Surfaces
Iceland: NikonD3s
“By turning from the surface, one comes closer to the inner laws of matter, which are also the laws of the Spirit.”
(Piet Mondrian)
Surfaces are invitations to endless discovery.
Yet we are often afraid to look.
A simple ‘How are you?’ will most likely be met with ‘Fine…’
But, in these insecure times, most of us are really not fine.
A splash below the mirrored surface of fine will take us into a deeper territory of anxiety and fear as the precarious future looms: for ourselves, our loved ones and for our communities.
Then, diving deeper we might find concern for our wider well-being: for our planet and her ecosystem, for political stability and peace, for economic balance and social equity.
Each of which feel jeopardised as our systems creek under the crazy imposition of unrelenting demand and growth.
So, we are right to feel concerned. Our concern shows our potential for connection; a yearning for wellbeing and humanity.
As Jeanette Winterson says, "To be illadjusted to a deranged world is not breakdown."
We often speak of a need for individual resilience to armour ourselves against the effects of challenging circumstances. Perhaps if we can be less sensitive, find strength and bravery, we will find ways to cope and be the match of whatever the future throws at us.
But our yearning will not be satisfied by resilience or strength, it’s about vulnerability and care.
Over the last few months, I’ve been joining in a number of small groups where we have spent time simply being alongside each other. Within a structured and contained process, we have each taken turns to occupy a few minutes of protected time where they can be seen, heard, witnessed. They are often called listening circles, circles of meaning, witnessing sessions or simply a few moments to get to know each other and what is on our minds.
The effect is profound and transformational.
As we look below the surface of fine and into the deeper waters, we find each other again.
Which is what will see us through.
Notes:
Take a scroll through Twitter for @brigidrussell51 and @charlie_psych who host virtual #SpacesForListening as moments of psychological safety, moments when we can really be present with each other. As one of their participants noted: “We've all felt the connective, humanising & normalising power of this simple way of coming together. We now have our own Network to provide peer support!”
These website pages are peppered with my ‘visual’ version of offering spaces for people to be seen; whether through conventional dialogue, Photo-Dialogues or video - do scroll through at your leisure!
Have a look at Nic Askew’s work in this space. His ‘Soul Biographies, Inner View and ‘The Point of Us’ work all show us how a video camera or, these days, an iPhone can capture consciousness. You can also scroll back to my Raw blogpost to see an example of work done by some of my inquiry colleagues as I took my turn ‘on camera.’
Finally, I’m indebted to @kxgrave2002 for reminding me of Wendell Berry’s, The Peace of the Wild Things - a collection of beautifully simple poems that remind us to take time out, find our way into the natural world and immerse ourselves in the peace that surrounds us.
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