SUMEDHA OUTREACH: WORKSHOP FOR HYDERABAD SALESIANS

Dr Jose Parappully, Director of Sumedha Centre, Jharmari, Punjab, was invited to do a Workshop on Growing Toward Psychosexual and Celibate Integration.

The works are in three batches. The first Workshop was from 6 to 8 August 2025.  There were 26 participants.

The second was held on 1-3 December 2025. There were 28 participants. The third workshop is scheduled for 3-5 February 2026.

The content of these interactive Workshops included: Requisites for Psychosexual and Celibate Integration; Sexual Re-Awakening at Midlife; Understanding Sex, Sexuality and intimacy; Problematic Sexual Behaviours (Sexual Boundary Violations, Online Pornography); Celibacy and Chastity; Friendship as a Pathway Toward rowing in Psychosexual and Celibate Maturity. The process included Input, Introspection and Interaction in micro and macro groups. The presentations were enriched with the use of Media (Music and Videos.)

Participants in both the completed Workshops were immensely satisfied with the Workshop, finding the contents extremely relevant and useful at this perio0d in their lives. Most parti9icipants were he 40’s.

First Workshop

In the first Workshop five participants gave a 10 out of 10 on usefulness of the workshop, seven gave and six gave an 8.

Some typical feedback comments from the First Workshop participants:

·         “These three days’ workshop helped me to be aware of my life and relationships and to make the necessary changes in my life.”

·         “It gave me a comprehensive idea of sexuality. Topics on Intimacy, Pornography, and the Purpose of Celibate Chastity were most useful for me.”

·         “It was a good opportunity to look back at my sexuality and the vow of chastity and come to terms with myself, my past and see the beautiful possibilities ahead that can emerge from now.”

·         “It has shaken and broadened my understanding of sex, sexuality and intimacy.”

·         “The topics on “Online Pornography” and “Celibate Friendships” were very enriching and beneficial.”

·         “The topics covered in this Workshop were all very useful and important to me. It has given me lot of knowledge about my psycho-sexual life and how to integrate it into my celibate life. The sessions and group discussions have given me lot of clarity about my boundaries.”

 

Second Workshop

Four of the participants of the second Workshop gave 10 out of 10 on Usefulness. Ten gave a 9; Nine gave an 8.

 

Some typical feedback observations:

·         “The workshop was refreshing, challenging. “

·         “I greatly appreciate the clear and thought provoking presentation.”

·         “The workshop has had a tremendous on my life.”

·         “The content was very good and informative. The process was comfortable, helpful for reflections and self-analysis.”

·         “The content on Online Pornography especially was very useful for me. The process or methodology was very useful to learn, to remember, to focus.”

·         “It gave me clarity about concepts like Intimacy, Celibacy, Chastity. It explained how one need to handle himself as a Celibate.”

·         The programme was well planned, made maximum use of available time. Most useful was Requisites and Helps for Mature Celibate Friendship.” The content offered in this 3-day workshop will be explored in greater details during the 12-Week Sumedha Sadhana Fe 07-May 01, 2026 at Sumedha Centre Jharmari. Registration is open. contact: sumedhacentre@gmail.com 

 

SUMEDHA CENTRE MARKS 10TH ANNIVRSARY WITH SOMATICS & AUTHENTIC MOVEMENT WORKSHOP

Sumedha Centre marked its 10^th Anniversary with another workshop. This time the workshop was led by internationally reputed somatic therapist Don Hanlon Johnson and Jungian Analyst Barbara Holifield.

Johnson is professor of Somatics at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, and the founder of the first graduate degree program in Somatic Psychology. He is the author of several books, collections, and articles whose focus is on the role of direct bodily experience in organizing our personal and communal worlds.

Holifield is a Jungian analyst practicing in the San Francisco Bay area. She weaves somatic and relational perspectives into her analytic practice, and works extensively with the psychophysiology of trauma. An adjunct faculty member at the California Institute of Integral Studies, she teaches Authentic Movement in the United States and abroad.

The workshop titled “Body Practices, Authentic Movement, and Personal and Professional Well-Being” was held at Bosco Psychological Services, New Delhi, on March 31 and April 1.

There were 16 participants, 13 professional women and three Salesian priest psychologists. All were involved in the healing ministry either as psychologists, counsellors or therapists.  They represented a number of different theoretical and practice approaches to healing and transformation.

At this workshop Johnson focused on touch and breath and Holifield on Authentic Movement.

Authentic Movement, a combination of Jungian Active Imagination and body movement and awareness is a profoundly simple process in which one, in the presence of a witness, closes one’s eyes, and turning his or her attention inward, listens for prompting from the psyche as well as impulses for movement or stillness.

The workshop was a very “moving” (in many different ways) experience for the participants. It helped them to get in touch with parts of themselves and possibilities they were not aware of; brought a greater awareness of both body and psych. It also helped them to be aware of new dimensions that they can introduce into their existing practice.

As one participant wrote: “The workshop was a beautiful experience.”

Within the short a-day-and-half workshop participants could only get a taste of the possibilities that touch, breath and authentic movement offered for personal and professional well-being, and they thirsted for more, wanting Johnson and Holifield to return and do a longer workshop.