Search inside yourself
25 March, 2017
“Look within; within is the fountain of all good” (Marcus Aurelius). “To thine own self be true” (Shakespeare). “The world can only change from within” (Tolle).
These are all inspiring quotes, and all fuelled my determination to head to Australia for the next phase of the Search Inside Yourself mindfulness-based emotional intelligence curriculum programme, developed by Google’s “jolly good fellow” Chade-Meng Tan (the tag ‘jgf’ is on his business card. Followed by ‘which nobody can deny’. True. That’s how jolly this fellow is).
I wanted to learn more about how this internet technology giant – Google – full of top SAT-scoring engineers, with intimidating smarts about all things internet based and who write code, could set up in record time a WELLNESS programme, for heaven’s sake, that has become a global phenomenon as far as training programmes for organisations, teams and companies. What makes this particular mindfulness programme so successful, and what difference is it making? Can it really promote positive change, kindness, compassion and well-being in the world? How is it taught? How different is it from other courses? And, how can I incorporate it into my work with jolly good people, whether they are working on the store floor or in the top exec offices.
Of course, learning about something isn’t how it gets delivered at these kind of courses:
participants dig in deep to the essence of Self, stir up those lurking gremlins, throw the spotlight on the fears and anxieties that mind gremlins gobble and spit back at us, and, alongside all of these challenges and insights, participants are skilfully led through a gateway to discovering one’s own mind, heart and body on a deeply nurturing path to inner peace and ultimately well-being. All this in a room of 300 people. Or 1000 depending on which city you are in.
It worked. Brilliantly. For those, like me, who are not group sharing types, we worked in pairs and triads, and then were encouraged and eased into contributing to the wider conversations.
This particular programme had participants from large and small companies, not-for-profits, voluntary organisations, government departments. There were sole practitioners, training and facilitation companies, psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors and life coaches. They came solo, in teams, with their managers. Some I spoke to were going through change management, downsizing or redundancy; others were growing their reach; many were new to the concepts of mindfulness and emotional intelligence; others like myself had spent years working in this area and still have much to learn.
It was a joyful conference loaded with research, exercises, applications, and take-away tools. Best of all, I got to meet Jono Fisher, the originator of WakeUp Australia, whom I’ve been following for the last 7 years, and who is an inspiring man with a large vision being enacted in the world. For two people who had never met, within a minute, we had dropped deep into a conversation about indigenous wisdoms and effecting change, which was only interrupted as he was due on stage to speak. A generous & genuine leader.
Not least, the ‘conference’ filled me up: with gratitude, and, yes, well-being. I so look forward to sharing the gifts with you, and I hope that you continue to search for and discover the wisdom that is definitely inside your Self.