During our Solstice weekend at Penny’s in June, I found myself revisiting aspects of surrender, of allowing my inner body wisdom to flow through me. Emilie used to say, preparation is so important, and that is so as how I prepare determines so much of the nature of the surrender/dissolve. Then I get out of my own way and just receive, a humongous undertaking! This poem by Rainer Maria Rilke expresses this so poignantly and beautifully.
I believe in all that has never yet been spoken,
I want to free what waits within me
so that what no one has dared to wish for
may for once spring clear
without my contriving.
If this is arrogant, God, forgive me,
but this is what I need to say.
May what I do flow from me like a river,
no forcing and no holding back,
the way it is with children.
Then in these swelling and ebbing currents,
these deepening tides moving out, returning,
I will sing to you as no one ever has,
streaming through widening channels
into the open sea.
Since Emilie’s passing, there is much shifting, reflecting and sorting occurring as to how the future of Continuum will unfold. It is a time of transition which in so many ways can feel chaotic. We play with the bio-cosmic orbit, in which form (the gel state) begins to dissolve and slowly through the dissolve (sol) state, new forms emerge. The tide moves in and the tide moves out as with our breath – on the inhale we take in form and on the exhale, we dissolve the form and another new breath comes. 10,000 times a day, with our breath, we reenact this profound biological mystery. Continuum in its essence will prevail, exactly how no one knows as we continue to access the primary source of our being, moving, innovating and being present to it all.
A group of Continuum teachers gathered on Vashon Island at the beginning of August at Robert Litman’s new and incredibly beautiful 17 ½ acre property, Tesoro de Luz. As a community, we reflected together, moved together, cooked and sang together. This place will be a wonderful adjunct for us as Continuum workshops will be happening there and it is nearby! The first workshop offered there is “Words and Waves,†with Rebecca Mark and Linda Chrisman. (Details below & on my website.) Rebecca and Emilie taught together for many years and Linda will be partnering with Rebecca to bring together the creative processes of Continuum and the movement of words. Robert also taught with Emilie for many years and is offering a series of Sundays in Seattle (details also below & on my website).
In closing, I wish to share these lines from a song by Rita MacNeil (who also passed 2 years ago), They keep running through my head and I find them so meaningful:
Have you even felt like a wick in a candle
Part of the question and part of the answer
Part of the mystery far greater than me or you?
May you enter into the mystery of your life with questing and compassion,
With love & blessings, Doris
August 19, 2014
Offerings for this season:
CONTINUUM MOVING MEDICINE classes begin with a free introductory session on Friday, September 26th, from 11am – 2pm @ Yoga on 7th, 156 E 7th. Please register for this class with Doris either by phone 604-254-0147 or email: doris@dorismaranda.com.
Ongoing series follows for 10 weeks from October 3rd – December 5th. Investment $300, early discount by September 19th & underemployed $250. Send $50 deposit to Doris @ 115-2033 Triumph St., Vancouver V5L 4X3 or by email transfer.
Drop ins $30 (no drop ins after the first class on October 3rd unless you have Continuum experience.)
DEEPENING INTO CONTINUUM weekend – Saturday, November 1st, 6:30pm-9:30pm & Sunday November 2nd, 10am-5pm @ Inner Evolution Healing Centre, 3263 Heather St., between W 16 & 17. Investment: $150, $125 underemployed & early discount by October 17th.
(Continuum experience is required.)
We will come together Saturday evening, develop a format and later move into our individual silent play, maintain the silence when leaving and re-entering in the 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 “all-nighters.†It truly is amazing how much this format with the silence can assist in the slowing down and dropping down which is so necessary to connect to the worlds beneath the world.
RETREAT DAY – DESCENT INTO SOUL – Sunday December 14th – 12-5PM
@ Inner Evolution Healing Centre, 3263 Heather St. Investment: $80, underemployed & early discount by November 30th, $65.
In these difficult and dark times in our world (which we see reflected in many personal lives), our souls are calling us to gather and to deepen into ourselves.. “If you’re falling fast, the only way to react is to dive down deeper.†The soul brings the healing, the reconnecting to the eternal world, the world behind the world, touching once again into the mystery.
In this workshop, we will explore slowing down and descending into our inner darkness through the tools and processes of Continuum, ritual and expressive arts, to create an incubating chamber for new connections and possibilities to emerge.
BREATHING WAVES: A CONTINUUM SERIES with Robert Litman, in Seattle. Saturdays, 10am-1pm, September 27, October 25 & November 22. Questions: Robert : 206-567-4029 or robert@thebreathablebody.com. Registration: Karen Clay, 206-329-7046 or mailto:karenclaysoma@gmail.com.
(Details: www.dorismaranda.com/workshops.)
WORDS and WAVES: a Continuum based workshop with Rebecca Mark and Linda Chrisman. (Continuum experience required.) November 7-9, Vashon Island, WA.
To register: contact Linda Shrisman 510-507-2903, linda@somatic wisdom.com.
(Details: www.dorismaranda.com/workshops)
Doris Maranda