There are many ways we are called to lead a fuller, more meaningful and more passionate life. For some of us, it’s an illness, a loss, an accident or some traumatic event that leads us to question how we’ve been leading our lives. For others, it’s a deep longing, a questioning and a questing of going against the tide, the rhythms of learned tribal behaviour that we as a social group create to belong, to feel safe rather than standing out and feeling the pain of isolation.

Meanwhile, nature weaves its ever-changing web of light and darkness, budding, blooming and composting so that there is a certain rhythm of sameness along with the ever-changing web. Spring is a time that beckons to us of new beginnings, a chance to begin anew while yet building on the seeds of the former that have been planted in the soil of our lives during the previous season, resting and waiting for a time to emerge. So, we reflect upon what is emerging for us in this time of transition and once again, how do we transit, how do we cross the threshold from one state to another. Thus emerged the theme of my mini-workshop on March 18th.

There is also the opportunity to work with Continuum’s founder, Emilie Conrad, who comes to Seatte, May 18-21 for her annual workshop there. I highly recommend this wonderful experience of being and exploring with Emilie.

I, too, have been contemplating on what is emerging in my life and how do I uncover and nurture these new seeds while honouring and accepting the old, that is, what is. For with all my struggles in accepting the realities of my health issues and the aging process, I still feel called to live my life in ever-renewing ways, reclaiming meaning and passion, acceptance and responsiveness to all that comes my way.

Dawn Markova, says it beautifully:

I will not die an unlived life.
I will not live in fear
of falling or catching fire.
I choose to inhabit my days,
to allow my living to open me,
to make me less afraid,
more accessible;
to loosen my heart
until it becomes a wing,
a torch, a promise.
I choose to risk my significance,
to live so that which came to me as seed
goes to the next as blossom,
and that which came to me as blossom,
goes on as fruit.

With love & blessings for your emerging, Doris

March 11, 2012

OFFERINGS for this season – delighted to have you join us:

Sunday, March 18 – Mini-Workshop – Emerging-Crossing the Threshold – 2-5pm @ Yoga on 7th, 156 E 7, Investment $45 ($36 underemployed) No previous experience necessary, only the willingness to explore.

Classes - lst class of each series as an Introduction for $25

8 week ongoing series :

@ Yoga on 7th, Vancouver (enter @ side off alley) – April 13-June 8 (no class May 18)

@ Alchemy Centre, 3-431 Mountain Hwy, North Vancouver (exit off Upper Levels or 2nd Narrows Bridge, @ Main St., R onto Mountain Hwy) – April 18-June 6.

Investment for 8 week class series: $225 (20% discount for underemployed), $200 early discount by April 1.

Please send $50 deposit to register for class series. You may make-up a missed class if you are registered in one series by going to a class in the other series.

Drop in for above classes $30. No drop-in after 1st class unless you have Continuum experience.

Deepening into Continuum @ Source Point Studio, 3263 Heather St., between 16 & 17 Ave. April 28 – 6:30-9:30pm & April 29 10am-5pm. $125 ($100 underemployed), $100 early discount by April 15. Open only to participants with Continuum experience.

At the request of participants wanting a more intensive time with the Continuum processes, this workshop enables us to dive deeper into the intrinsic sources of our organism and its connection to the larger realm. We will come together Saturday evening and move into our individual silent play towards the end of the evening, maintain the silence when leaving and re-entering on Sunday morning and then emerging from the silent time in the afternoon. The silence is always part of the Continuum depth retreats and referred to as the “allnighters.” It truly is amazing how much this format with the silence can assist in the slowing down, dropping down experience which is so necessary to connect to the worlds beneath the world.

Retreat Day – Weaving the Extraordinary into the Ordinary – Sunday, June 3rd – 2-6:30 pm @ Yoga on 7th. Investment: $75
($65 underemployed) $65 early discount by May 25.

What happens after the amazing experiences of a workshop or retreat when we enter into our everyday lives? Does anything change? Is there any carry-over from the revelations that emerge? It is so important that what we have learned become part of our ordinary lives and how we move back and forth between these states, merging and flowing between them.

We will explore through the Continuum processes of breath, sound, subtle, inner & dynamic movements as well as expressive art tools, to enable this weaving to become a rich and nurturing transformation.

