WOSonOS 2022 in Bilbao and: GoodHabitz documentary_imterview with psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert
Hello Anna Caroline,
At this point, my week in Bilbao is indistinguishable from my OST
experience as a whole. Considering open space as primarily experiential and
personal, I would probably like to keep it this way.
I wrote this note as a spontaneous light hearted attempt to encapsulate
some fleeting thoughts and sensations that coalesced from the various
sessions I participated in. In that sense it is rooted in my specific OST
Bilbao experience. But I suppose it could be extrapolated to OST in
general. Some of the most personal experiences and meditations I had while
hiking on the basque coastline during the week-end are also present here.
To be perfectly honest, I was also trying to be a little "tongue in cheek"
by bringing together seemingly unrelated and unexpected topics. Those
associations make sense to me but in a way that was more instinctive than
rational. I have not really rationalized further until now.
I am very happy you are calling me on it however and I guess you are now
asking me to start writing the chapters of this hypothetical book.
I hear what you are saying about your reservations regarding corporate
resistance. However, one of my personal take away from my stay in Bilbao is
that if we truly believe that it is important to bring in philosophical or
spiritual considerations, we should be confident and bold about it and not
try to bow to a rather stiff corporate way. The justification is that a
unique and possibly unusual perspective is precisely the highest value we
can bring to the corporate world. The relative stiffness and conformism of
corporations (especially as they grow big) is a core problem they face to
remain nimble and innovative. They need a bit of shaken up. I think some
corporate leaders recognize this and might be more attracted to thought
provoking and intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your
proposal for breath and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think
of silence.
Now, that being said beyond slightly provocative titles the important part
is to bring some substance and valuable insights. So let me try to give it
a go on the two chapters you mention.
Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
Well, obviously that title is meant to be both provocative and confusing. I
mean, what is the relation between quantum physics and sexuality right?
You rightly picked up on sexuality which is taboo especially in the
workplace. Organizations are now essentially a-sexual. We should certainly
celebrate the progress that has been made to make harassment in the
workplace unacceptable and we must continue in this direction. At the same
time most of us are not asexual and I think it is both illusory and
hypocritical to ask people to switch off their sexual energy while at work.
One of the session we had in Bilbao offers a possible avenue of exploration
by expanding on the notion of sexual energy.
To be precise, the session was about sacred sexuality as a tool for
social transformation. During the session, we danced in order to loosen up
and then we explored levels of intimacy through a guided shared experience
of our 5 senses. It was very intense and sometimes quite challenging. I
personally found it disturbing and difficult but also liberating. For
instance, when you do spend even a few seconds with someone, smelling each
other, it does change how you relate to one another. So that is the social
transformation part. It is very animalistic and I guess it's the point.
In sacred sexuality we try to connect to the primal energy of creation. As
the convener of the session defines it : "the energy of sacred sexuality,
as the energy of life creation, which helps us to integrate our accepted
and denied parts (lights and shadows) and leads to living in TOTALITY". The
ability to be totally present (oneness) is a theme that should resonate
with many visionary organisations / leaders. It is about reclaiming sexual
energy which had been repressed by religion and has now been commercialized
and consequently distorted.
This is in essence a spiritual journey. That primal energy relates to the
"eros" of the ancient greek. It is the same energy which pushes a blade of
grass to grow even through a small crack in the pavement. It is in a sense
the energy of life. This creative energy is at the core of reproduction and
sexuality but it can also be expressed in ways that are not purely sexual.
This is the key that is offered here. Rather than trying to suppress and
repress sexual energy the proposal is to find ways to transcend and harness
this powerful energy and express it in ways that are safe and respectful as
well as fruitful and transformative.
I see this primal energy as a potential. Something that can be felt and
that stirs us. It is like a fire inside which can consume us or which we
can learn to utilize in productive and creative ways. This energy exists
but it is not real until we actualize it into action on the world. And this
is the link with quantum physics. Quantum particles have a probability
state or quantum wave function which is unknown and unknowable until it is
collapsed through observation. This connection would need further
elaboration but there maybe something interesting.
Open Space as social and personal therapy
I suppose organizational therapy would be more correct. I guess the reason
why you picked up therapy has somewhat corporate inappropriate has to do
with stigma around mental health and psychotherapy. Mental health is a hot
issue in corporations these days. HR departments all over are working hard
to dissipate that stigma and to create safe places for people to express
their vulnerability. At an individual level I believe this is driven by
empathy and acceptance. From the point of view of the organization, the
motivations might be more about safety, innovation and ultimately
productivity.
I personally have reservations about the notion of mental illness because
it tends to push the responsibility on the individual. It implies that it
is the individual who is ill and therefore requires treatment. Worse still,
treatment too often equates to chemicals. While it is true that
individually we ought to do work on ourselves and deal with whatever issues
we have or have inherited, I believe that a more holistic perspective is
more fruitful and sustainable. It would need to recognize that the social,
societal and organizational contexts are also very important to mental well
being.
Many therapies are based on language and open communication. They require a
space that is safe and free of judgment. I think Open Space can provide
that and in a sense aims to do that by default. We call on passion and
responsibility. Both are challenging in their own way. Passion in
particular can expose some of our vulnerabilities. Ideally, an open space
event should allow people to raise issues or questions that they did not
dare raise before. Mostly because there was no safe mechanism to do so. In
open space, it is part of the game. This in itself (taking the skeleton out
of the closet) is already therapeutic for both the individual and the
group. The discussion that ensues, provided that it is done with respect,
can also have very therapeutic effects. People feel heard. The organization
has an opportunity to grow and even maybe heal some untold conflict or
misunderstanding.
So here it is, I hope it offers some clarification and hopefully triggers
further thought. I look forward to further feedback and discussion.
Most kind regards,
JF
On Fri, Oct 7, 2022 at 7:02 PM Anna Caroline Türk <
annacaroline@truthcircles.com> wrote:
Hi JF,
I am happy you enjoyed your Open Space experience in Bilbao.
I wondering if your list speaks to your week in Bilbao or to your
experience of Open Space Technology?
"Your List / potential chapters of a book" include:
- Coming home to transformation
- Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
- Matter, time and the architecture or open space
- Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
- Open Space as social and personal therapy
- Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as fit
for purpose solution)
You spoke about your perceptions that leaders might be afraid of applying
OST in the corporate context.
I feel some resistance when I read "sexuality" and "therapy" - can you
speak more to your points so I can understand this better?
When I think of a list/ chapters about OST I can imagine including:
- invitation
- circle
- breath
- emergence
- energy
- creation
- power
- connection
- intimacy
- genuine connections
- wisdom
- actions
What would others add to their list/chapter of a book about Open Space
Technology?
Greetings from Berlin
Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com http://TruthCircles.com
Am Di., 4. Okt. 2022 um 14:14 Uhr schrieb Thomas Perret <
thomas@peerland.fi>:
Open Space as social therapy!
I love it. Especially as a chapter in a book.
I feel your message and I look forward to my next coming home to
transformation.
Best, Thomas
On 2022-10-04 09:10, JF wrote:
Hello Everyone,
So here I am back from an intense and very rewarding OST experience in
Bilbao. It was indeed a very transformative moment right at the
inflexion point of my personal and professional development. The funny
thing though is that despite the novelty and all the new faces it felt
like coming home. A feeling hard to explain but I suspect people on
this list would understand.
As I was driving back on Saturday there were so many thoughts coming
through my mind I thought I could probably write a whole book about
this amazing week in Basque country. Here are some of the chapters
title for that book:
* Coming home to transformation
* Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
* Matter, time and the architecture or open space
* Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
* Open Space as social and personal therapy
* Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as
fit
for purpose solution)
I would like to thank everyone for a very warm welcome and amazing
discussions and thank you for the encouragement from people on this
list to make the trip.
Most warm greetings and hugs,
JF
On Sun, Sep 18, 2022 at 6:44 PM ingrid ebeling ebus
ie@institut-ebus.de wrote:
Dear Gentza,
well, yesterday I decided to come and join the WOSonOS 2022 in
Bilbao. I hesitated for quite a while, taking the train 32 hours or
what ever. All the sudden it seemed to be easy and got myself a
flight ticket.
Regarding the accommodation I need some help. Earlier you mentioned
a centric new hostel 5 minutes´ walk from the WOSonOS. How can I
find out, whether it is still available or find an alternative
house?
Now I’m looking forward seeing you all.
Ingrid
Ingrid Ebeling, EBUS
Systemic Prozess facilitation Executive Coaching • Large Group
Intervention
Am Alten Gehäge 6 • D- 30657 Hannover • Germany
fon +49-511-336 03 30 • mobile +49-172-5145179
ie@institut-ebus.de
Am 09.09.2022 um 10:31 schrieb Gentza Eleder
Gentza.Eleder@protonmail.com:
Hi Jean Fracnçois!
I'm happy about your decission!
Let us know if there's anything we could help you with.
Same for anyone that still is considering to take part totally or
partially in the WOS week in Bilbao, we are happy to make it
easaier to you!
We are passionate about making it easier to anyone that feels the
thrill and the passion on this gathering to join us!
The "travel" is being so nice!
Best wishes!
Gentza Eleder Aurtenetxe Pildain
http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
Mundaka
(+0034) 638.733.223
ps. Michael, we'll keep you in our hearts Bilbao, and will do our
best to join you some day, maybe next year, in Berlin! Thanks so
much for your support!
------- Original Message -------
Em quinta-feira, 8 de setembro de 2022 às 22:25, JF
jfgouin@gmail.com escreveu:
Thank you so much Michael for your warm and inspiring message. I
will definitely be in Bilbao, and am looking forward to it.
Gentza, I had read the OST user guide a few year's back but it has
been a while so a good suggestion to re-read it. I will see how much
I am able to commit for the Bilbao OS. For sure I'ld like to
participate to the OSonOS I will have to see about the earlier
session. If so yes helping preparing the space is probably a good
idea. I have organised concerts before and I do appreciate the
thrill of anticipation.
Thank you all,
JF
On Thu, Sep 8, 2022 at 5:37 PM WilbaOS WilbaOS@protonmail.com
wrote:
Michael, thanks so much, first of all for your shiny explanation on
the message 08.09 on self-organization taken place in OST meetings,
and we just willing to re-enjoy this, not so much looking for an
explanation, that's it!
I'm sure we'll witness this magic soon in Bilbao (jsut 3 weeks!)).
Dear Jean François, my previous experience with WOSonOS has been
always so rewarding, that, feeling a bit sad after two years in
which we had no way to ressemble, I asked around and, after a few
colleagues said "go ahead" in December, we started joyfully with our
small dream.
Now we are happy to see that around 40 people we'll be enjoying 2 OS
meetings in Bilbao soon. We espce that many more will sign up during
next days (if some of you are considering it, please contact us for
whatever we could help you: wilbaos@protonmail.com)
26+27th of September, withe the ample question: 2020+ Complex times:
how are we going ahead in cooperative ways?
29th+30th of September: how can we refine and expand our OS practice
all over the world?
JF, I invite you, if having time, to read "Open Space Technology:
the user's guide (Harrison Owen)", and if you are willing, join us
in the practice of preparing the space during the 23th September and
/ or 28th. Let us know if we can anyhow make your coming easier!
Regarding the Goodhabitz documentary, they'll be coming to WOSonOS
in Bilbao, and we'll thank some of you answering to their
interviews.
Looking forward to meet you soon in Bilbao!
Thansk for spreading the heartly invitation!
Gentza Eleder
Mundaka/Bilbao
http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
https://twitter.com/OpenSpace_EH
Sent with Proton Mail [1] secure email.
------- Original Message -------
On Thursday, September 8th, 2022 at 16:45, Michael M Pannwitz
mmpannwitz@posteo.de wrote:
Dear Jean-Francois,
yes, experiencing open space in an OST setting is the best way to
get into this experiment which will be lifelong, I guarantee.
In fact, some folks know that open space and the approach can not be
learned or taught but it can be remembered. In other words, we
already know about it. But all kind of circumstances have led to it
being burried deep down.
In so called open space "Trainings" where 97% of the time everything
is entirely selforganizing, lasting 3 to 5 days (I love the 5 day
variety) where the trainers are mostly invisible, its been observed,
that participants could no longer do without open space.
So, Bilbao is also a variety of "training" with the opportunity to
take a deep dive and upon surfacing you will breathe something that
you never experienced before.
For me, it was life changing. And that at the age of 56 with 3
decades of all kinds of OD behing me and pretty sure that I knew
everything. It was tough work to drop my old habits and in a way it
still is. By the way, that was in 1996 at a "training" with Harrison
Owen and Romy Shovelton in Roffey Park...
So, get on your motorcycle or start walking or hitchhiking towards
Bilbao and have a great time.
Greetings from Berlin
mmp
PS: Dont forget to include yourself in the Open Space World Map
https://www.openspaceworldmap.org/inclusion
and add a picture so I can see you when writing corresponding with
you.
At my age I rarely leave my neighborhood, but have a grand time
here... I might leave it once more if the next WOSonOS will be in
Berlin, I hear some folks are planning that for 2023...
Am 08.09.2022 um 14:56 schrieb JF:
Hello All,
I have been on this list and be interested in OST for many years.
Yet I have never (until now) taken the opportunity to develop this
interest further and actually participate and be involved with OST
events.
I am currently in a professional transition from being a manager in
a large engineering firm to becoming self employed project manager
with a view to help build collective intelligence in organisations
through innovative organisational structures (e.g. holacracy) and
various practices such as OST.
I would like to learn and experience more and I have been told
before that the best and only way to learn about OST is to
experience it first hand. That makes a lot of sense and I think that
this would be a great eye opener for me as well as a growing
opportunity. Therefore I am contemplating participating in the next
OSonOS in Bilbao (I live in the south of France) but I want to make
sure that this is appropriate for someone who want to get initiated
in OST.
Thanks in advance for your comments and / or advice.
Regads,
Jean-François (JF)
On Tue, Aug 23, 2022 at 7:49 PM Michael M Pannwitz
mmpannwitz@posteo.de wrote:
Dear Gentza Eleder,
you might tell them that ost is an approach to expand time and space
for the unfolding of selforganisation. It is not an intention of ost
to change business culture, have better meetings or all the other
things one might find important.
It has been noticed however, that ost events bring about amazing
stuff every time those gatherings are convened and that folks find
that these were the best meetings they ever experienced. How that
happens has never been grasped. And participants are regularily
simply not interested to research this, they just want to get going.
The important observation is that it works. And if it is used
regularily in an organisation those organisations change all by
themselves (see the decade long experiment in the Agency for Youth
in Europe).
Selforganisation has never been grasped but it is the central force
in the unfolding of everything that has happened on this planet for
billions of year.
It has been observed that some very few prerequisites need to be in
place to get the the right conditions for getting this experiment in
selforganisation to unfold: sticky problem, high complexity of the
matter, large diversity of participants, high conflict and high
urgency to act and, not to forget, voluntarty participation.
Everyone attending our event in Bilbao is an expert, even experts in
attendance that are zoologists, psychologists, anthropologists,
medicine men, sociologists, cooks, gardeners, plumbers, architects,
teachers, mothers and very important: children. If you have children
and youngsters at the event among all the others you will find that
an amazing ingredient for the diversity soup. Nobody knows why and
it needs not to be researched, we have seen it.
Hope you get a great film that is shown in all cinemas around the
world.
Greetings from Berlin
Love and Peace
mmp
Am 23.08.2022 um 18:09 schrieb Gentza Eleder:
Hi friends, how are you?
We are having since July some converations with GoodHabitz
Documentaries [2].
They are very interested in OST and are planning to come to Bilbao
to film and make some interviews during the 28th World Open Space on
Open Space.
Now, they asked something that I thought would be best to spread
through the OSLIST, as follows:
....
For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
interview such an expert about how you can change the business
culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
....
Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
Would you, please, specially if planning to join as in Bilbao in
September, take some time to answer Marije (you can add us, as cc)?
I've proposed her to join herself the OSLIST to take part directly
in the conversation or open new questions.
Best of all,
Gentza Eleder
BuM_31 unJobbing
Mundaka
(+0034) 638.733.223
------- Original Message -------
Em terça-feira, 23 de agosto de 2022 às 10:10, Marije Kuipers
info.marijekuipers@gmail.com escreveu:
Hi Gentza, good morning!
How are you? Thanks for your email. Great answers!
I forgot to ask, have you been filmed before? And is it online? Just
to get an idea :)
....
For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
interview such an expert about how you can change the business
culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
....
Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
Hope to hear from you.
Thanks for your time and efforts!
Have a good day,
Marije
OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org
To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org
Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin
+49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.de
OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org
To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org
Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin
+49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.de
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To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org
Links:
[1] https://proton.me/
[2]
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Dear JF,
Thank you for taking the time to keep thinking out loud and to speak more
to your chapters of your potential book. :)
I hope other people will reply to your thoughtful exploration, and
highlight what resonates with them.
I have only passion to reply to two aspects that stand out for me in your
mail. And while I might be disagreeing with what I hear, I hope this mail
also conveys the spirit of an energized conversation, which we could
quickly have over a coffee or tea in an in-person-meeting. And by then end
leave with a smile as we agree to disagree.
I am unsure what you refer to when you write, that you hear me when I
expressed reservations regarding corporate resistance.
I was hoping to convey that I have empathy with leaders who resist
interventions that promote "organizational therapy" and "sexuality". (I am
aware that I might taking you too literally here ...)
But in that similar spirit you mention in your last mail that you believe
that leaders "need a bit of shaken up. I think some corporate leaders
recognize this and might be more attracted to thought provoking and
intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your proposal for breath
and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think of silence."
We might be not too different in our perception, because we both like
silence, but I disagree with the approach to shake people up. My approach
would be to create a learning environment, a nourishing environment, rather
than a provoking or shaking environment.
I can only relate to my own learning preferences and I have find that I
learn, expand and grow the most when I learn together in a life nourishing
environment, where the intention is to create genuine connection with self,
other and creation. I believe it is because of the breathing and sitting in
a circle together that the wisdom of the group will emerge and best next
steps will be identified by those who work (and live) together. This will
includes both challenging and generating conversations.
The other aspect I would like to point out is the notion of a "safe
mechanism". You write:
"Ideally, an open space event should allow people to raise issues or
questions that they did not dare raise before. Mostly because there was no
safe mechanism to do so. In open space, it is part of the game."
I would say that instead of a "safe" mechanism", open space gives an
"appropriate" mechanism.
Do you mean its a safe mechanism - because Open Space will guarantee
that everyone speaks up?
I am quite careful with this assumption. Careful preparation with the
leaders (and potentially other invitees) are mandatory to strengthen
everyone's experience of Open Space as a space where conversations can be
brought up, even if they are difficult.
For the preparation I therefore include the following ( not complete list):
- Is this the right date and space for the Open Space
- Is the purpose clear
- Is there enough time allocated to this event - given
the stated purpose of the Open Space - Is the invitation text and the title open and inviting
- Is clear what is not up for discussion
- Is it clearly stated how leaders/participants work with the findings
of this Open Space. - Have leaders committed to and planned in follow up work
Only when all of this is clear and explicit, do I trust that it provides a
mechanism to bring up what needs to be discussed and maybe healed at that
time.
Following the principles of open space.
So far my thoughts.
Happy weekend,
Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com http://TruthCircles.com
Am Mo., 10. Okt. 2022 um 12:14 Uhr schrieb JF jfgouin@gmail.com:
Hello Anna Caroline,
At this point, my week in Bilbao is indistinguishable from my OST
experience as a whole. Considering open space as primarily experiential and
personal, I would probably like to keep it this way.
I wrote this note as a spontaneous light hearted attempt to encapsulate
some fleeting thoughts and sensations that coalesced from the various
sessions I participated in. In that sense it is rooted in my specific OST
Bilbao experience. But I suppose it could be extrapolated to OST in
general. Some of the most personal experiences and meditations I had while
hiking on the basque coastline during the week-end are also present here.
To be perfectly honest, I was also trying to be a little "tongue in cheek"
by bringing together seemingly unrelated and unexpected topics. Those
associations make sense to me but in a way that was more instinctive than
rational. I have not really rationalized further until now.
I am very happy you are calling me on it however and I guess you are now
asking me to start writing the chapters of this hypothetical book.
I hear what you are saying about your reservations regarding corporate
resistance. However, one of my personal take away from my stay in Bilbao is
that if we truly believe that it is important to bring in philosophical or
spiritual considerations, we should be confident and bold about it and not
try to bow to a rather stiff corporate way. The justification is that a
unique and possibly unusual perspective is precisely the highest value we
can bring to the corporate world. The relative stiffness and conformism of
corporations (especially as they grow big) is a core problem they face to
remain nimble and innovative. They need a bit of shaken up. I think some
corporate leaders recognize this and might be more attracted to thought
provoking and intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your
proposal for breath and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think
of silence.
Now, that being said beyond slightly provocative titles the important part
is to bring some substance and valuable insights. So let me try to give it
a go on the two chapters you mention.
Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
Well, obviously that title is meant to be both provocative and confusing.
I mean, what is the relation between quantum physics and sexuality right?
You rightly picked up on sexuality which is taboo especially in the
workplace. Organizations are now essentially a-sexual. We should certainly
celebrate the progress that has been made to make harassment in the
workplace unacceptable and we must continue in this direction. At the same
time most of us are not asexual and I think it is both illusory and
hypocritical to ask people to switch off their sexual energy while at work.
One of the session we had in Bilbao offers a possible avenue of exploration
by expanding on the notion of sexual energy.
To be precise, the session was about sacred sexuality as a tool for
social transformation. During the session, we danced in order to loosen up
and then we explored levels of intimacy through a guided shared experience
of our 5 senses. It was very intense and sometimes quite challenging. I
personally found it disturbing and difficult but also liberating. For
instance, when you do spend even a few seconds with someone, smelling each
other, it does change how you relate to one another. So that is the social
transformation part. It is very animalistic and I guess it's the point.
In sacred sexuality we try to connect to the primal energy of creation. As
the convener of the session defines it : "the energy of sacred sexuality,
as the energy of life creation, which helps us to integrate our accepted
and denied parts (lights and shadows) and leads to living in TOTALITY". The
ability to be totally present (oneness) is a theme that should resonate
with many visionary organisations / leaders. It is about reclaiming sexual
energy which had been repressed by religion and has now been commercialized
and consequently distorted.
This is in essence a spiritual journey. That primal energy relates to the
"eros" of the ancient greek. It is the same energy which pushes a blade of
grass to grow even through a small crack in the pavement. It is in a sense
the energy of life. This creative energy is at the core of reproduction and
sexuality but it can also be expressed in ways that are not purely sexual.
This is the key that is offered here. Rather than trying to suppress and
repress sexual energy the proposal is to find ways to transcend and harness
this powerful energy and express it in ways that are safe and respectful as
well as fruitful and transformative.
I see this primal energy as a potential. Something that can be felt and
that stirs us. It is like a fire inside which can consume us or which we
can learn to utilize in productive and creative ways. This energy exists
but it is not real until we actualize it into action on the world. And this
is the link with quantum physics. Quantum particles have a probability
state or quantum wave function which is unknown and unknowable until it is
collapsed through observation. This connection would need further
elaboration but there maybe something interesting.
Open Space as social and personal therapy
I suppose organizational therapy would be more correct. I guess the reason
why you picked up therapy has somewhat corporate inappropriate has to do
with stigma around mental health and psychotherapy. Mental health is a hot
issue in corporations these days. HR departments all over are working hard
to dissipate that stigma and to create safe places for people to express
their vulnerability. At an individual level I believe this is driven by
empathy and acceptance. From the point of view of the organization, the
motivations might be more about safety, innovation and ultimately
productivity.
I personally have reservations about the notion of mental illness because
it tends to push the responsibility on the individual. It implies that it
is the individual who is ill and therefore requires treatment. Worse still,
treatment too often equates to chemicals. While it is true that
individually we ought to do work on ourselves and deal with whatever issues
we have or have inherited, I believe that a more holistic perspective is
more fruitful and sustainable. It would need to recognize that the social,
societal and organizational contexts are also very important to mental well
being.
Many therapies are based on language and open communication. They require
a space that is safe and free of judgment. I think Open Space can provide
that and in a sense aims to do that by default. We call on passion and
responsibility. Both are challenging in their own way. Passion in
particular can expose some of our vulnerabilities. Ideally, an open space
event should allow people to raise issues or questions that they did not
dare raise before. Mostly because there was no safe mechanism to do so. In
open space, it is part of the game. This in itself (taking the skeleton out
of the closet) is already therapeutic for both the individual and the
group. The discussion that ensues, provided that it is done with respect,
can also have very therapeutic effects. People feel heard. The organization
has an opportunity to grow and even maybe heal some untold conflict or
misunderstanding.
So here it is, I hope it offers some clarification and hopefully triggers
further thought. I look forward to further feedback and discussion.
Most kind regards,
JF
On Fri, Oct 7, 2022 at 7:02 PM Anna Caroline Türk <
annacaroline@truthcircles.com> wrote:
Hi JF,
I am happy you enjoyed your Open Space experience in Bilbao.
I wondering if your list speaks to your week in Bilbao or to your
experience of Open Space Technology?
"Your List / potential chapters of a book" include:
- Coming home to transformation
- Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
- Matter, time and the architecture or open space
- Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
- Open Space as social and personal therapy
- Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as fit
for purpose solution)
You spoke about your perceptions that leaders might be afraid of applying
OST in the corporate context.
I feel some resistance when I read "sexuality" and "therapy" - can you
speak more to your points so I can understand this better?
When I think of a list/ chapters about OST I can imagine including:
- invitation
- circle
- breath
- emergence
- energy
- creation
- power
- connection
- intimacy
- genuine connections
- wisdom
- actions
What would others add to their list/chapter of a book about Open Space
Technology?
Greetings from Berlin
Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com http://TruthCircles.com
Am Di., 4. Okt. 2022 um 14:14 Uhr schrieb Thomas Perret <
thomas@peerland.fi>:
Open Space as social therapy!
I love it. Especially as a chapter in a book.
I feel your message and I look forward to my next coming home to
transformation.
Best, Thomas
On 2022-10-04 09:10, JF wrote:
Hello Everyone,
So here I am back from an intense and very rewarding OST experience in
Bilbao. It was indeed a very transformative moment right at the
inflexion point of my personal and professional development. The funny
thing though is that despite the novelty and all the new faces it felt
like coming home. A feeling hard to explain but I suspect people on
this list would understand.
As I was driving back on Saturday there were so many thoughts coming
through my mind I thought I could probably write a whole book about
this amazing week in Basque country. Here are some of the chapters
title for that book:
* Coming home to transformation
* Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
* Matter, time and the architecture or open space
* Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
* Open Space as social and personal therapy
* Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as
fit
for purpose solution)
I would like to thank everyone for a very warm welcome and amazing
discussions and thank you for the encouragement from people on this
list to make the trip.
Most warm greetings and hugs,
JF
On Sun, Sep 18, 2022 at 6:44 PM ingrid ebeling ebus
ie@institut-ebus.de wrote:
Dear Gentza,
well, yesterday I decided to come and join the WOSonOS 2022 in
Bilbao. I hesitated for quite a while, taking the train 32 hours or
what ever. All the sudden it seemed to be easy and got myself a
flight ticket.
Regarding the accommodation I need some help. Earlier you mentioned
a centric new hostel 5 minutes´ walk from the WOSonOS. How can I
find out, whether it is still available or find an alternative
house?
Now I’m looking forward seeing you all.
Ingrid
Ingrid Ebeling, EBUS
Systemic Prozess facilitation Executive Coaching • Large Group
Intervention
Am Alten Gehäge 6 • D- 30657 Hannover • Germany
fon +49-511-336 03 30 • mobile +49-172-5145179
ie@institut-ebus.de
Am 09.09.2022 um 10:31 schrieb Gentza Eleder
Gentza.Eleder@protonmail.com:
Hi Jean Fracnçois!
