Building wisdom in supervision

Triangle of light

There is an image I’d like to share with you. It came to me during a visualization guided by Ingrid Isphording, who created a wonderful process called The Flow Wave. We built up a meditative state. She asked me how it would feel to have a philosophy for supervision that truly resonated with me. It felt like a sparkle and an inner smile. I envisioned myself in a heart-to-heart connection with my supervisee. Above us, a light shone brightly. Lines of light connected our hearts and extended to the light above, forming a flowing energy triangle with a high vibration. I felt complete, at ease, and full of love.

(Deze post is ook in het Nederlands te lezen op deze website)

This image reminded me of a guided visualization I had followed from Sanaya Roman, my spiritual teacher, who authored books like Soul Love and Spiritual Growth. Inspired by this vision, I asked a designer to depict the image:

Overarching Quality

The light above or between us symbolizes rising above our individual personalities. It represents a higher quality such as truth or wisdom. Together, we open up to this. It may flow through either of us and manifest in our words or the space between them. Through dialogue, we elevate one another.

A Field of Energy

The light can also be seen as a field of high energy that we co-create. This energy is perceivable as a felt sense in our bodies, such as a glow in the heart or belly, warmth in the backbone, or tingling in the palms and soles. Sometimes, it feels like a flowing energy in and around the body. It might be measurable with EEG as a high rate of theta brainwaves or with a Heart Rate Variability monitor as a high heart coherence.

The lines connecting our hearts represent tuning and resonance between supervisor and supervisee. This connection, based on equality, fosters openness and curiosity, allowing new wisdom to emerge. The soul resides in the connection, embracing the wholeness of our shared subject. Together, we build a larger field of energy beyond our daily selves. We are carried in this transpersonal field. It is more then what we think and do. It is about feeling and being.

Essence

I shared this image with my friend Alien Verhoef, seeking words to articulate the felt sense it evoked. Alien, who profoundly influenced my development as a coach and supervisor, developed Essence Coaching. For 22 years I meditated with her on a regular basis. Together we build up deep listening conversations through inquiry of our felt sense. Her passing in 2024 left a void, yet her teachings continue to guide me.

The light above in the image can be understood as the essence from which we both are relating. An essence like humour, lightness, and compassion.

I often ask supervisees what essence or quality they want to bring and receive in our meeting or how they wish to leave the session. When we both have a soft focus on a certain quality, we can build through resonance to bring it alive. When I ask them at the end of the session how they are as they leave, their wish has often come true.

Here an example of this in my work as a coach supervisor. In Dutch.