A Guiding Hand
A Guiding Hand is a set of cards taken from a book entitled ‘A guiding light’, in which these words and phrases are married together with images of the Northern Lights. These two aids – the set of cards and its sister book – emerged from a 10-year pilgrimage to the Artic Circle where I observed, photographed, and continually marvelled at the wonder that are the the Lights – the Aurora Borealis.
The words on each of the cards felt gifted and came from moments of deep contemplation whilst observing The Lights. I hope you will recognise how these few words and phrases and their associated images, are very pertinent to our present-day challenges and may offer insight and both personal and professional guidance.
My motivation in writing this blog came from a personal wish to further reflect upon and to translate these words and phrases into more practical guidance and so I wanted to deeply mine their value and aspire to discover and reveal their meaning.
I found myself one day deeply reflecting on all our lives as positive psychology practitioners today – and I decided to choose one of the cards – so I drew a single card from the pack – and proceeded then to write my first blog – letting these words inspire and reveal their practical guidance for the coach and coachee.
Having written one blog or conversation, I then decided to draw one card each week and repeat the process and each and every time of drawing the card, I held all of you and also myself in mind.
Maybe never more have we needed or sought a guiding hand, as in our present times in facing a myriad of personal and professional challenges as well as the crises and catastrophes of our times. My single intent and wish is to offer you through these weekly conversations … one such guiding hand.
Podcast
Podcast Archive
Blog
Knowing What Locks, Frees
A Guiding Hand episode In taking this photograph of the Northern Lights I had to scramble in the dark across rocks to get a good shot. Though at first the rocks were an unwanted and challenging obstacle, in the resulting photograph they take their place and are an...
What We Accept In Ourselves, We Accommodate In Others
A Guiding Hand episode Often when we speak about our developmental journey, we refer to the term growth. But, how in fact do we grow? Consider your own growth over time: What is or are your measures and yardsticks? Though it may not be immediately apparent, one of our...
Vulnerability – The Lost Piece That Completes Our Jigsaw
A Guiding Hand episode In the moment I took this photograph, the Northern Lights appeared to adopt an unusual shape in the sky, not unlike that of a jigsaw piece. This left me contemplating what if life were a jigsaw? What would be the ‘picture on the box’ and if and...
Perfection – The Only Goal We Complete After Life
A Guiding Hand episode Let’s start with a question: If, and how well, do you know the perfectionist in you? For many years I have worked as a coach enabling others to deepen knowledge of themselves and to make vital developmental choices fostering growth whilst...
We Live Superficial Lives, Longing For Depth
A Guiding Hand episode How much of our lives do we live on the surface? Presenting only a fraction of who we really are to the world outside and those we meet? When we become busy and feel the pressures of the world, we commonly experience the emotions of anxiety,...
True Power Is Realised In Letting Go Of Control
A Guiding Hand episode When I took this photograph the Northern Lights were strong and powerful and were being brought to earth, or earthed as if there was some huge lightening conductor. I recall musing about power as I took this image and then the phrase of words...