I'm happy about your decission!
Let us know if there's anything we could help you with.
Same for anyone that still is considering to take part totally or
partially in the WOS week in Bilbao, we are happy to make it
easaier to you!
We are passionate about making it easier to anyone that feels the
thrill and the passion on this gathering to join us!
The "travel" is being so nice!
Best wishes!
Gentza Eleder Aurtenetxe Pildain
http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
Mundaka
(+0034) 638.733.223
ps. Michael, we'll keep you in our hearts Bilbao, and will do our
best to join you some day, maybe next year, in Berlin! Thanks so
much for your support!
------- Original Message -------
Em quinta-feira, 8 de setembro de 2022 às 22:25, JF
jfgouin@gmail.com escreveu:
Thank you so much Michael for your warm and inspiring message. I
will definitely be in Bilbao, and am looking forward to it.
Gentza, I had read the OST user guide a few year's back but it has
been a while so a good suggestion to re-read it. I will see how much
I am able to commit for the Bilbao OS. For sure I'ld like to
participate to the OSonOS I will have to see about the earlier
session. If so yes helping preparing the space is probably a good
idea. I have organised concerts before and I do appreciate the
thrill of anticipation.
Thank you all,
JF
On Thu, Sep 8, 2022 at 5:37 PM WilbaOS WilbaOS@protonmail.com
wrote:
Michael, thanks so much, first of all for your shiny explanation on
the message 08.09 on self-organization taken place in OST meetings,
and we just willing to re-enjoy this, not so much looking for an
explanation, that's it!
I'm sure we'll witness this magic soon in Bilbao (jsut 3 weeks!)).
Dear Jean François, my previous experience with WOSonOS has been
always so rewarding, that, feeling a bit sad after two years in
which we had no way to ressemble, I asked around and, after a few
colleagues said "go ahead" in December, we started joyfully with our
small dream.
Now we are happy to see that around 40 people we'll be enjoying 2 OS
meetings in Bilbao soon. We espce that many more will sign up during
next days (if some of you are considering it, please contact us for
whatever we could help you: wilbaos@protonmail.com)
26+27th of September, withe the ample question: 2020+ Complex times:
how are we going ahead in cooperative ways?
29th+30th of September: how can we refine and expand our OS practice
all over the world?
JF, I invite you, if having time, to read "Open Space Technology:
the user's guide (Harrison Owen)", and if you are willing, join us
in the practice of preparing the space during the 23th September and
/ or 28th. Let us know if we can anyhow make your coming easier!
Regarding the Goodhabitz documentary, they'll be coming to WOSonOS
in Bilbao, and we'll thank some of you answering to their
interviews.
Looking forward to meet you soon in Bilbao!
Thansk for spreading the heartly invitation!
Gentza Eleder
Mundaka/Bilbao
http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
https://twitter.com/OpenSpace_EH
Sent with Proton Mail [1] secure email.
------- Original Message -------
On Thursday, September 8th, 2022 at 16:45, Michael M Pannwitz
mmpannwitz@posteo.de wrote:
Dear Jean-Francois,
yes, experiencing open space in an OST setting is the best way to
get into this experiment which will be lifelong, I guarantee.
In fact, some folks know that open space and the approach can not be
learned or taught but it can be remembered. In other words, we
already know about it. But all kind of circumstances have led to it
being burried deep down.
In so called open space "Trainings" where 97% of the time everything
is entirely selforganizing, lasting 3 to 5 days (I love the 5 day
variety) where the trainers are mostly invisible, its been observed,
that participants could no longer do without open space.
So, Bilbao is also a variety of "training" with the opportunity to
take a deep dive and upon surfacing you will breathe something that
you never experienced before.
For me, it was life changing. And that at the age of 56 with 3
decades of all kinds of OD behing me and pretty sure that I knew
everything. It was tough work to drop my old habits and in a way it
still is. By the way, that was in 1996 at a "training" with Harrison
Owen and Romy Shovelton in Roffey Park...
So, get on your motorcycle or start walking or hitchhiking towards
Bilbao and have a great time.
Greetings from Berlin
mmp
PS: Dont forget to include yourself in the Open Space World Map
https://www.openspaceworldmap.org/inclusion
and add a picture so I can see you when writing corresponding with
you.
At my age I rarely leave my neighborhood, but have a grand time
here... I might leave it once more if the next WOSonOS will be in
Berlin, I hear some folks are planning that for 2023...
Am 08.09.2022 um 14:56 schrieb JF:
Hello All,
I have been on this list and be interested in OST for many years.
Yet I have never (until now) taken the opportunity to develop this
interest further and actually participate and be involved with OST
events.
I am currently in a professional transition from being a manager in
a large engineering firm to becoming self employed project manager
with a view to help build collective intelligence in organisations
through innovative organisational structures (e.g. holacracy) and
various practices such as OST.
I would like to learn and experience more and I have been told
before that the best and only way to learn about OST is to
experience it first hand. That makes a lot of sense and I think that
this would be a great eye opener for me as well as a growing
opportunity. Therefore I am contemplating participating in the next
OSonOS in Bilbao (I live in the south of France) but I want to make
sure that this is appropriate for someone who want to get initiated
in OST.
Thanks in advance for your comments and / or advice.
Regads,
Jean-François (JF)
On Tue, Aug 23, 2022 at 7:49 PM Michael M Pannwitz
mmpannwitz@posteo.de wrote:
Dear Gentza Eleder,
you might tell them that ost is an approach to expand time and space
for the unfolding of selforganisation. It is not an intention of ost
to change business culture, have better meetings or all the other
things one might find important.
It has been noticed however, that ost events bring about amazing
stuff every time those gatherings are convened and that folks find
that these were the best meetings they ever experienced. How that
happens has never been grasped. And participants are regularily
simply not interested to research this, they just want to get going.
The important observation is that it works. And if it is used
regularily in an organisation those organisations change all by
themselves (see the decade long experiment in the Agency for Youth
in Europe).
Selforganisation has never been grasped but it is the central force
in the unfolding of everything that has happened on this planet for
billions of year.
It has been observed that some very few prerequisites need to be in
place to get the the right conditions for getting this experiment in
selforganisation to unfold: sticky problem, high complexity of the
matter, large diversity of participants, high conflict and high
urgency to act and, not to forget, voluntarty participation.
Everyone attending our event in Bilbao is an expert, even experts in
attendance that are zoologists, psychologists, anthropologists,
medicine men, sociologists, cooks, gardeners, plumbers, architects,
teachers, mothers and very important: children. If you have children
and youngsters at the event among all the others you will find that
an amazing ingredient for the diversity soup. Nobody knows why and
it needs not to be researched, we have seen it.
Hope you get a great film that is shown in all cinemas around the
world.
Greetings from Berlin
Love and Peace
mmp
Am 23.08.2022 um 18:09 schrieb Gentza Eleder:
Hi friends, how are you?
We are having since July some converations with GoodHabitz
Documentaries [2].
They are very interested in OST and are planning to come to Bilbao
to film and make some interviews during the 28th World Open Space on
Open Space.
Now, they asked something that I thought would be best to spread
through the OSLIST, as follows:
....
For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
interview such an expert about how you can change the business
culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
....
Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
Would you, please, specially if planning to join as in Bilbao in
September, take some time to answer Marije (you can add us, as cc)?
I've proposed her to join herself the OSLIST to take part directly
in the conversation or open new questions.
Best of all,
Gentza Eleder
BuM_31 unJobbing
Mundaka
(+0034) 638.733.223
------- Original Message -------
Em terça-feira, 23 de agosto de 2022 às 10:10, Marije Kuipers
info.marijekuipers@gmail.com escreveu:
Hi Gentza, good morning!
How are you? Thanks for your email. Great answers!
I forgot to ask, have you been filmed before? And is it online? Just
to get an idea :)
....
For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
interview such an expert about how you can change the business
culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
....
Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
Hope to hear from you.
Thanks for your time and efforts!
Have a good day,
Marije
OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org
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Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin
+49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.de
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Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin
+49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.de
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Links:
[1] https://proton.me/
[2]
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Dear colleagues,
for those of you who did not attend the WOSonOS in Bilbao: Next stop is Berlin.
After 2000 and 2010 we will have the privilege to host the WOSonOS 2023 in Berlin. No other candidate city raised the hand and the closing circle in Bilbao was pretty clear. So, I took our talking stick back to Berlin where it is waiting to be used in the next edition of the WOSonOS.
Dates and location are already clear:
October 18 through 21, 2023: We will get together on the evening of Oct 18 for the opening evening / night / party. And, from Oct 19 through 21 we will conduct a full scale 3-days Open Space event.
The location is Beach Mitte <https://beachmitte-events.de/locations/> This is an inner city beach resort with all kind of facilities and opportunities in Berlin downtown. The management of this venue is highly interested in interactive management and conference formats. They support hosting the WOSonOS in their venue with a significant discount. They do not charge any rent for the venue we only need to cover expenses for food, drinks and staff. This will allow us to sell tickets for a moderate price. We will hopefully be able to start selling the tickets by the end of this year.
The International Association of Facilitators / Europe and Middle East chapter will probably held their bi-annual conference in the same venue just a few days before: Oct 16 through 18, 2023. Most likely, it will be organised be the German IAF chapter which has a stronghold in Berlin. And most of the IAF colleagues are familiar with Open Space and attended WOSonOSes in the past. We intend to link the two events for participants who are interested in attending both.
In the closing circle in Bilbao we heard that some colleagues form Italy are interested to host the coming WOSonOS in 2024 in Bologna. Is this still valid?
I hope to see many of you in Berlin next year.
Warm regards
Jo
*****************************
Am 14.10.22 um 15:04 schrieb Anna Caroline Türk:
Dear JF,
Thank you for taking the time to keep thinking out loud and to speak more to your chapters of your potential book. :)
I hope other people will reply to your thoughtful exploration, and highlight what resonates with them.
I have only passion to reply to two aspects that stand out for me in your mail. And while I might be disagreeing with what I hear, I hope this mail also conveys the spirit of an energized conversation, which we could quickly have over a coffee or tea in an in-person-meeting. And by then end leave with a smile as we agree to disagree.
I am unsure what you refer to when you write, that you hear me when I expressed reservations regarding corporate resistance.
I was hoping to convey that I have empathy with leaders who resist interventions that promote "organizational therapy" and "sexuality". (I am aware that I might taking you too literally here ...)
But in that similar spirit you mention in your last mail that you believe that leaders "need a bit of shaken up. I think some corporate leaders recognize this and might be more attracted to thought provoking and intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your proposal for breath and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think of silence."
We might be not too different in our perception, because we both like silence, but I disagree with the approach to shake people up. My approach would be to create a learning environment, a nourishing environment, rather than a provoking or shaking environment.
I can only relate to my own learning preferences and I have find that I learn, expand and grow the most when I learn together in a life nourishing environment, where the intention is to create genuine connection with self, other and creation. I believe it is because of the breathing and sitting in a circle together that the wisdom of the group will emerge and best next steps will be identified by those who work (and live) together. This will includes both challenging and generating conversations.
The other aspect I would like to point out is the notion of a "safe mechanism". You write:
"Ideally, an open space event should allow people to raise issues or questions that they did not dare raise before. Mostly because there was no safe mechanism to do so. In open space, it is part of the game."
I would say that instead of a "safe" mechanism", open space gives an "appropriate" mechanism.
Do you mean its a safe mechanism - because Open Space will guarantee that everyone speaks up?
I am quite careful with this assumption. Careful preparation with the leaders (and potentially other invitees) are mandatory to strengthen everyone's experience of Open Space as a space where conversations can be brought up, even if they are difficult.
For the preparation I therefore include the following ( not complete list):
- Is this the right date and space for the Open Space
- Is the purpose clear
- Is there enough time allocated to this event - given the stated purpose of the Open Space
- Is the invitation text and the title open and inviting
- Is clear what is not up for discussion
- Is it clearly stated how leaders/participants work with the findings of this Open Space.
- Have leaders committed to and planned in follow up work
Only when all of this is clear and explicit, do I trust that it provides a mechanism to bring up what needs to be discussed and maybe healed at that time.
Following the principles of open space.
So far my thoughts.
Happy weekend,
Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com
Am Mo., 10. Okt. 2022 um 12:14 Uhr schrieb JF <jfgouin@gmail.com>:
Hello Anna Caroline,
At this point, my week in Bilbao is indistinguishable from my OST experience as a whole. Considering open space as primarily experiential and personal, I would probably like to keep it this way.
I wrote this note as a spontaneous light hearted attempt to encapsulate some fleeting thoughts and sensations that coalesced from the various sessions I participated in. In that sense it is rooted in my specific OST Bilbao experience. But I suppose it could be extrapolated to OST in general. Some of the most personal experiences and meditations I had while hiking on the basque coastline during the week-end are also present here.
To be perfectly honest, I was also trying to be a little "tongue in cheek" by bringing together seemingly unrelated and unexpected topics. Those associations make sense to me but in a way that was more instinctive than rational. I have not really rationalized further until now.
I am very happy you are calling me on it however and I guess you are now asking me to start writing the chapters of this hypothetical book.
I hear what you are saying about your reservations regarding corporate resistance. However, one of my personal take away from my stay in Bilbao is that if we truly believe that it is important to bring in philosophical or spiritual considerations, we should be confident and bold about it and not try to bow to a rather stiff corporate way. The justification is that a unique and possibly unusual perspective is precisely the highest value we can bring to the corporate world. The relative stiffness and conformism of corporations (especially as they grow big) is a core problem they face to remain nimble and innovative. They need a bit of shaken up. I think some corporate leaders recognize this and might be more attracted to thought provoking and intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your proposal for breath and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think of silence.
Now, that being said beyond slightly provocative titles the important part is to bring some substance and valuable insights. So let me try to give it a go on the two chapters you mention.
Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
Well, obviously that title is meant to be both provocative and confusing. I mean, what is the relation between quantum physics and sexuality right?
You rightly picked up on sexuality which is taboo especially in the workplace. Organizations are now essentially a-sexual. We should certainly celebrate the progress that has been made to make harassment in the workplace unacceptable and we must continue in this direction. At the same time most of us are not asexual and I think it is both illusory and hypocritical to ask people to switch off their sexual energy while at work. One of the session we had in Bilbao offers a possible avenue of exploration by expanding on the notion of sexual energy.
To be precise, the session was about sacred sexuality as a tool for social transformation. During the session, we danced in order to loosen up and then we explored levels of intimacy through a guided shared experience of our 5 senses. It was very intense and sometimes quite challenging. I personally found it disturbing and difficult but also liberating. For instance, when you do spend even a few seconds with someone, smelling each other, it does change how you relate to one another. So that is the social transformation part. It is very animalistic and I guess it's the point.
In sacred sexuality we try to connect to the primal energy of creation. As the convener of the session defines it : "the energy of sacred sexuality, as the energy of life creation, which helps us to integrate our accepted and denied parts (lights and shadows) and leads to living in TOTALITY". The ability to be totally present (oneness) is a theme that should resonate with many visionary organisations / leaders. It is about reclaiming sexual energy which had been repressed by religion and has now been commercialized and consequently distorted.
This is in essence a spiritual journey. That primal energy relates to the "eros" of the ancient greek. It is the same energy which pushes a blade of grass to grow even through a small crack in the pavement. It is in a sense the energy of life. This creative energy is at the core of reproduction and sexuality but it can also be expressed in ways that are not purely sexual. This is the key that is offered here. Rather than trying to suppress and repress sexual energy the proposal is to find ways to transcend and harness this powerful energy and express it in ways that are safe and respectful as well as fruitful and transformative.
I see this primal energy as a potential. Something that can be felt and that stirs us. It is like a fire inside which can consume us or which we can learn to utilize in productive and creative ways. This energy exists but it is not real until we actualize it into action on the world. And this is the link with quantum physics. Quantum particles have a probability state or quantum wave function which is unknown and unknowable until it is collapsed through observation. This connection would need further elaboration but there maybe something interesting.
Open Space as social and personal therapy
I suppose organizational therapy would be more correct. I guess the reason why you picked up therapy has somewhat corporate inappropriate has to do with stigma around mental health and psychotherapy. Mental health is a hot issue in corporations these days. HR departments all over are working hard to dissipate that stigma and to create safe places for people to express their vulnerability. At an individual level I believe this is driven by empathy and acceptance. From the point of view of the organization, the motivations might be more about safety, innovation and ultimately productivity.
I personally have reservations about the notion of mental illness because it tends to push the responsibility on the individual. It implies that it is the individual who is ill and therefore requires treatment. Worse still, treatment too often equates to chemicals. While it is true that individually we ought to do work on ourselves and deal with whatever issues we have or have inherited, I believe that a more holistic perspective is more fruitful and sustainable. It would need to recognize that the social, societal and organizational contexts are also very important to mental well being.
Many therapies are based on language and open communication. They require a space that is safe and free of judgment. I think Open Space can provide that and in a sense aims to do that by default. We call on passion and responsibility. Both are challenging in their own way. Passion in particular can expose some of our vulnerabilities. Ideally, an open space event should allow people to raise issues or questions that they did not dare raise before. Mostly because there was no safe mechanism to do so. In open space, it is part of the game. This in itself (taking the skeleton out of the closet) is already therapeutic for both the individual and the group. The discussion that ensues, provided that it is done with respect, can also have very therapeutic effects. People feel heard. The organization has an opportunity to grow and even maybe heal some untold conflict or misunderstanding.
So here it is, I hope it offers some clarification and hopefully triggers further thought. I look forward to further feedback and discussion.
Most kind regards,
JF
On Fri, Oct 7, 2022 at 7:02 PM Anna Caroline Türk <annacaroline@truthcircles.com> wrote:
Hi JF,
I am happy you enjoyed your Open Space experience in Bilbao.
I wondering if your list speaks to your week in Bilbao or to your experience of Open Space Technology?
"Your List / potential chapters of a book" include:
- Coming home to transformation
- Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
- Matter, time and the architecture or open space
- Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
- Open Space as social and personal therapy
- Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as fit for purpose solution)
You spoke about your perceptions that leaders might be afraid of applying OST in the corporate context.
I feel some resistance when I read "sexuality" and "therapy" - can you speak more to your points so I can understand this better?
When I think of a list/ chapters about OST I can imagine including:
- invitation
- circle
- breath
- emergence
- energy
- creation
- power
- connection
- intimacy
- genuine connections
- wisdom
- actions
What would others add to their list/chapter of a book about Open Space Technology?
Greetings from Berlin
Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com
Am Di., 4. Okt. 2022 um 14:14 Uhr schrieb Thomas Perret <thomas@peerland.fi>:
Open Space as social therapy!
I love it. Especially as a chapter in a book.
I feel your message and I look forward to my next coming home to
transformation.Best, Thomas
On 2022-10-04 09:10, JF wrote:
> Hello Everyone,
>
> So here I am back from an intense and very rewarding OST experience in
> Bilbao. It was indeed a very transformative moment right at the
> inflexion point of my personal and professional development. The funny
> thing though is that despite the novelty and all the new faces it felt
> like coming home. A feeling hard to explain but I suspect people on
> this list would understand.
>
> As I was driving back on Saturday there were so many thoughts coming
> through my mind I thought I could probably write a whole book about
> this amazing week in Basque country. Here are some of the chapters
> title for that book:
>
> * Coming home to transformation
> * Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
> * Matter, time and the architecture or open space
> * Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
> * Open Space as social and personal therapy
> * Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as fit
> for purpose solution)
>
> I would like to thank everyone for a very warm welcome and amazing
> discussions and thank you for the encouragement from people on this
> list to make the trip.
>
> Most warm greetings and hugs,
> JF
>
> On Sun, Sep 18, 2022 at 6:44 PM ingrid ebeling ebus
> <ie@institut-ebus.de> wrote:
>
>> Dear Gentza,
>>
>> well, yesterday I decided to come and join the WOSonOS 2022 in
>> Bilbao. I hesitated for quite a while, taking the train 32 hours or
>> what ever. All the sudden it seemed to be easy and got myself a
>> flight ticket.
>> Regarding the accommodation I need some help. Earlier you mentioned
>> a centric new hostel 5 minutes´ walk from the WOSonOS. How can I
>> find out, whether it is still available or find an alternative
>> house?
>>
>> Now I’m looking forward seeing you all.
>>
>> Ingrid
>>
>> Ingrid Ebeling, EBUS
>>
>> Systemic Prozess facilitation Executive Coaching • Large Group
>> Intervention
>>
>> Am Alten Gehäge 6 • D- 30657 Hannover • Germany
>> fon +49-511-336 03 30 • mobile +49-172-5145179
>> ie@institut-ebus.de
>>
>> Am 09.09.2022 um 10:31 schrieb Gentza Eleder
>> <Gentza.Eleder@protonmail.com>:
>>
>> Hi Jean Fracnçois!
>>
>> I'm happy about your decission!
>> Let us know if there's anything we could help you with.
>> Same for anyone that still is considering to take part totally or
>> partially in the WOS week in Bilbao, we are happy to make it
>> easaier to you!
>>
>>
>> We are passionate about making it easier to anyone that feels the
>> thrill and the passion on this gathering to join us!
>>
>> The "travel" is being so nice!
>>
>> Best wishes!
>>
>> Gentza Eleder Aurtenetxe Pildain
>>
>> http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
>>
>> Mundaka
>>
>> (+0034) 638.733.223
>>
>> ps. Michael, we'll keep you in our hearts Bilbao, and will do our
>> best to join you some day, maybe next year, in Berlin! Thanks so
>> much for your support!
>>
>> ------- Original Message -------
>>
>> Em quinta-feira, 8 de setembro de 2022 às 22:25, JF
>> <jfgouin@gmail.com> escreveu:
>>
>> Thank you so much Michael for your warm and inspiring message. I
>> will definitely be in Bilbao, and am looking forward to it.
>> Gentza, I had read the OST user guide a few year's back but it has
>> been a while so a good suggestion to re-read it. I will see how much
>> I am able to commit for the Bilbao OS. For sure I'ld like to
>> participate to the OSonOS I will have to see about the earlier
>> session. If so yes helping preparing the space is probably a good
>> idea. I have organised concerts before and I do appreciate the
>> thrill of anticipation.
>> Thank you all,
>> JF
>>
>> On Thu, Sep 8, 2022 at 5:37 PM WilbaOS <WilbaOS@protonmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Michael, thanks so much, first of all for your shiny explanation on
>> the message 08.09 on self-organization taken place in OST meetings,
>> and we just willing to re-enjoy this, not so much looking for an
>> explanation, that's it!
>>
>> I'm sure we'll witness this magic soon in Bilbao (jsut 3 weeks!)).
>>
>> Dear Jean François, my previous experience with WOSonOS has been
>> always so rewarding, that, feeling a bit sad after two years in
>> which we had no way to ressemble, I asked around and, after a few
>> colleagues said "go ahead" in December, we started joyfully with our
>> small dream.
>>
>> Now we are happy to see that around 40 people we'll be enjoying 2 OS
>> meetings in Bilbao soon. We espce that many more will sign up during
>> next days (if some of you are considering it, please contact us for
>> whatever we could help you: wilbaos@protonmail.com)
>>
>> 26+27th of September, withe the ample question: 2020+ Complex times:
>> how are we going ahead in cooperative ways?
>>
>> 29th+30th of September: how can we refine and expand our OS practice
>> all over the world?
>>
>>
>> JF, I invite you, if having time, to read "Open Space Technology:
>> the user's guide (Harrison Owen)", and if you are willing, join us
>> in the practice of preparing the space during the 23th September and
>> / or 28th. Let us know if we can anyhow make your coming easier!
>>
>> Regarding the Goodhabitz documentary, they'll be coming to WOSonOS
>> in Bilbao, and we'll thank some of you answering to their
>> interviews.
>>
>> Looking forward to meet you soon in Bilbao!
>>
>> Thansk for spreading the heartly invitation!
>>
>> Gentza Eleder
>> Mundaka/Bilbao
>>
>> http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
>>
>> https://twitter.com/OpenSpace_EH
>>
>> Sent with Proton Mail [1] secure email.
>>
>> ------- Original Message -------
>> On Thursday, September 8th, 2022 at 16:45, Michael M Pannwitz
>> <mmpannwitz@posteo.de> wrote:
>>
>> Dear Jean-Francois,
>>
>> yes, experiencing open space in an OST setting is the best way to
>> get into this experiment which will be lifelong, I guarantee.
>> In fact, some folks know that open space and the approach can not be
>> learned or taught but it can be remembered. In other words, we
>> already know about it. But all kind of circumstances have led to it
>> being burried deep down.
>> In so called open space "Trainings" where 97% of the time everything
>> is entirely selforganizing, lasting 3 to 5 days (I love the 5 day
>> variety) where the trainers are mostly invisible, its been observed,
>> that participants could no longer do without open space.
>> So, Bilbao is also a variety of "training" with the opportunity to
>> take a deep dive and upon surfacing you will breathe something that
>> you never experienced before.
>> For me, it was life changing. And that at the age of 56 with 3
>> decades of all kinds of OD behing me and pretty sure that I knew
>> everything. It was tough work to drop my old habits and in a way it
>> still is. By the way, that was in 1996 at a "training" with Harrison
>> Owen and Romy Shovelton in Roffey Park...
>>
>> So, get on your motorcycle or start walking or hitchhiking towards
>> Bilbao and have a great time.
>>
>> Greetings from Berlin
>> mmp
>>
>> PS: Dont forget to include yourself in the Open Space World Map
>> https://www.openspaceworldmap.org/inclusion
>> and add a picture so I can see you when writing corresponding with
>> you.
>> At my age I rarely leave my neighborhood, but have a grand time
>> here... I might leave it once more if the next WOSonOS will be in
>> Berlin, I hear some folks are planning that for 2023...
>>
>> Am 08.09.2022 um 14:56 schrieb JF:
>>
>> Hello All,
>> I have been on this list and be interested in OST for many years.
>> Yet I have never (until now) taken the opportunity to develop this
>> interest further and actually participate and be involved with OST
>> events.
>> I am currently in a professional transition from being a manager in
>> a large engineering firm to becoming self employed project manager
>> with a view to help build collective intelligence in organisations
>> through innovative organisational structures (e.g. holacracy) and
>> various practices such as OST.
>> I would like to learn and experience more and I have been told
>> before that the best and only way to learn about OST is to
>> experience it first hand. That makes a lot of sense and I think that
>> this would be a great eye opener for me as well as a growing
>> opportunity. Therefore I am contemplating participating in the next
>> OSonOS in Bilbao (I live in the south of France) but I want to make
>> sure that this is appropriate for someone who want to get initiated
>> in OST.
>> Thanks in advance for your comments and / or advice.
>> Regads,
>>
>> Jean-François (JF)
>>
>> On Tue, Aug 23, 2022 at 7:49 PM Michael M Pannwitz
>> <mmpannwitz@posteo.de> wrote:
>>
>> Dear Gentza Eleder,
>>
>> you might tell them that ost is an approach to expand time and space
>> for the unfolding of selforganisation. It is not an intention of ost
>> to change business culture, have better meetings or all the other
>> things one might find important.
>> It has been noticed however, that ost events bring about amazing
>> stuff every time those gatherings are convened and that folks find
>> that these were the best meetings they ever experienced. How that
>> happens has never been grasped. And participants are regularily
>> simply not interested to research this, they just want to get going.
>> The important observation is that it works. And if it is used
>> regularily in an organisation those organisations change all by
>> themselves (see the decade long experiment in the Agency for Youth
>> in Europe).
