Holding Space

4th October 2024

Holding Space

Rated 4.5 out of 5

(25 Reviews)

I’m exploring how I might hold myself whole, how my practice supports me and how I can bring different qualities, energy and presence to projects I manage, meetings I engage in, organisations I work in.

I had a conversation with a wonderful colleague at work who was saying how she really wants to hold space to let projects emerge, deepen, find what’s really going to feed her creatively… But, that the job is busy and the doing all the admin of it is actually addictive and then becomes everything and the only thing you do… Doing doing doing and ticking things of the list.

We mused about how our improvisation and somatic practices might help us hold space but, how that can feel scary in a world that doesn’t support it.

Another colleague said that she felt scared of space that might open up in her schedule… scared of not doing enough (not being enough?) (The same colleague is doing a gorgeous job of holding space for an artist she’s supporting, for their pathway to emerge organically!)

These conversations converged with the beautiful sky, sea and stones of Devon to inspire this poem.

Holding Space

Making space

Holding time

In reverence

For pink, blue, orange to converge

For the light continuously changing

Merging

Offering… new perspectives

Skies unseen revealing

Unplanned but not unnoticed

nor insignificant

In being with the subtle changing of the light

We hold space

And time

For wonder, discovery

Learning

Space for breath and blood to flow

And find ways to fill hearts, lungs and vessels

With freshness

Potential

Making space

Holding time

Can feel like doing nothing

In a world that demand constant action, visions, plans…

But holding space allows vision to dance

Colours to emerge and merge

Creating something unplanable, unknowable

What if making space

Holding space

Waiting

Was… is… visionary?

Valued?

Being with process

with improvisation

with possibility

with skill, grace and presence

Trusting

Honouring

the pathways that emerge

Offering…

How can holding space be an act of leadership, a showing of strength

Trust? _ that

There are other ways of being, knowing and doing

Let’s make, hold, space and time

For them to kindle, grow

glimmer, grow

Kindling flames, tending

Taking care

Not all great ideas burst into the world in flames of glory

Some ripple, ebb, flow

Fill you up

Until you know

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