Given how busy the last few months have been it is perhaps not a surprise that I have not managed to write a blog for awhile and have recently succumbed to illness. However, one good thing about not being able to work is that you finally have space for yourself to think.
In music two common terms are ‘rests’ and ‘pauses’. A rest is a defined length of time between two notes where a performer is silent. A pause is a much more variable length of time where a performer may hold a note or alternatively remain completely silent. Some composers use the silent pause to create extraordinary effects. The Estonian composer Arvo Part uses silent ‘General Pause’ bars frequently in his music. Depending on the acoustic, these general pause bars give time not only to audibly experience the reverberation of the previous sung phrase, but also they give time to reflect on what has happened and to anticipate what is to follow. Silence is a valuable part of music.
When we take time out to pause in our lives we also have time to experience the ‘reverberation’ of what we have just been doing. We can also reflect, and more importantly we can then anticipate what we need to do next. As coaches we hold a space for our clients to reflect, think and anticipate. Silence is crucial to this. Nancy Kline in her book ‘Time to think’ talks about the importance of silence and quiet. Because a person is not talking it doesn’t mean that they aren’t thinking. Countless connections in the brain are taking place that join together to form ‘ideas’. These ideas can be the beginnings of realising dreams. They can be life changing moments.
At this time of year we often are setting ourselves goals and resolutions. Part of this process is to rest, pause, reflect and to allow ourselves the time to create dreams. Happy New Year!
PS You may like to listen to ‘The Deer’s Cry’ by Arvo Part. https://youtu.be/Ir3htl3UlBk