>> Selforganisation has never been grasped but it is the central force
>> in the unfolding of everything that has happened on this planet for
>> billions of year.
>> It has been observed that some very few prerequisites need to be in
>> place to get the the right conditions for getting this experiment in
>> selforganisation to unfold: sticky problem, high complexity of the
>> matter, large diversity of participants, high conflict and high
>> urgency to act and, not to forget, voluntarty participation.
>>
>> Everyone attending our event in Bilbao is an expert, even experts in
>> attendance that are zoologists, psychologists, anthropologists,
>> medicine men, sociologists, cooks, gardeners, plumbers, architects,
>> teachers, mothers and very important: children. If you have children
>> and youngsters at the event among all the others you will find that
>> an amazing ingredient for the diversity soup. Nobody knows why and
>> it needs not to be researched, we have seen it.
>>
>> Hope you get a great film that is shown in all cinemas around the
>> world.
>>
>> Greetings from Berlin
>> Love and Peace
>> mmp
>>
>> Am 23.08.2022 um 18:09 schrieb Gentza Eleder:
>>
>> Hi friends, how are you?
>> We are having since July some converations with GoodHabitz
>> Documentaries [2].
>> They are very interested in OST and are planning to come to Bilbao
>> to film and make some interviews during the 28th World Open Space on
>> Open Space.
>>
>> Now, they asked something that I thought would be best to spread
>> through the OSLIST, as follows:
>>
>> ....
>>
>> For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
>> psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
>> Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
>> interview such an expert about how you can change the business
>> culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
>>
>> ....
>>
>> Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
>>
>> Would you, please, specially if planning to join as in Bilbao in
>> September, take some time to answer Marije (you can add us, as cc)?
>>
>> I've proposed her to join herself the OSLIST to take part directly
>> in the conversation or open new questions.
>>
>> Best of all,
>>
>> Gentza Eleder
>>
>> BuM_31 unJobbing
>>
>> Mundaka
>>
>> (+0034) 638.733.223
>>
>> ------- Original Message -------
>> Em terça-feira, 23 de agosto de 2022 às 10:10, Marije Kuipers
>> <info.marijekuipers@gmail.com> escreveu:
>>
>> Hi Gentza, good morning!
>>
>> How are you? Thanks for your email. Great answers!
>>
>> I forgot to ask, have you been filmed before? And is it online? Just
>> to get an idea :)
>>
>> ....
>>
>> For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
>> psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
>> Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
>> interview such an expert about how you can change the business
>> culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
>>
>> ....
>>
>> Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
>>
>> Hope to hear from you.
>>
>> Thanks for your time and efforts!
>>
>> Have a good day,
>> Marije
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org
>> To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org
>
> Michael M Pannwitz
> Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin
> +49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.de
> _______________________________________________
> OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org
> To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org
>
> Michael M Pannwitz
> Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin
> +49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.de
>
> _______________________________________________
> OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org
> To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org
>
>
>
> Links:
> ------
> [1] https://proton.me/
> [2]
> https://www.goodhabitz.com/en-gb/why-goodhabitz/doing-things-differently/goodhabitz-moments/
> _______________________________________________
> OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org
> To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org
All is possible together
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To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org_______________________________________________
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To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org<pre class="moz-quote-pre" wrap="">_______________________________________________ OSList mailing list -- <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:everyone@oslist.org">everyone@oslist.org</a> To unsubscribe send an email to <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:everyone-leave@oslist.org">everyone-leave@oslist.org</a>
--
<a color="#000000">
</a>
<a color="#000000">Jo Toepfer, </a><a href="http://www.boscop.org">boscop eg</a>
Boxhagener Str. 119B, 10245 Berlin
Tel: +49-(0)30-42018000
Mob: +49-(0)176-22394083
I dont know about where you live, or even if Harrison would agree with me as fellow Marylanders, but I believe society and economists are fatally sick because we have got FELT Finance-Education-Law&Love-Tech spinning wrong way round - moore and moore inhumanly which is not a good thing when moore's law since 1965 has dictated we get 100 times more tech enablement of what we spin each decadeI AM NOT EXPPERT IN GOD OR GOOD but simply believe parents out of any livable community should design renewable ops for their kids, and at some stage start reducing money spent on arms- (yes if i could add one clause to uk's budget next week i would stop all nuclear arms research in uk as it has not deterred and anyhow in spite of you all speaking english we at fazleabed.com EconomistDiary.com ed3u.com KC3.dev are pretty much dispensable on the euro or world scene so why on earth does anyone way uk racing with arms)
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fazleabed.com EconomistDiary.com ed3u.com KC3.dev
Friends: its time for web3 (1 2 3) to change everything non-sustainable about web1,2 - with the economist dad & ...
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- or at least our democracies are not yet designed in this deep data connected earth to be good enough for our younger half of the world to ever be the sustainability generation
in the usa we have just had elections though their results are again unlikely to be known until the start of 2023.. what a system ... good enough when the horse was fastest way to message but
if you dont have a long list of how each of finance education and tech are not yet systemised for good (ie are hurling off in orwell's big brother end game happy to make that a side conversation)
so may i focus on what do could we all mean by law & lovewell first instead of love they neighbor american media has designed lawyers political parties to multiply hatred - I think this probably started with over-commercial tv though others may be right to focus on the ghastly mistakes made in designing webs- (all of these media are about licensing the commons which for some reason the Admin in the US does in the most short-term possible greed-led violant gravitating way) and since as a statistician i have focused on media all my life i have published a lot in ghastly web mistakes as early as 1989 when my book world class brands argued media would likely decade all of our fates -10 years later at the one lecture of mine at harvard i was told even if you are correct us would never fund such research- go away - i dont know if anyone remembers the innocence of cluetrain circa 1999- https://web.archive.org/web/20201228002843/https://cluetrain.com/ every year since then we in usa have compounded a step in opposite direction to transparent purpose of markets that most matters to families ESG
second, at the same time eary 2008 that subprime unique villains were webbed, I was lucky to start studying where in the world women have been empowered to build communities; we can draw a line in the sand basically from 2008 elders have ended youth and community investment through the 2010s redoubled by extra levels of us fascism from 2017 (of course one does wonder if the democratic clinton had not been a womaniser would gore's start of 21st c led USA to a kinder space , and well it seems in usa it is not a done thing (even in one college) to rewind to when a system broke and open space back from that future
so is it urgently possible to use acronym FELT to value consciousness spirts or how womens intel would design artificial intel and all 2020s tech in opposite ways to cultural value chains dominated by abusive old men whether that is holly wood female gymnastics football of college and currently DC snyder commander type- DC is an interesting opportunity probably never to come again because DC not being a state seldom gets a chance to change the nation
assuming dc prosecutor allegations are honky dory, the least that needs to happen with the pathetic commanders syste, is 60% of snyder's empire forfeited so commanders going forward is like green bay mainly owned by the community and the head of the nfl must be unfrocked - an emperor with no clothes who needs never be seen on tv again
I realise that in normal circumstances we are supposed to apply the law of 2 feet - and thats why i need help to overcome my impatience - is there any state where we have enough people on this list to approach a newly elected governor and explain all the nice ways to change educationtech and deep community service -one last best chance
may 2022 turn out to be the bottom of us peoples hating each otherand a brit (well a scot) if there is any way to help europeans not repeat the 1920s we aim to host the 265th adam smith miral sentiments summit glasgow june 2023- would love to see 12 different goodwill action-mediating networks join us - in respect of the most exciting womens educator i have ever met glasgow will be branding muths 265th microeducationsummit welcome economistdiary.com abedmooc.com,catholicuni.com
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welcome economistdiary.com abedmooc.com,catholicuni.com
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best chris https://www.linkedin.com/in/unwomens/ washdc whatsapp + 1 240 316 8157 chris.macrae@yahoo.co.ukfor more future shocking ideas that just might scale web3 youth's way roundwhy twitterverse will end all of us unless it saves all of us
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why twitterverse will end all of us unless it saves all of us
what if only youth's best for the worlds webs can save human intel? Twitter at myUNUSlab chris.macrae@yahoo.
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Ed3 Unconference | Ed3DAO Home - beingAI http://www.econmistdiary.com http://www.k3c.dev SDG Metaverse Prize -
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SDG Metaverse Prize -
This site is a registration and information source designed for three types of visitors who would like to: EXPL...
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Ed3 Unconference | Ed3DAO
Choose your own learning adventure at this web3 x edu event!
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Home - beingAI
extraordinary AI beings™ World’s first transmedia AI company extraordinary AI beings™ extraordinary AI beings™ W...
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PREVIOUSLY On Wednesday, 9 November 2022 at 10:52:44 GMT-5, Jo Toepfer via OSList everyone@oslist.org wrote:
Dear colleagues,
for those of you who did not attend the WOSonOS in Bilbao: Next stop is Berlin.
After 2000 and 2010 we will have the privilege to host the WOSonOS 2023 in Berlin. No other candidate city raised the hand and the closing circle in Bilbao was pretty clear. So, I took our talking stick back to Berlin where it is waiting to be used in the next edition of the WOSonOS.
Dates and location are already clear:
October 18 through 21, 2023: We will get together on the evening of Oct 18 for the opening evening / night / party. And, from Oct 19 through 21 we will conduct a full scale 3-days Open Space event.
The location is Beach Mitte https://beachmitte-events.de/locations/ This is an inner city beach resort with all kind of facilities and opportunities in Berlin downtown. The management of this venue is highly interested in interactive management and conference formats. They support hosting the WOSonOS in their venue with a significant discount. They do not charge any rent for the venue we only need to cover expenses for food, drinks and staff. This will allow us to sell tickets for a moderate price. We will hopefully be able to start selling the tickets by the end of this year.
The International Association of Facilitators / Europe and Middle East chapter will probably held their bi-annual conference in the same venue just a few days before: Oct 16 through 18, 2023. Most likely, it will be organised be the German IAF chapter which has a stronghold in Berlin. And most of the IAF colleagues are familiar with Open Space and attended WOSonOSes in the past. We intend to link the two events for participants who are interested in attending both.
In the closing circle in Bilbao we heard that some colleagues form Italy are interested to host the coming WOSonOS in 2024 in Bologna. Is this still valid?
I hope to see many of you in Berlin next year.
Warm regards
Jo
Am 14.10.22 um 15:04 schrieb Anna Caroline Türk:
Dear JF,
Thank you for taking the time to keep thinking out loud and to speak more to your chapters of your potential book. :)
I hope other people will reply to your thoughtful exploration, and highlight what resonates with them. I have only passion to reply to two aspects that stand out for me in your mail. And while I might be disagreeing with what I hear, I hope this mail also conveys the spirit of an energized conversation, which we could quickly have over a coffee or tea in an in-person-meeting. And by then end leave with a smile as we agree to disagree.
I am unsure what you refer to when you write, that you hear me when I expressed reservations regarding corporate resistance. I was hoping to convey that I have empathy with leaders who resist interventions that promote "organizational therapy" and "sexuality". (I am aware that I might taking you too literally here ...)
But in that similar spirit you mention in your last mail that you believe that leaders "need a bit of shaken up. I think some corporate leaders recognize this and might be more attracted to thought provoking and intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your proposal for breath and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think of silence."
We might be not too different in our perception, because we both like silence, but I disagree with the approach to shake people up. My approach would be to create a learning environment, a nourishing environment, rather than a provoking or shaking environment.
I can only relate to my own learning preferences and I have find that I learn, expand and grow the most when I learn together in a life nourishing environment, where the intention is to create genuine connection with self, other and creation. I believe it is because of the breathing and sitting in a circle together that the wisdom of the group will emerge and best next steps will be identified by those who work (and live) together. This will includes both challenging and generating conversations.
The other aspect I would like to point out is the notion of a "safe mechanism". You write: "Ideally, an open space event should allow people to raise issues or questions that they did not dare raise before. Mostly because there was no safe mechanism to do so. In open space, it is part of the game."
I would say that instead of a "safe" mechanism", open space gives an "appropriate" mechanism. Do you mean its a safe mechanism - because Open Space will guarantee that everyone speaks up? I am quite careful with this assumption. Careful preparation with the leaders (and potentially other invitees) are mandatory to strengthen everyone's experience of Open Space as a space where conversations can be brought up, even if they are difficult.
For the preparation I therefore include the following ( not complete list):
-
Is this the right date and space for the Open Space
-
Is the purpose clear
-
Is there enough time allocated to this event - given the stated purpose of the Open Space
-
Is the invitation text and the title open and inviting
-
Is clear what is not up for discussion
-
Is it clearly stated how leaders/participants work with the findings of this Open Space.
-
Have leaders committed to and planned in follow up work
Only when all of this is clear and explicit, do I trust that it provides a mechanism to bring up what needs to be discussed and maybe healed at that time. Following the principles of open space.
So far my thoughts.
Happy weekend, Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk Mentor to Visionary Leaders +49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com
Am Mo., 10. Okt. 2022 um 12:14 Uhr schrieb JF jfgouin@gmail.com:
Hello Anna Caroline,
At this point, my week in Bilbao is indistinguishable from my OST experience as a whole. Considering open space as primarily experiential and personal, I would probably like to keep it this way.
I wrote this note as a spontaneous light hearted attempt to encapsulate some fleeting thoughts and sensations that coalesced from the various sessions I participated in. In that sense it is rooted in my specific OST Bilbao experience. But I suppose it could be extrapolated to OST in general. Some of the most personal experiences and meditations I had while hiking on the basque coastline during the week-end are also present here.
To be perfectly honest, I was also trying to be a little "tongue in cheek" by bringing together seemingly unrelated and unexpected topics. Those associations make sense to me but in a way that was more instinctive than rational. I have not really rationalized further until now.
I am very happy you are calling me on it however and I guess you are now asking me to start writing the chapters of this hypothetical book.
I hear what you are saying about your reservations regarding corporate resistance. However, one of my personal take away from my stay in Bilbao is that if we truly believe that it is important to bring in philosophical or spiritual considerations, we should be confident and bold about it and not try to bow to a rather stiff corporate way. The justification is that a unique and possibly unusual perspective is precisely the highest value we can bring to the corporate world. The relative stiffness and conformism of corporations (especially as they grow big) is a core problem they face to remain nimble and innovative. They need a bit of shaken up. I think some corporate leaders recognize this and might be more attracted to thought provoking and intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your proposal for breath and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think of silence.
Now, that being said beyond slightly provocative titles the important part is to bring some substance and valuable insights. So let me try to give it a go on the two chapters you mention.
Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
Well, obviously that title is meant to be both provocative and confusing. I mean, what is the relation between quantum physics and sexuality right?
You rightly picked up on sexuality which is taboo especially in the workplace. Organizations are now essentially a-sexual. We should certainly celebrate the progress that has been made to make harassment in the workplace unacceptable and we must continue in this direction. At the same time most of us are not asexual and I think it is both illusory and hypocritical to ask people to switch off their sexual energy while at work. One of the session we had in Bilbao offers a possible avenue of exploration by expanding on the notion of sexual energy.
To be precise, the session was about sacred sexuality as a tool for social transformation. During the session, we danced in order to loosen up and then we explored levels of intimacy through a guided shared experience of our 5 senses. It was very intense and sometimes quite challenging. I personally found it disturbing and difficult but also liberating. For instance, when you do spend even a few seconds with someone, smelling each other, it does change how you relate to one another. So that is the social transformation part. It is very animalistic and I guess it's the point.
In sacred sexuality we try to connect to the primal energy of creation. As the convener of the session defines it : "the energy of sacred sexuality, as the energy of life creation, which helps us to integrate our accepted and denied parts (lights and shadows) and leads to living in TOTALITY". The ability to be totally present (oneness) is a theme that should resonate with many visionary organisations / leaders. It is about reclaiming sexual energy which had been repressed by religion and has now been commercialized and consequently distorted.
This is in essence a spiritual journey. That primal energy relates to the "eros" of the ancient greek. It is the same energy which pushes a blade of grass to grow even through a small crack in the pavement. It is in a sense the energy of life. This creative energy is at the core of reproduction and sexuality but it can also be expressed in ways that are not purely sexual. This is the key that is offered here. Rather than trying to suppress and repress sexual energy the proposal is to find ways to transcend and harness this powerful energy and express it in ways that are safe and respectful as well as fruitful and transformative.
I see this primal energy as a potential. Something that can be felt and that stirs us. It is like a fire inside which can consume us or which we can learn to utilize in productive and creative ways. This energy exists but it is not real until we actualize it into action on the world. And this is the link with quantum physics. Quantum particles have a probability state or quantum wave function which is unknown and unknowable until it is collapsed through observation. This connection would need further elaboration but there maybe something interesting.
Open Space as social and personal therapy
I suppose organizational therapy would be more correct. I guess the reason why you picked up therapy has somewhat corporate inappropriate has to do with stigma around mental health and psychotherapy. Mental health is a hot issue in corporations these days. HR departments all over are working hard to dissipate that stigma and to create safe places for people to express their vulnerability. At an individual level I believe this is driven by empathy and acceptance. From the point of view of the organization, the motivations might be more about safety, innovation and ultimately productivity.
I personally have reservations about the notion of mental illness because it tends to push the responsibility on the individual. It implies that it is the individual who is ill and therefore requires treatment. Worse still, treatment too often equates to chemicals. While it is true that individually we ought to do work on ourselves and deal with whatever issues we have or have inherited, I believe that a more holistic perspective is more fruitful and sustainable. It would need to recognize that the social, societal and organizational contexts are also very important to mental well being.
Many therapies are based on language and open communication. They require a space that is safe and free of judgment. I think Open Space can provide that and in a sense aims to do that by default. We call on passion and responsibility. Both are challenging in their own way. Passion in particular can expose some of our vulnerabilities. Ideally, an open space event should allow people to raise issues or questions that they did not dare raise before. Mostly because there was no safe mechanism to do so. In open space, it is part of the game. This in itself (taking the skeleton out of the closet) is already therapeutic for both the individual and the group. The discussion that ensues, provided that it is done with respect, can also have very therapeutic effects. People feel heard. The organization has an opportunity to grow and even maybe heal some untold conflict or misunderstanding.
So here it is, I hope it offers some clarification and hopefully triggers further thought. I look forward to further feedback and discussion.
Most kind regards,
JF
On Fri, Oct 7, 2022 at 7:02 PM Anna Caroline Türk annacaroline@truthcircles.com wrote:
Hi JF,
I am happy you enjoyed your Open Space experience in Bilbao. I wondering if your list speaks to your week in Bilbao or to your experience of Open Space Technology?
"Your List / potential chapters of a book" include:
- Coming home to transformation
- Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
- Matter, time and the architecture or open space
- Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
- Open Space as social and personal therapy
- Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as fit for purpose solution)
You spoke about your perceptions that leaders might be afraid of applying OST in the corporate context. I feel some resistance when I read "sexuality" and "therapy" - can you speak more to your points so I can understand this better?
When I think of a list/ chapters about OST I can imagine including: - invitation
- circle
- breath
- emergence
- energy
- creation
- power
- connection
- intimacy
- genuine connections
- wisdom
- actions
What would others add to their list/chapter of a book about Open Space Technology?
Greetings from Berlin Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk Mentor to Visionary Leaders +49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com
Am Di., 4. Okt. 2022 um 14:14 Uhr schrieb Thomas Perret thomas@peerland.fi:
Open Space as social therapy!
I love it. Especially as a chapter in a book.
I feel your message and I look forward to my next coming home to
transformation.
Best, Thomas
On 2022-10-04 09:10, JF wrote:
Hello Everyone,
So here I am back from an intense and very rewarding OST experience in
Bilbao. It was indeed a very transformative moment right at the
inflexion point of my personal and professional development. The funny
thing though is that despite the novelty and all the new faces it felt
like coming home. A feeling hard to explain but I suspect people on
this list would understand.
As I was driving back on Saturday there were so many thoughts coming
through my mind I thought I could probably write a whole book about
this amazing week in Basque country. Here are some of the chapters
title for that book:
* Coming home to transformation
* Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
* Matter, time and the architecture or open space
* Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
* Open Space as social and personal therapy
* Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as fit
for purpose solution)
I would like to thank everyone for a very warm welcome and amazing
discussions and thank you for the encouragement from people on this
list to make the trip.
Most warm greetings and hugs,
JF
On Sun, Sep 18, 2022 at 6:44 PM ingrid ebeling ebus
ie@institut-ebus.de wrote:
Dear Gentza,
well, yesterday I decided to come and join the WOSonOS 2022 in
Bilbao. I hesitated for quite a while, taking the train 32 hours or
what ever. All the sudden it seemed to be easy and got myself a
flight ticket.
Regarding the accommodation I need some help. Earlier you mentioned
a centric new hostel 5 minutes´ walk from the WOSonOS. How can I
find out, whether it is still available or find an alternative
house?
Now I’m looking forward seeing you all.
Ingrid
Ingrid Ebeling, EBUS
Systemic Prozess facilitation Executive Coaching • Large Group
Intervention
Am Alten Gehäge 6 • D- 30657 Hannover • Germany
fon +49-511-336 03 30 • mobile +49-172-5145179
ie@institut-ebus.de
Am 09.09.2022 um 10:31 schrieb Gentza Eleder
Gentza.Eleder@protonmail.com:
Hi Jean Fracnçois!
I'm happy about your decission!
Let us know if there's anything we could help you with.
Same for anyone that still is considering to take part totally or
partially in the WOS week in Bilbao, we are happy to make it
easaier to you!
We are passionate about making it easier to anyone that feels the
thrill and the passion on this gathering to join us!
The "travel" is being so nice!
Best wishes!
Gentza Eleder Aurtenetxe Pildain
http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
Mundaka
(+0034) 638.733.223
ps. Michael, we'll keep you in our hearts Bilbao, and will do our
best to join you some day, maybe next year, in Berlin! Thanks so
much for your support!
------- Original Message -------
Em quinta-feira, 8 de setembro de 2022 às 22:25, JF
jfgouin@gmail.com escreveu:
Thank you so much Michael for your warm and inspiring message. I
will definitely be in Bilbao, and am looking forward to it.
Gentza, I had read the OST user guide a few year's back but it has
been a while so a good suggestion to re-read it. I will see how much
I am able to commit for the Bilbao OS. For sure I'ld like to
participate to the OSonOS I will have to see about the earlier
session. If so yes helping preparing the space is probably a good
idea. I have organised concerts before and I do appreciate the
thrill of anticipation.
Thank you all,
JF
On Thu, Sep 8, 2022 at 5:37 PM WilbaOS WilbaOS@protonmail.com
wrote:
Michael, thanks so much, first of all for your shiny explanation on
the message 08.09 on self-organization taken place in OST meetings,
and we just willing to re-enjoy this, not so much looking for an
explanation, that's it!
I'm sure we'll witness this magic soon in Bilbao (jsut 3 weeks!)).
Dear Jean François, my previous experience with WOSonOS has been
always so rewarding, that, feeling a bit sad after two years in
which we had no way to ressemble, I asked around and, after a few
colleagues said "go ahead" in December, we started joyfully with our
small dream.
Now we are happy to see that around 40 people we'll be enjoying 2 OS
meetings in Bilbao soon. We espce that many more will sign up during
next days (if some of you are considering it, please contact us for
whatever we could help you: wilbaos@protonmail.com)
26+27th of September, withe the ample question: 2020+ Complex times:
how are we going ahead in cooperative ways?
29th+30th of September: how can we refine and expand our OS practice
all over the world?
JF, I invite you, if having time, to read "Open Space Technology:
the user's guide (Harrison Owen)", and if you are willing, join us
in the practice of preparing the space during the 23th September and
/ or 28th. Let us know if we can anyhow make your coming easier!
Regarding the Goodhabitz documentary, they'll be coming to WOSonOS
in Bilbao, and we'll thank some of you answering to their
interviews.
Looking forward to meet you soon in Bilbao!
Thansk for spreading the heartly invitation!
Gentza Eleder
Mundaka/Bilbao
http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
https://twitter.com/OpenSpace_EH
Sent with Proton Mail [1] secure email.
------- Original Message -------
On Thursday, September 8th, 2022 at 16:45, Michael M Pannwitz
mmpannwitz@posteo.de wrote:
Dear Jean-Francois,
yes, experiencing open space in an OST setting is the best way to
get into this experiment which will be lifelong, I guarantee.
In fact, some folks know that open space and the approach can not be
learned or taught but it can be remembered. In other words, we
already know about it. But all kind of circumstances have led to it
being burried deep down.
In so called open space "Trainings" where 97% of the time everything
is entirely selforganizing, lasting 3 to 5 days (I love the 5 day
variety) where the trainers are mostly invisible, its been observed,
that participants could no longer do without open space.
So, Bilbao is also a variety of "training" with the opportunity to
take a deep dive and upon surfacing you will breathe something that
you never experienced before.
For me, it was life changing. And that at the age of 56 with 3
decades of all kinds of OD behing me and pretty sure that I knew
everything. It was tough work to drop my old habits and in a way it
still is. By the way, that was in 1996 at a "training" with Harrison
Owen and Romy Shovelton in Roffey Park...
So, get on your motorcycle or start walking or hitchhiking towards
Bilbao and have a great time.
Greetings from Berlin
mmp
PS: Dont forget to include yourself in the Open Space World Map
https://www.openspaceworldmap.org/inclusion
and add a picture so I can see you when writing corresponding with
you.
At my age I rarely leave my neighborhood, but have a grand time
here... I might leave it once more if the next WOSonOS will be in
Berlin, I hear some folks are planning that for 2023...
Am 08.09.2022 um 14:56 schrieb JF:
Hello All,
I have been on this list and be interested in OST for many years.
Yet I have never (until now) taken the opportunity to develop this
interest further and actually participate and be involved with OST
events.
I am currently in a professional transition from being a manager in
a large engineering firm to becoming self employed project manager
with a view to help build collective intelligence in organisations
through innovative organisational structures (e.g. holacracy) and
various practices such as OST.
I would like to learn and experience more and I have been told
before that the best and only way to learn about OST is to
experience it first hand. That makes a lot of sense and I think that
this would be a great eye opener for me as well as a growing
opportunity. Therefore I am contemplating participating in the next
OSonOS in Bilbao (I live in the south of France) but I want to make
sure that this is appropriate for someone who want to get initiated
in OST.
Thanks in advance for your comments and / or advice.
Regads,
Jean-François (JF)
On Tue, Aug 23, 2022 at 7:49 PM Michael M Pannwitz
mmpannwitz@posteo.de wrote:
Dear Gentza Eleder,
you might tell them that ost is an approach to expand time and space
for the unfolding of selforganisation. It is not an intention of ost
to change business culture, have better meetings or all the other
things one might find important.
It has been noticed however, that ost events bring about amazing
stuff every time those gatherings are convened and that folks find
that these were the best meetings they ever experienced. How that
happens has never been grasped. And participants are regularily
simply not interested to research this, they just want to get going.
The important observation is that it works. And if it is used
regularily in an organisation those organisations change all by
themselves (see the decade long experiment in the Agency for Youth
in Europe).
Selforganisation has never been grasped but it is the central force
in the unfolding of everything that has happened on this planet for
billions of year.
It has been observed that some very few prerequisites need to be in
place to get the the right conditions for getting this experiment in
selforganisation to unfold: sticky problem, high complexity of the
matter, large diversity of participants, high conflict and high
urgency to act and, not to forget, voluntarty participation.
Everyone attending our event in Bilbao is an expert, even experts in
attendance that are zoologists, psychologists, anthropologists,
medicine men, sociologists, cooks, gardeners, plumbers, architects,
teachers, mothers and very important: children. If you have children
and youngsters at the event among all the others you will find that
an amazing ingredient for the diversity soup. Nobody knows why and
it needs not to be researched, we have seen it.
