Beginning Wednesday evening, February 3, in the Bahamas, Judith will lead Our First Love Maps: the Genesis of our Journey
The first mirror we know is the face of our mother. This mirror-through its smiles and sounds, its eyes and gestures- imprints  the nature of our place in the world.  Our cellular Being, our very breath, unfolds in this co-created relational field of energy.  Our first love map is shaped here, to be carried through much of our life.

 In ways that the infant is met with welcoming celebration, the love map will root a sense of safety and self esteem in a world of inter being and ignite the flame of life force.  In ways that the infant’s unfolding is not adequately mirrored, the love map will be clouded with anxiety and doubt.  The flame of the life force will be sequestered in safe keeping.

In the middle of our life, we often find ourselves propelled onto a journey of transformation.  Our daimon has come to pressure us to create a new love map, one that will fulfill the call of our Soul, to release the light of our essence.
In our time together, we will:

•    Explore the roots of our first love maps and their shaping of our intimate personal and transpersonal connections.
•    Look at how intergenerational family and collective influences, such as war, dramatically affect the forming of our love maps.
•    Learn from current neuroscience research  related to attachment
•    Develop a mindfulness practice to consciously create a new love map which reflects the creative living of our true Being.



Beginning Wednesday, June 9, in rural NY, Alexis will lead Adult Love Maps and the Negotiation of Desire

When we as adults look for intimacy our choices will be shaped by the dance that was co-created in the first years of life and imprinted on our love map.  We will tend to choose partners based on how good the ‘fit’ feels – can you meet my emotional needs, can I keep you at the right distance to feel loved and not invaded, autonomous but not lonely?  From the very beginning and throughout the partnership, each  will signal through the their faces, their tone of voice, their body language and their words how safe, relaxed and loved they feel.  Of course, they will also signal their anger, displeasure, fear and shame in the same ways.  The more secure the original love map, the more simply and directly we will communicate our every growing sense of self; the less secure, the more we repeat old patterns.

 
In our time together we will:
•    Understand the neuro-science of our love maps as limbic feedback loops and how they affect couple dynamics
•    How we develop our capacity to more clearly and directly for what we need and want
•    How we negotiate through difficult times to enhance our personal and couple quality of life.

Details: Each retreat will begin with dinner on the Wednesday evening and end at lunch time on Sunday.  These retreats require a minimum of 12 participants and no more than 18.  Since the themes interface and build upon each other, we will only accept people who can attend both.  To participate in this exciting learning opportunity please send tuition for both retreats of $2000 by November 15, 2009. Please send to Kelly Byrne, 25 N Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591.  If you need to make a payment plan please contact one of us. If you are unable to attend, we will return your tuition if someone fills your place. When you register we will give you the information about meals, accommodations and suggested readings.