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Sunday 14 November 2010

Becoming present as a consequence of no radio 4!

Becoming ‘present’ is vital to our wellbeing but the way we do so is contextual. Many of my fast paced clients have found the task of noticing and becoming fully focused only on the task in hand to be both enlightening and powerful, whatever it is; washing hands, getting dressed, having a conversation, driving, physical aspects like sitting or walking etc. Becoming more ‘awake’ to what we are doing and aware of our surroundings appears to be a forgotten skill that is rediscovered only under certain conditions.
Recently listeners to radio 4 gave feedback after they broadcast one minute of dead air, as ‘dead air’ and many appeared to be very affected by it. To some it was a community experience- the silence was not just ‘no radio’ it became an active collective mental response. All of the feedback was that because they were made aware of a silenced radio they became much more aware of and present to the noises around them. People listened attentively to their life for one minute and found the experience valuable. Something that is always present became present.

When someone pays me for my facilitation as a coach it enables them to become similarly more present to their lives and engage in doing so as a response to a focused conversation where they get to really listen to themselves. It is powerful because there is a focus on listening beneath the chatter.

I was also struck by the responses to the ‘lack’ of the today program when the journalists strike kept it off air completely. Research has shown the powerful negative effect on our cognitive ability that violent and unpleasant images can have. The response from listeners appears to back this up aurally.