For Suicide Prevention Awareness Month 2023, we welcome guest teacher & therapist Natasha Morisawa (LMFT) and come together to meditate and practice supporting the people in our lives (including ourselves) who may be struggling with deep suffering, hopelessness, helplessness, disconnection, mental health and health challenges, and/or suicidal thoughts.
Join us Saturday, September 16th from 10:00-11:30am (PT) for mindfulness meditation (guided), labyrinth activities (print-out materials will be provided), self-reflection, and connection.
Into the Labyrinth of Suicide: Mindfulness, Deep Suffering, and Connection
A labyrinth – both literal and metaphorical – presents a maze-like path with twists and turns but is not designed to be “solved” or defeated. It is an experience where one enters towards the center, reflects, and exits likewise, all the while practicing mindfulness for what is unfolding in the present moment. In this way, we can remain open to meaning-making, connection, and healing.
The challenging quality of the labryinth make it a useful metaphor for the experience of suicidal ideation and/or suicide loss.
Deep suffering often includes feeling as if there is no way to escape the pain or misery of today. And the strong likelihood that tomorrow will be no different.
Walking (or tracing) through a labyrinth can be a lengthy and challenging process, requiring patience, persistence, and consistency. Similarly, resolving suicidal thoughts and seeking help can be a long and difficult journey, often requiring ongoing support and resilience.
Just as the person in the labyrinth seeks an exit, those of us who experience suicidal ideation and/or suicide loss may be searching for a way out of our emotional pain and distress. This search for relief or release is a common theme in both experiences.
The emergence into and reemergence from the labyrinth offers opportunities for insight, gratitude, healing, and connection.
“A journey is a dismal thing when there can be no homecoming.” – Stanisław Lem
Please RSVP and you will be provided (via email) printable labyrinths to use during the guided activities. Please make every effort to have the materials and pen/pencil available.
More information on labyrinths:
https://www.veriditas.org/
https://labyrinthsociety.org/
Looking to walk a labyrinth? Find one here!
Looking to trace a labyrinth? Find a pdf here!
Suggested donation: $55
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Natasha Morisawa (LMFT) has 10+ years experience as a trauma-informed psychotherapist helping individuals and families resolve their trauma and move forward in their lives with more joy, balance, and equanimity. She is a Trained Labyrinth Facilitator and Executive Director of The Place Within, a community mental wellness non-profit that has been serving the community for more than 30 years to financially support all people with the courage to participate in psychotherapy. For more information about Natasha, see here. |
