Peripheral Insight

Most of us have heard the words, “peripheral vision”. I would imagine these words come to mind when you think about driving your car, and how you purposely allow your vision to surround the geographical area you are driving in.

Peripheral insight is a bit different – because, it isn’t just about the external vision. It’s about the internal, instinctual vision.

I had never thought about these words or this practice before. Not until I started playing the tambourine during Kirtans (a Sanskrit word for call-and-response devotional chanting) did it become apparent and make me cognizant of a certain state of consciousness.

There I was sitting on the floor, surrounded by other musicians, playing and listening intently to the sound I was making while playing the tambourine. Since it is a very loud instrument, I have to be very careful to play it softly, until the chant gets louder and crescendos’.  So, there I was, listening to the sound of the tambourine and to the musicians to make sure I was on target with the beat.

Once I had the sound and the rhythm down, my ears began to travel to the back of the room to listen to what they were hearing. I had to listen to the right side of the room, the left side and the front of the room. While all these peripheral activities were going on, I began to leave my body and become the channel for the music itself. This was a profound shift from the way I had been playing in the past. This was a new development entirely. While in this state, I could let go of all the listening and at the same time be “in the zone” of the exact right volume and syncopation.  Instead of playing my instrument, my whole body became the instrument. I was no longer playing the tambourine. It was playing me.  This was the awareness of peripheral insight.

Now, I don’t know if one can move into this place without going through the initial steps. But, I am going to give it a go – to see.

I bring this up today, because if we can achieve this state while playing music, why not try to achieve this state in our daily lives, while cooking dinner, mowing the lawn and doing business.

I am always asking my clients to become scientists and explore new depths of their business, new ways to articulate their stories, to dive deeper into their endeavors to discover new products, services, new ways to educate their audience and find new audiences.

When we meditate and leave the mind for several minutes or hours, the mind takes a rest. We allow it to pause, and refresh – which allows an opening for new ideas to come forth and get revealed. This too is peripheral insight.

What I am suggesting here is to go there – often. Even while you are moving throughout your day, allow yourself to witness the people, the noise, the state of your mind and body and see how you too can move “into the zone” of experiencing peripheral insight more often.

I would be interested in hearing your discoveries.