What a pilgrimage of thought and spirit! There's so much I connected with here. I'll give attention to a specific thought you shared, which was an aspect of Contemplative Leadership being "Feeling present in situations where we once felt disconnection."
I'm learning this in my life-- these "if-only" parts are so often in the drivers seat, and the same can be said to-scale; we live in a culture where "if-only" parts run the show. My contemplative practice is helping me notice when I reach the limit of what these "if-only" parts can do for me, and it's also making possible a new capacity to be present, aware, and connected in situations that typically lead to the experience of disconnection. Just yesterday I paused in the middle of a meeting when I was getting triggered, noticed my spine, a even that tablespoon of presence was growth for me.
Lastly: some half-baked thoughts on wisdom that connect me to contemplative leadership: I'm really curious about capital W "Wisdom" lately, specifically Wisdom as a spiritual substance already universally among us (I'm thinking of the Jewish wisdom tradition, Proverbs 8, etc.). My experience of growth as of late has felt a lot like being led by Wisdom-- this spirit/substance/presence that is the Sherpa for the place beyond where our "if-only" parts can take us. There's something reverent, gracious, and orienting around returning to Wisdom as a mantra of sorts; in any case, returning to this notion of Wisdom has really facilitated me coming into a "connected plus aware" state, so I'm sticking with it!
Thanks @ChrisLaRue. Its so often "can I catch" that this just happened in my body- that I disconnected (in my own way, be it plow through, defend, shut down...). To pause when you catch it, "the table spoon of presence" is the choice to connect. I love that
This personification of Wisdom has me thinking. How would you differentiate between Wisdom as WHERE/PATH, and Wisdom as HOW/ACTIVITY? More on this later
Troy, I am aware of a pattern I have of reading and listening to lots of things from Substack and Facebook and podcasts online, where other people share their experiences and wisdom, while seldom feeling that I internalize or access the wisdom in myself. I’m aware that reading your reflection here is a different experience because I feel like I’ve known you through this journey more closely, thus I am more aware of our sacred connection.
One part that jumped out to me, is the quote: “Energy follows attention.”2 By consistently shifting our attention toward our inherent giftedness and sacred connection, we free ourselves from suffering’s hidden authority—what many recognize as the influence of trauma.
I’m experiencing a lot of suffering these days and probably a fair amount of depression, so this is a good reminder of where to put my attention. Thank you and much love to you! 💕
It's powerful that our friendship created the conditions to connect more to the writing. And that such connection makes it more "internalized."
What a gutsy comment on Suffering, @Paulette! Suffering is such a challenging topic, because to mention it is to open the desire and needs to eliminate suffering. I am touched by the adaptation from the Buddhist Meta prayer, "may you be free from suffering's authority" which puts the healing on the person's attention, the root of so much suffering. Is that close to what you're saying?
Meanwhile, to be sure, pain, loss, and depression are very real circumstances (physical, chemical, social, etc)! So I'll add the other parts of the Meta prayer: "may you know-experience happiness, joy and ease." Your comment brought up a bit of each, for me. Thanks!
What I wonder about in is the nature of connection. A friend/colleague/teacher of mine named the basis of our existence is relationship which I've been marinating on since he said it. Since then I've read several books on the triadic underpinning of the Cosmos. I'm curious @Troy, how you're relating to the relationality of our existence with the distinction of awareness-plus-connection? In this moment I hold, Awareness is connection, they're inseparable. Perhaps, it's the difference of awareness being our reflexive awareness (small "a") and Awareness (big "A") as a state of being. How do you see it?
In leadership/business/coaching sense I would say if my awareness begins and ends with me, then everyone else is reduced to power- supporting cast, or an outside cause to overcome (protagonist to appease or antagonist to resist). This is disconnection, individualistic mythos and unsustainable (not to mention not influential.) Flow requires others-awareness, listening from the whole, eco-consiousness (see Otto Scharmer) balcony-and-dance-floor.
In a deeper phenomenological sense here's what I would say: Jim Finely has a beautiful 7 stage process of contemplative healing I'll plan to unpack later, but I think it addresses your point so here's a short reply:
Ego-Consciousness > Awareness > Connection > Foundness >Practice >Consent > Courageous Action. In summary, FInley sees that simple ego-consciousness (a la good therapy or self awareness) needs deepened Awareness (like mindfulness) and then Connection (feeling grounded within or as a part of life/earth/community). These three combine to set up "axial moments" such as an epiphany, a mountaintop experience, or a dark night of the soul, or even the suffering at rock bottom where (*and here's to your point, Adam) the individuals sense their "Foundness" Their I-Am presence, as the eminence or outpouring of Presence (I can hear Finley's words "infinite love, infinitely giving itself away as the concrete immediacy of this very moment" or "in the field of suffering is found the pearl of great price").
Or take Howard Thurman's Sound of the Genuine: I have to know what my name is, I have to listen for the genuine, and then I am able to hear the sound of the genuine in you-- I can go down in me and come up in you.