FOR MORE INFORMATION & REGISTRATION :
Contact: Doris Maranda      604-254-0147      , doris@dorismaranda.com
www.dorismaranda.com

DORIS MARANDA, MA, is an authorized Continuum Movement teacher (www.continuummovement.com), a Registered Clinical Counsellor and a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (www.traumahealing.com). “To me, this work is a spiritual practice and has opened me up to possibilities of living embodied that I had only begin to envision in my work as a psyche/soma therapist and educator. It is the basis for everything that I do. In movement, there is no separation and as we begin to live, breathing, moving and expressing our experiences, there comes a joining and a wholeness that leads to healing and to a creative excitation that counteracts the insanity and fragmentation that we encounter in the world around us.”

Private counselling & Somatic Movement Education sessions with Doris by appointment. 604-254-0147 or doris@dorismaranda.com
Free phone consultation.

Emilie Conrad in Seattle, Moving Medicine, May 18-21, 2012
Don’t miss this opportunity to work with Continuum’s founder and visionary, considered to be one of the somatic genius’ of this century, as we redefine & experience new ways of what “body” is.
www.continuummovement.com – Registration: dhmosler@aol.com.

NEWSLETTER – WINTER/SPRING 2012

 What an amazing time of the year, echoing with the earth’s receding into dark, creative rest, restoring energies germinating within us and the turning of the light beginning to emerge. The earth calls out to us to join her in this hibernative time yet around us we see in our culture, signals to gaiety. As well as party gatherings, I visualize restful, meditative gatherings of people, honouring the external earth calling to us to resonate with her internally. Our culture values much more turning to the ascending movement of the light rather than the descending of the dark & the creative rest from the composting that is occurring in the earth and in us. We need both movements.

Our greatest fear is a fear of death. Recently, I revisited a film, produced by CBC some years ago and narrated beautifully by Leonard Cohen, on “The Tibetan Book of the Dead.” I found myself much moved by the reading of the text of this book to the dead person by the Tibetan monk cautioning the dead person to listen as he goes through the Bardos, watching our for the monsters that emerge, reminding him that they are the products of the mind and to continue on his journey. I think that we also go through the “Bardos” during the transitions that occur during our lives, calling on us for movement, change & transformation.

We can listen to the wisdom that is offered by the Tibetan tradition during these times and keep moving forward, connecting to our felt senses, to the present moment, to help us contain and ground during these powerful, yet difficult transition times.

Recently, I have been noticing how potent transitions are and how we often go from one event to another, without much reflecting or dropping down. This was most striking to me when I have travelled to a very different culture and have noticed the time it takes for me to really be present in this new context that I have entered. Even more simply, I have been practising taking the time each day upon awakening to make the transition from sleeping to waking, rather than jumping out of bed as soon as the alarm goes off or something else wakes me up. Or even simpler, each breath you take (10,000 breaths a day) is an opportunity to make the transition from inhaling to exhaling, from exhaling to inhaling, with your sensory awareness, a creative & healing experience.

With love & blessings for the season and for your transitions,

Doris

December 15^th, 2011

OFFERINGS FOR THIS SEASON:

CONTINUUM CLASSES IN VANCOUVER – FREE INTRODUCTORY CLASS – Friday, January 27, 2012, 11am-2pm @ Yoga on 7th, 156 E 7^th between Main & Quebec, entrance on side off alley. (Please contact Doris to register for this introductory session.) Followed by 8 week ongoing series, February 3-March 23, 11am-2pm. Investment $225 (20% discount for underemployed).

CONTINUUM CLASSES IN NORTH VANCOUVER – Wednesdays, 9:30am – 12:30pm, February 1 – March 21 @ Alchemy Centre, 3-431 Mountain Hwy, North Vancouver (exit on Main St off Second Narrows Bridge or Upper Levels Hwy, turn right onto Mountain Hwy.) Investment $225 (20% discount for underemployed).

Please send $50 deposit to register for class series. You may make-up a missed class if you are registered in one series by going to a class in the other series.

DROP-IN FOR ABOVE CLASSES $30. No drop-in after 1^st class unless you have Continuum experience.

MINI-WORKSHOP – Sunday March 18^th, 2-5pm @ Yoga on 7^th. Investment: $45 (20% discount for underemployed). Please send $25 deposit to register for this workshop.

Theme – Emerging – Crossing the Threshold – an opportunity to see & explore how endings contain the seeds of new beginnings and how we cross the threshold into a new and yet connected flow from within us to the wider spheres surrounding us.

