Congratulations Lisa! Wonderful!! Harrison
Harrison Owen 7808 River Falls Dr. Potomac, MD 20854 USA 301-365-2093 207-763-3261 (summer) website www.openspaceworld.com Personal Website www.ho-image.com ----- Original Message ----- From: Lisa Heft To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Sent: Wednesday, August 23, 2006 12:43 PM Subject: Found Poem -- June 8 to August 23, 2006 -- Opening Space for Conflict and Peace Hello, dear colleagues - For the past several months I have held the honor of being the OSLIST Poet Laureate. With awe and respect I have gathered your words to create 'found poems' to share back with you all, as inspired by our colleague and past Poet Laureate, Ms. Laurel Doersam of Canada. You can find some of the other found poems I have shared by searching in the OSLIST archives and using the key words "Found Poem" in the "subject is or contains." area of the search page. Titles included "Holding / My Truest Self / Space", "The Mystery of Open Space" and "Touch the Now." You may remember some of the words I share with you below from a conversation thread with the titles of "A note from a young friend" and "A note for Josef". This is a long poem. Pour yourself a cup of tea. Lisa ___________________________________________________ Opening Space for Conflict and Peace Found Poem -- June 8 to August 23, 2006 I'm very concerned about the war I read the news about it everywhere. I found a newspaper and read the news People died children and old people. oh my God, I couldn't stand to read it. I saw the news on the TV people suffered... I turned my radio on and heard the news After the news, I cried. What is wrong with this world?? Why do they do that? What for? Can't they stop the war, make peace, and live happily together? What's wrong with peace? Why do they reject peace? What do they want now? When is it going to be over? Can we do something to stop the war? Me, you, and the Imams and Rabbis? Can we take action? What can we do to stop the war? What can we do to make them realize that war won't do any good? Why do people want to destroy ? Why do people choose to kill themselves and others - rather than talk and listen? Why do people believe that violence can stop violence? Why do people hate so much? I can't find any answer for these questions. I feel hopeless. A leaf in the storm of world wide war. I sometimes despair and hear with disbelief the vacuous statements by our so called leaders. Presidents, Kings, Imams, Rabbis I am afraid that this may be one of those times when all the things we should have done and did not, all the things we should not have done and did -- now come due I am new in this place. since it is a time of war Why do you think that space is limited only to love and good? Isn't space unlimited by definition? Do you believe that terrorists will sit with you in open space circles that perhaps opening space with Bin Laden could have prevented the attack on the World Trade Center? Being a Human Being is a constant learning process, and sometimes that learning can be very painful. But the greatest tragedy would be not to learn. I am not sure that Opening Space with or for Bin Laden would have done much good, but I am pretty sure that had we (all of us) diligently opened space for the peoples of the world so that the chaos, confusion and conflict that inevitably occur in the course of human living might have found resolution prior to explosion -- the Bin Ladens of this world would find little fuel for their fires. That did not happen and the fires are burning. It could have been different, I believe -- and may still be different if we get to work. Fear is fear. Pain is pain. Injustice is injustice. Dead is dead. One people's fear or pain is not more legitimate than the others. It has never been more important than now to create the spaces for people to come together, and through dialogue, be reminded that we are all human and what joins us is so much much more than what divides us. for my self, I feel neither helpless nor hopeless. In my understanding of life and humanity, Evil is not evil for the sake of being evil Terrorists do not become terrorists for the sake of being terrorists. It all comes out of some closed, oppressed space. There is only chance and hope in opening space and hearts and inviting to witness one another. I hope our friends fellows neighbours also feel, they are not alone! I wish them love and strength and courage and that they, too, do not feel help- and hopeless. It is supporting to know there are many, who will keep on going in the spirit of Open Space everyone in her and his place of the world believing that if I can help just two people to really hear and listen to each other - and rediscover their common humanity - then it is still worth carrying on. your words brought such comfort at this moment. It makes me think that what I offer just might have some real value after all. I now feel less helpless. And I know you are right, the fever has to run its course - it is sometimes just so hard when it hits so close. I do not accept that there is some 'evil' that open space can allow in. I refuse to accept that terrorism and violence are the way! Evil acts, in my view, are a consequence of misunderstanding, oppression, inequality If we are ever to find a resolution to conflict it can only come about - in the end - by talking and listening. If we are not talking, listening ~and~ respecting - we end up commiting more acts of violence. Believing that there are 'evil' people is but one