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| Picture "Wet" kindly provided by h.koppdelaney under CC |
I look back on the speech I made this week. It's quite amazing the rush that you get from speaking.
The Illumination Rush
I was reading "Quiet Leadership" by David Rock, and he indicated that when there is an insight into anything (illumination) the whole brain lights up at a Gamma frequency, firing at a very high speed (40 Hz oscillation), and it is an immensely powerful experience. Imagine a room with 20 odd people all having this experience, you can imagine what it was like.
Here is the section from David's book:
"Being in the illumination phase brings on a rush of energy...Even small illuminations pack an energetic punch. Think for a moment about the buzz you get watching a whodunit police show or a great movie, when right at the end the mystery falls into place. This rush is being driven by nothing more than a set of new connection in our brain. And we get the same rush when we solve a dilemma at work for ourselves, too.
Right at the moment of insight, neurotransmitters such as adrenline are released...Having an insight is one of life's most pleasant moments
The very moment an insight occur, the brain gives off strong gamma-band waves. Gamma-band waves are the only frequency found in all parts of the brain, and are seen where the brain simultaneously process information from different regions"
On the speech itself, it was a simple mindfulness exercise using only 3 raisins, and a simple Zen story, with some definitions. I wanted to talk about mindfulness but also wanted everyone to raise their awareness of it. I was happy I could deliver what I planned.
Speech Reflections
Here are some of my reflections:
- I did not really think that the speech was funny, but people were laughing left right and center :), probably at the absurdity of the actions, hearing the raisin, smelling it :)
- I was able to use the floor space better this time round
- I liked that I was able to put in a small spontaneousness encouragement comment to reinforce the learning
- The following process has worked really well for this and the last speech:
1. As soon as I finish one speech, I started planning the next one
2. Write it out weeks before
3. Practice it the day before at least 3 times, I find that I usually have to make some changes, and cut out at least a quarter to half of the content
4. Sleep over it, and practice it again before your real speech, I usually make more corrections, and I find that sleeping over it helps me prepare for it in some way
5. Once I have an updated script of about 1-2 pages, I take it along just for backup, I have found that you don't really need to read once you have done the above. I have to thank the president of the club, who "stretched" me by indicating asking me why I needed the notes, and letting me know in one of the speeches, I lost her while I was shuffling through my notes.
Feedback is a gift
A education instructor once told me that "Feedback is a gift". I truly believe this and I encourage my readers to give me feedback, it is a valuable learning opportunity for me, in the same vein I can also not ask for gifts :)
Here are some of the things I picked up on which I need to improve:
- I never knew that I talked in a monotone, its actually come up a two different evaluation in different ways
- There was an instant where there was a person next too me that needed a raisin, who left it at the other side of the views, I could have given her mine, I did think about it but I didn't carry through. A big lesson that I am being taught is the importance of listening and acting to that small voice inside you.
- I mentioned 4 months in 12 years rather than 12 months in 1 year
I have 3 more speeches to go till I attain my Effective Communication Certificate.
To finish, I hope you got an understanding of the relationship between illumination and energy, the value of feedback, and the value of being stretched by someone else, and something about listening to your inner voice.
Peace,
Kirpal
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