RETREAT DAY – Saturday, February 18^th 12-5pm @ Source Point Studio, 3263 Heather St. Between W16 & 17. Investment $75 ($65 for underemployed). Please send $25 deposit to register for this workshop.

Theme – Lost & Found, revisiting this theme from last summer’s retreat day. It is a profound feeling, being lost and attempting to find one’s way back to familiar and habitual landmarks. Yet it is necessary to enter a state of losing (loosening) these habitual landmarks, even though difficult (even when we want to) in order to move on to a new and more coherent state of being. We will explore through the Continuum processes of breath, sound, subtle, inner & dynamic movements as well as expressive art tools, to enable this transition to become a rich and nurturing transformation.

An opportunity for a enriched weekend experience by combining this Retreat Day with ingrid rose’s workshop on Sunday February 19^th for a 10% discount for each workshop. The theme of her writing from the body workshop (a wonderful combination of Continuum processes & writing) is re-member-ing: writing autobiographically. A fitting follow-up after you have “found yourself” in the Continuum retreat day on Saturday! For ingrid’s workshop:  ingridrose.com

Coming up after Easter: Following increasing requests for a longer dive into the Continuum waters, I have booked Source Point Studio for a Deepening intoContinuum Movement workshop: Saturday evening, April 28^th, 6:30-9:30pm & Sunday, April 29^th from 10-5pm. Details to follow.

FOR MORE INFORMATION & REGISTRATION :

Contact: Doris Maranda      604-254-0147      , doris@dorismaranda.com www.dorismaranda.com

DORIS MARANDA, MA, is an authorized Continuum Movement teacher (www.continuummovement.com), a Registered Clinical Counsellor and a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (www.traumahealing.com). “To me, this work is a spiritual practice and has opened me up to possibilities of living embodied that I had only begin to envision in my work as a psyche/somatherapist and educator. It is the basis for everything that I do. In movement, there is no separation and as we begin to live, breathing, moving and expressing our experiences, there comes a joining and a wholeness that leads to healing and to a creative excitation that counteracts the insanity and fragmentation that we encounter in the world around us.”

PRIVATE COUNSELLING & SOMATIC MOVEMENT EDUCATION

SESSIONS WITH DORIS BY APPOINTMENT

604-254-0147 or doris@dorismaranda.com

Free phone consultation.

]]> http://www.dorismaranda.com/2011/12/16/winterspring-2012/feed/ 0 http://www.dorismaranda.com/2011/09/05/addendum-to-fall-newsletter/ http://www.dorismaranda.com/2011/09/05/addendum-to-fall-newsletter/#comments Mon, 05 Sep 2011 17:38:42 +0000 doris http://www.dorismaranda.com/?p=64 Continue reading →]]> Having just returned last Tuesday from our annual Continuum teachers retreat, I find it is important to update what I shared on my last email message to you. First of all, an error was made in the subject line of my vacation responder stating that I was unable to respond due to health reasons. That message was from an earlier time but in some sense it was appropriate as my attending the teachers’ retreat was important to my “health,” both physically, mentally & emotionally. I apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

Following the incident of the infection, the subsequent surgeries & medical interventions from last fall, as I returned to my life activities, I found myself feeling rather lost, not really knowing who I was any more nor quite how to engage in the activities in my life that have sustained me. In the retreat time, I realized that what I faced was a life & death situation & that has deepened my sense of what it means to be human. The exit door beckoned & yet I came back, but not being quite the same as I was before.

As a consequence, I was able to enter into the Continuum processes at a much deeper & more slower, dropped down way than ever before. The organic response in my body was amazing & carried through into new aspects of moving, walking & being with my body, mind & soul.

When I wrote my last message to you, I was still at the “struggling with it” stage which we do have to honour & stay with, no matter the tendency to rush through it, get on with life, cope and so on. The slowing down is key. Upon entering back into the city & the life around me, I find the pace is out of sync with the field I’ve been in. And I, like so many of us, find it a challenge to maintain a more organic, fluid, bio-intelligent approach to how I walk, eat, wash my dishes, bringing in a more Zen-like, more aware & slower aspect to these everyday activities. The reward is great & yet the habits are strong.

