I’ve anticipated today’s post for months. I’m sharing one of my favorite techniques for personal reflection. Several of my clients have employed this technique to build their own council, and I hope I can inspire you to do the same.
The Birth of The Council
My Council of Joshes began to form one morning during a future self meditation.
As I walked the path to find my future self, I approached the edge of a cliff. Instinctively, I leaped off the cliff and soared into the air. As I flew, I saw a giant nest atop a mountain, and I landed in the nest.
Sitting in the nest was a future version of me. He was dressed in an outfit similar to Kevin Costner’s at the end of Dances With Wolves, with hawk feathers lining both sleeves. I was stunned. I addressed this future version of me.
Present Me: “Is this really a future version of me?”
Future Me: “Yes, it is.”
Present Me: “How does this come to pass?”
Future Me: “It’s not time for you to know that yet.”
I now call this future version of me Spirit Josh. In future meditations, a council quickly formed. Three additional members joined Spirit Josh:
- Athlete Josh
- Coach Josh
- Josh Love
The council convenes in a semicircle around a bonfire. While it has never been formally discussed, Spirit Josh is understood to be the leader of the council and sits in the center.
The Evolution of The Council
Consulting the council has become my favorite reflective meditation. Some days, I present a specific topic to the council and see how each member responds. On other days, I approach the council and see what wisdom they have to offer me.
The council has evolved over time, as new aspects of my way of being get promoted to the council. This has been a powerful way to acknowledge what is important to me.
A year ago, I took a fractional leadership role in an organization, focused on employee success. A few months later, I partnered with Doctums to have a greater coaching impact on higher education. With these two roles, the council realized that Leader Josh was resurfacing – a member who stepped down when I launched my coaching practice. The council had a lively discussion around this. They felt they had a pretty good thing going (especially Coach Josh) and were worried that Leader Josh would drag them back to their former professional life.
In the end, Leader Josh spoke with each council member, showing them how Leader Josh had positively impacted their role. It was Leader Josh stepping into the role of VP of Software Development that first brought Athlete Josh into being, recognizing he wanted to embody his value of health. Much of Coach Josh’s early success tied back to all of Leader Josh’s experiences. Leader Josh rejoined the council and has been in harmony with the other members ever since.*
At my last dinner with my personal board of directors, I changed the format. I reported to my board from the perspective of each council member, and the board commented and questioned each member in turn. It was a fascinating and entertaining exploration of these various aspects of who I am.
Who Is On Your Council?
I could write about my council for hours—hopefully, I’ve given you enough to get a flavor of how this meditation serves me.
This begs the question, who is on your council? What are the different aspects of your way of being that are important enough to represent you on your council?
One area of exploration that could inspire you is connecting with your values. Reflecting on the values that are important to you may illustrate aspects of your being that align with those of a council member. Learner Josh connects directly to my value of Growth. My value of Connection inspires Coach Josh and Josh Love. Athlete Josh and Spirit Josh both resonate with my value of Well-being.
You can also examine the different roles you play in life. Not every role deserves a seat on the council. You decide which ones deserve to be elevated to that status. Here are some roles to consider:
- Partner/Spouse
- Parent
- Friend
- Professional
- Volunteer
- Hobby enthusiast
Connect With Your Council
Once you have identified a few council members, I invite you to connect with them. Find a quiet space and a comfortable amount of time to connect and explore. Get comfortable. Take a few deep breaths to settle yourself. Close your eyes, and visualize yourself traveling to meet with your council. As you come to the council meeting location, look at each council member. What are they wearing? What is their mood? How are they holding their body?
Check in with each member of the council in turn. Ask them what they would like to share with you today. Be patient. Give this movie time to play out and see what they say.
If the visualization has taken on a life of its own, let the council members interact and watch it play out. If the council needs another prompt, ask them who they think is missing from the council. Is there a guest member they want to bring in? Just this morning, my council invited my childhood friend SuperDave in for a unique perspective.
As you bring your meditation to a close, form a closing ritual. My council folds back into my body. Spirit Josh remains behind and locks arms with me for a few moments before he also folds in, and then I return home.
As you emerge from your meditation, consider journaling about the insights you received from your council. I often emerge from this meditation with greater clarity about my path forward.
Putting It Into Practice
Build your council to help you reflect and explore different aspects of your way of being.
- Explore your values to identify council members.
- Consider the roles you play in life that might be represented on the council.
- Meet with your council in meditation and see what wisdom arises.
If you want to explore your council further or learn more about mine, schedule time with me using the link below.
I am an executive coach and life coach with software executive roots in higher education and EdTech. I coach because I love to help others accelerate their growth as leaders and humans. I frequently write about #management, #leadership, #coaching, #neuroscience, and #arete.
If you would like to learn more, schedule time with me.
Want to comment? Join the conversation on LinkedIn.
* Leader Josh would also like to point out that the council now has ten members, which feels like title inflation. He feels a team like this should be seven or fewer and suggests a reorganization is in order. We are contemplating his feedback.