IGNITING HEALING
“New horizons and opportunities waiting to be experienced – In many circles of my Indigenous relatives, I’ve witnessed many of our people say they went to schools, ‘to learn both worlds.’ By actively engaging our cultural ways alongside new ways of healing, we can infuse our Indigenous worldview into all healing processes.
“It’s time… Taking responsibility for grief recovery, on terms that honor our unique understanding. What a courageous gift we can give ourselves, our families and our nations!”
~ Shuel-let-qua Q:olosoet aka Cynthia Jim – Grief Recovery Specialist
Salmon in its Egg
Representative of those that are awaiting transition from cocoon to becoming a finned being. Becoming a finned being is determinant on an environment that is nurturing, safe and nourishing. It is a place where one can culminate strength and determination, both pertinent to executing a tireless journey through a multitude of challenging currents. Enduring these currents is critical to gaining sacred knowledge, that contributes to persistently navigating a course back home toward balance and harmony.
Artwork by:
T’si:Wethoth/T’si:Eytesh aka Josette Jim of Xwewenage and Stlatlimx Xwexwilmelh
Acknowledging that everyone carries some form of grief, this is even more so for Our Indigenous People. Given the Trauma caused by colonizing factors such as residential school, the 60’s Scoop, Assimilative legislations passed against Indigenous empowerment; The generational Trauma Effect, that this has triggered can sometimes feel so complex to even know where to begin. This action-oriented process helps participants become aware of, take-action toward completing their relationship to the pain isolation, loneliness caused by significant emotional loss.
Sitting alongside crackling ceremonial fires or on benches of longhouse gatherings, I’ve heard speakers and elders share,” the longest journey, is the one you take from your head to your heart.”
Igniting Healing is a heart-centered process nurtures traditional teachings that inform multi-mediums of expression for participants. Realizing that we are all unique beings, our pathways to successfully process grief will look and sound differently to all that entail this journey. Igniting Healing is a heart-centered process that creates space and materials for meaningful introspection, expression, communication of unique worldviews and healthy intentional processing of one’s own grief.
The process begins with breaking down the misconceptions of Grief and how it has been handled in the past, and still is. Our Igniting Healing Team are certified Grief Recovery specialists that guide participants through a journey of actions toward reclaiming participants roots from grief. Many elders have said, ”Be careful what you feed, because that’s what grows.” (Chepeetza aka Late Martina Joe –Kwa-kwa-apilt).
By not allowing our roots to be saturated with grief, we will produce a healthier potential of self, in-turn allowing participants to breathe life into the many beautiful experiences in front of us, or those still yet to come.
Igniting Healing Workshop
5 days (customized to needs of community)
While there is a diversity of types of Grief that participants experience in life, what to do with it and how to process it has become even more elusive and may culminate confusion and uncertainty.
The Igniting Healing Workshop allows for participants to work through an action-oriented sequence of activities that guide participants through critical spaces of their Grief toward health and harmony. Multiple mediums and modes of expression are encouraged and cultivated to honor all learning styles.
For communities – All aspects of workshopping can be customized to fit the needs of each diverse community, family/clan, individual. Location of workshopping is at the discretion of each distinct community.
ICLD’s Igniting Healing consists of the Following:
- Welcome, Group Safety
- Grief-Definitions, Misconceptions
- Coping strategies-Past, present, Future
- Types of Loss
- Representation of Loss
- Representation of Relationship loss
- Recovery Articulations
- Ceremony
Healing Retreat
Our healing Retreats take place in pristine locations that nurture mindfulness and sacred connection. The retreats give the space for full Focus, Introspection, Unique expression & Solitude.
The on-site retreat space is intended to enhance personal healing with careful weighing of the following components to facilitate a balanced day:
- Igniting Healing workshop components
- Morning Yoga-Indigenous Music/Release Themes
- Nature Connection
- Ceremony-Sacred Connections
- Diverse Expression Sessions
- Holistic Practitioner Sessions
- Sharing Circles
- 3 Healthy Meals per day
We Urge Individuals, Families/Clans, Community Entities to come experience a full immersion of Healing Sessions at a site near you.
“I had the privilege of attending the 5 day Igniting Healing Workshop. I have personally attended many Grief Workshops all over North America in the past 22 years and I found that this Workshop was the best I had ever experienced.”
“I found the program very culturally embedded with learning about grief and loss.”
“The activities were adaptable to not only accommodate, but encourage different forms of expression. (i.e. instead or writing the loss chart, it was acknowledged that speaking it out or using creativity was not only accepted, but encouraged.”
“What I liked most about the workshop was the deep dive into my own grief and the layers that still exist.”