Re: [OSList] How do you "hold space?"

[Jake Yeager via OSList]

This was such a rich thread. Thank you all for sharing.

My "understanding" of OST and the facilitator's role deepens the more I
engage in spiritual practices.

At some point I imagine the notion of "me" as an "OST facilitator" will
also fall away. Then, I am fully present--hell, I AM the present. :) Or
just I AM. And the notion of the "group" falls away too.

Much love all

Jake


When the mind is quiet, the sun of your heart will shine once again, and
you will be free of problems.
 - Robert Adams 


On Mon, Feb 10, 2020 at 1:03 PM Thomas Perret via OSList <
oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:

> Birgitt,
>
> Awesome, thank you!
>
> Kindly,
> Thomas
>
>
> On 10 Feb 2020, at 17.40, Birgitt Williams via OSList <
> oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>
> Hi Thomas,
> My perspective about OST started because I was in a senior staff position,
> accountable for the performance of my organization, when I introduced OST
> into the organization and paid a lot of attention to what worked and what
> didn't over time. My perspective is added to by my choice to work
> predominantly in helping organizations transform. My use of OST is within
> intact organizations and multiple OST meetings are always part of our
> transformation process. The best I can offer on the list is my perspective
> from my own experience.
>
> Most important is that every person who facilitates OST has an
> understanding of the form of OST, and their own chosen concept of what the
> essence is. What is this thing referred to as 'space', what is meant by
> 'open' and then 'open space'. From a personal understanding comes a
> personal perspective of what it is to open space and hold space, if those
> words suit the person. It is a personal journey. I have come to understand
> that it is more about the persona/leadership development of the facilitator
> over time than about anything else. It is a way to learn to be the change
> you want to see in the world.
>
> The decisions about what to do and not do come from this understanding and
> the associated perspective that develops. I have a perspective that is
> uniquely mine, although I have set teachings from my perspective out into
> the word in our Working with Open Space Technology module of the Genuine
> Contact program. In turn, every GC trainer shares via their own unique
> perspective.
>
> Thank you for noticing,
> in genuine contact,
> Birgitt
>
>
> *Birgitt Williams*
> *Supporting You in Developing Your Leadership*
> Author,The Genuine Contact Way: Nourishing a Culture of Leadership
> 
> Senior Consultant, President Dalar International Consultancy, Inc
> 
> Founder Genuine Contact Program
> . Co-owner Genuine
> Contact Co-owners Group, I nc
>
> *Learn with us for your skill and capacity development for leading and
> working in the new leadership paradigm "Leading So People Will Lead"*
>
> *Mentoring Circles & Mastermind Groups* | December 13, 2019 | Online
> *Achieving Organizational Health & Balance* | February 21 & 28, 2020 |
> Online
> *Strategic Planning the Genuine Contact Way* | March 20, 27 & April 3,
> 2020 | Online
> *Holistic Leadership Development *| April 15-20, 2020 | Waterloo, Canada
> *Whole Person Process Facilitation* | April 24, May 1 & 8, 2020 | Online
> *Genuine Contact Organization/Summer Academy 2020 *| July 3-10, 2020 |
> Waterloo, Canada
>
> >> Learn More & Register
>  for any of these
> workshops here.
>
>
> PO Box 19373, Raleigh, NC, USA 27613
> Phone: 01-919-522-7750
>
>
> On Mon, Feb 10, 2020 at 5:22 AM Thomas Perret  wrote:
>
>> Hi Birgitt and Michael,
>>
>> Reading your responses to the question about holding space, I see a
>> possible difference in approach to space invaders and would like to hear
>> more.
>>
>> You, Birgitt, stressed that dealing with space invaders is the job of the
>> facilitator and you added - not the participants’. Which makes me think you
>> consider this important. Whereas you, Michael, wrote that you might wait a
>> moment and then sometimes the participants themselves deal with it.
>>
>> Will you tell me from your viewpoints what you consider beneficial with
>> your approach?
>>
>> Kind regards,
>> Thomas
>>
>>
>> ___
>>
>> All is possible together
>>
>> On 10 Feb 2020, at 2.17, Birgitt Williams via OSList <
>> oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>>
>> The sponsor opens the space in their organization.
>> The facilitator has the privilege of opening the space for people to get
>> in touch with what they are passionate about. The facilitator is very
>> controlling when doing so, not allowing any space invaders to sabotage the
>> creation of the container.
>> The facilitator does their work of making sure that space invaders don't
>> derail the experience. This is

Re: [OSList] How do you "hold space?"

