More often than not I know I feel united with the Universe, everything that exist, and God the ultimate. Supramundane...
With ever deepening gratitude, spark 2011. 12. 18. 오전 3:38에 "Stanley Park" <spark....@gmail.com>님이 작성: > It would surely be a worthwhile investment for you to lead us to work on > that. > > For me OS is a conscious state of journey toward an ultimate state of > being- wholeness with the Universe or God. > 2011. 12. 18. 오전 2:32에 "Harrison Owen" <hho...@verizon.net>님이 작성: > >> Bernhard – having said that “I was in”(for more discussion) – I guess I >> just sort of disappeared without further word. However, being at a loss for >> words is not a common state for me J -- and the topic you raise is, and >> has been, of intense interest to me.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> The similarity of the Open Space experience and the Buddhist practice and >> experience caught my attention some time ago. And, as I said in my prior >> post, it is not just Buddhism but many, perhaps most, of the other great >> traditions. But Buddhism is certainly a great place to start. **** >> >> ** ** >> >> I am not at all sure what the initiating moment was, but I rather think >> it was when I noticed a common phrase that folks used in the closing >> circle. It didn’t happen every time, but more often than not, somebody >> would remark, “I feel like I have come home.” Nobody ever defined precisely >> what they meant by “home,” and maybe they couldn’t – so I always took it at >> face value. Something about feeling natural and comfortable, just the way I >> am. The implication was that in other situations the feeling was being >> un-natural, ill at ease and to some extent inauthentic or “put on.” What >> popped into my head was a phrase I had often encountered in the Buddhist >> literature about seeing/meeting my “original face.” **** >> >> ** ** >> >> When combined with observed and/or reported feelings and behaviors in >> Open Space, such as: -- focus and presence, the capacity to treat others >> with respect, the ability to listen and engage the other with depth and >> sensitivity, an expanded sense of vision and possibility, renewed hope, >> fundamental life change, an acute sense of spaciousness such that the >> present moment (Now) just grew and grew… it seemed like something was going >> on. The fact that most or all of these things are also the reported results >> of Buddhist Practice (certainly my practice which is pretty much Buddhist) >> was more than sufficient to alert my curiosity bump. Something was >> definitely going on. But what and why? **** >> >> ** ** >> >> That Buddhist Practice could produce such results was understandable to >> me given the original insights of Gautama, centuries of intense study, >> communal practice, and no small amount of discipline. But what about Open >> Space? We just sat in a circle, created a bulletin board, opened a market >> place…originally inspired by two martinis. And our history in this >> enterprise is hardly extensive, at least in comparison to the Buddhist >> community. I confess that it made absolutely no sense at all.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> The questions, however, are fairly clear even if the answers are a tad >> wispy. What are the connections? What is the means/mechanism? You mentioned >> a “collective Master function” – about which I would love to hear more. But >> my thoughts have been going in a slightly different direction. No certainty >> for sure – but just to share.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> First for the connection. It seems to me that the connection between >> Buddhist Practice and Open Space is probably co-incidental. But that does >> not make it a weak connection, for co-incidental, as I am using the word >> here means that the two are connected through a prior (coincident) >> connection… with the power of self organization. Yes I know – the whole >> notion of self organization nowhere shows up in the Buddhist literature, so >> far as I know. But if the present general scientific contention is correct >> that self-organization has been operative for at least 13.7 billion years >> it would be rather odd if we (present day humans) were the first to notice >> the effect upon human life, be that individual or collective. So my thought >> (suggestion) would be that the Buddhist community, being the keen observers >> of the human condition that they are, discovered a (the) fundamental power >> of life (by whatever name) and created a practice enabling human beings to >> fully align themselves with that power. Once in alignment, the experience >> is of full authenticity, being fully what we really are, seeing our >> original face. Or coming home. Is this really true? I don’t know, but >> given another lifetime, I would surely like to find out. I guess I should >> have been a Hindu?**** >> >> ** ** >> >> My story about Open Space is that, quite serendipitously (dumb blind >> luck), we arrived at a similar place by a very different route. Every time >> we open space, the process of self organization is initiated, re-initiated >> – or maybe just brought to our consciousness. And the net result is that we >> (the participants) find ourselves in a environment which allows/invites us >> to be as we really are. Almost without knowing it, we find ourselves in >> alignment with a fundamental process of the cosmos. Once there, we >> experience a strangely comfortable world, which looks just like the >> “everyday” world, but feels rather different. We have come home. >> Obviously, not everybody in every Open Space shares this experience. For >> some people it just doesn’t “take,” or if it does “ take” the level of >> resistance is such that the new experience is perceived as strange, weird, >> or worse. But for many people in multiple times and places over our 25 >> year adventure – it definitely feels like we have come home. At least that >> is a possible story.