" To be human is to be sacred . . " are the first lines of the Thanksgiving Address, a Haudenosaunee organizing principle, "and so our first prayers of gratitude are for the people." When I was learning about nature connection with wilderness instructors Jon Young and Tom Brown, these words really struck me. It is true, that we are energetic beings and when I am in resonance with myself, my original blueprint, and the natural world around me, I can see how the native people of these lands felt that humans are sacred. I am creating a series of classes that will reclaim these sacred pieces, for myself as well as for my community. Please join me in these experiences.
Reclaiming Harmony as a Family Pattern:
Pre and Perinatal Principles as Container for Resonance and Health
The 8 week series will introduce a set of principles developed by Ray Castellino, DC (retired), RCST®. I will combine teachings from wilderness education, indigenous knowledge, craniosacral therapy, nature with the principles to bring people together, create a harmonic resonance, deepen participants into this slower pace, and allow sacred space for expression and discussion of how to create and maintain this in our lives as families. It will enliven the indigenous pattern in us of "original instructions." I know that it is hard to slow down and connect in this fast paced 2015-world. This class will be a chance to put down the Iphones and connect with the sacred inside each us and together. My teachers have told me that these longer, slower, deeper, tidal rhythms are what create harmonic resonance and health on a deep level in human beings. If we hold this place in ourselves, the chaos that we feel will fall away and a deeper, connected rhythm will emerge. I want this for myself, my family, my community. Storytelling will also be a part of this original series. The stories will emerge as they are needed, and as teachings that have been offered for generations.
When: Thursday evenings starting October 1, 2015 ending November 19, 2105.
Time: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Place: The Center, 1710 Allied St. Suite 20B
Fee: $80 for the whole series, $15 drop in, $120 per couple if both parents come
Class 1: Overview of the Principles An overview of the Principles will be given, and how they are applied for professional use in group process and in family life. These Principles can also be applied to organizations and business practice. We will ask answer these questions, and more:
Do we really need to slow down? If so, what does that look like?
What does speeding up and slowing down look like?
What does harmony mean in the context of family? Community?
What is the nature of being versus doing, and how does this help with harmony?
Human beings can cultivate attributes for happiness and connection. These include the quiet mind, happiness of child, vitality, commitment to others, compassion for all living things, understanding your gifts, curiosity, love and forgiveness (source: Jon Young and the 8 Shields Leadership Program)
Class 2: Principle 1 ~ Mutual Support and Cooperation and Bringing our Minds Together This first Principle is one of the most important; it recognizes that we are a whole, not just a part of what is happening, that each of our experiences in the family, circle, organization is important. The Thanksgiving Address will also be introduced as a tool, and discussion will be led on the impact of these tools on our connected living and space will be made for sharing about loss or disconnectedness.
Class 3: Principle 2 ~ Choice This class will introduce respecting choice. As a family we cannot always honor the "no" in our children because we need to keep them safe. However, many families have historically had the stance "you are doing this because we said so" to the children, not giving them choice. We also may have come from difficult situations and we did not have the choice to leave and find a better place without fear for our safety. We are living with a nervous system that grew not feeling safe and not feeling like there was a choice, hence we were caught in double binds. Introducing this principle may reorganize a nervous system and all for new space to emerge on the inside and with each other.
Class 4: Principle 3 ~ Self and Co Regulation, The Pause This class will introduce the Pause as a tool for self and co regulation. We are in relationship with each other. Sometimes life gets to be too much. Some of us over function so we can feel safe, some of us withdraw from others for protection. This principle brings awareness and connection to the space, pace and rhythm we need to regulate our nervous system.
Class 5: Principle 4 ~ Self Care We hear many times how we need to put our oxygen mask on first before we can help our children when there is a crisis on an airplane, and how this can apply to our life. But do we really do this? Self Care takes time, energy and other resources. In this class we will explore two layers of support as self care, and we will also explore ways we help ourselves. Sharing of self care rituals will be encouraged. Small rituals that can be done everyday will be introduced.
Class 6: Principle 5: ~ Brief and Frequent Eye Contact Ray Castellino found that when brief and frequent eye contact was encouraged in families, the children did better. So, he makes an effort to do this with his staff. This class will explore eye contact, and reception through our eyes with meditations. Eye contact has shown to create oxytocin flow. This hormone will be discussed and handouts will include simple ways to boost oxytocin in our lives as families.
Class 7: Principle 6: ~ Touch and Attention The way we come together and are with each really makes a difference. This class will explore not only the power of touch but the quality of our attention, especially when Listening. Neuroscientist Mark Brady often says it is how we listen that we love, or how we are listened to that we feel the sacred in ourselves. This class will have exercises in embodiment, presence, listening, touch and attention.
