SUMEDHA OUTREACH IN SEPTEMBER

Sumedha Centre did two Outreach Programmes in September enabling many more to benefit from the Sumedha Centre’s expertise.

The first was a Psychospiritual Retreat for the Rectors, Parish priests and Leaders of Communities of the Salesian Province of Guwahati. Fr. VM Thomas, the Provincial who had earlier attended a spiritual retreat facilitated by the Director of Sumedha Centre, Jose Parappully, wanted the leaders of his Province to have a similar experience.

The retreat was held at the Salesian Provincial House, Guwahati between 8 and 13 September. The retreat was presented and experienced as a “desert journey” – as “wilderness” and “paradise” (Mark, 1, 13). 

The last two days focused on the role of the Salesian Rector/Leader of Community as a “Centre of Unity” and as “Animator of Community.”

Ample time was provided for the retreatants to experience God through Sacred Scripture

The retreatants were very appreciative of their retreat experience. One veteran missionary observed: “In my 62 years of Salesian religious life, this was a most unique experience.” Another simply said, “After several years, I made a really good retreat,” a sentiment shared by others.

  

The second was a Seminar on “Psychosexual Integration and Celibate Maturity” held at Kristu Jyoti College Bangalore on 23 and 24 September for the staff and students of the philosophy and theology departments of the college and for the students and staff of Viswadeep Institute for advanced theological and catechetical studies. There were about 300 participants.

This seminar also was facilitated by Jose Parappully, Director of Sumedha Centre. Parappully is the primary editor of the best selling two volume book bearing the same title as that of the seminar.

Participants expressed great satisfaction about the way the topic was dealt with and found it very useful. 

“An extremely useful seminar,” observed one participant summing up the sentiments of others as well. “The topic was handled in a very commendable way.”

2014 Programmes at Sumedha Centre

2014 Programmes

1.      (SS-25) Sumedha Sadhana (A Psychospiritual Wholeness Journey) - (6 weeks)

May 22- July 2

2.    (SS-26) Sumedha Sadhana (A Psychospiritual Wholeness Journey) – (9 weeks)

July 4 – September 4

3.   (SS-27) Sumedha Sadhana (A Psychospiritual Wholeness Journey) - (9 weeks)

September 29- November 30

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 & Formative Spiritualities; Cosmic, Creation & Feminist Spiritualities; Religious & Community Life; Prayerfulness & Healthy Emotional Life; Midlife Dynamics & the Spiritual Journey; Identity & Vocational Commitment; Intimacy, Celibacy & Sexuality; Generativity, Stress & Burnout; Shadows & Subpersonalities; Trauma, Healing & Reconciliation; The Universe story, Jesus Story and Our Story; Core Transformation -- 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 spiritual 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. (Age limit: 35-60 years)

Faculty

Ajoy Fernandes PhD (Personality & Spirituality). Alba Rodrigues MA (Cosmic Spirituality, Yoga). Gerard Alvarez MA (The Storied Word: Ours, Jesus’ and the Universe’s). Joe Mannath PhD (Sexuality, Celibacy & Intimacy). Jose Kuttianimattathil PhD (Core Transformation). Jose Parappully PhD (Psychological Dynamics & the Spiritual Journey, Trauma & Healing, Group Therapy, Retreat). M. Goretti Kanakarathinam MA (Group Therapy, Befriending Our Emotions). MC Abraham PhD (Group Therapy). Shalini Mulackal PhD (Feminist & Women’s Spirituality)

A LIFE-CHANGING MIDLIFE JOURNEY

The 20-day “Midlife Dynamics and the Spiritual Journey” programme at Sumedha Centre concluded yesterday.

The programme commenced with an assessment of the “Now Period” of life of the participants and went on to explore process spirituality, holistic-ecological spirituality and move on to the practice of Contemplative, and especially, Centering Prayer.

