Healing Your Traumas Weekend Retreat
Healing Your Trauma with the Living Inquiries
July 21 – 23, 2017
This weekend retreat was facilitated by Lynn Fraser and Fiona Murphy. Lynn is a Senior Facilitator Trainer of Scott Kiloby’s Living Inquiries and a senior teacher in the Himalayan Tradition of Yoga Meditation. She works online and internationally with individuals and groups. Fiona, MSW, RSW is a Living Inquiries Certified Facilitator and an experienced therapist with a Masters in Social Work. Fiona works with people online and has a counselling practice in Victoria, British Columbia. http://www.livinginquiries.com/fiona-murphy/
The workshop, as described by Lynn, focused on freeing ourselves and healing from the residual effects of hurt and trauma. The intention was to “learn and understand how the events in our lives impact us on all levels – body, breath, energy and thought. Experiences of abuse, neglect and feeling unsafe trigger our fight/ flight/ freeze. This survival system activation generates a cascade of cortisol, adrenaline and other chemicals. Our Central Nervous System goes into a state of hyper-vigilance that can last for decades and we naturally seek ways to self-soothe and down-regulate our level of distress. Trauma and survival instinct underlie addiction, compulsive and catastrophic thinking, anxiety and suffering.
“Safety IS the treatment. In this experiential workshop we do practices to begin and deepen trust in yourself and authentic kindness and compassion within. We’ll cover the essentials of “how it works” so you understand your body, system, shame, judgment and the essential role of social trust. We strengthen our capacity to see through and release identification with these experiences that commonly lead to core deficiency beliefs of unworthiness, unlovability and feeling like there is something basically wrong with us. The Living Inquiries developed by Scott Kiloby allow us to freeze-frame and look directly at what is driving fear and anxiety.”
Beginning with a public talk on Friday evening, Lynn and Fiona created a very safe space for people to explore their difficult experiences and their capacities to be free of past hurt. A video clip of Scott Kiloby talking about his “Living Inquiries” was shown on the first night. Throughout the weekend a good number of very useful tools were taught for grounding ourselves and being with the issues that inhibit free expression and well-being. Guided awareness exercises were relaxing and nurturing and promoted release and letting go of limiting patterns. Gazing and Laughing meditations approached the subject from different experiential
angles. Gentle yoga was included as a complementary practice for healing trauma, with a focus on the breath and inhabiting our bodies. Group discussion and communication played a central role, and the quality of sharing was remarkable for its depth and honesty.
A large amount of material was covered over the weekend but there was also time for walks on the property and rest. Delicious meals were provided by nearby Pearson College. The retreat was very much appreciated by all and attracted a good attendance of twenty-four participants, facilitators included. We thank Lynn and Fiona for presenting a profoundly practical and valuable workshop.
