"Creating Joyful Families" WorkshopsCalendar | Slideshow
| Report on Joyful
Families Workshop | Comments
and Appreciations
|
| Back to Top |
|
Home Joyful
Families About
Us Workshops
|
 |
The
2007 "Creating Joyful Families" workshop is scheduled
for 28 July – 3 August, 2007, at the Findhorn Foundation,
Forres, Scotland.
This
year’s “Creating Joyful Families” workshop: Six families,
four languages, five nationalities, two translators, five focalizers,
at Newbold, with kids between four and thirteen, all working and
playing intensely for a week together! That is just a glimpse into
an exciting, challenging, deeply-fulfilling week for both the participants
and the focalizers. 
Because
of the intensity and complexity of the week, we worked with five
focalizers and two translators: Alexandra, Erin, and I, along with
ex-members Giles and Clare Chitty, with Mie Nishimura and Benj Borseth,
who originally joined us as Swedish and Japanese translators and
ended up taking huge responsibility in leading activities and facilitating
families’ processes. 
While morning sessions gave kids and parents an opportunity to
interact and explore together, evenings began with story time, led
by Erin--which became so enthralling no one would miss a session--and
then carried on to deep personal sharing by parents on their own
struggles, joys, and questions about family life. Tears and delight,
pain and joy were shared in equal measure, all held in a sense of
blessing and transformation.
I think its safe to say that all of us were really thrilled with
the outcome, the sense of joy and fun and transformation for all
the families in the challenging areas of their family life. and
inspired by the spiritual guiding Presence of the angel of “Joyful
Families”. For Alexandra and me, perhaps the very best part
was working together with our daughter Erin as co-focalizers, and
seeing her so masterfully and gracefully lead the group of twenty-six
people!
Love
and blessings,
During the “Creating Joyful Families” Workshop our family
was able to create something very special and heartfelt which touched
me very deeply. We learned so much about each other, what we all
needed, and how to go about getting those needs met. The three boys
all felt that (my wife and I) really came to understand and give
them what they need. I know that the memories and feelings of that
week will be with us as a family for a long, long time, perhaps
forever. 
Thank
you for so many beautiful and touching memories that I now carry
in my heart. The week was healing in so many ways and on so many
levels, both for our family as a whole and to my relationship with
my husband. It was truly a joy to be part of a group of people with
so much compassion and kindness. Thank you for creating such a safe
and transformative experience.
Our
overall score for the workshop was 150%. We are communicating more
and enjoying each other greatly. We did a family council session
the other night, and plan to continue it as a new family tradition.
It is a wonderful way for every one of us to know we are deeply
heard and understood. Our twelve-year old daughter is more motivated
to work around the house, and has started cooking for the first
time. She has been even more a joy to be around ever since the workshop.
She and her mom are getting along so well. I have really gotten
in touch with a need to contribute to the planet, and am focusing
on this for my next career. All in all - a great workshop, well
worth the time and expense.
