To surrender completely, to get lost in your laughter, to be taken over by intense sadness or exuberant joy. What is holding you back? Maybe you don’t allow yourself to experience life so intensely. Your most vital energies may be kept secret, locked away. Dancing with shadows brings them back. You learn to shift old patterns, transform anger into agency, sadness into connection with yourself and others, and fear into insight and understanding.
Shadow
A shadow is a part of yourself you’d rather not own (like your jealousy, your destructiveness, or unacceptable sexual desire) or a forgotten dream. When a shadow is suppressed, it shows up unexpectedly and out of your control. Have you ever promised yourself not to turn into any of your family member (father, mother,…)? Do you sometimes find yourself acting or speaking like them anyway, unable to control it? That’s a shadow. Do you sometimes meet someone new and without apparent reason you feel irritated or repulsed? There it is.
Shadow Dancing
The purpose of Shadow dancing is to make your shadows conscious. By becoming aware of them, they lose their control over you and can be transformed into a constructive and integrated part of yourself. The purpose is not to get rid of shadows, but to understand why that part of you is a shadow and what positive qualities are buried underneath.
Shadow dancing is an adventurous expedition into your conscious and unconscious inner landscape. Together we’ll move over mountain ridges, spelunk into dark chambers, dismantle the beaver dam that blocks the fresh mountain water, and possibly slaughtering a sleazy hyena. Throughout the process, we reconnect with old friends, relive forgotten memories, and return more alive.
Shadow dancing is a metaphor, a method for balancing and reorganizing the different persona’s or voices inside yourself. Dancing can be part of it, but this is not a dance workshop.
About your facilitator
I was raised as a listener, trained as a psychologist, called for a life as a contemporary monk who keeps the emptiness alive.
There are many ways that lead to the other shore. My calling is to live in between, on the ridges between the conscious and the unconscious, keeping their interaction alive.
I am there with you when you try to find your way in, a friendly companion when you feel hesitant, a scout when you feel lost, an honest friend when your vision becomes blurred, a rooter when you’re fighting or embracing your shadows, and a ferryman when you want to get back safely.
Practical
During a dancing with shadows seminar, up to six participants will have a chance to do an individual piece of work, with others participating in their process. We start with building a safe environment, where everyone agrees to withhold judgement, examine their own prejudices, and refrain from giving advice. Feeling the depth and connection in a truly safe group, you will find it quite natural to begin your own process with whatever issue you choose.
Dates:
Although we list all scheduled dates below, every weekend stands on its own. You can choose the date that fits you best.
- 24 March, 18u – 26 March, 17u
Want to have a feel of what it will be about? Join one of our introduction days:
- 25 February, 10u-17u
Cost:
- Weekend: 400 euros. Price includes all (vegan) meals
- Introduction day: 60 euros. Price includes a simple lunch (soup & bread).
Venue: Emile Bockstaellaan in Laeken, Brussels
Food: We cook vegan. Please let us know about other food requirements. In as far as possible, we will try to take them into account.
Booking: For registration and more information, please send us an email (only 6 participants).