Many of the perceived pressures on us these days, are due to a finite mindset.

The world around us seems to prize quick solutions and cheap fixes rather than thoughtful processes that do good for ourselves, other people, the world and life in general. Not only in our lifetimes either but for the lifetimes of those of our children, their children and beyond. Intergenerationally.

Cognitively, this seems to be obvious, right?

Yet so many of us seem not to be acting upon this inner knowing, and certainly don’t live life in the day to day from this place as much as we could be. Hand up here, as I’ve been guilty of doing (or not doing) so either.

What I’ve come to notice is that this ‘doing’ narrative mostly stems from an individual's internal representation of reality. A story, a form of meaning-making, a perspective on how to be, or not be, in the world. A narrative that remains a driving force for many of us individually.

Are we collectively amplifying a “fight or flight” frequency in the face of emergency and crisis?

Are we flooding ourselves and our collective experience with a cortisol hit which renders us frantic and desperate?

The current, default strategy for stress, confusion and a lack of clarity is to “do” our way out of it. Could there be an alternative?

In this blog post, I share some thoughts which have been inspired by the concept of post-activism, which Bayo Akomolafe has been recently speaking to heavily. His invitation is to drop into the moment and bring a fullness of presence to discover all that is contained there. What could there be to discover?

Who here is a perfectionist OR has at some point thought to themselves “I couldn’t be a perfectionist as I don’t do things to the standard that perfectionists do”...?

2021 has arrived amidst a variety of expectations. We may hope it is better than the chaos of 2020, we might expect it might not be.

For many of us, we take pride (either quietly or not) on setting and achieving goals, and enjoy the challenge of moving forward towards what is ‘next’, particularly at this point in the year when the possibilities seem so open.

This perfectionistic, achievement drive which to we’re conditioned can however leave us feeling unsatisfied, unfulfilled, as if there is always somewhere better to be.

Even though it’s only a calendar reality, and nothing actually changes when the clock hits midnight and the fireworks go, there’s something in the ending and beginning of cycles that creates a sense of transition and opportunity.

Our habits in the area of responsibility form our capacity to relate to ourselves, and others.

As this annual cycle ends, can we use it as a practice to notice... notice some of our habits and how they may play out in familiar rhythms.

A common application of the word chaos is to mean “complete disorder and confusion” [Oxford Dictionary].

Chaos also refers to:

- "the void at the beginning of creation, the confused, formless, elementary state of the universe.”

[book of Genesis, the Bible - 1530s English version].

- “the initial "gap" created by the original separation of heaven and earth.”

[Greek creation myths].

To experience a state of chaos, then, is to arrive at a formless state of potentiality.

Into a moment where anything is possible and nothing is certain.

If you’re reading this blog around the time it was published, then it’s the final stretch of a particularly disorderly and confusing year, when a global crisis has forced drastic habitual changes on many of us. There’s more uncertainty ahead, to.

According to western science, the Law of Cause and Effect states that for every effect there is a definite cause, likewise for every cause, there is a definite effect.

Our thoughts, behaviors, and actions create specific effects that manifest and create our life as we know it.

This would mean that, if one is not happy with the effects one has created, then they must change the causes that created them in the first place.

This blog will focus on the immutable law of cause and effect and attempt to represent it in a way that will understand these principles and potentially use them to improve our lives, for ourselves and all living beings on this planet.

Without resistance, there can be no growth, as there is nothing to transcend.

To transcend, we must expand - reaching up, stretching out, opening into new spaces, stepping from the platform that is the very moment we may find ourselves in. Growth is creative. Unfamiliar. It lies beyond the realm of expectations, which can only exist in relation to known comparison points.

This week’s blog explores the concept of growth beyond the comfort zone, and how we can relate to new experiences and unfamiliar situations via an intentional release and expand.

What could there be to learn from accepting that the deconstruction of what we have spent time building is an inevitable part of a cyclical process?

I have fond memories of building sandcastles at the beach as a child.

Looking back at those times as an adult, I observe some profound truths about a young human’s ability to regularly accept impermanence and overcome disappointment.

This gets me thinking about how this attitude can often change when we grow into adults...

Time seems to be speeding up.

But, is it really?

The questions that have been arising here over the years are:

Does time only exist within the thinking mind?

And is there such a thing as cause and effect?

Are time and space really related? Or is that simply how we perceive physical reality to unfold in front of our eyes and therefore being the only way, at this point in time, to really make sense of what we experience day to day?

So I started practicing stillness through sitting (meditation), through art and reading…

To really unpack this extremely curious phenomena like time (and space) I’ve been reading multiple books from different perspectives. Mostly a combination of eastern philosophy, modern science and quantum physics. The most profound insights have arised from my own direct experiences where perception of time and space had momentarily completely disappeared. Ineffable in nature, these moments are difficult to rationalise or put into words.

Nevertheless, here we go... from east to west.

