When it comes to communication, how many different ways do you do it? Aside from speaking, writing, or perhaps composing TikToks or Reels on Instagram, what other ways might you get your point across? More interestingly, aside from other people, what other life forms do you communicate with, and how does that occur?

As Bob Frissell said, “You Are a Spiritual Being Having a Human Experience.” Without getting too woo-woo about it, the fact is, we are all sensory beings equipped with incredible faculties of perception as well as subtle ways of expressing ourselves.

Every living and waking moment occurs in the context of our environment. Much of our surroundings are inanimate, but we also share space with creatures as insignificant as the ants in your kitchen to plants, trees, or your trusty dog or fickle cat.

Obviously, beyond flora and fauna, it’s the other humans in our environment that we interact with the most. As the last few years have made abundantly clear, face-to-face in-person communication, where we can not only see and hear the other person, but pick up the nuance of subtle cues provided by body language is the exception rather than the norm.

We’ve all got used to doing our best with Zoom, stepping down from that we get by with email or comments on social media, and at the bottom of the heap instant messaging via texts.

If you’ve ever been misunderstood, and had to explain that you were using the sarcasm font, then you know what I mean. The narrower the channel, the larger the possibility of misunderstanding.

Somehow, through it all, voice-to-voice real-time communication over the phone seems surprisingly intimate. Perhaps it’s just because we’ve had nearly 100 years to practice.

The fact is, whatever you are communicating to the world carries some sort of a vibe with it. Where we get in trouble is when we make assumptions about what might be going on in the mind or body of the receiver.

Even among strangers, we put off signals and detect subtle clues. Driving on the highway you might notice a car that seems wise to steer clear of. Simply pushing a shopping cart through a grocery store is an exercise in respecting personal space.

Every living thing in your world is speaking to you somehow, it’s part of the dance of life to learn how to listen to your ever-expanding network of nuance.

I noticed an odd sort of conversation I’ve been having with a plant in our house. We have what I believe is called an Alocasia near our sunny front window that we can admire while eating breakfast.

It had been struggling somewhat, and a helpful person at a plant store mentioned to me that they like to be kept moist. Armed with that knowledge, I began interacting with it more and paying close attention.

Instead of soaking it once a week or so like the rest of our plants, I began giving it a little daily sip of our leftover water after dinner. Responding gratefully, it began to “ask” me to also rotate it a little bit every day or two.

Once we established a good “conversation“ about what it likes, it began surprising us with luscious growth and spectacular foliage. Pondering my “relationship“ with this plant got me thinking about the consciousness of communication.

With every breath you dance in an infinite loop of vibrations and communication. You might ask yourself about which part of the dance you’re paying more attention to — the vibes you exude, or the nuances you notice. Either way, it’s a miracle of awareness to stand in the center and appreciate your presence in the midst of all things.

Much love and high vibes till next week!

M+

Mark Metz
Director of the Dance First Association
Publisher of Conscious Dancer Magazine