Beyond The Bind

Many of my coaching conversations have invariably veered within this infinite loop shown above. Leaders are caught in narratives that include traces of shame, guilt, negative self perception or self judgment which is inhibiting them from operating in the True Self zone. On the other hand, one also meets leaders and entrepreneurs who are in this bubble of grandiosity, ego, concept of the indispensable self etc. It is possible that one is deployed as an antidote to the other, wherein a sense of shame or inadequacy is papered over by postures of grandiosity and a "holier than thou" attitude as a coping mechanism. The downside to being in either of these zones is that personal effectiveness is limited and short lived. Both will eventually cause pain, with the Exhibitionist model likely to cause significant wider angst as well.

The antidote to this infinite trap is to find the centre and consciously Elevate. This is a zone of boundless possibilities, infinite connections and seeing beyond the obvious. This heightened intuition and perception makes for Self that is altruistic, powerful, courageous, compassionate, grounded and limitless. In Hindu Mythology, this point is the proverbial third eye of Shiva from where things can be seen for what they truly are. Our two eyes (symbolised by the two loops of the infinity symbol) perceive and help store things in line with our biases, pre conceived notions and self limiting thoughts, fed by our actions and consequences.They also feed us inputs that align with our Ego, Grandiosity and Exclusivity. It takes elevated awareness to get in touch with our third eye of infinite possibilities from where the True Self can operate without boundaries.

A starting point to this journey, at a practical level, is to become aware of one's self limiting beliefs and biases which are preventing true connection and growth. This can be done through deep reflection, meditation, journaling, soliciting active feedback and examining which energy loop are we operating from, especially when dealing with conflict, crisis or setbacks. Also, being in the Now limits the power that past setbacks or fears of the future can have over our effectiveness in that moment.

What have you experienced?