short step away from saying that negotiation, listening & building peace can ~never ever~ work. It is a long process. It does not come about through strength of arms or firing rockets over borders It is in the end about dialogue What shows up in Open Space is just plain people, who come in all shapes and sizes with multiple desires, histories and passions. Even in violently conflicted environments, the people soon find themselves with more in common than difference. To be sure the conversations may be loud and confrontational -- but for the most part, they are conducted with respect -- which often turns into hope and trust, and strangely, even affection. To be sure there are psychopaths and thugs. Every society has them -- but when the space of that society is kept open the pathology of such people can be marginalized and the toxins they produce flushed away. when we close space, build walls, seek to dominate and control these same toxins are concentrated and eventually become lethal. We know all about that, I think. By accepting the existence of evil we can allow it to move out from our space. In vastness of the Space which is the matrix of all that exists there can be a place for evil but it doesn't have to be our space. Opening space is a sacred work that should create a safe heaven and a sacred ground for love to feel safe enough to manifest and flourish That there is evil in this world is not a question, although it is interesting that my evil may well be your good and visa versa. And denial of the presence of evil, no matter how it may be defined and understood, is not a healthy characteristic for any human being. The role of the facilitator occupies a space beyond, beneath, outside of all elements of "blame and judgment" this can be a real tough space to occupy. "Whoever comes is the right people" "Whatever happens is the only thing that could have." These go to the heart of the matter. The people who show up and the events that take place simply "are" and one must deal with them as they are. Obviously everything "could" have been different. And indeed, one might have hoped that they would have been different. But the fact remains, they are what they are. I don't see this as "denial" in the least -- it is simply and profoundly the radical acceptance of things as they are in the present moment. Assuming the role of Space Opener is a "sacred work." It can also be excruciatingly difficult, and perhaps impossible for some people at some times. We need to be fully "there" -- in the present moment -- regardless of what we may think about it personally. Many of the policies and actions of both sides can feel short sighted, repugnant, and downright evil. There may be more than sufficient blame to spread around. As long as anything is seen as "opposing side" the chances for peace decreases. During the course of our days together we may feel our own internal anger, fear, doubt, frustration sometimes so intensely that we become practically immobilized. At such times, our only recourse may be to withdraw to our room or to take a long walk -- in search of our own centered presence. To be very honest, there may be moments when we do not think we can handle it -- but somehow, some way we may find ourselves drawn, pushed, shoved to discover parts of ourselves and our own resources that we have never seen before. And in almost every case, the needed strength, insight, calm may come from a few words of just a silent look from one of the participants -- who in a marvelous and magical way have become openers and holders of the space. In truth, we all do it, and the results are mindblowing There are times when our own personal agenda, experience, feelings are so strong that it is impossible to rise above them. And the remarkable thing is that in every instance somebody else who could stand in that space did so. And if we ever reach a day when nobody can step forward, it will be a dark day indeed -- for the possibility space for human life will simply close. But we are not there yet, and goodness knows we have a lot of work to do. When we open space even sworn, lifelong enemies who are convinced that the "others" represent the epitome of evil -- find a way to treat each other with respect, and more often than not, come to some reasonable and responsible solutions for the issues at hand, no matter how painful and conflicted. Will this always be true? I cannot say, but that has been my experience I intend to keep opening space so that wonderful people such as you can experience that "playground" in which real people with real differences can meet each other with respect. And if you are looking for something to do right now -- you could try the same thing. So - here's to large circles and deep listening, wide openness and huge respect! And somewhere everything and everybody is connected and every action will have an effect for all of us. I am new in this place. It may take time - but we can get there! Peace. Imagine. By Dania Pratiwi,Juliane Ade, Jon Harvey, Argene Carswell, Josef Ralt, Harrison Owen, Shay Ben Yosef, Filiz Telek, Pat Black, Funda Oral and Lisa Heft August 23, 2006 ___________________________ L i s a H e f t Consultant, Facilitator, Educator O p e n i n g S p a c e lisah...@openingspace.net www.openingspace.net * * ========================================================== 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 * * ========================================================== 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