To be in the ‘now’ we must ’witness, ask and experience.’ Author, Veerle de Bock discusses how this fascinating triad offers a doorway to other possibilities.
So much occurs, within us and around us, all the time. Most of the time, what is happening passes unnoticed and what we do notice is often not seen as a possibility – whether that be another choice, a broader perspective or insight, or even a completely new reality.
You could imagine the Universe as a giant biocomputer and all these amazing possibilities as the hard drive. You are the software and can apply your amazing potential to experience, integrate and assimilate everything that happens.
In the Universe, everything is connected and affects everything. Physicists describe this as a ‘quantum hologram’ that contains all that has ever happened in the past and all that can possibly happen in the future. In this quantum hologram all the different realities are available. This physical law lies behind my invitation to see everything that happens in your life as useful.
Even if only one single possibility becomes our reality there are still many other possibilities available in the quantum hologram of the Universe. The link towards those other possibilities lies in what happens in the moment.
In this article, I encourage you to pay more attention to what is happening ‘now’, in this moment. I will introduce you to a wonderful tool – ‘Witnessing, Asking and Experiencing’.
I invite you now, to join me on one of my walks. The rhythm of walking makes it easier to open your mind and let go of preconceived ideas and concepts, which will help you to be more open to what is happening ‘now’. A walk always confronts you with many events -both foreseen and unforeseen, obvious and less obvious. Walking, metaphorically, represents our journey on our life path.
What happens this time is something very simple. Most of the time it passes unnoticed.
I am walking on one of the Camino paths that cross Belgium and converge on the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in nortwestern Spain. The Camino, or Way of St. James is a pilgrimage route that has a special attraction to me.
I stumble over a little stone on the road. How fascinating!
I curiously ask myself: “What is here now?” There is no attachment, my mind is open. I perceive the purity of curiosity. I gently come back here, to ‘now’. There is no effort, no struggle.
This curious ‘asking’ invites in me the ‘experiencing’. I perceive a little pain in my right big toe, where I hit the stone. I wait, and allow more to unfold. There is a tenderness in my heart region, moving up to my throat. I feel a bit insecure. I am patient, and slowly I perceive more and more energy moving through my body, my legs become alive and so does my pelvis. I feel how my mind is still open, and gently my heart also opens. I am here – ‘now’.
Now I am present, the ‘witnessing’ opens – I look around me and see the environment, I see the houses, the people, the cars, a few trees, the road.
I simply witness, I do not judge myself or anything around me. I am not influencing what is happening and yet I am deeply connected with what happens. My awareness is all-inclusive and boundless.
So fascinating
My reality (and focus) was fixed on arriving at the end of my walk, I lost sight of all the other realities that surround me.
I notice how I forget to see and perceive what is around me when I am glued on getting to where I’m going….. Wow! Amazing!…. I guess much of my life is about getting to where I’m going …. What about the road? Even if it, literally and metaphorically, guides me through cities, suburbs, factory areas, along highways, brick-built walls and a variety of fencings.
I laugh with myself. This little event of stumbling over a stone suddenly stops me in the moment and asks for my attention. There is a doorway to many more realities in the moment ‘now’. I perceive my body, the environment and the interaction between my body and the environment.
Is that familiar to you? How often do you forget to see what is happening ‘now’ and only strive to reach your goal?
If we want to explore the ‘gift’ in any event, we need to pay attention to what is happening ‘now’. But, how do we ‘pay attention’?
Let’s have a closer look at this precious tool of ‘witnessing, asking and experiencing’.
- ‘Asking’ is a dance between the inner process and the external event that is happening in the environment. It engages with the self-created boundary between inner and outer. It is a curiosity about “What is here ‘now’” You can try asking yourself this question with whatever happens to you and get a sense of how it allows you to arrive here – ‘now’.
- The act of ‘asking’ prompts us to ‘experience’ what is happening in our body. It leads us deep into our sacred bodies and often extends to a variety of expressions – sensory, emotional, mental and spiritual.
- Once we are ‘experiencing’ the sensations in our body, we are then able to acknowledge where we are through impartially ‘witnessing’ what is happening ‘now’. There is no judgment; we simply notice what is happening. We do not do anything; we just allow whatever happens to unfold.
Awareness is closely related to our ability to ‘ask, experience and witness’. This amazing triad is a treasure for our ability to love what is. The triad is of great assistance on our life path and the more experienced you become at using it, the more you will receive until finally it connects you with Source. In other words, you connect with the quantum hologram of the Universe and you receive access to many more realities at the same time.
The three aspects of the triad are closely related and intertwined. Each experience can bring forth the question “what’s here now?” and at the same time invites the witnessing.
Are you ready to explore this further?
Remember, you are the perfect software to engage with the Universal biocomputer of endless possibilities. Whatever happens is useful and can become a doorway to another reality that is invisible in the moment. Our tool to become aware of the moment ‘now’ is this amazing triad. ‘Ask’ enquiringly, ‘experience’ intensively and ‘witness’ without prejudice. Through applying this fascinating tool, even the simplest events make sense in the astonishing scene of life.
Paying attention to what is here ‘now’ is a basic ingredient of our personal transformation work but it also affects the ‘living organism’ of organizations and has the ability to create a happy satisfying and continuously growing workplace.
If you are interested in finding out more please subscribe to this blog. You can also explore these ideas further in my book Becoming What Is Changing: Exposition.
I would love to hear your comments, experiences and/or questions so please leave them in the comments box.
Veerle de Bock
8th November 2013
VEERLE DE BOCK is a physician, healer, facilitator, trainer, coach and author of the trilogy, Becoming What is Changing. She spent nearly three decades of her life as a physician specializing in geriatric care, including a 21-year career as department head in an Antwerp regional hospital. In 2003, she began her study as an energetic healer, teacher, process facilitator and supervisor at the Barbara Brennan School of Healing and, since 2007 has helped many trainees to master these same skills. In 2010 she was trained in the practice of Dynamic Facilitation by Jim Rough, which she now incorporates into her workshops and training sessions. In 2012 she decided to devote her work exclusively to writing, facilitation and coaching. That same year, she devised a new integrative practice of facilitation she calls ‘Guest House Facilitation’ that helps teams learn how to listen and utilise both the inner and outer processes within their organisation, to see it as a dynamic and living organism, and to reconnect to its intrinsic purpose and intention. Her book, Becoming What is Changing: Exposition, is the first part of a trilogy aimed at managers, team leaders and responsible employees who wish to bring this kind of transformation into the workplace, so they can create an environment where people are happy, satisfied and continuously growing.
Contact Veerle about the book, or to discuss coaching/facilitation for your organisation at:
http://www.chancestochange.com
Thank you for this perambulatory reminder – an eloquent expansion on the old adage: “Stop and smell the roses”…
I enjoyed the choice of photo as well: cows are definitely not hung up on “where” they are going, but more on what fascinating bits of yummy vegetation (even scented wild roses!) they might find on the way.
With much pleasure at walking with you,
Marcus.
Hello Verrle. I just came across this blog post from your twitter feed and wanted to send my Thanks and resonance. Your simple and profound model is a sweet way to enter presence and mindfulness, to become more resilient and more wildly resilient!
It’s a pleasure to come across your valuable work.