{"id":21036,"date":"2022-01-13T14:30:05","date_gmt":"2022-01-14T00:30:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stillandmovingcenter.com\/?p=21036"},"modified":"2024-03-27T15:32:03","modified_gmt":"2024-03-28T01:32:03","slug":"life-at-the-center-vol-103","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stillandmovingcenter.com\/ja\/2022\/01\/life-at-the-center-vol-103\/","title":{"rendered":"Life at the Center: The Chance to Fly Vol. 103, January 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” custom_margin=”-30px||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”-6px||||false|false” custom_margin_phone=”0vw||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_padding=”10px||||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row use_custom_gutter=”on” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” max_width=”1450px” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”0px||||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”||0px|||” custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/stillandmovingcenter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/banner_life_center2-1.jpg” title_text=”21″ align=”center” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” admin_label=”Header” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#f9f6f5″ background_image=”https:\/\/stillandmovingcenter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/trans-shiva.png” background_size=”contain” background_position=”top_right” custom_margin=”-43px||||false|false” custom_padding=”4px|||||” custom_padding_tablet=”60px||||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”16px” header_3_text_align=”center” custom_margin=”|||0px|false|false” custom_margin_tablet=”|||0em|false|false” custom_margin_phone=”0px||10px|0em|false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” text_orientation_tablet=”center” text_orientation_phone=”center” text_orientation_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

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by Ren\u00e9e Tillotson<\/em><\/p>\n

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As I prepared to dash back to work after Thanksgiving, my inner voice told me: Stop. Withdraw. Step out of all your doings. Go into retreat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What?!? I responded. What do you mean: Stop? And anyway, how can I go into retreat? I have so many important and urgent projects. So many things and people need my attention.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To give you the context, dear readers, I felt frazzled. This last year, while I continued to direct and promote Still & Moving Center and oversee our engineering company, Prometheus Construction, I launched our brand new endeavor, the Academy of Mindful Movement, and boy, that almost overwhelmed me. It was an exceptional year of do, do, doing, and on several tracks at the same time. In case you ever consider taking a pause for yourself, here\u2019s a little guide for getting off the road:<\/span><\/p>\n

The voice inside me is demanding that I take a break.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I think to myself, How on earth am I going to do that? I have so much to DO.<\/span><\/p>\n

The voice is implacable: Just stop.<\/span><\/p>\n

All right. OK. I\u2019ll think about this pause idea.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

First step<\/strong> – Consider whether you need to build breaks into your schedule: My business coach Tony Bonnici is always telling me, Ren\u00e9e, you have to take time off. You don\u2019t have to do everything yourself. [My interpretation: Stop trying to carry the world on your shoulders. Have a little humility, for heaven\u2019s sake!] Tony says: You have developed a WONDERFUL team. You need to rely on them more. [My internal dialogue: Yes that\u2019s true! Still & Moving Center has attracted to itself marvelously talented staff members. And we have worked hard to develop a skilled, cohesive team who support each other really well.] Tony teaches me: A true leader doesn\u2019t always lead the charge from the front. The best leader helps others learn how to lead.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hmm\u2026. The more I think about leaving some of my duties for others to do, the more I realize: This could be a great experiment. This little break could allow our young birds test their wings and see how they fly. At some point, flying without Mom is the only way to go!<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That settles it. Let\u2019s do this thing!<\/span><\/p>\n

Second step<\/strong> – Make sure you set things up to go smoothly while you take your break: I talk to my team leaders. I give Operations Manager Neela Vadivel about 5 pages worth of detailed instructions of what I\u2019m counting on her to do. She seems tickled – in her industrious way<\/span> – that someone is finally giving her the kind of organized task list that she is so good at creating for others! I ask Sarah Hodges – who\u2019s been in training with me for two years in putting out our Still & Moving Center emails – whether she\u2019s ready to take on a month without me. She gives me a hearty, \u201cYes!\u201d\u00a0 And I ask whether Douglas Groesser and Robin Shepard can carry on alone for a month with our work on the Academy of Mindful Movement. Check. They\u2019re good to go.<\/span><\/p>\n

I let all of our staff know that I\u2019m not going to Antartica or outer Mongolia. I\u2019ll be right here, snug in my house, available if they really need me.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last step<\/strong> – Consult with your significant other: I let Cliff know what I\u2019m up to. Why is he the last? Because once I feel comfortable with my plan, I know he will LOVE the idea and support me every step of the way. And he does!<\/span><\/p>\n

So I stop. I take a little sabbatical from December 4, 2021 to January 4, 2022. And oh, do I savor this delicious, unscheduled time!<\/span><\/p>\n

When I reflect back, I realize that it has been at least 40 years since I stopped. In May of 1979 I completed 18 years of schooling, college, and a teaching credential program. In June, Cliff and I married. In September of the same year, I started teaching middle school. As a dedicated young teacher, I threw myself into my work, with my job filling not only my days but also my dreams at night. Cliff found me standing up in bed one night, \u201cteaching\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

After a couple exhausting years in my teaching job, Cliff blessed me with a summer off. He worked, we traveled nowhere, and I just sat in my beautiful little room, painted the same golden hue as our Sun & Moon room is now at Still & Moving Center. What did I do? I read theosophical philosophy. I read and thought. I thought and read more. How did all of these great, compassionate teachings – from ages past, about the universe and our place in it – apply my life? As I wondered, I watered and tended a hearty little pathos plant in the pot beside me. By the end of that summer, my pathos had vined its way up the wall and started growing around the ceiling! I like to think my little plant\u2019s growth spurt symbolically represented the inner development I made during that summer off.<\/span><\/p>\n

So here I am again – four decades, three kids and three grandkids later – taking time to stay in one place, mostly by myself, and turn inward. What shall I do? I again read lots of thesophical philosophy. I think a lot, write life questions and do my best to answer them. I also participate online in a few philosophical conversations during the month. I gain some insight that I\u2019m happy to share.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As it turns out, I start my sabbatical during the Still & Moving Center almanac week of Deep Listening<\/strong> – an especially auspicious theme for a time of turning and tuning inward. During my days of introspection, I record a few of my musings and Aha\u2019s in my almanac as 2021 draws to a close:<\/span><\/p>\n