True Perspective

"The voyage of discovery lies not in finding new landscapes but in finding new eyes." Marcel Proust

The Big Picture

When Rusty Schweikert made his space walk from Apollo 9 and saw the earth as a whole, it changed him forever: ‘Frames and boundaries over which we fight are not real from the perspective of space. Individual responsibility comes out of that direct experience of seeing the planet as a whole … there is no longer room on the planet for a concept that is so fundamentally “them and us” … we are all interconnected.’

But this sort of revelation, fortunately, is not reserved only for astronauts. We can make a similar journey internally. It’s all about perspective. It is about opening up to a richer and deeper view of existence, a sense of wholeness. Climbing into a metaphorical spacecraft and seeing the big picture.

So how?

Move your mind to a place of new perspective and you can think laterally. Move your whole being to a place of higher perspective and not only does your thinking change, but a whole new world opens up. This is what connecting with your core is all about. It is not somewhere you can reach by thinking. It requires an integration of awareness. And tapping into the wisdom of the body is a fabulous way to get there. It is like a portal to a whole new way of being in the world.

This is something people report time and time again, when we work with them in the Senssoma process. We guide them into through wisdom of the body, and through heightened sensory awareness into a profound sense of self. We then help them create what we call a Senssoma blueprint, a unique pattern of qualities and life elements that represents who they are. Unforeseen possibilities present themselves, and creative solutions often appear. Quite a boon if you’re running a large company, or are in the midst of a life transition. Or are just plain feeling stuck.

What really matters

Steve, the creative designer in a large advertising company, loved what he did, thriving on creative buzz of a dynamic team. There was a problem, however. More often than not, he felt conflict with the values espoused by the companies his ads were promoting. As a result, his energy and enthusiasm beginning to wane. He wanted to break away and set up his own business, but lacked the courage to do so. In working with him he gained a new clarity about his abilities, and about what truly mattered to him. We invited him to engage with (or ‘wear) his chosen life themes, and in so doing, feel how they fitted. When he engaged with the theme that addressed the new business, the power and clarity he felt was electrifying. He could feel himself in the role he wished, with a fluid creative flow, and a team of excited people around him. The path ahead came into focus. Within weeks he had joined with other like-minded people and started his own advertising business. The energy and inspiration he felt, and still feels two years later, in his life is tremendous.

The best sort of goals

When setting goals, many people rely largely on their mental abilities and are often unconsciously informed by the 'shoulds' and 'ought tos' of conditioned living. As a result, many set goals that, on a deeper level, they actually don’t want. Consequently they either don’t get there (because subconsciously they sabotage themselves), or if they do get there they feel unsatisfied or confused. In our lives we receive many messages from family, from the media, from friends and colleagues about how we are meant to live in the world. Many of these are in conflict not only with each other, but also with our deepest aspirations. Get rich, don’t be greedy; be bold and competitive, be responsible; be a hero, be a homebody. It’s easy to feel confused, and easy also to be left harbouring a nagging feeling that you are not doing what you are supposed to be doing.

This kind of inner conflict can manifest in many ways, such as cynicism, hopelessness, lack of humour, rigidity, and fixation on hierarchical structures such as IQ, status, money, and on beauty, or even health problems. Some of the individuals we have worked with have come to the realisation that not giving themselves permission to enjoy certain aspects of their life, actually led to physical ailments. This makes sense when we consider the fact that when our energy reserves are depleted by being channelled towards dealing with stress or frustration, there isn’t enough energy left to support regenerative processes and replenish lost resources, repair damage and fight off illness. Naturally health can then suffer.

Your body is your friend

The body doesn’t lie. It is an immensely powerful source of wisdom when used with presence. On offer is immense clarity and vision which, when accessed, delivers a current of vitality and wellbeing that can move under, around, over and through any obstacles to a fulfilling life. And it doesn’t necessarily require leaving your job and making drastic changes. Sometimes just bringing more balance is what is called for.

Andrea, the manager of a consultancy firm, enjoyed her job, the security it gave, and the team camaraderie, but the work left her feeling stressed. She knew something had to change, but couldn’t figure out how.

When we worked together, Andrea came to a deep realisation that she was taking care of everyone else except herself. She came to understand that two life elements in particular were hugely energising for her: sport and self-expression. And yet she had completely neglected them over the past years. She became emotional when she engaged with the powerful opening that these two elements gave her, and realised she needed to get her life into balance.

Within weeks Andrea was getting back into her greatest love, cycling, and had started dance classes. She even booked herself a cycling holiday. Contrary to her expectations she was still able to get her work done as well, if not better, because she felt so much happier in herself. The improved balance in her life enabled her to be more efficient and productive at home and work.

A little bit of perspective did Steve and Andrea a whole heap of good.

Rachel flower