With love & blessings to you in your journey to lead a more fully engaged life, Doris

I am excited to bring some of my newfound discoveries to my upcoming fall offerings, beginning with a free introduction to Continuum on Wednesday, September 28, 9:30am-12:30pm @ Alchemy which will be followed by an 8 week series. The intent for the 3 hour class is to allow enough time for each person to get the richness out of our explorations.

The Retreat Days are October 15^th & November 26^th from 12-5pm @ Source Point – there is a 10% discount if you attend both days.

For more information go to: www.dorismaranda.com/schedule.

 As autumn intrudes its touches upon the long-awaited summer warmth, we begin to contemplate the renewal of the wintering, hibernating time of year & I begin to plan my offerings for the fall season. The seasons are such a poignant reminder of the ever-changing, ever-evolving nuances of our lives & how one metamophs into the other. It is also a reminder to let go of the things we no longer need, as the old leaves die & fall from the trees, carrying within the trunk, limbs & roots, the seeds of a new beginning in the spring. This prompted the first of my retreat days, “Letting Go” (see details below).

I am also reminded that Emilie Conrad often says that “Health is responsiveness” and as I continue the struggle to integrate the health events that occurred during the months of November last year into this spring, I remember other challenging times in my life, both physical & mental, which culminated in a deeper & more peaceful acceptance of what life has to offer. It was a process, not an over-night phenomena, & involved much frustration, even anger, the “why mes,” that we entertain as well as the grieving of the loss of what I identified with as “me,” that gave me a sense of worth & value. It is difficult to stay with & honour this place.

Although this time around, it feels different (perhaps each round gives one more depth of acceptance for oneself & empathy for others’ challenges) I still engage in the struggle & am not willing to “make it happen,” “it” being the place of peace & acceptance & a more agile connection to the Source, to that broader band of bio-intelligence that is the Self. I remember Ram Das speaking of the “grist for the mill,” that while it differs for each of us, it is our unique schooling. Michael Mead would call it, “The World behind the World.” It is important to embrace what is, to embody the dark time & see it through. In my attending to my own responsiveness, I am given an opportunity to clear my slate, to deal with unresolved issues hanging around in my psyche. This issue prompted my second retreat day, “Descent into Soul” (details below).

 Hoping you find the desire & the time to join me in the ongoing series of classes Wednesday mornings @ Alchemy or at one of the Retreat Days,

With love & blessings, Doris

August 21^st, 2011

CONTINUUM CLASSES IN NORTH VANCOUVER

ONGOING – Wednesday mornings @ Alchemy Centre, 3-431 Mountain Hwy, North Vancouver (Main St exit – R off Main onto Mtn Hwy) 9:30am -12:30pm. FREE INTRODUCTORY CLASS – September 28th. Series – October 5-November 23. 8 classes – Investment $225.

DROP-INS – $30 – no drop-ins after the first class of the series unless you have Continuum experience.

DISCOUNTS: Students & underemployed: 20% off 

RETREAT DAYS IN VANCOUVER     -Interweaving the connection of our inner, dynamic, fluid selves through the Continuum processes of breath, sound and intrinsic movement with the play of our dreams and dreamtime images, ritual and expressive arts.

SATURDAYS @ Source Point Studio – 3263 Heather (between W16 & 17)                                  12-5pm – Investment – $75 ($65 for underemployed)

October 15^th – “Letting Go – Shifting Habit Patterns” – Neuroscience speaks to brain & cell plasticity & our ability to add new connections no matter what our age or life experiences. Habitual patterns in our brains & our lives get in the way of this happening.

November 26^th – “Descent into Soul” – Our souls are calling to us to deepen into ourselves in order to heal & to reconnect to the external world by slowing down & dropping down into the mysteries, into our unknown potentials.

FOR MORE INFORMATION & REGISTRATION

Contact: Doris Maranda @ doris@dorismaranda.com, or             604-254-0147      ,

DORIS MARANDA, MA, is an authorized Continuum Movement teacher (www.continuummovement.com), a Registered Clinical Counsellor and a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (www.traumahealing.com). “To me, this work is a spiritual practice and has opened me up to possibilities of living embodied that I had only begin to envision in my work as a psyche/somatherapist and educator. It is the basis for everything that I do. In movement, there is no separation and as we begin to live, breathing, moving and expressing our experiences, there comes a joining and a wholeness that leads to healing and to a creative excitation that counteracts the insanity and fragmentation that we encounter in the world around us.”

