Recently I've been focused a lot on a state of 'not knowing'.
I call it 'not knowing' because that is the language that resonates with me at the moment.
You could equate it with Milton Erickson's, 'Nobody knows what the future holds'.
Or with mindfulness.
Or with 'living in the Now'.
The way it is expressed seems to make a difference.
'Not knowing' somehow embraces the negative rather than focus on the positive. It's a bit like the Buddhist, 'May you be free of suffering'.
This state of 'not knowing' can underpin many different experiences.
At one end of the spectrum is not knowing what the future holds but being willing to look at current trends and how people and organisations are adapting. A good example of this is Gihan Perera's series of free seminars on Learning.
At the other end is the more personal response to the people in one's life and the uncertainty enmeshed in how they may or may not respond in certain situations.
On the one hand, we can respond to the uncertainty of other people's responses with fear and anxiety. On the other, we can embrace the uncertainty with the state of 'not knowing'.
External or internal?
My experience is that my felt response to the external 'not knowing', with the example of Gihan's input, is 'curiosity and ignorance'. This leads on to a willingness to enquire, be receptive and experiment.
My felt response to the internal 'not knowing' is not so easy. But when I embrace it, it is a state of being at peace with whatever is. This leads on to the challenge of prolonging this state in numerous diverse circumstances.
