Ever Go in Circles? Take an Excursion…
Ever feel as if you go in circles? In fact, I’ve been going in circles trying to get this newsletter to you. I intended to have it ready to send two weeks ago!
How did I get out of my stuck loop? I did something different. In this case, I stepped away from the computer as well as the paper and pen, Instead, I picked up a recorder and talked at it. Yes, “at” it. I started by complaining that I didn’t have anything to say. Within two sentences, I was gliding. What I had done was to take an excursion. This is a technique used by the Synectics Corporation to bump innovators out of their thinking ruts and into new and creative ideas.
So, what’s an excursion? In general, it’s a short journey that takes you out of the routine. It could be a small diversion, a complete shift of focus and activity, or an actual trip to some exotic place. We can take creative excursions without going anywhere and refresh our minds and bodies, opening to new possibilities, energies, and directions.
An excursion could be as simple as playing a game for 10 minutes in the middle of a workday or dancing freely — maybe wildly — for 5 minutes in the midst of a project!
I invite you to tickle your system, get refreshed and surprise yourself. To help you do that, I am giving you the GIFT of a sound excursion: an excerpt from a recent SoundBath with Peter Blum, David Budd and me. To listen, click here: SoundBath 6-10-11 (excerpt).
To transport yourself in those moments when you feel stuck or are going around in circles…
• Move away from what you’re doing
• Sit or lie comfortably with your eyes closed and let go of whatever you were thinking about
• Play the SoundBath Excursion Recording
• Soften your muscles and breathe
• Let your mind gently drop into the sound
• Really let go. It’s only a few minutes
• Feel the sound in your body… feel your body in the sound
• When the sound fades away, take another 20 seconds or so to breathe and listen
• SLOWLY transition
• If you’re lying down, roll gently to one side, then slowly roll up to sitting, letting your head come up last and your eyes open gradually.
Now step into your task or project as if for the first time, with new eyes, new ears, new energy and new perspective.
Go for it!
Be well, be vibrant, be sound!
© 2012 Naaz Hosseini. All Rights Reserved. Copying or reposting this content without written permission is strictly prohibited
About the Author: Naaz Hosseini
Naaz Hosseini is a singer, dancer, psychotherapist, and voice empowerment coach. She developed Powerful Presence™ coaching to help corporate and entrepreneurial women step into their vocal power to command the attention and respect they deserve. As a NYS Licensed Psychoanalyst and Qualified Gestalt Therapist, she supervises and trains mental health counselors at Teachers College Columbia University and therapists at the Gestalt Center for Psychotherapy and Training. She served as visiting faculty at the Harvard Graduate School of Education Project Zero Summer Institute for ten years where Howard Gardner has said, "With enthusiasm, I recommend Naaz Hosseini, a pioneer in using the voice and the body for understanding." 
