My training wheels were put on one day when I started riding the two
wheeler and I never knew when my brother lifted the little wheels off
the ground and I rode without support. Amazing what learning takes
place so easily in this livinghoodness.
On Dec 13, 2011, at 3:53 PM, Harrison Owen wrote:
Ah Michael, you old ‘cyclist you! I surely get the picture,
understand the drift, but my perspective may be a little different.
As the father of 5 and grandfather of 6 (last one still too small
to ride…yet) I know something of training wheels and holding on to
the back of the seat.
First for the training wheels. Fantastic invention. Provides a
relatively painless introduction to the great art of cycling while
offering relief to the aching back of the parent (you don’t have to
bend over while running). Seems to go pretty much all by itself.
Lesson for Open Space? Do it simple, do it smart – and never do
more than you have to (One more thing not to do!).
Then The Steady Hand Routine. There comes a time when the training
wheels come off, but still a little learning to do in preparation
for the solo ride. Your “Steady Hand” can help with the transition.
But at a price. You get to stoop and run a lot. L But Thank God –
Most kids get it real quick, maybe even quicker than they should,
and always faster than their parents. But that is what youth is all
about. Suddenly you find yourself running a lot faster than you
really wanted to. Of course, you could try to hold on, but that
only creates a lose/lose situation. You get pooped and the kid gets
frustrated. Answer? Let go!! Lesson for Open Space? I think it is
the same thing.
Sooner or later we come to the whole matter of STOPPING. You can be
assured that one way or another, and hopefully without a great deal
of pain and destruction… Stopping will take place and the ride will
end. It could well be that some handholding and a band aid or two
will be needed, but for the most part a lot of cheering from the
curb, along with some small amount of coaching, will take care of
the business. As it turns out, there is more to riding a bike than
pumping the peddles, but that is just details.
When it is all over there is the marvelous opportunity for some
great conversation along with a suitable libation. A Coke will do,
but there are alternatives for the parent. Just think of all the
rides to come and the possibility of shared adventures… On your
own, Kid and you can forget about training wheels and the helping
hand. And with a little luck, you can share your new found
knowledge and skills with your younger siblings. YES! It is called
paying it forward.
Harrison
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Dr.
Potomac, MD 20854
USA
189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
Camden, Maine 20854
Phone 301-365-2093
(summer) 207-763-3261
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From: oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org [mailto:oslist-
boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Michael Herman
Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 12:33 PM
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list
Subject: Re: [OSList] OST - Open Systems Thinking
i think the training wheels image is itself a half-way sort of
thing. yes, ost is sort of training wheels in the first or maybe
even few times used. but probably enough as just a one time use.
as soon as a client or group i'm with has that first taste of the
movement, my thinking and working with them always shifts in the
direction of a parent running behind the bicycle.
the traininig wheels image preserves a discrete separation between
wheels on and wheels off. i find that in making the transition,
it's much more informative to thinking of myself as a steady hand
on the back edge of the seat... sometimes a firm guide, sometimes
lightly present feeling for first signs of deviations from balance,
and then also some time of running behind and not touching at
all... so that i can say very clearly and truly... you really were
doing it all by yourself.
the most important thing i think i do with people after that first
taste in oepn space, is open the conversation about what ost is,
why it worked (what are the shapes naturally embedded within it)
and where are those (natural) shapes already occuring in everyday
work of the group. often, all th shapes are there. sometimes
there are gaps where support might be strengthened, sometimes there
are things to stop doing because they get in the way. but mostly,
the pieces are all there and just need to be better understood,
more consciously connected, and inforrmed by that first experience
of what the body(ies) feel like when sailing down the sidewalk.
ost is normal, i think, not when they have a copy of the book in
the company library, or a corps of facilitators duly certified in
the "tool" but when some sense of self-regulation/organization-
regulation (continuous progress and constant balancing) has been
recognized as part of every job description in the place.
in somatics we can make a distinction between being aware of our
body, in the body (still separate), and as a body. much like
harrison's early observation that ost is not about better meetings,
or even better organizations, but a better way of being in
organization. maybe also captured in the ways little kids talk in
english about "riding my bike" and how folks who've been at it a
long time, life and riding, tend to describe themselves as "cyclists."
m
--
Michael Herman
Michael Herman Associates
312-280-7838 (mobile)
http://MichaelHerman.com
http://ManorNeighbors.com
http://OpenSpaceWorld.org
On Tue, Dec 13, 2011 at 10:41 AM, Harrison Owen
<hho...@verizon.net> wrote:
Far be it for me to pay less than full honor to Open Space and
still less, to pay less than profound homage to all the good
friends and colleagues who have journeyed along the way. But at the
end of the day, I find myself in full agreement with friend Chris
Corrigan who aptly described Open Space as “training wheels.”
