Hi all, I have been learning and opening space in myself with The Work as a core practice for more than a decade now. Very early on I felt it as 'family' with Open Space Technology. As a practice of heart and mind opening - in places where mind and heart are closed or closing, it continues to serve me in my own evolution in life and also specifically as a facilitator of Open Space. The Work, like Open Space, has clear simplicity and a basis in powerful questions - 4 questions and then some turnarounds that open the mind to possibility - that can be applied to any stuck place, and is accessible to anyone willing to show up.
Specifically in relation to Open Space - this inquiry process is very alive for me as I prepare and show up to hold space. The questions and practice give me a tool for working with myself - with my own attachment to outcome, my own attachment to who shows up or doesn't, my own fears along the way. I have found that a practice of working with my own stressful thinking and limiting beliefs not only makes my own life and work easier and less stressful - but what I learn in the process of sitting in my own inquiry about the fears and beliefs I have working with a group and/or that are triggered by the fears showing up from my client or the group, can often make me more able to stay calm and see more options if/when they show up in the room. When I am attached to a particular outcome or to approval from a client or group - it makes it a lot harder for me to hold space in a clear way. I don't want to be attached - and the reality is that sometimes I am - until I am not. And The Work as a process to question my own attachment has been very helpful. I have also been teaching the Work in some of our Art of Hosting trainings - in support of facilitators - to work with our own fears of showing up fully, of speaking honestly, of stepping forward to call and host powerful conversations and to find our courage to bring process like Open Space into new spaces or back from training and into workspaces where it is new and different. By identifying what thoughts and fears would stop us from showing up fully and opening and holding space - a lot of movement has happened. This past year - I worked with a team of facilitators where we were all also practicing The Work as a way to identify and move through our limiting beliefs and fears in a large gathering we were hosting together where stakes and emotions felt high. Having this way of supporting ourselves and each other in staying open and holding the bigger space was very powerful and we learned a lot. I have also worked recently with a leadership team where we used The Work as a tool for opening space in their thinking and working with their own fears in order to continue to stay open and hold space in a process of organizational change where we were using Open Space with the wider organization and community. I am finding it to be a good practice to share with clients sometimes where they want to move forward with Open Space and more participatory process but feel stuck or afraid. The conversation of 'if you feel this is the right thing, what would stop you?....' and then where they are open to it, supporting them to find their own clarity with the questions of the Work has also supported some good self-learning and ability to move forward with more clarity. I have always experienced Open Space as not only a way to hold good conversations and meetings, but also an invitation to live my life in the flow of inviting and opening and evolving. I experience The Work this way also - and in many ways they make each other more possible. If you are curious - I have some free resources and information about applying the Work in 'work' on my website: www.caitlinfrost.com - and hope to be blogging more about the Work in the world of hosting/facilitating (New Years resolution...we'll see what happens....) and Byron Katie also has lots of information and resources on her site: www.thework.com. Happy New Years all - and sweet to see two of my favourite gifts (Open Space and The Work) showing up together for others too. Caitlin. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Jutta Weimar <jutta.wei...@web.de> Date: Mon, Dec 20, 2010 at 7:42 AM Subject: [OSLIST] AW: The Work (Byron Katie) and open space To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Dear colleagues, yes, I am working and growing with The Work since 2006, and working an growing with Open Space since 2000. I learned it from Ralf Giesen, who was NLP teacher here in Berlin and who stayed and worked with Byron Katie for a year, starting a training program for The Work in Europe. The Work – like other techniques that deal with beliefs (and especially with the ones that are limiting) opens up to love what is there. From my point of view, it has a lot in common with the peace that often emerges inside us during open space. I use The Work in Trainings and Coachings and – alike Open Space – it has changed my way of thinking and dealing with “challenges”. Good luck! And lots of love Jutta *Von:* OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] *Im Auftrag von * Phelim *Gesendet:* Montag, 20. Dezember 2010 13:43 *An:* osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu *Betreff:* Re: The Work (Byron Katie) and open space Aah yes, Doing the work is a great way to prepare for opening space! It's pretty challenging but I've found it very useful. I had a great conversation with Chris Corrigan about this when I was in Vancouver. Matilda and I first found out about the Work from his partner Caitlin who is a trainer for The Work. I'm sure he has some interesting insights on the connections between OS and the Work! Phelim x Sent from my iPad On 20 Dec 2010, at 11:47, ELEDER AURTENETXE PILDAIN < eleder.aurtene...@gmail.com> wrote: Hello open space friends around the big ball! Last week I received some books by *Byron Katie* (www.thework.com). Now I´m delighted reading one of them,* "A thousand names for joy"*, in my daily train commuting. So good! So many similarities with open space! Did you know about it? If not, I´m sure you´ll love it... Enjoy life :-)! Eleder *BM**31_Bilbao*: Mind Mapping-Open Space Technology-Creativity www.flowandshow.blogspot.com www.bm31-liburuak.blogspot.com (BM31 books)<http://www.bm31-liburuak.blogspot.com/> www.burumapak.blogspot.com (Basque) www.in-fluyendo.blogspot.com (Spanish)<http://www.in-fluyendo.blogspot.com/> Twitter: @Eleder_BM <http://www.twitter.com/Eleder_BM> * * ========================================================== 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 * * ========================================================== 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 -- If you really knew how beautiful you are, you would fall at your own feet. *Byron Katie.* CAITLIN M FROST Coaching and Facilitation Certified Facilitator - The Work of Byron Katie Principal - Harvest Moon Consultants Ltd. www.caitlinfrost.ca * * ========================================================== 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
