“Beautiful,” she said, as I fumbled my way through a new movement sequence. Hearing her voice I relaxed a bit more, my attention moved from what was awkward to where I felt at ease, helping me drop into the moment and get the choreography with less strain.
My teacher’s voice carried more than vacant affirmations, it was rhythmic, coherent, and grounded. Listening to her I felt carried, as I do when I listen to a good beat. I trusted her words, enough to move into the unknown and push myself to the threshold of what I thought was physically possible.
I’m in my living room attending a movement class over zoom. In this class, I find myself in planks, upside-down, and in other postures where I can’t see the screen. All I have to guide me in these moments is my teacher’s voice. Her voice literally orients me and gives me purpose and direction.
This teacher’s voice has been a consistent thread that has pulled me through the ups and downs of life, from wildfires to the lockdown. Her voice has guided me over my growth edges and is one of many voices that both remind me of who I am and nudge me to discover more of who I can be.
Today I’m thinking about how voice is one of the visceral reminders that I exist in a web of relationships. As someone who is passionate about network practice, this notion has always fascinated yet it is becoming more and more of a reality.
There are days when I’m moved forward by my connection with another. Whether it’s a word of encouragement, from someone like my movement teacher or a piece of direct yet constructive feedback from a friend, I’m nudged forward on my path. The expression of these relationships reminds me of where I am, who is around me, and of the shared space between us.
Then there are those certain people in my life who magnetize me forward. You could say they inspire me, yet when I am in their presence I feel the life force rise up within me and more of me show up to that moment. Sometimes they say something, that sparks possibility within me, sometimes they encourage me or remind me of something, and other times they don’t utter a single word, and still, I am moved.
There is a magnetic quality that shines through them. It reverberates in the background of the conversation, it shines through a zoom screen and even an image. My being can register it right away, it’s atmospheric and resonant. My mind, on the other hand, may not catch on to it until later. One way I’ll know is by how I feel after an interaction with someone.
When this resonance is there I’ll feel an afterglow, a reverberation moving through me in the moments hours after our interaction. This quiet force lingers, courting my attention.
I feel it over zoom, I hear it on the phone, through a video, and even in an image. And I wonder, where does it come from, what is its source?
Something I’m watching:
This video about bergamot farmers, popped up one evening when I was watching other videos by Nowness.
Within minutes I was swept into another world of family farming deeply rooted in place. This video illustrates the relationship with bergamot and with Calabria shaped these farmers’ lives. The art direction is exquisite and the lines of the farmers are steeped in metaphor and quiet beauty.
Something I’m reading:
In Long-Term Relationships, When Do You Find Yourself Most Drawn to Your Partner?
By Esther Perel and Mary Alice Miller
This morning I watched a talk with David Whyte and Esther Perel. Together they spoke about topics such as shyness, ambivalence, and the necessity of giving our partners and ourselves enough freedom so that we can stay connected with the spark that keeps the connection alive. Esther Perel also spoke about the moments when we are most drawn to our partner, and what these moments can reveal about our relationships. This article dives into this topic in depth.
Connecting & Apprenticing with the Deep Voice
Friday’s - June 24th, & July 1st, 4:00-6:00pm PDT
Saturday’s - June 25th, & July 2nd, 9:00-11:00 am AEST
This 2-part class is for people who have caught a glimpse of the creative potential that is beyond their everyday minds and want to learn to engage with this potential more often.
It is a class about expression, bringing more of the essence of your deep voice forward in ways that flow and that feel aligned with your nature.
The deep voice is interesting because it arises from a place within you that is beyond words. When we connect with our deep voice we can speak without saying a thing, in essence, we become able to cultivate our presence. Spaces are limited!
Learn more HERE
Reclaiming Choice and Agency in a Networked World - Article
By Elsa Henderson & Jannik Kaiser
My colleague and friend Jannik Kaiser and I co-wrote an article on choice and agency in a networked world. Jannik is the co-founder of an organization called Unity Effect that offers training, consulting, and impact evaluation, to build capacities and guide the process of leading change at every step of the journey from purpose to meaningful impact.
In the article we explore:
The difference between choice and decision; and why awareness of choice matters - as a (fundamental) way to engage with life.
Different levels of networks & systems and how to navigate the levels with agency.
How to choose with your whole being - as a means to align your deeper values and actions.
Exercises and prompts to practice choice as a capacity.