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Would I suggest that Open Space somehow supplants the Buddhist >> experience? A straight simple shot to Nirvana? Absolutely not! But I do >> think the two experiences can be very complementary. At least that has >> certainly how it has been for me. Even though a first encounter with Open >> Space can feel like “coming home,” that homecoming is often taken with baby >> steps. What is missing is a deep appreciation of the full power and >> possibilities at hand. It is sort of like coming back to the old homestead >> with lots of warm feelings, but little knowledge of all the rooms and >> spaces, nooks and crannies that await our exploration and appropriation. >> In my own case, it was my practice (largely Buddhist, as I said) that >> became my guide, both as facilitator and participant. I don’t have a clue >> as to whether others might share – they will have to speak for themselves. >> **** >> >> ** ** >> >> So if it were true that the operative power of self organization were the >> connecting link between the Buddhist experience and Open Space would that >> somehow consign both to a realm dominated by a purely physical force, >> thereby reducing each to the level of a side show in the great drama of >> Physics? Do we suddenly and necessarily find ourselves in the company of >> all those who choose to understand life and our part in it simply as the >> product of quarks and neutrinos, hormones and peptides? What about those >> other realities that some of us call Spirit or Consciousness? The choice is >> clearly there to be made, but from where I sit, the two poles (Spirit and >> matter) and not mutually exclusive.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> One of the oldest discussions of humankind is the precedence of >> Spirit/Consciousness and matter. Is matter the product of >> Spirit/Consciousness? Or did it somehow occur that matter evolved to become >> conscious? For the vast majority of human history it was understood that >> matter emerges from Consciousness, indeed I suspect that is the majority >> opinion even today. Recently, however, the relationship has been reversed, >> at least in parts of the Scientific West. I suspect there will never come a >> day when the issue is resolved at the level of proof. It will remain a >> matter of discussion, choice, and experience, which I rather think to be a >> good thing.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Speaking personally, however, I am clear about my experience and my >> choice. In the beginning, indeed before any possibility of beginning – >> there is Consciousness/Spirit. Given this experience and choice, self >> organization assumes the position of a manifestation of consciousness. Self >> Organization is what Consciousness does in time and space, along with many >> other things. Is this true? I don’t think we will ever know, and indeed the >> wondrous gift of this Great Cloud of Unknowing is a less than gentle >> reminder of our limitations. In the meantime, and all that said – It works >> for me. Those of you who know me will hardly be surprised. After all I am >> the guy who opened his first book on Organizations with the line, “Spirit >> is the most important thing.” I haven’t changed.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Enough of this esoterica! And if you have read this far you may well be >> asking yourself, “Where’s the Beef?” What possible practical benefit? What >> makes you think that filling the space of OSLIST with this sort of stuff >> could have any useful application. Fair question.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> I think there are at least two reasons. The first I might summarize under >> the heading of “Beer in the Fridge.”**** >> >> ** ** >> >> If you are thirsty for a beer in my house, all you really have to know is >> how to open the refrigerator door and open a can. The fact that major >> scientific advances, over multiple years, possessing mind bending >> complexity – lie behind the coldness of the beer just waiting your parched >> throat doesn’t really affect a thing. If you want the beer, get it. On the >> other hand if you are a real aficionado for whom all the little things >> count, you really do need to know something about Refrigeration Mechanics, >> the flow of gasses, the way pressure can raise and lower temperatures. Same >> thing with Open Space. If all you want to do is have a good meeting, no >> problem. Sit in a circle, create a bulletin board, open a market place, and >> go to work. Ain’t Rocket Science. However, should you want to enhance the >> quality of the space, raise the level of impact, extend the positive >> effects for yourself and the participants, looking under the hood, thinking >> about the details, asking impossible questions… is probably a good place to >> start.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> My second reason may be a little more abstract. And it is all about the 5 >> th Principle: Wherever it happens is the right place.” For me the >> cutting edge in what we do is not so much about doing an event but rather >> coming to an understanding that Open Space is a 24X7 reality and that we >> may learn how to enhance the power of the experience wherever that might be >> taking place… Tahrir Square, OWS, or the kitchen table. Learning to do that >> well involves, at the least, looking for linkages and connections – >> potential allies in a common undertaking. **** >> >> ** ** >> >> So I am done for the moment. As I said at the start, being at a loss for >> words in not my common state. Maybe I should work on that?