At the moment, Symbolic Space offers only Symbolic Space Circle group sessions.
Symbolic Space Circle
Participation in a Symbolic Space Circle allows individuals to experience a novel way of exploring their intentions and connections with the self and the world. A Symbolic Space Circle offers an opportunity to explore a relationship with a situation, a goal, or an intention using bodily awareness and movement in space. This engages ways of processing experience that are less accessible through conscious thinking alone.
For more details on the next Symbolic Space Circle and to book a spot, please visit the Eventbrite page. For more information on your Symbolic Space facilitator, please visit the About page.
Working with intention
Symbolic Space work begins with a client’s intention. An intention can be for healing, for releasing certain beliefs or patterns of behaviour, for understanding or clarity, or for change. The intention might address a particular aspect of life (for example, relationships, work, integrity, fulfilment), a certain habit, or the participant’s whole worldview. It might be for personal power, deeper connection with the self and/or with others, more meaning in life, or a more creative life.
Three main aspects of symbolic work
The beauty of the work in Symbolic Space can be explained through its three main aspects. First, a facilitator does not need to know any specifics of the client’s situation — all the work is done through exploration of symbols, metaphors, and the participant’s connection with and orientation in space. Second, a facilitator holds the space for the participant and helps them to explore their inner landscape through gentle, non-suggestive prompts — a facilitator does not instruct the participant; all the work is focused on accessing the client’s own deep knowledge. Third, the work in Symbolic Space is not done analytically — during a session the participant is encouraged not to use the rational part of the mind to figure out what the symbols mean or how to solve a particular problem.
The Symbolic Space approach allows the client to tap into knowledge held in non-linguistic parts of the mind and body — knowledge stored in the body and the unconscious parts of the brain. Only after the work is done and a shift is experienced within the session do we “bring it home” — the facilitator guides the client through a process that allows the conscious mind to own the change and integrate the new experience into memory.
A client-driven approach
Symbolic Space is a client-driven approach. This means that every session is unique and is tuned to the client’s specific needs at the moment. For example, in some sessions we can work with objects and their symbolism to explore the participant’s needs. In other sessions we can explore the spatial relationship with a goal: in sessions like these, the work begins with literally positioning the participant and the representation of the goal in the space of the room, and we work out what needs to happen. In yet others, the work can go very deep into a personal landscape, touching on ancestral energy and/or the power of the connection with the world. These are only a few examples of what can happen during symbolic work.