Hope you get a great film that is shown in all cinemas around the
world.
Greetings from Berlin
Love and Peace
mmp
Am 23.08.2022 um 18:09 schrieb Gentza Eleder:
Hi friends, how are you?
We are having since July some converations with GoodHabitz
Documentaries [2].
They are very interested in OST and are planning to come to Bilbao
to film and make some interviews during the 28th World Open Space on
Open Space.
Now, they asked something that I thought would be best to spread
through the OSLIST, as follows:
....
For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
interview such an expert about how you can change the business
culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
....
Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
Would you, please, specially if planning to join as in Bilbao in
September, take some time to answer Marije (you can add us, as cc)?
I've proposed her to join herself the OSLIST to take part directly
in the conversation or open new questions.
Best of all,
Gentza Eleder
BuM_31 unJobbing
Mundaka
(+0034) 638.733.223
------- Original Message -------
Em terça-feira, 23 de agosto de 2022 às 10:10, Marije Kuipers
info.marijekuipers@gmail.com escreveu:
Hi Gentza, good morning!
How are you? Thanks for your email. Great answers!
I forgot to ask, have you been filmed before? And is it online? Just
to get an idea :)
....
For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
interview such an expert about how you can change the business
culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
....
Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
Hope to hear from you.
Thanks for your time and efforts!
Have a good day,
Marije
OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org
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Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin
+49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.de
_______________________________________________
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Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin
+49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.de
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Links:
[1] https://proton.me/
[2]
https://www.goodhabitz.com/en-gb/why-goodhabitz/doing-things-differently/goodhabitz-moments/
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All is possible together
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--
Jo Toepfer, boscop eg
Boxhagener Str. 119B, 10245 Berlin
Tel: +49-(0)30-42018000
Mob: +49-(0)176-22394083
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Hi everyone,
And thank you Jo for the reminder of the Berlin invitation and for the details. I am already looking forward to meeting you again.
I confirm the intention to organize the Wosonos 2024 in Italy. We still need some time to figure out locations, feasibility and dates, but the intention is still there.
A hug,
Silvia
Silvia Ferrari - mooncult
Facilitator
silvia@mooncult.it mailto:silvia@mooncult.it - +393403434580
www.mooncult.it
Il giorno 9 nov 2022, alle ore 16:51, Jo Toepfer via OSList everyone@oslist.org ha scritto:
Dear colleagues,
for those of you who did not attend the WOSonOS in Bilbao: Next stop is Berlin.
After 2000 and 2010 we will have the privilege to host the WOSonOS 2023 in Berlin. No other candidate city raised the hand and the closing circle in Bilbao was pretty clear. So, I took our talking stick back to Berlin where it is waiting to be used in the next edition of the WOSonOS.
Dates and location are already clear:
October 18 through 21, 2023: We will get together on the evening of Oct 18 for the opening evening / night / party. And, from Oct 19 through 21 we will conduct a full scale 3-days Open Space event.
The location is Beach Mitte https://beachmitte-events.de/locations/ https://beachmitte-events.de/locations/ This is an inner city beach resort with all kind of facilities and opportunities in Berlin downtown. The management of this venue is highly interested in interactive management and conference formats. They support hosting the WOSonOS in their venue with a significant discount. They do not charge any rent for the venue we only need to cover expenses for food, drinks and staff. This will allow us to sell tickets for a moderate price. We will hopefully be able to start selling the tickets by the end of this year.
The International Association of Facilitators / Europe and Middle East chapter will probably held their bi-annual conference in the same venue just a few days before: Oct 16 through 18, 2023. Most likely, it will be organised be the German IAF chapter which has a stronghold in Berlin. And most of the IAF colleagues are familiar with Open Space and attended WOSonOSes in the past. We intend to link the two events for participants who are interested in attending both.
In the closing circle in Bilbao we heard that some colleagues form Italy are interested to host the coming WOSonOS in 2024 in Bologna. Is this still valid?
I hope to see many of you in Berlin next year.
Warm regards
Jo
Am 14.10.22 um 15:04 schrieb Anna Caroline Türk:
Dear JF,
Thank you for taking the time to keep thinking out loud and to speak more to your chapters of your potential book. :)
I hope other people will reply to your thoughtful exploration, and highlight what resonates with them.
I have only passion to reply to two aspects that stand out for me in your mail. And while I might be disagreeing with what I hear, I hope this mail also conveys the spirit of an energized conversation, which we could quickly have over a coffee or tea in an in-person-meeting. And by then end leave with a smile as we agree to disagree.
I am unsure what you refer to when you write, that you hear me when I expressed reservations regarding corporate resistance.
I was hoping to convey that I have empathy with leaders who resist interventions that promote "organizational therapy" and "sexuality". (I am aware that I might taking you too literally here ...)
But in that similar spirit you mention in your last mail that you believe that leaders "need a bit of shaken up. I think some corporate leaders recognize this and might be more attracted to thought provoking and intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your proposal for breath and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think of silence."
We might be not too different in our perception, because we both like silence, but I disagree with the approach to shake people up. My approach would be to create a learning environment, a nourishing environment, rather than a provoking or shaking environment.
I can only relate to my own learning preferences and I have find that I learn, expand and grow the most when I learn together in a life nourishing environment, where the intention is to create genuine connection with self, other and creation. I believe it is because of the breathing and sitting in a circle together that the wisdom of the group will emerge and best next steps will be identified by those who work (and live) together. This will includes both challenging and generating conversations.
The other aspect I would like to point out is the notion of a "safe mechanism". You write:
"Ideally, an open space event should allow people to raise issues or questions that they did not dare raise before. Mostly because there was no safe mechanism to do so. In open space, it is part of the game."
I would say that instead of a "safe" mechanism", open space gives an "appropriate" mechanism.
Do you mean its a safe mechanism - because Open Space will guarantee that everyone speaks up?
I am quite careful with this assumption. Careful preparation with the leaders (and potentially other invitees) are mandatory to strengthen everyone's experience of Open Space as a space where conversations can be brought up, even if they are difficult.
For the preparation I therefore include the following ( not complete list):
Is this the right date and space for the Open Space
Is the purpose clear
Is there enough time allocated to this event - given the stated purpose of the Open Space
Is the invitation text and the title open and inviting
Is clear what is not up for discussion
Is it clearly stated how leaders/participants work with the findings of this Open Space.
Have leaders committed to and planned in follow up work
Only when all of this is clear and explicit, do I trust that it provides a mechanism to bring up what needs to be discussed and maybe healed at that time.
Following the principles of open space.
So far my thoughts.
Happy weekend,
Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com http://truthcircles.com/
Am Mo., 10. Okt. 2022 um 12:14 Uhr schrieb JF <jfgouin@gmail.com mailto:jfgouin@gmail.com>:
Hello Anna Caroline,
At this point, my week in Bilbao is indistinguishable from my OST experience as a whole. Considering open space as primarily experiential and personal, I would probably like to keep it this way.
I wrote this note as a spontaneous light hearted attempt to encapsulate some fleeting thoughts and sensations that coalesced from the various sessions I participated in. In that sense it is rooted in my specific OST Bilbao experience. But I suppose it could be extrapolated to OST in general. Some of the most personal experiences and meditations I had while hiking on the basque coastline during the week-end are also present here.
To be perfectly honest, I was also trying to be a little "tongue in cheek" by bringing together seemingly unrelated and unexpected topics. Those associations make sense to me but in a way that was more instinctive than rational. I have not really rationalized further until now.
I am very happy you are calling me on it however and I guess you are now asking me to start writing the chapters of this hypothetical book.
I hear what you are saying about your reservations regarding corporate resistance. However, one of my personal take away from my stay in Bilbao is that if we truly believe that it is important to bring in philosophical or spiritual considerations, we should be confident and bold about it and not try to bow to a rather stiff corporate way. The justification is that a unique and possibly unusual perspective is precisely the highest value we can bring to the corporate world. The relative stiffness and conformism of corporations (especially as they grow big) is a core problem they face to remain nimble and innovative. They need a bit of shaken up. I think some corporate leaders recognize this and might be more attracted to thought provoking and intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your proposal for breath and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think of silence.
Now, that being said beyond slightly provocative titles the important part is to bring some substance and valuable insights. So let me try to give it a go on the two chapters you mention.
Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
Well, obviously that title is meant to be both provocative and confusing. I mean, what is the relation between quantum physics and sexuality right?
You rightly picked up on sexuality which is taboo especially in the workplace. Organizations are now essentially a-sexual. We should certainly celebrate the progress that has been made to make harassment in the workplace unacceptable and we must continue in this direction. At the same time most of us are not asexual and I think it is both illusory and hypocritical to ask people to switch off their sexual energy while at work. One of the session we had in Bilbao offers a possible avenue of exploration by expanding on the notion of sexual energy.
To be precise, the session was about sacred sexuality as a tool for social transformation. During the session, we danced in order to loosen up and then we explored levels of intimacy through a guided shared experience of our 5 senses. It was very intense and sometimes quite challenging. I personally found it disturbing and difficult but also liberating. For instance, when you do spend even a few seconds with someone, smelling each other, it does change how you relate to one another. So that is the social transformation part. It is very animalistic and I guess it's the point.
In sacred sexuality we try to connect to the primal energy of creation. As the convener of the session defines it : "the energy of sacred sexuality, as the energy of life creation, which helps us to integrate our accepted and denied parts (lights and shadows) and leads to living in TOTALITY". The ability to be totally present (oneness) is a theme that should resonate with many visionary organisations / leaders. It is about reclaiming sexual energy which had been repressed by religion and has now been commercialized and consequently distorted.
This is in essence a spiritual journey. That primal energy relates to the "eros" of the ancient greek. It is the same energy which pushes a blade of grass to grow even through a small crack in the pavement. It is in a sense the energy of life. This creative energy is at the core of reproduction and sexuality but it can also be expressed in ways that are not purely sexual. This is the key that is offered here. Rather than trying to suppress and repress sexual energy the proposal is to find ways to transcend and harness this powerful energy and express it in ways that are safe and respectful as well as fruitful and transformative.
I see this primal energy as a potential. Something that can be felt and that stirs us. It is like a fire inside which can consume us or which we can learn to utilize in productive and creative ways. This energy exists but it is not real until we actualize it into action on the world. And this is the link with quantum physics. Quantum particles have a probability state or quantum wave function which is unknown and unknowable until it is collapsed through observation. This connection would need further elaboration but there maybe something interesting.
Open Space as social and personal therapy
I suppose organizational therapy would be more correct. I guess the reason why you picked up therapy has somewhat corporate inappropriate has to do with stigma around mental health and psychotherapy. Mental health is a hot issue in corporations these days. HR departments all over are working hard to dissipate that stigma and to create safe places for people to express their vulnerability. At an individual level I believe this is driven by empathy and acceptance. From the point of view of the organization, the motivations might be more about safety, innovation and ultimately productivity.
I personally have reservations about the notion of mental illness because it tends to push the responsibility on the individual. It implies that it is the individual who is ill and therefore requires treatment. Worse still, treatment too often equates to chemicals. While it is true that individually we ought to do work on ourselves and deal with whatever issues we have or have inherited, I believe that a more holistic perspective is more fruitful and sustainable. It would need to recognize that the social, societal and organizational contexts are also very important to mental well being.
Many therapies are based on language and open communication. They require a space that is safe and free of judgment. I think Open Space can provide that and in a sense aims to do that by default. We call on passion and responsibility. Both are challenging in their own way. Passion in particular can expose some of our vulnerabilities. Ideally, an open space event should allow people to raise issues or questions that they did not dare raise before. Mostly because there was no safe mechanism to do so. In open space, it is part of the game. This in itself (taking the skeleton out of the closet) is already therapeutic for both the individual and the group. The discussion that ensues, provided that it is done with respect, can also have very therapeutic effects. People feel heard. The organization has an opportunity to grow and even maybe heal some untold conflict or misunderstanding.
So here it is, I hope it offers some clarification and hopefully triggers further thought. I look forward to further feedback and discussion.
Most kind regards,
JF
On Fri, Oct 7, 2022 at 7:02 PM Anna Caroline Türk <annacaroline@truthcircles.com mailto:annacaroline@truthcircles.com> wrote:
Hi JF,
I am happy you enjoyed your Open Space experience in Bilbao.
I wondering if your list speaks to your week in Bilbao or to your experience of Open Space Technology?
"Your List / potential chapters of a book" include:
Coming home to transformation
Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
Matter, time and the architecture or open space
Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
Open Space as social and personal therapy
Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as fit for purpose solution)
You spoke about your perceptions that leaders might be afraid of applying OST in the corporate context.
I feel some resistance when I read "sexuality" and "therapy" - can you speak more to your points so I can understand this better?
When I think of a list/ chapters about OST I can imagine including:
invitation
circle
breath
emergence
energy
creation
power
connection
intimacy
genuine connections
wisdom
actions
What would others add to their list/chapter of a book about Open Space Technology?
Greetings from Berlin
Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com http://truthcircles.com/
Am Di., 4. Okt. 2022 um 14:14 Uhr schrieb Thomas Perret <thomas@peerland.fi mailto:thomas@peerland.fi>:
Open Space as social therapy!
I love it. Especially as a chapter in a book.
I feel your message and I look forward to my next coming home to
transformation.
Best, Thomas
On 2022-10-04 09:10, JF wrote:
Hello Everyone,
So here I am back from an intense and very rewarding OST experience in
Bilbao. It was indeed a very transformative moment right at the
inflexion point of my personal and professional development. The funny
thing though is that despite the novelty and all the new faces it felt
like coming home. A feeling hard to explain but I suspect people on
this list would understand.
As I was driving back on Saturday there were so many thoughts coming
through my mind I thought I could probably write a whole book about
this amazing week in Basque country. Here are some of the chapters
title for that book:
* Coming home to transformation
* Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
* Matter, time and the architecture or open space
* Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
* Open Space as social and personal therapy
* Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as fit
for purpose solution)
I would like to thank everyone for a very warm welcome and amazing
discussions and thank you for the encouragement from people on this
list to make the trip.
Most warm greetings and hugs,
JF
On Sun, Sep 18, 2022 at 6:44 PM ingrid ebeling ebus
<ie@institut-ebus.de mailto:ie@institut-ebus.de> wrote:
Dear Gentza,
well, yesterday I decided to come and join the WOSonOS 2022 in
Bilbao. I hesitated for quite a while, taking the train 32 hours or
what ever. All the sudden it seemed to be easy and got myself a
flight ticket.
Regarding the accommodation I need some help. Earlier you mentioned
a centric new hostel 5 minutes´ walk from the WOSonOS. How can I
find out, whether it is still available or find an alternative
house?
Now I’m looking forward seeing you all.
Ingrid
Ingrid Ebeling, EBUS
Systemic Prozess facilitation Executive Coaching • Large Group
Intervention
Am Alten Gehäge 6 • D- 30657 Hannover • Germany
fon +49-511-336 03 30 • mobile +49-172-5145179
ie@institut-ebus.de mailto:ie@institut-ebus.de
Am 09.09.2022 um 10:31 schrieb Gentza Eleder
<Gentza.Eleder@protonmail.com mailto:Gentza.Eleder@protonmail.com>:
Hi Jean Fracnçois!
I'm happy about your decission!
Let us know if there's anything we could help you with.
Same for anyone that still is considering to take part totally or
partially in the WOS week in Bilbao, we are happy to make it
easaier to you!
We are passionate about making it easier to anyone that feels the
thrill and the passion on this gathering to join us!
The "travel" is being so nice!
Best wishes!
Gentza Eleder Aurtenetxe Pildain
http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/ http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
Mundaka
(+0034) 638.733.223
ps. Michael, we'll keep you in our hearts Bilbao, and will do our
best to join you some day, maybe next year, in Berlin! Thanks so
much for your support!
------- Original Message -------
Em quinta-feira, 8 de setembro de 2022 às 22:25, JF
<jfgouin@gmail.com mailto:jfgouin@gmail.com> escreveu:
Thank you so much Michael for your warm and inspiring message. I
will definitely be in Bilbao, and am looking forward to it.
Gentza, I had read the OST user guide a few year's back but it has
been a while so a good suggestion to re-read it. I will see how much
I am able to commit for the Bilbao OS. For sure I'ld like to
participate to the OSonOS I will have to see about the earlier
session. If so yes helping preparing the space is probably a good
idea. I have organised concerts before and I do appreciate the
thrill of anticipation.
Thank you all,
JF
On Thu, Sep 8, 2022 at 5:37 PM WilbaOS <WilbaOS@protonmail.com mailto:WilbaOS@protonmail.com>
wrote:
Michael, thanks so much, first of all for your shiny explanation on
the message 08.09 on self-organization taken place in OST meetings,
and we just willing to re-enjoy this, not so much looking for an
explanation, that's it!
I'm sure we'll witness this magic soon in Bilbao (jsut 3 weeks!)).
Dear Jean François, my previous experience with WOSonOS has been
always so rewarding, that, feeling a bit sad after two years in
which we had no way to ressemble, I asked around and, after a few
colleagues said "go ahead" in December, we started joyfully with our
small dream.
Now we are happy to see that around 40 people we'll be enjoying 2 OS
meetings in Bilbao soon. We espce that many more will sign up during
next days (if some of you are considering it, please contact us for
whatever we could help you: wilbaos@protonmail.com mailto:wilbaos@protonmail.com)
26+27th of September, withe the ample question: 2020+ Complex times:
how are we going ahead in cooperative ways?
29th+30th of September: how can we refine and expand our OS practice
all over the world?
JF, I invite you, if having time, to read "Open Space Technology:
the user's guide (Harrison Owen)", and if you are willing, join us
in the practice of preparing the space during the 23th September and
/ or 28th. Let us know if we can anyhow make your coming easier!
Regarding the Goodhabitz documentary, they'll be coming to WOSonOS
in Bilbao, and we'll thank some of you answering to their
interviews.
Looking forward to meet you soon in Bilbao!
Thansk for spreading the heartly invitation!
Gentza Eleder
Mundaka/Bilbao
http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/ http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
https://twitter.com/OpenSpace_EH https://twitter.com/OpenSpace_EH
Sent with Proton Mail [1] secure email.
------- Original Message -------
On Thursday, September 8th, 2022 at 16:45, Michael M Pannwitz
<mmpannwitz@posteo.de mailto:mmpannwitz@posteo.de> wrote:
Dear Jean-Francois,
yes, experiencing open space in an OST setting is the best way to
get into this experiment which will be lifelong, I guarantee.
In fact, some folks know that open space and the approach can not be
learned or taught but it can be remembered. In other words, we
already know about it. But all kind of circumstances have led to it
being burried deep down.
In so called open space "Trainings" where 97% of the time everything
is entirely selforganizing, lasting 3 to 5 days (I love the 5 day
variety) where the trainers are mostly invisible, its been observed,
that participants could no longer do without open space.
So, Bilbao is also a variety of "training" with the opportunity to
take a deep dive and upon surfacing you will breathe something that
you never experienced before.
For me, it was life changing. And that at the age of 56 with 3
decades of all kinds of OD behing me and pretty sure that I knew
everything. It was tough work to drop my old habits and in a way it
still is. By the way, that was in 1996 at a "training" with Harrison
Owen and Romy Shovelton in Roffey Park...
So, get on your motorcycle or start walking or hitchhiking towards
Bilbao and have a great time.
Greetings from Berlin
mmp
PS: Dont forget to include yourself in the Open Space World Map
https://www.openspaceworldmap.org/inclusion https://www.openspaceworldmap.org/inclusion
and add a picture so I can see you when writing corresponding with
you.
At my age I rarely leave my neighborhood, but have a grand time
here... I might leave it once more if the next WOSonOS will be in
Berlin, I hear some folks are planning that for 2023...
Am 08.09.2022 um 14:56 schrieb JF:
Hello All,
I have been on this list and be interested in OST for many years.
Yet I have never (until now) taken the opportunity to develop this
interest further and actually participate and be involved with OST
events.
I am currently in a professional transition from being a manager in
a large engineering firm to becoming self employed project manager
with a view to help build collective intelligence in organisations
through innovative organisational structures (e.g. holacracy) and
various practices such as OST.
I would like to learn and experience more and I have been told
before that the best and only way to learn about OST is to
experience it first hand. That makes a lot of sense and I think that
this would be a great eye opener for me as well as a growing
opportunity. Therefore I am contemplating participating in the next
OSonOS in Bilbao (I live in the south of France) but I want to make
sure that this is appropriate for someone who want to get initiated
in OST.
Thanks in advance for your comments and / or advice.
Regads,
Jean-François (JF)
On Tue, Aug 23, 2022 at 7:49 PM Michael M Pannwitz
<mmpannwitz@posteo.de mailto:mmpannwitz@posteo.de> wrote:
Dear Gentza Eleder,
you might tell them that ost is an approach to expand time and space
for the unfolding of selforganisation. It is not an intention of ost
to change business culture, have better meetings or all the other
things one might find important.
It has been noticed however, that ost events bring about amazing
stuff every time those gatherings are convened and that folks find
that these were the best meetings they ever experienced. How that
happens has never been grasped. And participants are regularily
simply not interested to research this, they just want to get going.
The important observation is that it works. And if it is used
regularily in an organisation those organisations change all by
themselves (see the decade long experiment in the Agency for Youth
in Europe).
Selforganisation has never been grasped but it is the central force
in the unfolding of everything that has happened on this planet for
billions of year.
It has been observed that some very few prerequisites need to be in
place to get the the right conditions for getting this experiment in
selforganisation to unfold: sticky problem, high complexity of the
matter, large diversity of participants, high conflict and high
urgency to act and, not to forget, voluntarty participation.
Everyone attending our event in Bilbao is an expert, even experts in
attendance that are zoologists, psychologists, anthropologists,
medicine men, sociologists, cooks, gardeners, plumbers, architects,
teachers, mothers and very important: children. If you have children
and youngsters at the event among all the others you will find that
an amazing ingredient for the diversity soup. Nobody knows why and
it needs not to be researched, we have seen it.
Hope you get a great film that is shown in all cinemas around the
world.
Greetings from Berlin
Love and Peace
mmp
Am 23.08.2022 um 18:09 schrieb Gentza Eleder:
Hi friends, how are you?
We are having since July some converations with GoodHabitz
Documentaries [2].
They are very interested in OST and are planning to come to Bilbao
to film and make some interviews during the 28th World Open Space on
Open Space.
Now, they asked something that I thought would be best to spread
through the OSLIST, as follows:
....
For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
interview such an expert about how you can change the business
culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
....
Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
Would you, please, specially if planning to join as in Bilbao in
September, take some time to answer Marije (you can add us, as cc)?
I've proposed her to join herself the OSLIST to take part directly
in the conversation or open new questions.
Best of all,
Gentza Eleder
BuM_31 unJobbing
Mundaka
(+0034) 638.733.223
------- Original Message -------
Em terça-feira, 23 de agosto de 2022 às 10:10, Marije Kuipers
<info.marijekuipers@gmail.com mailto:info.marijekuipers@gmail.com> escreveu:
Hi Gentza, good morning!
How are you? Thanks for your email. Great answers!
I forgot to ask, have you been filmed before? And is it online? Just
to get an idea :)
....
For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
interview such an expert about how you can change the business
culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
....
Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
Hope to hear from you.
Thanks for your time and efforts!
Have a good day,
Marije
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Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin
+49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.de mailto:mmpannwitz@posteo.de
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Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin
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Links:
[1] https://proton.me/ https://proton.me/
[2]
https://www.goodhabitz.com/en-gb/why-goodhabitz/doing-things-differently/goodhabitz-moments/ https://www.goodhabitz.com/en-gb/why-goodhabitz/doing-things-differently/goodhabitz-moments/
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All is possible together
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--
<>
Jo Toepfer, <>boscop eg http://www.boscop.org/
Boxhagener Str. 119B, 10245 Berlin
Tel: +49-(0)30-42018000
Mob: +49-(0)176-22394083
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Hello everyone,
while waiting to meet those of you who will be in Berlin, I would like to share with you a reflection on my proposal to host the Wosonos 2024 in Italy. Gerardo told me about a tradition that has long governed the transition from one Wosonos to another: the alternation of continents.
If the Wosonos 2024 were in Italy, it would be the third year in a row in Europe. Perhaps it may not be very inclusive for those who do not live in Europe? Does it make sense perhaps to postpone my invitation to Italy to 2025 and see if there are other proposals for 2024?
Tell me what you think.
Thank you,
Silvia
Silvia Ferrari - mooncult
Facilitator
silvia@mooncult.it mailto:silvia@mooncult.it - +393403434580
www.mooncult.it
Il giorno 9 nov 2022, alle ore 16:51, Jo Toepfer via OSList everyone@oslist.org ha scritto:
Dear colleagues,
for those of you who did not attend the WOSonOS in Bilbao: Next stop is Berlin.
After 2000 and 2010 we will have the privilege to host the WOSonOS 2023 in Berlin. No other candidate city raised the hand and the closing circle in Bilbao was pretty clear. So, I took our talking stick back to Berlin where it is waiting to be used in the next edition of the WOSonOS.
Dates and location are already clear:
October 18 through 21, 2023: We will get together on the evening of Oct 18 for the opening evening / night / party. And, from Oct 19 through 21 we will conduct a full scale 3-days Open Space event.
The location is Beach Mitte https://beachmitte-events.de/locations/ https://beachmitte-events.de/locations/ This is an inner city beach resort with all kind of facilities and opportunities in Berlin downtown. The management of this venue is highly interested in interactive management and conference formats. They support hosting the WOSonOS in their venue with a significant discount. They do not charge any rent for the venue we only need to cover expenses for food, drinks and staff. This will allow us to sell tickets for a moderate price. We will hopefully be able to start selling the tickets by the end of this year.
The International Association of Facilitators / Europe and Middle East chapter will probably held their bi-annual conference in the same venue just a few days before: Oct 16 through 18, 2023. Most likely, it will be organised be the German IAF chapter which has a stronghold in Berlin. And most of the IAF colleagues are familiar with Open Space and attended WOSonOSes in the past. We intend to link the two events for participants who are interested in attending both.
In the closing circle in Bilbao we heard that some colleagues form Italy are interested to host the coming WOSonOS in 2024 in Bologna. Is this still valid?
I hope to see many of you in Berlin next year.
Warm regards
Jo
Am 14.10.22 um 15:04 schrieb Anna Caroline Türk:
Dear JF,
Thank you for taking the time to keep thinking out loud and to speak more to your chapters of your potential book. :)
I hope other people will reply to your thoughtful exploration, and highlight what resonates with them.
I have only passion to reply to two aspects that stand out for me in your mail. And while I might be disagreeing with what I hear, I hope this mail also conveys the spirit of an energized conversation, which we could quickly have over a coffee or tea in an in-person-meeting. And by then end leave with a smile as we agree to disagree.
I am unsure what you refer to when you write, that you hear me when I expressed reservations regarding corporate resistance.
I was hoping to convey that I have empathy with leaders who resist interventions that promote "organizational therapy" and "sexuality". (I am aware that I might taking you too literally here ...)
But in that similar spirit you mention in your last mail that you believe that leaders "need a bit of shaken up. I think some corporate leaders recognize this and might be more attracted to thought provoking and intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your proposal for breath and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think of silence."
We might be not too different in our perception, because we both like silence, but I disagree with the approach to shake people up. My approach would be to create a learning environment, a nourishing environment, rather than a provoking or shaking environment.
I can only relate to my own learning preferences and I have find that I learn, expand and grow the most when I learn together in a life nourishing environment, where the intention is to create genuine connection with self, other and creation. I believe it is because of the breathing and sitting in a circle together that the wisdom of the group will emerge and best next steps will be identified by those who work (and live) together. This will includes both challenging and generating conversations.