**** >> >> ** ** >> >> 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)**** >> >> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of >> OSLIST Go to: >> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org**** >> >> ** ** >> >> *From:* oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org >> [mailto:oslist-boun...@lists.openspacetech.org] *On Behalf Of *Bernhard >> Weber >> *Sent:* Wednesday, December 14, 2011 12:13 AM >> *To:* World wide Open Space Technology email list >> *Subject:* [OSList] Individual and collective master (was: OST - Open >> Systems Thinking)**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Harrison and all**** >> >> ** ** >> >> I like the recently upcoming discussion about the history of Systems >> Thinking, but I would also like to make a big jump from this. **** >> >> ** ** >> >> I am not shure, but to me it seems to not be by pure "accident". **** >> >> 1. Recently Stanley park wrote "Now is the territory of Peace- Nirvana" * >> *** >> >> 2. And some days later you Harrison wrote "Open the space of your life >> and the lives of those around you, and you will discover your own natural >> state". **** >> >> ** ** >> >> "Your own natural state", that is exactly how Buddhist masters (like e.g. >> Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, the contemporary Tibetan Dzogchen-teacher) >> refer to what is often called enlightenment, liberation, Rigpa, ... **** >> >> ** ** >> >> Although it is not really possible to "feel" something behind the words >> of a written posting, I always felt some kind of reluctance by side of you, >> when somebody in the group related the effects of OST or the OS spirit to >> central Buddhist concepts. Would you prefer to not discuss it (treat it as >> a tabu) or am I completely wrong here? (And my feeling demasked as >> pseudo-feeling;-)**** >> >> ** ** >> >> I am here in Sri Lanka at the beginning of the 7th year of residence, the >> place/space where Gautamas words have been put into Pali language and >> written down some hundreds of years after his passing away/paranirvana. So >> all this is resonating in me as a kind of effect of the Spirit of the >> space/genius loci. **** >> >> ** ** >> >> Anyhow I would like to invite you and all to explore, if the following >> idea makes sense: **** >> >> ** ** >> >> What the two citations above seem to hint at in my eyes , is a quite >> specific function/effect of Open Space: being a trigger for processes >> during which not only things get done, as it has been pointed out again and >> again, but a trigger for processes that may also lead to enlightenment. If >> there is some value in that idea, then OS might be a collective equivalent >> of a master**** >> >> ** ** >> >> A master also can only be a trigger, because as already the historical >> Gautama (called the Buddha) stated, that he can, on basis of his own >> experience only show the way, point to the right direction, but the >> practitioner has to do the work. There is no way that the master can do it >> (the full liberation, the reaching of the natural state) for the student. >> **** >> >> ** ** >> >> So I am wondering if the efficiency and effectiveness of OST in getting >> things done, is not intrinsicly knitted together with (alias dialectically >> connected to) this "collective master function". Two sides of one medal?* >> *** >> >> ** ** >> >> Of course I am not interested to tie OS to Buddhism as a belief system. * >> *** >> >> But of course my understanding of the ways to enlightenment is also not >> tied to a specific belief system. I have luckily been exposed to "passion, >> responsability and love " in- and outside of OST in various cultures like >> my own Christian culture in Austria, Candomblé in Brazil, animistic cults >> (as the christians call them) in Africa, Buddhism of the Theravada, >> Mahayana, and Tibetan tradition (Buddhism fused with Bön), Yoga in India... >> And it always works and in all kinds of places.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> So once again: might it be legitimate, make sense and be useful to look >> at OST as a kind of set up for a collective master without a present >> individual guru?**** >> >> Or not?**** >> >> ** ** >> >> Bernd/Colombo**** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> **** >> >> ** ** >> >> . **** >> >> >> 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.we...@change-facilitation.org; >> Regional Phone numbers: **** >> >> -Austria: +43 664 135 4828, landline + 431 5968657)**** >> >> -Sri Lanka: landline +94 11 2785859, iPhone +94 777740757**** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> NEW: Intensive Learning Workshop **** >> >> "Playing with the Waves of Change" **** >> >> www.change-facilitation.com/**** >> >> ** ** >> >> You want to have the design for a "Playing with the Waves (of Change) WS >> 2 completely taylor-made according to your individual learning interests & >> needs & limitations? Then have a look to the questionnaire at**** >> >> www.surveymonkey.com/s/5ZDS6JQ**** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> If you get Email from my account <bernd.we...@change-facilitation.org> >> please do not use the reply button but answer to <web...@gmx.at>, >> because my change-facilitation.org INBOX is not working for the time >> being.**** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> ** ** >> >> >> >> **** >> >> ** ** >> >> Am 13.12.2011 um 22:11 schrieb Harrison Owen:**** >> >> >> >> **** >> >> discover your own natural state**** >> >> ** ** >> >> _______________________________________________ >> OSList mailing list >> To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org >> To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org >> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: >> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org >> >>
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