 Photo courtesy of Jim Beihold Never Foiled
Jamie Douraghy came to fencing late in life as a refuge from the pressures and regimentation of British boarding school. He’s now a three-time national champion. In the world of fencing, competitors must keep a level head while having swords thrust in their face at 90 miles per hour. Their brains must remain focused, despite the fear and intimidation of an elegant but inherently violent sport. The chance for serious injury is very real. Yet some combatants return to compete for decades after most athletes have long since retired. What keeps them coming back? Ask Jamie Douraghy, a three-time USA Veteran National Fencing Champion and a six-time member of the US National Team at the Veteran World Fencing Championships. He’s been competing at the top level for over 40 years. Jamie began fencing in an English boarding school, an experience he describes as being like William Golding’s Lord of the Flies.  How (un)comfortable do you become, when a crowd closes in on your personal space?
While the image of a small dog curled up calmly between rows of people, (as those in attendance were also calm in their moment), has little to do with when a crowd/herd mentality can take over, it did provide another thought: How do you stay calm from within, when you are within a crowd?  Jamie Douraghy On a Sunday morning at LACMA, this couple caught my attention as they quietly shared a moment together. From what I observed, they shared a rhythm and a connection that only comes from doing something together for an extended period of time, almost like ritual.
It was less about being in the moment and more about creating the moment together. There was a comfort and ease in the way they sat next to one another, and from time to time, one of them would quietly interrupt to discuss something of particular interest. Here are some ideas on how to create positive rituals with others: Discuss upfront why it's important and why you are committing to do this together. Join your vision with your passion(s) Create a comfortable space Have some flexibility. Agree that all of you will put in the time to make this happen, as establishing a rhythm that develops into a ritual, won't happen by itself! What rhythm of positive routines have you committed to with another person and what's been the result over time? |
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