HIGH WIRE ACT

One of the best metaphors that I have heard in a while came from my partner Eduardo. In a meeting he was in, one of the people checked in about how their life was like walking on a high wire. We took that subject and with a lot of brainstorming, some creative input from my girlfriend, and some creativity we came up with a great process for our weekly men’s group.

We set up a process where men were able to actually walk a tight wire (tape on the floor) balancing a pole that had some weight on either end. The idea is for men to feel the tension in their lives and to be able to be aware of where that tension is coming from and what they want to do with it. The beautiful part of this work is that it is not about resolution in the sense that somehow magically all their issues will disappear when they identify the tensions, it is about becoming aware and awake to what is working and/or not working in our lives.

Before we had the men do this process, Eduardo and I both did it ourselves to experience it. What I realized about myself was that I was very deliberate and focused to stay on the line as I was not going to screw up or fall. To add an interesting twist, when I was half way across, I stopped lifted one leg to the rear and did my best yoga balancing act just to show Eduardo how special I was…..again the paradox in my life shows up.

It wasn’t until the end of the group that I got in touch with that is exactly how I do my life. I am very careful not to make mistakes yet I have a big part of me that will take risks so that I will be seen and recognized with a little WOW factor. This is not about good or bad or right or wrong or even resolution, this is about knowing who I am, loving myself, and learning how I can balance my life …..and my yoga stance……whichever comes first.