Marianne, Nick & Kelly, OTM workshop facilitators
by guest author Marianne Elliott, Off the Mat NZ
It’s not exactly the kind of question people are likely to ask you at a cocktail party, but increasingly I hear people asking themselves and others:
What is your purpose in life?
Many of us long for a clear sense of purpose: one coherent story about what we are supposed to be doing with our life.
We wish we could feel confident that we are spending our “one wild and precious life” in a way that is meaningful, that is contributing something useful to the world.
But how are we supposed to find this sense of purpose? It’s hard enough just to find work that we love, or even like. As my friend Nick Potter said:
It’s very challenging to find/create the work you love. Your schooling often won’t help. You’ll need to explore what you really enjoy doing, what you’re good at, and what the world needs most. If you hit all three of these you’ll be bursting with energy. That’s what it means to be working with purpose.
This inner and outer call for a clear purpose seems to me to be growing at the moment. Maybe it’s because of a shared sense of urgency about the challenges (and incredible opportunities) facing our planet. Teacher and writer Christina Baldwin talks about this shared impetus and the impact it has on her own sense of purpose:
We are up to something as a species that is profoundly important right now. We need to attend to this and … my life is part of a decision that’s going on in the human race.
I know the kinds of values and contributions I want to make in that decision. And that’s where I have to stand. So, when I get dragged down, I just say to myself … What are you born to be doing at this time?
So, do you want to embody your purpose?
What are you born to be doing at this time? It’s a question that deserves some investigation, and I’ve discovered that the tools and practices of yoga can help that investigation process.
Off the Mat NZ invites you to take part in this 4-week course to develop:
- more direction and focus in your life
- greater connection
- better health and resilience to stress
- plus a greater ability to lead change.
The course combines yoga postures, mindfulness techniques and experiential exercises with practical tools for communicating, organising and collaborating.
Not just for yogis
No previous experience of yoga is required to take part.
If you’ve never tried yoga, this is a great way to discover new practices to support your life and work.
If you already practice yoga, you’ll develop a much deeper understanding of how to integrate insights from yoga into your daily life.
Course Dates
The next course in Wellington is over 4 consecutive Sundays in November 2010:
- Sunday 7 November
- Sunday 14 November
- Sunday 21 November
- Sunday 28 November
Each full-day workshop is from 10:30am-5:30pm.
Please register by 24 October – yep that’s today! This is your last chance as the course is limited to just 16 people.
What will I get out of it?
Participants will leave with skills that enable them be more effective change-makers in the world. You will:
- have a much clearer understanding of how to lead your own purposeful life
- know how to use yoga-based tools to renew and sustain yourself in life and work
- be more skilled at turning challenging experiences into positive changes
- have more ability to harness the power of your own voice
- be more skilled at participating in group collaborations.
Investment
The price is $495. This covers:
- 4 full-day workshops
- yoga practice and facilitation
- all course materials.
We also have one free scholarship for a low-income earner. Please contact us if you wish to apply for this.
Registration
To register for this course, contact intotheworld.nz@gmail.com with your Name, Address, Email and Phone Number by 24 October. One of the facilitators will then be in touch.
If you want to find out more about the course before registering, you’re very welcome to contact us at any stage.
Off the Mat, Into the World
This course is an initiative of Off The Mat and Into The World. This global program uses the power of yoga to ignite personal and social change. It facilitates personal empowerment through leadership trainings, fostering community collaboration, and initiating local and global service projects. Participants learn how to apply yoga practices and insights to be more powerful change-makers “off the yoga mat” in their lives and communities.
For more info see Off The Mat and Into The World.
The Facilitators
This course is facilitated by Marianne Elliott, Kelly Fisher and Nick Potter. We combine our complementary strengths to suit the needs of participants. You are welcome to contact us directly if you wish.
Marianne Elliott is a human rights advocate, a yoga teacher and a skilled facilitator who came to yoga via a decade working in the world’s most notorious war-zones. In yoga she discovered the tools and practices to make her humanitarian work and advocacy more effective and more sustainable.
You can find out more about Marianne on her blog. T 021 1106086 E marianne@marianne-elliott.com
Kelly Fisher is a talented yoga teacher with a passion for sharing her love of yoga with others. She started practicing yoga after a decade of working in the corporate business world. After feeling exhausted and unfulfilled, yoga helped to re-introduce her to the worlds within: her body, heart and mind began to open in ways she can scarcely recall them doing even in the glory days of childhood.
You can find out more about Kelly on her blog Yoga Inventure. T 027 3300014 E kelly@yogainventure.com
Nick Potter works with individuals and organisations to renew themselves and our society/environment. He’s a skilled facilitator and actively involved in the Intersect Network for purposeful young professionals. He discovered the importance of personal sustainability the hard way: by burning out at work. He learned through yoga how to bounce back with more energy than ever.
You can find out more about Nick on his blog. T 021 2408910 E nick@re-be.com
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