Water, and rejuvenating your business
So far in this series on the classical elements and how they're used on Eden's learning programmes I've written about earth, air, and fire so finally, and rather obviously, is water.
The idea of these four classical elements is generally attributed to Empedocles (490 - 430 BCE), a pre-Socratic philosopher from Acragas, a Greek city in Sicily.
He thought that these four 'roots', as he called them, made up all structures in the Universe. He doesn't appear to have ever used the word 'element', which gets attributed to Plato roughly half a century later.
The human relationship with water is rich and complex and is explored at depth through practically all cultural histories and traditions. For example, I was baptised as a Catholic in a ritual 'washing', and we can cast our eyes to many other global religions to find similar ideas. As opposed to adults who choose to be baptised later in life, I was too young to understand what was going on, or derive any personal benefit from it. But presumably the symbolism was important and my parents felt they were doing the right thing!
While facilitating programmes at Eden I've been fortunate to witness the transformative qualities of water first hand. On one occasion we walked with a HotHouse group through some fields, over the brow of a hill and looked down on the ocean. Everyone was brimming with joy, but one very successful, highly gregarious chap fell silent and looked dumb-struck by awe. I later learned this experience had kick-started an intricate personal journey that ultimately resulted in the re-structuring of his business and a substantive shift in the way he works. I'll let Steve Malkin, CEO of Planet First, creator and custodian of The Planet Mark? sustainability certification, take over the story at this point:
"Water, and especially the sea, have always been a powerful positive influence on me, whether it's relaxing through sailing or cleansing and clearing my mind by just being on the beach. I’ve found taking time out by the sea has helped me find perspective to guide many business and life decisions.
My HotHouse experience coincided with a critical time in the development of The Planet Mark as we were transitioning from a start-up to a recognised sustainability brand. On a perfect day the HotHouse team took us for a session on a spectacular Cornish beach.
It was there, with the Atlantic triggering my senses and imagination, that I had absolute clarity on my purpose, happiness and how they could be combined for best effect in the business. It’s been transformational for me and the company and so good that we’re offering each member of our team the chance to have their own Hot House experience."
I don't think it's any stretch of language to describe Steve as 'washed' or 'rejuvenated' by his experience (the photo below is one Steve took on that day) and we all have our own responses when we greet the ocean or a waterfall that will vary according to time and place. For some of us instinct takes over, we strip off and dive straight into the cool waters. For others we take a quiet seat, perch on our haunches with our knees under our chin and gaze in silence.
Eden is fortunate to have easy access to streams, rivers, waterfalls (indoor and outdoor!) and the sea and these liquid landscapes are woven into the experiential learning journeys we create. Find out for yourself by joining us on HotHouse: The Nature of Leadership this autumn.
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.