Personal Growth

Reconciling with our Landbase: The Evolving Concept of Bioregionalism
"What would we be willing to give up... what would we gain in return?"
The purpose of this workshop is to view the documentary film ‘Occupied Cascadia’ to inspire transformative thoughts and discussions in relationship to our bioregion with specific attention to the mining threats to our beloved Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). A discussion with the directors of the film as well as mining and BWCA interest groups will take place immediately after the viewing.
Schedule
5:30 PM - Open discussion
6:30 PM - Screening of 'Occupied Cascadia'
(see the trailer at http://vimeo.com/38078416)
8:30 PM - Panel Discussion until 10:00 PM
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‘Occupied Cascadia’ is a documentary film exploring the evolving concept of bioregionalism across this land base. Historically, the diverse voices throughout this land have paved the way for many movements. The directors of this film feel that they have captured an essence of this evolving culture. So, what defines the people of this region? Are the people of this region forging a new path?
With resource wars upon us, governments are more oppressive than ever, global economies are destabilizing, corporations and media are continually dividing us and most seem to have some notion of an imminent collapse on the horizon. Are we capable of coming together, and if so, where do our commonalities lie?
The people of Cascadia are diverse in opinions, stories and backgrounds and much like the larger nations we are a part of, we are divided by fundamentalism. What changes must we really make in order to provide for future generations, including the natural world? Explore these concepts and more.
This film was Co-directed and Co-produced by Devin Hess and Mel Sweet, self-taught photographers now transitioning to independent film making.
All music was recorded and produced by Hassan Ali Estakhrian at hassanalimusic.com.
Location

Anarchist Writers Bloc - Minneapolis Chapter
This workshop is intended for anarchist* writers of literature, theatre, screenplays, poetry, etc. who would like to meet with other anarchist writers for discussion, collaboration, mutual critique, situation creating (such as distribution/readings/performances of our work), and shared reading in the hopes of creating the stories of a resistance to hegemonic society.
If you promote anarchist theory and action through your writing of literature, poetry, theatre, screenwriting, etc. then let us assemble and collaborate in our dream for a world free of oppressive order.
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*Here, haphazardly defined as the advocacy of abolishing all forms of domination and false authority. This includes the government, capitalism, religion, racism, sexism, private property, ecocide, domestication, colonialism, imperialism, ageism, etc.
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We are meeting Saturday, Nov 3 at 1:30pm at MayDay Cafe. This week we are discussing Bruno Masse's "Necropolis: Book I of the Malice Cycle" and discussion writings for a forthcoming anthology.
Location

Exploring Homeschooling
Workshop is open to all who are looking for information on homeschooling a child in Minnesota. Whether you are just exploring the idea or have decided to homeschool, or even if you have begun homeschooling but are looking to connect with others, find materials, explore other options within the homeschool community, the format will be informal with plenty of time for your specific questions.
If you're interested in this topic but unable to attend on March 24th, please email the facilitator to be put on a list to receive announcements about future sessions.
Location

Mind-Body Meditation
Thursdays 6-7pm
558 Vandalia St., Studio 203, Saint Paul
Being calm in daily life can often be the difference between performing well and performing poorly. Meditation teaches us to calm our mind, even in the face of adversity and challenges. In this class, we will learn and practice a variety of meditations. Practiced regularly, these meditations help us to cultivate oneness of mind and body and true calmness in daily life.
Location

Create Your Juicy Life
This workshop is a series of 7 Action Guides that will allow you to create an absolutely delicious life.
It is based on Jeff's upcoming book, Create Your Juicy Life.
You will not only be provided the tools to create and design your life - but you will also be given the nudge needed to take ACTION to achieve the success you want in life.

Aura Strengthening and Psychic Self-defense
This workshop is designed especially for those who work in the helping fields, such as counselors, nurses, massage therapists and others, including anyone who seeks to feel more comfortable with a stronger, more resilient and less porous energy field.
We will discuss and practice time-tested ways of managing and strengthening our energy field through intention and visualization, as well as learn some practical tips to assist us in becoming more comfortable in our home, work, and personal space.
Dress comfortably and come see if what we offer can help you feel more buoyant.

Jovenes Adolescentes
La clase para las Jovenes Adolescentes es enfocada a la autoestima, al desarrollo emocional, fisico y hasta espiritual de una joven. Se enfoca en trabajar en metas.
Location

Experiment in Collaborative Creativity.
The activities in our group will be experiential. We will begin with a few warm up exercises to get acquainted and hopefully get in the flow of creative collaboration. The group includes some personal sharing and reflective writing. The main activity will be choosing a subject to explore, sharing personal stories related to the subject, then creating a piece of work that represents parts of each members story. The form of the work is open to our imagination. The structure of the group evolves as needed and as the collaborative process moves forward. Decisions are reached by consensus. What comes out of the collaboration will be ??????.
A few of the questions and explorations inherent in the activities are how to balance individual needs with the needs of the group/community; how to value and integrate differences and keep conflict stimulating, creative, and productive; when boundaries inhibit integrative processes and when they promote integration; what mix of flexibility and holding the line leads to "successful" co creating,etc.
Throughout the experiment members are encouraged to evaluate the process on both personal and social levels for discussion when the activities conclude. The nature of the class/group experiment requires regular attendance for the full 8 weeks in order to build on the previous exercises and experiences.
Requirements: Curiousity, a willingness to share personal information related to the chosen subject matter, open to exploring in a non linear fashion, and respectful interaction, and regular attendance to derive the full benefit of the collaboration, especially in the earlier weeks of the experient.
Location

Understanding your Personality by combining Myers-Briggs Type Indiator with Eight Archetypes
We will apply the Myers-Briggs Type Incator [MBTI] (will be administered in first class) with eight archetypes that influence our personality. MBTI is a personality inventory to make the theory of psychological types described by C. G. Jung understandable and useful. It answers four questions:
How do you direct your energy and attention?
How do you prefer to take in information?
How do you prefer to make decisions?
How do you orient to the outer world?
We will be examing these archetypes:
Conscious Archetypes
First - Hero or Heroine - Powerful, effortless energy
Second - Good Parent - Protective, nurturing
Third - Puer/Puella - Playful and passionate
Fourth - Anima/Animus - Inferiority complex and idealization complex
Unconscious Archetypes
Fifth - Opposing Personality - Resistance and denial
Sixth - Witch/Senex - Internal and external critic
Seventh - Trickster - Deceptive saboteur
Eighth - Demon/Daemon - Source of despair and hope
Location

Oneness Experiential
Let's explore the experience mind-body oneness! Our cultural conditioning
has created well-traveled pathways (i.e. habits) in our consciousness that
reflect a separation of "mind" from "body". Thus many of us have cultivated a
practice of treating our thinking mind and its habitual synaptic firings as
"self", while objectifying the body/physical experience. In other words,
thoughts/beliefs/opinions/memories are "me" and this thing that they live in
is "my body". (ever tried to "fix" yer body so it feels/appears a certain
way? or tried to "overcome" emotions? or heard yourself say something you
didn't mean?) There are countless ways we reinforce the habits of separation
in our day to day lives; however, there is plenty of space for building new
pathways.
The air we inhale is the exhale of plantlife; the air we exhale is its
inhale. The water we take in and release in this community is the Mississippi
River before and again after it quenches our thirst. The food we ingest grew
from the interactive regeneration of the earthbody: the sunlight and rain,
the decayed bones of our ancestors and the compost of our waste. Our presence
in life is part of a constant interdependent flow of natural living
wholeness. There is deep wisdom in the living body and there is vast
possibility available in allowing the mind to be present in this oneness.

