We Create the Universe
It’s time for me to kick things into a higher gear with the Free Coach Training program. The first open exam period has passed, and 31 new coaches have passed the exam! Congrats to those new coaches!
I just finished the Universal Paradigms class, and of course, LOVED IT! (No surprise.)
A few of the things I took away from the class, in the form of quotes:
“The Universe is not only stranger than we know, it’s stranger than we CAN know.”
And yet.. at the same time.. “We create the Universe.” (cue the music to 2001: A Space Oddessy)
Ok! Read that again! Let’s now talk about embracing a big black hole of Paradox!
I can barely talk about this, really, as there isn’t much of a language to talk about this paradox, but I’ll try. So, the human mind, which is part of our human body, a small and insignificant speck in the universe, is insignificant, yet important! Our minds and consciousness HAVE to be held as important, if we can indeed create a Universe that is both “stranger than we know” and “stranger than we can know.” Could there be something more at play? Are we in fact limiting ourselves by our small and insignificant “size” in the massive Universe? Our holographic nature and observation actually collapse the wave-form of our very Universe, so that we can discover it, look at it, measure it, etc. Can it be that all of us simply ARE the Universe waking up to itself? Are we simply projections of energy in carbon-based bodies, here to collect data, co-create the Universe, observe and collapse wave functions, and all the while have fun just not understanding? Hmm.. Ponder that for as long as you like.
I’ve often said to people that “I would rather live a life Discovered than a life of planning.” And all the while, in reality (or.. not..) we create the Universe that we discover (or.. don’t..). Or we do and don’t at the same time..
Coming down to Earth for a moment. What I think I really took away from this, was the thought that “OF COURSE WE’RE MORE.” We’re more than just people out wandering about. We’re more than the sum of our experience. We’re more than our relationships, our thoughts, emotions, etc.
We are more than we know, and we’re more than we CAN know.
For me, when I start to embrace this and believe it, doors start opening up for me. I’m able to choose something different or shift my thinking. I’m able to feel more connected to the Universe and whatever “grand scheme” might be “out there” or coming from my very co-creative consciousness. I feel more connectedness somehow when I think that I’m more than “what I am.” And perhaps any clients, friends, family members, or colleagues we have might benefit in the same way if we passed on this information or “blueprint” into thinking and perceiving ourselves.
So, what might you choose differently if you knew and felt deeply in your consciousness that you were MORE than what you knew, and MORE than what you could know? Would you do the same thing you are doing now? Could you navigate the Universe (that you knew you created) with more ease? Would you need to find a way out of the Paradox? How would you “show up” every day of your life if you knew and felt this?
…Ponder THAT for a while!
Read MoreCoaching Groundwork Class 3
Well, it seems that Julia Stewart is just putting more free coaching courses up on the School of Coaching Mastery web site, so I’m very thrilled! One step at a time though for me. I’m still letting my learning and insights integrate and ruminate – maybe “ferment” if you will. I love the metaphor of “fermentation” – using transformation to give life-giving qualities to things!
This class was about Priming the Pump – allowing for silences and pauses within the rising energy between you and a client, so that the silence too can propel them to sharing more. It was also about Building a Scaffolding – preparing and guiding others through resources, tools, strategies, be they physical or behavioral.
I have to say – my assignments are piling up! LOL. As a web designer, I’m gravely in need of putting up a resource list or “Scaffolding” for my clients and potential clients. I also constantly need to assess and collect my own Scaffolding of resources and tools so that I can both support my clients and support my own self-development and even personal and emotional needs.
I’ll be putting up my “assignments” for this class soon, so you can read more in detail, but I just wanted to get this blog post up sooner! I need to develop a resource page too on my own web stie – http://www.holisticgeek.com/
There’s also another lesson I learned in this class, and it was something that Julia said to one of the other students (I’m paraphrasing again):
“I can’t help but notice the lightness in your voice when you talk about this past situation that was probably painful for you. That lightness can be powerful, and will most likely attract people to you.”
So, for the last three days maybe, I’ve taken this to heart in my conversations with others, and when I speak and interact with others, whether it’s a client, my partner, a friend, or even maybe someone whom I’m having a conflict. My partner started noticing right away.
