Surfing Together- The Way of Phi in Practice -
Dear friend,
This is an invitation.
Since I wrote my book The Way of Phi and even more since I started writing these weekly letters more than 1.5 years ago, I've been practising Dynamic Balance – or Surfing on the Edge of Reality for a more poetic touch. This has been a great experience and I have learned a lot. However, it's been mostly me doing it solo.
This has now shifted.
During the fortnight spent in the north of Sweden, I experienced (again) what it is like to surf together. What a wonderful experience!
Already on the first day after arriving, I joined my friends Eva and Arvid to rehearse for the very next day. I was asked to support them on percussion, which I gladly did. As a supporting musician, I find that listening is of the utmost importance. To really be present to notice which direction we are going and to adjust my playing to support that. At times this might mean being almost – or completely – quiet. And at others, to build the energy and even let go of control for a while, until bringing it home and holding it together again. As such it is a quite Circular activity with the occasional Linearity to ensure that I don't disappear but rather stand firm and grounded, so as to be able to really offer support.
As the lead musician, on the other hand, I find my role to be much more Linear, albeit gently suffused with Circular awareness, to maintain the balance and overview. As the main theme of my trip was to bring the music in The Way of Phi to life, there was plenty of time for both the Linear and Circular aspects of making music. However, what really stood out was the way we entered Dynamic Balance together, Arvid and I. He as the sound technician, pianist, and philosophical partner. Me as the composer, guitarist, singer and visionary. Both as music producers. How long have I been dreaming about this kind of collaboration, co-creation, partnership! Well over 25 years. And now it was finally really happening. And that was the music making alone.
But this went deeper. On a daily basis we had some kind of check in or sharing, deepening the shared learning, reflecting our personal experiences and listening to each others' perspectives, while engaging with the main concepts in the book – the Circular, Linear and Dynamic Balance. As the days and weeks passed we worked on the music, on ourselves, with each other, reflecting back and forth. And as the waves came we surfed them, both individually and together. One after the other. What a beautiful experience!
Did I mention that this is an invitation?
Yes, I did. And here it comes. I am now inviting you to join me in the surfing. And the invitation is threefold:
If you are new to the concept of Dynamic Balance and have not yet experienced the alchemical wedding within, I am here to support you as you discover this blessed state where doing and being meet and unite. As your philosophical companion, I walk alongside you as you discover this in and for yourself.
If you are already on the path and have some experience surfing on the edge of reality, then I would love to surf with you. To learn together, to highlight blind spots for each other and to take on bigger and more complex waves together. This could take many forms, and I am open and flexible, with a preference for people based in or near south Sweden so that we can meet and co-create in person.
However, if you are a master surfer and have been doing this for years – or more likely decades – both by yourself and with others – then it would be an honour to learn from you. For as much as I am a teacher and a practitioner, I remain a student and know that I have a lot to learn. In me you will find someone who is willing to do the work, who is open to new perspectives, and who keeps returning to the beginner's mind.
Regardless which of the three categories you find yourself in, I look forward to hearing from you. This is now a movement and I am not here to only do it all alone. There is a time and a place for flying solo, but I now feel called to be in close connection with people who are on similar journeys. Let's see how far we can take this!
Still here,
Christopher
PS Click here to get The Way of Phi
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