{"id":4968,"date":"2026-06-15T22:10:07","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T19:10:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ollisavolainen.fi\/valmennus\/?page_id=4968"},"modified":"2026-06-15T22:25:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T19:25:26","slug":"inquiry-learn-to-give-words-to-your-experience-from-a-place-of-presence","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ollisavolainen.fi\/valmennus\/en\/inquiry-learn-to-give-words-to-your-experience-from-a-place-of-presence\/","title":{"rendered":"Inquiry \u2013 Learn to give words to your experience from a place of presence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Toward an independent practice of self-inquiry, and through it, toward bodily and emotional wholeness as a human being.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Inquiry is an age-old practice, though still fairly unknown in Finland. You can also think of it as the ”next level” of emotional-skills coaching.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In the end, no one else can tell you what truly matters in your life \u2014 or who you really are.<\/strong> That’s why it’s important to be able to explore your bodily and emotional experience on your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through inquiry, you learn to come into contact with the parts of yourself that have understood all along who you ultimately are and where you are heading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The holding experience<\/em> this practice makes possible supports the growth of your ”presence muscles,” allowing the exploration of your own inner space to deepen independently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The practice supports reaching a connection with your own body and your own emotions. Unlike in meditation, in inquiry another person’s gaze holds your presence practice. Although interaction is not the aim here, inquiry can nevertheless sometimes open the experience of a deep connection with another person as well \u2014 the kind rarely reached in everyday interaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I offer inquiry coaching both one-on-one and in groups.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Book a session or ask for more information<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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See also: The magic of inquiry: why embodied self-reflection fascinates us<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

I’ve already practiced other forms of presence or interaction modalities. How does inquiry differ from these?<\/span><\/summary>
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Circling, nonviolent communication, and radical honesty, for example, are all useful ways of exploring one’s own experience, interaction patterns, and especially the self as it manifests in interaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The aim of inquiry is not primarily or solely work at the level of interaction, even though a practice partner supports you while doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within a clear and safe framework, inquiry also makes it possible to become acquainted with deeper layers of selfhood and presence, and with the different qualities of presence (essence): for example, Power, Strength, Joy of Life, Compassion, and Inner Support \/ Self-Confidence.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n

Are there any prerequisites for starting the inquiry practice? Do I need to know something beforehand?<\/span><\/summary>
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You can come to inquiry guidance whenever you feel it’s important to learn to explore your own experience independently. There are no special prerequisites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prior experience with embodied methods, emotional work, mindfulness, or meditation is helpful, but inquiry also supports the strengthening of these capacities. The practice is tailored to you and to your needs in each moment.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n

Why learn the practice with a professional?<\/span><\/summary>
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Inquiry is, in practice, an endlessly deepening learning experience in what working with oneself actually is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the practice is fairly simple in outward form, it holds a great deal of depth that is easier to access with an experienced practitioner. I have done this practice in various contexts for nearly ten years, with both clients and loved ones. The journey keeps deepening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking hold of certain basic principles at the start ensures that the practice can keep deepening further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learning the practice with someone more experienced ensures that, over the long term, you draw out the full benefit it has to offer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n

How does a session unfold?<\/span><\/summary>
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We meet at the beginning of the session in conversation, and the lead-in to the practice itself happens gradually within it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inquiry, in the form we typically practice it, includes a question that the witnessing party can also repeat during the practice. Questions might be, for example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n