Experiential Personal Process Workshops

Endeavour workshops offer an opportunity to participate in unique, creative, experiential groups where individuals can experience transformative healing in a supportive and nurturing environment. We invite participants to join us in our safe spaces where risk is encouraged in taking steps towards knowing your deeper, more authentic selves.

A variety of workshops have been created to assist in delving into particular aspects of the psyche which may hitherto remain unexplored and unresolved, with the aim of furthering the journey of self-discovery. Our mainly residential, two-day workshops are highly experiential, combining group experience with music, dance, movement, expression, art and ritual. We employ Gestalt techniques to assist in developing awareness, and encouraging emotional healing and integration of mind, body, spirit.

Exploring core beliefs: Creating a path towards healing

In this workshop we explore the Gestalt concept of ‘introjection’ which is a process whereby an opinion, an attitude, a belief or an instruction is unquestioningly taken in from the “other,” outside of ourselves as if it were true and gets swallowed whole without discernment. Introjecting is an avoidance of considering or chewing over the validity of the offered “introject”. The environment at the time of our early development required us to do this for our survival.

The problem is that these introjects remain within us as fixed beliefs long after we have survived the demands of our early environments and get stored in the unconscious. In this workshop we creatively bring these introjects into more conscious awareness. This process offers us a choice then on whether we wish to continue holding onto them, or whether we wish to undo them, replacing them with something more fittingly true in our current worlds.

The Hidden Self

Many forces play a role in forming our hidden (Shadow) selves, ultimately determining what is permitted expression and what is not. Parents, siblings, teachers, clergy and friends create a complex environment in which we learn what is kind, proper, moral behaviour, and what is mean spirited, shameful and sinful. What falls into the shadow can vary depending on family, culture, etc.

Developmentally we depended on our parents or main caregivers for survival—it was necessary for survival to attach to their way of doing things. For example, if a caretaker scolds you for being outspoken there is a chance that you won’t feel safe speaking your mind from that point on even as an adult.

Compassion

Compassion literally means “to suffer together”. It is often defined as the feeling that arises when you are confronted with another’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering. Self-compassion involves acting the same way towards yourself when you are having a difficult time, fail, or notice something you don’t like about yourself.

Compassion helps us to connect with ourselves more, with others, mend relationships and move forward while fostering emotional intelligence and well-being.

In this workshop we will identify the messages, feelings or processes which are blocking our compassion for ourselves and others, which may be stopping us from having better relationships and living more wholehearted, fuller lives.