Recently we’ve met and worked with quite a few teams, companies, self-employed entrepreneurs and individuals who are approaching – or already in – the ‘void’ of a transformational process.
First of all, we love the word ‘void’. But what is it? We capture the void as a sort of vacuum. An empty space, but not just empty. No, a meaningful empty space. A vacuum or space between former identity – the identity you come from – and the yet unknown identity that wants to emerge.
You know the caterpillar that turns into a butterfly, a process called metamorphosis. Metamorphosis illustrates the concept of the ‘void’ in transformation processes – the caterpillar must literally let go of and abandon its old identity completely before the butterfly can emerge. In the void (called chrysalis in the metamorphosis process), the being exists in an in-between space where it is neither caterpillar nor butterfly: an existential emptiness where the old form has been broken down, but the new one is not yet fully formed.
This ‘void’ is not empty but full of potential – a creative chaos in which fundamental restructuring takes place beyond the control of the conscious self. Only by fully going through this uncertain transitional phase can the actual transformation to a new developmental stage be (successfully) completed. And of course, this isn’t an overnight process.
For us, human beings, teams and organizations, this vacuum is caused by the process of deconstruction as well. Parts of you, your trust, your beliefs, your perspectives, your planned future, your security in life, even your sense of safety might no longer be obvious or natural. This might feel like falling apart, falling into pieces. With a lot of connected emotions and behavior.
Vacuums seem to pull things in to fill empty space. In this process, you can experience some (existential) changes and movements that are (completely) new. New insights, new structures and new connections could appear that never existed before. New ways of sensing, thinking and experiencing may emerge that weren’t there previously.
It’s hard to predict how long the void will last. Weeks, months or sometimes even a year or longer. It’s all about the time and timing needed to gently, sometimes shock-wise, deconstruct elements that have shaped you up to this point in life. And from there, to start to crystallize into something new. It’s hard to speed this process up.
How do you know if you are approaching or have already entered this void?
‘Yes, but what then?’ ‘How would I know what I want?’ ‘It’s so f*cking tiring not being able to decide….’ ‘Is this temporary?’
Any recognition? Ever heard, ever felt or said these things or variations?
Well, fair chance they are expressions of you being in the void. Or maybe fighting the void. Or simply not recognizing you are in the void.
Do you recognize: demons in the night or early in the morning are trying to get you back to where you came from, your previous state of being. Your dear ones are looking at you with questioning eyes: ‘What’s going on with you?’ The void might feel like an abyss, without the valley floor being visible. You might label it for yourself as being unstable, disoriented, compass needle turning around and around, even wondering if you are depressed.
So it might be very helpful to recognize the void. It’s a natural and essential stage in the transformational process. And as we stated earlier: it’s beyond your conscious self. It’s driven by what we call the evolutionary force. A force that comes from the future towards you and shows what is coming to an end and where there’s space for new. Without knowing what the ‘new’ will be.
There are a few helpful steps, or thoughts you can use or do to get a sense of navigation.
First of all: allow yourself to recognize the void. That’s already a big step. Maybe you recognize some of these possible symptoms:
Many people and teams we meet in our work do not really like the void, to say it mildly. They endure it. Dees often asks then: ‘What would be different if you would allow yourself to dwell in the void, instead of enduring it?’ Dwelling like moving through a forest or landscape where there are no paths, rather than seeking endurance, character and purposefulness.
Transformation is a ‘logical’ result when something is reaching or has reached its expiry date. A relationship is coming to an end, a job, the place where you lived so happily, a phase in your life or in the life of your organization, society, country.
Staying in the emotions might have the effect that you can’t see the logic and the bigger picture. Sometimes other people can see earlier what is coming to an end than you can yourself. So ask them, what do they see?
A normal reaction to the void is to work harder. To make more goals, more marketing, working harder on yourself, more team meetings. When you notice this tendency: hold the impulse. Even if you feel you can’t afford it: hold the impulse for three hours, three days or three months. Create on purpose an extra void. Voids are vacuums that are meaningful. Shift from ‘chasing the meaning’ to ‘allowing the meaning to reveal itself and unfold’.
Most likely some of your patterns are key components that want to be deconstructed, or you could say you have to grow beyond them. Patterns are also a big part of your identity.
An example we recently worked with: a founder is identified with his company, and he feels that the time as owner (not founder of course, you cannot ‘undo’ foundership) is coming to an end. He could feel that life wanted other things from him and at the same time he already felt completely in the void when he thought of leaving the company. His pattern of identifying easily with everything he created will make it hard to let go. It’s this, in this case dominant pattern he needed to explore and grow beyond to give a new and different shape to his next phase in life.
If your pattern is one of always being available as a power bank for other people, then this pattern might be coming to an end. Instead of giving you energy, suddenly you might become aware it costs you energy. Too much energy.
There are many different patterns that might be longing to be left behind. If your pattern of ……. (whatever is applicable for you) could speak, what would it say?
Being in the void can be a very lonely process. Being there is also being like a fish in a fishbowl, not having any idea there is something beyond the water and the bowl. The buddy needs to refrain from help, advice, pity and finding solutions. The main quality of the buddy is to listen well. To be with you. To ask a question from time to time about the undercurrent of your process. And first of all, skip the sentence ‘it’ll be alright after all’ from his or her vocabulary.
Be prepared your family, friends, colleagues and other people around you might try to interfere. It’s often not easy for them to see you in the void. Maybe they think you are suffering. And yes, it can look like that.
You can make the people around you aware this stage is an important part of the process. Create the space where you can be in your void. When you wake up a pupa it will die. A seedling doesn’t grow faster by pulling on it. It most likely will damage its new grown roots.
How do you know you’ve gone through the void?
Well, we can only speak from our own experiences and what we’ve learned with others, teams and organizations. Metaphorically, you could say that it’s calm, that the storm has settled, or that the dust has settled. You might find yourself with a clearer view, with a fresh pair of eyes, new energy and more grounded.
~ Dees & Jan Jacob
In our program ‘Movements of Transformation’ participants often encounter the void – and usually discover the next stage where something new begins to crystallize. While these programs focus on deeply understanding transformations in teams, organizations and society, and learning to facilitate these processes, they frequently have a profound transforming effect on the participants themselves. ‘Life changing’ is how they often describe their experience.
If you’re curious about what might emerge when you step into your process, we’d love to explore this journey with you. Info and registration.
