walking the labyrinth

i will be entering a new phase of my employment- group facitator. i have enjoyed this part of my responsibilities elsewhere, probably most because i feel somewhat like an educator. there is something that is fulfilling and satisfying about this.

there will be two groups starting, each with a different focus and in different locations. the first will be a life-skills type group and is to follow the curriculum of "the artist's way" without requiring the journaling or the artist's dates. it will be more about re-connecting with a previous time in our lives before we were inundated with our own negative voices and moving towards embracing some fearlessness. it should be fun, require minimal writing, but does require involvement and challenging one's self. this is to start the 1st week in december. the group's name is still evolving, but currently we are looking at "celebrating you"

as a sidenote, i utilized the artist's way as a journaling process when i was getting clean. it remains transformational in my mind, and when i have read the morning pages i wrote at that time, i can easily revist the emotional damage i was dealing with, and the frustration i harbored clangs loudly like a harbor bell, as does some of the delusional ideas i had hatched during my time at bat with meth. to read it now is to understand more personally how far my journey has brought me. and that insight is all due to the processes of julia cameron's "the artist's way".

the second group is to start next week. the name is "the stonewall huddle" and is more recovery support. it will be a weekend primer, taking place on friday afternoons at 3pm. it too, should be upbeat and offer support and perspective on life's questions and decisions, including tobacco, drug, and alcohol use. this is to be an lgbt group, not limitied to hiv positive persons. i hope to invite community members who are making healthy choices to come and share their insight. this is slightly sketchier as there is no set curriculum and will be much more spontaneous. for the 1st two months, there will be three weeks that there is no group, due to the holidays that land of friday's this year.

it is definitely a good time to remember some of the words i have written here as well as shared with my friends. the first would be to make room for good things to happen. this is one i truly have come to believe, but is also one that holds very real challenges for me. it is almost second nature to start imagining non-productive and limiting thoughts when there are unknowns. the upside here is that even though these thought patterns continue to occur, i have become more adept at recognizing this pattern and redirecting my brain. and when i think differently, my heart usually follows.

i feel excitement about this next step. i can't say i'm really confident, but i would guess that a healthy position. i will just trust in my intentions. i have seen with regularity how impactful the group process can be for individuals. i also believe that people respond as they are inspired, and that inspiration is nourishing. i simply hope these process will embody those beliefs.

almost completely out of context, today's sound choice is a cut from another "back to mine" cd- this one is from new order. i smile every time i hear it in my car, as it brings back memories and i still love the quirkiness. here is missy elliott with "i can't stand the rain" from her supa dupa fly album.