MIND newsletter: Power (again) and music
Happy Saturday everyone! 😉
1. M (Challenge your mindset)
The rhythmic sound of the Pow wow drumbeat. This week, I found myself engaged in a discussion about human consciousness in organizational development, starting with that sound. To my surprise, the topic of power resurfaced once again, seemingly emerging from scattered and unrelated conversations I’ve had over the past few weeks, which I just wrote about not long ago. As it progressed, the speaker delved into the indigenous perspective on power dynamics, drawing parallels between the way to navigate through power concept and the drum’s resonance. We are likened to those musicians complementing each other to create a rhythm, while still maintaining our individual beats and free flowing essence.
When I chatted with eco-conscious individuals about their eco-anxiety, it was only natural for the subject of power to arise. However, this notion of power differs significantly from the conventional understanding we are familiar with, and which we may have spent enormous time pursuing. The speaker at the event challenged our perceptions by saying “true power comes from the creator, nature, people, and life.“
2. I (I’m my own coach)
This led me to contemplate the significance of the “co” prefix and how often I’ve noticed my ego slipping into my language. While sometimes language may seem inconsequential, most of the time, it asserts ideology.
Consider when we say, “I create, I build, I design” – how accurate is that statement? In truth, everything we create involves co-creation. Each design is a result of co-designing. We are never alone in these endeavors. Once again, true power originates from the creator, life, the universe – whatever term one may choose to describe it.
A particular podcast interview remains vivid in my memory, where a mindfulness researcher/practitioner shared a story about his encounter with Dalai Lama. The researcher enthusiastically described his mindfulness research, the passion of his PhD students, and the remarkable achievements from his lab. At one point, Dalai Lama stood up abruptly, approached him, and said, “Stop saying ‘my’.”
If we had a hand counter to track how many times we say “mine” or “my” in a day, the overwhelming figure would likely shame us – our profound obsession with ownership. Are we inherently programmed this way from birth? I don’t believe so. The word “possession” doesn’t even exist in Indigenous languages, which reveals so much about its role in the intergenerational trauma caused by white settlement.
“Do we even know how to lead without power?”
This was the question posed to us by the speaker during the discussion. Do we?
4. D (Do)
How would you approach power differently?
