I recently had the privilege of attending an Open Space practice retreat on Bowen Island hosted by friends, Michael Herman and Chris Corrigan, where I had some time to reflect on opening space...
My approach to open space—and life in general (sometimes this distinction seems irrelevant)—is about receiving as much as inviting—receiving what is offered; what wants to be received. Whenever I open space, I invite people to consider that each person in the space is a gift just waiting to be received. All we have to do is open our bodies, hearts and minds to receiving each other. If we do nothing else, that will have been profound—indeed, sometimes, that’s the most profound thing that we can do, a prerequisite for everything else.
Accepting the invitation to receive each other with open arms, open hearts, and open minds—to receive each other whole and celebrate our piece in the larger whole—to honor our complete individual beings while extending ourselves beyond to honor the greater completeness of which we are all a part—to see the infinite I—the mutuality of One… well, that’s our greatest gift, our greatest challenge and the home we’re all seeking and finding in every moment that we open ourselves to being (t)here…
Thank you friends, old and new, for receiving me so completely and for offering yourselves so fully…for helping me feel so very much at home. It is truly a pleasure sharing space with you all...