I take all this to say that, regardless of how specific your cosmology/theology may be, there is a healing spot of allowing, in which awareness moves from ego-aware, and mindfully-aware into to big A Aware (participation).
I'll add that Thurman and Finley both seem to locate "practice" as fidelity to the access or axial moment of "Foundness" -- to not break faith with my awakened heart. So the Big-A- Awareness is not a discovery to colonize or identify with, but an inner treasure to come upon (found in the field and so we buy the farm), leading to habituation of living from that connected place. It's in such practice that we combine mind-heart-will into "the nerve center of our consent"-- what Thurman says is "your crucial link to the eternal"
Tell me more about triadic underpinning of Cosmos. And "reflex" awareness. I'm intrigued
I've been sitting with this and a some new writing emerging about the triadic nature/law of three which I'll share here when done. Initial rough cut, we could use the affirming force of connection which *is* and which can encounter or be combined with our small 'a' awareness, which at the moment I would equate with conscious thinking, -- whether the thinking is encouraging the idea of connection or resisting/contracting against it for whatever reason, it is a reflexive move (referencing of self). In this place we include a receptivity/welcoming (third force) which gives rise to state in which deeper unity.
ref: Trinity & Law of Three by Cynthia Bourgealt, Christophany by Raimon Panikkar, Rhythm of Being by Panikkar, Consenting to God as God is by Thomas Keating
"Belonging is about bringing us back into the world around us, and back into relationships with others..."
Troy, so much to identify with here- in my 72.5 years of life as a relative hermit, despite having an active work life and continual "growth," many of those same patterns of wandering transcontinentally to the next "promise of glory" might seem to be fruitless, when compared (another roadblock) to others' achievements.
Yet, COVID was a turning point for me to slowly contemplate and tentatively accept the internal permission to go beyond my meager existence as a nontraditional human. When you introduced me- and my twin- to the concepts of which you so eloquently shared during your daily Hive sessions- and introduced thought and spiritual leaders... well it was- and is- life changing.
There is a dichotomy for me still in balancing the need for experiencing dignity in the form of self and interpersonal respect while allowing myself to remain humble, modest, anonymous yet trauma-infused.
Of late, I have internalized self-approval to make significant outward steps towards community, fellowship, and progress in my own lifetime of aspirations. I realize, though, success does not just mean rewards or gains in a tangible sense. And yes, to paraphrase you, allowing myself to relinquish the control we deem necessary to effect change and influence others is a mighty ongoing feat of endurance. Especially in the dark.
What a pilgrimage of thought and spirit! There's so much I connected with here. I'll give attention to a specific thought you shared, which was an aspect of Contemplative Leadership being "Feeling present in situations where we once felt disconnection."
I'm learning this in my life-- these "if-only" parts are so often in the drivers seat, and the same can be said to-scale; we live in a culture where "if-only" parts run the show. My contemplative practice is helping me notice when I reach the limit of what these "if-only" parts can do for me, and it's also making possible a new capacity to be present, aware, and connected in situations that typically lead to the experience of disconnection. Just yesterday I paused in the middle of a meeting when I was getting triggered, noticed my spine, a even that tablespoon of presence was growth for me.
Lastly: some half-baked thoughts on wisdom that connect me to contemplative leadership: I'm really curious about capital W "Wisdom" lately, specifically Wisdom as a spiritual substance already universally among us (I'm thinking of the Jewish wisdom tradition, Proverbs 8, etc.). My experience of growth as of late has felt a lot like being led by Wisdom-- this spirit/substance/presence that is the Sherpa for the place beyond where our "if-only" parts can take us. There's something reverent, gracious, and orienting around returning to Wisdom as a mantra of sorts; in any case, returning to this notion of Wisdom has really facilitated me coming into a "connected plus aware" state, so I'm sticking with it!
Thanks @ChrisLaRue. Its so often "can I catch" that this just happened in my body- that I disconnected (in my own way, be it plow through, defend, shut down...). To pause when you catch it, "the table spoon of presence" is the choice to connect. I love that
This personification of Wisdom has me thinking. How would you differentiate between Wisdom as WHERE/PATH, and Wisdom as HOW/ACTIVITY? More on this later
Troy, I am aware of a pattern I have of reading and listening to lots of things from Substack and Facebook and podcasts online, where other people share their experiences and wisdom, while seldom feeling that I internalize or access the wisdom in myself. I’m aware that reading your reflection here is a different experience because I feel like I’ve known you through this journey more closely, thus I am more aware of our sacred connection.
One part that jumped out to me, is the quote: “Energy follows attention.”2 By consistently shifting our attention toward our inherent giftedness and sacred connection, we free ourselves from suffering’s hidden authority—what many recognize as the influence of trauma.
I’m experiencing a lot of suffering these days and probably a fair amount of depression, so this is a good reminder of where to put my attention. Thank you and much love to you! 💕
It's powerful that our friendship created the conditions to connect more to the writing. And that such connection makes it more "internalized."
