The following is not related whatsoever to digital marketing or advertising but it is important for those working in the field and frankly applies to us all. I challenge you to apply this philosophy in your own life, as it will not only make you a better speaker and a presenter but also make it easier for you to connect with other people in regular life and in business.
If you are too lazy to read my summary of the Second Circle philosophy or enjoy watching videos instead, then watch Patsy explain it herself at the end of this post (10 min). One word- Awesome!
“To be or not to be, that is the question.”- You might recognize this line as being one of the most famous Shakespeare creations and Patsy Rodenburg explores this exact line in her vocal philosophy of the Second Circle. Patsy explains the three energy states or ‘circles’ that we tend to be in (First, Second, and Third) and further proves that we all have a choice to live in the present in the Second Circle with yourself and others. Patsy Rodenburg’s focuses many aspects of her philosophy on Shakespeare for the reason that“he revealed to us that we can only love unconditionally, find intimacy, be equal with each other, use power well, if we are present to each other and the world.“
According to Patsy, it is very important to be in the right circle of energy as the natural movement of energy runs through you, your body, breath, voice, and it is completely transferrable. The three circles of energy describe the ways that the three basic human energies move. Our natural presence is in the Second Circle and the First and Third Circles only take us away from being fully present. Patsy’s exercises enable us to polish every facet of our presence: “posture, breath, voice, sensory awareness, listening, clear thinking, generosity of heart, and sheer bravery” which enable us to stay in the Second Circle.
The First Circle of energy or the Circle of Self and Withdrawal is all about inwards energy that falls back inside a person. The First Circle absorbs energy from others and draws all outer stimuli inward. Whenever a person is in the First Circle, they are not observant about people or objects outside themselves and their interest in others is only a way to illuminate themselves.
The Third Circle or the Circle of Bluff and Force is full of energy that is pushed out and very energized. It can often be seen in people that are loud and often take others peoples space. The energy in the Third Circle is untargeted and outward-moving as the attention is fully outside them while at the same time lacking focus and detail. People in the Third Circle may “speak eloquently, sound enthusiastic and charming,” but clearly don’t listen well. They look through people, scanning the surface of every interaction rather than being fully present with them.
The Second Circle is all about being engaged, connected, and fully present. We are born in this circle and our survival strongly depends on our ability to stay there. However, we lose many aspects of our natural presence through new learned habits that we pick up from our often never-present society. Your passion and charisma is fully displayed when you are in the Second Circle as you are able to fully focus and connect with an another being. When you are present, there is focus and this allows complete transfer of energy between people and other beings. In the Second Circle, there is equality and this gives room for intimacy and connectedness.
Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give” and according to Patsy Rodenburg, in order to make our lives meaningful and complete, we have to make a decision to stay present which will enable us to not only make ourselves feel good but to also make others feel good around us.
