Study Abroad 2018

Further Details

• Attending a week-long retreat in Aptos, CA (January 4-10, 2019)

During this face to face meeting in Aptos CA we will explore awareness through the GAP approach and practice being with whatever is arising in the moment and in our lives. The structure will include individual open seat for each person along with partnered exercises and full group discussion and practice. The retreat format also allowing us to develop our relationship as a circle of people working together over time. From the emersion of a retreat we can deepen our ability to bring the sanctuary experience into directly into our day-to-day awareness.

• Reading Gestalt Therapy Verbatim before the January retreat

Participants will read Fritz Perls’ book Gestalt Therapy Verbatim. This is the book that led Chris to Dick. It’s a wonderful mix of theory and transcribed sessions. If you have already read Gestalt Therapy Verbatim, you may want to read it again with others, or may wish to take the next step and read Gestalt Approach and Eyewitness to Therapy.

Sharon is offering an optional Satellite Circle book club on Verbatim, ideal for those who want to dive into the material with support and dialog. That four webinar series is described below.

• Daily practice: “5-minute pause” for present centered awareness.

The practice of pausing is essential to maintaining presence in the midst of life. The “5-minute pause” each day helps us develop an ability for present centered awareness anytime, anywhere. Pause. Go from doing to being. Open your awareness to this moment; intentionally notice all realms of awareness; rest in your breathing; meet what arises.

Any time of the day or night, choose your 5 minutes. Post on our WhatsApp* group the phrase,  “Taking my seat”. If we see your post, maybe we can join you for our practice. Or, when someone else posts “Taking my seat”, let that inspire you to pause with them. Post “take my seat” and practice together.

At the end of each sitting, post again, “Opening my awareness” and write a short description of what you are noticing now. Do this once each day. More if you like it. More if you need it!

One participant said: “Having the WhatsApp group as a way to connect with others was so important to me. Whether I could pause or not, I love the reminder, I love knowing my fellow students are taking a pause.”

*We will help all participants connect to a private group specifically created for the Study Abroad participants.

• Weekly practice: 15 minutes of taking your seat, basic breath practice and a written continuum of awareness posted to WhatsApp.

Once a week, the 5 minutes becomes 15 minutes. More time for each step: the grounding of noticing sensation and perception step by step, resting in breath, following what arises. Experiment with your practice. Practice in new places:  in nature, on a busy street, in the bathtub. Keep making this way of being aware familiar.

• Monthly practice: One self-selected day of “retreat in action” where practice is incorporated throughout the day in a structured way.

Chose a day that will be your “retreat in action” day, a day that you will take a pause practice 5 times. On that day, do the five minutes pause practice upon waking. Post as usual “taking my seat” and write a noticing now post at the end, including a note that this is your retreat in action day. Three more times during the day, take a 5 minutes pause entering this quality of awareness, including the posts. Once again, before you go to sleep, sit in the pause for 5 minutes and let us know your awareness at the end of that day.  This day is an opportunity to be with what is, integrating the practice into whatever is happening, however you are.

• Monthly meeting with a fellow student following a curriculum design (1.5 hours).

Once a month, you and another member of the cohort will meet in person, by phone, or on digital video conferencing.  There will be a structured protocol for the meeting including our essential practices and a variety of additions which we will introduce on our webinars.

• A written check-in with the faculty.

Following your partner practice, send us a check in describing the meeting. This could include your echoes and a brief description of what arose for you. This is a good time to ask any questions that are arising in the overall program or tell us anything you want us to know.

• Participants will also have the opportunity to join a faculty member and other students in a monthly video conference “group room”.

In these meetings we will share the essential practices of take our seat, basic breath and continuum of awareness. A brief circle check-in may also be included.  These meetings are optional and will last about one hour.

• Two Individual sessions scheduled within the 9 months.
  • • You can schedule your two hour-long sessions any time in the eight months, with Rudi or Sharon.  These can be in person, by phone, or through video conferencing. Additional individual sessions are available as part of the Satellite Circles (see below).
• Audio and video recordings, assigned reading and homework in preparation for the topic webinars.
  • • Faculty will assign readings, videos, and/or recordings that relate to specific GAP topics. The assignments will ask you to self-reflect and express what arises for you around the material. Some of this exploration will be shared w/ the cohort  and will be preparation for the monthly webinars.
• Webinars of 2-4 hours, averaging one per month.
  • These will cover various topics and will be related to the homework assignments. We will explore some of the basic theory and structures of GAP.

• Courses can be created by faculty on particular topics such as inner dialogue and parts work, exploring your autobiography, or gestalt dream work. Programs may range in length from a single meeting to a series of meetings, from a few hours to a day long. Faculty will be responsive to student interest and the overall process of the eight months as they design Satellite Circle programs.
  • First Satellite Program: BOOK CLUB: Join the Fall book club on Gestalt Therapy Verbatim. Would you like support as you read and digest this foundational book? Sharon will facilitate a series of four webinars along with correspondence Qs and As. Please indicate your interest on your application so that we can schedule these ASAP.
• Courses or meetings can be requested by students to address specific interests and needs. This could include professional supervision/consultation contracted by an individual or a group of people who share the same interest.
• Faculty have other workshops scheduled in the course of this eight months. Discounts may apply for SA students who want to supplement the program with that participation.
• Individual practice sessions reflected by faculty, primarily Sharon and Rudi can be arranged.