Freedom to move on...

Hoffman graduate e-newsletter | November 2018

www.hoffmaninstitute.co.uk

'Freedom to move on' with Caroline Laurence

Caroline Laurence was in her early sixties when she developed a rare wrist condition that threatened her craniosacral practice and left her future looking bleak:

'My four children had left home and were all getting settled in their various careers. It was the end of an era. I had my work, and that filled a gap. But more than anything I just felt hollow.

All sorts of unexpected demons were manifesting themselves. The biggest eye-opener of all was that I realised I’d spent my entire life being busy, focusing on the next project and distracting myself by endlessly helping others. Now here I was with nothing to distract me from the inner turmoil I was having to face. No props left.

So I picked up the phone and booked on to the Hoffman Process...'

Thank you to Caroline for sharing her story - you can read the full article on our website here .

Do you have a Process Story you'd like to share, either on our website or in our 2019 magazine?

We'd love to hear from you!

Either call the office on +44 (0)1903 88 99 90 or click to email: info@hoffmaninstitute.co.uk

Give Laura a chance: Hoffman grad's peace statue campaign

Laura Lian with Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis and the clay model of her sculpture

Hoffman graduate Laura Lian is a professional artist specialising in sculpture. Laura is currently crowdfunding to enable the creation and casting of a John Lennon Peace Statue that will tour the UK promoting the message 'Give Peace a Chance.'

Laura hopes for her life-sized clay model to be to be cast in bronze by early spring 2019, and the finished piece - which will show John leaning against a peace sign featuring lyrics from his song Imagine - has already been booked to appear at Glastonbury festival 2019 by organiser Michael Eavis.

Proceeds from the statue being shown will be donated to the charity Warchild , whose mission is to protect, educate and stand up for the rights of children caught up in war.

Laura is using JustGiving to crowdfund the money to complete the manufacturing process and get the show on the road. In the words of Yoko Ono, 'A dream you dream alone is only a dream, A dream you dream together is reality...'

To find out more or to make a donation, click here.

Evelyn the movie: special screenings throughout the UK

Evelyn , praised in the Guardian this week as a 'raw, unfiltered view of the fragility of family dynamics.'

Directed by Oscar-winning documentary maker Orlando von Einsiedel , Evelyn is a new, full-length film that examines the legacy of suicide. A decade after Evelyn's death, his remaining family set out on a hiking tour to visit the landscapes he liked to walk, to reflect on his life and the impact of his loss on his parents and siblings.

Hoffman grad Katie Bryer is part of the team who worked on the film, and is keen to spread the word about upcoming screenings around the UK in November and December. Many screenings will feature a Q&A, after which audiences will be invited on a 'walk and talk' in the local area, starting out of the cinema doors. These walks are organised in partnership with the Campaign Against Living Miserably (who raise awareness of male suicide) and The Ramblers .

To find a screening of Evelyn near you, click here, or to request a community screening, click here .

To watch the trailer, click here .

Set your intention... The Winter Retreat

We still have a handful of places up for grabs on our Winter Retreat , a five-day immersive experience at the beautiful Broughton Hall in the Yorkshire Dales .

The retreat runs from 15-19 December and interlaces the intensity of a three-day Q2 with some profound body and soul relaxation. Your Hoffman work will be with facilitators Mairi Russell and Emma Ferguson, and when you're not working hard, you're free to play - either in a 900-year-old stately home with exquisite formal grounds, in acres of woodland and wild nature, or in Broughton's state-of-the-art wellness and treatment centre, Avalon .

As well as a purpose-built h ydro-thermal suite and clear pool, newly-opened A valon is home to one of the UK's first Somadome meditation pods (pictured). Somadome is a unique technology-enabled meditation experience, where your meditation is personalised with binaural beats, colour therapy and guided meditation to suit your individual needs. Pick your intention – sit back and enjoy...

Prices on the Winter Retreat retreat start from £1,800 per person. It's open to anyone who has done the Process, including couples. For more information and to book, click here.

