The Yellow Journal

Yellow is a year old. 

It has been quite a year. We have done over sixty sessions – using everything from food, to art and breathwork. We have met and worked with fascinating people – as both participants and collaborators.  

We have learned a lot – about all sorts of subjects (especially ourselves) but above all about Yellow itself. Our understanding of how to hold and shape such a space (or ‘counterspace’ as we have come to think of it) continues to deepen.  

The best way we know to process and synthesise this learning is to write about it. Moreover, though Yellow is particular, we have a hunch that our experiences might be useful to others.  

With this in mind, we are going to write about Yellow. It will be more ‘learning journal’ than ‘newsletter’ and will be unashamedly focused on Yellow itself. Our assumption is that connections will happen (or not) in the mind of the reader. 

You expressed an interest in what we are up to with Yellow, so we are inviting you to eavesdrop, on the conversation we are having with ourselves. The pieces will be short. We won’t write at any fixed frequency, but when we feel we have something to say. 

If this turns out not to be of interest – the unsubscribe button is at hand. If the opposite happens and you want to pass it on to others, please do. And if something we say sparks off an idea you would like to talk more about, you know where to find us. 

The welcome of a tight question

In a recent session we looked at a painting. Buttermere Lake by Turner. We asked the group to tell us what they saw. One thing at a time. To stay with their observation and resist interpretations and abstractions, at least at first.

The group slipped easily into a measured rhythm, as one thing, then another simply landed, without elaboration. There were no apologies, or rambles. 

Such a simple, tight question made things very crisp. It took responsibility off them. One of them commented that “focusing on one thing transformed my mood and mindset”. They had no need to interpret what was being asked of them. And that limitation was liberating rather than constraining. 

The elaboration and interpretation followed, later. But it is useful to notice and remember, that such a crisp constraint can be welcome, early in a conversation.