Magicful

I listen.

I give my attention.

And in that space, amazing things happen.

This is the power of holding space, of deep attention, of reflecting back.

This is love.

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I first learnt to appreciate the power of change-making conversations in 2008. Unsure of the career I had chosen, I cast around for what else I could do, and stumbled upon coaching, at the time thinking it would be a great stop-gap career, while I figured out what I really wanted to do.

Well, it changed my life so much, that I was no longer unhappy in my first career. Instead, I added coaching as another string to my bow, effectively supercharging my skills in my existing profession.

But it didn’t stop there. On the constant hunt for The Truth, in this existence we call Life, I continued to study and learn many things. And each time, I learnt other forms that this deep listening, and powerful attention could take. Other contexts, other applications, and many different teachers, but at its centre, its essence was the same.

Seeing someone – truly seeing them – and allowing them to be – to truly be – allowing them to wander in their minds, and express their doubts and desires – and staying with them all the while as they do this - sets something free in them. And allows them to grow, expand into themselves.

It’s like magic. It IS magic.

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This is what we should all have.

Sure, there is a lot to be said for any kind of connection – and for that, I know we are currently all a bit starved – but imagine if all of our interactions were at this level of connection, so that even a 5 minute interaction fills us up as much as spending a whole day with someone.

Is that even possible? I believe it is.

And I believe that this is what every human should have access to, something we should all be able to give each other. And this is what I hope to be able to give anyone who desires to experience it, so that they may then be able to offer the same to others.

How would this be possible, on an online platform?

The wonderful thing about this kind of deep, focused attention, is that it is an energy that transfers. Watch any online interaction, and you will sense immediately, if the person or persons involved are engaged, or if their attention is elsewhere. If you attend live you most definitely will feel the energy crackle through the air – but even in a recording it will still be present. The more recent, the more potent.

My plan is simple: create simple recorded audios, to cover the basic building block skills of listening, and tracking our own feelings, as well as what is happening for the other person. These would a mixture of information, the ‘how’s and the ‘why’s, but also exercises a person gets to practice doing this with themselves, with me holding space in the recording. To keep the learning alive, there would also be regular ‘live’ sessions where a member volunteers to be coached while others with their permission, ‘listen in’ – and get to be part of that energy field of focused attention.

The sessions would be supported with an attached community so people can connect with each other and form small groups for practice – as like with all skills type learning, the real learning is in the doing. And another that people can graduate into when they have completed all their learning that becomes an ongoing source of support and community in the long-term.

As humans, we all need connection – now more than ever – and it’s my hope that weaving this net of beautifully human support – basically, of love – allows more of us to fully expand into ourselves, and realise our highest dreams for our future, our society, our world.