Holding Space & Creating a Container : Musings

What is this Holding Space?   It is the act of being with others and allowing their energy to take president. It is the conscious act of energetically softening yourself so that others can fill a space. It is an act of support, and a tool for working with others, it is being present with others without adding to the energetic field. It is non judgmental and nurturing.

How do we do this?   This is what I understand to be my journey of Holding Space and Creating Containers, and some of the ways I have been further developing these concepts.

Over three years ago I decided to make a conscious shift in what my “work” in the world would be. To contribute in a different modality, and to do this I need to step out of they way a lot.  While making this shift I have come to realize that I have always been actively Holding Space and Creating Containers.

For over 25 years, I worked as a Show Producer for Cabaret, and Performance Artists. I held space for performers so that they felt supported in being their best on stage, I created containers for them to flourish in creatively.

As a landscape and garden designer I created containers for plants and people to be in, and assisted nature in holding space for humans and creatures of nature alike. I loved co creating with nature, and being a stuart of the land, but after 20 years my body began to feel the impact of working year round in the PNW’s varied seasonal weather.

As a friend, I’ve held space for friends, and their families through the worst years of the AIDS epidemic, and held space, and created safe containers for people, and animals as they transition to another plane. I’ve never feared death and being present with it. It always feels like an honor, though personally painful at times, I’m simply able to stay present with people or animals as they pass. Once they are gone, their bodies cold and you feel that their energy has left , I then have my feelings, and process them on my own, so not to interfere with this scared, beautiful and personal journey back to Life Force.

Though I can be an energetic force of my own, I’ve learned how to dial myself in, to be present to hold space to create a container. To know when it is appropriate to expand or to contract.

For years I attended yoga classes, but a body injury in 2015 led me to participate in a Yoga Teacher Training that assisted me in healing my body and gaining a deeper presence within myself, and helped me to expand all at the same time. I loved all the meditation that we did, and began taking my meditation more seriously.

I have seen how mediation has improved my personal life as well as for groups. When producing a show with a cast and crew consisting of 25 people, it was decided to have a cast and crew mediation prior to opening the house every night. This practice had a tremendous impact on the cohesiveness of the shows, as the cast and crew became of one mind in holding space, and creating a unified container, we were present with ourselves as with one another.

There is always another level of presence to strive for. I became fascinated with cultivating a better practice of being a “Hollow Reed” an “Empty Container” as well as being more in my Heart , and growing more Love and Compassion within it.

This led me to Whirling and studying the works of Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rumi, and the moving mediation of the Whirling Dervish. I had taken a few workshops in whirling in the late 80’s, but dove in deeply starting in 2016. I have never experienced the inner peace and stillness as I do when I whirl. As my mentor Banafsheh says “It is Grounded Flight”. Through this modality I really could feel the process of developing emptiness within myself, feeling the light of Life Force flow through me. Being a conduit for energies much bigger than myself.

Now when I close my eyes and take a deep breath I can feel the expansive universe inside me, I can escape my busy brain and access the beauty of just being. Being a Container and Holding Space for myself, as well as others.

It is pure joy to me to assist and facilitate others in making changes for themselves, supporting them on their spiritual development and journeys, as well as helping people develop and cultivate Inner Peace.