Apr
26
9:00 AM09:00

Befriending Ourselves - Internal Family Sytstems and Bodhichitta Retreat *in person* Fairfax, CA

Access the infinite compassion at your core,

transforming your relationship with yourself and the world around you.

In this immersive day-long retreat, discover how two profound wisdom traditions unite to awaken your innate capacities—guiding you to gently meet, understand, and heal your most challenging inner landscapes through the practice of befriending yourself.

Feeding Your Demons Session ~ New Addition to retreat

As part of our journey to improve our relationship with our parts, we will partake in a Feeding Your Demons session. This is the first time this practice is being offered in the Befriending Ourselves retreat! Feeding Your Demons is a guided five-step visualization process that transforms painful or uncomfortable feelings in the body-mind ~ called "demons" in this tradition ~ into allies. 

In a world often filled with turmoil, both within and around us, we all yearn for deeper peace, acceptance, love, and joy. This retreat offers time-honored pathways to meet life's challenges with genuine compassion, curiosity, and creativity, empowering you to move from a pattern of suffering to one of healing.

Discover how two powerful wisdom traditions—Internal Family Systems (IFS) and the Buddhist concept of bodhichitta—reveal and strengthen your innate capacity for self-compassion. Together, these practices gently illuminate and shift the patterns that have kept you feeling stuck or separated from your truest nature.

This enriching, experiential day is designed for both newcomers seeking personal growth and practitioners (therapists, coaches, and healers) looking to deepen their work. You'll explore practical techniques to access the open-hearted wisdom that already resides within you—the natural compassion that Buddhist teachings call bodhichitta and that IFS recognizes as your authentic Self.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an evidence-based approach that recognizes the multiplicity within us—acknowledging that we contain various 'parts' that carry different emotions, beliefs, and energies. Through IFS, you'll discover how to befriend all aspects of yourself while accessing your essential 'Self'—the compassionate core presence that can heal and harmonize these internal relationships. As your connection to Self strengthens, you'll experience greater confidence, clarity, and ease that naturally extends to all your external relationships.

This retreat offers practical IFS techniques you can immediately apply to partnerships, parenting, work dynamics, and family interactions. Complementing this inner work, we'll explore the Buddhist understanding of bodhichitta—the awakened heart-mind that recognizes our fundamental interconnection. These ancient teachings beautifully reinforce and deepen the IFS concept of Self, creating a robust framework for accessing your innate wisdom and compassion in everyday life.

Throughout the day, you'll engage in a thoughtfully balanced program of experiential practices, guided meditations, and demonstrations that bring these concepts to life. Insightful teachings will illuminate both traditions, while dedicated space for reflection, rest, and integration ensures the learning resonates deeply. You'll have ample opportunities to ask questions and participate in meaningful discussions, allowing for personalized exploration of these practices of self-befriending.

Cost is $150 ~ Yummy tea and abundant snacks provided :)

Please email Taylor to register ~ tayloropenheart@gmail.com

(Sliding scale options available as no one will be turned away for lack of funds)

Location will be in Fairfax, Marin County at a gorgeous and sweet studio close to town. Exact location shared after registration.

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Apr
13
9:00 AM09:00

Befriending Ourselves - An Internal Family Systems and Bodhichitta Retreat

Saturday, April 13, 2024

  • 9:00 AM 4:00 PM

Our outer and inner worlds can be challenging places to live at times, and yet we long for peace, acceptance, love, and joy. There are time honored ways to face these difficult places in and around us in a way that moves us from suffering to healing. This retreat brings together two powerful systems that help us remember and strengthen our inner capacity to compassionately tend to and transform that which has kept us stuck. For individuals who want an introduction to these practices, as well as for therapists, coaches, and healers, this day-long, experiential retreat brings together Internal Family Systems (IFS) and the Buddhist understanding of bodhichitta, or the open-hearted attitude inherent in every person. 

IFS is an evidence-based method of therapy that works by bringing awareness to the multiple parts of our whole being and to foster the relationship between these parts and the core “Self.” As we take our seat in our Self, the greater self-confidence, clarity, and ease we can experience. Our outer relationships also benefit from this rich inner work. Participants will learn the basics of IFS and how to use it in their everyday lives be it in partnerships, parenting, work, or family. In addition, we will explore teachings and explanations of bodhichitta from a Buddhist context. Understanding and cultivating bodhichitta supports the development of the Self as the central guide inside of you.

Experiential exercises, meditations, and movement as well as teaching on the subjects will all be included as well as ample time to digest, rest, and offer questions and discussion.

Retreat will take place in Fairfax, CA in a lovely studio walking distance to restaurants and natural food store (Good Earth).

Cost of the retreat is $150. Sliding scale available as no one turned away for lack of funds.

To register, visit Eventbite Page. If you have questions about the workshop, please email me at: taylorspirit@gmail.com

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Jul
29
9:30 AM09:30

Befriending Ourselves - An Internal Family Systems and Bodhichitta Retreat

Our outer and inner worlds can be challenging places to live at times, and yet we long for peace, acceptance, love, and joy. There are time honored ways to face these difficult places in and around us in a way that moves us from suffering to healing. This retreat brings together two powerful systems that help us remember and strengthen our inner capacity to compassionately tend to and transform that which has kept us stuck. For individuals who want an introduction to these practices, as well as for therapists, coaches, and healers, this day-long, experiential retreat brings together Internal Family Systems (IFS) and the Buddhist understanding of bodhichitta, or the open-hearted attitude inherent in every person. 

IFS is an evidence-based method of therapy that works by bringing awareness to the multiple parts of our whole being and to foster the relationship between these parts and the core “Self.” As we take our seat in our Self, the greater self-confidence, clarity, and ease we can experience. Our outer relationships also benefit from this rich inner work. Participants will learn the basics of IFS and how to use it in their everyday lives be it in partnerships, parenting, work, or family. In addition, we will explore teachings and explanations of bodhichitta from a Buddhist context. Understanding and cultivating bodhichitta supports the development of the Self as the central guide inside of you.

Experiential exercises, meditations, and movement as well as teaching on the subjects will all be included as well as ample time to digest, rest, and offer questions and discussion.

Retreat will take place in private home in Lagunitas, CA.

Cost of the retreat is $165. Sliding scale available as no one turned away for lack of funds.

To register or if you have questions about the workshop, please email me at: taylorspirit@gmail.com

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