Living Essence

In this first module we will begin with an introduction to the Living Essence series. The first day will be an orientation to the Essence Series – learning some of the concepts and methodology that underpins this approach to self-discovery. We will also introduce the process of inquiry and the Inner Critic.

We will then spend the next 4 days with the quality of Grounded Confidence, and Courageous Strength.

When we connect with the capacity of a steady ground of Confidence we don’t need to prove ourselves. We don’t need to effort to make our way through life – we simply are, and that is enough. We will discover that the deepest confidence was never about achievement, but simply about being here. Here we feel an inner support, an essential will, that enables us to fully stand in our own lives. You could say it’s like “living your life as if you are sitting at home on your sofa” – at ease, at home in yourself.

Together we will deepen our connection to this grounded quality and look at some of the issues that can block the connection, such as using our false will by pushing, struggling, performing and holding on.

Then we come to connect to courageous strength. This is where we experience aliveness, warmth and the courage to be fully here in every moment. We feel the fire of life and find the ability to say yes and to say no with equal clarity. From here we can face difficult situations without fear, and dare to take new steps in life.

Here too we will look at some of the issues that can be in the way of being fully alive, like the fear of being alone if we stand up for ourselves. We will take time for integration and to explore how you can stay connected with self-confidence and courage in your daily life.

The days will include: Meditation, expression, movement, visualization, inquiry and open process.

There will be space for everyone’s individual process, supported by the field of fellow travelers.

Compassion is our inborn ability to meet ourselves and others with love and empathy. If we have lost the connection with this quality we often compensate with a false compassion or self-pity, that works like a kind of defense and tends to make us feel like an empty shell.

When we learn to reconnect to our self-empathy, we begin to accept ourselves as we are, rather than trying to live up to an idealized image of how we should be. We also learn to listen more to the quiet voice of our soul and start to be more of our own best friend, and from there empathy and love for others arises naturally. We no longer have to try to be kind or to lose ourselves in order to be accepted.

Living from the heart is what we long for most, and also where we can feel most vulnerable. In this process, we will together find ways to deepen the connection with our authentic compassion.

Some of the issues addressed will be: confusion between self-compassion and selfishness avoiding feeling pain and fear of being egoistic.

Then we shift the focus to the quality of Joy – the natural state of happiness that has nothing to do with circumstances. This is a state of wonder, curiosity, and the delight of simply being alive. It can be a quiet feeling, like an inner smile, or have a more bubbling playful expression. When we are connected with our inner joy we don’t plan or worry too much about the future and we don’t need to perform to entertain others since we are just happy in ourselves. When we lose the connection with our joy we often fake it in order to be part of the social life around us, which actually blocks our authentic connection to Joy.

We will deepen together into inner joy and look at some of the issues: false loyalty, “if other people are unhappy I cannot be happy”, keeping our aspirations small by not daring to want or wish for something wonderful for our life.

Finally there will be time for integration and looking at how you can allow more space for living a life full of compassion and joy.

The days will be an interaction of: Meditation, expression, movement, visualization, inquiry and open process.

There will be space for everybody’s individual process, supported by the field of fellow travelers.

In this 3rd module we will focus on the qualities of Peace and Empowerment. Peace is the most mysterious quality of all. It is the quality of absolute peace that comes from being able to experience oneself as being so vast that everything is included. It is both empty, and full of potential – the ground from which all other qualities arise and to which they return.

In this module there will be an invitation to rest in deep peace and a natural sense of empowerment. Sometimes out of our fears – of the unknown, and our negative or ‘dark’ feelings, we are prevented from accessing the depth of our true potential and power.

We will be addressing some of the issues that block this capacity: false power, victimhood & vengefulness, overriding our natural state of peace with habitual busyness and avoiding depth from our fear of the unknown.

We will take time for integration and looking at how you can allow more depth for living life in peace.

The days will be an interaction of: Meditation, expression, movement, visualization, inquiry and open process.

There will be space for everybody’s individual process, supported by the field of fellow travelers.