HI Marie
I'm suggesting quite the opposite. Truth doesn't always elude us because
we are both tiny and universal.
Open Space is a form of organisation. It is a minimally structured
process that enables BOTH selves and the SELF to organise.
Self-organisation is the act of the self, organising. The self is
microcosmic, realised in the emergent, incarnated individual self, and
macrocosmic in the holism (whole-ism) of the universe. Diversity lies in
between, different levels and qualities of consciousness.
As consciousness in our human selves has clearly been evolving, we've
gone through various stages. Egoism has tended to both harden the self
and lead to overstructure as those selves attempt to enclose and gain
control over nature. Minimal structuring and organisation is an antidote
to overstructure. Open Space Technology is such a minimal structure.
And, oh yes, a structure it is. A beautiful, eloquent one.
Paul
On 2 January 2014 23:37, Marie Ann Östlund <marieann.ostl...@gmail.com
<mailto:marieann.ostl...@gmail.com>> wrote:
Thank you Paul. I'm not sure how to respond or if I need to. :)
Truth with always elude us since we're tiny. But that doesn't mean
we shouldn't try to understand. And as you say: "Perhaps it's us
self-organising so the self might know it" That's what I'm
suggesting. Our experiences might help us towards some more coherence.
Marie Ann
On Mon, Dec 30, 2013 at 10:09 PM, paul levy <p...@cats3000.net
<mailto:p...@cats3000.net>> wrote:
Of course, all of these wonderful statements about what
self-organisation is, are organising statements !
Open Space Technology itself, minimal as it is, is an organising
process.
I do enjoy lazy philosophy. It's part of our mysterious
humanity. And making statements about self-organisation is like
trying to bite your own teeth. You can't grasp this particular
spiritual feather because you are the feather, the wind, the
blowing and even the story of it.
Though, perhaps the "self" in self-organisation really does
refer to the human self.
The eye is formed by the light, for the light. Perhaps it's us
self-organising so the self might know it.
Happy New Year
Paul Levy
On Monday, 30 December 2013, Daniel Mezick wrote:
Such a rich topic! Thanks to Marie Ann Östlund for opening
this topic.
I am compelled to add the following words (verbatim) from
RIGHTS OF MAN, by Thomas Paine. The book is quite an
interesting read for folks like us. It tends to confirm and
join with all of Harrison's key points.
My favorite quote in the book:
"...society performs for itself almost everything that is
ascribed to government."
When he says [society] in the text, he means groups to
people who are self-organizing, according to natural propensity.
The whole book is here, for free:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3742/3742-h/3742-h.htm#link2H_4_0007
Quoting below, from this specific section:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3742/3742-h/3742-h.htm#link2HCH0001
Will you pardon my forwardness? I've taken the liberty of
bolding a few words for emphasis:
"So far is it from being true, as has been *pretended*, that
the abolition of any formal government is the dissolution of
society, that it acts by a contrary impulse, and brings the
latter the closer together. All that part of its
organisation which it had committed to its government,
devolves again upon itself, and acts through its medium.
When men, as well from natural instinct as from reciprocal
benefits, have habituated themselves to social and civilised
life, *there is always enough of its principles in practice
to carry them* through any changes they may find necessary
or convenient to make in their government. In short, *man is
so naturally a creature of society* that it is almost
impossible to put him out of it.
**
*"Formal government makes but a small part of civilised
life*; and when even the best that human wisdom can devise
is established, it is a thing more in name and idea than in
fact. It is to the great and fundamental principles of
society and civilisation—to the common usage universally
consented to, and mutually and reciprocally maintained—to
the unceasing circulation of interest, which, passing
through its million channels, invigorates the whole mass of
civilised man—it is to these things, infinitely more than to
anything which even the best instituted government can
perform, that the safety and prosperity of the individual
and of the whole depends.
*"The more perfect civilisation is, the less occasion has it
for government*, because the more does it regulate its own
affairs, *and govern itself*; but so contrary is the
practice of old governments to the reason of the case, that
the expenses of them increase in the proportion they ought
to diminish. It is but few general laws that civilised life
requires, and those of such common usefulness, that whether
they are enforced by the forms of government or not, the
effect will be nearly the same.*If we consider what the
principles are* that first condense men into society, and
what are the motives that regulate their mutual intercourse
afterwards, we shall find, by the time we arrive at what is
called government, that *nearly the whole of the business is
performed by the natural operation of the parts upon each
other. *
"Man, with respect to all those matters, is more a creature
of consistency than he is aware, or than governments would
wish him to believe. *All the great laws of society are laws
of nature.* Those of trade and commerce, whether with
respect to the intercourse of individuals or of nations, are
laws of mutual and reciprocal interest. They are followed
and obeyed, because it is the interest of the parties so to
do, and *not on account of any formal laws their governments
may impose or interpose. *
***
On 12/30/13 11:10 AM, Harrison Owen wrote:
Marie – I think you have it just right. But maybe you are
making things a little too complicated, and working a bit
too hard. In my simple mind, things look like this. First:
All systems are self organizing, even those we think we
organize. Second: Organizing a self organizing system is
not only an oxymoron, but stupid – especially when the
system can do a better job all by itself. Third: Whenever
we try to organize a self-organizing system, we inevitably
get it wrong. Our efforts are “clunky.” Even though it may
look great on paper, our efforts are never subtle or
flexible (agile) enough. Fourth: Open Space is simply an
invitation to self organize. In other words it is simply
an invitation to be and do what we are. The fact that it
works as it does has nothing to do with our knowing any
philosophy, principles, practices... It works as it has
for 13.7 billion years, long before we arrived on the
scene, all without our help and assistance. Fifth: the
real value of OST is as a training program enabling us to
experience consciously and intentionally what all too
often passes by unnoticed – Life. It is also a marvelous
laboratory in which we can learn more about our natural
state. And oh yes – all the principles, philosophies,
practices, etc are fun, interesting, and useful to the
extent that they help us to understand with greater
clarity what is really going on. But at the end of the day
they really don’t change a thing. I think.____
__ __
ho ____
__ __
Harrison Owen____
7808 River Falls Dr.____
Potomac, MD 20854____
USA____
__ __
189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)____
Camden, Maine 04843____
__ __
Phone 301-365-2093 <tel:301-365-2093>____
(summer) 207-763-3261 <tel:207-763-3261>____
__ __
www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com%20> ____
www.ho-image.com <http://www.ho-image.com%20> (Personal
Website)____
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