MENU

The Sounds of WholeHearted Mindfulness Begin with Silence

Jul 3, 2017

“Eee-la-la!”

Once again, my computer had frozen. It was two minutes before I was to give a presentation over Zoom for ICF Philadelphia. The talk was titled The Art of Engaged Mindfulness, yet at that moment, I was playing out  The Art of Engaged Frustration.

I needed to shift my consciousness and find a solution in 120 seconds. But, like the computer, I was frozen. I quickly sent a text to my friend Catherine. She immediately responded, “Go audio. Forget the video.”

Of course! And so I did.

But I was still churning inside. Sixty seconds…

Taking a deep breath, I silently paused… Silently relaxed… Silently opened… Silently listened… Silently trusted what emerged… Silently, I spoke my truth.

And I moved into the presentation with these silent sounds of wholehearted mindfulness. There was much laughter and ease during the presentation, all stemming from the original silence.

Whatever the conditions of our lives may be, when we delve into the living silence within, we have arrived. Silence is an important antidote to any obstacle that may arise. Silence highlights and helps us see the words that are vibrant, pulsing and alive. As we silently digest life’s experiences, we continually discard what is no longer needed, and turn it into compost.

As coaches, we embrace silence to help cultivate and respond to a mind that sees clearly. We can help our clients feel comfortable with silence by guiding them with the words from above:

Pause…
Relax…
Open…
Listen deeply…
Trust what emerges…
Speak your truth.

And then we sit in silence. We sit in the mystery of life’s continual unfoldment.

~Ann-Marie McKelvey, LPCC, MCC
July 2017

0 Comments

More Posts

Testimonials

I now have the skills and confidence to begin bringing on some clients. I am grateful to all those who work so hard to help educate others. [Skillful Means]
Jane Ellen DixonStudent CoachRoanoke, VA
I was given such an expansive view of what I’m capable of: creating a successful business for myself.
D. Paul WilcoxStudent CoachFountain Valley, CA
What a way to start my journey at MCS! This was my first class related to my Coaching endeavor. The STRETCH class is a marvelous macro-level course about what one can expect in the coaching field. The instructor fostered such a memorable and supportive space and I know I will nurture those friendships for years to come.
Sharon ScottStudent CoachCoronado, California
If you want to know how to speak the truth and how to communicate much better, take this class [Right Speech]. You will be glad you did.
Lisa Matovich-BrookeStudent CoachBillings, MT
I fell in love with somatic coaching. I never thought I could actually talk to my body. A completely new world opened up for me personally, as I am sure will be the case also for my clients. I now fully understand as I have experienced it that somatic coaching is the only really holistic way to get to core of the challenges and to the goals that are completely aligned with ourselves.
Silvija ZagarStudent CoachHunsdorf, Luxembourg
Stretch” is a good name for this course. It stretched us all to reach beyond what we thought we knew, dig deeply to experience those paths that we will be coaching on, and stay open and curious about everything.
Sandy Wright, MA, PCCMCS GraduateFayetteville, AR
This class will give you a coaching community in just a few short months. I now feel that I have colleagues and a support system that I can reach out to in times of need. So grateful for having the chance to know these remarkable individuals.
Alicia UpchurchStudent CoachBrooklyn, New York
Ann Marie’s gentle teaching style and complete absence of judgement in The Art of Mindfulness was just what this stressed out lapsed meditator needed! Thanks to her skillful instruction, I now have a mindfulness practice that is so right for me it very quickly and naturally became part of the fabric of my life. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience or a more interesting and loving group of fellow students with whom to share it with. Truly life changing.
 
Helena Bouchez, ACCPrincipal, Executive Words
This class [Right Speech] didn’t just help me with my communication skills, it also helped me with the parts of me that struggle with stories, perceptions, and judgments that all affected my communication before I even had a chance to speak. I walked away from this class with tools I can use in my coaching practice as well as my personal life. Highly recommend this course!
Danielle TaylorStudent CoachOakland, CA
I really enjoyed the class Skillful Means and felt it was the perfect class to kick off my quest to become a certified Mindfulness Life Coach. In this class I was introduced to the Essential Coaching Skills to use in a co-active coaching relationship. The material is well presented, organized and unpacked at a moderate pace that I could easily digest.
Pamela J. HealyStudent CoachNorwell, MA