Illustration credits: Stephan Schmitz

A conversation that became a blog.... What does it look like to move into, and beyond, personal mastery?

To step off the hamster wheel of balancing pressure with relaxation, and glimpse what is available beyond habit development and stress management strategies.


Dan:
So what do we actually mean by personal mastery?

Marion:
So the awareness, the capacity and space for awareness in the moment, of what is arising for the person.

And the ability then to not be had by thoughts or states or emotions in a moment, but capacity to notice those things as they arise, and also be able to remain present and responsive, to move with volition in the moment, based on what's required, rather than acting from a place distracted by the thought or emotion or feeling that's coming up.

When was the last moment in which you felt fully open, curious and present to be able to respond authentically to exactly what was required, without the internal, or external noise of distraction?

In today’s world, distraction can almost be taken as standard operating procedure for everyday experience.

In our recent YES& coaching circle community session, we explored the concept of distraction, and the drive to ‘fill’ ourselves, and our time.

The discussion revealed how distractions can lead us away from our goals and intentions for how we would like to act or be, when we are working, and relating to others.

Understanding feedback loops to positively influence our sleep, energy levels, capacity to listen, personal sovereignty, the environment and teams and organisations.

Reinforcing feedback loops mean that there is a continuous system that keeps itself running without needing to feed it.

Meadows (2008) wrote: “A reinforcing feedback loop enhances the direction of change it imposes on it.”

Ultimately, this results in exponential growth. These reinforcing feedback loops can be found in many aspects of life, business, sustainability, human well-being, technology and science.

To give you an idea of what I’m talking about, read the full blog. . .

One of the most inspiring characteristics of the Blackfoot Nation is that their culture is one of high synergy. Basically - do for community, you benefit from community (including “place” or the land). Do for yourself and only you benefit from your own efforts (this would be low synergy).

So it’s not about being above humanity but it’s about being a part of humanity and the rest of the world as much as possible.

We often begin our journey towards new habits, aligned with future goals, by relying on external structures like habit trackers, wall calendars, external rewards, and blocking out special time to find the right ‘fit’ of new habits.

These external structures can operate a little like an ‘exoskeleton’ in an insect, protective, hard, fiercely defending the vulnerable goals and aspirations within.

However, as with all exoskeletons, their rigidity provides a limiting framework for growth.

I propose a new system . .

A System in where we can simultaneously hold ourselves accountable for our own capacity & growth, whilst allowing room for the flexibility to be responsive to the needs of the relationships that our work, life and other people pose.

It's an interesting experience for clients to have the Whole of them-Selves met.

Coaching from an Integral perspective is an ever evolving methodology.

Integral coaching is wholesome in nature by looking at the separate elements - the person, their interior world, relationships and their role in the environment, as a whole.

It is, at this point in time, the most comprehensive way to build someone’s competence to thrive in all areas of life.

The integral map is an all-inclusive comprehensive map that looks at variable cross-cultural studies to create an in-depth, across the board map that includes the profound elements from all of them combined.

"Have you ever felt a deep yearning, or even just a faint whisper within, which keeps you searching for an elusive sense of truly being... home?

My deep yearning to find a greater sense of connection, belonging and even a deeper meaning in my life grew more and more as I realised how disconnected many of us currently feel. I started to think “what might be happening to make me feel like this…?”

Much of the human race, according to ideas of transpersonal psychology, is currently living in a “personal stage” of consciousness, where there is a distinct experience of a psyche/ego (with one speaking from the “I” perspective). In this stage humans feel motivated by individual success and progress and we measure the quality of our lives by what we own and possess. We orient ourselves in the world through a sense of separate I-dentity. This is shifting yet still very much present.

We continue to act in fear of failure, based on a belief that it is possible to fail.

The failure belief

This belief, that one has the ability to fail, then permeates. Working behind the scenes, it infiltrates the way we show up in our relationships, our leadership style, our personal habits.

As leaders the tendency to fear failure can lead us to over control, micromanaging our teams, systems and culture, whilst stifling individual autonomy and creativity. We want so desperately to succeed, that we work endlessly to create scenarios towards a perfect, ideal of what we should be achieving. The hamster wheel continues.

Photo: Marion at our 2019 Arctic Leadership Program

Whether it be a work, personal, family or romantic relationship, Zen Buddhism believes there to be three gardens that require nurturing.

However, not all three require you.

There’s:
My Garden
Your Garden
Our Garden

These exist in any relationship.

When we look at solving complex issues such as global warming, inequality, human rights and poverty for example, we need to look at the system as a whole.

No matter where we look, in which system we engage, anywhere where we incorporate diversity, a system will thrive.

It's the difference between us, that makes the difference.

There’s so much richness in this view of reality, don’t you think? I grew up learning that a tree was a tree and I am me, which of course contains partial truth but through working with Deep Ecology, more of the WHOLE truth is revealed.