the Presence Point

Deepening our Reflection

Full moon arising, showering distant hills with milky moonshine. The harvest season is nearly over, the fullness of activity slowing down as the sap retreats into the ground. It is time to taste our innate wisdom.

First, we must learn to taste. This is about reflection, about allowing the mind time to settle in this very moment. Even if most of the leaves have fallen, there may still be apples on the tree, so it is important to take some time to see them there.

Stepping out of the stream of activity for a moment, introducing a pause, we are able to feel what we are feeling. Our hearts and minds begin to enter more fully into our bodies. Our bodies hold an incredible amount of information for us, about how we feel, what we believe, as well as where there is fear and anger. Tuning in to how the body feels can open to us the deeper currents that pulse within us, not just the surface waves of emotion that come and go. Tapping into this deeper stratosphere is an act of accessing our own inner wisdom versus the cosmetic display of emotion.

Tuning in to our inner genuine story allows us, as leaders, to begin to see with accuracy the environment around us. As we taste that accuracy, we begin to be able to make decisions based on the actual reflections of reality as opposed to our superficial likes and dislikes.

Leadership is about guiding from a position of embodied, grounded vision. Vision that is not connected to the reality of the situation is too ephemeral to be realized. Vision that is enmeshed in the muddy ground beneath our feet and has no sense of horizon is often too stuck to be nurtured. Finding the balance point, that sweet spot where vision streams out from the very ground one is standing on towards the horizon is therefore vision that can be nurtured, savored and manifested.

As leaders, being able to connect both to possibility and reality by tasting our own inner wells of wisdom allows us to connect to the wisdom and insight of our constituents and followers. We are tapping into ourselves, which in turn allows us to feel others and act in a way that is of benefit to them.

But it all hinges on this one very simple thing: being able to taste your own innate wisdom. Harvesting that inner intelligence is not something you can do by reading a book (or a blog post). It is not something that someone else can do for you. Only you can harvest your own wisdom and put it to work for you. Only you can know what is truly inside of you, just waiting to be expressed.

Practically speaking, it is actually easier than you might realize. Harvesting our wisdom can be as simple as taking a deep breath, pausing in whatever activity you were just in (do this now!), breathing again and feeling your body. It is about allowing a sense of willingness to feel whatever is arising right now. As you tune in, leaning in to whatever is arising, notice - are you fabricating something or is genuine experience occurring?