The other aspect I would like to point out is the notion of a "safe mechanism". You write:
"Ideally, an open space event should allow people to raise issues or questions that they did not dare raise before. Mostly because there was no safe mechanism to do so. In open space, it is part of the game."
I would say that instead of a "safe" mechanism", open space gives an "appropriate" mechanism.
Do you mean its a safe mechanism - because Open Space will guarantee that everyone speaks up?
I am quite careful with this assumption. Careful preparation with the leaders (and potentially other invitees) are mandatory to strengthen everyone's experience of Open Space as a space where conversations can be brought up, even if they are difficult.
For the preparation I therefore include the following ( not complete list):
Is this the right date and space for the Open Space
Is the purpose clear
Is there enough time allocated to this event - given the stated purpose of the Open Space
Is the invitation text and the title open and inviting
Is clear what is not up for discussion
Is it clearly stated how leaders/participants work with the findings of this Open Space.
Have leaders committed to and planned in follow up work
Only when all of this is clear and explicit, do I trust that it provides a mechanism to bring up what needs to be discussed and maybe healed at that time.
Following the principles of open space.
So far my thoughts.
Happy weekend,
Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com http://truthcircles.com/
Am Mo., 10. Okt. 2022 um 12:14 Uhr schrieb JF <jfgouin@gmail.com mailto:jfgouin@gmail.com>:
Hello Anna Caroline,
At this point, my week in Bilbao is indistinguishable from my OST experience as a whole. Considering open space as primarily experiential and personal, I would probably like to keep it this way.
I wrote this note as a spontaneous light hearted attempt to encapsulate some fleeting thoughts and sensations that coalesced from the various sessions I participated in. In that sense it is rooted in my specific OST Bilbao experience. But I suppose it could be extrapolated to OST in general. Some of the most personal experiences and meditations I had while hiking on the basque coastline during the week-end are also present here.
To be perfectly honest, I was also trying to be a little "tongue in cheek" by bringing together seemingly unrelated and unexpected topics. Those associations make sense to me but in a way that was more instinctive than rational. I have not really rationalized further until now.
I am very happy you are calling me on it however and I guess you are now asking me to start writing the chapters of this hypothetical book.
I hear what you are saying about your reservations regarding corporate resistance. However, one of my personal take away from my stay in Bilbao is that if we truly believe that it is important to bring in philosophical or spiritual considerations, we should be confident and bold about it and not try to bow to a rather stiff corporate way. The justification is that a unique and possibly unusual perspective is precisely the highest value we can bring to the corporate world. The relative stiffness and conformism of corporations (especially as they grow big) is a core problem they face to remain nimble and innovative. They need a bit of shaken up. I think some corporate leaders recognize this and might be more attracted to thought provoking and intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your proposal for breath and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think of silence.
Now, that being said beyond slightly provocative titles the important part is to bring some substance and valuable insights. So let me try to give it a go on the two chapters you mention.
Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
Well, obviously that title is meant to be both provocative and confusing. I mean, what is the relation between quantum physics and sexuality right?
You rightly picked up on sexuality which is taboo especially in the workplace. Organizations are now essentially a-sexual. We should certainly celebrate the progress that has been made to make harassment in the workplace unacceptable and we must continue in this direction. At the same time most of us are not asexual and I think it is both illusory and hypocritical to ask people to switch off their sexual energy while at work. One of the session we had in Bilbao offers a possible avenue of exploration by expanding on the notion of sexual energy.
To be precise, the session was about sacred sexuality as a tool for social transformation. During the session, we danced in order to loosen up and then we explored levels of intimacy through a guided shared experience of our 5 senses. It was very intense and sometimes quite challenging. I personally found it disturbing and difficult but also liberating. For instance, when you do spend even a few seconds with someone, smelling each other, it does change how you relate to one another. So that is the social transformation part. It is very animalistic and I guess it's the point.
In sacred sexuality we try to connect to the primal energy of creation. As the convener of the session defines it : "the energy of sacred sexuality, as the energy of life creation, which helps us to integrate our accepted and denied parts (lights and shadows) and leads to living in TOTALITY". The ability to be totally present (oneness) is a theme that should resonate with many visionary organisations / leaders. It is about reclaiming sexual energy which had been repressed by religion and has now been commercialized and consequently distorted.
This is in essence a spiritual journey. That primal energy relates to the "eros" of the ancient greek. It is the same energy which pushes a blade of grass to grow even through a small crack in the pavement. It is in a sense the energy of life. This creative energy is at the core of reproduction and sexuality but it can also be expressed in ways that are not purely sexual. This is the key that is offered here. Rather than trying to suppress and repress sexual energy the proposal is to find ways to transcend and harness this powerful energy and express it in ways that are safe and respectful as well as fruitful and transformative.
I see this primal energy as a potential. Something that can be felt and that stirs us. It is like a fire inside which can consume us or which we can learn to utilize in productive and creative ways. This energy exists but it is not real until we actualize it into action on the world. And this is the link with quantum physics. Quantum particles have a probability state or quantum wave function which is unknown and unknowable until it is collapsed through observation. This connection would need further elaboration but there maybe something interesting.
Open Space as social and personal therapy
I suppose organizational therapy would be more correct. I guess the reason why you picked up therapy has somewhat corporate inappropriate has to do with stigma around mental health and psychotherapy. Mental health is a hot issue in corporations these days. HR departments all over are working hard to dissipate that stigma and to create safe places for people to express their vulnerability. At an individual level I believe this is driven by empathy and acceptance. From the point of view of the organization, the motivations might be more about safety, innovation and ultimately productivity.
I personally have reservations about the notion of mental illness because it tends to push the responsibility on the individual. It implies that it is the individual who is ill and therefore requires treatment. Worse still, treatment too often equates to chemicals. While it is true that individually we ought to do work on ourselves and deal with whatever issues we have or have inherited, I believe that a more holistic perspective is more fruitful and sustainable. It would need to recognize that the social, societal and organizational contexts are also very important to mental well being.
Many therapies are based on language and open communication. They require a space that is safe and free of judgment. I think Open Space can provide that and in a sense aims to do that by default. We call on passion and responsibility. Both are challenging in their own way. Passion in particular can expose some of our vulnerabilities. Ideally, an open space event should allow people to raise issues or questions that they did not dare raise before. Mostly because there was no safe mechanism to do so. In open space, it is part of the game. This in itself (taking the skeleton out of the closet) is already therapeutic for both the individual and the group. The discussion that ensues, provided that it is done with respect, can also have very therapeutic effects. People feel heard. The organization has an opportunity to grow and even maybe heal some untold conflict or misunderstanding.
So here it is, I hope it offers some clarification and hopefully triggers further thought. I look forward to further feedback and discussion.
Most kind regards,
JF
On Fri, Oct 7, 2022 at 7:02 PM Anna Caroline Türk <annacaroline@truthcircles.com mailto:annacaroline@truthcircles.com> wrote:
Hi JF,
I am happy you enjoyed your Open Space experience in Bilbao.
I wondering if your list speaks to your week in Bilbao or to your experience of Open Space Technology?
"Your List / potential chapters of a book" include:
Coming home to transformation
Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
Matter, time and the architecture or open space
Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
Open Space as social and personal therapy
Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as fit for purpose solution)
You spoke about your perceptions that leaders might be afraid of applying OST in the corporate context.
I feel some resistance when I read "sexuality" and "therapy" - can you speak more to your points so I can understand this better?
When I think of a list/ chapters about OST I can imagine including:
invitation
circle
breath
emergence
energy
creation
power
connection
intimacy
genuine connections
wisdom
actions
What would others add to their list/chapter of a book about Open Space Technology?
Greetings from Berlin
Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com http://truthcircles.com/
Am Di., 4. Okt. 2022 um 14:14 Uhr schrieb Thomas Perret <thomas@peerland.fi mailto:thomas@peerland.fi>:
Open Space as social therapy!
I love it. Especially as a chapter in a book.
I feel your message and I look forward to my next coming home to
transformation.
Best, Thomas
On 2022-10-04 09:10, JF wrote:
Hello Everyone,
So here I am back from an intense and very rewarding OST experience in
Bilbao. It was indeed a very transformative moment right at the
inflexion point of my personal and professional development. The funny
thing though is that despite the novelty and all the new faces it felt
like coming home. A feeling hard to explain but I suspect people on
this list would understand.
As I was driving back on Saturday there were so many thoughts coming
through my mind I thought I could probably write a whole book about
this amazing week in Basque country. Here are some of the chapters
title for that book:
* Coming home to transformation
* Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
* Matter, time and the architecture or open space
* Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
* Open Space as social and personal therapy
* Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as fit
for purpose solution)
I would like to thank everyone for a very warm welcome and amazing
discussions and thank you for the encouragement from people on this
list to make the trip.
Most warm greetings and hugs,
JF
On Sun, Sep 18, 2022 at 6:44 PM ingrid ebeling ebus
<ie@institut-ebus.de mailto:ie@institut-ebus.de> wrote:
Dear Gentza,
well, yesterday I decided to come and join the WOSonOS 2022 in
Bilbao. I hesitated for quite a while, taking the train 32 hours or
what ever. All the sudden it seemed to be easy and got myself a
flight ticket.
Regarding the accommodation I need some help. Earlier you mentioned
a centric new hostel 5 minutes´ walk from the WOSonOS. How can I
find out, whether it is still available or find an alternative
house?
Now I’m looking forward seeing you all.
Ingrid
Ingrid Ebeling, EBUS
Systemic Prozess facilitation Executive Coaching • Large Group
Intervention
Am Alten Gehäge 6 • D- 30657 Hannover • Germany
fon +49-511-336 03 30 • mobile +49-172-5145179
ie@institut-ebus.de mailto:ie@institut-ebus.de
Am 09.09.2022 um 10:31 schrieb Gentza Eleder
<Gentza.Eleder@protonmail.com mailto:Gentza.Eleder@protonmail.com>:
Hi Jean Fracnçois!
I'm happy about your decission!
Let us know if there's anything we could help you with.
Same for anyone that still is considering to take part totally or
partially in the WOS week in Bilbao, we are happy to make it
easaier to you!
We are passionate about making it easier to anyone that feels the
thrill and the passion on this gathering to join us!
The "travel" is being so nice!
Best wishes!
Gentza Eleder Aurtenetxe Pildain
http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/ http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
Mundaka
(+0034) 638.733.223
ps. Michael, we'll keep you in our hearts Bilbao, and will do our
best to join you some day, maybe next year, in Berlin! Thanks so
much for your support!
------- Original Message -------
Em quinta-feira, 8 de setembro de 2022 às 22:25, JF
<jfgouin@gmail.com mailto:jfgouin@gmail.com> escreveu:
Thank you so much Michael for your warm and inspiring message. I
will definitely be in Bilbao, and am looking forward to it.
Gentza, I had read the OST user guide a few year's back but it has
been a while so a good suggestion to re-read it. I will see how much
I am able to commit for the Bilbao OS. For sure I'ld like to
participate to the OSonOS I will have to see about the earlier
session. If so yes helping preparing the space is probably a good
idea. I have organised concerts before and I do appreciate the
thrill of anticipation.
Thank you all,
JF
On Thu, Sep 8, 2022 at 5:37 PM WilbaOS <WilbaOS@protonmail.com mailto:WilbaOS@protonmail.com>
wrote:
Michael, thanks so much, first of all for your shiny explanation on
the message 08.09 on self-organization taken place in OST meetings,
and we just willing to re-enjoy this, not so much looking for an
explanation, that's it!
I'm sure we'll witness this magic soon in Bilbao (jsut 3 weeks!)).
Dear Jean François, my previous experience with WOSonOS has been
always so rewarding, that, feeling a bit sad after two years in
which we had no way to ressemble, I asked around and, after a few
colleagues said "go ahead" in December, we started joyfully with our
small dream.
Now we are happy to see that around 40 people we'll be enjoying 2 OS
meetings in Bilbao soon. We espce that many more will sign up during
next days (if some of you are considering it, please contact us for
whatever we could help you: wilbaos@protonmail.com mailto:wilbaos@protonmail.com)
26+27th of September, withe the ample question: 2020+ Complex times:
how are we going ahead in cooperative ways?
29th+30th of September: how can we refine and expand our OS practice
all over the world?
JF, I invite you, if having time, to read "Open Space Technology:
the user's guide (Harrison Owen)", and if you are willing, join us
in the practice of preparing the space during the 23th September and
/ or 28th. Let us know if we can anyhow make your coming easier!
Regarding the Goodhabitz documentary, they'll be coming to WOSonOS
in Bilbao, and we'll thank some of you answering to their
interviews.
Looking forward to meet you soon in Bilbao!
Thansk for spreading the heartly invitation!
Gentza Eleder
Mundaka/Bilbao
http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/ http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
https://twitter.com/OpenSpace_EH https://twitter.com/OpenSpace_EH
Sent with Proton Mail [1] secure email.
------- Original Message -------
On Thursday, September 8th, 2022 at 16:45, Michael M Pannwitz
<mmpannwitz@posteo.de mailto:mmpannwitz@posteo.de> wrote:
Dear Jean-Francois,
yes, experiencing open space in an OST setting is the best way to
get into this experiment which will be lifelong, I guarantee.
In fact, some folks know that open space and the approach can not be
learned or taught but it can be remembered. In other words, we
already know about it. But all kind of circumstances have led to it
being burried deep down.
In so called open space "Trainings" where 97% of the time everything
is entirely selforganizing, lasting 3 to 5 days (I love the 5 day
variety) where the trainers are mostly invisible, its been observed,
that participants could no longer do without open space.
So, Bilbao is also a variety of "training" with the opportunity to
take a deep dive and upon surfacing you will breathe something that
you never experienced before.
For me, it was life changing. And that at the age of 56 with 3
decades of all kinds of OD behing me and pretty sure that I knew
everything. It was tough work to drop my old habits and in a way it
still is. By the way, that was in 1996 at a "training" with Harrison
Owen and Romy Shovelton in Roffey Park...
So, get on your motorcycle or start walking or hitchhiking towards
Bilbao and have a great time.
Greetings from Berlin
mmp
PS: Dont forget to include yourself in the Open Space World Map
https://www.openspaceworldmap.org/inclusion https://www.openspaceworldmap.org/inclusion
and add a picture so I can see you when writing corresponding with
you.
At my age I rarely leave my neighborhood, but have a grand time
here... I might leave it once more if the next WOSonOS will be in
Berlin, I hear some folks are planning that for 2023...
Am 08.09.2022 um 14:56 schrieb JF:
Hello All,
I have been on this list and be interested in OST for many years.
Yet I have never (until now) taken the opportunity to develop this
interest further and actually participate and be involved with OST
events.
I am currently in a professional transition from being a manager in
a large engineering firm to becoming self employed project manager
with a view to help build collective intelligence in organisations
through innovative organisational structures (e.g. holacracy) and
various practices such as OST.
I would like to learn and experience more and I have been told
before that the best and only way to learn about OST is to
experience it first hand. That makes a lot of sense and I think that
this would be a great eye opener for me as well as a growing
opportunity. Therefore I am contemplating participating in the next
OSonOS in Bilbao (I live in the south of France) but I want to make
sure that this is appropriate for someone who want to get initiated
in OST.
Thanks in advance for your comments and / or advice.
Regads,
Jean-François (JF)
On Tue, Aug 23, 2022 at 7:49 PM Michael M Pannwitz
<mmpannwitz@posteo.de mailto:mmpannwitz@posteo.de> wrote:
Dear Gentza Eleder,
you might tell them that ost is an approach to expand time and space
for the unfolding of selforganisation. It is not an intention of ost
to change business culture, have better meetings or all the other
things one might find important.
It has been noticed however, that ost events bring about amazing
stuff every time those gatherings are convened and that folks find
that these were the best meetings they ever experienced. How that
happens has never been grasped. And participants are regularily
simply not interested to research this, they just want to get going.
The important observation is that it works. And if it is used
regularily in an organisation those organisations change all by
themselves (see the decade long experiment in the Agency for Youth
in Europe).
Selforganisation has never been grasped but it is the central force
in the unfolding of everything that has happened on this planet for
billions of year.
It has been observed that some very few prerequisites need to be in
place to get the the right conditions for getting this experiment in
selforganisation to unfold: sticky problem, high complexity of the
matter, large diversity of participants, high conflict and high
urgency to act and, not to forget, voluntarty participation.
Everyone attending our event in Bilbao is an expert, even experts in
attendance that are zoologists, psychologists, anthropologists,
medicine men, sociologists, cooks, gardeners, plumbers, architects,
teachers, mothers and very important: children. If you have children
and youngsters at the event among all the others you will find that
an amazing ingredient for the diversity soup. Nobody knows why and
it needs not to be researched, we have seen it.
Hope you get a great film that is shown in all cinemas around the
world.
Greetings from Berlin
Love and Peace
mmp
Am 23.08.2022 um 18:09 schrieb Gentza Eleder:
Hi friends, how are you?
We are having since July some converations with GoodHabitz
Documentaries [2].
They are very interested in OST and are planning to come to Bilbao
to film and make some interviews during the 28th World Open Space on
Open Space.
Now, they asked something that I thought would be best to spread
through the OSLIST, as follows:
....
For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
interview such an expert about how you can change the business
culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
....
Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
Would you, please, specially if planning to join as in Bilbao in
September, take some time to answer Marije (you can add us, as cc)?
I've proposed her to join herself the OSLIST to take part directly
in the conversation or open new questions.
Best of all,
Gentza Eleder
BuM_31 unJobbing
Mundaka
(+0034) 638.733.223
------- Original Message -------
Em terça-feira, 23 de agosto de 2022 às 10:10, Marije Kuipers
<info.marijekuipers@gmail.com mailto:info.marijekuipers@gmail.com> escreveu:
Hi Gentza, good morning!
How are you? Thanks for your email. Great answers!
I forgot to ask, have you been filmed before? And is it online? Just
to get an idea :)
....
For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
interview such an expert about how you can change the business
culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
....
Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
Hope to hear from you.
Thanks for your time and efforts!
Have a good day,
Marije
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Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin
+49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.de mailto:mmpannwitz@posteo.de
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Links:
[1] https://proton.me/ https://proton.me/
[2]
https://www.goodhabitz.com/en-gb/why-goodhabitz/doing-things-differently/goodhabitz-moments/ https://www.goodhabitz.com/en-gb/why-goodhabitz/doing-things-differently/goodhabitz-moments/
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--
<>
Jo Toepfer, <>boscop eg http://www.boscop.org/
Boxhagener Str. 119B, 10245 Berlin
Tel: +49-(0)30-42018000
Mob: +49-(0)176-22394083
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Sounds like a good idea, we can discuss it at the closing circle of the
Berlin OS
On Sun, 12 Feb 2023, 17:13 Silvia Ferrari - mooncult via OSList, <
everyone@oslist.org> wrote:
Hello everyone,
while waiting to meet those of you who will be in Berlin, I would like to
share with you a reflection on my proposal to host the Wosonos 2024 in
Italy. Gerardo told me about a tradition that has long governed the
transition from one Wosonos to another: the alternation of continents.
If the Wosonos 2024 were in Italy, it would be the third year in a row in
Europe. Perhaps it may not be very inclusive for those who do not live in
Europe? Does it make sense perhaps to postpone my invitation to Italy to
2025 and see if there are other proposals for 2024?
Tell me what you think.
Thank you,
Silvia
Silvia Ferrari - mooncult
*Facilitator *
silvia@mooncult.it - +393403434580
www.mooncult.it
Il giorno 9 nov 2022, alle ore 16:51, Jo Toepfer via OSList <
everyone@oslist.org> ha scritto:
Dear colleagues,
for those of you who did not attend the WOSonOS in Bilbao: Next stop is
Berlin.
After 2000 and 2010 we will have the privilege to host the WOSonOS 2023 in
Berlin. No other candidate city raised the hand and the closing circle in
Bilbao was pretty clear. So, I took our talking stick back to Berlin where
it is waiting to be used in the next edition of the WOSonOS.
Dates and location are already clear:
October 18 through 21, 2023: We will get together on the evening of Oct 18
for the opening evening / night / party. And, from Oct 19 through 21 we
will conduct a full scale 3-days Open Space event.
The location is Beach Mitte https://beachmitte-events.de/locations/
https://beachmitte-events.de/locations/ This is an inner city beach
resort with all kind of facilities and opportunities in Berlin downtown.
The management of this venue is highly interested in interactive management
and conference formats. They support hosting the WOSonOS in their venue
with a significant discount. They do not charge any rent for the venue we
only need to cover expenses for food, drinks and staff. This will allow us
to sell tickets for a moderate price. We will hopefully be able to start
selling the tickets by the end of this year.
The International Association of Facilitators / Europe and Middle East
chapter will probably held their bi-annual conference in the same venue
just a few days before: Oct 16 through 18, 2023. Most likely, it will be
organised be the German IAF chapter which has a stronghold in Berlin. And
most of the IAF colleagues are familiar with Open Space and attended
WOSonOSes in the past. We intend to link the two events for participants
who are interested in attending both.
In the closing circle in Bilbao we heard that some colleagues form Italy
are interested to host the coming WOSonOS in 2024 in Bologna. Is this still
valid?
I hope to see many of you in Berlin next year.
Warm regards
Jo
Am 14.10.22 um 15:04 schrieb Anna Caroline Türk:
Dear JF,
Thank you for taking the time to keep thinking out loud and to speak more
to your chapters of your potential book. :)
I hope other people will reply to your thoughtful exploration, and
highlight what resonates with them.
I have only passion to reply to two aspects that stand out for me in your
mail. And while I might be disagreeing with what I hear, I hope this mail
also conveys the spirit of an energized conversation, which we could
quickly have over a coffee or tea in an in-person-meeting. And by then end
leave with a smile as we agree to disagree.
I am unsure what you refer to when you write, that you hear me when I
expressed reservations regarding corporate resistance.
I was hoping to convey that I have empathy with leaders who resist
interventions that promote "organizational therapy" and "sexuality". (I am
aware that I might taking you too literally here ...)
But in that similar spirit you mention in your last mail that you believe
that leaders "need a bit of shaken up. I think some corporate leaders
recognize this and might be more attracted to thought provoking and
intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your proposal for breath
and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think of silence."
We might be not too different in our perception, because we both like
silence, but I disagree with the approach to shake people up. My approach
would be to create a learning environment, a nourishing environment, rather
than a provoking or shaking environment.
I can only relate to my own learning preferences and I have find that I
learn, expand and grow the most when I learn together in a life nourishing
environment, where the intention is to create genuine connection with self,
other and creation. I believe it is because of the breathing and sitting
in a circle together that the wisdom of the group will emerge and best next
steps will be identified by those who work (and live) together. This will
includes both challenging and generating conversations.
The other aspect I would like to point out is the notion of a "safe
mechanism". You write:
"Ideally, an open space event should allow people to raise issues or
questions that they did not dare raise before. Mostly because there was no
safe mechanism to do so. In open space, it is part of the game."
I would say that instead of a "safe" mechanism", open space gives an
"appropriate" mechanism.
Do you mean its a safe mechanism - because Open Space will guarantee
that everyone speaks up?
I am quite careful with this assumption. Careful preparation with the
leaders (and potentially other invitees) are mandatory to strengthen
everyone's experience of Open Space as a space where conversations can be
brought up, even if they are difficult.
For the preparation I therefore include the following ( not complete
list):
- Is this the right date and space for the Open Space
- Is the purpose clear
- Is there enough time allocated to this event - given
the stated purpose of the Open Space
- Is the invitation text and the title open and inviting
- Is clear what is not up for discussion
- Is it clearly stated how leaders/participants work with the findings
of this Open Space.
- Have leaders committed to and planned in follow up work
Only when all of this is clear and explicit, do I trust that it provides a
mechanism to bring up what needs to be discussed and maybe healed at that
time.
Following the principles of open space.
So far my thoughts.
Happy weekend,
Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com http://truthcircles.com/
Am Mo., 10. Okt. 2022 um 12:14 Uhr schrieb JF jfgouin@gmail.com:
Hello Anna Caroline,
At this point, my week in Bilbao is indistinguishable from my OST
experience as a whole. Considering open space as primarily experiential and
personal, I would probably like to keep it this way.
I wrote this note as a spontaneous light hearted attempt to encapsulate
some fleeting thoughts and sensations that coalesced from the various
sessions I participated in. In that sense it is rooted in my specific OST
Bilbao experience. But I suppose it could be extrapolated to OST in
general. Some of the most personal experiences and meditations I had while
hiking on the basque coastline during the week-end are also present here.
To be perfectly honest, I was also trying to be a little "tongue in
cheek" by bringing together seemingly unrelated and unexpected topics.
Those associations make sense to me but in a way that was more instinctive
than rational. I have not really rationalized further until now.
I am very happy you are calling me on it however and I guess you are now
asking me to start writing the chapters of this hypothetical book.
I hear what you are saying about your reservations regarding corporate
resistance. However, one of my personal take away from my stay in Bilbao is
that if we truly believe that it is important to bring in philosophical or
spiritual considerations, we should be confident and bold about it and not
try to bow to a rather stiff corporate way. The justification is that a
unique and possibly unusual perspective is precisely the highest value we
can bring to the corporate world. The relative stiffness and conformism of
corporations (especially as they grow big) is a core problem they face to
remain nimble and innovative. They need a bit of shaken up. I think some
corporate leaders recognize this and might be more attracted to thought
provoking and intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your
proposal for breath and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think
of silence.
Now, that being said beyond slightly provocative titles the important
part is to bring some substance and valuable insights. So let me try to
give it a go on the two chapters you mention.
Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
Well, obviously that title is meant to be both provocative and confusing.
I mean, what is the relation between quantum physics and sexuality right?
You rightly picked up on sexuality which is taboo especially in the
workplace. Organizations are now essentially a-sexual. We should certainly
celebrate the progress that has been made to make harassment in the
workplace unacceptable and we must continue in this direction. At the same
time most of us are not asexual and I think it is both illusory and
hypocritical to ask people to switch off their sexual energy while at work.
One of the session we had in Bilbao offers a possible avenue of exploration
by expanding on the notion of sexual energy.
To be precise, the session was about sacred sexuality as a tool for
social transformation. During the session, we danced in order to loosen up
and then we explored levels of intimacy through a guided shared experience
of our 5 senses. It was very intense and sometimes quite challenging. I
personally found it disturbing and difficult but also liberating. For
instance, when you do spend even a few seconds with someone, smelling each
other, it does change how you relate to one another. So that is the social
transformation part. It is very animalistic and I guess it's the point.
In sacred sexuality we try to connect to the primal energy of creation.
As the convener of the session defines it : "the energy of sacred
sexuality, as the energy of life creation, which helps us to integrate our
accepted and denied parts (lights and shadows) and leads to living in
TOTALITY". The ability to be totally present (oneness) is a theme that
should resonate with many visionary organisations / leaders. It is about
reclaiming sexual energy which had been repressed by religion and has now
been commercialized and consequently distorted.
This is in essence a spiritual journey. That primal energy relates to the
"eros" of the ancient greek. It is the same energy which pushes a blade of
grass to grow even through a small crack in the pavement. It is in a sense
the energy of life. This creative energy is at the core of reproduction and
sexuality but it can also be expressed in ways that are not purely sexual.
This is the key that is offered here. Rather than trying to suppress and
repress sexual energy the proposal is to find ways to transcend and harness
this powerful energy and express it in ways that are safe and respectful as
well as fruitful and transformative.
I see this primal energy as a potential. Something that can be felt and
that stirs us. It is like a fire inside which can consume us or which we
can learn to utilize in productive and creative ways. This energy exists
but it is not real until we actualize it into action on the world. And this
is the link with quantum physics. Quantum particles have a probability
state or quantum wave function which is unknown and unknowable until it is
collapsed through observation. This connection would need further
elaboration but there maybe something interesting.
