Man and Woman
Creating a new language
A mysterious longing connects us as men and women. Creating a balanced and nourishing connection, however, often seems like a distant dream. Too much has happened in past generations, as well as in our own life experience, that has left us with a lack of trust and respect for the opposite sex. We feel guilty or angry towards one another, inferior or superior, etc., but rarely feeling equal. Whatever is felt, the depth of connection is impacted.
The intention behind this unique 8-evening process, which includes both joint sessions (men and women together) and separate (women and men separately), is the creation of enough safe space to explore contentious themes and face judgments we carry. Through the joint work, we seek to explore barriers to a connection and build bridges based on trust and respect.
The design and facilitation of this 8-step process will allow you to explore and share yourself among your own, as well as the other sex.
Goals and Intentions of the process
- Explore your personal and collective identity as man and woman
- Take responsibility for healing the divide between us
- Face and own your shadow as woman or man
- Gain insight into ‘what healthy relating requires of me’
- Find out what is truly meaningful and nourishing for you in relationships
- Acknowledge the ideals and expectations you live by as a man or woman and how these impact your relating
- Understand the gap between your longing for relating and what you actually manifest
Techniques and work method
The process will be interactive and experiential. For every topic, there will be a short theoretical introduction followed by individual or group work. Sharings, different forms of inquiry, family constellation, bio-energetics, and movement will form the basis of our work together.
Who this process is for
This process is for singles and couples (individually or together), who share a desire to create authentic and deep relationships and seek to understand their own obstacles in creating them. The process is for those, who want clarity to the most complete expression of their own essence as women and men. Your intention is to move beyond fixed ideologies or belief patterns and choose your individual path to love. The group is limited to 12 women and 12 men. The minimum age for participation is 28. Participation requires a phone interview with the facilitator. The workshop is facilitated in English.
Outline of the 8-step process
Session 1: Embarking on a journey together (Joint Session) – February 6, 7-10PM
In this first joint meeting, we lay the groundwork for our 8-week journey. We meet and share separately and together to lay the foundation of trust and cooperation. The meeting will focus on understanding the deeper intentions of this process and help you in defining your own expectations and commitment to the work.
Session 2: Understanding how my female/ male identity took shape (In separate sessions for men and women) – Men February 11, 7-10PM, Women February 13, 7-10PM
Our parents, through both direct and indirect messaging, have strongly shaped our identities as men and women. This includes the definition of our roles within our own and toward the opposite sex. In this session, we meet the mom and dad we carry inside our hearts and their parental voice. Understanding what we carry within, forms the basis for an authentic relationship based on acknowledgment rather than judgment.
Session 3: Reclaiming the disowned parts in me as a woman/ man (In separate sessions for men and women) – Men February 18, 7-10PM, Women February 20, 7-10PM
We all had to hide, curb, limit or change something about ourselves as men and women. Shame plays an important role here because it’s the main message we receive about something that is unwanted in us. So, as a woman, you may have received a message about your body, sexuality or intelligence that should be different from what you may feel like a natural connection. And as a man, you may have been told to curb your feelings and man up, leaving you feeling one-dimensional rather than integrated. In this important session, we identify those disowned parts and work towards reclaiming them.
Session 4: Meeting my beliefs, judgments, and fears of the opposite sex (Joint Session) – February 21, 7-10PM
Our individual and collective conditioning shapes and leaves us with many beliefs that sow distrust and a lack of respect towards the other sex. A lot has happened over the generations that have caused this divide to deepen. In this joint session, we seek to create an honest meeting between us, that exposes the prejudice, anger, and fear. Together, we take responsibility for acknowledging what we carry and move towards the intention to create respect and trust.
Session 5: The roles I play and the effect they have on my relationships (In separate sessions for men and women) – Men February 25, 7-10PM, Women February 27, 7-10PM
In this session we look at the identities we have slowly come to call our own. We look at the individual in us that reaches out to the other sex and establishes a connection. Here we’ll explore the nature of this connection and what is communicated and manifested through the roles we carry. In this interactive session, you will get a new familiarity with your roles and the impact they have on your intimate connection.
Session 6: The principles of healthy relating; finding balance in relationships, Part 1 (In separate sessions for men and women) – Men March 4, 7-10PM, Women March 6, 7-10PM
It is all too easy to lose ourselves in a relationship. We fall into a routine that leaves us feeling empty and bored. We sacrifice, give too much, or just go on autopilot, feeling we have lost touch with our own sense of self and choices. Bringing balance into our relationships, where we know what our needs are and we can express them, is crucial. We will explore some important dynamics of giving and receiving, expression of anger,
Session 7: Part 2 – The principles of healthy relating; finding balance in relationships, Part 2 (In separate sessions for men and women) – Men March 11, 7-10PM, Women March 13, 7-10PM
In this evening session, we will further deepen our experience and understanding from Session 6. Tonight is a continuation of the previous evening, where we worked on the meaning of balance, the expression of needs, the difficulty of giving and receiving, the expression of anger, as well as the importance of
Session 8: A meeting from a place of clarity, acknowledgment, and intention (Joint Session) – March 17, 7-10PM
This is our final meeting and it brings us together once again to integrate the work we’ve done individually, separately as women and men, and collectively. By now we have laid a strong foundation for a new language within and between us. The individual responsibility we take for ‘who we’ve become’ allows for an authentic and nourishing meeting. We will use this last time together to share what was important for us during the process and identify those places that seek healing and growth.
Demo
January 29th, 8-9.30pm @ Urban Shaman, TLV The demo will give you an opportunity to experience some of the work that will take place during the process and meet/ ask questions to the facilitator.