Doing the Being; together

I'm sitting in the sun, listening to a mix of birds chirp as trains busy ~ sensing into what's stayed with me over the last few days;

last week Shelley Barlow and I hosted a bunch of rad healthcare humans at my Wise digs for an exploration into embodied relational presence.

As I write this, part of me half giggles as if saying 'this is impossible, c'mon go get a cup of tea and do your notes that are waiting for you';

another part stays rooted on the spot and seriously queries - what do those words even mean, all together in a row like that?

Another part asks, is it even possible to put words into sentences to describe something that exists pre words?

I know these parts well;

they have been my loyal companions any time I write a piece bringing attention to the "soup" ~ the pre-verbal, pre-reflective, R brain experience, the here, the now, the sensory, relational, embodied-ness that has not yet been interpreted;

that which does not get much airtime in healthcare; in physiotherapy circles.

I notice I speed up as I type the first part, excitedly naming what we tend to miss ~ it's like I'm on a bit on a run on, as if we might get some traction with "this stuff" if we add more words, different pathways, demonstrate "proof";

we might make what I believe so damn important, well:

seen, valued, considered;

and then I notice I slow down and sigh as I come to the reality of this;

how so much relies on the "chunk" data in our healthcare world - the L brained, reflective and reflexive, formed, contained, categorised data ~ the required concrete-ness for the other to be.

And then a smile forms, remembering;

there's a devious twitch alongside a bold broadness;

so many moments of being in the soup with those who came to explore alongside each other;

a part of them knew where we were headed, and other parts of them looked to anchor in the familiar, in the way we have been taught learning.

I knew we were going to be okay there together when the first big group silence was met with a willingness imbued with spaciousness, respect, and courage.

An image of us walking a tight rope emerges;

a fine line, a tension;

a place where so much energy,

and attention

goes into

staying balanced, central, calm, upright;

so much responsibility;

efforting;

pressure;

performance;

a heaviness is here;

and then as our bodies begin to fold,

following what they might need;

ripples of movement challenge the rigidity;

new forms form;

balance can skew;

we question together - what will this hold?

what will happen if we allow a tiny surrender?

with inquiry comes another angle:

we let our heads turn,

they're making new shapes,

we're taking in our surroundings;

what else might be here (?)

and then we see what was missed all along - the crashmats below (!)

the pillowy goodness;

the form that shifts with our bodies;

follows our lead;

makes space for difference;

for movement and stillness;

stillness and movement;

holding us;

taking over the holding for us;

giving our bodies somewhere to land and be:

and be held;

together.

And we stayed there;

and something new took form;

our becoming of soup-hanging comrades;

sometimes awkward;

sometimes urgent;

sometimes relieving;

and also a contentedness from doing the being.

Our listening and sharing;

and sensing;

and sharing and listening

~ from this place ~

took on a quality that allowed for an emerging richness;

an aliveness;

a presence;

that is so vital for the health of our health, our client's health; the health of our relationships, and the health of our healthcare system.