What a gutsy comment on Suffering, @Paulette! Suffering is such a challenging topic, because to mention it is to open the desire and needs to eliminate suffering. I am touched by the adaptation from the Buddhist Meta prayer, "may you be free from suffering's authority" which puts the healing on the person's attention, the root of so much suffering. Is that close to what you're saying?
Meanwhile, to be sure, pain, loss, and depression are very real circumstances (physical, chemical, social, etc)! So I'll add the other parts of the Meta prayer: "may you know-experience happiness, joy and ease." Your comment brought up a bit of each, for me. Thanks!
What I wonder about in is the nature of connection. A friend/colleague/teacher of mine named the basis of our existence is relationship which I've been marinating on since he said it. Since then I've read several books on the triadic underpinning of the Cosmos. I'm curious @Troy, how you're relating to the relationality of our existence with the distinction of awareness-plus-connection? In this moment I hold, Awareness is connection, they're inseparable. Perhaps, it's the difference of awareness being our reflexive awareness (small "a") and Awareness (big "A") as a state of being. How do you see it?
Love this @Adam.
In leadership/business/coaching sense I would say if my awareness begins and ends with me, then everyone else is reduced to power- supporting cast, or an outside cause to overcome (protagonist to appease or antagonist to resist). This is disconnection, individualistic mythos and unsustainable (not to mention not influential.) Flow requires others-awareness, listening from the whole, eco-consiousness (see Otto Scharmer) balcony-and-dance-floor.
In a deeper phenomenological sense here's what I would say: Jim Finely has a beautiful 7 stage process of contemplative healing I'll plan to unpack later, but I think it addresses your point so here's a short reply:
Ego-Consciousness > Awareness > Connection > Foundness >Practice >Consent > Courageous Action. In summary, FInley sees that simple ego-consciousness (a la good therapy or self awareness) needs deepened Awareness (like mindfulness) and then Connection (feeling grounded within or as a part of life/earth/community). These three combine to set up "axial moments" such as an epiphany, a mountaintop experience, or a dark night of the soul, or even the suffering at rock bottom where (*and here's to your point, Adam) the individuals sense their "Foundness" Their I-Am presence, as the eminence or outpouring of Presence (I can hear Finley's words "infinite love, infinitely giving itself away as the concrete immediacy of this very moment" or "in the field of suffering is found the pearl of great price").
Or take Howard Thurman's Sound of the Genuine: I have to know what my name is, I have to listen for the genuine, and then I am able to hear the sound of the genuine in you-- I can go down in me and come up in you.
I take all this to say that, regardless of how specific your cosmology/theology may be, there is a healing spot of allowing, in which awareness moves from ego-aware, and mindfully-aware into to big A Aware (participation).
I'll add that Thurman and Finley both seem to locate "practice" as fidelity to the access or axial moment of "Foundness" -- to not break faith with my awakened heart. So the Big-A- Awareness is not a discovery to colonize or identify with, but an inner treasure to come upon (found in the field and so we buy the farm), leading to habituation of living from that connected place. It's in such practice that we combine mind-heart-will into "the nerve center of our consent"-- what Thurman says is "your crucial link to the eternal"
Tell me more about triadic underpinning of Cosmos. And "reflex" awareness. I'm intrigued
@troy (annoying you can't formally tag people)
I've been sitting with this and a some new writing emerging about the triadic nature/law of three which I'll share here when done. Initial rough cut, we could use the affirming force of connection which *is* and which can encounter or be combined with our small 'a' awareness, which at the moment I would equate with conscious thinking, -- whether the thinking is encouraging the idea of connection or resisting/contracting against it for whatever reason, it is a reflexive move (referencing of self). In this place we include a receptivity/welcoming (third force) which gives rise to state in which deeper unity.
ref: Trinity & Law of Three by Cynthia Bourgealt, Christophany by Raimon Panikkar, Rhythm of Being by Panikkar, Consenting to God as God is by Thomas Keating
"Belonging is about bringing us back into the world around us, and back into relationships with others..."
Troy, so much to identify with here- in my 72.5 years of life as a relative hermit, despite having an active work life and continual "growth," many of those same patterns of wandering transcontinentally to the next "promise of glory" might seem to be fruitless, when compared (another roadblock) to others' achievements.
Yet, COVID was a turning point for me to slowly contemplate and tentatively accept the internal permission to go beyond my meager existence as a nontraditional human. When you introduced me- and my twin- to the concepts of which you so eloquently shared during your daily Hive sessions- and introduced thought and spiritual leaders... well it was- and is- life changing.
There is a dichotomy for me still in balancing the need for experiencing dignity in the form of self and interpersonal respect while allowing myself to remain humble, modest, anonymous yet trauma-infused.
Of late, I have internalized self-approval to make significant outward steps towards community, fellowship, and progress in my own lifetime of aspirations. I realize, though, success does not just mean rewards or gains in a tangible sense. And yes, to paraphrase you, allowing myself to relinquish the control we deem necessary to effect change and influence others is a mighty ongoing feat of endurance. Especially in the dark.
Thanks, Troy.