Are you looking for a little structure to find your way to calm your body, ease your mind, and cultivate a sense of connection to yourself?

Maybe you could use some time to connect with your heart?

After doing countless retreats over the past 30 years I know how important it is to take time on a regular basis to remember who I am, to be quiet and still and let go of some of the coping strategies I’ve used to deal with the stuff of day-to-day.

Since I’ve been doing the Embodied Practices Course people have written to let me know how meaningful the course continues to be for them in their lives. They mention how amazing it is that simple practices, when practiced over time, can shift the way they interact with others and with life in general.

A quick note to say thank you very much for the last 6 weeks. I signed up to the EP programme mostly on a bit of faith having clicked with the '6 sides of the breath' meditation. Since then the changes I've experienced, particularly relating to 'being in my body' have been amazing and very humbling, and have deepened my connection with my Higher Power. I am now more able, on a daily basis (when I remember) to breathe into my body, to feel what's going on and am less likely to jump to attaching labels.

The approach you've brought through the programme has worked wonderfully for me and I am very grateful to you.

~ W.T. United Kingdom

To listen to the “Six Sides of the Breath Meditation”

Click here

If you want to have a sense of the kinds of meditations I use and the way I am, please give the Six Sides of the Breath Meditation a test run. And, of course, always feel free to email me with questions or thoughts. To read the blog post I wrote about the Six Sides of the Breath click here.

It gave me an idea to be with you during monthly “Virtual Retreats”

My intention in creating this is to take multiple times in the day to slow down and remember who you are beneath the pain and discomfort, the distress, the overwhelm.

These retreats will provide an environment in which you can:

• Cultivate a sense of balance in inner life
• Develop self-compassion
• Soften the overwhelm
• Practice finding your way home to yourself

It’s important to me that you remember who you are; that despite everything, underneath all that happens, you are good.

When we feel safe to reconnect with our hearts we find space to befriend what otherwise feels hard to do. We start to remember that our hearts want, and need, to love and be loved.

During these retreats I’ll be culling my over 30 years of experience in a multitude of traditions (Yoga, Buddhism, Christian, Sufi) to find ways to support you in healing your histories. Each retreat I’ll be leading meditations and offering practices. I’ll also be talking about various aspects of meditation and prayer especially how these practices apply to people suffering from trauma and attachment issues.

Dear Deirdre,

The practices have really helped my everyday life. I was doing ok before the Embodied Practices but looking back I can see that my ability to deal with stressful life situations has improved and frustration has gone from low to almost zero. I have an armory of the practices now and do1-3 about every 2-3 days; on weekends I might do 6 in a day.

Despite a fair bit of practice I feel they are still new to me and can develop them all and be developed by them.

Value for money? YES! We humans spend more on cars, clothes, handbags etc. than on our minds!

Satisfied,

D.I., Europe

Who leads these retreats?

These retreats will be led by me (Deirdre). I’ve been formally practicing meditation and contemplative practices since 1977 and teaching these practices to others since the 1980’s.

The Becoming Safely Embodied Skills which I founded (and now taught throughout the world) were developed out of my experience healing trauma using these fundamental principles. Click here to find out more about Deirdre.

There might be times when I invite other people whose practices I deeply respect to join us in the future. At the moment, though, the calls will all be with me.

Each retreat will have 3 calls which will run over the course of 24 hours. I wanted to find times when people from other time zones could make the calls. Each call will last for ½ hour to an hour. You’re welcome to come to one of them or all of them.

They won’t be recorded as the idea is to be on the call, in the community with your fresh attention in the moment rather than listening to them at another time when you might be distracted.

I really do feel that you do understand.

you have an amazing way with words and a special way of responding.

It feels like you are alongside each participant in the group.

~ S, USA

All retreats will be on a Saturday evening and go through Sunday. I’ll schedule them every 3-5 weeks depending on the calendar.

Saturday, 9:30 pm ET - Embodied Practice

Sunday, 10 am ET - Embodied Practice

Sunday, 4 pm ET - Guidance call / questions and answers / support

In appreciation for the warm and wonderful space you have created and nurtured in this digital age we live in. IT does help to make us feel connected, that we do still live in connection with each other.

~ C.J. Texas, USA

What happens in this kind of retreat?

This retreat doesn’t have to be done in total silence and you don’t have to be at every call.

Whatever time you can give to this will be just right. It’s not about doing this retreat right or in a set way. It’s about planting seeds in your heart and in your life that will take root and flourish over time.

Even if you can only carve out one call and are fully present that nourishment that you receive will ripple through your day and week. The most important part is to be present. To be there with yourself.

If you can, take the whole day to be alone with less structured time, time to be in nature, go for a walk, rest, or read a book.

Informed Consent: I’m sure it goes without question that these virtual retreats are not psychotherapy nor are they intended to substitute for psychotherapy in any way. They are, quite simply, practices that if done with awareness and attention over time can support the healing of your history.  

Saturday and Sunday, September 29-30, 2012

I decided to find a way to make these retreats as available as possible. With that in mind you’re free to choose one of the two options to pay for each 24-hour retreat.

Here’s how this goes

If you do decide to join us (and I hope you will!) this is the process:

1. After you click on the above link to pay for the retreat, you’ll get an email confirming your purchase.
2. You’ll also receive an email from me within a few hours thanking you for joining us and asking you to confirm your participation by signing up for the special telephone service I use which allows me to be more be more aware of who’s on each call.
3. At the same time you want to put the call times in your calendar. Sometimes it’s hard to remember these little details when so much is happening. Once they’re on your calendar your mind can relax till it’s time to call in.
4. Eight hours before the retreat starts you’ll get an email (and likely before each of the calls) reminding you of the call and giving you the call in information and your personal access code.

Till then, I’m holding you in my heart and sending you blessings galore.