Leadership alchemy is a quest beyond cognition, embracing the unknowable – Mandala3

Give up on the idea that cognition and cerebral intelligence will help you understand, it won’t. ?It can’t. The gold is found in yours and my personal odyssey that is a pilgrimage to consciousness and the depths within us all.

Reflections

A forty-two day Mandala (transformative journey) of curated self-excavation was, in hindsight, an ambitious undertaking. It was a deliberate surrender to the idea that cognition and cerebral intelligence alone cannot understand the depths of who we are and why we exist. It challenged the foundations of how I perceive the world and gave me space to observe and to really see. The seeds from that time have sown deep. I couldn’t have consciously described what was ahead when I left on December 19th 2023 …reflection now, stirs gratitude, appreciation and awe. Thirty people, nourished, nurtured and held in firm compassion by a sagacious soul for our own individual metamorphosis.

Why it matters if you’re a leader

If you’re a leader who relies solely on cognitive abilities, technical skills and logical reasoning you’re more likely to miss the subtleties of human emotions and the dynamic interplay of energy within a team. ?As a leader and for you personally, going beyond cognition means cultivating empathy, intuition, and the ability to perceive and respond to the unspoken needs of the people around you. ?Making space to nurture this part of you is a gift akin to a superpower.? Your decisions will not only be made from the mind but from a place of integrated wisdom that includes emotional intelligence and spiritual insight. It has to begin with you. When it does, the depth of connection and understanding you’re able to hold will create an infectious energy of cohesion, motivation and unity. You will transcend conventional boundaries and instinctively (without effort) foster a culture of trust.

What follows is a small insight into my own recent experience of prioritising this purpose and walking my own talk.

The beginning of silence

The Mandala began with an emphasis on silence and stillness. Christmas Day was the first day of silence and fasting and the initial week was aptly referred to as ‘awakening the self’. We examined the deeply conditioned and ingrained beliefs that societal norms and education systems create; the supposed ‘inadequacies’ that drive consumerism and the immediacy of self-gratification that undermines critical thinking. Discussion emphasised awareness of self and introspection – what am I hungry for? What are my unmet needs? Creating a more acute awareness for the genius of marketing and design that surrounds us; the fragile imagination that we retain complete liberty to make our own choices.

Embracing silence is enthusiastically encouraged…on a very regular basis—for an hour a day, one day a week and one month a year. It’s not only about not speaking, even more simply, merely being. Zero distraction.

The wisdom of stillness

In the same vein as silence; ‘the water becomes clear only when stillness allows the sediment to sink.’ This beautifully captures the essence of how clarity and understanding emerge from stillness and silence. It’s a powerful practice and combined with silence it is our own Vipassana.

Understanding nothingness

One of the most profound pieces of the Mandala tapestry was a seed planted early on, the concept of nothingness. The teacher explained "…from silence comes the sound that dissolves back into silence." He said, ‘…our relationship to nothing, defines who we are’ It was an invitation to contemplate existence, to see oneself as both nothing and everything simultaneously. He used a doughnut analogy to explain further; the doughnut's dough represents the accumulated I, ?the creation of something that could refer to perceived need, self importance, ego or elevated status via material things. As this something dissolves, there is nothing left, and that nothing then becomes everything. This process mirrors the spiritual journey, where the physical self must become 'nothing' to be able to connect with the whole. It means humility, grace and reverence. ?The doughnut's centre, the empty space, symbolises the essence of you and I—pure awareness. Don’t imagine I understood this on day one, I didn’t! Our relationship with this nothingness highlights the interconnectedness that exists beyond the physical and mental realms. It makes space for greater energetic perception that in turn, closes the gap between what you know and who you are. I started to intuitively understand what no separation and non-duality means.

Fragmented reality or just an illusion

Harnessing silence is a powerful tool for recognising fragmentation within ourselves, ‘…we are separate bodies, emotionally connected, and one through consciousness’ explained the teacher. ?This pitch perfect clarity, amidst the potent space I was immersed in, helped me begin to see more vividly, how our perceived separateness, is an illusion. Unity is found in consciousness.

As I reflect back on how these conversations took shape, the questions that arose and the inevitable frustrations that ensued (through lack of cognitive understanding), the true meaning of surrender engulfed me. Fractures lie in the energy domain, not the physical or mental and healing those fractures, much like a broken bone, need patience and gentle, unforced awareness.

Beyond cognition

For me and probably for you too, intuitive understanding comes from a place of presence, stillness, and energetic connection. It has been during the months since returning from India that my own digestion of all that was heard, felt, seen and experienced, has taken root. One of many learnings that has settled in, is that wisdom lies less in the accumulation of knowledge and more in the surrender to the unknowable.

Call to action

The need for this self-excavation is becoming more explicit as we watch the real-life movie unfold. Cerebral intelligence breakthroughs are valuable, of course they are, but not to the detriment of human potential.

If what I’m talking about resonates, get in touch. From coaching and consultancy to masterclasses and annual programmes. Give yourself and your team the guidance, support and space you all need to realise your full potential and raise the quality of your life and your business success. Contact me here wellintellect.com

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