I've been thinking a lot about how important feeling in rhythm with our lives is. For me, I notice and feel uneasy when things feel too separated or become disjointed. I know I need to find a rhythm with all the things that I am doing in order to feel balanced and in a good flow.
As the new term starts and we all find ourselves reviewing workloads, juggling commitments and trying to make space for new adventures and learning we can feel a little overwhelmed. Over the week ahead I suggest thinking about how you make space for your learning, through the MA and through your practice and begin to feel in rhythm with this term.
Noticing when you're most productive for doing - physical practice, when your thinking happens, how you note, or observe that (formally or informally), noticing when anxiety rises or panic sets in and looking at how to quieten that to focus on what you can do maybe rather than what you can't.
The MA programmes have grown from an embodied perspective - you'll notice through the handbooks that this is the stance we are advocating through this study. An embodied perspective sees 'things' in relationship with each other, so we are suggesting at a fundamental level that you begin to see your 'practice', 'work', 'home life' in relationship with each other not as seperate entities that may manifest as conflict for you, with time management for example.
As we move through week 2 and you settle into the term, try to take ownership of your learning, the rhythms you move in to find balance in your study-practice, connect with others via the blogs, with your supervisor, actively make space for your learning now.
what are your thoughts?
Thank you so much Helen for sharing this advice. Very much needed.
ReplyDeleteI am actively trying to find this balance at the moment, and I am very aware I REALLY need to find it as things will get busier and busier...
Hopefully it is all manageable!
Wishing everyone a wonderful evening!
Elly
Being quite a spiritual person, I’m dinding that with beginning the MA program, the days drawing shorter & work building up I need to use the season of autumn as inspiration - reflect, let go & strip back anything that isn’t go to help or serve me. Then use that space to put into place tactics that will enhance my practice. So for me this looks like a little more time for movement & being stricter on my ‘work’ schedule. I have to recognise that it’s in the pauses of ‘not doing’ that the real integration happens & when better, more fulfilling & truthful awareness & advances of my practice will occur.
ReplyDeleteThe art & beauty of the pause & space.
Hope everyone is well & looking forward to our next discussion x
Waking up to this on this particular morning is very inspiring and very reassuring - thank you.
ReplyDeleteRhythm for me involves stopping, pausing, staring; trying to imagine what's next. I have tried to plan my diary meticulously for the next few months, but the stopping and staring will be in there too. Contemplating in this way allows me to prioritise (I think) and to question, each day, whether anything has changed since the day before.
I find myself thinking about my work nearly all the time, and I value this so much. This makes the pausing feel worthwhile and even busy in its own way. The rhythm I feel when I'm pausing is more important than that when I'm on the go - it tells me so much more, and enables me to change me mind.
The pausing anchors the business, it enables me to go and to return. I go to so many places and activate so many roles each day that it's important that I remember that there is somewhere else. I depend on being able to explore these places both in my body and in my thought.
Cheers all.
Thank you Helen for this much needed piece of advice. Finding balance and a rhythm to my practise has always been a challenge. I will definitely work on that.
ReplyDeleteThis is something I have been thinking about too. About the constant adaption to changes in our lives and how the only constant to our development is the fact that we are constantly changing. I find it difficult to find a rhythm at times as I feel I am constantly adapting to my situation and environment. Also it seems that in my life, everything comes at the same time so I am an expert juggler. Prioritising what needs my most immediate attention and letting other things fall by the way side which means that time for me or the practices that I find most beneficial are sometimes lost amongst the needs of others.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this, Helen. It’s definitely helped me uncover more about myself in terms of finding that rhythm and most importantly holding onto it yet still allowing it to flow.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your message Helen. My city has mostly skirted lengthy lockdowns, until 6 weeks ago, with at least another 4 weeks to go. I don’t think we’ll be allowed back into the classroom until February next year and so for the moment a new rhythm is required for myself, my children, my students and their families and my staff.
ReplyDeleteKeeping as close to normal is possible but feels superficial. When everyday life is on standstill, thwarted so to speak, so is the rhythm. I suppose this is what we are calling the ‘new normal’, but at least it’s a rhythm. Keep our eyes on our prize, on whatever that may be - for us here it’s how study will afford growth in our work and our being. Invaluable.