Week 1- Getting Started at The National Museum Scotland

Tuesday 25th Jan 2022

5 Minute Task - Informal Team Meeting

Three museum staff stand in a tight circle, sharing and catching up on today's news and discussing the tasks for the day. The three people quite different but linked together by their job. Two men, one older gentleman in his smart staff suit uniform with suit jacket. The younger man with striking red hair looking slightly more casual wearing the purple shirt which made up the staff uniform, having maybe disregarded his suit jacket earlier in the day. The lady wearing a skirt suit with a walkie-talkie perched on her hip, her hair neatly tied back and flat black shoes. They look deep and engaged in conversation , all intently listening to each other, their attention and gaze only on each other and in towards the center

of their circle.

Main Task- Buddha Statue

Bronze and big, as I walk into the room with high ceilings and open archways leading back outside. A large statue dominating the room , shiny and

smooth,quiet and serene but demanding your attention. Pulling you in.

I stand and just looking at the face of the statue. The features clearly defined but with a softness. The eyes are closed, however I still feel a gentle gaze in my direction from the statue. My attention being brought to the center of the forehead just between the eyes where a small round bronze oval jewel is placed, at the third eye. The lips gently pressed closed together, the mouth and lips soft in a natural resting shape with very little expression. However I still feel an expression, I wouldn't describe it completely expressionless but I am not too sure how to describe it. It is a gentle , natural expression. Perhaps soft or peaceful, or content. I am drawn to the face, to this sense of peace, of calm. I feel a wash of calm pass over me as I hear myself made a sighing sound as I exhale. I am still standing in the same spot. I have not moved. I want stillness, the statue has inspired me, compelled me to be still.

I know the statue is an inanimate object so it has no choice but to be still. The statue is still like any other object, a pen, a table but it feels more still than that. The statue has stillness while being still. It gives of a sense of stillness.

As my gaze starts to gently move from the face, my gaze travels lower. The statue person is sitting in a crossed legged position on a platform with a decorative pattern of flowers, petals surrounding the feet of the statue and below. The statue is sat upon this raised bronze statue, elevating the statue so I am looking slightly upward at the statue adding to the sense of grandness and

dominance of the statue. The statue's hands are relaxed in its lap, with he fingers interlocking and thumbs gently pressed together.

The statue is big and strong, heavy and immovable. But it has likeness to a person and you could imagine this being a person sitting in this position. The statue has a gentleness , grace and softness to it which puts me at ease.

I sit down on the solid concrete floor-the floor cold under me but I barely notice- unintentionally mimicking the statues position, softening into seated stillness and gently closing my eyes.