PRIVATE COUNSELLING & SOMATIC MOVEMENT EDUCATION

SESSIONS WITH DORIS BY APPOINTMENT

604-254-0147 or doris@dorismaranda.com

Free phone consultation.

One day I was sitting in my front room, glanced over at my bookcase & pulled out the book “Grace & Grit” by Ken Wilber, the story of his & his beloved wife’s, Treya Killam Wilber, five year journey as they dealt with her initial diagnosis of breast cancer following their marriage and the ongoing challenges leading up to her death. I first read this book in 1993, when my husband was in the last stages of his life, dealing with a brain tumour, in fact it is his book. It also contains many of Treya’s journal entries. It’s so amazing rereading books at times. This has been one of the most powerful books I’ve ever read; many times I was moved to tears and amazed at the insights they gained and where they came to at the end of her life.

A quote in the book from Nanama Maharish maintains that “only in befriending our suffering, our illness, our pain, could we truly find a larger and more encompassing identity with the All, with the Self, who is not the victim of life but its impartial Witness and Source. And, especially befriend death, the ultimate teacher.” In Treya’s words, “Because I can no longer ignore death, I pay more attention to life.”

Some of you may be attending Emilie Conrad’s workshop in Seattle next month so I will see you there. I am anticipating immersing myself in the Continuum field of her “Moving Medicine,” workshop to dip deep into the waters & launch myself back into teaching this summer. I will be offering two Sunday Retreat Days in July & August (details below) . Regular classes & workshops will resume in the fall.

In addition to the teaching of Continuum, I will be resuming my counselling practice with renewed insight into how to deal with ongoing & recurring crises and challenges in our lives. It seems so strange but ever so true, that until one has dealt with suffering in the Buddhist sense that a basic truth is that “there is suffering,” and managing to meet that pain with love, letting it be as it is, and in some sense even embracing it and meeting it with mercy instead of fear and hatred, then we cannot know fully compassion for ourselves and others. However, before this meeting and embracing, one usually has to deal with the emotions that arise be they despair, fear, “why me,” sadness and grief.

Otherwise, it is an empty coping and enduring with no heart. Such a challenge, to learn from the information contained in the emotions which is our life force, without delving into their poisons, or taking up residency therein.

It is Mother’s Day as I am writing this, so to all of you in your “Mothering” ways, I wish you much nuturance and richness in your life, both in the giving and in the receiving of caring and support for one another and sending that level of compassion out to all beings everywhere. One of the reasons that this time of healing has been so incredible for me has been the love and support of my community of family and friends. I could not have come through this without you. All who have sent messages, as well as visiting, preparing meals and taking care of me in so many ways, you have my undying gratitude and love.

With love & blessings, Doris

May 8^th, 2011

SUNDAY RETREAT DAYS – 12-5PM

SUNDAY, JULY 10TH @ Yoga on 7^th, 156 E7th, (enter @ side off alley)

Theme, “Lost & Found” – In a dream a few weeks ago, I found myself feeling dreadfully lost & attempting to find my way back to familiar landmarks. The feeling was profound as it is when one enters a state of losing (loosening) familiar & habitual landmarks. This can happen for a variety of reasons. Yet, it is utterly necessary, yet difficult to let go of those comfortable places (even when we want to) in order to move on to a new & more coherent state of being.

In this retreat day, we will explore through the Continuum processes of breath, sound, subtle, inner & dynamic movements as well as expressive art tools, to enable this transition to become a rich & nurturing transformation.

Investment: $75 ($65 for underemployed)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7TH @ Source Point Studio, 3261 Heather St (@16^th Ave.)

Theme, “From the self to the Self” – Although the self is an important developmental phase in our lives which creates a sense of identity & our place in the scheme of things, there comes a time when it is important “to die to the separate self,” & come to embrace the larger expanse of the Self, which is our connection & Source . This differs for each of us, both in its context & when it occurs in our life, as well as moving in & out of the self to the Self. They are contrasting experiences & can be complementary. We need to let the self be affected & infused by the experience of the Self.

In this retreat day, we will use the Continuum processes of breath, sound, & subtle, inner & dynamic movement, as well as expressive art tools to explore these two states, letting them dialogue with one another & finding the embodied ease in each & in their blending.

