Open Space Reflection and Integration

The following comments are culled from Rob’s and Deborah’s attempts to record the feedback in the circle at the end of Thursday morning.

Yael: Just having Open Space at this Congress is innovative. I loved how people who led sessions did it on the spot, just like a dance. It was very difficult to choose from among all the offerings.
Betsey: It took me back to many other years and memories of experiences.
Emily: I liked all the diverse things, reconnecting through our differences.
Mary: “What can we all do…?” This was the literal sense of trying to figure it out.
Susie: Previous Congress presenters had prior experience; it’s so delightful to see new people leading sessions. It fulfills the theme.
Kyla: It makes me realize I have more questions about this work. My session didn’t happen, but I’d still like to have the conversation [about how to continue to do Mettler-based dance and continue to find my own way] [This conversation did finally happen late Thursday evening at the 2nd floor lounge of the dorm, where it was standing room only.]
Felice: My session didn’t happen, either—how we apply Mettler-based principles in our lives. [Felice attended Kyla’s Thursday evening session and afterwards said that it had actually addressed some of what she was interested in talking about.]
Harda: This is what I wanted to know, too.
Donna: I really loved the richness. Too many choices. Maybe have each person offer only one?
Nancy: It brought out the richness that is here already. Oh, that dive toward the center at the beginning of Open Space! It was like an explosion of enthusiasm—out there and eager!
Yael: I would like 15 minutes for the whole group at the end of each session to find out what happened and what was the feel of the individual sessions.
Mary Ann: I agree that to have that in the structure would be good. I think this was just what the Congress needed at this time in our development. It’s a good shift. I hope we can continue to use it. How can we adapt it? I also think it would be good to come together as a whole group for the first tune-up.
Susie: And at the end of the day.
Donna: I was torn between the opportunities to talk and to move. Maybe we could consider having the moving sessions during the day and the talking sessions at night.
Felice: It was frustrating to have conflicts and have to decide.
Yael: I feel the Open Space is answering the question of the theme.
Lynne: To me the wonderful thing was the inclusiveness and the courage of people to offer things. Use the blog! The conversation doesn’t have to end.
Griff: Freedom—Awareness—Control. The Congresses have historically been very controlled. I wanted us to get free again. And I feel that happened. Now we can spiral up.
Mary: The structure allowed people to jump in. It opened the door to greater freedom.
Sue: Thanks for the encouragement to newcomers to try leading a session. Some of us had been holding back, thinking, “What could we offer to all of these experts?”
Mary Ann: It’s an easier give-and-take to offer things spontaneously, not all planned out.
[?]: [Something about dipping into the purity of Mettler work and coming back out—what can be learned there?]
Rob: It actually took us months to formulate the theme. At first we wanted to say something like, How can we explore spontaneity and freshness and still stay true to the principles of Mettler-based work? It finally dawned on us that the very core of Barbara’s work is innovation and creativity.
Hannah: I found it really great to have smaller groups and see how in touch I am with my creativity this week. It’s nice to notice that I’m in the creative mode—nice to have lots of outlets for it and experience it and play with it.
Juanita: The sessions fed into each other. The Tree Dances led into the Spatial/ Sculptural session.
Lynne: Things from the small session made my large group experience so much richer.
[?]: Thank you, everyone!
Mary Ann: I also liked having assigned presenters. I wouldn’t want all Open Space.
Susie: And I liked having a first day and a last day of the week be in our usual presenter format.
Felice: I would like to have known more about Open Space in advance. I think I froze up.
Mary: It was a leveling experience to have Open Space be new for all of us.
Carol: I loved getting back to basics.
Jean: I was concerned about the choppiness, but I thought it worked. It allowed us to experience more themes. Lots of variety was exciting.
Griff: It puts more responsibility on each person. I also loved the flexibility of having permission to take a nap or go for a walk if that’s what I needed to do for myself.
Susie: The physical space clearly supported this experiment in Open Space. This campus provides us with superb facilities. How can we think about Open Space in Tucson?
Rob: That was a concern of mine, too. But this week I’ve seen once again what a creative group we are, and I bet we can find ways to make it work. Obviously the main studio, the small studio, possibly an early morning session outdoors. And does the Nature Conservancy have spaces we can use?

One-word summations:
Enriching. Flexible. Encouraging. Inclusive. Nurtured. New openings. Opening possibilities. Validation. Uniqueness and interest. Invitation. Permission. Creativity & harmony. Mutual responsibility. Deepening freedom. Curiosity plunge. Fresh choice. Validation. Respect. Intention. Direction. Breath of fresh air. Challenge. Support. Interactive. Fluidity. Spicy. Inside out. Appreciation. Knowledge. Colleagues. Respect. Communion. Privilege [Deborah]. Risk. Richness.