Discussion Post I submitted for my Atlantic University TP5110 Course – September 9
Part 1: Becoming the Buffalo
I’ve read the first three chapters of Becoming the Buffalo, and I plan to read more by the end of the week. It’s a quick and enjoyable read.
A beneficial aspect of what Bunny Paine-Clemes discusses is “getting in the zone.” This can apply to artists, scientists, and athletes, among others, who become so absorbed in their craft they lose track of time, themselves, and as the book implies, they become the buffalo. She says, “We must become totally involved with what we want to express until we merge with it and at last become it” (2015, p. 11). American sportscasters have adopted a Spanish phrase, en fuego, to describe when an athlete performs at such a high level that they seem to become other-worldly. The word means “fire,” so there’s an element of being unstoppable, like an unhittable pitcher, a basketball player who can’t miss, or a goalie who stops everything. This expression can be extended to those in other fields of performance as well.
Some elements help put us en fuego, which we’ve discussed previously, such as the 10-year rule. A particular skill must be so ingrained that it is second-nature. There is no thinking about the muscle movements or the order of steps to complete. It flows naturally and almost becomes part of the autonomic nervous system.
Paine-Clemes points to another factor that’s occurring in such situations, which is that an individual can tap into what she describes is “attunement,” as labeled by Swami Kriyananda. Or “our oneness with the universal Field of All Possibilities,” according to Edgar Cayce, who “calls this field ‘The Creative Forces'” (2015, p. 11-12). A person can’t get to the point of attunement until they’ve practiced the art enough to allow their conscious mind to subside and let their subconscious or superconscious mind to emerge. She adds, “We feel this energy from a connection with the universal source rather than the small ego” (2015, p. 18).
Meditation, however, is at the root of any effort to become the buffalo. As Paine-Clemes points out, “It is narrowness that blinds and blocks us, whether as people or as artists. It is meditation that expands us, that makes us more than we are” (2015, p. 18). Meditation goes a long way in clearing the mind of the “small ego.” It’s also a place where the individual can contemplate their craft, which often shows up in the form of a problem, such as a scientist trying to work out a formula. Most athletes today have regular meditation practices, which not only helps them perform under incredible pressures; they are taught to “visualize” themselves in the arena accomplishing extraordinary feats. In golf, for example, the player stands behind the ball not only to line-up the shot but to visualize the club striking the ball and going exactly where intended. I’ve taken creative situations, including work for my A.U. masters in meditation, and I’ve come out with an outline in my head of what I’m going to write, for example.
Part II: Working in Groups
I’ve had numerous professional and personal experiences working in group situations. I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly! The most rewarding group experience I had involved the first political campaigns I was apart of in 1984. A common cause is undoubtedly a way to get staff to gel, and campaigns are like military battles. As Paine-Clemes notes about the 2000 Duke University’s woman’s basketball team, “If you have been in that sort of group, you have felt the ‘we’ from within” (2015, p. 184), which was certainly the case for me. There is a hierarchy, each person has a specific duty, and the unit pulls together to solve problems and defeat a common enemy. Friendships grow deep, and the team is very supportive. She adds, “If we operate in a supportive environment with like-minded people, we are more likely to achieve our goals” (2015, p. 199).
The pay is lousy, the hours are long, but the goal makes it all worth it. Until you lose, which stung a lot. Yet, I was young and innocent enough to appreciate the altruistic purpose of the cause. It was not until afterward that I learned from the more senior staffers about all the “politics” that went on behind the scenes. As a member of the candidate’s extended family, I suppose I was shielded from most of it, and it didn’t tarnish the experience to discover these issues after it was all over.
I’ve also spent seven years in four different public relations agencies. As I noted in my recent paper, they were the best worst jobs I’ve ever had. I thoroughly enjoyed the creative aspects of what I did, particularly at the first agency since we had an advertising division. Again, the work was hard, the pay wasn’t that great, the hours were long, and the office politics were on overdrive. Constant deadlines to be creative weren’t my style either, so I never made it to two years at any of the agencies.
It isn’t easy to be collaborative in this type of environment. There were small cliches I became a part of where we could block out the noise from the others, and in these situations, I did enjoy myself. However, I find back-biting and underhanded actions extremely demoralizing and probably took it more to heart than I should have allowed myself. Yet, it’s a part of the industry, which is why I imagine most people who work for an agency ultimately go “client-side,” where at least the hours aren’t as long, and you can order others around!
I’ve spent most of my career working for myself. The environment is certainly much healthier for me, and I can set my own hours. I miss the collaboration, however, and enjoy working with other independent contractors on a project when the opportunity arises. So I suppose the trick is finding the happy medium!
References
Paine-Clemes, B. (2015), Creative synergy: using art, science, and philosophy to self-actualize your life,” Virginia Beach, VA: 4th Dimension Press
Paine-Clemes, B. (2015), Becoming the buffalo: writing in attunement with ‘the creative forces, Vallejo, CA: Bunny Paine-Clemes ©