Hoffman festive gathering - to feature our very own choir!

If you feel like being a Hoffman angel and helping set up and/or clear away on the night, we'd be delighted to hear from you.

Email the office and let us know.

Save the date for an extra-special Hoffman gathering in London on Saturday 8th December.

Hoffie grads, family and friends are invited to come and join us for an evening of fun and frivolity with a vaguely festive theme. There will be drinks and snacks, creative makes and the chance to join the first outing of the Hoffman instant choir!

If you think you can't sing, don't let it put you off. Try thinking of it as a behavioural stretch? Under the guidance of Hoffman grad, classical soprano and vocal coach Zoe Bonner , we'll reach a place of harmony together.

Zoe says, 'There's a Zimbabwean proverb: If you can walk you can dance, if you can talk you can sing. .. We’ll be learning simple, joyful and soulful songs together by ear and letting our playful and expressive selves take the lead.'

Further details are on their way. For now, hold the date in your diary and rustle up your Hoffman buddies...

Hoffman-led regional support groups

Click here for a full list of Hoffman-led regional support group dates.

These Hoffman-facilitated evenings allow you to work on tools and connect with other graduates.

London : Violet Hill Studios, London NW8 9EB

Date: Friday 9 November

Led by: Serena Gordon

For more information and to book, click here

Manchester Brunch and Bowling:

All Star Lanes , Deansgate, M3 4EN

Date: Saturday 22 December

Time: 11.00am-1.00pm

Led by: Emma Ferguson

For more information, click here

Bristol : HOURS, 10 Colston Yard, BS1 5BD

Date: Tuesday 8 January

Led by: Eliza Meredith

For more information and to book, click here

Sussex : Upstairs at Six , Western Road, Hove, BN3 1FA

Date: Friday 11 January

Led by: Serena Gordon

For more information and to book, click here

Closure: Re-experience the ceremony of integration

Click here for a full list of Closure dates.

Closure evenings are held on Thursdays from 5pm and are open to all Hoffman graduates, regardless of where and when you did your Process. Celebrate with new Hoffman graduates, share your Post-Process experience and recommit to your vision. Dinner at Florence House (including the infamous 'pavlova of love') is on us.

We love to see Process groups returning on their anniversary and welcome graduates who did their Process overseas.

Next dates:

8 November: with Eliza, Mairi and Holger

15 November: with Jeremy, Holger and Maria (in Ireland!)

29 November: with Mairi, Eliza and Jeremy

13 December: with Matthew, Janet and Emma

This month, we will also be holding Closure at Castle Grove in Letterkenney, Ireland on Thursday 15 November . If you would like to attend, click here to email Jeremy and let him know.

For Florence House Closures, please email the office and let us know if you're planning to come.

Remember that you cannot attend the Closure of a spouse or child, though we would love to see you at their Welcome Home.

Hoffman events for family and friends

* When a Process is on a Wait List, a place may still become available.

Ring the office on 01903 88 99 90 for details.

Information Evenings:

London, Tuesday 13 November

Dublin, Tuesday 20 November

London, Tuesday 18 December

Information Phone-In:

November 20

December 4

Introduction Day:

London, January 12

Process Dates:

November 3-9: Wait List*

November 10-16: Wait List*

November 24-30: Wait List*

December 8-14: Wait List*

January 5-11: Available

January 26-February 1: Available

For a full calendar of Hoffman Process dates, click here.

November's Top Tip: What role does fear play in your life?

Today, take a look at some of your Dark Side messages and try and locate the lurking fear behind them. Are you frightened of being alone? Rejection? Abandonment? Looking foolish? Try and name any hidden anxieties that your Dark Side might be preying upon to feed its negative chatter.

Once you've identified what pushes your buttons, write yourself a reassuring letter and congratulate yourself on being able to keep those fears in perspective as you go about your day-to-day life. Fighting your innermost fears may be an ongoing battle - but you're winning!