“Did something change or shift with you, Scott?”
I have to admit, I’m laughing and smiling more, and other things in life that might have troubled me, and I might have shown them more outwardly, seem to be “lighter.” It really makes me wonder..
How much does our language and speech affect our emotional health – or even physical health? If we choose to be lighter in our speech and attitudes about situations or small conflict, how can that change how we navigate through these tough times?
For me, I’m finding myself not dwelling in hurt feelings or “the mud” of conflict by reminding myself of this “lightness” of voice and thought. Instead, I’ve been able to voice my needs better, and try to keep conflict more on track to positive outcomes.
I “fired” one of my clients this week, and I think that I showed a lot of restraint from going into “the story” with them and focusing on keeping the momentum going in a professional way, and offering up ways to make the new arrangement a positive one, because in the past we were both not getting our needs met with one another. And of coarse, I’m learning that even through getting my own needs met, setting good and healthy boundaries, etc, that others may or may not enjoy the boundary setting, and that their reactions are of their choosing, or perhaps a result of “living in their stories” too.
I think that the great value for me thus far with the Coaching Groundwork Class is that I’m learning tools for myself too in getting my own needs met and for maintaining and establishing healthy relationships and boundaries with clients and friends. I’m even enjoying my favorite clients and friends even more now. There’s a bit of a “shedding of old skin” that I’m going through, and Julia’s insights and principles are helping me to explore new ideas and ways of thinking.
I say Yippee!
Read MoreA Possible Coaching Philosophy??
I recently had lunch with a friend of mine who is graduating with his Master’s degree in Psychology, and is on a track to receive his license in Marriage and Family Therapy. I’m really proud of him for all of the strides he’s made!
We talked about how I was taking a coaching course, and he encouraged me to check out the school he went to and look into their coaching certification class (which it might be fun to check out – but part of me is not very interested in re-joining academia for one institution’s approach).
We started talking about Mission Statement, Goals, Objectives, etc. – and a huge statement just flew out of my mouth, and I had to write it down.
“I don’t think I’m interested in the conventional Mission-Objectives-Goals-Criterion-Evaluation model of business development and coaching. I would much rather help people to find the patterns and insights around the edges of chaos and resistance, so that they could more clearly see ‘what is emerging’ in them, so that they can DISCOVER their life instead of just planning it.”
Wow, where did that come from??!
I’ve always been interested in those moments where you hear “audacious statements” that people make – those times where their passion is engaged, and gems of wisdom and discovery just flow out of their normal everyday speech.
My friend was silent for a while, and later he said, “Yeah you should check out the program, but I think you might butt heads with the director!”
We both had good laugh when I said, “Well when is that a new thing with me?”
My friend has loaned me his coaching books from a class he took, so I’m very excited to read some supplemental information while I take my class.
On Thursday next week, I’m also attending a “Coaching Salon” at a coffee shop in my neighborhood.
My journey is gaining momentum and richness already!
Read MoreCoaching Groundwork Class 2
The second Coaching Groundwork class in the Free Coach Training course I’m taking was about “Being Curious and Fine Tuning Your Antenna.” I love how Julia Stewart talks about expanding our intuition and testing it out, picking up on other external stimuli and using it to check in with a client.
But.. For me, this class was more about one BIG statement that she said, that hit me like a freight train. Here’s my paraphrasing of the statement:
Our “Story” is what we make up about the “stuff” in our lives. We choose to live in our stories, but really, they are “made up” and they aren’t true.
Whoa! This statement came to me at a time where I think I needed it most!
(Julia, are you running a coaching class or are you coaching me?!)
Coaching Groundwork Class 1
I’m so glad that I listened to this first 2-hour class again, and as they say in show business, “This time with more feeling.” I also gave myself the assignment of creating my own introduction and to answer the questions asked of the participants in the recording:
- Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
- Why is Coaching important?
- Why might it be important to the world?
- What kinds of clients do you think you might work with? or Who might choose you?
So, apart from the PDF introduction about me, I really took away vast amounts of insight and information from just this first class.
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