Keep The Time, Keep The Energy
There is an unspoken code between facilitators, teachers, sound healers, and ceremonialists. We all know it. We all feel it. And yet, at festivals, events, and even in yoga studios, it is astonishing how often this simple principle is broken: respect the schedule.
I perform at so many festivals and gatherings where ceremonies and sound baths are lined up back-to-back. In studios, the transitions are even tighter. And still, the teacher or facilitator before me drifts over their time, sometimes casually, sometimes with the feeling that they are offering something “too important” to be contained within the agreed slot.
It is one of the most frustrating experiences. Not because I am impatient, but because going over time has a ripple effect that touches everyone involved. As facilitators, our role is to hold space. But holding space requires awareness not only of the people in front of us, but also of the people coming after us.
When someone runs long, my stress rises. I may have only ten minutes to set up for my performance, ritual, or sound journey. Ten minutes to ground myself, prepare the instruments, and attune the energy. When that window is cut in half, the quality of the offering is impacted. And not just mine. The students who have just enjoyed a beautiful session suddenly feel rushed out of the room, met with impatient looks from the next group waiting to enter. It creates tension that could so easily be avoided. A domino effect of pressure and discomfort.
The irony is that we all share the same excitement. We all want to squeeze the most out of our sessions. We pour our hearts into our work. But our devotion should never come at the expense of the next facilitator or the next group of participants. That is not integrity. That is not leadership. And it is certainly not decency.
Facilitator decency means remembering that you are part of a larger ecosystem. It means understanding that your offering is one thread in a long tapestry, and if you pull too far on your end, the entire weave shifts.
It means respecting time. Full stop.
A powerful practice is this: try finishing a little early. Not five minutes late. Five minutes early. When you land the session with spaciousness, you allow people to integrate, gather their things, say their goodbyes, and leave with calm rather than urgency. You give the facilitator after you the precious minutes they need to arrive fully and deliver their best. You honour the shared container.
Treat others the way you wish to be treated. If you need time to set up, to breathe, to centre yourself before holding space, assume the facilitator after you needs the same. If you do not want a stressed-out group waiting outside while you wrap up, trust that no one else wants that either.
Facilitator decency is not complicated. It is presence. It is humility. It is remembering that the ceremony does not end when your words do. It ends when the space is cleared, the participants are at ease, and the next offering can begin without tension.
We all want to contribute our medicine to the world. Let’s make sure we do it in a way that uplifts the collective rather than disrupting it. Time is part of the container. Honour it, and you honour everyone around you.
I am so excited for the work you are doing. Have you had a personal expreince with poof time keeping, or have you made now changed your view on how you will hold space? Please share in the comment below.
With all my light,
Maria Lodetoft