Investment: $75 ($65 for underemployed)

Special 10% Discount: Take advantage of two weekend retreats to nourish your body & soul by combining this retreat day with Tannis Hugill’s weekend workshop, Friday evening, August 12^th & Saturday, August 13^th @ Yoga on 7^th, “Moving into Stillness; Opening the Heart.” For more info: tannisis@shaw.ca, 604-267-9951.

FOR MORE INFORMATION & REGISTRATION ON THE RETREAT DAYS:

Contact: Doris Maranda @ doris@dorismaranda.com, or 604-254-0147,

Following are the words of her partner, Dennis, informing us of her passing:

Yesterday evening Barbara slipped away, ever so peacefully. For all of us who knew her, the arc of her life will forever shine brightly. Her wish was that her ashes be scattered as soon as possible in the Pacific Rim National Park on Vancouver Island. For your love and support during these past months: a thousand petals of appreciation.

Love, Dennis M. February 13th, 2011

So, her ashes will remain close to us. From the trip Barbara and I took to the coast after her first workshop here in Vancouver, she carried a love of British Columbia, the trees and the greenery here, and especially the Pacific Rim National Park. She and Dennis revisited it last year.

I feel that Barbara is speaking to us through the words of the following poem by Mary Oliver:

Indeed, Barbara did not “simply visit this world.”

Below is a copy of my favourite of Barbara’s paintings, “Inner Back,” a print of which I have hanging in my home. Some of you may not be familiar with the brilliance of Barbara’s art but many are with her blending of Continuum & Art that she taught in her workshops. Having never painted before, I found myself having great joy and surprise with the play of colour and form and movement that I was able to create in these workshops & share with others.

Goodbye my beautiful & precious friend! May you continue to light up the path in your journey, wherever you are and however that may be!

With love & blessings, Doris

February 19th, 2011

Two years ago I took a 6 month sabbatical from my work which proved to be a delicious & productive period of time for me & sent me further on an inner quest which had begun around the time of my 70th birthday.

Well, last November, on November 9th to be exact, another sabbatical was imposed on me. It began that night with extreme pain in my right hip which over the next days, got worse & worse. I ended up in hospital a few days later, & after many tests to ascertain the cause, they established that I had a most serious staff infection which had settled into my right hip replacement. The treatment – surgery on November 17th to remove the hip replacement, inserting a temporary one, IV antibiotics (which I’m still on for another two weeks), and after ascertaining that the infection is indeed gone, another surgery with a permanent hip replacement. So probably by May or June, I should be back where I started from in November! Or maybe not!

Remember Robbie Burns’ poem, “The best laid schemes o’ mice an men gang aft agley?” One never knows do we, what the universe will send our way – more opportunities & challenges to test my Continuum theory, “Health is responsiveness.” Moving with & through the struggles to find the sourcing of resiliency, to find the patience & the peacefulness of allowing oneself to be with whatever comes our way, we join in the river of life.

Watching a DVD film of a workshop presented by Ram Das & Stephen Levine in San Francisco some years ago, entitled “The Heart of Healing with AIDS,” for persons with AIDs and those who were caretaking people with AIDs, I was struck with what Ram Das said about suffering. We suffer when we are not able to be with what is happening, be it pain, both physical & emotional, disabilities or losses. If we can embrace the pain & drop down into it with all our senses, no matter how difficult, there is no suffering.

Needless to say, I have not been able to work & had to cancel the remainder of my classes & workshops last fall. Perhaps by the summer time & into the fall, I will be resuming my Continuum teaching and my counselling practice. I will let you know what transpires.

With love & blessings, Doris

January 28th, 2011

Following is a message about Barbara Mindell whom some of you know through her “Continuum & Art” workshops which she has taught in Vancouver many times through the years:

For those of you who know Barbara Mindell, or have heard of her through the Continuum circles, this remarkable being is gravely ill and is at her home with hospice care. As well as being a dear friend in my life, she has been a guiding light for me and all who know her, with her courage, her bountiful heart, & incredible wisdom which she has gained through her challenges and struggles and her love of Continuum movement. She has inspired me in dealing with my physical limitations as well as lighting up the room with her radiant spirit whenever I am gifted with her presence. She is dying with that same spirit, being grateful for the fullness of her life and accepting what is to come. You may want to join with her in this transition: light a candle, say a prayer both for her & also to have her spirit send you blessings.