From a psychological perspectives, participants traced their developmental history through experiential exercises, explored and evaluated the experience of various midlife dynamics and transformative processes, especially the (re)-emergence of sexuality and intimacy needs. In the context of celibate friendships, heterosexual attachment dynamics were explored and evaluated.

The programme ended with an integrative exercise of the whole of the participants' life journeys until the present using the inspirational movie “River Mee.”

Participants observed that they had benefited immensely from the programme. For some it proved to be a “life-changing experience.”

Some typical participant comments:

“The programme was very, very good. It was very well organised and executed. It was challenging but immensely useful. It has led to a personal transformation.”

“It was an enriching and enlightening programme. Helped me to get in touch with myself.”

“My purpose in coming here has been fully satisfied. I got answers to questions I had been struggling with for years.”

“The programme was an eye-opener. It has equipped me to journey forward with greater passion and enthusiasm.”

“It helped me to change my perspectives, values and beliefs.”

“Hospitality was excellent.”

The programme was facilitated by Jose Parappully, Director of the Centre.

Our next programme:  60-day “Sumedha Sadhana – A Psychospiritual Wholeness Journey” from 25^th September to 23^rd November

WORKSHOPS IN BANGALORE

Psychosexual Integration and Celibate Maturity

The Director of Sumedha Centre, Jose Parappully, did two workshops in Bangalore at the beginning of the month.

The first was at the Don Bosco Provincial House, Bangalore, on Psychosexual Integration and Celibate Maturity. The participants were Rectors of Communities and Leaders of various Provincial Commissions. There were around 45 participants for this two-day workshop on August 3 and 4.

Themes explored during the workshop included: Psychosexual Integration and Emotional Maturity, Sexual Orientation and Sexual Behaviours, Sexual Boundary Violations, Psychosexual Integration at Midlife and Beyond, and Celibate Friendship.

Participants found the workshop “very, very useful.”  They “gained very practical information and insights.”

One said this was the “most useful of the workshops I have attended.” Another who had two other workshops on the theme said “this was the best. This helped me to understand these important issues better and given me ways and means to explore them with my trainees in more effective ways.”

Basic Counselling Skills Training

The second workshop was a six day affair, from 5^th to 10^th August. This Basic Counselling Skills Training workshop was held at National Biblical, Catechetical and Liturgical Centre (NBCLC), Bangalore.

There were 43 participants from different parts of the country. Most of them were leaders of communities or involved in formation work.

Participants found the training extremely useful. There was “an excellent blend of theory and practice.” The training, the participants said, had given them “both confidence and competence” by helping them develop required attitudes and skills.

August Highlight at Sumedha Centre: MIDLIFE DYNAMICS AND THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

Midlife Dynamics and the Spiritual Journey is the select programme at Sumedha Centre in August. It will be held from August 12 to 31 and will be facilitated by the Director of the Centre, Jose Parappully.

A Description of the Programme Content and Process

Midlife is a time of profound shifts and changes – in body, mind, perspectives, priorities, values, goals, relationships, spirituality… It is a time when we re-think and re-evaluate our commitments and life choices.

The heart of the programme is built around the midlife dynamics of 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 begin our midlife explorations from where we are, looking at what is happening in our lives at this point on our psycho-spiritual journey. We try to discern what God might be telling us through all that is happening in our lives. We will explore these current realities in the context of changing paradigms. We explore and assess our spirituality and our religious life in the context of shifting midlife perspectives.

At midlife, 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. All these affect our self-concept and our spiritual journey. Our attitude toward sexuality is sometimes profoundly affected by negative sexual experiences, including abuse. We shall address these issues by exploring sexuality and affectivity and their healthy integration in our celibate lifestyle and ministry. We will explore particularly the nature and challenge of celibate friendship as also the effect of sexual abuse and ways to heal from its effects. Spirituality of the body will be explored in the context both of sexuality and of generativity.

We conclude our midlife journey by evaluating and integrating our Life Story through reminiscence and planning to live out the rest of our Life Story informed by the new perspectives and intimations generated during this workshop.

