Truth and Presence: Trauma Sensitivity in Community (Americas–Africa–Europe time zones)

This short program aims to deepen understandings and application of trauma sensitive Insight Dialogue. We warmly welcome registration from those in the community who facilitate and teach Insight Dialogue along with others dedicated Insight Dialogue practitioners.

The Buddha taught suffering and the end of suffering. To end suffering as a goal means implicitly to intimately learn about suffering in all its gross and subtle manifestations in our heart-mind. The beauty of the path is that we encounter this in most of our meditation sessions in the form of hindrances, both internally, externally, and both. When the meditative qualities are strong, we are less susceptible to mental instability. Sometimes the hindrances are strong and we can feel challenged when in relational meditation.

One of the causes of this restlessness can be former traumatic experience. In itself that is not a problem and can be a doorway to healing and clarity if held and supported with patience, compassion and wisdom. We are deeply conditioned and each of us has a unique personal, social, cultural and societal history.

In this short course we will investigate together and learn more about creating conditions that support holding and safety and how the guidelines support conditions of safety. Because the statement of the Buddha means that the end of suffering includes the healing of trauma responses.

Program

Topics will include learning about trauma sensitivity, creating safe conditions, invitations into seeing and release from restrictive holding patterns, accepting and understanding of step by step unfolding processes. The support of movement in release and integration.

There will be contemplation opportunities into how learning impacts our work, meditation offerings and everyday engagement with others.

Some trauma models will be investigated along with reframing and updating into the early Buddhist teachings.

Investigation will be engaged and supported by: 

• guided meditation, mindful movement, teachings,
• simple community building exercises and group sharing,
• small groups and dyads breakout rooms for contemplation practice,
• practices and reading of material between sessions.