Open Space as social and personal therapy
I suppose organizational therapy would be more correct. I guess the
reason why you picked up therapy has somewhat corporate inappropriate has
to do with stigma around mental health and psychotherapy. Mental health is
a hot issue in corporations these days. HR departments all over are working
hard to dissipate that stigma and to create safe places for people to
express their vulnerability. At an individual level I believe this is
driven by empathy and acceptance. From the point of view of the
organization, the motivations might be more about safety, innovation and
ultimately productivity.
I personally have reservations about the notion of mental illness because
it tends to push the responsibility on the individual. It implies that it
is the individual who is ill and therefore requires treatment. Worse still,
treatment too often equates to chemicals. While it is true that
individually we ought to do work on ourselves and deal with whatever issues
we have or have inherited, I believe that a more holistic perspective is
more fruitful and sustainable. It would need to recognize that the social,
societal and organizational contexts are also very important to mental well
being.
Many therapies are based on language and open communication. They require
a space that is safe and free of judgment. I think Open Space can provide
that and in a sense aims to do that by default. We call on passion and
responsibility. Both are challenging in their own way. Passion in
particular can expose some of our vulnerabilities. Ideally, an open space
event should allow people to raise issues or questions that they did not
dare raise before. Mostly because there was no safe mechanism to do so. In
open space, it is part of the game. This in itself (taking the skeleton out
of the closet) is already therapeutic for both the individual and the
group. The discussion that ensues, provided that it is done with respect,
can also have very therapeutic effects. People feel heard. The organization
has an opportunity to grow and even maybe heal some untold conflict or
misunderstanding.
So here it is, I hope it offers some clarification and hopefully
triggers further thought. I look forward to further feedback and
discussion.
Most kind regards,
JF
On Fri, Oct 7, 2022 at 7:02 PM Anna Caroline Türk <
annacaroline@truthcircles.com> wrote:
Hi JF,
I am happy you enjoyed your Open Space experience in Bilbao.
I wondering if your list speaks to your week in Bilbao or to your
experience of Open Space Technology?
"Your List / potential chapters of a book" include:
- Coming home to transformation
- Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
- Matter, time and the architecture or open space
- Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
- Open Space as social and personal therapy
- Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as fit
for purpose solution)
You spoke about your perceptions that leaders might be afraid of
applying OST in the corporate context.
I feel some resistance when I read "sexuality" and "therapy" - can you
speak more to your points so I can understand this better?
When I think of a list/ chapters about OST I can imagine including:
- invitation
- circle
- breath
- emergence
- energy
- creation
- power
- connection
- intimacy
- genuine connections
- wisdom
- actions
What would others add to their list/chapter of a book about Open Space
Technology?
Greetings from Berlin
Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com http://truthcircles.com/
Am Di., 4. Okt. 2022 um 14:14 Uhr schrieb Thomas Perret <
thomas@peerland.fi>:
Open Space as social therapy!
I love it. Especially as a chapter in a book.
I feel your message and I look forward to my next coming home to
transformation.
Best, Thomas
On 2022-10-04 09:10, JF wrote:
Hello Everyone,
So here I am back from an intense and very rewarding OST experience in
Bilbao. It was indeed a very transformative moment right at the
inflexion point of my personal and professional development. The funny
thing though is that despite the novelty and all the new faces it felt
like coming home. A feeling hard to explain but I suspect people on
this list would understand.
As I was driving back on Saturday there were so many thoughts coming
through my mind I thought I could probably write a whole book about
this amazing week in Basque country. Here are some of the chapters
title for that book:
* Coming home to transformation
* Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
* Matter, time and the architecture or open space
* Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
* Open Space as social and personal therapy
* Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as
fit
for purpose solution)
I would like to thank everyone for a very warm welcome and amazing
discussions and thank you for the encouragement from people on this
list to make the trip.
Most warm greetings and hugs,
JF
On Sun, Sep 18, 2022 at 6:44 PM ingrid ebeling ebus
ie@institut-ebus.de wrote:
Dear Gentza,
well, yesterday I decided to come and join the WOSonOS 2022 in
Bilbao. I hesitated for quite a while, taking the train 32 hours or
what ever. All the sudden it seemed to be easy and got myself a
flight ticket.
Regarding the accommodation I need some help. Earlier you mentioned
a centric new hostel 5 minutes´ walk from the WOSonOS. How can I
find out, whether it is still available or find an alternative
house?
Now I’m looking forward seeing you all.
Ingrid
Ingrid Ebeling, EBUS
Systemic Prozess facilitation Executive Coaching • Large Group
Intervention
Am Alten Gehäge 6 • D- 30657 Hannover • Germany
fon +49-511-336 03 30 • mobile +49-172-5145179
ie@institut-ebus.de
Am 09.09.2022 um 10:31 schrieb Gentza Eleder
Gentza.Eleder@protonmail.com:
Hi Jean Fracnçois!
I'm happy about your decission!
Let us know if there's anything we could help you with.
Same for anyone that still is considering to take part totally or
partially in the WOS week in Bilbao, we are happy to make it
easaier to you!
We are passionate about making it easier to anyone that feels the
thrill and the passion on this gathering to join us!
The "travel" is being so nice!
Best wishes!
Gentza Eleder Aurtenetxe Pildain
http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
Mundaka
(+0034) 638.733.223
ps. Michael, we'll keep you in our hearts Bilbao, and will do our
best to join you some day, maybe next year, in Berlin! Thanks so
much for your support!
------- Original Message -------
Em quinta-feira, 8 de setembro de 2022 às 22:25, JF
jfgouin@gmail.com escreveu:
Thank you so much Michael for your warm and inspiring message. I
will definitely be in Bilbao, and am looking forward to it.
Gentza, I had read the OST user guide a few year's back but it has
been a while so a good suggestion to re-read it. I will see how much
I am able to commit for the Bilbao OS. For sure I'ld like to
participate to the OSonOS I will have to see about the earlier
session. If so yes helping preparing the space is probably a good
idea. I have organised concerts before and I do appreciate the
thrill of anticipation.
Thank you all,
JF
On Thu, Sep 8, 2022 at 5:37 PM WilbaOS WilbaOS@protonmail.com
wrote:
Michael, thanks so much, first of all for your shiny explanation on
the message 08.09 on self-organization taken place in OST meetings,
and we just willing to re-enjoy this, not so much looking for an
explanation, that's it!
I'm sure we'll witness this magic soon in Bilbao (jsut 3 weeks!)).
Dear Jean François, my previous experience with WOSonOS has been
always so rewarding, that, feeling a bit sad after two years in
which we had no way to ressemble, I asked around and, after a few
colleagues said "go ahead" in December, we started joyfully with our
small dream.
Now we are happy to see that around 40 people we'll be enjoying 2 OS
meetings in Bilbao soon. We espce that many more will sign up during
next days (if some of you are considering it, please contact us for
whatever we could help you: wilbaos@protonmail.com)
26+27th of September, withe the ample question: 2020+ Complex times:
how are we going ahead in cooperative ways?
29th+30th of September: how can we refine and expand our OS practice
all over the world?
JF, I invite you, if having time, to read "Open Space Technology:
the user's guide (Harrison Owen)", and if you are willing, join us
in the practice of preparing the space during the 23th September and
/ or 28th. Let us know if we can anyhow make your coming easier!
Regarding the Goodhabitz documentary, they'll be coming to WOSonOS
in Bilbao, and we'll thank some of you answering to their
interviews.
Looking forward to meet you soon in Bilbao!
Thansk for spreading the heartly invitation!
Gentza Eleder
Mundaka/Bilbao
http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
https://twitter.com/OpenSpace_EH
Sent with Proton Mail [1] secure email.
------- Original Message -------
On Thursday, September 8th, 2022 at 16:45, Michael M Pannwitz
mmpannwitz@posteo.de wrote:
Dear Jean-Francois,
yes, experiencing open space in an OST setting is the best way to
get into this experiment which will be lifelong, I guarantee.
In fact, some folks know that open space and the approach can not be
learned or taught but it can be remembered. In other words, we
already know about it. But all kind of circumstances have led to it
being burried deep down.
In so called open space "Trainings" where 97% of the time everything
is entirely selforganizing, lasting 3 to 5 days (I love the 5 day
variety) where the trainers are mostly invisible, its been observed,
that participants could no longer do without open space.
So, Bilbao is also a variety of "training" with the opportunity to
take a deep dive and upon surfacing you will breathe something that
you never experienced before.
For me, it was life changing. And that at the age of 56 with 3
decades of all kinds of OD behing me and pretty sure that I knew
everything. It was tough work to drop my old habits and in a way it
still is. By the way, that was in 1996 at a "training" with Harrison
Owen and Romy Shovelton in Roffey Park...
So, get on your motorcycle or start walking or hitchhiking towards
Bilbao and have a great time.
Greetings from Berlin
mmp
PS: Dont forget to include yourself in the Open Space World Map
https://www.openspaceworldmap.org/inclusion
and add a picture so I can see you when writing corresponding with
you.
At my age I rarely leave my neighborhood, but have a grand time
here... I might leave it once more if the next WOSonOS will be in
Berlin, I hear some folks are planning that for 2023...
Am 08.09.2022 um 14:56 schrieb JF:
Hello All,
I have been on this list and be interested in OST for many years.
Yet I have never (until now) taken the opportunity to develop this
interest further and actually participate and be involved with OST
events.
I am currently in a professional transition from being a manager in
a large engineering firm to becoming self employed project manager
with a view to help build collective intelligence in organisations
through innovative organisational structures (e.g. holacracy) and
various practices such as OST.
I would like to learn and experience more and I have been told
before that the best and only way to learn about OST is to
experience it first hand. That makes a lot of sense and I think that
this would be a great eye opener for me as well as a growing
opportunity. Therefore I am contemplating participating in the next
OSonOS in Bilbao (I live in the south of France) but I want to make
sure that this is appropriate for someone who want to get initiated
in OST.
Thanks in advance for your comments and / or advice.
Regads,
Jean-François (JF)
On Tue, Aug 23, 2022 at 7:49 PM Michael M Pannwitz
mmpannwitz@posteo.de wrote:
Dear Gentza Eleder,
you might tell them that ost is an approach to expand time and space
for the unfolding of selforganisation. It is not an intention of ost
to change business culture, have better meetings or all the other
things one might find important.
It has been noticed however, that ost events bring about amazing
stuff every time those gatherings are convened and that folks find
that these were the best meetings they ever experienced. How that
happens has never been grasped. And participants are regularily
simply not interested to research this, they just want to get going.
The important observation is that it works. And if it is used
regularily in an organisation those organisations change all by
themselves (see the decade long experiment in the Agency for Youth
in Europe).
Selforganisation has never been grasped but it is the central force
in the unfolding of everything that has happened on this planet for
billions of year.
It has been observed that some very few prerequisites need to be in
place to get the the right conditions for getting this experiment in
selforganisation to unfold: sticky problem, high complexity of the
matter, large diversity of participants, high conflict and high
urgency to act and, not to forget, voluntarty participation.
Everyone attending our event in Bilbao is an expert, even experts in
attendance that are zoologists, psychologists, anthropologists,
medicine men, sociologists, cooks, gardeners, plumbers, architects,
teachers, mothers and very important: children. If you have children
and youngsters at the event among all the others you will find that
an amazing ingredient for the diversity soup. Nobody knows why and
it needs not to be researched, we have seen it.
Hope you get a great film that is shown in all cinemas around the
world.
Greetings from Berlin
Love and Peace
mmp
Am 23.08.2022 um 18:09 schrieb Gentza Eleder:
Hi friends, how are you?
We are having since July some converations with GoodHabitz
Documentaries [2].
They are very interested in OST and are planning to come to Bilbao
to film and make some interviews during the 28th World Open Space on
Open Space.
Now, they asked something that I thought would be best to spread
through the OSLIST, as follows:
....
For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
interview such an expert about how you can change the business
culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
....
Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
Would you, please, specially if planning to join as in Bilbao in
September, take some time to answer Marije (you can add us, as cc)?
I've proposed her to join herself the OSLIST to take part directly
in the conversation or open new questions.
Best of all,
Gentza Eleder
BuM_31 unJobbing
Mundaka
(+0034) 638.733.223
------- Original Message -------
Em terça-feira, 23 de agosto de 2022 às 10:10, Marije Kuipers
info.marijekuipers@gmail.com escreveu:
Hi Gentza, good morning!
How are you? Thanks for your email. Great answers!
I forgot to ask, have you been filmed before? And is it online? Just
to get an idea :)
....
For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
interview such an expert about how you can change the business
culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
....
Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
Hope to hear from you.
Thanks for your time and efforts!
Have a good day,
Marije
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Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin
+49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.de
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Michael M Pannwitz
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+49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.de
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Links:
[1] https://proton.me/
[2]
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I agree with Kári. Bologna would be wonderful for 2024 - but also good to honour the tradition of continental shift. Nobody came forward in Bilbao, but you are right, Silvia, it would be good to ask.
Warm regards,
Ian
On 12 Feb 2023, at 18:34, Kári Gunnarsson via OSList everyone@oslist.org wrote:
Sounds like a good idea, we can discuss it at the closing circle of the Berlin OS
On Sun, 12 Feb 2023, 17:13 Silvia Ferrari - mooncult via OSList, <everyone@oslist.org mailto:everyone@oslist.org> wrote:
Hello everyone,
while waiting to meet those of you who will be in Berlin, I would like to share with you a reflection on my proposal to host the Wosonos 2024 in Italy. Gerardo told me about a tradition that has long governed the transition from one Wosonos to another: the alternation of continents.
If the Wosonos 2024 were in Italy, it would be the third year in a row in Europe. Perhaps it may not be very inclusive for those who do not live in Europe? Does it make sense perhaps to postpone my invitation to Italy to 2025 and see if there are other proposals for 2024?
Tell me what you think.
Thank you,
Silvia
Silvia Ferrari - mooncult
Facilitator
silvia@mooncult.it mailto:silvia@mooncult.it - +393403434580
www.mooncult.it http://www.mooncult.it/
Il giorno 9 nov 2022, alle ore 16:51, Jo Toepfer via OSList <everyone@oslist.org mailto:everyone@oslist.org> ha scritto:
Dear colleagues,
for those of you who did not attend the WOSonOS in Bilbao: Next stop is Berlin.
After 2000 and 2010 we will have the privilege to host the WOSonOS 2023 in Berlin. No other candidate city raised the hand and the closing circle in Bilbao was pretty clear. So, I took our talking stick back to Berlin where it is waiting to be used in the next edition of the WOSonOS.
Dates and location are already clear:
October 18 through 21, 2023: We will get together on the evening of Oct 18 for the opening evening / night / party. And, from Oct 19 through 21 we will conduct a full scale 3-days Open Space event.
The location is Beach Mitte https://beachmitte-events.de/locations/ https://beachmitte-events.de/locations/ This is an inner city beach resort with all kind of facilities and opportunities in Berlin downtown. The management of this venue is highly interested in interactive management and conference formats. They support hosting the WOSonOS in their venue with a significant discount. They do not charge any rent for the venue we only need to cover expenses for food, drinks and staff. This will allow us to sell tickets for a moderate price. We will hopefully be able to start selling the tickets by the end of this year.
The International Association of Facilitators / Europe and Middle East chapter will probably held their bi-annual conference in the same venue just a few days before: Oct 16 through 18, 2023. Most likely, it will be organised be the German IAF chapter which has a stronghold in Berlin. And most of the IAF colleagues are familiar with Open Space and attended WOSonOSes in the past. We intend to link the two events for participants who are interested in attending both.
In the closing circle in Bilbao we heard that some colleagues form Italy are interested to host the coming WOSonOS in 2024 in Bologna. Is this still valid?
I hope to see many of you in Berlin next year.
Warm regards
Jo
Am 14.10.22 um 15:04 schrieb Anna Caroline Türk:
Dear JF,
Thank you for taking the time to keep thinking out loud and to speak more to your chapters of your potential book. :)
I hope other people will reply to your thoughtful exploration, and highlight what resonates with them.
I have only passion to reply to two aspects that stand out for me in your mail. And while I might be disagreeing with what I hear, I hope this mail also conveys the spirit of an energized conversation, which we could quickly have over a coffee or tea in an in-person-meeting. And by then end leave with a smile as we agree to disagree.
I am unsure what you refer to when you write, that you hear me when I expressed reservations regarding corporate resistance.
I was hoping to convey that I have empathy with leaders who resist interventions that promote "organizational therapy" and "sexuality". (I am aware that I might taking you too literally here ...)
But in that similar spirit you mention in your last mail that you believe that leaders "need a bit of shaken up. I think some corporate leaders recognize this and might be more attracted to thought provoking and intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your proposal for breath and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think of silence."
We might be not too different in our perception, because we both like silence, but I disagree with the approach to shake people up. My approach would be to create a learning environment, a nourishing environment, rather than a provoking or shaking environment.
I can only relate to my own learning preferences and I have find that I learn, expand and grow the most when I learn together in a life nourishing environment, where the intention is to create genuine connection with self, other and creation. I believe it is because of the breathing and sitting in a circle together that the wisdom of the group will emerge and best next steps will be identified by those who work (and live) together. This will includes both challenging and generating conversations.
The other aspect I would like to point out is the notion of a "safe mechanism". You write:
"Ideally, an open space event should allow people to raise issues or questions that they did not dare raise before. Mostly because there was no safe mechanism to do so. In open space, it is part of the game."
I would say that instead of a "safe" mechanism", open space gives an "appropriate" mechanism.
Do you mean its a safe mechanism - because Open Space will guarantee that everyone speaks up?
I am quite careful with this assumption. Careful preparation with the leaders (and potentially other invitees) are mandatory to strengthen everyone's experience of Open Space as a space where conversations can be brought up, even if they are difficult.
For the preparation I therefore include the following ( not complete list):
Is this the right date and space for the Open Space
Is the purpose clear
Is there enough time allocated to this event - given the stated purpose of the Open Space
Is the invitation text and the title open and inviting
Is clear what is not up for discussion
Is it clearly stated how leaders/participants work with the findings of this Open Space.
Have leaders committed to and planned in follow up work
Only when all of this is clear and explicit, do I trust that it provides a mechanism to bring up what needs to be discussed and maybe healed at that time.
Following the principles of open space.
So far my thoughts.
Happy weekend,
Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com http://truthcircles.com/
Am Mo., 10. Okt. 2022 um 12:14 Uhr schrieb JF <jfgouin@gmail.com mailto:jfgouin@gmail.com>:
Hello Anna Caroline,
At this point, my week in Bilbao is indistinguishable from my OST experience as a whole. Considering open space as primarily experiential and personal, I would probably like to keep it this way.
I wrote this note as a spontaneous light hearted attempt to encapsulate some fleeting thoughts and sensations that coalesced from the various sessions I participated in. In that sense it is rooted in my specific OST Bilbao experience. But I suppose it could be extrapolated to OST in general. Some of the most personal experiences and meditations I had while hiking on the basque coastline during the week-end are also present here.
To be perfectly honest, I was also trying to be a little "tongue in cheek" by bringing together seemingly unrelated and unexpected topics. Those associations make sense to me but in a way that was more instinctive than rational. I have not really rationalized further until now.
I am very happy you are calling me on it however and I guess you are now asking me to start writing the chapters of this hypothetical book.
I hear what you are saying about your reservations regarding corporate resistance. However, one of my personal take away from my stay in Bilbao is that if we truly believe that it is important to bring in philosophical or spiritual considerations, we should be confident and bold about it and not try to bow to a rather stiff corporate way. The justification is that a unique and possibly unusual perspective is precisely the highest value we can bring to the corporate world. The relative stiffness and conformism of corporations (especially as they grow big) is a core problem they face to remain nimble and innovative. They need a bit of shaken up. I think some corporate leaders recognize this and might be more attracted to thought provoking and intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your proposal for breath and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think of silence.
Now, that being said beyond slightly provocative titles the important part is to bring some substance and valuable insights. So let me try to give it a go on the two chapters you mention.
Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
Well, obviously that title is meant to be both provocative and confusing. I mean, what is the relation between quantum physics and sexuality right?
You rightly picked up on sexuality which is taboo especially in the workplace. Organizations are now essentially a-sexual. We should certainly celebrate the progress that has been made to make harassment in the workplace unacceptable and we must continue in this direction. At the same time most of us are not asexual and I think it is both illusory and hypocritical to ask people to switch off their sexual energy while at work. One of the session we had in Bilbao offers a possible avenue of exploration by expanding on the notion of sexual energy.
To be precise, the session was about sacred sexuality as a tool for social transformation. During the session, we danced in order to loosen up and then we explored levels of intimacy through a guided shared experience of our 5 senses. It was very intense and sometimes quite challenging. I personally found it disturbing and difficult but also liberating. For instance, when you do spend even a few seconds with someone, smelling each other, it does change how you relate to one another. So that is the social transformation part. It is very animalistic and I guess it's the point.
In sacred sexuality we try to connect to the primal energy of creation. As the convener of the session defines it : "the energy of sacred sexuality, as the energy of life creation, which helps us to integrate our accepted and denied parts (lights and shadows) and leads to living in TOTALITY". The ability to be totally present (oneness) is a theme that should resonate with many visionary organisations / leaders. It is about reclaiming sexual energy which had been repressed by religion and has now been commercialized and consequently distorted.
This is in essence a spiritual journey. That primal energy relates to the "eros" of the ancient greek. It is the same energy which pushes a blade of grass to grow even through a small crack in the pavement. It is in a sense the energy of life. This creative energy is at the core of reproduction and sexuality but it can also be expressed in ways that are not purely sexual. This is the key that is offered here. Rather than trying to suppress and repress sexual energy the proposal is to find ways to transcend and harness this powerful energy and express it in ways that are safe and respectful as well as fruitful and transformative.
I see this primal energy as a potential. Something that can be felt and that stirs us. It is like a fire inside which can consume us or which we can learn to utilize in productive and creative ways. This energy exists but it is not real until we actualize it into action on the world. And this is the link with quantum physics. Quantum particles have a probability state or quantum wave function which is unknown and unknowable until it is collapsed through observation. This connection would need further elaboration but there maybe something interesting.
Open Space as social and personal therapy
I suppose organizational therapy would be more correct. I guess the reason why you picked up therapy has somewhat corporate inappropriate has to do with stigma around mental health and psychotherapy. Mental health is a hot issue in corporations these days. HR departments all over are working hard to dissipate that stigma and to create safe places for people to express their vulnerability. At an individual level I believe this is driven by empathy and acceptance. From the point of view of the organization, the motivations might be more about safety, innovation and ultimately productivity.
I personally have reservations about the notion of mental illness because it tends to push the responsibility on the individual. It implies that it is the individual who is ill and therefore requires treatment. Worse still, treatment too often equates to chemicals. While it is true that individually we ought to do work on ourselves and deal with whatever issues we have or have inherited, I believe that a more holistic perspective is more fruitful and sustainable. It would need to recognize that the social, societal and organizational contexts are also very important to mental well being.
Many therapies are based on language and open communication. They require a space that is safe and free of judgment. I think Open Space can provide that and in a sense aims to do that by default. We call on passion and responsibility. Both are challenging in their own way. Passion in particular can expose some of our vulnerabilities. Ideally, an open space event should allow people to raise issues or questions that they did not dare raise before. Mostly because there was no safe mechanism to do so. In open space, it is part of the game. This in itself (taking the skeleton out of the closet) is already therapeutic for both the individual and the group. The discussion that ensues, provided that it is done with respect, can also have very therapeutic effects. People feel heard. The organization has an opportunity to grow and even maybe heal some untold conflict or misunderstanding.
So here it is, I hope it offers some clarification and hopefully triggers further thought. I look forward to further feedback and discussion.
Most kind regards,
JF
On Fri, Oct 7, 2022 at 7:02 PM Anna Caroline Türk <annacaroline@truthcircles.com mailto:annacaroline@truthcircles.com> wrote:
Hi JF,
I am happy you enjoyed your Open Space experience in Bilbao.
I wondering if your list speaks to your week in Bilbao or to your experience of Open Space Technology?
"Your List / potential chapters of a book" include:
Coming home to transformation
Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
Matter, time and the architecture or open space
Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
Open Space as social and personal therapy
Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as fit for purpose solution)
You spoke about your perceptions that leaders might be afraid of applying OST in the corporate context.
I feel some resistance when I read "sexuality" and "therapy" - can you speak more to your points so I can understand this better?
When I think of a list/ chapters about OST I can imagine including:
invitation
circle
breath
emergence
energy
creation
power
connection
intimacy
genuine connections
wisdom
actions
What would others add to their list/chapter of a book about Open Space Technology?
Greetings from Berlin
Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com http://truthcircles.com/
Am Di., 4. Okt. 2022 um 14:14 Uhr schrieb Thomas Perret <thomas@peerland.fi mailto:thomas@peerland.fi>:
Open Space as social therapy!
I love it. Especially as a chapter in a book.
I feel your message and I look forward to my next coming home to
transformation.
Best, Thomas
On 2022-10-04 09:10, JF wrote:
Hello Everyone,
So here I am back from an intense and very rewarding OST experience in
Bilbao. It was indeed a very transformative moment right at the
inflexion point of my personal and professional development. The funny
thing though is that despite the novelty and all the new faces it felt
like coming home. A feeling hard to explain but I suspect people on
this list would understand.
As I was driving back on Saturday there were so many thoughts coming
through my mind I thought I could probably write a whole book about
this amazing week in Basque country. Here are some of the chapters
title for that book:
* Coming home to transformation
* Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
* Matter, time and the architecture or open space
* Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
* Open Space as social and personal therapy
* Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as fit
for purpose solution)
I would like to thank everyone for a very warm welcome and amazing
discussions and thank you for the encouragement from people on this
list to make the trip.
Most warm greetings and hugs,
JF
On Sun, Sep 18, 2022 at 6:44 PM ingrid ebeling ebus
<ie@institut-ebus.de mailto:ie@institut-ebus.de> wrote:
Dear Gentza,
well, yesterday I decided to come and join the WOSonOS 2022 in
Bilbao. I hesitated for quite a while, taking the train 32 hours or
what ever. All the sudden it seemed to be easy and got myself a
flight ticket.
Regarding the accommodation I need some help. Earlier you mentioned
a centric new hostel 5 minutes´ walk from the WOSonOS. How can I
find out, whether it is still available or find an alternative
house?
Now I’m looking forward seeing you all.
Ingrid
Ingrid Ebeling, EBUS
Systemic Prozess facilitation Executive Coaching • Large Group
Intervention
Am Alten Gehäge 6 • D- 30657 Hannover • Germany
fon +49-511-336 03 30 • mobile +49-172-5145179
ie@institut-ebus.de mailto:ie@institut-ebus.de
Am 09.09.2022 um 10:31 schrieb Gentza Eleder
<Gentza.Eleder@protonmail.com mailto:Gentza.Eleder@protonmail.com>:
Hi Jean Fracnçois!
I'm happy about your decission!
Let us know if there's anything we could help you with.
Same for anyone that still is considering to take part totally or
partially in the WOS week in Bilbao, we are happy to make it
easaier to you!
We are passionate about making it easier to anyone that feels the
thrill and the passion on this gathering to join us!
The "travel" is being so nice!
Best wishes!
Gentza Eleder Aurtenetxe Pildain
http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
Mundaka
(+0034) 638.733.223
ps. Michael, we'll keep you in our hearts Bilbao, and will do our
best to join you some day, maybe next year, in Berlin! Thanks so
much for your support!
