A poem by Ralph Copleman a longtime Open Space practitioner, posted this week on the OSLILST The Days of Now On the night before Now we all clambored over and greeted each other by the gateway. Now came the first morning. We opened for each other many conversations and passed cups around the shining circle. On the second of Now, I could see a long way in people’s eyes which cleared to let in the light. On the third of Now, everyone started dialing up tomorrows, released laughter and embraced every future Now with braided voices and sweat-slicked arms. Each …
I’ve just opened space at a conference here with Viv McWaters, Geoff Brown, Anne Pattillo and Johnnie Moore. We’ve got a two day, full on participatory conference on evaluation with 179 people. 40 topics have gone up for our day and a half OS. It’s sweet for me being here in Melbourne, which for me is the spiritual home of Open Space in Australia (would you agree Brendan? :-)). Of course for me that impression largely comes from the fact that this was Father Brian Banibridge’s home, and I regret that I never made it here while he was alive, …
On the Art of Hosting list we have been having a conversation about using language of participatory process. Often the language of these new social technologies can be jargony and off-putting for people who aren’t used to it. That can cause unnecessary defensiveness among participants. So I had some thoughts about using good language AND holding to a core centre… Don’t fall in love with your processes and tools and langauge and conepts: instead respond to people’s needs and offer what you can and when they ask what it is called, or wonder if you are just making it up, …
A beautiful extended reflection on the methodology of study in a coast Salish context from author Lee Maracle: The object of ‘study” from a Salish perspective is to discover another being in itself and for itself with the purpose of engaging it in future relationship that is mutually beneficial and based on principles of fair exchange. We study from the point of view, that there is something unknown to be discovered, that all life contains something cherished, but hidden from us and that if we observe from as many angles of perception that we can rally, engage one another in …
I’m sitting in a hotel ballroom in the basement of the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Atlanta with about 350 people who work for the exoneration of wrongfully convicted and imprisoned men and women all over the United States and in eight other countries besides. We are at the annual gathering of the Innocence Network, a network of groups and projects that help free wrongfully imprisoned men and women, Among the participants here are 86 men and women who have been exonerated for crimes they did not commit. One of these people, James Bain served over 35 years in prison in …