Integral Practice Design

I have spent the past few newsletters describing my work with clients.

?If you have taken a glance, you would have seen that my methodology is unique and profound.

?I have mentioned "practices" that are designed to help clients gain new capacities in their topics - new muscles so to speak.

?Here's an example of a couple of these practices.

?I hope you find them interesting.

?This client's coaching topic was:

What:? To enhance my ability to express myself effectively and eloquently in emotionally charged situations.Why Important:?? I want to be able to respond authentically so that I am giving the team what they deserve from me.?

• I want to show up true to myself to lead effectively.
• I want to respond in the moment instead of ruminating later – when it is less effective for me and my team or family members.

Here was his first practice:

?Focus Practice #1 – Exploring Curiosity

?This practice is designed to explore curiosity about yourself and others in challenging situations.? About how you are responding.? About how they are presenting.

?Please remember that the learning and embodiment comes from these insights.

?Morning Intention Setting

?Mindful Breathing: Begin your day with 5 minutes of mindful breathing. Perhaps do this while walking the dog. Focus on your breath and set an intention to stay curious throughout the day.

?Commit to being open and curious about yourself and others today.

During the Day

Choose 1 or 2 situations when interacting with others to pause and observe your thoughts and feelings. Ask yourself:

• ?What am I feeling right now?
• ?What assumptions am I making about this situation or person?
• What might I be missing?

?Engage with Curiosity:? When interacting with others, try to:

• ?Ask open-ended questions to understand their perspective.
• Listen actively without judgment.

Evening Reflection

Take 15 minutes and reflect on your 1 or 2 situations and answer the following:

• Were there moments when I struggled to maintain curiosity?
• What emotions did I notice in myself?
• What surprised me about my reactions?

Observing Others:

• How did others present themselves in challenging situations?What assumptions did I make about them, and were they accurate?
• How did my curiosity affect my interactions with them?

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• What did I learn about myself today?
• What did I learn about others?

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• What were the most challenging moments for maintaining curiosity?
• What did you notice about the Stoic Sea Captain - your current way of operating?

Weekly Reflection:

?At the end of each of the 2 weeks, spend 20-30 minutes reflecting:

• ?What are you discovering about your assumptions about yourself and others?
• What have you noticed about how you think and feel when you let go?? What are you trusting?
• What linkages have you noticed about your assumptions and your way of The Stoic Sea Captain – your current way of operating??
• Are there glimpses of The Martial Artist – your new way that we are working towards? ?
• What did you learn about yourself that you previously did not know?

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Here's another client - his topic:

What:? To be better able to pause and celebrate my successes so that I honor and embody my growth as I bring it with me to my new endeavors.

Why important:

• ?Want to feel more grounded when starting a new project.
• Wonders if doing a disservice to the current project – at the end when a certain type of attention may be needed.? Possibly short-changing the foundation / beginning work of the new project(s).?
• Want to be able to recognize accomplishments in a deep way so that feel more satisfaction moving forward.

Focus Practice #1 - Appreciating Yourself in Your Day

?The intention of this practice is for you to fully connect with all that you do and how you are in your day – through a place of acknowledgment, appreciation, and acceptance.? Seeing you in your day and fully taking in all that you have been in and part of throughout the day.

?Daily

?Please take 20-30 minutes at the end of each day and do this practice:

• ?As the 1st step, spend exactly 1 minute (no more no less) and quietly notice your breathing.? Notice your inhale.? Notice your exhale.? If your mind wanders from your breath for a moment, that is OK.? Just gently bring it back to noticing your breath.? After 1 minute, begin your writing based on your observations of the day.
• ?Scan back through your day and write down all that you did today.
• ?As you do so, feel the actions, feel the care and attention, feel the time and energy spent, feel how and where you have been throughout the day with an appreciative, honoring heart.? Feel into your day for what it is – fully, appreciatively, and even joyously.
• ?If at any time you experience internal thoughts of criticism, simply acknowledge the occurrence, and try to open your heart and continue with the exercise.

?Take the last 5-10 minutes of this practice answer the following questions:

• ?How did I feel about myself in my day once I truly connected to the specifics of a given moment?
• When The Humble, Challenge Seeker - your current way of operating - experienced an urge to quickly move on or cast judgment, what was I trying to avoid or diminish?
• What is my sense of what deeply matters to me?
• What can I say to the Humble, Challenge Seeker so that he feels honored?

?Then close your journal, set your pen down and pause.?

Take a moment to acknowledge yourself in doing this practice.?

?Declare your time in this practice is done.

?Weekly

?At the end of each week, take 20-30 minutes to scan back through your experience of engaging in this practice and respond to the following questions:

• ?What has engaging in this opened up inside of me… for the Humble, Challenge Seeker?
• ?What have I discovered about the linkage between judgments and my relationship to possibilities that the Essential Craftsman - his new way that we are working towards - might consider?
• ?How does the act of appreciation contribute to what gets accomplished in a day?

These are just 2 examples.

?This is typically done over the course of 4-5 months, meeting 2 times a month.

?I would love to hear your thoughts on this methodology.? I believe it is adequately intensive while being elegant.? It is grounded in Human Developmental Theory.

?Please reach out to me to discuss your ideas of what you would like to approach in your unique topic.

??~ Sheila

?[email protected]

https://brilliancy.us

The Thing That Gets Us to the Thing

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