wellpdx

Making Contact…

If we allow ourselves to sit and watch the world we will be witness to an ever-flowing movement. A hummingbird flies in for a closer look and then flies back out to safety; a wave from a large body of water comes in to make contact with the earth then retreats, and the Morning Glory flower that gently opens by day and closes by night. All of life is a product of this flow, and as we move in and out of relationships and experiences we also must find our way back to our center to retreat, to rejuvenate and get ready to move forward again.

At our very best we can move from this connection with the world and then withdraw from it easily and at our leisure. However, often our careers and family and other obligations pull us out of this natural rhythm into one that over time can, and will, end up having a negative impact on our lives. If we only move outward and don't take the time to retreat- anxiety, depression, fatigue, over indulging and pulling away from those who generally provide us with the love and support we need are often the outcome.

Each of us has to find a way to take the time to retreat and renew on an ongoing basis. Now

“I was sort of offing gas,” I was saying, until I saw the puzzlement on my colleague’s face and tried to explain. It’s a scuba diver’s phrase related to how long one needs to wait on the surface before it is safe to go back underwater…Perhaps more gracefully described as purposeful pausing before I dive to depth with my next client.

In scuba it’s passive: elapsed time and breathing takes care of it. Not necessarily so for wellness practitioners. Clients bring us their stories, hurts, goals and fears, and we give our whole presence to them. Sometimes when their visit is over it is hard to come back to center, much less make ready for another person.

Depending on our work setting, we may have built-in tasks to transition the time: writing notes, cleaning the room,