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‘Intensive Journal’ Helps Resolve Old Issues, Questions, Dilemmas
Bill Israel, Victoria
Volume 29 Issue 10, 11 & 12 | Posted: December 15, 2015
The second consecutive INTENSIVE JOURNAL® workshop was successfully concluded in mid-November at the Church of Truth in James Bay. Seventeen participants gathered for a two day meditative journal-writing clinic, privately examining the breadth of their individual lives, deepening personal values, probing spiritual histories and exploring future possibilities.
The LIFE CONTEXT journal workshop is a private, non-analytic, non-judgmental method of refreshing and renewing one’s life path from an inward perspective. In a group setting, an atmosphere of meditative quiet is created, enabling participants to move “inward” in a compassionate, self-managed, written reflection of their life – past, present and anticipated future.
The second consecutive INTENSIVE JOURNAL® workshop was successfully concluded in mid-November at the Church of Truth in James Bay. Seventeen participants gathered for a two day meditative journal-writing clinic, privately examining the breadth of their individual lives, deepening personal values, probing spiritual histories and exploring future possibilities.
The LIFE CONTEXT journal workshop is a private, non-analytic, non-judgmental method of refreshing and renewing one’s life path from an inward perspective. In a group setting, an atmosphere of meditative quiet is created, enabling participants to move “inward” in a compassionate, self-managed, written reflection of their life – past, present and anticipated future.
The process consists of a guided, professionally crafted writing structure that enables workshop participants to go into their own “well” of life experience and inner wisdom. It is a process of compassionate expansion of one's sense of self, enabling open-ended potential for one’s future.
Participant feedback has been consistently positive:
“…the workshop helped me on my path me in resolving old questions and dilemmas…it is a healing and strengthening process…a powerful tool in helping me move forward…keeping my balance through growth and insight. It has been a great leap forward for me.” – M.T.
“This amazing process … brought me to an understanding of what my life wants me to focus on right now. It was all very useful.” – J.S.
“It was an excellent non-judgmental way of exploring my past and how that has impacted the flow of my life. (It was) a rare opportunity to examine the whole of my being from current status, how I got here, the people involved in my life, key physical and spiritual stages and important events. This review gave me a chance to create a positive and productive target for the next stage of my life.” – F.S.
“(The workshop) …helped me immensely in beginning to accept what (my life) is –with honesty and not trying to impose an evaluation… (it) helped me understand my present life in a larger context and gave me insight moving forward.” – E.R.
“It is a new tool in my toolbox for examining my life in a gentle way and finding information I didn't even realize was already there. I appreciated the focus on the flow and movement of one's life, rather than getting hung up on this or that particular problem.” – K.R.
NOTE: In the interest of maintaining the personal privacy for the participants of this Intensive Journal process, full names are not disclosed either for these direct quotes, or to other journal writers during the course of the workshops.
This LIFE CONTEXT workshop is a two-day (twelve hour) professionally facilitated journal method session. It is the first in a series of three sequential, life-enhancing journal writing seminars developed by Dr. Ira Progoff (1921-98). The second of these workshops (DEPTH CONTACT) will be offered in March of 2016, in conjunction with a re-offering of the first workshop.
Announcing Two INTENSIVE JOURNAL® Workshops Scheduled in Victoria for March of 2016.
Following two fully subscribed and well-received workshops in July and November of 2015, another series of INTENSIVE JOURNAL® seminars are calendared for March of 2016. A third offering of the LIFE CONTEXT workshop will take place on Friday and Saturday, March 4th and 5th, 2016. A second workshop DEPTH CONTACT, is calendared for Sunday and Monday, March 6th and 7th, 2016.
LIFE CONTEXT (Twelve hours of facilitated journal method writing):
Develop an inner perspective on the movement of your unfolding life process. Gain greater awareness of the continuity and direction of your life as it reveals what it is trying to become. Generate insights about major areas of your life, including personal relationships, career and special interests, and body and health. The dialogue process provides a unique way to gain feedback and momentum as you deepen your understanding of these areas.
Participants are introduced to the deeper-than-conscious and spiritual dimensions. Learn how to use wisdom figures to stimulate your inner process. Learn how to develop an Inner Wisdom Dialogue.
The Life Context workshop provides you with a solid experience in your life from which you can work on your own or continue on to the next module.
Prerequisite: None.
DEPTH CONTACT (Twelve hours of professionally facilitated journal method writing):
Deepen your experience as you focus on the exercises in the second half of the Intensive Journal workbook. Learn how to use Progoff’s unique non-analytical method to draw forth messages from your inner symbolic experiences which can provide important leads in your unfolding life process. Using Process Meditation™ techniques, you will be provided specific ways of developing your spiritual process in the context of your entire life. Explore experiences of connection that had significant meaning, gain insights about your ultimate concerns, and explore major themes in your life. Progoff’s advanced meditation techniques provide an avenue for greater reflection. Prerequisite: LIFE CONTEXT workshop.
Both of these workshops will be conducted by Bill Israel who is a certified INTENSIVE JOURNAL® consultant and facilitator. As a long-time practitioner of the Intensive Journal method, Bill has 45 years of experience in effecting his own life transitions. Bill worked as an ordained pastor, a group and family therapist and then as a professional human resource trainer and consultant. He now conducts a private counseling and consulting practice in Victoria, B.C., working as a Life Transition Facilitator.
For further information you can contact Bill Israel by telephone at (250) 744-0590 or e.mail him at billisrael106@gmail.com. You can also visit Bill’s website at www.billisrael.org.
Bill Israel, Victoria