My Major Achievement in 2017
“Be grateful for whatever comes because each has been sent as a guide from beyond,” said the 13th century Persian philosopher Rumi. I feel that in the course of my discovery of Gestalt over the last 1 year as part of a Certificate in Advanced Professional Practice, this is exactly how I have been living. I have been grateful for the new experiences offered to me through serendipity and more importantly I feel I have openly embraced them. I am a lot more willing to just ‘jump off the platform’ and see what happens – with the knowledge that the most important tool I have at my disposal is my breath. I still feel fear but I know that I just have to work through it and that to a certain extent most people are also working through their own fears.
Gestalt is a difficult concept to describe. Essentially it’s about being in the “here and now” in every situation and to be very self-aware of how one is making decisions and showing up. It doesn’t attempt to move or “fix” people but rather gives us a new perspective in which to view the world around us. It helps keep us in a constant mode of self-inquiry which is refreshing and perplexing at the same time. With the space held by a brilliant Gestalt practitioner, David Lines (http://www.davidlinesassociates.com/), I slowly and surely peeled away the many layers that I had to get to my core. What an absolutely delightful experience!
How has this certificate in Gestalt impacted me as a professional and more importantly as a person? It has been a wonderful reminder that breathing deeply and being present in the “here and now” is the most fundamental tool in my practice. Every time I was out of synced with myself, I reconnected with a deep breath which helped to calm my nerve. Then I continued by taking just a step forward. This very fundamental and raw connection to myself has helped me in those moments when I felt out of depth with myself in difficult workshop facilitation situations or coaching conversations. Every time I connected with myself, I noticed I was also listening to others better and was able to speak my “truth” with greater clarity.
If you would like to be held in a safe space to explore your inner self, do get in touch with me to book coaching sessions for 2018. I don’t adopt tools or techniques in my coaching sessions but instead let my intuition and the wisdom of my clients guide our conversations.
What was your biggest achievement in 2017? What are your hopes for 2018? I’d love to hear from you.