Many years ago when I had just set up my coaching business I had an idea which really excited me and so I shared it on facebook, my social media platform of choice, at that time. And lots of people showed interest and in the end it went nowhere. And I remember feeling a little deflated as well as a bit of a fool, it was as if my bubble had been burst. And yet I realised that it was in part due to that infectious enthusiasm that comes from having a lot of FIRE energy, i just could not wait to share. It was a great learning for me around self mastery. The event was a long time ago and the learning is happening now.
Learning can happen over years rather than in the moment
When I set up Art of Leadership with my former business partner, we spent time defining our values as a way of determining our higher purpose. It was a great exercise and as you might expect, we each resonated more with different values. I remember that the one Kath was drawn to was mastery. At that time I found it a little dry and certainly it wasn’t my value of choice. And now some years later I can feel myself growing into it.
What’s the essence of mastery?
It probably helps that a dear friend of mine recently shared an interview with the Shaolin Master, Shi Heng Yi that I found fascinating. He talks about the concept of self mastery. He says if you look back on a period of time there will have been 50 nights and 50 days. So if you are going through a tough patch then this too will end because there is always equal amounts of dark and light. Or in more practical language success comes after failure. Always remember how many attempts it took Edison to invent the incandescent light bulb! As Lalah Delia said
So much of our life in the West is spent chasing success and the key to remember here is that neither success or failure make us what we are. We need to lay the foundations by taking the time to go within to discover the treasure that awaits us – the core within your core. If you identify with success then when it comes tumbling down as it will because the only permanence is impermanence, you will be lost.
None of what counts in the material world matters to the infinite. And the beauty of this statement is that it keeps us humble. So how do you get through the vicissitudes of life? Colour can really help you to see more than the 3D maya by building your intuitive muscle so that you can perceive the matrix. And more than that it is structure. Creating a daily set of habits that you stick to no matter how busy you are. Those may include journal writing, affirmations, meditation, a gratitude practice, powerful questions etc.
Are you on intimate terms with your soul?
More than any of these techniques it is about developing a relationship with your soul. I would recommend communing with the Divine/ the Universe/ Source on a daily basis. It doesn’t have to be like a morning and evening ritual, it can be through the pressing of pause on a regular basis. By checking in and feeling the energy you can establish whether something is right for you or not. Ask the Divine and you will get an answer perhaps a voice but more often than not signs and symbols especially if you meditate.
If all this sounds like stuff and nonsense, I invite you to give it a try for 14 days to see what happens. It’s not a long time so why not, what have you got to lose?
What does mastery have to do with colour?
Why am I drawn to sharing this with you now. For nearly 9 years I have been passionate about colour. I trained as a colour therapist and then a colour teacher and now the whole focus of my business is around this. And the irony is that when I started down this path I told my teacher I was doing it for my own development no other reason. I am sure God was having a laugh that day! Two years ago I worked with a marketing coach and he told me that I should forget about colour because it was too hard a sell and I would need a lot of energy if I wanted to set up the equivalent of the International Coaching Federation for colour.
Drum roll please…
For a while I followed his advice and then last year I got a strong calling to make something a reality. After four months of hard work with three other women, I am delighted to announce that the Foundation of Colours CIC is an established social enterprise. Its primary function will be to undertake and sponsor research into the impact of working with colour. And its starting date is 22 January 2022 which is very auspicious in terms of the numerology – six 2s which represent the feminine energy and a principle energy of this year and three 1s representing the masculine energy. Who knows where this will go and yet it feels perfect to be launching this as we come into the year of the Tiger which is all about sowing seeds to fulfil your purpose and leave your mark on society. More about that in my next article.