Embracing life’s currents: Everything Flows

For the Pantarei Approach, 2024 has started with reflection, growth, and renewal. This March we will be opening our 18th practitioner training program, and we are excited to see everyone who will be part of this group. In the same month, we will also open our first-ever one-year Advanced Training Program where certified practitioners will get to deepen their knowledge base and expand upon all their training and experience. Our days spent in the office (and also in cafés, parks, restaurants, and the gym) are filled with conversations about the development of the Pantarei Approach, the essence of what we teach, and how we want to grow, improve, and provide even more for all practitioners.

In the spirit of these conversations, we found it fitting to revisit and redefine our core values, aligning them with the invaluable lessons learned on our journey so far. We will soon publish our updated core values, and in this article, we want to highlight the first of them, that, at least for now, we have named: Everything Flows.

Pantarei = everything flows in the ancient Greek

Choosing a name for our approach back in the day took time. We knew that we wanted a word with meaning and intent. Panta Rhei means everything flows in ancient Greek, and we chose to use that as a direction for our approach. The term is connected to Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher who related life to a flow. He said, “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” And when a friend suggested the word Pantarei (pronounced Panta Ray), we instinctively knew this was what our approach would be called.

At the heart of our approach is the belief that life, like a river, never stands still. It is a ceaseless flow, a continuous evolution that shapes our experiences, relationships, and understanding of the world.

What do we mean by ‘flow’?

Imagine life as an elaborate dance, a mesmerizing movement that weaves through each situation and relationship. A movement inside each of us, in each moment, between people, a movement of the world itself. Everything moves, everything flows – some things in a slower rhythm, some quicker, some beautifully, some in unimaginable ways. Your breathing is movement; your skin moves, and your digestion moves in you, just as your emotions, thoughts, and beliefs all move.

The Pantarei Approach seeks to guide individuals in tapping into this unique movement within themselves. It explores self-awareness, encouraging individuals to synchronize with their internal rhythms and harmonize with the external world. In understanding and embracing the fluid nature of life, we find the power to navigate its currents with grace and purpose.

Navigating the currents

Life’s journey is akin to navigating a river – full of twists, turns, and unexpected currents. ‘Everything flows’ isn’t just a philosophical statement for us; it’s a compass that guides us through the complexities of existence. We aspire to empower individuals not only to weather the storms but to dance with the waves and find resilience and strength in the essence of change.

The Pantarei Approach envisions a world where individuals not only adapt to change but actively participate in the dance of transformation. Are you aware of how your current rhythm is different than it was yesterday? You might start the day low on energy, and after your morning coffee and a little good news, you get a boost that fills you with ambition and motivation. You probably also know the opposite – moments where your energy was drained from you after receiving some bad news. Your rhythm and the flow within you change constantly. And when you are aware of the changes, you can adapt to the changing reality within and around you.

Connecting to the flow

In sessions of the Pantarei Approach, the practitioner listens to the flow within their clients and supports them in connecting to their body, spirit, thoughts, and the flow of their reality. Think back to a time in your life when you felt physical pain – let’s say in your shoulder, and this pain affected all of your movements. No doubt, the pain didn’t only impact how you moved but also your emotional state, your ability to focus on what you wanted, and your care for others. When a Pantarei Approach practitioner touches your shoulder pain, they will be aware that they have touched a flow – one that is stuck and is asking to be released. The practitioner will ‘converse’ with your shoulder and see how it wants to move. The practitioner will be attentive to what your shoulder says and if what is held there, besides the physical muscle, is perhaps anger, the wish to love or be loved, an intention that seeks direction. In other words, the practitioner will help you return to your flow.

We are part of a collective flow

When we are aware of our own flow, we can notice the different layers of flow – there is a life flow of wishes and intention; there is a current flow that can be filled with happiness, sorrow, motivation, or confusion. But more than that, we are also aware that each person in our life has their own flow. At times we can swim together in the same direction, and at others times, our currents move us apart. When we are aware of our flow, we become fascinated by how other people move in life and enjoy learning from others. Our curiosity grows, as does our understanding and appreciation of just how different people are.

One of the benefits of any Pantarei Approach training program module is that practitioners learn to notice the flow in others. Practitioners learn not only to focus on their own personal development but also to appreciate people’s uniqueness and encourage them to explore their path in life.

If this is something that resonates with you, get in touch and find out more about our upcoming classes. We’d love to hear from you.

 

Written by Claudia Glowik and Vered Manasse