“SEEING OURSELVES CLEARLY. When we begin to see clearly what we do, how we get hooked and swept away by old habits, our usual tendency is to use that as a reason to get discouraged, a reason to feel really bad about ourselves. Instead, we could realize how remarkable it is that we actually have the capacity to see ourselves honestly, and that doing this takes courage. It is moving in the direction of seeing our life as a teacher rather than as a burden. This involves, fundamentally, learning to stay present, but learning to stay with a sense of humour, learning to stay with loving-kindness toward ourselves and with the outer situation, learning to take joy in the magic ingredient of honest self-reflection.”
Pema Chodron
The above quote sets the framework for a decision I have finally come to after tracking one(!) of my habits i.e. : to really, really want to do something different yet fall back into the same old pattern over and over as the change can seem inviting but too great a challenge to carry through.
After 20 years of teaching the 5 rhythms firstly in my organisational development work and then for the last 16 years in workshop and class format throughout the island of Ireland, I have decided to take a mini sabbatical. I have finally through lots of dancing, thinking and soul searching found the courage to take this time out for myself. To take the time to review my teaching of the 5 rhythms and what I would like to offer into the next 20 years!!!. I have wanted to go inwards for some time in order to see what might emerge if I actually took the time to slow down, to wind down, to deeply enter the rhythm of moving stillness.
I kept waiting for the “right” time and as the years pass I realise there is no “right” time there is only now time. So these next 18 months will be my time to to use the gifts of the rhythm of lyrical/stillness as I know them – space, curiosity, pausing and reflection.
Thus, in the spirit of Lyrical I will still offer some teaching opportunities and in the spirit of Stillness I will be adding in a lot of pauses.
A new adventure for me….
Here is the bones of what I will offer over the next 18 months:
*Heartbeat Ongoing Group 2012-2014 in Connemara
*Waves Shadow and Light Ongoing Group 2013-2014 Dublin
*The annual Alternative Summer Holiday 2013 in Boghill Centre, Co. Clare
*Some daylong workshops in Connemara and The Sanctuary in Dublin.
I will fulfil my commitments for the Autumn schedule 2012 I have already put out and I will be working with Sinead, Gail, Liz and Dolores to look at a more updated website and more use of Facebook to keep you all informed of my offerings within the broad landscape of the 5 Rhythms Movement Meditation Practice.
As so many of you have travelled variations of the last 16 years with me I hope you can travel this next 18 months with me into the unknown and unknowable right now……….
Caitríona