I often liken working with the nervous system to making friends with an octopus.
Octopi are really smart, sentient beings that have a mind of their own. We can’t boss them around and make them comply, they will only do what we want if they choose to; if they deign it is safe enough to do so; if it is meaningful to them.
If you’ve seen that wonderful documentary ‘My Octopus Teacher’ you will have seen how he makes friends with an octopus and it ends up swimming around on his chest. This only happens because of a bond of 100% trust and 100% no agenda. Anything less and the octopus would not have engaged.
It’s the same with the nervous system. We can make people comply, we can make them do what we want, but we only get real change when we humbly engage. We have to make the work meaningful and there has to be an implicit respect for the innate and highly sophisticated nervous system of the person in front of us.
No matter what they are presenting on the outside, each person is an intelligent, observant, sentient being who we are lucky enough to serve.
When we provide this level of respect and we have something of use to offer, all manner of things become possible.
To learn more about this way of working please join me for my online course that includes regular live calls to support you in your journey
Earth Unreal
Image Credit: @enricosomogyi
