Foundation - A Reflection Process

© Jenn Shallvey

Shared from the recent newsletter - a reflection practice.

Here is a reflection practice that is a little different. The intent is for you to feel a sense of awareness around what supports and sustains you. With such awareness you may be more equipped to self manage in the up and down times.

For a moment I invite you to pause and step into your imagination.

Imagine a built structure that you would describe as the most stable, protected and strongest of all. See it in your minds eye. Imagine it in all the minutiae of details.

Identify what characteristics, aspects and features make this built structure solid and powerful for you. Consider everything that comes to mind. Look beyond what you see on the outside. Go beneath, inside, amongst the bits and pieces. Notice all.

What makes this structure work? What stands out for you right away? What is the most important part of the entire structure?

Did you get ‘foundation’? I hope so. If not what did you get instead and why?

Note your perspective and then for a moment let’s look at the idea of the foundation being important.

Consider some perspective in this exploration. What is a foundation? It is a base supporting a structure from which a structure can be built. It is also integral to the ongoing existence of a structure in times of vulnerability such as natural events etc. The foundation demarcates the place of a structure. One structure is built on one foundation. They are intertwined in the whole existence of the structure. A foundation for one may not be right for another. The foundation also works within it’s environment. It is adapted and designed to suit the location and greater terrain and surrounds. Foundations are the base from which a structure can evolve through changes too. A renovation or rebuild normally adapts to the existing foundation.

Interesting contemplation.

Now the parallel of you.

What is the equivalent to this foundation in your life? How would you describe and explain the foundation of your life? What are the essential aspects? What works and does not work for you? What have you learned over the years supports you and consistently anchors you and keeps you going? How would you describe your foundation overall in a big picture sense? How would you describe the subsets and components that make your foundation?

All this is in your minds eye. You are imaging this. What I invite you to do now is to take your imagined foundation and express it in a way that works for you. Image. Sculpture. Object. Totem. Metaphor. However it works for you.

When you have a representation of your foundation expressed external to you I invite you to the next process. Sit with your foundation. Sit with it and focus on it, only it. First just be and notice what it is showing, telling, highlighting to you. Notice what comes up in your awareness. Just keep noticing. Ideas. Images. Thoughts. Words. Feelings. Smells. Anything and everything that comes up. Just notice. No evaluation nor judgement of what you sense.

Then sit with what you notice. Be curious. Wonder more why these came up? Notice as you enquire about your self enquiry what keeps drawing your attention. You will get to a core area of focus. It may be a feeling, word, image, etc. It matters not what, just that you are tuning into a describable encapsulated sense of your foundation. You are now able to describe your foundation in a unique way rather than the generic definition offered above.

Next is to sit with this sense of foundation for you. What makes it work for you? How do you ensure it stays strong? What do you do that seems to keep it going? What can destabilise it? What can threaten it? How do you manage destabilising and threatening aspects?

See how you can capture the essence of how your foundation serves you. Because when you identify the uniqueness of your own way in terms of foundation you can keep it going. Strengthen it more. Protect it. Build buffers, maintain and reinforce.

Lastly sit with this sense of your foundation. See it as a part of you but identifiably distinct. Start a dialogue. Yes this sounds strange because it is. We don’t go around in our day talking to our foundation. So park the weirdness aside and play along. Ask your foundation what it has to say to you. Take note. Ask your foundation what you can do more for it to support you better. Take note. Thank your foundation for it’s support. Find a way to show appreciation in your day to day life.

Know, nurture and maintain your foundation so it sustains you.