Awareness of Death, the Awakening to Life.
Life and death are intrinsically connected, a unit. In our western civilisation we have learnt to create a separation between those two aspects of life's cycle as a whole. Life has become the only attraction and death the feared reality that often must be banished from our awareness and its existence avoided at any cost. We fear death as it is the mark of a certainty that we will not live forever.
However, in the same way that we cannot separate day from night, the more we learn to include the understanding that a Life is much better lived when the awareness of our death becomes part of its definition, the more we will discover life's qualities. They include a relaxation and letting go of a certain kind of control that will make each moment lived so much more spacious, at ease and fulfilled. There is a paradox at work here that we might discover: the more we face the reality of death, the more we actually feel alive.
In this workshop we will have a space and focus to begin to talk about the taboo that we have colluded with ignoring for so long: death as a reality. Most people have had a loss in their lives of a dear one. How do you address this loss in yourself? Have you ever tried to really imagine that you are going to die one day yourself? And that you do not know when? Have you ever imagined that it might be constructive, healthy, positive, to allow this awareness of your own finiteness to emerge in your mind and to make room for such consideration and contemplation?
Here you can explore your relationship with death; your own and those close to you. You can to learn how to accommodate this reality in your life. There will be room for group discussion, encouragement and support. We will use processes, exercises, mindfulness practices and the group as a resource to learn to embrace the awareness of the existence of death in our Life. You will be supported in learning how to face your fears around death; you have a possibility to learn to accept life as it is, and begin to consciously live with the reality of death and understand its creative and spiritual value.
In this workshop I am providing a space and focus so that we can begin to dare speaking about the taboo that we have colluded with for so long: the acknowledgement of death as a reality in our lives. Here you can explore your relationship with death; your own and those close to you. There will be room for group discussion. We will use processes, exercises, mindfulness practices and the group as a resource and support to learn to embrace the awareness of the existence of death in our life. You have a chance to learn about accepting the reality of death and understand its creative and spiritual value. There is a paradox at work here that we might discover: the more we face death, the more we actually feel alive.
This group uses the group process and therapeutic interventions to facilitate personal growth through the interaction with group members. It also offers you the practice of mindfulness to access your inner dimension and to develop greater awareness of your thoughts and what lies beyond them.
This is an on-going group taking place on a Monday evening for 9 evenings plus a one-off Sunday event included.
You are invited to participate in a group experience that encourages empathic relating to others through the therapeutic discipline of Gestalt therapy and in particular through learning to engage in authentic dialogue.
And you will also learn to embrace, understand and accept your self in relationship to your inner world through the practice of Mindfulness.This Mindfulness practice will generate greater awareness of yourself which will support you in practicing your self expression to and with others.
Both, the Gestalt approach and Mindfulness practice use the present moment, the here and now experiences as the platform for relational contact to occur allowing therapeutic change. The emphasis on being here and now facilitates personal and interpersonal growth and provides a rich ground for interaction within this group setting. We expect the range of experience to be at times deeply innerly focussed as well as creatively interactive.
The aim is, in becoming more accepting of what we find about ourselves, we allow for more inclusion of who we are to enter into our field of awareness. We allow for greater wholeness.
This group presently is only for women.