Every life has its share of challenges accompanied by difficult emotions – fear, anger and sadness. Most of us were never taught how to be with and move through these difficult emotions and how to embrace their gifts. The common approach is to “toughen up”, avoid unpleasant feelings and distract ourselves with work, entertainment, shopping, drugs or chocolate. If we use this approach and accumulate internal emotional baggage, is it any surprise that we find it difficult to be alone with ourselves, to open emotionally to another person and to feel love?

This 5-hour guided workshop will be a safe space to experientially learn the skills of self-care – how to be there for yourself when difficult emotions arise. Self-care is knowing how to give yourself the support you need to stay open through a difficult experience, how to process it fully, and how to come out still open on the other side, becoming a wiser and more compassionate human being.

The workshop will involve guided meditation, movement and discussion. Personal sharing will be optional and there will be no unsolicited life advice. Participants are invited to either focus on a particular life challenge or to stay open and see what surfaces naturally. We will create a safe container that supports each participant in working with their inner experience and cultivating the skills of self-care.

People of all experience levels are welcome: from complete beginners to advanced practitioners. The content will be tailored to the needs of the group. You can read participant feedback from the previous workshop here.

The workshop is offered by Valera Koltsov, a certified Tai Chi instructor with 10 years of teaching experience and 15 years of personal experience with different modalities of sitting and active meditation. The workshop will be held in Valera’s home studio in Laingholm in the spirit of sharing with the community. Koha is optional ($40 suggested).

Time: 1pm – 6pm on Saturday 12th of March 2016.
Registration: Register using the form below. Limited to 15 participants.

Location: 11 Laingholm Drive, Laingholm (close to Titirangi), West Auckland.
Getting There: 40 min car drive from the city. Car pooling encouraged.

Workshop Requirements

• This workshop is not suitable for people who have a mental illness or take psychiatric medication.
• Wear clothing that is comfortable for movement. Wear socks.
• Do not use any essential oils or scented products – perfume, cologne, deodorant, aftershave, hair products – on the day of the workshop to ensure that we have fragrance-free air in the room. This is important for breathing techniques.
• Do not smoke, drink alcohol or take any drugs on the day of the workshop.
• No cell phones or electronic devices in the building. (If you are coming without a car and have to have a cell phone on you, it must be completely powered off for the duration of the workshop and left with your shoes in the foyer.)

Food recommendation: start the day with a good breakfast and have a filling lunch before the workshop, to see you through until dinner. Optional suggestion: making your lunch vegan can strengthen your receptivity in meditation practice (ex: a base of rice, pasta or potatoes with cooked vegetables, beans or lentils).

All you need to bring is yourself. There will be filtered rain water to drink during the workshop, healthy snacks to munch on during the breaks and a cup of tea afterwards for those who want to stay and chat. Taking written notes during the workshop will be impractical – focus on the experience. You are welcome to write during the breaks or after the workshop if you want to record some ideas and reflections.

Registration Form

The registrations are now closed.