How to Stay Connected to Self and Spirit
When Going Through Life’s ChallengesIt may be that when we no longer know what to do,
we have come to our real work,
and that when we no longer know which way to go,
we have begun our real journey. --- Wendell BerryIt happens to all of us at one time or other. We’re going along with our lives, minding our own business and then … wham! Something completely unexpected and thoroughly unwelcome suddenly happens to us. An illness, an accident, the loss of a relationship, a job transition, a minor health issue.
These life interruptions (large or small) can be mystifying and overwhelming. They can drain the life out of us and lead us away from our brightest, most authentic selves. Let’s face it: navigating life’s dangerous potholes, demanding detours, and grueling uphill climbs can sap our energy and distract us from who we really are. However, when we take the time to acknowledge and reflect on these life challenges, we find that they also have the power to bestow wisdom and expand our vision of who we are at the deepest, wisest core of our being.
This workshop offers a safe container for us to listen to and allow our inner wisdom to show us how to accept and make room for any unexpected, unwelcome interruption that life has thrown our way. It is a space and a time set apart for us to take the difficult parts of our journeys and turn them into something illuminating and meaningful.
During a major life interruption or transition, it is important that we choose to stay connected to ourselves, to others, and to Spirit, however we choose to call Spirit.
In this workshop we’ll explore eight specific tools that will assist us on our quest to walk on the “bright side of the road” during any difficult time that we might face. As a set, these tools soothe and energize us towards our own personal choices of self-connection, walking with God, and staying linked to our communities of loved ones.
The tools include:
* Laughter,
* Gratitude
* Notes to Self
* Prayer
* Creative Expression
* Bright Side Breathing
* Imagination
* Affirmations
During this workshop we will focus on each of these tools and participants will have a chance (if they choose) to experience each one fully. Participants will also take home a Treasure Bag of the Ten Tools (a concrete symbol for each one) that can serve as an anchor to help them transition back into their daily lives. The tools will be our catalyst towards a new walk on the bright side of the road, which will steady us enough to keep us on our personal journeys of wellness, serenity and renewal.
Virginia Satir once said, “Life is not what it’s supposed to be. It is what it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference.” Choosing to Walk on the Bright Side of the Road offers journeyers the opportunity to manage a difficult part of their journey with grace and a deep sense of connection to what really matters.
This workshop IS for you if: * Your life journey has been unexpectedly interrupted recently or in the past
* You are struggling with an unwanted transition in your life or the life of someone
close to you
* You sense a glimmer of light on your journey, but don’t know how to move towards it
This workshop IS NOT for you if: * You are struggling with clinical depression
* You want specific advice about your individual situation
* You are seeking detailed health information or specific recommendations
SoulCollage® is a creative, fun tool for easy, artful self-expression. It was developed by Seena B. Frost, M. Div., M.A. Using intuition and imagination, you create your own deck of collaged cards, where each card reflects a different aspect of who you are.
Anne Marie Bennett is an author, self-taught artist, SoulCollage® Facilitator and Trainer of Facilitators. She trained with Seena Frost (the creator of SoulCollage®) in 2005, then assisted at the East Coast Facilitator Trainings in 2007 and 2008. So far she has led four successful Facilitator Trainings in New England, and many, many workshops and retreats. 
Saturday August 7, 2010
If you're interested in taking SoulCollage® out into the world in a loving, authentic way, it's time to consider becoming a SoulCollage® Facilitator! Here are just a few places where you can share SoulCollage: schools, therapy offices, social work settings, hospice groups, youth programs, senior centers, churches, retreat centers... the list goes on. Where do YOU want to bring SoulCollage?