Training wheels are very helpful when you are learning to ride a
bike, but you want to get rid of them as soon as possible. We
aren’t there yet, and there is still a place for “doing” an Open
Space – and doing it as well and simply as possible. But I always
do it with a strong caveat, warning, or perhaps a plea. Just
remember, I say, there is absolutely nothing I am doing with you
that you can’t do for yourself. It ain’t rocket science! I have
been doing (saying) that for a long time. And now I think I would
raise the ante – Don’t just “Do” an Open Space – BE it 24X7!! Open
the space of your life and the lives of those around you, and you
will discover your own natural state, as a participant in this
wonderful self-organizing world. Good old OST has been very useful,
to say nothing of fun, as a training environment and a grand
experiment. But when the lessons are learned and the data is in –
it is time to get on with life, as soon as possible.
As I said, we (as the global collective) are obviously not there
yet – but I think I can see a little light at the end of the
tunnel. Of course that may just be the train, but when it comes to
hopes and expectations I can only say/wish “Bye bye OST – Hello
Life! Or something.
Harrison
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Dr.
Potomac, MD 20854
USA
189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
Camden, Maine 20854
Phone 301-365-2093
(summer) 207-763-3261
www.openspaceworld.com
www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)
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From: oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org [mailto:oslist-
boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Birgitt Williams
Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 10:30 AM
To: 'World wide Open Space Technology email list'
Subject: Re: [OSList] OST - Open Systems Thinking
Dear Harrison,
A different perspective, in this case mine, is that we really honor
Open Space Technology as an important meeting facilitation method,
and that we are good stewards for its integrity (wholeness). This
would mean that we preserve it in its original form for generations
to come for their use and thereby a tool for the ongoing life
nurturing shifts for humanity. Why would you want to advocate
distilling this down to something that blends into disappearance
when it is such a valuable tool?
Birgitt
From: oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org [mailto:oslist-
boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Harrison Owen
Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 8:23 AM
To: 'World wide Open Space Technology email list'
Subject: Re: [OSList] OST - Open Systems Thinking
I love it! Confusion!! Reminds me of days long ago when I had a
newsletter called “TWG Newsletter” In fact the letters stood for
absolutely nothing at all – leading my friend Peter Vaill to muse
that since they didn’t mean anything in particular, everybody was
free to supply their own meanings. His offerings: “Those Who
Grock,” “Transformation Without Gurus” – and a few more I can’t
recall. This lead to sort of a contest with the latest offerings
appearing in the “TWG News” (of course.) Actually, the simple
solution to all of this is to recognize that it is all Open Space,
call it whatever you like. Perhaps the best option is to call it
nothing at all, in which case it (by whatever name) would simply
disappear in a cloud of everydayness. Wonderful..
Harrison
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Dr.
Potomac, MD 20854
USA
189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)
Camden, Maine 20854
Phone 301-365-2093
(summer) 207-763-3261
www.openspaceworld.com
www.ho-image.com (Personal Website)
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From: oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org [mailto:oslist-
boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] On Behalf Of Bernhard Weber
Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 6:52 AM
To: Artur Silva; World wide Open Space Technology email list
Subject: Re: [OSList] OST - Open Systems Thinking
Hi Artur
Interesting indeed.
Though my first emotional reaction was: being embarrassed (because
they have "stolen" the OST Acronym;-)
Bernardo
Bernd Weber
Change Facilitation s.r.o., A Global Partner Who Makes Change
Happen in Complex Environments; www.change-facilitation.com,
www.change-management-toolbook.com bernd.weber@change-
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NEW: Intensive Learning Workshop
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Am 12.12.2011 um 20:22 schrieb Artur Silva:
Hi:
Have any of you ever heard about this?
OST - OPEN SYSTEMS THINKING:
http://www.thelightonthehill.com/
Interesting...
Regards
Artur
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The Autognomics Institute
A Living World-view; the nature of reality
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