Dear Imago friends
My goodness it’s May already!
Which leaves four months before our IA conference and Dan Siegel’s training in September.
So to tease your mental taste-buds I have included some of Siegel’s thoughts…..
“Knowing that the mind is relational and that the brain is the social organ of the body, we also come to another new point of view: Our relationships with one another are not a causal part of our lives; they are fundamental to how our minds function and are an essential aspect of brain health. Our social connections with one another shape our neural connections that form the structure of the brain…..
Science further verifies that when we cultivate compassion and mindful awareness in our lives-when we let go of judgements and attend fully to the present-we are harnessing the social circuits of the brain to enable us to transform even our relationship with our own self” (Buddha’s Brain pgs v,vi). Which reminds me of the poem below:
NEVER ALONE by Jeff Foster
I dove into the ocean of my own loneliness
And I found there the loneliness of all beings
So many beating hearts longing to reconnect
Imagining their separation from source Imagining their separation from source
I felt the sorrow and the joke of it
And suddenly the loneliness was gone
Replaced by a joyous impulse
To dive deeper
Alone
I felt the sorrow and the joke of it
And suddenly the loneliness was gone
Replaced by a joyous impulse
To dive deeper
Alone
This September is a wonderful opportunity for us to get together as a community to re-connect, connect, learn and grow.
Our relationships within our amazing Imago community can be an “essential aspect” of our collective brains’ health!!!!
And that’s not all…. by attending the conference you and I can “transform even” our relationship with our own selves. Sounds like value add to me!
So please join me for this exciting growth and re-connection experience
LETS DIVE DEEPER TOGETHER. SEE YOU IN CT!
With much love
Michele
Imago Africa AGM
A reminder that the Imago Africa AGM is taking place on 31 May 2013 @ 14:00 via Skype conference call.
We have vacancies for the Secretary and Treasurer positions. So if you are passionate about Imago and willing to give of your time and energy to building a strong Imago Africa community which can contribute to our country’s relational health, please complete the attached nomination forms and be present at the AGM skype call. If you would like more information on the positions, roles and responsibilities, please contact Michele
Office Space Available
Mia du Toit has office space available to share in her psychology practice at the Naturally Yours Centre on Main Road, BRYANSTON.
The practice consists of two quietly located psychologist offices and a spacious waiting area. The office is available some of the time every week-day with full access over weekends.
For further inquiries, email Mia or contact her on 083 287 1446
Johannesburg Chapter Meeting – 17 May 2013
This is a reminder for the Gauteng Chapter meeting on Friday 17 May 2013 at Kobus vd Merwe’s venue – 1160 Stellenberg Ave, Equestria, Pretoria.
Margaret Becker is presenting an introduction to the basics of the Enneagram and how it can enhance the Imago process. (See below a short description of The Enneagram).
Please bring R100 with you for costs/expenses to the presenter as well as something to eat.
Program:
08:45 Happy to see you again & hugs
09:00-10:00 Containment Circle (perhaps something shorter to give the presenter more time)
10:00-10:30 Coffee & Tea & Treats (please bring something to eat)
10:30-12:30 The Wisdom of the Enneagram
12:30-13:00 Closing and Goodbyes in traditional Imago Way
Please RSVP before Wednesday 15 May 2013 or call Marlene on 082 2907 408
The Enneagram is a psychological and spiritual map of human consciousness that describes nine different patterns of thinking, feeling and acting. Combining traditional wisdom and modern psychology, the Enneagram is a powerful tool for understanding ourselves and the people in our lives. One idea underlying the Enneagram is that people have two important aspects – essence and personality. Each person has a unique “essential self” that can’t be reduced to a category or a number.
The Enneagram for Imago – The Enneagram is a model that describes the different ways in which people view the world, what their natural strengths are as well as their challenges and blind spots. No type is regarded as inherently better than any other but each has different responses when feeling secure or stressed. It makes sense of why couples who are attracted to one another descend into the power struggle. The Enneagram is also a system for understanding interpersonal dynamics. It is fairly simple to understand logically yet describes a great deal of personality complexity and individuality.
In terms of working with couples there are no best matches but only different challenges posed by different style combinations. The romantic phase of the relationship sees each person in the couple acting from the high side of their personality while the power struggle, which is ego driven, brings out the low side of the couple. Understanding the Enneagram type helps individuals see themselves as others see and experience them; it also explains and “normalizes” certain behaviour. This model of personality dynamics supports couples to recognize what it means to live on their partner’s island and why they see the world so differently at times. I have been using the Enneagram for 10 years and find it an extremely useful tool to use with couples and to help me win resistant people over because they feel so well understood. – Margaret Becker
Johannesburg Chapter
For details on Training and Workshops in Johannesburg, or to share new ideas, challenging case studies or just connect with your fellow Imago Colleagues, please contact:
Marlene Flett or 082 290 7408
Kobus van der Merwe or 082 331 4704
Bloemfontein Chapter
For details on Training and Workshops in the Free State, or to share new ideas, challenging case studies or just connect with your fellow Imago Colleagues, please contact:
David Mills or 079 699 0633
Durban Chapter
For details on Training and Workshops in Durban, or to share new ideas, challenging case studies or just connect with your fellow Imago Colleagues, please contact:
Carol Dixon or 082 463 1467
Michele Naude or 083 228 7786
Cape Town Chapter
For details on Training and Workshops in Cape Town, or to share new ideas, challenging case studies or just connect with your fellow Imago Colleagues, please contact:
Grete Becker or 083-259-8082
Wendy Lawson or 083 387 1502
Namibia Chapter
For details in Training and Workshops in Namibia, or to share new ideas, challenging case studies or just connect with your fellow Imago Colleagues, please contact:
Hilze Straus or (0264) 61 248187
eMalahleni (Witbank) Chapter
For details on Training and Workshops in Witbank, or to share new ideas, challenging case studies or just connect with your fellow Imago Colleagues, please contact:
Betsie Koen or 082 334 4449
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