At a foraged supper club this Monday, a story for another time, I was lucky enough to run into friend to 6-Heads, Jo Hunter of 53 Million Artists. While reminiscing about that time I convinced Jo to do flying trapeze to challenge her fear of change, somehow we are still friends, I discovered she’d already posted her story of how she found the evening. Here is what she has to say…
So I have tried some fairly ridiculous stuff when I have been doing creative challenges but I think this takes the biscuit!
I was offered the chance to take part in a flying trapeze workshop by some new friends at 6 Heads (6-heads.com) and in the spirit of 53 Million Artists I agreed fairly readily. And then I thought WHAT AM I DOING?! Especially after I saw the height of the rig. We were being asked in the context of the workshop to think about how flying related to liminal space in our lives. How we might use the workshop to take a leap into the unknown, figuratively as well as literally.
The first time I tried it I was absolutely terrified. I climbed up the very rickety ladder and just couldn’t believe I was thinking of willingly jumping off the platform, even though I was harnessed in and I knew logically I couldn’t hurt myself. But weirdly, I think I was so much in blind panic moment that when I jumped off I managed to do the move they had taught us pretty perfectly and without hesitation. I came off feeling amazing!
So then the second time, I went up with much more confidence but interestingly this time, because my feelings had had a chance to adjust, my brain kicked in. And so although I felt more relaxed, I completely over thought it and couldn’t do the move. I was really gutted.
It made me think a lot about how actually I am quite good these days at just jumping in and taking a risk, but often the next bit, where I have to follow through or think about it or get over a hurdle or improve something, that’s where I fail. So I am going to keep jumping. But this time I am going to let my feelings guide me a little bit further before kicking in with my brain.
Jo Hunter
To find out more about flying trapeze experiential programmes in 2015 please email me at louisa.harris@6-heads.com
If you have a project you would like to share with our community, an event you would like to host or an idea you would like to blog about then we would love to hear from you. Please email me at louisa.harris@6-heads.com for more information.
6heads 