Space and Time as an embodied capacity

A gradual approach explored through VUCA, Stress and Flow

Reading about integrating Space and Time as a capacity can trigger different responses in each of us. You might roll your eyes and think, “another bullsh* that doesn’t mean anything.” or trying to find out what this abstract concept is about and how does it fit within the scientific research and where are similar concepts that validate this information. Another thought might occur to you in how can this be used for your own development (how will this fix a problem I have at the moment) or for some other problems in your working or life environment. You can also get really curious about this topic and start to do your own research on it and talk it through with your friends and peers finding a dialogue about what it means to implement it for yourselves and the environment you are currently in. Having gone through these steps thoroughly, several questions might come up for you on how do the variables and elements of this concept of Space and Time connect with other aspects of your life and work and what might be the interdependence between the granularity of these elements and the ability to think and behave and handle complexity on different levels. It might also inspire you to explore on how it shows up in your life and how you have experienced it in previous situations. You might get a lot of other questions and inspirations that are not at all aware to me right now and you might do that all on your own or with the support of a mentor or a professional coach.

Definition and VUCA

The capacity of holding Space and Time during situations in your life isn’t a matter of believing or having super natural powers. It is a capacity, that gives you the ability to take a step back and slow down for seconds and be aware of all the different perspectives of that situation that will help you to take the right decision for that particular moment with the amount of information available in that situation.

The dilemma here is: “How can I slow down when I have to be very fast in taking a decision, so that things can move forward in a helpful way?” and it is counterintuitive to how we usually respond to challenges. Bear with me and let me walk you through this thought and behaving process.

Perceiving and understanding Space and Time can also be seen as a synonym to Complexity. Let me explain and define it with the help of the VUCA dimensions – Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity – a concept well known in many aspects of our work and life. The interconnection and interdependence of these elements as Mack et al., define them in their article, is that volatility and uncertainty are perceived and understood as observable consequences of a complex system

Figure: Interconnection and interdependence of VUCA elements (Mack et al., 2016, p.7)

Ambiguity characterises the unclarity of causal relationships. The meaning or interpretation of a situation cannot be explained by rules or a process, based on specific steps. Having an ambiguity tolerance is seen as a scale between rejection and acceptance of the reaction to unfamiliar, complex stimuli with multiple, possibly conflicting interpretations.

Implications in Stress

Dealing with Space and Time is something we all do it all the time at different levels and situations. It mostly happens in decision-making and when we are dealing with stress.

Imagine yourself driving your car on a busy road between two cities and you are focusing on fitting in the flow of the traffic. As long as the traffic is fluid and you can drive on, your stress level is also quite low. In this case you have enough Space (Room on the road and in the flow of the traffic) and enough Time to get to your expected destination. When stress increases due to several circumstances: congestion, personal problems and ruminating thoughts, unexpected spontaneous changes, etc. your stress level might increase slowly or fast depending on the changed circumstance in that situation. Either Space is reduced as in a congestion where there is no room to move on forward and you are constraint to stay still, while Time is also reduced in your ability to meet the expectation of being on time at your destination. The degree in which either of these elements – Space and Time as stimuli– or one of them is changing determines your response and with that the degree of stress growing into your body and mind that you can now feel taking over in thoughts, emotions and even physical pain.

In every situation are, of course, different response possibilities that we know from the past like: getting out from the road and taking a parallel itinerary that might need more time, but will increase space and will at the same time reduce the time we would have needed to wait out the congestion to solve itself. We can also take a pause at a gas station and wait the congestion to solve itself if we have the time, adding another perspective to Space and Time in that situation. We might also don’t have any other alternative perspective available and we have to be with that stress for the time it takes until space is again available. The degree of your response to stress also determines your well-being and your ability to find alternative solutions that might change the circumstances of that particular situation. How you handle your stress, creates Space and Time for yourself – physically and/or mentally.

