Live vs Written or Other kind of Meeting
Why 'Live', 'Face-to-Face' Events Are So Important
The internet is full of abstracts, presentation structures, articles and books. From and about all subjects & industries, with diagrams, examples, graphs, drawings and methods. And small or big and unique, secret.
And yet the masters' halls are full.
Of those who want to expose themselves at the energy of the speaker/-s and of the other participants. And to answer questions. And to go into details, with openness.
And yet...
Why is St. Peter's Square full every Sunday? That any priest, during a service, reads from the same books, usually gives the same parables and emits, addresses the same exhortations for hundreds and thousands of years.
Why are concert halls full, when, with today's technology, you can sit in your favorite corner of your house and hear/watch the concert, the play or the exhibition, the football match technically speaking, much, much better and more conveniently and comfortable?
My answer is that only there can you feel the energy of the speaker or speakers. Or sing, or dance. Or swim, run, or play a game. And only together with them can you be part of that event, sometimes not just as an audience. And because that particular concert, theater, show, exhibition, sporting event is and will always be special and unique. Just as the most valuable collection stamps are those hiding small defects, those small exceptions, so too a meeting between an audience and what brought it there - a speaker, master, teacher, band, team, ensemble, group, performer, orchestra - has several unique aspects. The contribution, the energetic imprint of the speaker is unique, first as a being, then something special is added, an 'aroma', an energetic particularity depending on what he will present / interpret, sing and, perhaps most importantly, his energetic imprint at that moment. All this makes an event absolutely unique and unrepeatable.
A meeting, a concert, a presentation, a course, a speech, a lesson, a match, a play, a race and so on. Even a film seen twice in succession, immediately, 'in a loop', will be perceived differently, because the receiver is different: already enriched by the message, a little more tired or more enthusiastic.
Of course, we can also consider more '3D', more palpable factors: the context in which the event takes place, the fact that the text of a presentation will never include all the explanations and elements that a speaker, an author, will or could present live in his presentation.
Two speeches of the same presenter will not be identical. The speaker is not identical in the two moments. Considering that they are successive, at a short distance in time, he will also have at least the experience of the first exposure, perhaps also of the answers to some questions, some of which may be new even to him.
On the other hand, the recipient is not the same either. The key word here is 'interactivity', and, let's be understood, an exchange, energetic but also of a different nature, depending on the type of event. That is, the presenter, the performer gives, but also receives energy in the form of attention and reflects it back.
Where attention and intention go, that's where energy goes. It applies here as well. The audience supports and charges the 'speaker', and he gives them what they have gained by being there to receive: music, dance, knowledge, experiences. At a concert, the interactivity can even be: 'I applauded so loudly and so much, that instead of an 'encore', as the artist usually gives, he came back three times!'
At a match, and not only, interactivity is not limited to interacting with the athletes, but also with the other spectators in the 'auditorium'. And here it's said that the public, the supporters, are a player part of the team, as well!
For some events, however, you have to do your homework. Even at a sporting event you understand differently what you see if you know and understand the rules of the game.
At the introductory events 'The Journey' it makes sense to participate, to really benefit from what happens there, after having previously read Brandon Bays' book, 'The Journey', so, lo and behold, the live event really requires corresponding reading!
A unique note also gives the moment of the presentation, for example the New Year's concert. The place where the event takes place is also important: some people prefer to be part of concerts at the Athenaeum or a certain hall than other locations. Most of the time we are talking about a combination of all these.
And here I invite you to consider the semantics of 'event' in its initial, basic sense: event is something that happens, an 'accident', usually with a lower incidence, something rare, special. It always involves a unique, direct experience. Some define it as "any local and instantaneous phenomenon or local and instantaneous state." A sunrise is an event, a meeting, the launch of a rocket, an exhibition, the premiere of a play, a concert or a film. I avoid giving as an example the apparently negatively charged ones. Hiroshima was an event. In principle, just about anything happens irregularly, extended 'exceptionally', and, I would say, for which someone/something has prepared. Something rare, special, exceptional.
Another extremely strong argument for participating in a live event is the 'atmosphere'. Not many things can compare to the atmosphere in the stands of a sports competition. For example, everyone who was at the 'The Wall' concert surely listened to the album at least 10 times and saw the film at least once. And yet they also went to the live event. All this made me understand why authentic presenters have, even in this information age, full halls, and I invite you to reflect on them.
Therapies, for example, are done 'live', but the vast majority involve energetic components available only at live, face-to-face direct meetings.
I invite you to participate, whenever you have the opportunity, in live presentations, that is, in seminars, workshops, concerts and other events in your sphere of interest. Advantages: all of the above, and even side effects that you could benefit from: exposure, participation, integration and social belonging, in general or related to a certain community, meeting others who are passionate and involved in the same field, with visions, understandings and opinions that may be interesting to you.
Some say – and it's also my experience – that the entire life is just a long succesion of events. Each of this moments / events is unique and make our life to be so as it is and ours!
Obviously, what has been written above would have had an even greater effect told by direct speaking and direct, face to face.
So... We look forward to seeing you at our presentations!
Example - all these factors are unique for each live event:
- Venue
- Speakers / Special guests
- Decor and setup
- Promotional materials and branding
- Technical equipment (sound, lights, projector, screens)
- Date and time of the event
- The mood of the audience / participants