Now for something a little different (3 of 5)

Day 2 - Wednesday

As human beings, we need silence. Yet in the work environment, there is rarely a moment of it. Do you remember when at work you were able to sit silently and reflect?  I certainly don't. Sitting down (seemingly) doing nothing is an invitation for someone to come over and ask you a question. Sound familiar?

Well this programme builds in time to think. In fact as we entered the work room this morning, it was clearly stated that we should not talk to anyone, we should just sit down and answer a few questions in our notepads. I tell you that felt different. Good different, well at least for me. As an introverted thinker, I need this time, but don’t always give it to myself. So when this time was given to me, I took it with both hands. I felt included. I felt that my needs were being met. I felt I could breathe and that there was time for me to gather my thoughts. Others felt less comfortable, they preferred to talk and exchange.

The gift of silence and pausing was a reoccurring theme throughout the day. There were often comments on the insights that came from a pause, the leanings that came from silence. Sounds strange, how can anything happen when nothing is happening?  Well it did. Repeatedly so. In fact much of the feedback that was offered was slow down, take a pause, ground yourself and take a deep breath. Do I see a shift here? 

The heart was also referred to a number of times, or reference to the gut. It seems that we only work with our brain these days. What happened to our other internal organs? Today we practiced bringing that in. It popped up in many ways, in our language, our physical actions and even in our drawings. It seems we are desperate to bring the heart back into corporate life. I heard people say "Bring in the LOVE!!!!"

One final insight before I collapse into my bed is the rawness in which we exist. You see, up until yesterday I didn’t not know the people in the room, yet today, 1.5 days into our relationship, each of them gave me feedback on me. They had to do it spontaneously and quietly. Boom! They nailed it. They said things about me that they could not possibly have known. They showered me with words that meant so much. How had they seen these things? How could they know that I was like this? Yet somehow they did. I guess we are all naked after all. We are fully exposed and out there for all to see. Yet I don’t know about you, but I thought I hid most of it and covered it up with a corporate cloak. Well I am here to blast that misconception away, we are all exposed and raw when we are learning. And you know what, that is absolutely wonderful. We all saw the beauty of it and recognized it. Now how amazing is that?

So I go to bed grateful, grateful that I am tired, grateful that I have a bed to rest in.

Good night