[Michael Herman via OSList]

A participant once asked me what I was doing before/as I stepped into the
opening circle, Jake. I asked what if looked like. She said, like you were
being space. Best ppt compliment I ever had. Also the week after two weeks
in a Tibetan monastery, so maybe I was too if my game.

If you want, you can practice with another being what happen when you
describe the falling away. Sit facing each other, or back to back is good
too. Let your awareness include everything that tells you that you are, all
and any sensation. Then let awareness notice that the being infrint if you
is, too.  Let the other be as real to you as you are to yourself.
Move/pulse attention back and forth until you are aware of both being at
once. Won’t matter if they do this or not, as long as they’re not
distracting you. Notice what happens. Notice the quality of space. Shared.
Notice what it feels like and then google the four immeasurables. And then
notice that we can do this anytime with groups, of just in the train home
at night. Open space is everywhere at once. 


On Thu, Feb 13, 2020 at 16:54 Jake Yeager via OSList <
oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:

> This was such a rich thread. Thank you all for sharing.
>
> My "understanding" of OST and the facilitator's role deepens the more I
> engage in spiritual practices.
>
> At some point I imagine the notion of "me" as an "OST facilitator" will
> also fall away. Then, I am fully present--hell, I AM the present. :) Or
> just I AM. And the notion of the "group" falls away too.
>
> Much love all
>
> Jake
> 
>
> When the mind is quiet, the sun of your heart will shine once again, and
> you will be free of problems.
>  - Robert Adams 
>
>
> On Mon, Feb 10, 2020 at 1:03 PM Thomas Perret via OSList <
> oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>
>> Birgitt,
>>
>> Awesome, thank you!
>>
>> Kindly,
>> Thomas
>>
>>
>> On 10 Feb 2020, at 17.40, Birgitt Williams via OSList <
>> oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Thomas,
>> My perspective about OST started because I was in a senior staff
>> position, accountable for the performance of my organization, when I
>> introduced OST into the organization and paid a lot of attention to what
>> worked and what didn't over time. My perspective is added to by my choice
>> to work predominantly in helping organizations transform. My use of OST is
>> within intact organizations and multiple OST meetings are always part of
>> our transformation process. The best I can offer on the list is my
>> perspective from my own experience.
>>
>> Most important is that every person who facilitates OST has an
>> understanding of the form of OST, and their own chosen concept of what the
>> essence is. What is this thing referred to as 'space', what is meant by
>> 'open' and then 'open space'. From a personal understanding comes a
>> personal perspective of what it is to open space and hold space, if those
>> words suit the person. It is a personal journey. I have come to understand
>> that it is more about the persona/leadership development of the facilitator
>> over time than about anything else. It is a way to learn to be the change
>> you want to see in the world.
>>
>> The decisions about what to do and not do come from this understanding
>> and the associated perspective that develops. I have a perspective that is
>> uniquely mine, although I have set teachings from my perspective out into
>> the word in our Working with Open Space Technology module of the Genuine
>> Contact program. In turn, every GC trainer shares via their own unique
>> perspective.
>>
>> Thank you for noticing,
>> in genuine contact,
>> Birgitt
>>
>>
>> *Birgitt Williams*
>> *Supporting You in Developing Your Leadership*
>> Author,The Genuine Contact Way: Nourishing a Culture of Leadership
>> 
>> Senior Consultant, President Dalar International Consultancy, Inc
>> 
>> Founder Genuine Contact Program
>> . Co-owner Genuine
>> Contact Co-owners Group, I 
>> nc
>>
>> *Learn with us for your skill and capacity development for leading and
>> working in the new leadership paradigm "Leading So People Will Lead"*
>>
>> *Mentoring Circles & Mastermind Groups* | December 13, 2019 | Online
>> *Achieving Organizational Health & Balance* | February 21 & 28, 2020 |
>> Online
>> *Strategic Planning the Genuine Contact Way* | March 20, 27 & April 3,
>> 2020 | Online
>> *Holistic Leadership Development *| April 15-20, 2020 | Waterloo, Canada
>> *Whole Person Process Facilitation* | April 24, May 1 & 8, 2020 | Online
>> *Genuine Contact Organization/Summer Academy 2020 *| July 3-10, 2020 |
>> Waterloo, Canada
>>
>> >> Learn More & Register
>>  for any of these
>> workshops here.
>>
>>
>> PO Box 19373, Raleigh, NC, USA 27613
>> Phone: 01-919-52