actually most of the people who
had gathered were promised an Open Sapce and that's what we were here to do. I
don't know how happy he was but the group got on with their work and some very
very difficult issues were broached and dealt with.
So I know a little about what Harrison is saying, and to some exten I don;t
disagree with the idea that certain people in certain places are going to react
strongly against our expectations of the event and space will feel like it is
closing. We could call these people space invaders, but if that's the case,
there has only been that one person. On another occaision a person derailed
the process ina perfectly acceptable way, stepping out from the circle and
naming the fact that sponsor had not levelled with the group and that there was
a need for the group to talk about the sponsor's agenda before opening space.
As it happened the sponsor had in fact pulled me aside just prior to the
beginning of the meeting and shared information with me that was completley at
odds with what the group was thinking. In that case my partner and I simply
acknowledged the truth of the situation and left the room. I think what we did
was to offer the group the space that the sponsor had in fact, in secret,
already closed.
I guess my take on the whole thing is that the term "space invader" doesn't
quite catch the nuances of these interventions and it doesn't capture the
complexity of the dynamics that the situations embody. When one is in the
moment, all kinds of thoughts arise: did we do this right? Is the problem with
our framing of the issue? Did I screw up? Is this person insnae?
The judging mind is moving at a million miles and hour. The intuitive heart
is blocked, hiding, smothered by questions and anxiety. If one can access that
part of one's tool box - the intuitive discerning heart - then a way forward
will suggest itself. Simply labelling the situation "space invader" and acting
out of that place hasn't been helpful to me, and I appreciate Harrison's
explication of these nuances..
So in the end, yes, I have banished the term. But what I have tried to
develop in it's place is a more open approach to the situation at hand.
After all, it's Harrison's own advice, that when conflict arises, open a
little more space. The trick is finding out where that space needs to be and
how much "doing" I am being called to..
Chris
On 8/9/05, Larry Peterson <la...@spiritedorg.com> wrote:
It was a marvelous OSonOS, to be sure. Much learning and connection.
I was somewhat of a "space invader" at Lisa's session. I arrived late, got
to get, respond to and pass on a question. I then remembered I had a report to
write and left.
I have some difficulty of the term "malignant space invader" but I agree
with the direction of the view. "Space Invader" still reminds me of the early
video game and shooting one down is now what were are talking about here.
However, I recently experienced, during an Opening process (when folks were at
the wall), one person in a relatively small group trying to organize all the
topics into a logical format that allowed him to go to every session he wanted
to. He was a tall, spiritually deep and respected part of the event and
everyone was following his attempts and organizing the wall. I gently tapped
him on the shoulder and asked to talk with him. When I suggested that there
might be advantages to letting the order emerge rather than him organizing it
for the group he immediately understood what I was saying. In the closing
circle, he and a dear friend of his both saw that emergent order was possible
and that going with the flow could create surprising results. He appreciated
my "tap" and what he learned about himself. Guiding group spiritual practice
can lead to attempts to control and he saw the possibilities of going with a
deeper flow. His friend now saw some further steps he needed to take in his
journey. Were that it was so easy always.
I do think it is the role of the OST facilitator to "open" the space and to
me this is part of the opening – dealing with those who would try to control it
before the momentum begins.
Larry
Larry Peterson
Associates in Transformation
Toronto, ON, Canada
416.653.4829
la...@spiritedorg.com
www.spiritedorg.com
* * ==========================================================
osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe,
unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of
osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about
OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
--
CHRIS CORRIGAN
Consultation - Facilitation
Open Space Technology
Weblog: http://www.chriscorrigan.com/parkinglot
Site: http://www.chriscorrigan.com
*
*
==========================================================
osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