Enfolding Space and Time on the example of Flow and Complexity

You might say, that is basic math and we all know how it feels as most of us might have experienced it, and you are right. Let’s increase complexity, now that we enfolded the granularity of stress response regarding Space and Time, and move on to another trip that we take now on a highway, motorway or the Autobahn as we call it in Germany.

Let’s explore the flow perceived in the different traffic circumstances in this situation. The majority of us know flow and even might have experienced and enjoyed peak performances in flow. Most of the time flow is created and driven by outer circumstances as traffic, speed limits, car model, weather, political situation, work environment and culture, you name it.

Experiencing flow as a balance of Space and Time on a highway with a normal traffic driving on an average of the general speed limit of 130 km/h or 80 miles/h is also experienced in a different way regarding the additional circumstances we have: driving competence, car model, weather, and the degree of stress all this generates for us in that situation.

Let’s say, we find our flow in the traffic and we might even switch on the automatic pilot or not, and we enjoy the raid and the music in the radio and the company we are in. All this is the result of enough Space and Time with several additional positive aspects that enable us to perceive and enjoy flow with ease, while focusing constantly on the traffic, still having the ability to instantly respond to a threat if necessary. The stress level in this situation might be medium to high and yet it is perceived on a more acceptable level in thoughts and body response.

Certainly, having a good quality car model and an increased capacity and experience in driving on a highway has educated us and helped with reducing the stress level in these situations, as long as no major threats are occurring. Our thoughts and our body can respond with the ease and balance this flow requires and is still perceived as OK.

Here comes the next complexity level. If you are one of the lucky drivers that enjoy driving and the flow and you live in Germany or had the ability to drive the Autobahn, then you know that there is more to this. We have now, at this level, an additional circumstance of no speed limits. This can change the game or not. If you decide to play it safe and continue your own flow at the speed limit you are comfortable with, that’s fine and a good thing to do. If you enjoy speed and you can seamlessly adapt to the new circumstances, following the flow now on a higher and higher speed with the same stress level, depends how your thoughts and your body responds to this high stress level. In this case, awareness shows up as another layer of attention. Our focus is increased and we not only monitor our own speed and watch and follow the traffic, but start to feel the flow and perceive a larger range of information, while having the full attention on the road in front of us.

I love to drive and I enjoy to drive fast. In these situations, my body responds automatically to a speed of 170 to 200 km/h (105 to 124 miles/h) with a deeper breath and a perceived calmness, while completely alert to all that is around me and might affect the situation. My stress level is one of the highest I know for me, and yet I still can enjoy the situation. This is obviously as long as everything runs smoothly. I know my limits here and can adjust to the situation that corresponds with my competency and my capacities.

There are a lot of you who can go even further and faster in perceiving and understanding Space and Time and the degree of ease or stress you experience in those situations is a capacity that can be learned and expanded at any level.

Cultivating the capacity of Space and Time

Embodiment enables us to recognize and create these flow states for ourselves regardless of the situation we are in, or in other words, precisely depending on the situation we are in. We can create and co-create Space and Time for ourselves and for the situation we are in by:

·???????recognizing and controlling the situation, the best we can at that moment,

·???????understanding the situation, by experimenting with it,

·???????adding perspectives,

·???????connecting those perspectives in several different ways known or yet unknown and by

·???????growing perspectives in co-creation with others,

·???????accepting and taking in consideration even paradox statements or ideas.

These capacities and other factors for stress can be cultivated with the support and guidance of an experienced and well-trained coach or mentor. The development of the capacity of growing Space and Time is part of the majority of professional coaches, and is a great addition to releasing stress and increase your performance.

Integral Coaching? is taking this granularity even further by determining and cultivating the specific capacity and level that each and every one needs in growing Space and Time and includes it in additional Developmental Objectives in a whole and well-designed Coaching Program.

I hope you enjoyed reading this article and feel free to contact me or any other coach of your preference in the journey of cultivating Space and Time.

Thank you for reading this.?