Pearling – The Way of Phi in Practice –

Holding a grain of sand – Adding its uniqueness – The mollusc creates a pearl

Dear friend,

Last week I presented Pearlosophy to the group at a Philosophical Café that I hosted locally in Lund, Sweden. This gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation of how we always co-create, whether we are aware of it or not. For as the expression goes "no man is an island".

Then, the day after, I went to a seminar on the future of research, where a question was raised about how we can collaborate more and build on each other's strengths. And that is exactly what Pearlosophy is about.

I think that the first time I really experienced that was when I was doing improvised theatre in Stockholm in the mid 90s. Not that it hadn't happened before, because it's becoming clearer and clearer that it is actually happening all the time. But it was something about the exercises we were doing, especially the warm up exercises (most of which I think were created by the pioneer Keith Johnstone). Learning to receive ideas from another rather than blocking them. And then developing them.

It's a subtle art. One that requires attention. To unlearn our proclivity to dismiss. To get back to what most of us knew instinctively when we were five. Kids playing do this all the time. The ideas flow effortlessly.

And then we learn to be critical until that becomes automated instead.

I've met quite a few people in high positions whose main skill seems to be the ability to say "no". Now, I'm not saying that it is wrong to say "no". On the contrary, I think that it is necessary to be able to say "no". Madonna even sings that creation comes when you learn to say "no".

However, we have to be able to "say" yes as well. The movie "Yes Man" offers a fun glimpse into the power and opportunities that come with "yes".

But the real power of creativity comes when we can say both "yes" and "no" – and then be discerning so that we know how to respond to each situation. The thing about discernment is that it is not so much a mental thing as an energetic one. It is something that we feel. The authentic response is visceral. It feels right in our body. And it is empowering. This is where the Dynamic Balance resides. In authenticity. In truth. In being alive and present in each moment. In doing what is right.

What Counts and What Doesn't

We live in a society that values what can be measured. In other words, that which can be counted. The use of the word "count" to express that something is important betrays this bias: It counts if it can be counted. That is the mind of an engineer or a CFO. This is Linear approach and mindset. And while the Linear fills a function, when we only value that which can be measured, we are out of alignment. Out of balance. That, right there, is at the core of the Problem.

For we have been so steeped in learning to value only that which can be measured, i.e. counted, that it is often difficult to get across that other things are important. Not when we "sum up", "value" and "evaluate", all of which are words that work very well for Linear things, but not for Circular ones like love, relations – or values. How would you sum up or evaluate love? Or relations with people we care about? Or what about our values – is honesty worth as much as kindness? How do we value values? These are perplexing questions.

So, how do you know the value of something that cannot be measured?

Pearling

Coming back to Pearlosophy, this is really about being able to say yes fully to whatever life brings us. Accepting it as it is. Like the mollusc accepts the grain of sand that lands inside it.

And then, to add our own uniqueness to it. In a sense, saying "no" to the grain of sand staying a grain of sand. The mollusc doesn't want a grain of sand, but it doesn't spit it out. Instead, it's saying "hey, I see you as you are – and now let's see what you could become". Like William Blake, the mollusc sees a world in a grain of sand. Believing in the potential for something greater, even if no one else does, working tirelessly, the mollusk covers the grain of sand in the shimmering nacre from its interior.

Eventually the grain of sand is transformed into a pearl.

And then it can be found by a pearl hunter, brought to the surface and brought to a jewellery maker who in turn takes the pearl and adds his or her own uniqueness to it, creating an ear ring or perhaps as part of a necklace. And then someone sees this piece of jewellery, acquires it and wears it again adding to their uniqueness... and so on and so forth...

 If you are ready to surrender your current state and take a chance, click here right now. The pearl awaits, but only for the grain of sand willing to offer itself to the unknown.

With gratitude, 

Christopher