SELF-AWARENESS THROUGH JUNGIAN PERSPECTIVES

Sumedha Sadhana participants were busy last week exploring the question “Who am I?” through the module “Self-Awareness through Jungian Perspectives.”

The module was facilitated by Dr. Ajoy Fernandes, a Salesian priest psychologist from the Province of Mumbai.

Dr. Fernandes first helped the participants to identify their MBTI types and then explained how the type influences the approach to life, work, relationships and spirituality.

He then helped the participants to discover, honour and integrate their “persona” and shadow through experiential exercises, active imagination, drawings and movies.

Participants appreciated the programme very much and found it very useful to discover themselves. Even those who have had experience with the MBTI Types earlier observed that Dr. Fernandes’ presentation and approach were far more helpful and richer than their previous encounters with Types.

Participants described Dr. Fernandes’s presentation as “very clear, simple and systematic.” They said it really helped them to identify their personality characteristics, their persona and shadow and move toward greater acceptance and integration of these.

Last week also witnessed the visit of the Salesian General Councillor for South Asia, Rev. Fr. Maria Arokiam, to Sumedha Centre. He arrived on 21st and left on the 22^nd.

He met with the three Salesians at the Centre and spent time interacting with the participants of Sumedha Sadhana. The visitor planted a sapling and impressed on the participants the need for ecological sensitivity.

The Visitor described the services that Sumedha Centre offers as “very essential and much needed, something very much in keeping with what Don Bosco had done in his own time for Church and Society.”

FEMINIST AND WOMEN’S SPRITUALITIES

Last week participants of Sumedha Sadhana completed the 2^nd module of the programme — Feminist and Women’s Spiritualities — facilitated by Dr. Shalini Mulackal PBVM, professor at Vidyajyoti College, New Delhi.

Earlier to that Dr. Parappully, director of he Centre, in his module “Psychological Dynamics on the Spiritual Journey” had explored with the participants paradigms that influence spirituality; the shift from a dualistic-mechanistic to a holistic-ecological paradigm; distinguished between religion and spirituality; and presented 17 characteristics of a mature spirituality for today which paved the way for the more detailed exploration of Feminist and Women's Spiritualities.

Dr. Mulackal explored contemporary feminist movements, situation of women in the Church and society and presented an understanding of feminist and women’s spiritualities within these contexts, particularly the much needed emancipation and empowerment of women.

Some typical comments from participants:

Holy Cross Sister Onila found, like some others as well, the module “an all together new topic which was presented in a systematic way. The content and presentation were very good.”

For Sister Celine of the Congregation of Jesus, the module served as “an invitation to celebrate womanhood.”

It helped me to “change my attitude towards feminine spirituality and my understanding about myself as a woman,” observed Ursuline Sister Reena.

For Divine Word missionary and spiritual director Father Gregory, the combined explorations of Dr. Parappully and Dr. Mulackal provided “the most comprehensive and deepest understanding of spirituality that I ever received anywhere.”

The week concluded with an outing up the stream that lies below Sumedha Centre and the visit of Fr. Maria Arokiam, Regional Counsillor of the Salesians of Don Bosco for South Asia, who interacted with the participants.

2013 (10th ANNIVERSARY) PROGRAMME SCHEDULE (REVISED)

     

1. 10^th Anniversary Special: National Seminar on Formation: “Psychosexual  Integration & Celibate Maturity.” Venue: Bosco Psychological Services. Okhla, New Delhi. February 14-22. (Participants: Major Superiors and Formators)

2    (SS-22) Sumedha Sadhana (A Psychospiritual Wholeness Journey) - (60 days)

March 12- May 10

3    (SS-23) Sumedha Sadhana (A Psychospiritual Wholeness Journey) – (42 days)

May 20-June 30

4       (SD-8) Sumedha Dhyana (Retreat Exclusively for former Sumedha participants 2003-2012)

July 11- 20 (10 days)

5       (SD-9) Sumedha Dhyana (Retreat Exclusively for former Sumedha participants 2003-2012 primarily)

July 24- August 2 - (10 days)

6       (SM-08) Midlife Dynamics and the Spiritual Journey - (20 days)

August 12-31 (20 days)

7.   (SS-24) Sumedha Sadhana (A Psychospiritual Wholeness Journey) - (60 days)

September 25- November 23