Air, and the importance of taking a breath in business
In my previous post I wrote about fire and next up in this series about the old elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water is air. Air is the most ethereal of the elements and perhaps because of this other-worldly quality I also found it the hardest to write about, so I'll start with a little experiment.
Take a deep breath. Now hold it. Keep holding it for 20 minutes.
You can't do it can you? This exercise was shown to me by David Key as a simple way to demonstrate our connection to nature. Yogis have long known the importance of breathing to connect to the Universe, but it's perhaps something many of us need reminding of from time to time. When we take a deep breath and then concentrate on our breathing, in and out, in and out, our heart rates slow and the stresses of daily life begin to melt away.
Our relationship with air, through breathing, is mediated by plants. The mechanisms of photosynthesis, plants turn carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight into sugars with a very valuable waste product: oxygen. We breathe in oxygen and in turn breathe out carbon dioxide, which the plants then happily use. And so the cycle continues.
Spending time among plants, whether lying in grassy fields or 60m up a rainforest tree, can bring this relationship into stark focus. And it can also teach us something deeper about interdependence; that we all rely on an intricate web of relationships for our health and well being. These relationships also - often invisibly - affect our ability to function effectively at home, in our communities, and at work.
While facilitating Eden's HotHouse leadership programmes, I meet a string of people all suffering in some form or another from burn out. They tell me, "I don't have time to stop and think," "I feel like a headless chicken," "I can't remember the last time I had a moment to myself."
I'm paraphrasing slightly, but you get the idea, and you might also feel the same...? But after four days in the beautiful surroundings of Eden Project with an inspiring crew of fellow travellers, a different story emerges.
They tell a story about the value of taking a breather from the hectic.
"Time off the treadmill to spend time with great people in a great place that will make an impact."
And a story of how the experience will change how they operate in the future.
"This week has offered a structure for thinking and slowing down. I think it has enabled everyone to take from it what they need. For me that has been slowing, pausing, stopping and ultimately resolving to be slower in the future."
Not everyone reading this will be able to join us at HotHouse (though of course we'd love you to) but everyone can benefit from slowing down. So next time you're straining from the pressures of daily life take yourself off to somewhere beautiful, find a suitable rock to sit on, and take a deep breath...
About Dan: Dan is Learning Curator at the Eden Project in Cornwall, UK. Dan creates, facilitates, and consults on learning and development experiences for the higher education and business communities.