Welcome to Shikodo with our tag line It’s How You Think. It’s an interesting and loaded tag line. Our team sweated a long time over various tag lines but finally this was the one which ignited a ‘Yes!’.
I have worked in various developing community settings through my career; in the Solomon Islands during 1997 -1988 with a project helping a community overcome poverty by developing ecological and culturally sustainable industry as well as in China during my time as a Buddhist monk working in rural areas with young orphan women and women with mental health issues. I have witnessed some wonderful and compassionate projects aimed at people in need but there was always one aspect that bothered me. Disempowered people remained disempowered relying on the good will of well-meaning organizations. One day during a conversation with a young woman who had experienced trauma and depression I asked her what her life dream was. There was some deep silence as the question hung glibly in the air. The young woman looked at me and retorted, “What do you mean dream? I am not allowed to dream? I am poor and I can do nothing.” Time and time again I witnessed intense disempowerment due to a lack of a growth mindset and psychological skills. She didn’t need therapy; she needed skills.
In 2012 The Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) of the United Nations produced the results of a survey entitled Promoting Empowerment of People in achieving poverty eradication, social integration and full employment integration and decent work for all. Many people from emerging communities in different parts of the globe were interviewed as to what they believed gave empowerment. Amongst education, justice, change of political systems, there were several people who spoke of the desperate need for ‘mind skills’ or ‘psychological skills’. I realized that little was being done to address this. How a person thinks creates an enormous shift in their ability to overcome life-long obstacles and struggle.
Shikodo was born gleaned from my work in mental health over much of my career as well as time honoured principles from Eastern philosophy, a synthesis of which can be easily taught and used in Coaching. The Eight Cloud Method was born.
Shikodo is a team of super highly dedicated and professional people who work to help others achieve their aspirations and overcome life long struggle by learning and applying valuable skills. In fact, our work begins and comes alive when others talk of impossibility. As a team we know that it’s in how you think.
Dee* lives cerebral palsy confined to a wheelchair. Dee wanted to work in retail and above all wanted to study and attain qualifications in retail management. We were told that this would be virtually impossible for Dee given her ‘level of functioning’. Our team came together and spoke with Dee. How were we going to make this happen? We finally found the right Coach and now Dee studies on line with a vocational education provider. She has already submitted two assignments and is on her way to obtaining her qualifications and eventually meaningful employment. Stay tuned as we give updates to this inspiring story.
It is easy to feel disempowered by what has happened to you through life but as the great psychologist Carl Jung stated:” I am not what happened to me; I am what I choose to become. We are emergent beings. You have the capacity to emerge renewed with meaning and purpose to the person you were designed to be. Little did the caterpillar realize that she was not to crawl the earth for her entire life in danger of being crushed or eaten by birds of prey wandering in destitution. She was to undergo a metamorphis and emerge to what she was meant to be and fly free rising up into the currents of the spring air. Yes, all very nice I hear you say, but how does that happen to me and people like me? I come back to Shikodo’s tag: “It’s How You Think.”
Join our journey as we reach out to those in need of empowerment. You can be part of our team or can begin your own emergence with us. We would love to hear from you.
*Dee is not her real name. It has been changed for confidentiality.
