You are invited!

During the months of September and October, I will be leading IN-PERSON weekly Mind-Body Skills Groups (MBSGs) at my house.

“Mind-Body Skills Groups are educational, supportive groups built upon developing self-care skills. They are highly experiential and integrative techniques–such as meditation, guided imagery, autogenic training, breath work, movement, self expression and other approaches–are taught in a supportive environment.” You can read more here: https://cmbm.org/onlinegroup/

The first meeting will be the week of Sept 6-11th (depending on the doodle poll results) and we will plan to continue for 8 weeks. I completed training to facilitate these groups from the Center for Mind-Body Medicine. Previously, I have been leading groups in this format on Zoom, and over the last 3 years, I have led 6 rounds of these groups. You can read about the experiences of past participants here:

MBSG Testimonials

Why am I offering this?

The conventional, allopathic model of medicine that I trained in is outdated and misunderstands important fundamentals of holistic health. When I learned about Mind-Body Medicine at a retreat with the CMBM at Esalen Institute in California, I understood that holding space for group work can have a profound effect because it addresses our present moment consciousness directly. We are energetic beings, and addressing our energetic nature can be more effective and thorough than limiting our attention to the body as a constellation of mechanical processes.

In the future, I am aiming to lead in-person healing retreats for healthcare workers to address trauma and burnout. I am especially interested in working with performing artists and creatives because they are already on the path of embodiment, and I am learning to be on that path for myself too.

What To Expect During Our Groups

We will meet in-person and will start on time. You are invited to arrive up to 30 minutes early to settle in. Keep in mind that you will be asked to bring your full attention for our two-hour sessions. We will start with a simple relaxing breathing technique and go over guidelines for our time together. There will be time for introductions, and “check-ins” for every group. Anything shared will be confidential.

Each week, we will practice one technique of self exploration, and then share about our experience with the group. These techniques can provide powerful insights in a group setting even for individuals with vast experience with similar techniques. They are also accessible to beginners and thus adaptable for many different kinds of groups.

The group will end on time, and we will close with a gentle relaxation technique. My role is to manage time, lead activities, and support all participants for the best group experience. I am not serving as a therapist or doctor for anyone in the group. Instead we are trusting and allowing for insights and healing to occur spontaneously. Borrowing from Stella Eisenstein’s “Resonant Attention” technique, we are leaning in for miracles. As a facilitator, I will also participate in the exercises and share my experiences.    

Price, Commitment:

It is important to commit to attending all sessions because spaces are limited. Of course, scheduling conflicts inevitably arise, so do let me know if you will need to miss a session. I believe the value of this offering is in the range of $400-$800, and I am open to receiving donations of any amount. At the same time, because I find these groups so meaningful, I offer them as a gift and no one will be turned away due to inability to pay.

If you would like to participate please contact me as soon as possible by email (ddietle12@gmail.com) or phone (402-686-0259) to reserve your spot. Also, select all the times that would work for you on a weekly basis on this Doodle poll:

https://doodle.com/meeting/participate/id/b69APjQa

I would like to have a conversation on the phone with each participant before we begin!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you can join me!

-Drew (Waterbird)

Things change quickly these days. My hopes to host the gatherings this fall at the EHOP have been set aside. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the success in recruiting that I was hoping for, and without enough people involved, the project was too expensive to take on for now. And in the meantime, the dates in November filled up and the next availability isn’t until March. Darn.

But in other news, my spirits are high. An alternative plan is emerging, and it could be more simple and better after all. I am thinking I could shift the venue to my home!

In the near term, I am focused on hosting an IN-PERSON version of the mind-body skills groups. So far, I have always hosted on Zoom, and I think there is a heightened potency when we gather in a space together. I am planning to run a 2-month cycle from Sept-Oct, and will be working on recruiting for that soon. I will make another post with more details, and a Doodle poll to help find the dates. 

A second project involves hosting monthly parties at the house. These parties are simple, but I imagine they might get to be big. I would like to include song circles, bonfires, dancing and a potluck meal. Maybe not all at the same event, but over time, these are the ways I like to bring people together. And I will be hosting them on the 24th of each month. I will be using Facebook, IG and other social media to help spread the word. It is a kind of social art project. I’ll continue writing about my “career” project here.

At some point, I would like to shift to a new website. I’ve considered creating an email list, but I kind of prefer to post my content for people to come find, rather than filling up their in-baskets. If you are reading, I appreciate you. I’m not sure how many of you there are, but it is nice to share with you in this way, and I plan to keep writing. So thank you again, and until next time.

I am looking for “collaborators” who are also interested in this project that is loosely defined as healing healthcare workers. But it could also take a spin and end up being mostly about creating an “alternative medicine” healing space. There’s this bent I have towards the performing arts, and for me that means dancing and singing, and I want to include elements of that.

I am hoping to have participants help cover the costs of the rental, but am open to including participants who really want to be there who aren’t able to pay. It is $75/night/per person for the space with a minimum of at least 8 rooms reserved. 

Who:

6-16 Collaborators for my healing work for healthcare workers.

What:

A 3-night retreat in 12-bedroom retreat center with a commercial kitchen, on 5 acres of land. There is a beautiful chapel for contemplation and meditation and a living room and dining room with a quality piano.

When:

August 25-28

Where:

EHOP (Episcopal House of Prayer)

St. Joseph, MN (1 hour Shuttle available from Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport)

Home

Why:

To slow down

To take a break from city life

To be together with healers of healers

To find a contemplative flow

To think about a plan for a future healing retreat with healthcare workers.

Sample schedule:

Friday: 

4pm+ Arrive: Unpack, Settle in

6pm Dinner

7-8pm Opening Circle

8-10pm Free time (Meditation, Conversation, Reflection)

10pm Quiet time and Sleep

Saturday/Sunday:

8-10am Breakfast

10-11 Check-in Circle

1pm Lunch

2-4pm Group Activity

6pm Dinner

7pm Music (Group Singing or Performance)

10pm Quiet time and Sleep

Monday

Pack-up

9-10am Breakfast

10-11am Closing Circle

12pm Depart

I have had an immensely busy summer. And there is this big project that I am working on that hasn’t yet come into its clear form that is an integration of all of the elements that I have been working with. In the month of August, I am going to be focusing on this project, and this post is an invitation to you to be part of it.

I plan to be sending out an email newsletter soon, which I have not done before. One aspect that feels tricky is that I am speaking to several different audiences at the same time. The project that I am working on is creating in-person retreats that focus on holistic health for healthcare workers.

I have reserved a 12 bedroom retreat center near St. Cloud, MN for 2 extended weekends on Aug 25th – Aug 28th and Nov 17th – Nov 20th. What I have in mind is close to an “Open Space” format where I focus on getting the right people into the container, and I then leave a lot up to the participants related to how we organize the time.

I will continue posting updates here on WordPress and through the MailChimp Newsletter as this project comes into clarity. I am asking for support and collaboration on this project. Many people may not be available to come in person, but they might be able to share the invitation with others, comment on the posts, or come to other in-person or Zoom planning sessions. Thank you for reading about this project. More soon!

-Drew