Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Questions for Thought


Last fall Dr. Kathleen Kane, Professor of Leadership & Organizational Behavior at the University of San Francisco’s School of Business & Management, advised that she had heard great things about the film Man On Wire – a 2008 Magnolia Film production. In December, I purchased the film and viewed it in preparation for the Winter 2009 Leaders’ Retreat. It was/is magnificent!


Beyond a subtle undercurrent psychological study of Phillipe Petit, the French hire-wire walker who in 1974 strode for forty-five minutes between the twin towers of the World Trade Center, this is a powerful true story of what a few people can do when they set their minds to something.


We used the film at the Retreat. In my preparation prior to the Retreat I sat in my office viewing and was struck with a question coming up from within me, followed by another – and then another. I had to hit the pause button, because the flow of questions would not stop, and get paper and pencil to write down what was being generated. We used these questions at the Retreat. Then last week I used the same list of questions (sans film) for the Samurai Game® delivery I did for the Institute of Embodied Wisdom in Westlake Village, California. The people were left speechless.


A few years ago in conversation with George Leonard he remarked that he had seen and was recommending Touching The Void, adding, “It’s the most powerful film of the human spirit I have ever seen.” I saw that film and afterward had to agree with George’s viewpoint. It is above, if not on par with, The Endurance.


Now, add to that short list, Man On Wire. Get it. View it. View it again.
Here is the list of late night questions that erupted from within:
What do you dream about in life?
What do you risk?
What are you willing to risk
How alive to do you allow yourself to be?
How do you express your aliveness?
What stories do you carry with you about failing?
Who counts with you on things that matter?
Who counts with you on things trivial?
Who do you forgive?
Who do you allow yourself to be forgiven by?
What sounds do you attend to?
What have you noticed about your spirit when the odds are against you?
Who inspires you?
Who do you inspire?
Who do you trust?
Who do you allow to trust you?
What stories do you carry with you about money?
Under what circumstances are you aware of your sense of smell?
How capable are you when you find yourself in the midst of exhaustion?
What can you do with a committed team?
What if the team is just you and one other person?
What if you’re all alone?
What is your daily work of art?
What do you practice?
What colors seek your attention?
How invested are you in planning?
How are you when it comes to spontaneity?
Under what circumstances do you exercise patience?
Under what circumstances do you underestimate yourself?
Under what circumstances do you overestimate yourself?
How do you language this in your unspoken words?
What are your capacities?


©Lance Giroux, 2009

1 comment:

Jane Faulkner said...

Hi Lance, I really appreciate your focus on somatics (that is my passion too-Embodied Living). Your questions reflect the power of somatic inquiry and what happens as we really gain access to all of our resources.
Thanks! PS-Photo Whimsy is my son's blog, not mine-see www.EmbodiedLiving.com for mine.
Jane