About a month ago, my apartment was broken into & my laptop stolen. Unfortunately, my backup for my Continuum Vancouver list dated back to February 2009 which means that if you had sent me a request after that date to be put on the list or to be taken off, it may not be noted. From my other records, I have attempted to update as much as I can. We have put this list under another system, whereby you can subscribe & unsubscribe yourself so please feel free to take advantage of this.

Thank you for your understanding. Blessings, Doris

In June, I celebrated my 73rd birthday & it dawned on me that my mother died just before her 83rd birthday & my maternal grandmother died when she was 85, so I may be facing the last decade of my life! Dealing with the events & thoughts around aging, along with the added impetus of the health issues brought on by post-polio syndrome & hip replacement surgeries, has occupied much of my thoughts, as well as influencing my dreams & visions in this, the latter part of my life.

It is still a mystery to me of how exactly I will spend these coming years.
Needless to say, I will continue to enjoy & appreciate my life, my community of family & friends as well as continuing in whatever way emerges, to contribute to my community. However, what palette will my life enhancing paint brush bring to this period?

In listening to an interview by Tami Simon with David Whyte (who by the way will be in Vancouver for a day’s workshop on November 20, sponsored by Hollyhock), I was struck by his nuances on the initial phases of the transitions we face, where you are turning a page, ending a chapter in the book of your life, and things are starting to emerge which are somewhat unclear. It is important to be able to keep your focus on what you are entrenched on in your life, and also keep the edges of that peripheral vision, catching the shadows of this something else which is pointing to new pieces of this giant puzzle you call your life.

The following is a poem by David Whyte, entitled No Path, which speaks to this part of our journey.

There is no path that goes all the way. Not that it stops as looking for the full continuation. The fixed belief we can hold, facing a stranger that faces the trouble of a real conversation.
But one day, you’re not imagining an empty chair where your loved one sat. You’re not just telling a story where the bridge is down and there’s no where to cross. You’re not just trying to pray to a God you imagined would always keep you safe.
No. you’ve come to the place where nothing you’ve done will impress and nothing you can promise will avert the silent confrontation; the place where your body already seems to know the way, having kept to the last its own secret reconnaissance.
But still, there’s no path that goes all the way. One conversation leads to another. One breath to the next until there’s no breath at all, just the inevitable final release of the burden. And then, wouldn’t your life have to start all over again for you to know even a little of who you had been?

Hoping you will join us in sharing our journeys through the Continuum path,

With love & blessings, Doris

August 25, 2010

DORIS MARANDA, MA, is an authorized Continuum Movement teacher (www.continuummovement.com), a Registered Clinical Counsellor and a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (www.traumahealing.com). “To me, this work is a spiritual practice and has opened me up to possibilities of living embodied that I had only begin to envision in my work as a psyche/soma therapist and educator. It is the basis for everything that I do. In movement, there is no separation and as we begin to live, breathing, moving and expressing our experiences, there comes a joining and a wholeness that leads to healing and to a creative excitation that counteracts the insanity and fragmentation that we encounter in the world around us.”

PRIVATE COUNSELLING & SOMATIC MOVEMENT EDUCATION
SESSIONS WITH DORIS BY APPOINTMENT
604-254-0147 or doris@dorismaranda.com
Free phone consultation.

Look, it’s spring. And last year’s loose dust has turned

into this soft willingness. The wind-flowers have come

from – “A Settlement”

I will be away at the Continuum Teachers’ retreat next week, returning to welcome you to the resuming of our “Winter into Spring” class series, and bringing with me new ideas for us to explore.

Classes: Fridays, March 12, 19 & 26 @Yoga on 7th from 9:30-11:45am. If you are just joining the classes, & wish to taste the Continuum experience, you may drop-in to the first class on March 12. Fee for the three classes is $84. (20% off for underemployed).

Mini-Workshop on March 27 from 2-5pm, “Tapping into Your Visionary Self.” (See www.dorismaranda.com for details)

PREVIEW FOR SPRING SCHEDULE:

INTRODUCTION TO CONTINUUM @ BANYEN BOOKS ON SUNDAY, APRIL 11TH – www.banyen.com

Classes @ Yoga on 7th: Friday mornings: April 16, 23, May 7, 14, 28 & June 4 with Mini – workshop on Saturday, May 8th, “Weaving the Extraordinary into the Ordinary.” Details to follow later.

Blessings, Doris