------- Original Message -------
Em quinta-feira, 8 de setembro de 2022 às 22:25, JF
<jfgouin@gmail.com mailto:jfgouin@gmail.com> escreveu:
Thank you so much Michael for your warm and inspiring message. I
will definitely be in Bilbao, and am looking forward to it.
Gentza, I had read the OST user guide a few year's back but it has
been a while so a good suggestion to re-read it. I will see how much
I am able to commit for the Bilbao OS. For sure I'ld like to
participate to the OSonOS I will have to see about the earlier
session. If so yes helping preparing the space is probably a good
idea. I have organised concerts before and I do appreciate the
thrill of anticipation.
Thank you all,
JF
On Thu, Sep 8, 2022 at 5:37 PM WilbaOS <WilbaOS@protonmail.com mailto:WilbaOS@protonmail.com>
wrote:
Michael, thanks so much, first of all for your shiny explanation on
the message 08.09 on self-organization taken place in OST meetings,
and we just willing to re-enjoy this, not so much looking for an
explanation, that's it!
I'm sure we'll witness this magic soon in Bilbao (jsut 3 weeks!)).
Dear Jean François, my previous experience with WOSonOS has been
always so rewarding, that, feeling a bit sad after two years in
which we had no way to ressemble, I asked around and, after a few
colleagues said "go ahead" in December, we started joyfully with our
small dream.
Now we are happy to see that around 40 people we'll be enjoying 2 OS
meetings in Bilbao soon. We espce that many more will sign up during
next days (if some of you are considering it, please contact us for
whatever we could help you: wilbaos@protonmail.com mailto:wilbaos@protonmail.com)
26+27th of September, withe the ample question: 2020+ Complex times:
how are we going ahead in cooperative ways?
29th+30th of September: how can we refine and expand our OS practice
all over the world?
JF, I invite you, if having time, to read "Open Space Technology:
the user's guide (Harrison Owen)", and if you are willing, join us
in the practice of preparing the space during the 23th September and
/ or 28th. Let us know if we can anyhow make your coming easier!
Regarding the Goodhabitz documentary, they'll be coming to WOSonOS
in Bilbao, and we'll thank some of you answering to their
interviews.
Looking forward to meet you soon in Bilbao!
Thansk for spreading the heartly invitation!
Gentza Eleder
Mundaka/Bilbao
http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
https://twitter.com/OpenSpace_EH
Sent with Proton Mail [1] secure email.
------- Original Message -------
On Thursday, September 8th, 2022 at 16:45, Michael M Pannwitz
<mmpannwitz@posteo.de mailto:mmpannwitz@posteo.de> wrote:
Dear Jean-Francois,
yes, experiencing open space in an OST setting is the best way to
get into this experiment which will be lifelong, I guarantee.
In fact, some folks know that open space and the approach can not be
learned or taught but it can be remembered. In other words, we
already know about it. But all kind of circumstances have led to it
being burried deep down.
In so called open space "Trainings" where 97% of the time everything
is entirely selforganizing, lasting 3 to 5 days (I love the 5 day
variety) where the trainers are mostly invisible, its been observed,
that participants could no longer do without open space.
So, Bilbao is also a variety of "training" with the opportunity to
take a deep dive and upon surfacing you will breathe something that
you never experienced before.
For me, it was life changing. And that at the age of 56 with 3
decades of all kinds of OD behing me and pretty sure that I knew
everything. It was tough work to drop my old habits and in a way it
still is. By the way, that was in 1996 at a "training" with Harrison
Owen and Romy Shovelton in Roffey Park...
So, get on your motorcycle or start walking or hitchhiking towards
Bilbao and have a great time.
Greetings from Berlin
mmp
PS: Dont forget to include yourself in the Open Space World Map
https://www.openspaceworldmap.org/inclusion
and add a picture so I can see you when writing corresponding with
you.
At my age I rarely leave my neighborhood, but have a grand time
here... I might leave it once more if the next WOSonOS will be in
Berlin, I hear some folks are planning that for 2023...
Am 08.09.2022 um 14:56 schrieb JF:
Hello All,
I have been on this list and be interested in OST for many years.
Yet I have never (until now) taken the opportunity to develop this
interest further and actually participate and be involved with OST
events.
I am currently in a professional transition from being a manager in
a large engineering firm to becoming self employed project manager
with a view to help build collective intelligence in organisations
through innovative organisational structures (e.g. holacracy) and
various practices such as OST.
I would like to learn and experience more and I have been told
before that the best and only way to learn about OST is to
experience it first hand. That makes a lot of sense and I think that
this would be a great eye opener for me as well as a growing
opportunity. Therefore I am contemplating participating in the next
OSonOS in Bilbao (I live in the south of France) but I want to make
sure that this is appropriate for someone who want to get initiated
in OST.
Thanks in advance for your comments and / or advice.
Regads,
Jean-François (JF)
On Tue, Aug 23, 2022 at 7:49 PM Michael M Pannwitz
<mmpannwitz@posteo.de mailto:mmpannwitz@posteo.de> wrote:
Dear Gentza Eleder,
you might tell them that ost is an approach to expand time and space
for the unfolding of selforganisation. It is not an intention of ost
to change business culture, have better meetings or all the other
things one might find important.
It has been noticed however, that ost events bring about amazing
stuff every time those gatherings are convened and that folks find
that these were the best meetings they ever experienced. How that
happens has never been grasped. And participants are regularily
simply not interested to research this, they just want to get going.
The important observation is that it works. And if it is used
regularily in an organisation those organisations change all by
themselves (see the decade long experiment in the Agency for Youth
in Europe).
Selforganisation has never been grasped but it is the central force
in the unfolding of everything that has happened on this planet for
billions of year.
It has been observed that some very few prerequisites need to be in
place to get the the right conditions for getting this experiment in
selforganisation to unfold: sticky problem, high complexity of the
matter, large diversity of participants, high conflict and high
urgency to act and, not to forget, voluntarty participation.
Everyone attending our event in Bilbao is an expert, even experts in
attendance that are zoologists, psychologists, anthropologists,
medicine men, sociologists, cooks, gardeners, plumbers, architects,
teachers, mothers and very important: children. If you have children
and youngsters at the event among all the others you will find that
an amazing ingredient for the diversity soup. Nobody knows why and
it needs not to be researched, we have seen it.
Hope you get a great film that is shown in all cinemas around the
world.
Greetings from Berlin
Love and Peace
mmp
Am 23.08.2022 um 18:09 schrieb Gentza Eleder:
Hi friends, how are you?
We are having since July some converations with GoodHabitz
Documentaries [2].
They are very interested in OST and are planning to come to Bilbao
to film and make some interviews during the 28th World Open Space on
Open Space.
Now, they asked something that I thought would be best to spread
through the OSLIST, as follows:
....
For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
interview such an expert about how you can change the business
culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
....
Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
Would you, please, specially if planning to join as in Bilbao in
September, take some time to answer Marije (you can add us, as cc)?
I've proposed her to join herself the OSLIST to take part directly
in the conversation or open new questions.
Best of all,
Gentza Eleder
BuM_31 unJobbing
Mundaka
(+0034) 638.733.223
------- Original Message -------
Em terça-feira, 23 de agosto de 2022 às 10:10, Marije Kuipers
<info.marijekuipers@gmail.com mailto:info.marijekuipers@gmail.com> escreveu:
Hi Gentza, good morning!
How are you? Thanks for your email. Great answers!
I forgot to ask, have you been filmed before? And is it online? Just
to get an idea :)
....
For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
interview such an expert about how you can change the business
culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
....
Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
Hope to hear from you.
Thanks for your time and efforts!
Have a good day,
Marije
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Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin
+49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.de mailto:mmpannwitz@posteo.de
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Michael M Pannwitz
Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin
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Links:
[1] https://proton.me/
[2]
https://www.goodhabitz.com/en-gb/why-goodhabitz/doing-things-differently/goodhabitz-moments/
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All is possible together
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--
Jo Toepfer, <>boscop eg http://www.boscop.org/
Boxhagener Str. 119B, 10245 Berlin
Tel: +49-(0)30-42018000
Mob: +49-(0)176-22394083
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<pastedGraphic.png><pastedGraphic.png>_______________________________________________
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dear colleagues,
by the way: the event website for the 2023 WOSonOS in Berlin is live now:
https://www.wosonos2023.berlin/
You can book your ticket and your hotel and we are happy to see many of you here in Berlin.
Warm regards
Jo
********************************
Am 12.02.23 um 18:34 schrieb Kári Gunnarsson via OSList:
Sounds like a good idea, we can discuss it at the closing circle of the Berlin OS
On Sun, 12 Feb 2023, 17:13 Silvia Ferrari - mooncult via OSList, <everyone@oslist.org> wrote:
Hello everyone,
while waiting to meet those of you who will be in Berlin, I would like to share with you a reflection on my proposal to host the Wosonos 2024 in Italy. Gerardo told me about a tradition that has long governed the transition from one Wosonos to another: the alternation of continents.
If the Wosonos 2024 were in Italy, it would be the third year in a row in Europe. Perhaps it may not be very inclusive for those who do not live in Europe? Does it make sense perhaps to postpone my invitation to Italy to 2025 and see if there are other proposals for 2024?
Tell me what you think.
Thank you,
Silvia
Silvia Ferrari - mooncult
Facilitator
silvia@mooncult.it - +393403434580
Il giorno 9 nov 2022, alle ore 16:51, Jo Toepfer via OSList <everyone@oslist.org> ha scritto:
Dear colleagues,
for those of you who did not attend the WOSonOS in Bilbao: Next stop is Berlin.
After 2000 and 2010 we will have the privilege to host the WOSonOS 2023 in Berlin. No other candidate city raised the hand and the closing circle in Bilbao was pretty clear. So, I took our talking stick back to Berlin where it is waiting to be used in the next edition of the WOSonOS.
Dates and location are already clear:
October 18 through 21, 2023: We will get together on the evening of Oct 18 for the opening evening / night / party. And, from Oct 19 through 21 we will conduct a full scale 3-days Open Space event.
The location is Beach Mitte <https://beachmitte-events.de/locations/> This is an inner city beach resort with all kind of facilities and opportunities in Berlin downtown. The management of this venue is highly interested in interactive management and conference formats. They support hosting the WOSonOS in their venue with a significant discount. They do not charge any rent for the venue we only need to cover expenses for food, drinks and staff. This will allow us to sell tickets for a moderate price. We will hopefully be able to start selling the tickets by the end of this year.
The International Association of Facilitators / Europe and Middle East chapter will probably held their bi-annual conference in the same venue just a few days before: Oct 16 through 18, 2023. Most likely, it will be organised be the German IAF chapter which has a stronghold in Berlin. And most of the IAF colleagues are familiar with Open Space and attended WOSonOSes in the past. We intend to link the two events for participants who are interested in attending both.
In the closing circle in Bilbao we heard that some colleagues form Italy are interested to host the coming WOSonOS in 2024 in Bologna. Is this still valid?
I hope to see many of you in Berlin next year.
Warm regards
Jo*****************************
Am 14.10.22 um 15:04 schrieb Anna Caroline Türk:
Dear JF,
Thank you for taking the time to keep thinking out loud and to speak more to your chapters of your potential book. :)
I hope other people will reply to your thoughtful exploration, and highlight what resonates with them.
I have only passion to reply to two aspects that stand out for me in your mail. And while I might be disagreeing with what I hear, I hope this mail also conveys the spirit of an energized conversation, which we could quickly have over a coffee or tea in an in-person-meeting. And by then end leave with a smile as we agree to disagree.
I am unsure what you refer to when you write, that you hear me when I expressed reservations regarding corporate resistance.
I was hoping to convey that I have empathy with leaders who resist interventions that promote "organizational therapy" and "sexuality". (I am aware that I might taking you too literally here ...)
But in that similar spirit you mention in your last mail that you believe that leaders "need a bit of shaken up. I think some corporate leaders recognize this and might be more attracted to thought provoking and intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your proposal for breath and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think of silence."
We might be not too different in our perception, because we both like silence, but I disagree with the approach to shake people up. My approach would be to create a learning environment, a nourishing environment, rather than a provoking or shaking environment.
I can only relate to my own learning preferences and I have find that I learn, expand and grow the most when I learn together in a life nourishing environment, where the intention is to create genuine connection with self, other and creation. I believe it is because of the breathing and sitting in a circle together that the wisdom of the group will emerge and best next steps will be identified by those who work (and live) together. This will includes both challenging and generating conversations.
The other aspect I would like to point out is the notion of a "safe mechanism". You write:
"Ideally, an open space event should allow people to raise issues or questions that they did not dare raise before. Mostly because there was no safe mechanism to do so. In open space, it is part of the game."
I would say that instead of a "safe" mechanism", open space gives an "appropriate" mechanism.
Do you mean its a safe mechanism - because Open Space will guarantee that everyone speaks up?
I am quite careful with this assumption. Careful preparation with the leaders (and potentially other invitees) are mandatory to strengthen everyone's experience of Open Space as a space where conversations can be brought up, even if they are difficult.
For the preparation I therefore include the following ( not complete list):
- Is this the right date and space for the Open Space
- Is the purpose clear
- Is there enough time allocated to this event - given the stated purpose of the Open Space
- Is the invitation text and the title open and inviting
- Is clear what is not up for discussion
- Is it clearly stated how leaders/participants work with the findings of this Open Space.
- Have leaders committed to and planned in follow up work
Only when all of this is clear and explicit, do I trust that it provides a mechanism to bring up what needs to be discussed and maybe healed at that time.
Following the principles of open space.
So far my thoughts.
Happy weekend,
Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com
Am Mo., 10. Okt. 2022 um 12:14 Uhr schrieb JF <jfgouin@gmail.com>:
Hello Anna Caroline,
At this point, my week in Bilbao is indistinguishable from my OST experience as a whole. Considering open space as primarily experiential and personal, I would probably like to keep it this way.
I wrote this note as a spontaneous light hearted attempt to encapsulate some fleeting thoughts and sensations that coalesced from the various sessions I participated in. In that sense it is rooted in my specific OST Bilbao experience. But I suppose it could be extrapolated to OST in general. Some of the most personal experiences and meditations I had while hiking on the basque coastline during the week-end are also present here.
To be perfectly honest, I was also trying to be a little "tongue in cheek" by bringing together seemingly unrelated and unexpected topics. Those associations make sense to me but in a way that was more instinctive than rational. I have not really rationalized further until now.
I am very happy you are calling me on it however and I guess you are now asking me to start writing the chapters of this hypothetical book.
I hear what you are saying about your reservations regarding corporate resistance. However, one of my personal take away from my stay in Bilbao is that if we truly believe that it is important to bring in philosophical or spiritual considerations, we should be confident and bold about it and not try to bow to a rather stiff corporate way. The justification is that a unique and possibly unusual perspective is precisely the highest value we can bring to the corporate world. The relative stiffness and conformism of corporations (especially as they grow big) is a core problem they face to remain nimble and innovative. They need a bit of shaken up. I think some corporate leaders recognize this and might be more attracted to thought provoking and intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your proposal for breath and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think of silence.
Now, that being said beyond slightly provocative titles the important part is to bring some substance and valuable insights. So let me try to give it a go on the two chapters you mention.
Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
Well, obviously that title is meant to be both provocative and confusing. I mean, what is the relation between quantum physics and sexuality right?
You rightly picked up on sexuality which is taboo especially in the workplace. Organizations are now essentially a-sexual. We should certainly celebrate the progress that has been made to make harassment in the workplace unacceptable and we must continue in this direction. At the same time most of us are not asexual and I think it is both illusory and hypocritical to ask people to switch off their sexual energy while at work. One of the session we had in Bilbao offers a possible avenue of exploration by expanding on the notion of sexual energy.
To be precise, the session was about sacred sexuality as a tool for social transformation. During the session, we danced in order to loosen up and then we explored levels of intimacy through a guided shared experience of our 5 senses. It was very intense and sometimes quite challenging. I personally found it disturbing and difficult but also liberating. For instance, when you do spend even a few seconds with someone, smelling each other, it does change how you relate to one another. So that is the social transformation part. It is very animalistic and I guess it's the point.
In sacred sexuality we try to connect to the primal energy of creation. As the convener of the session defines it : "the energy of sacred sexuality, as the energy of life creation, which helps us to integrate our accepted and denied parts (lights and shadows) and leads to living in TOTALITY". The ability to be totally present (oneness) is a theme that should resonate with many visionary organisations / leaders. It is about reclaiming sexual energy which had been repressed by religion and has now been commercialized and consequently distorted.
This is in essence a spiritual journey. That primal energy relates to the "eros" of the ancient greek. It is the same energy which pushes a blade of grass to grow even through a small crack in the pavement. It is in a sense the energy of life. This creative energy is at the core of reproduction and sexuality but it can also be expressed in ways that are not purely sexual. This is the key that is offered here. Rather than trying to suppress and repress sexual energy the proposal is to find ways to transcend and harness this powerful energy and express it in ways that are safe and respectful as well as fruitful and transformative.
I see this primal energy as a potential. Something that can be felt and that stirs us. It is like a fire inside which can consume us or which we can learn to utilize in productive and creative ways. This energy exists but it is not real until we actualize it into action on the world. And this is the link with quantum physics. Quantum particles have a probability state or quantum wave function which is unknown and unknowable until it is collapsed through observation. This connection would need further elaboration but there maybe something interesting.
Open Space as social and personal therapy
I suppose organizational therapy would be more correct. I guess the reason why you picked up therapy has somewhat corporate inappropriate has to do with stigma around mental health and psychotherapy. Mental health is a hot issue in corporations these days. HR departments all over are working hard to dissipate that stigma and to create safe places for people to express their vulnerability. At an individual level I believe this is driven by empathy and acceptance. From the point of view of the organization, the motivations might be more about safety, innovation and ultimately productivity.
I personally have reservations about the notion of mental illness because it tends to push the responsibility on the individual. It implies that it is the individual who is ill and therefore requires treatment. Worse still, treatment too often equates to chemicals. While it is true that individually we ought to do work on ourselves and deal with whatever issues we have or have inherited, I believe that a more holistic perspective is more fruitful and sustainable. It would need to recognize that the social, societal and organizational contexts are also very important to mental well being.
Many therapies are based on language and open communication. They require a space that is safe and free of judgment. I think Open Space can provide that and in a sense aims to do that by default. We call on passion and responsibility. Both are challenging in their own way. Passion in particular can expose some of our vulnerabilities. Ideally, an open space event should allow people to raise issues or questions that they did not dare raise before. Mostly because there was no safe mechanism to do so. In open space, it is part of the game. This in itself (taking the skeleton out of the closet) is already therapeutic for both the individual and the group. The discussion that ensues, provided that it is done with respect, can also have very therapeutic effects. People feel heard. The organization has an opportunity to grow and even maybe heal some untold conflict or misunderstanding.
So here it is, I hope it offers some clarification and hopefully triggers further thought. I look forward to further feedback and discussion.
Most kind regards,
JF
On Fri, Oct 7, 2022 at 7:02 PM Anna Caroline Türk <annacaroline@truthcircles.com> wrote:
Hi JF,
I am happy you enjoyed your Open Space experience in Bilbao.
I wondering if your list speaks to your week in Bilbao or to your experience of Open Space Technology?
"Your List / potential chapters of a book" include:
- Coming home to transformation
- Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
- Matter, time and the architecture or open space
- Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
- Open Space as social and personal therapy
- Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as fit for purpose solution)
You spoke about your perceptions that leaders might be afraid of applying OST in the corporate context.
I feel some resistance when I read "sexuality" and "therapy" - can you speak more to your points so I can understand this better?
When I think of a list/ chapters about OST I can imagine including:
- invitation
- circle
- breath
- emergence
- energy
- creation
- power
- connection
- intimacy
- genuine connections
- wisdom
- actions
What would others add to their list/chapter of a book about Open Space Technology?
Greetings from Berlin
Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com
Am Di., 4. Okt. 2022 um 14:14 Uhr schrieb Thomas Perret <thomas@peerland.fi>:
Open Space as social therapy!
I love it. Especially as a chapter in a book.
I feel your message and I look forward to my next coming home to
transformation.Best, Thomas
On 2022-10-04 09:10, JF wrote:
> Hello Everyone,
>
> So here I am back from an intense and very rewarding OST experience in
> Bilbao. It was indeed a very transformative moment right at the
> inflexion point of my personal and professional development. The funny
> thing though is that despite the novelty and all the new faces it felt
> like coming home. A feeling hard to explain but I suspect people on
> this list would understand.
>
> As I was driving back on Saturday there were so many thoughts coming
> through my mind I thought I could probably write a whole book about
> this amazing week in Basque country. Here are some of the chapters
> title for that book:
>
> * Coming home to transformation
> * Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
> * Matter, time and the architecture or open space
> * Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
> * Open Space as social and personal therapy
> * Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as fit
> for purpose solution)
>
> I would like to thank everyone for a very warm welcome and amazing
> discussions and thank you for the encouragement from people on this
> list to make the trip.
>
> Most warm greetings and hugs,
> JF
>
> On Sun, Sep 18, 2022 at 6:44 PM ingrid ebeling ebus
> <ie@institut-ebus.de> wrote:
>
>> Dear Gentza,
>>
>> well, yesterday I decided to come and join the WOSonOS 2022 in
>> Bilbao. I hesitated for quite a while, taking the train 32 hours or
>> what ever. All the sudden it seemed to be easy and got myself a
>> flight ticket.
>> Regarding the accommodation I need some help. Earlier you mentioned
>> a centric new hostel 5 minutes´ walk from the WOSonOS. How can I
>> find out, whether it is still available or find an alternative
>> house?
>>
>> Now I’m looking forward seeing you all.
>>
>> Ingrid
>>
>> Ingrid Ebeling, EBUS
>>
>> Systemic Prozess facilitation Executive Coaching • Large Group
>> Intervention
>>
>> Am Alten Gehäge 6 • D- 30657 Hannover • Germany
>> fon +49-511-336 03 30 • mobile +49-172-5145179
>> ie@institut-ebus.de
>>
>> Am 09.09.2022 um 10:31 schrieb Gentza Eleder
>> <Gentza.Eleder@protonmail.com>:
>>
>> Hi Jean Fracnçois!
>>
>> I'm happy about your decission!
>> Let us know if there's anything we could help you with.
>> Same for anyone that still is considering to take part totally or
>> partially in the WOS week in Bilbao, we are happy to make it
>> easaier to you!
>>
>>
>> We are passionate about making it easier to anyone that feels the
>> thrill and the passion on this gathering to join us!
>>
>> The "travel" is being so nice!
>>
>> Best wishes!
>>
>> Gentza Eleder Aurtenetxe Pildain
>>
>> http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
>>
>> Mundaka
>>
>> (+0034) 638.733.223
>>
>> ps. Michael, we'll keep you in our hearts Bilbao, and will do our
>> best to join you some day, maybe next year, in Berlin! Thanks so
>> much for your support!
>>
>> ------- Original Message -------
>>
>> Em quinta-feira, 8 de setembro de 2022 às 22:25, JF
>> <jfgouin@gmail.com> escreveu:
>>
>> Thank you so much Michael for your warm and inspiring message. I
>> will definitely be in Bilbao, and am looking forward to it.
>> Gentza, I had read the OST user guide a few year's back but it has
>> been a while so a good suggestion to re-read it. I will see how much
>> I am able to commit for the Bilbao OS. For sure I'ld like to
>> participate to the OSonOS I will have to see about the earlier
>> session. If so yes helping preparing the space is probably a good
>> idea. I have organised concerts before and I do appreciate the
>> thrill of anticipation.
>> Thank you all,
>> JF
>>
>> On Thu, Sep 8, 2022 at 5:37 PM WilbaOS <WilbaOS@protonmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Michael, thanks so much, first of all for your shiny explanation on
>> the message 08.09 on self-organization taken place in OST meetings,
>> and we just willing to re-enjoy this, not so much looking for an
>> explanation, that's it!
>>
>> I'm sure we'll witness this magic soon in Bilbao (jsut 3 weeks!)).
>>
>> Dear Jean François, my previous experience with WOSonOS has been
>> always so rewarding, that, feeling a bit sad after two years in
>> which we had no way to ressemble, I asked around and, after a few
>> colleagues said "go ahead" in December, we started joyfully with our
>> small dream.
>>
>> Now we are happy to see that around 40 people we'll be enjoying 2 OS
>> meetings in Bilbao soon. We espce that many more will sign up during
>> next days (if some of you are considering it, please contact us for
>> whatever we could help you: wilbaos@protonmail.com)
>>
>> 26+27th of September, withe the ample question: 2020+ Complex times:
>> how are we going ahead in cooperative ways?
>>
>> 29th+30th of September: how can we refine and expand our OS practice
>> all over the world?
>>
>>
>> JF, I invite you, if having time, to read "Open Space Technology:
>> the user's guide (Harrison Owen)", and if you are willing, join us
>> in the practice of preparing the space during the 23th September and
>> / or 28th. Let us know if we can anyhow make your coming easier!
>>
>> Regarding the Goodhabitz documentary, they'll be coming to WOSonOS
>> in Bilbao, and we'll thank some of you answering to their
>> interviews.
>>
>> Looking forward to meet you soon in Bilbao!
>>
>> Thansk for spreading the heartly invitation!
>>
>> Gentza Eleder
>> Mundaka/Bilbao
>>
>> http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
>>
>> https://twitter.com/OpenSpace_EH
>>
>> Sent with Proton Mail [1] secure email.
>>
>> ------- Original Message -------
>> On Thursday, September 8th, 2022 at 16:45, Michael M Pannwitz
>> <mmpannwitz@posteo.de> wrote:
>>
>> Dear Jean-Francois,
>>
>> yes, experiencing open space in an OST setting is the best way to
>> get into this experiment which will be lifelong, I guarantee.
>> In fact, some folks know that open space and the approach can not be
>> learned or taught but it can be remembered. In other words, we
>> already know about it. But all kind of circumstances have led to it
>> being burried deep down.
>> In so called open space "Trainings" where 97% of the time everything
>> is entirely selforganizing, lasting 3 to 5 days (I love the 5 day
>> variety) where the trainers are mostly invisible, its been observed,
>> that participants could no longer do without open space.
>> So, Bilbao is also a variety of "training" with the opportunity to
>> take a deep dive and upon surfacing you will breathe something that
>> you never experienced before.
>> For me, it was life changing. And that at the age of 56 with 3
>> decades of all kinds of OD behing me and pretty sure that I knew
>> everything. It was tough work to drop my old habits and in a way it
>> still is. By the way, that was in 1996 at a "training" with Harrison
>> Owen and Romy Shovelton in Roffey Park...
>>
>> So, get on your motorcycle or start walking or hitchhiking towards
>> Bilbao and have a great time.
>>
>> Greetings from Berlin
>> mmp
>>
>> PS: Dont forget to include yourself in the Open Space World Map
>> https://www.openspaceworldmap.org/inclusion
>> and add a picture so I can see you when writing corresponding with
>> you.
>> At my age I rarely leave my neighborhood, but have a grand time
>> here... I might leave it once more if the next WOSonOS will be in
>> Berlin, I hear some folks are planning that for 2023...
>>
>> Am 08.09.2022 um 14:56 schrieb JF:
>>
>> Hello All,
>> I have been on this list and be interested in OST for many years.
>> Yet I have never (until now) taken the opportunity to develop this
>> interest further and actually participate and be involved with OST
>> events.
>> I am currently in a professional transition from being a manager in
>> a large engineering firm to becoming self employed project manager
>> with a view to help build collective intelligence in organisations
>> through innovative organisational structures (e.g. holacracy) and
>> various practices such as OST.