Class 8: Principle 7: ~ Confidentiality and Potluck This class will emphasize how, when and where we tell our family stories. It will also be about inclusiveness. Most of us know what confidentiality means. However, many of us don't know how to include our children in storytelling about family, and that secret relationships in family, community and organizations can be damaging as well supportive. This class will be discussion and demonstration about inclusiveness when working with our children and their feelings. It will introduce teachings on the "relational field" as a tool for family and organizational living. Participants can bring something special and tasty to share as we end our time together.
Pre and Perinatal Principles as Container for Resonance and Health
The 8 week series will introduce a set of principles developed by Ray Castellino, DC (retired), RCST®. I will combine teachings from wilderness education, indigenous knowledge, craniosacral therapy, nature with the principles to bring people together, create a harmonic resonance, deepen participants into this slower pace, and allow sacred space for expression and discussion of how to create and maintain this in our lives as families. It will enliven the indigenous pattern in us of "original instructions." I know that it is hard to slow down and connect in this fast paced 2015-world. This class will be a chance to put down the Iphones and connect with the sacred inside each us and together. My teachers have told me that these longer, slower, deeper, tidal rhythms are what create harmonic resonance and health on a deep level in human beings. If we hold this place in ourselves, the chaos that we feel will fall away and a deeper, connected rhythm will emerge. I want this for myself, my family, my community. Storytelling will also be a part of this original series. The stories will emerge as they are needed, and as teachings that have been offered for generations.
When: Thursday evenings starting October 1, 2015 ending November 19, 2105.
Time: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Place: The Center, 1710 Allied St. Suite 20B
Fee: $80 for the whole series, $15 drop in, $120 per couple if both parents come
Class 1: Overview of the Principles An overview of the Principles will be given, and how they are applied for professional use in group process and in family life. These Principles can also be applied to organizations and business practice. We will ask answer these questions, and more:
Do we really need to slow down? If so, what does that look like?
What does speeding up and slowing down look like?
What does harmony mean in the context of family? Community?
What is the nature of being versus doing, and how does this help with harmony?
Human beings can cultivate attributes for happiness and connection. These include the quiet mind, happiness of child, vitality, commitment to others, compassion for all living things, understanding your gifts, curiosity, love and forgiveness (source: Jon Young and the 8 Shields Leadership Program)
Class 2: Principle 1 ~ Mutual Support and Cooperation and Bringing our Minds Together This first Principle is one of the most important; it recognizes that we are a whole, not just a part of what is happening, that each of our experiences in the family, circle, organization is important. The Thanksgiving Address will also be introduced as a tool, and discussion will be led on the impact of these tools on our connected living and space will be made for sharing about loss or disconnectedness.
Class 3: Principle 2 ~ Choice This class will introduce respecting choice. As a family we cannot always honor the "no" in our children because we need to keep them safe. However, many families have historically had the stance "you are doing this because we said so" to the children, not giving them choice. We also may have come from difficult situations and we did not have the choice to leave and find a better place without fear for our safety. We are living with a nervous system that grew not feeling safe and not feeling like there was a choice, hence we were caught in double binds. Introducing this principle may reorganize a nervous system and all for new space to emerge on the inside and with each other.
Class 4: Principle 3 ~ Self and Co Regulation, The Pause This class will introduce the Pause as a tool for self and co regulation. We are in relationship with each other. Sometimes life gets to be too much. Some of us over function so we can feel safe, some of us withdraw from others for protection. This principle brings awareness and connection to the space, pace and rhythm we need to regulate our nervous system.
Class 5: Principle 4 ~ Self Care We hear many times how we need to put our oxygen mask on first before we can help our children when there is a crisis on an airplane, and how this can apply to our life. But do we really do this? Self Care takes time, energy and other resources. In this class we will explore two layers of support as self care, and we will also explore ways we help ourselves. Sharing of self care rituals will be encouraged. Small rituals that can be done everyday will be introduced.
Class 6: Principle 5: ~ Brief and Frequent Eye Contact Ray Castellino found that when brief and frequent eye contact was encouraged in families, the children did better. So, he makes an effort to do this with his staff. This class will explore eye contact, and reception through our eyes with meditations. Eye contact has shown to create oxytocin flow. This hormone will be discussed and handouts will include simple ways to boost oxytocin in our lives as families.
Class 7: Principle 6: ~ Touch and Attention The way we come together and are with each really makes a difference. This class will explore not only the power of touch but the quality of our attention, especially when Listening. Neuroscientist Mark Brady often says it is how we listen that we love, or how we are listened to that we feel the sacred in ourselves. This class will have exercises in embodiment, presence, listening, touch and attention.
Class 8: Principle 7: ~ Confidentiality and Potluck This class will emphasize how, when and where we tell our family stories. It will also be about inclusiveness. Most of us know what confidentiality means. However, many of us don't know how to include our children in storytelling about family, and that secret relationships in family, community and organizations can be damaging as well supportive. This class will be discussion and demonstration about inclusiveness when working with our children and their feelings. It will introduce teachings on the "relational field" as a tool for family and organizational living. Participants can bring something special and tasty to share as we end our time together.