2012 PROGRAMME SCHEDULE

2012 Programmes

1.   Sumedha Sadhana (A Psychospiritual Wholeness Journey) –   (70 days).

     March 01 – May 09

2.   Sumedha Sadhana (A Psychospiritual      Wholeness Journey) –   (70days)

May 22-July 30

3.  Midlife Dynamics & the Spiritual Journey- (15 days).

     August 17 – 31.

5.  Sumedha Sadhana (A Psychospiritual Wholeness Journey) – (70 days).

     September 25 – December 03

Sumedha Sadhana

Course Description: This is an inner journey in quest of greater healing and wholeness. Participants begin from where they are, looking at what is happening on their spiritual journey. They then move on to explore the psychological dynamics that affect their spirituality and integrate them in healthy ways to create more satisfying and more productive life patterns.

Course Content: Holistic & Process Spiritualities; Cosmic, Creation, Women’s & Feminist Spiritualities; Religious & Community Life; Prayer & Prayerfulness; Personality & Healthy Emotional Life; Midlife Dynamics & the Spiritual Journey; Identity & Vocational Commitment; Intimacy, Celibacy & Sexuality; Generativity, Stress & Burnout; Integrity, Shadows & Subpersonalities; Trauma, Healing & Reconciliation; The Universe story, Jesus Story and Our Story -- are some of the major topics that will be explored. Special place is given to group therapy where participants have the opportunity to face their brokenness and fears, their unhelpful patterns of living and relating and move on to healing and wholeness. The programme concludes with a directed retreat.

Tools & Techniques: Insights from Christian faith and wisdom traditions, various psychological theories of development, as well as experiential tools and techniques from Psychosynthesis, Intensive Journal, Expressive Arts, multi-media, prayer & meditation practices, and Sacred Scripture are used to explore and enhance one’s psychospiritual journey.

Faculty

Agnes Panikulam MA (Trauma & Healing). Ajoy Fernandes PhD (Jungian Approaches to Self-Awareness). Gerard Alvarez MA (The Universe Story, Jesus Story, Our Story – and the Word). Godfrey D’Sa MA, PGDC (Group Therapy). Joe Mannath PhD (Sexuality, Celibacy& Intimacy). Jose Parappully PhD (Therapy, Psychological and Midlife Dynamics, Mature Spirituality, Religious and Community Life, Trauma & Healing, Retreat). M. Goretti Kanakarathinam MS (Group Therapy, Befriending Our Emotions.) MC Abraham PhD (Group Therapy). Peter Lourdes, PhD (Therapy, Retreat). Shalini Mulackal PhD (Feminist& Women’s Spiritualities)

 (Participant Age limit: 30-58 years)

Midlife Dynamics & the Spiritual Journey

During midlife the meaning question looms large on our psychic horizon: What does it all mean, anyway? The quest for meaning leads to an inward journey through which we seek to embrace our self at new levels of awareness. We make a journey into the past to reconcile unresolved issues. We turn our eyes to the future, to consider how we want to live out the rest of our lives. Midlife is a time when we question our “dream”—who we wanted to be, what we wanted to accomplish. It is a time when we question our commitments and consider their impact on our past, present and future. Sexuality, which has often been repressed, rears its head and makes itself felt, often in troubling ways. Longing for a close relationship is awakened or intensifies. Our body experiences drastic hormonal changes. Emotional awareness of one’s own mortality presents life in new perspectives. These dynamics of midlife have a profound impact on our self-concept and our spiritual journey

Course Content: At this workshop we shall explore these psychological dynamics so as to deepen and enrich our spiritual journey. We will particularly explore four midlife issues identity (who we are), intimacy (the role of affectivity and sexuality in our lives) generativity (how we work and nurture future generations), and integrity (how we make sense of the whole of our life). We will explore spirituality, religious life, aging and emotional well-being, sexuality and celibacy, our hurts and our shadows in the context of shifting midlife perspectives and experiences.

Tools and Techniques: In this endeavour we will use the insights from various psychological theories of development, and from the medical sciences. Our inner process at this workshop will be enhanced by the exploratory and healing techniques of the Intensive Journal, Psychosynthesis, and Expressive Arts and the power of meditation and prayer. (Participant Age Limit: 30-60 years)

Facilitator: Jose Parappully, SDB, PhD