>> I would like to learn and experience more and I have been told
>> before that the best and only way to learn about OST is to
>> experience it first hand. That makes a lot of sense and I think that
>> this would be a great eye opener for me as well as a growing
>> opportunity. Therefore I am contemplating participating in the next
>> OSonOS in Bilbao (I live in the south of France) but I want to make
>> sure that this is appropriate for someone who want to get initiated
>> in OST.
>> Thanks in advance for your comments and / or advice.
>> Regads,
>>
>> Jean-François (JF)
>>
>> On Tue, Aug 23, 2022 at 7:49 PM Michael M Pannwitz
>> <mmpannwitz@posteo.de> wrote:
>>
>> Dear Gentza Eleder,
>>
>> you might tell them that ost is an approach to expand time and space
>> for the unfolding of selforganisation. It is not an intention of ost
>> to change business culture, have better meetings or all the other
>> things one might find important.
>> It has been noticed however, that ost events bring about amazing
>> stuff every time those gatherings are convened and that folks find
>> that these were the best meetings they ever experienced. How that
>> happens has never been grasped. And participants are regularily
>> simply not interested to research this, they just want to get going.
>> The important observation is that it works. And if it is used
>> regularily in an organisation those organisations change all by
>> themselves (see the decade long experiment in the Agency for Youth
>> in Europe).
>> Selforganisation has never been grasped but it is the central force
>> in the unfolding of everything that has happened on this planet for
>> billions of year.
>> It has been observed that some very few prerequisites need to be in
>> place to get the the right conditions for getting this experiment in
>> selforganisation to unfold: sticky problem, high complexity of the
>> matter, large diversity of participants, high conflict and high
>> urgency to act and, not to forget, voluntarty participation.
>>
>> Everyone attending our event in Bilbao is an expert, even experts in
>> attendance that are zoologists, psychologists, anthropologists,
>> medicine men, sociologists, cooks, gardeners, plumbers, architects,
>> teachers, mothers and very important: children. If you have children
>> and youngsters at the event among all the others you will find that
>> an amazing ingredient for the diversity soup. Nobody knows why and
>> it needs not to be researched, we have seen it.
>>
>> Hope you get a great film that is shown in all cinemas around the
>> world.
>>
>> Greetings from Berlin
>> Love and Peace
>> mmp
>>
>> Am 23.08.2022 um 18:09 schrieb Gentza Eleder:
>>
>> Hi friends, how are you?
>> We are having since July some converations with GoodHabitz
>> Documentaries [2].
>> They are very interested in OST and are planning to come to Bilbao
>> to film and make some interviews during the 28th World Open Space on
>> Open Space.
>>
>> Now, they asked something that I thought would be best to spread
>> through the OSLIST, as follows:
>>
>> ....
>>
>> For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
>> psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
>> Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
>> interview such an expert about how you can change the business
>> culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
>>
>> ....
>>
>> Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
>>
>> Would you, please, specially if planning to join as in Bilbao in
>> September, take some time to answer Marije (you can add us, as cc)?
>>
>> I've proposed her to join herself the OSLIST to take part directly
>> in the conversation or open new questions.
>>
>> Best of all,
>>
>> Gentza Eleder
>>
>> BuM_31 unJobbing
>>
>> Mundaka
>>
>> (+0034) 638.733.223
>>
>> ------- Original Message -------
>> Em terça-feira, 23 de agosto de 2022 às 10:10, Marije Kuipers
>> <info.marijekuipers@gmail.com> escreveu:
>>
>> Hi Gentza, good morning!
>>
>> How are you? Thanks for your email. Great answers!
>>
>> I forgot to ask, have you been filmed before? And is it online? Just
>> to get an idea :)
>>
>> ....
>>
>> For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
>> psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
>> Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
>> interview such an expert about how you can change the business
>> culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
>>
>> ....
>>
>> Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
>>
>> Hope to hear from you.
>>
>> Thanks for your time and efforts!
>>
>> Have a good day,
>> Marije
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org
>> To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org
>
> Michael M Pannwitz
> Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin
> +49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.de
> _______________________________________________
> OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org
> To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org
>
> Michael M Pannwitz
> Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin
> +49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz@posteo.de
>
> _______________________________________________
> OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org
> To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org
>
>
>
> Links:
> ------
> [1] https://proton.me/
> [2]
> https://www.goodhabitz.com/en-gb/why-goodhabitz/doing-things-differently/goodhabitz-moments/
> _______________________________________________
> OSList mailing list -- everyone@oslist.org
> To unsubscribe send an email to everyone-leave@oslist.org
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<a moz-do-not-send="true" rel="noreferrer"><a moz-do-not-send="true" rel="noreferrer">Jo Toepfer, </a><a href="http://www.boscop.org/" moz-do-not-send="true" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">boscop eg</a> Boxhagener Str. 119B, 10245 Berlin Tel: +49-(0)30-42018000 Mob: +49-(0)176-22394083
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Thank you!
I just booked a ticket.
I am looking forward to seeing many of you there.
Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com http://TruthCircles.com
Am Mi., 15. Feb. 2023 um 09:20 Uhr schrieb Jo Toepfer via OSList <
everyone@oslist.org>:
dear colleagues,
by the way: the event website for the 2023 WOSonOS in Berlin is live now:
https://www.wosonos2023.berlin/
You can book your ticket and your hotel and we are happy to see many of
you here in Berlin.
Warm regards
Jo
Am 12.02.23 um 18:34 schrieb Kári Gunnarsson via OSList:
Sounds like a good idea, we can discuss it at the closing circle of the
Berlin OS
On Sun, 12 Feb 2023, 17:13 Silvia Ferrari - mooncult via OSList, <
everyone@oslist.org> wrote:
Hello everyone,
while waiting to meet those of you who will be in Berlin, I would like to
share with you a reflection on my proposal to host the Wosonos 2024 in
Italy. Gerardo told me about a tradition that has long governed the
transition from one Wosonos to another: the alternation of continents.
If the Wosonos 2024 were in Italy, it would be the third year in a row in
Europe. Perhaps it may not be very inclusive for those who do not live in
Europe? Does it make sense perhaps to postpone my invitation to Italy to
2025 and see if there are other proposals for 2024?
Tell me what you think.
Thank you,
Silvia
Silvia Ferrari - mooncult
*Facilitator *
silvia@mooncult.it - +393403434580
www.mooncult.it
Il giorno 9 nov 2022, alle ore 16:51, Jo Toepfer via OSList <
everyone@oslist.org> ha scritto:
Dear colleagues,
for those of you who did not attend the WOSonOS in Bilbao: Next stop is
Berlin.
After 2000 and 2010 we will have the privilege to host the WOSonOS 2023
in Berlin. No other candidate city raised the hand and the closing circle
in Bilbao was pretty clear. So, I took our talking stick back to Berlin
where it is waiting to be used in the next edition of the WOSonOS.
Dates and location are already clear:
October 18 through 21, 2023: We will get together on the evening of Oct
18 for the opening evening / night / party. And, from Oct 19 through 21 we
will conduct a full scale 3-days Open Space event.
The location is Beach Mitte https://beachmitte-events.de/locations/
https://beachmitte-events.de/locations/ This is an inner city beach
resort with all kind of facilities and opportunities in Berlin downtown.
The management of this venue is highly interested in interactive management
and conference formats. They support hosting the WOSonOS in their venue
with a significant discount. They do not charge any rent for the venue we
only need to cover expenses for food, drinks and staff. This will allow us
to sell tickets for a moderate price. We will hopefully be able to start
selling the tickets by the end of this year.
The International Association of Facilitators / Europe and Middle East
chapter will probably held their bi-annual conference in the same venue
just a few days before: Oct 16 through 18, 2023. Most likely, it will be
organised be the German IAF chapter which has a stronghold in Berlin. And
most of the IAF colleagues are familiar with Open Space and attended
WOSonOSes in the past. We intend to link the two events for participants
who are interested in attending both.
In the closing circle in Bilbao we heard that some colleagues form Italy
are interested to host the coming WOSonOS in 2024 in Bologna. Is this still
valid?
I hope to see many of you in Berlin next year.
Warm regards
Jo
Am 14.10.22 um 15:04 schrieb Anna Caroline Türk:
Dear JF,
Thank you for taking the time to keep thinking out loud and to speak more
to your chapters of your potential book. :)
I hope other people will reply to your thoughtful exploration, and
highlight what resonates with them.
I have only passion to reply to two aspects that stand out for me in your
mail. And while I might be disagreeing with what I hear, I hope this
mail also conveys the spirit of an energized conversation, which we could
quickly have over a coffee or tea in an in-person-meeting. And by then end
leave with a smile as we agree to disagree.
I am unsure what you refer to when you write, that you hear me when I
expressed reservations regarding corporate resistance.
I was hoping to convey that I have empathy with leaders who resist
interventions that promote "organizational therapy" and "sexuality". (I am
aware that I might taking you too literally here ...)
But in that similar spirit you mention in your last mail that you believe
that leaders "need a bit of shaken up. I think some corporate leaders
recognize this and might be more attracted to thought provoking and
intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your proposal for breath
and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think of silence."
We might be not too different in our perception, because we both like
silence, but I disagree with the approach to shake people up. My approach
would be to create a learning environment, a nourishing environment, rather
than a provoking or shaking environment.
I can only relate to my own learning preferences and I have find that I
learn, expand and grow the most when I learn together in a life nourishing
environment, where the intention is to create genuine connection with self,
other and creation. I believe it is because of the breathing and sitting
in a circle together that the wisdom of the group will emerge and best next
steps will be identified by those who work (and live) together. This
will includes both challenging and generating conversations.
The other aspect I would like to point out is the notion of a "safe
mechanism". You write:
"Ideally, an open space event should allow people to raise issues or
questions that they did not dare raise before. Mostly because there was no
safe mechanism to do so. In open space, it is part of the game."
I would say that instead of a "safe" mechanism", open space gives an
"appropriate" mechanism.
Do you mean its a safe mechanism - because Open Space will guarantee
that everyone speaks up?
I am quite careful with this assumption. Careful preparation with the
leaders (and potentially other invitees) are mandatory to strengthen
everyone's experience of Open Space as a space where conversations can be
brought up, even if they are difficult.
For the preparation I therefore include the following ( not complete
list):
- Is this the right date and space for the Open Space
- Is the purpose clear
- Is there enough time allocated to this event - given
the stated purpose of the Open Space
- Is the invitation text and the title open and inviting
- Is clear what is not up for discussion
- Is it clearly stated how leaders/participants work with the
findings of this Open Space.
- Have leaders committed to and planned in follow up work
Only when all of this is clear and explicit, do I trust that it provides
a mechanism to bring up what needs to be discussed and maybe healed at that
time.
Following the principles of open space.
So far my thoughts.
Happy weekend,
Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com http://truthcircles.com/
Am Mo., 10. Okt. 2022 um 12:14 Uhr schrieb JF jfgouin@gmail.com:
Hello Anna Caroline,
At this point, my week in Bilbao is indistinguishable from my OST
experience as a whole. Considering open space as primarily experiential and
personal, I would probably like to keep it this way.
I wrote this note as a spontaneous light hearted attempt to encapsulate
some fleeting thoughts and sensations that coalesced from the various
sessions I participated in. In that sense it is rooted in my specific OST
Bilbao experience. But I suppose it could be extrapolated to OST in
general. Some of the most personal experiences and meditations I had while
hiking on the basque coastline during the week-end are also present here.
To be perfectly honest, I was also trying to be a little "tongue in
cheek" by bringing together seemingly unrelated and unexpected topics.
Those associations make sense to me but in a way that was more instinctive
than rational. I have not really rationalized further until now.
I am very happy you are calling me on it however and I guess you are now
asking me to start writing the chapters of this hypothetical book.
I hear what you are saying about your reservations regarding corporate
resistance. However, one of my personal take away from my stay in Bilbao is
that if we truly believe that it is important to bring in philosophical or
spiritual considerations, we should be confident and bold about it and not
try to bow to a rather stiff corporate way. The justification is that a
unique and possibly unusual perspective is precisely the highest value we
can bring to the corporate world. The relative stiffness and conformism of
corporations (especially as they grow big) is a core problem they face to
remain nimble and innovative. They need a bit of shaken up. I think
some corporate leaders recognize this and might be more attracted to
thought provoking and intriguing notions. In that sense, I really like your
proposal for breath and intimacy. And for some reason that makes me think
of silence.
Now, that being said beyond slightly provocative titles the important
part is to bring some substance and valuable insights. So let me try to
give it a go on the two chapters you mention.
Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
Well, obviously that title is meant to be both provocative and
confusing. I mean, what is the relation between quantum physics and
sexuality right?
You rightly picked up on sexuality which is taboo especially in the
workplace. Organizations are now essentially a-sexual. We should certainly
celebrate the progress that has been made to make harassment in the
workplace unacceptable and we must continue in this direction. At the same
time most of us are not asexual and I think it is both illusory and
hypocritical to ask people to switch off their sexual energy while at work.
One of the session we had in Bilbao offers a possible avenue of exploration
by expanding on the notion of sexual energy.
To be precise, the session was about sacred sexuality as a tool for
social transformation. During the session, we danced in order to loosen up
and then we explored levels of intimacy through a guided shared experience
of our 5 senses. It was very intense and sometimes quite challenging. I
personally found it disturbing and difficult but also liberating. For
instance, when you do spend even a few seconds with someone, smelling each
other, it does change how you relate to one another. So that is the social
transformation part. It is very animalistic and I guess it's the point.
In sacred sexuality we try to connect to the primal energy of creation.
As the convener of the session defines it : "the energy of sacred
sexuality, as the energy of life creation, which helps us to integrate our
accepted and denied parts (lights and shadows) and leads to living in
TOTALITY". The ability to be totally present (oneness) is a theme that
should resonate with many visionary organisations / leaders. It is about
reclaiming sexual energy which had been repressed by religion and has now
been commercialized and consequently distorted.
This is in essence a spiritual journey. That primal energy relates to
the "eros" of the ancient greek. It is the same energy which pushes a blade
of grass to grow even through a small crack in the pavement. It is in a
sense the energy of life. This creative energy is at the core of
reproduction and sexuality but it can also be expressed in ways that are
not purely sexual. This is the key that is offered here. Rather than trying
to suppress and repress sexual energy the proposal is to find ways to
transcend and harness this powerful energy and express it in ways that are
safe and respectful as well as fruitful and transformative.
I see this primal energy as a potential. Something that can be felt and
that stirs us. It is like a fire inside which can consume us or which we
can learn to utilize in productive and creative ways. This energy exists
but it is not real until we actualize it into action on the world. And this
is the link with quantum physics. Quantum particles have a probability
state or quantum wave function which is unknown and unknowable until it is
collapsed through observation. This connection would need further
elaboration but there maybe something interesting.
Open Space as social and personal therapy
I suppose organizational therapy would be more correct. I guess the
reason why you picked up therapy has somewhat corporate inappropriate has
to do with stigma around mental health and psychotherapy. Mental health is
a hot issue in corporations these days. HR departments all over are working
hard to dissipate that stigma and to create safe places for people to
express their vulnerability. At an individual level I believe this is
driven by empathy and acceptance. From the point of view of the
organization, the motivations might be more about safety, innovation and
ultimately productivity.
I personally have reservations about the notion of mental illness
because it tends to push the responsibility on the individual. It implies
that it is the individual who is ill and therefore requires treatment.
Worse still, treatment too often equates to chemicals. While it is true
that individually we ought to do work on ourselves and deal with whatever
issues we have or have inherited, I believe that a more holistic
perspective is more fruitful and sustainable. It would need to recognize
that the social, societal and organizational contexts are also very
important to mental well being.
Many therapies are based on language and open communication. They
require a space that is safe and free of judgment. I think Open Space can
provide that and in a sense aims to do that by default. We call on passion
and responsibility. Both are challenging in their own way. Passion in
particular can expose some of our vulnerabilities. Ideally, an open space
event should allow people to raise issues or questions that they did not
dare raise before. Mostly because there was no safe mechanism to do so. In
open space, it is part of the game. This in itself (taking the skeleton out
of the closet) is already therapeutic for both the individual and the
group. The discussion that ensues, provided that it is done with respect,
can also have very therapeutic effects. People feel heard. The organization
has an opportunity to grow and even maybe heal some untold conflict or
misunderstanding.
So here it is, I hope it offers some clarification and hopefully
triggers further thought. I look forward to further feedback and
discussion.
Most kind regards,
JF
On Fri, Oct 7, 2022 at 7:02 PM Anna Caroline Türk <
annacaroline@truthcircles.com> wrote:
Hi JF,
I am happy you enjoyed your Open Space experience in Bilbao.
I wondering if your list speaks to your week in Bilbao or to your
experience of Open Space Technology?
"Your List / potential chapters of a book" include:
- Coming home to transformation
- Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
- Matter, time and the architecture or open space
- Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
- Open Space as social and personal therapy
- Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity as fit
for purpose solution)
You spoke about your perceptions that leaders might be afraid of
applying OST in the corporate context.
I feel some resistance when I read "sexuality" and "therapy" - can you
speak more to your points so I can understand this better?
When I think of a list/ chapters about OST I can imagine including:
- invitation
- circle
- breath
- emergence
- energy
- creation
- power
- connection
- intimacy
- genuine connections
- wisdom
- actions
What would others add to their list/chapter of a book about Open Space
Technology?
Greetings from Berlin
Anna Caroline
Anna Caroline Türk
Mentor to Visionary Leaders
+49(0)176 24872254 | TruthCircles.com http://truthcircles.com/
Am Di., 4. Okt. 2022 um 14:14 Uhr schrieb Thomas Perret <
thomas@peerland.fi>:
Open Space as social therapy!
I love it. Especially as a chapter in a book.
I feel your message and I look forward to my next coming home to
transformation.
Best, Thomas
On 2022-10-04 09:10, JF wrote:
Hello Everyone,
So here I am back from an intense and very rewarding OST experience
in
Bilbao. It was indeed a very transformative moment right at the
inflexion point of my personal and professional development. The
funny
thing though is that despite the novelty and all the new faces it
felt
like coming home. A feeling hard to explain but I suspect people on
this list would understand.
As I was driving back on Saturday there were so many thoughts coming
through my mind I thought I could probably write a whole book about
this amazing week in Basque country. Here are some of the chapters
title for that book:
* Coming home to transformation
* Energy, sexuality and quantum physics
* Matter, time and the architecture or open space
* Can touchy-feely break corporate dogmatic straitjacket
* Open Space as social and personal therapy
* Comprehensiveness and perceived randomness (or spontaneity
as fit
for purpose solution)
I would like to thank everyone for a very warm welcome and amazing
discussions and thank you for the encouragement from people on this
list to make the trip.
Most warm greetings and hugs,
JF
On Sun, Sep 18, 2022 at 6:44 PM ingrid ebeling ebus
ie@institut-ebus.de wrote:
Dear Gentza,
well, yesterday I decided to come and join the WOSonOS 2022 in
Bilbao. I hesitated for quite a while, taking the train 32 hours or
what ever. All the sudden it seemed to be easy and got myself a
flight ticket.
Regarding the accommodation I need some help. Earlier you mentioned
a centric new hostel 5 minutes´ walk from the WOSonOS. How can I
find out, whether it is still available or find an alternative
house?
Now I’m looking forward seeing you all.
Ingrid
Ingrid Ebeling, EBUS
Systemic Prozess facilitation Executive Coaching • Large Group
Intervention
Am Alten Gehäge 6 • D- 30657 Hannover • Germany
fon +49-511-336 03 30 • mobile +49-172-5145179
ie@institut-ebus.de
Am 09.09.2022 um 10:31 schrieb Gentza Eleder
Gentza.Eleder@protonmail.com:
Hi Jean Fracnçois!
I'm happy about your decission!
Let us know if there's anything we could help you with.
Same for anyone that still is considering to take part totally or
partially in the WOS week in Bilbao, we are happy to make it
easaier to you!
We are passionate about making it easier to anyone that feels the
thrill and the passion on this gathering to join us!
The "travel" is being so nice!
Best wishes!
Gentza Eleder Aurtenetxe Pildain
http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
Mundaka
(+0034) 638.733.223
ps. Michael, we'll keep you in our hearts Bilbao, and will do our
best to join you some day, maybe next year, in Berlin! Thanks so
much for your support!
------- Original Message -------
Em quinta-feira, 8 de setembro de 2022 às 22:25, JF
jfgouin@gmail.com escreveu:
Thank you so much Michael for your warm and inspiring message. I
will definitely be in Bilbao, and am looking forward to it.
Gentza, I had read the OST user guide a few year's back but it has
been a while so a good suggestion to re-read it. I will see how much
I am able to commit for the Bilbao OS. For sure I'ld like to
participate to the OSonOS I will have to see about the earlier
session. If so yes helping preparing the space is probably a good
idea. I have organised concerts before and I do appreciate the
thrill of anticipation.
Thank you all,
JF
On Thu, Sep 8, 2022 at 5:37 PM WilbaOS WilbaOS@protonmail.com
wrote:
Michael, thanks so much, first of all for your shiny explanation on
the message 08.09 on self-organization taken place in OST meetings,
and we just willing to re-enjoy this, not so much looking for an
explanation, that's it!
I'm sure we'll witness this magic soon in Bilbao (jsut 3 weeks!)).
Dear Jean François, my previous experience with WOSonOS has been
always so rewarding, that, feeling a bit sad after two years in
which we had no way to ressemble, I asked around and, after a few
colleagues said "go ahead" in December, we started joyfully with our
small dream.
Now we are happy to see that around 40 people we'll be enjoying 2 OS
meetings in Bilbao soon. We espce that many more will sign up during
next days (if some of you are considering it, please contact us for
whatever we could help you: wilbaos@protonmail.com)
26+27th of September, withe the ample question: 2020+ Complex times:
how are we going ahead in cooperative ways?
29th+30th of September: how can we refine and expand our OS practice
all over the world?
JF, I invite you, if having time, to read "Open Space Technology:
the user's guide (Harrison Owen)", and if you are willing, join us
in the practice of preparing the space during the 23th September and
/ or 28th. Let us know if we can anyhow make your coming easier!
Regarding the Goodhabitz documentary, they'll be coming to WOSonOS
in Bilbao, and we'll thank some of you answering to their
interviews.
Looking forward to meet you soon in Bilbao!
Thansk for spreading the heartly invitation!
Gentza Eleder
Mundaka/Bilbao
http://guneirekiarenlagunak.weebly.com/
https://twitter.com/OpenSpace_EH
Sent with Proton Mail [1] secure email.
------- Original Message -------
On Thursday, September 8th, 2022 at 16:45, Michael M Pannwitz
mmpannwitz@posteo.de wrote:
Dear Jean-Francois,
yes, experiencing open space in an OST setting is the best way to
get into this experiment which will be lifelong, I guarantee.
In fact, some folks know that open space and the approach can not be
learned or taught but it can be remembered. In other words, we
already know about it. But all kind of circumstances have led to it
being burried deep down.
In so called open space "Trainings" where 97% of the time everything
is entirely selforganizing, lasting 3 to 5 days (I love the 5 day
variety) where the trainers are mostly invisible, its been observed,
that participants could no longer do without open space.
So, Bilbao is also a variety of "training" with the opportunity to
take a deep dive and upon surfacing you will breathe something that
you never experienced before.
For me, it was life changing. And that at the age of 56 with 3
decades of all kinds of OD behing me and pretty sure that I knew
everything. It was tough work to drop my old habits and in a way it
still is. By the way, that was in 1996 at a "training" with Harrison
Owen and Romy Shovelton in Roffey Park...
So, get on your motorcycle or start walking or hitchhiking towards
Bilbao and have a great time.
Greetings from Berlin
mmp
PS: Dont forget to include yourself in the Open Space World Map
https://www.openspaceworldmap.org/inclusion
and add a picture so I can see you when writing corresponding with
you.
At my age I rarely leave my neighborhood, but have a grand time
here... I might leave it once more if the next WOSonOS will be in
Berlin, I hear some folks are planning that for 2023...
Am 08.09.2022 um 14:56 schrieb JF:
Hello All,
I have been on this list and be interested in OST for many years.
Yet I have never (until now) taken the opportunity to develop this
interest further and actually participate and be involved with OST
events.
I am currently in a professional transition from being a manager in
a large engineering firm to becoming self employed project manager
with a view to help build collective intelligence in organisations
through innovative organisational structures (e.g. holacracy) and
various practices such as OST.
I would like to learn and experience more and I have been told
before that the best and only way to learn about OST is to
experience it first hand. That makes a lot of sense and I think that
this would be a great eye opener for me as well as a growing
opportunity. Therefore I am contemplating participating in the next
OSonOS in Bilbao (I live in the south of France) but I want to make
sure that this is appropriate for someone who want to get initiated
in OST.
Thanks in advance for your comments and / or advice.
Regads,
Jean-François (JF)
On Tue, Aug 23, 2022 at 7:49 PM Michael M Pannwitz
mmpannwitz@posteo.de wrote:
Dear Gentza Eleder,
you might tell them that ost is an approach to expand time and space
for the unfolding of selforganisation. It is not an intention of ost
to change business culture, have better meetings or all the other
things one might find important.
It has been noticed however, that ost events bring about amazing
stuff every time those gatherings are convened and that folks find
that these were the best meetings they ever experienced. How that
happens has never been grasped. And participants are regularily
simply not interested to research this, they just want to get going.
The important observation is that it works. And if it is used
regularily in an organisation those organisations change all by
themselves (see the decade long experiment in the Agency for Youth
in Europe).
Selforganisation has never been grasped but it is the central force
in the unfolding of everything that has happened on this planet for
billions of year.
It has been observed that some very few prerequisites need to be in
place to get the the right conditions for getting this experiment in
selforganisation to unfold: sticky problem, high complexity of the
matter, large diversity of participants, high conflict and high
urgency to act and, not to forget, voluntarty participation.
Everyone attending our event in Bilbao is an expert, even experts in
attendance that are zoologists, psychologists, anthropologists,
medicine men, sociologists, cooks, gardeners, plumbers, architects,
teachers, mothers and very important: children. If you have children
and youngsters at the event among all the others you will find that
an amazing ingredient for the diversity soup. Nobody knows why and
it needs not to be researched, we have seen it.
Hope you get a great film that is shown in all cinemas around the
world.
Greetings from Berlin
Love and Peace
mmp
Am 23.08.2022 um 18:09 schrieb Gentza Eleder:
Hi friends, how are you?
We are having since July some converations with GoodHabitz
Documentaries [2].
They are very interested in OST and are planning to come to Bilbao
to film and make some interviews during the 28th World Open Space on
Open Space.
Now, they asked something that I thought would be best to spread
through the OSLIST, as follows:
....
For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
interview such an expert about how you can change the business
culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
....
Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
Would you, please, specially if planning to join as in Bilbao in
September, take some time to answer Marije (you can add us, as cc)?
I've proposed her to join herself the OSLIST to take part directly
in the conversation or open new questions.
Best of all,
Gentza Eleder
BuM_31 unJobbing
Mundaka
(+0034) 638.733.223
------- Original Message -------
Em terça-feira, 23 de agosto de 2022 às 10:10, Marije Kuipers
info.marijekuipers@gmail.com escreveu:
Hi Gentza, good morning!
How are you? Thanks for your email. Great answers!
I forgot to ask, have you been filmed before? And is it online? Just
to get an idea :)
....
For the film we are still looking for anybody who is a
psychologist/anthropologist/sociologist or business culture expert.
Or someone with a lot of knowledge in this field. We would like to
interview such an expert about how you can change the business
culture or the approach in order to have better meetings.
....
Do you know if there are more experts who are attending the event?
Hope to hear from you.
Thanks for your time and efforts!
Have a good day,
Marije
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