A unique opportunity to work with PAUL LINDEN in the Netherlands. Paul Linden is a somatic educa­tor, a martial artist, and an author from Columbus, Ohio, USA. He has been practicing and teaching Aikido since 1969, is a Feldenkrais instructor and holds a PhD in Physical Education.

 

Paul developed a very accessible and hands-on approach to working with body and movement awareness that can be applied to topics such as stress management, conflict resolution and trauma recovery. His work is open to novices and experienced movers; to those who take a personal interest and those who have a professional interest. 

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Paul's workshop has two parts that can also be taken separately. More information below.

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EMBODYING POWER AND LOVE

When we face challenges or difficulties, we usually contract or collapse our attention, breathing, posture and movement. That is the distress response, and it is usually experienced as feelings such as fear, anger, anxiety, shock, strain, helplessness or numbness. The physical collapse/contract responses hijack the rational mind and compassionate heart. They move our thinking and acting toward stiff, unbalanced and oppositional ways of dealing with the problems we face.

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There is a better option!

 

We can replace contraction and collapse with a mind/body state of expansiveness and awareness. Through exercises from Being In Movement® mindbody education (BIM), we can learn how to work with intentionality, posture, breathing and movement to develop a state of calm alertness and compassionate power. This will enable us to maintain a peaceful body and mind as a foundation for developing harmonious and constructive ways of dealing with our challenges.

 

This approach will work well in any area of life, and it is particularly useful and effective in managing conflicts — both inner and outer.

 

The practice is:

✦ Effective in helping people think and act clearly and compassionately. 

✦ Easy to learn and use and teach 

✦ Easy to adjust to match each individual’s needs

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Love without power is ineffective.

Power without love is brutality.

 

MODULE I - FOUNDATIONS

In the first module we'll experience and get to know BIM's basic techniques and methods, including body riddles and some hands-on work. Through a graded series of difficulties, we'll practice being aware of the natural distress responses and learn to replace them with kindhearted power.

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MODULE II - APPLICATIONS

The second module deepens our know-how of BIM and focuses on applying the practice in our personal and professional lives. Furthermore we'll look how BIM can be used in working with conflict and trauma.

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WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

We invite everybody with an interest in the work - whether personal or professional - to join the full workshop or module I. Experience with a movement discipline, like dance, martial arts or somatic work is recommended, as is some knowledge of conflict resolution / peace work. If you live near Amsterdam, Léon's weekly DANCE DOJO is an excellent preparation for the workshop. You can read more about conflict resolution and BIM in this blog or check out the many resources Paul shares on his website. 

 

Module II is open to those who have experience with the work, either through doing module I, other workshops by Paul or through regular attendance at Léon's DANCE DOJO. If you want to or can only join module II and feel you have other relevant experience, please contact Léon to see if you're eligible for the workshop.

 

Experiential learning can put individuals who are ill, have a history of trauma or are experiencing a period of significant personal difficulty in touch with pain they are not ready to deal with. If this might apply to you, please contact Léon prior to registration.

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PRACTICAL INFORMATION

 

When 

• 25,26 + 27, 28 May 2017

• both days from 10.00 - 13.00 & 14.00 - 17.00 (lunch not included)

 

Where

• Amsterdam. Location to be announced

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Price

4-day workshop € 330 // EARLY BIRD register and pay before 1 May €290

2-day workshop €170 (module I or II) // EARLY BIRD register and pay before 1 May €150

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Please let us know if you want to join and the workshop fee lies beyond your present capabilities.

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