Starting up in America!

This past weekend, I had the privilege of facilitating a "start-up" workshop in Troy, NY. This was a "sampler" workshop that gives people some experiences of the Practices with which they will become involved when they join a 9-person Love, Loss, and Forgiveness group. We have organized similar "start-up" workshops in Michigan, and also in Belgium, the Netherlands and Romania. It was an amazing experience for all of us, and I wrote the following to the participants:

Dear Storytellers Who Are Also Beautiful Witnesses and Guides!

I am personally very grateful for your participation in the start-up workshop this past weekend. Your involvement gives me much hope for the Project, nudging us all to continue the Practices we all need in order to lead more loving lives. These practices for living have never been part of any curriculum in schools, or many homes, for that matter.

It is not easy to Gaze at ourselves in the mirror, even though it is so very simple! Much easier to Gaze and give to others. Yet how can we love others, unconditionally, if we have so little time and love for ourselves?

It is not easy, and may seem disloyal to speak about our family when all was not well for us when growing up. Yet if we don't speak, we betray ourselves by continuing to carry burdens of resentment and self-neglect, and nothing will change. If we are to make life-saving changes at the global and national levels, we must start with ourselves.

As you may remember me saying, I was not able to speak to my mother before she died. I was too terrified, and I didn't have the words. Fifteen years after she died, I was able to have a ten-minute conversation with her in a session like we experienced together last weekend, and I was able to forgive and be forgiven and express unconditional love like I never had before, letting go of shame, guilt, rage, and more. The good news is that we can learn to say what needed to be said, even if important people in our lives are no longer with us, but why wait so long?

Many realized through the workshop, that if we are to become loving storytellers, witnesses, and guides with others, we must first become more loving towards ourselves; and we discovered, for most of us, how difficult that is!

You made a great start, and I will be with you in Soul and in Spirit along the way as you continue the Practices in your Community-based groups.

With love to you all, Michael

P.S. In order to give others some idea about what happens in Love, Loss, and Forgiveness groups, we would love to have you post your experiences of this weekend start-up workshop, including any artworks you would like to share, on this blog.

Send posts to John at emailjdc@gmail.com Please put the words "LLFP Blog Post" in the subject line. Thanks.

Let's keep the practices alive and movement towards more loving lives growing!