The wisdom in the Room
Geneva, March 8, 2025
It was the day of days
A day of inspiration
A day of emotions
A day where we bared our souls to each other
Found solace and in new friends
We look forward to another day of learning
Of deepening our wisdom
Of sharing our experiences
The wisdom in the room will continue to inspire us
©Maureen Gumbe, reflecting on the event.
One month on. I am still basking in the warmth of the memories from the beautiful event. It was playful, meaningful, wonderful, successful and yes, insightful. I am grateful for and humbled by all the feedback so nicely captured by Maureen’s poem. It’s been a month and I am still thinking. It’s just the way I am these days, unrushed, under no pressure to do, rather just being. Waiting, because my waiting room is a classroom. Yielding to my inner wisdom, because it is from that place that I sense what is needed; that I know what I need to do.Why the Wisdom in the room? The seed of this event was planted as 2024 came to an end. I was unsettled, questioning, antsy even. I sensed I was not alone. I felt this all around me, a need for answers but what to do? I did not know so I retreated into my waiting room, that familiar place. It’s a life-long habit of mine to withdraw and unpack what is “eating” me. I now know it started as that little girl in Warri who grew up, one of the youngest of many, many, very many children and who needed to escape to think when it all got too much. In that place, the mist settles and I see clearly.And so it was that I spent time thinking and unraveling my discomfort until the vision was planted firmly in my mind. I knew I needed to gather people in a warm embrace, make them feel seen, held, heard and safe with one another so they could give themselves permission to connect, share and feel at one… with shared intentions. And that’s just what I did. From that place of individual wisdom came the wonder of our collective Wisdom in the Room. The forum built connection. The nni systemic dialogue, masterfully facilitated by Wiebke, anchored on human connection.
It was magical and I am happy.It was very hard though joyful work. All bills have been paid (phew!). I am rested and feel settled. What next is a question I have been asked by so many...No, I will not organise this monthly….sigh! Why? Because what next has to be meaningful and to create that takes time and wisdom but yes, new insights are bubbling up which I will share. Watch this space.Where I am headed.
I have decided I will write an insightful entry every month, here as a blog and on LinkedIn . Come spend time with Faith on the Eighth of each month. How about that?For those who know me well, you know how social media weary I am. My friends (you know yourselves) “but Faith, there are people out there just waiting to hear your message…”; My nieces (you know yourselves) “but Aunty, you surprise me, can you see the impact you are having, why are you holding back?”; “how are you going to grow your business?”.
It’s been hilarious, their nagging! I am a strong woman with convictions so naturally, I resisted. They wore me down. I have succumbed. I am grateful to my niece and chief champion, Ari. She gave me “devoirs” yesterday including creating an instagram account and choosing a handle, which I did - @insightfulbyfaith of course. My daughter almost choked when I told her last night “but Mummy you don’t even have a profile picture”. Me: “It will come…it will come." She laughed but followed me immediately and so should you. And now the profile picture has come. As will my insights. As will a post. I promise. I will get there slowly.The outcome and impact of The Wisdom in the Room is one of my dreams as a Coach: to serve by facilitating conversations people are having with themselves as individuals, families, at schools, in the workplace and as communities so we can all live more fulfilling and balanced lives where all emotions are welcome. Gratitude and reflections.To the Insightful community, thank you all for the acknowledgements, the observations, suggestions and ideas. These new friendships, bonds and connections matter. This community that is emerging matters and I am committed to nurturing it. I am touched by and celebrate us all and the impact we are having from this place of true human connection. There is more to come and I hope you continue to stay in touch and engaged. I will learn from and integrate all you shared as we grow together and do this work which I so love.And talking of love, Francis Cabrel’s words “T’es tout ce qu’il me reste, l’amour” deeply resonate. More and more, love guides my actions. How I spend my time, with whom I spend my time, the work I do and why I do it, who I am being, how I serve, the value I bring, what I choose to learn. This makes me intentional about my choices so they resonate with my values and I can truly experience life fully. Love is present whether I am coaching a young adult, a parent a senior executive or a CEO; advising an organisation or preparing a speaking engagement.Now to you.
And you? What is next for you? I invite you to get curious:
Hold your right palm up right now. Yes. Do it! Hold it up facing you. Observe it. Look at its colour. Look closely at the shapes of and differences in the lines that crisscross your palm. You have lived with them all your life. Smile as this awareness sinks in. Now fold your fingers in. Spread them out like a fan. Now feel around your right palm with the fingers of your left hand. What is happening? Connect with those sensations. Now think of how your hands serve you. They feed you. They fetch and carry for you. Without them there is no chopping, cooking, gardening. They write, type...They clean your house. They clean you! They stroke and caress you...and those you love.
It's amazing what we realise when we get curious, right? When last did you look at your hand? What are you learning right now? What are you missing from not looking deeply at yourself and others? From not looking around you and asking questions? What questions do you need to ask for the answers you seek?I invite you to get really curious. What is needed now? What do you need? Who are you being? Who can you be? What is important right now? How are you serving? I encourage you to yield to your wisdom for these answers. They are there, right there, deep inside you. Your very own wisdom. Tap into it and let it serve you. Give yourself the gift of accessing it.With love, Faith.