In the midst of doing, find time to be.
How to be at The Do Lectures
Michael has been teaching The Do Lectures to breathe better since 2014.
Everyone at Do is challenging themselves somehow.
To run the best event they can.
To finally start that business.
To create the work they always dreamt of.
To give the talk of their lives.
Early morning at Do, a number of them wake up, leave their tents behind and make their way onto the deck for yoga, breathing and meditation. Shaking off train rides, car shares and for some, long haul flights too. Some are seasoned yogis, others finally taking their first step. Everyone excited, yet at the same time in need of calm for the day ahead.
All share the need to reconnect their minds and bodies. And that connection is found through their breath, and being fully present.
For the best doers also know how to be.
Michael on the deck at The Do Lectures.
What We Do
Lying down, we open out our legs and arms, and turn our palms upward. This position can make us feel vulnerable, so we ground ourselves by being aware of all the points of contact between our bodies and the earth beneath us.
We listen, with our eyes closed, to sounds around us – the starlings, the distant traffic, that noisy group of runners… We notice our bellies rising and falling with our breath… We start to stretch and wake up our bodies.
Before moving onto the yoga asanas, we practise some yogic breathing exercises to release tension and help us to feel calm and centred.
We remind ourselves to connect with our bodies and our feelings.
(We are all so much more than that 5% of our brain that ‘thinks’.)
Moving slowly and then a little faster … always with awareness of our breath.
A few rounds of sun salutations that use pretty much every muscle in the body.
Some classical positions – shoulder stands, forward and backward bends, side stretches and long deep twists – that work on all the systems of the body to bring them back into balance.
We stop, relax and do nothing for a while.
And then we sit together for some quiet time.
Set an intention to ourselves for the day ahead.
And remember a few things to be thankful for in our lives, here and now.
“To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Breathe. Be. Do.
There are 2 simple things we focus on.
1. Awareness
If you cannot control where your attention goes, how can you expect to control the direction of your life or business? It is a muscle that can be improved through mindful practice and focussing on what you are feeling whilst you are doing. The ability to relate to the feelings and sensations of being fully alive as you in this present moment. Living with more self-awareness allows you to make better choices.
2. Relaxation
So many of us are over-stimulated. We have lost the ability to deeply relax mentally and physically. And yet this is what makes us more resilient – better placed to cope with challenges and recover from them. By lengthening our exhalations we learn how to relax more quickly and deeply.
So next time you have a lot to do, don’t forget to be.
A little bit of yoga every morning can make a lot more happen later.
The above article was written by Michael Townsend Williams for ‘Stay Curious’, the book by Clare Hieatt celebrating the first 10 years of The Do Lectures.