Insights from various psychological theories of development, as well as tools and techniques from the Intensive Journal, Psychosynthesis and Expressive Arts, prayer and meditation are used to explore these midlife dynamics.

This workshop provides theoretical input as well as opportunities for us to reflect on our experiences and to share them with one another and for personal and common prayer. It is hoped that through this four-fold dynamics of Input, Introspection, Interaction, and Prayer we gain a deeper feel for the psychological dynamics operating on our spiritual journey and integrate these to develop a healthier self so that we can experience greater serenity and wholeness as we continue our journey into the Mystery that is our Triune God. 

JULY WAS A MONTH FOR RETREATS AT SUMEDHA CENTRE

Two retreats were held at Sumedha Centre in July. The first from July 11- 20 and the other from July 4 to August 2.

The retreats were based on the theme of “Desert as Wilderness and Paradise” – a theme inspired by Henry Nouwen.

The focal text was Mk. 1. 13. “He was with the wild beasts and the angels ministered to him.”

This retreat was a time to confront one’s inner demons (“wild beasts”) and experience intimacy with God (“ministering angels”).

Meditation on chosen scriptural texts was the basic tool for the encounter with self and God, with the Director of the Retreat, Jose Parappully, presenting the theme for each day, which included Desert as Utter Helplessness (Elijah) and Renewal of Love (Hosea).

Participants expressed great satisfaction about their Retreat experience at Sumedha.

UPCOMING PROGRAMMES AT SUMEDHA CENTRE

Midlife Dynamics

& the Spiritual Journey

August 12- 31, 2013

Midlife is a period of profound shifts and changes – in body, mind, & spirit; in perspectives, priorities, values, goals, relationships, sexuality, spirituality etc. This workshop explores these psychological dynamics of midlife so as to deepen and enrich one’s spiritual journey. It explores particularly the four basic midlife issues: identity, intimacy, generativity and integrity. Other topics include spirituality, religious life, aging and emotional well-being, sexuality and celibacy, persona and shadow. 

Insights from psychology, medical science and sacred scripture, and the exploratory and healing techniques of the intensive journal, psychosynthesis, expressive arts, meditation and prayer are used in this exploration. (Open to all. Participant Age Limit: 35-62 years)

SUMEDHA SADHANA

A Psycho-Spiritual Wholeness Journey

September 25 – November 23 2013

Sumedha Sadhana is an inner journey in quest of greater healing and wholeness, designed to help participants live more fulfilling, satisfying and productive lives.

Participants begin from where they are, looking at what is happening on their psycho-spiritual journey. They explore their current spirituality in the light of emerging holistic-ecological, feminist, cosmic paradigms. They explore and assess their Midlife and Post-Midlife experiences They seek to better understand the impact of human sexuality and affectivity on their celibate commitment, especially in the context of celibate friendships. They move toward greater psycho-spiritual integration through discovering their personality types, redeeming their ‘shadows,’ healing their hurts and reconciling unresolved issues. They seek to discover their unhelpful patterns of living and relating and work at attitudinal and behavioural changes through group therapy. Their integrative process culminates in and concludes with a semi-directed spiritual retreat. (Participant age limit: 35 to 62 years)

Faculty & Modules

Ajoy Fernandes PhD (Personality & Spirituality). Alba Rodrigues MA (Cosmic Spirituality). Gerard Alvarez MA (Universe Story)). Joe Mannath PhD (Psychosexual Integration) Jose Parappully PhD (Midlife Dynamics, Spirituality, Trauma & Healing, Therapy, Retreat). MC Abraham PhD (Therapy).

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For further information and registration forms, contact:

Sumedha Centre. Jeolikote P. O., Nainital Dt. Uttarakhand 263127

Ph. +91-9410941799 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            +91-9410941799      end_of_the_skype_highlighting (Director), +91-9450915833 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            +91-9450915833      end_of_the_skype_highlighting (Administrator) email: sumedhacentre@gmail.com

Blog: http://sumedhabani.blogspot.com