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Oya's Newsletter: "Roots & Wings"
October 2004: Volume 1, Issue 7.
Newsletter
Archive
Written &
Published by Philippa Kennealy, MD, MPH
Contents
Welcome Note
Oya News
Feature
Article: Joyously,
Drunkenly, Serenely, Divinely Aware.
On Track
Book of the
Month
October
is a transition month when the air feels
different, acknowledging the changing season, no
matter which hemisphere you live in. Despite the
absence of distinct seasons in California, I
hear the faint crackle of drying leaves in the
breeze and smell the first wisps of wood smoke
as people light evening fires. Once again,
change is afoot! A reminder to begin wrapping up
your accomplishments for 2004, in preparation
for the end-of-year festivities.
Word
must be getting out about the benefits of having
your own coach for personal and professional
fulfillment!
In
September, I encountered an upswing in interest
in coaching and got not only more inquiries and
“takers” for my f*ree 40-minute introductory
sessions, but also added new clients each week.
I am rejoicing as much in the growth of my
business as in the knowledge that every-day
people, not just high-powered corporate
executives, are availing themselves of rewarding
partnerships with me, and other coaches, who are
noting the same trend.
If you, or anyone else you know, may benefit from individual coaching and wish to learn more, please
contact me for your f*ree 40-minute coaching session!
If
you enjoy this newsletter, please share it with
someone else who may enjoy it too.
Feature
Article: Joyously, Drunkenly, Serenely, Divinely
Aware!
“The
aim of life is to live, and to live means to be
aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely
aware” - Henry Miller
I
have this quote on my corkboard and have seen it
often enough that it has become an irony for me
– I am no longer aware that it is even there!
To
boost our immunity to modern life’s stresses
and to alleviate the malaise that strikes us
periodically, we are exhorted to become more
aware, to live more consciously, moment to
moment. This perspective is daunting for most of
us, unless we have faced some profound
life-altering circumstance such as a brush with
our mortality. Those who have faced death or an
equally challenging circumstance say that they
live more in the moment. For the rest of us, our
sheer health and vigor create the kind of
invincibility that makes tomorrow’s tasks more
significant than the pure existence of now.
So
how do we become joyously, drunkenly, serenely,
divinely aware?
One
path to a moment of complete awareness I have
discovered is to be a fully attentive listener.
How many of you have been in the company of
someone who gives you their complete attention
as you talk? So much so that time seems warped -
it appears to slow down, and yet, when the
conversation is over, you feel as if it were
minutes instead of an hour. Such a listener
seems to be absorbing you as much as your words.
For a moment, you are the center of the
universe.
How
frequently have you offered such deep listening
to the person opposite you? If you haven’t
done it for a while, try it. By quieting your
thoughts and preformed comments or questions,
and focusing entirely on the person you are in
conversation with, you will likely experience
deep curiosity about him or her. What brings her
joy? What is he really saying? What does she
care about? What does he want from me/someone
else/life? What are her hopes and dreams?
I
cannot say this experience has made me joyously,
drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware. That still
seems a stretch for me. I do know that it
has brought me to a place of empathy, connection
and feeling alive. And that is no mean feat in
our rushed and stressed-out world.
Give
your child, spouse, friend, client, patient, or
partner your total attention in your next
conversation and see what happens. You may be
lucky enough to know joyous, drunken, serene or
divine awareness!
In
“Roots and Wings” Volume 1, Issue 2, I
reviewed a favorite book of mine, Taming Your Gremlin - Revised Edition,
by Rick Carson. He named our
Inner Critics “Gremlins” – those voices
that provide much of our internal self-bashing
dialog and debate.
Just
who are these Gremlins and what function do they
serve?
Think
about a challenge you are having professionally
or personally. Stop and pay attention for a few
minutes to the conversation in your head. What
does it sound like?
“I’ll
never be able to ………”
“What
made me think I could….?”
“I
just can’t…..”
“I
really must………”
“I
have to/need to/ought to……..”
“I
shouldn’t ……….”
The
list is endless, and the dialog leaves you
feeling heavy or discontented.
While
growing up, we had to learn how to fit in to the
norms and expectations of our immediate and
larger society. We discovered that, to be
accepted, we needed to curb many of our natural
inclinations and instincts. This was about
survival, after all! We internalized the many
voices of our parents, teachers and other
authority figures in our efforts to conform.
These voices functioned as our protectors.
As
adults, we understand better how to make our way
through society, and no longer require the
instructions that shaped our childhood
development. Unfortunately, for most if not all
of us, our internalized voices have acquired
lives of their own, to the extent that they now
seem to define who we are and how we MUST think.
Their function has now changed from protection
to maintaining the status quo.
“The
Comfort Zone is for keeping yourself safe from
all Imaginary Harm. Do not leave your Creative
and Resourceful Self unattended!!”
In
coaching, one of the first major pieces of work
my clients and I do together is to have them
familiarize themselves, and me, with the one or
more Gremlins that have seized control of the
cockpit.
We
examine whether each thought or decision point
that shows up moves my clients towards more
fulfilling and balanced lives, or whether it is
a Gremlin decoy – the Gremlin is succeeding at
its job of putting obstacles in the path towards
a richer and more desirable life. It’s keeping
the clients “safe” from any risk and any
unfamiliar experience, such as opting to Live A
Bigger Life.
Next
time you spot a Gremlin-type dialog in your
thoughts, ask yourself:
As
Rick Carson writes, the very first step to
taming your Gremlins is to recognize their
existence and their impact on you.
This
must be a spiritual month for me right now as,
in addition to my feature article, I have chosen
to review a part-scientific, part-spiritual
movie this month (instead of a book). “What
the Bleep Do We Know?” is a fascinating and
visceral-stirring movie that is “part
documentary, part story, and part elaborate and
inspiring visual effects and animations. The
protagonist, Amanda, played by Marlee Matlin,
finds herself in a fantastic Alice in Wonderland
experience when her daily, uninspired life
literally begins to unravel, revealing the
uncertain world of the quantum field hidden
behind what we consider to be our normal, waking
reality” (from the movie website).
As
Amanda journeys from apathy, stress and anxiety
to unexpected knowledge about her reality and
the freedom she has to choose and to create her
life, we learn about parallel realities of
quantum physics, infinite possibilities,
evidence for the power of our thoughts and
intentions to create our futures, and our
fundamental interconnectedness. While the story
is not central to the effectiveness of the
movie, the interviews with quantum physicists,
physician researchers and mystics provoke a
sense of wonder and marvel, at what is invisible
yet full of power and influence.
I
urge you to see it with a friend or loved one,
and enjoy your lively discussion afterwards!
Please
forward this newsletter to a client, friend,
relative or acquaintance that might enjoy
reading it.
Have
a great month!
Philippa Kennealy MD MPH
The Vision Realization Process
President, Oya Consulting
Dr. Philippa Kennealy is an Executive and
Personal Coach, dedicated to your professional
and personal success and fulfillment. To
schedule an initial FR*EE consultation, to learn
more, or to inquire about having her speak to
your group or organization, contact her at:
pkennealy@oyaconsulting.com or
click here.
SHARE THE WEALTH
If you enjoy this newsletter and want others to
benefit, please forward this copy to family,
friends or colleagues. I truly appreciate your
loyalty and interest.
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