As you well know 7 is a powerful number. Some would say magic, but I think powerful will do. 7 Days in the Week, 7 Levels of Consciousness, 7 Chakras, 7 Wonders of the world – and a whole mess more (see below). So I would guess that the 7th year of Open Space must be truly significant. And to you my friends Tova and Avner, along with the 70 other OpenSpacers, my deepest thanks, admiration, and an infinite hug X 7 for opening space in a land and a time of closing spaces. Next year in Jerusalem – For sure!
Harrison Significant “7”s (a few) * In Judaism 1. God <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God> rested on and sanctified the 7th day (Shabbat <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabbat> ) 2. A seven-day purification <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikvah> period is required for one who has become tamei to become tahor 3. The Shemittah <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabbatical_year_%28Bible%29> (Sabbatical) year arrives every 7th year 4. The Jubilee <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jubilee_%28Biblical%29> (Yovel) year comes after 7 times 7 years 5. The Counting of the Omer <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counting_of_the_Omer> leading up to the Giving of the Torah is expressed as "7 times 7 weeks" * The weekly Torah <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torah> portion is divided into seven aliyahs <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torah_reading> , and seven men or boys over the age of 13 are called up for the reading of these aliyahs during Shabbat <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabbat> morning services * Seven blessings are recited under the chuppah <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_view_of_marriage> during a Jewish wedding ceremony * David <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David> was the seventh son of Jesse * A Jewish bride and groom are feted with seven days of festive meals after their wedding, known as Sheva Berachot ("Seven Blessings") * The number of Ushpizzin <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukkot#Ushpizzin> (also known as the "Seven Shepherds") who visit the sukkah during the holiday of Sukkot <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukkot> : Abraham <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham> , Isaac <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac> , Jacob <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob> , Joseph <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_%28Hebrew_Bible%29> , Moses <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses> , Aaron <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron> , and David <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David> * The number of nations God told the Israelites <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israelite> they would displace when they entered the land of Israel <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel> (Deut. 7:1): the Hittite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite * In Breslov <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breslov_%28Hasidic_dynasty%29> tradition, the seven orifices of the face (2 eyes <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye> , 2 nostrils <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nostril> , 2 ears <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear> , and the mouth <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouth> ) are called "The Seven Candles" * In Islam: * The number of ayat <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayat> in surat <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sura> al-Fatiha <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Fatiha> * The number of heavens <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven> in Islamic <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam> tradition * The number of Earths <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth> in Islamic <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam> tradition * The numbers 7, 70, 70,000, etc. are used in Islamic traditions to denote an infinite or high number. In Arabic, 70, 70,000, etc. is used to mean infinite. This is because 1 is the smallest number, 2 is just after 1, 5 and 10 are exact, 4 and 6 are just before and after 5, and 9 is just before 10. This leaves 3, 7, and 8. 8 is closer to the end although it is larger. 8 is also an even number, so divisible by 2. Between 3 and 7, 3 is smaller so 7 is chosen to represent infinite. * In Christianity: * The number of churches of Asia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_churches_of_Asia> to which the Book of Revelation is addressed * The number of the Seven Deadly Sins <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Deadly_Sins> : Lust, Gluttony, Avarice, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, and Pride. * The number of the Seven Virtues <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Virtues> : Chastity, Moderation, Liberality, Charity, Meekness, Zeal and Humility, corresponding to the seven deadly sins. * The seven terraces of Mount Purgatory <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purgatory> (one per deadly sin) * The number of sacraments <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacraments> in the Roman Catholic <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholic> faith * The number of heads of the beast <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_beast> of the Book of Revelation <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Revelation> , and of some other monsters, like the hydra <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lernaean_Hydra> and the number of seals. * In the New <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Testament> Testament, the Gospel of Matthew <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Matthew> 18:21, Jesus <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus> says to Peter to forgive seventy times seven people. [1] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7_(number)#_note-0#_note-0> * The number of times Cain will be avenged by God if he is murdered. Gen 4:15 * In the Bible <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible> , the number seven is the perfect <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect> number, six is imperfect. And that is just a little bit! J ho Harrison Owen 7808 River Falls Drive Potomac, Maryland 20854 Phone 301-365-2093 Skype hhowen Open Space Training <http://www.openspaceworld.com/> www.openspaceworld.com Open Space Institute <http://www.openspaceworld.org/> www.openspaceworld.org Personal website <http://www.ho-image.com/> www.ho-image.com OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives Visit: <http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html> www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html -----Original Message----- From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On Behalf Of averbuch Sent: Friday, December 29, 2006 10:45 AM To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Subject: OSonOS Israel Dear fellow spacers… It has been quit a while since I last connected. What a delight to do so. What a deep sense of gratitude to know one can come and go and come again and what a great thing to practice what we preach J Reading December postings with traveling reports and Tao and everyday roads moved me (not without difficulty) to come out of my over a year hibernation and repot some of the Open Space Technology travels here in Israel: 7 years of OST presence in Israel, over 70 people who participated in OST trainings and a first 3 day OS on OS Israel has taken place mid December 2006!. It felt as if the 31 people who showed up had needed a space for themselves, to meet with like minded people and be "off guard and off duty" for a while. For many it was hard to take 3 days off (as you know in Israel we fail to take a full two day weekend!) yet, with all the coming and going, as Avner had put it, a field of grace was present. A wonderful rotating team of 4 facilitators (I hope we will share the model in more detail soon): Shay, Hannah, Rotem and Daphnnah had done a graceful service going in and out from facilitating to participation in the group. Just to share some of the wonderful conversations: space was opened for 'Dreams and dreaming' for 'the sense of disappointment that often comes right after or coupled with the 'high' of opening space' for 'living the principles of OS as everyday practice' for 'opening space in the family' and more. Most of the time the common field, created on the lawns of Kibbutz Har-el on the Mountains of Jerusalem, was in a flow state, doted by people here and there, moving, not being able to tell are these butterflies or "real groups?" The space was reach with poetry and full of spirit. On day three Shosh, coupled by Menachem initiated a move: to work as an open space community of practitioners an to take upon our selves to open space locally and countywide for school teams, parents, youth, care givers, police etc for to open space for issues and opportunities in moving from sexual harassment prevention in schools" (temporary name) the intention is to form few dozens of simultaneous OST events in different places and by that help make a countywide shift. 10 out of the 19 people who attended at the time listed themselves for at least one OST process each with or without pay. It seams that at the age of 7 we are becoming an Israeli Net and "going to school" , so to speak. Bye for now Please make it a best year for you and all - a happy new year With much love Tova Averbuch Holon Tova Averbuch טובה אורבוך 34 Rabinovitz St. רחוב רבינוביץ 34 Holon 58672 חולון Israel 972-3-5523476 averb...@post.tau.ac.il * * ========================================================== 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