Thank you: from a Financial Aid recipient

During the month of December, every donation to Financial Aid will be matched. Contact Louise Amuir (louise@haven.ca 1 800 222 9211 ext 222) or donate online via the Haven web site.

Dear Rachel and Louise

The last week of August 2014 was the week that, with the generous financial aid support from The Haven, I was able to take an incredible journey which brought me closer to the essence of who I am. For the past eight years I have walked in a dual life of professionally supporting children, families and my community and then stepping into my home where I felt I had no voice that I could share in a way that was welcomed or supported. This is my journal entry from two days after taking the Come Alive session with Susan Clarke and CrisMarie Campbell, two incredible beings that I am blessed to have had walk with and guide me.

“Oh my, the week I have had. I journeyed with others as they looked into their darkest corners and they were alongside me as I journeyed into mine. My tears gave them hope, courage, inspiration and trust. Their tears and pain were rich fertile soil that nurtured me and offered me a new take on bravery, courage and strength. Being willing to be vulnerable is the highest form of courage and trust in myself and humanity. Allowing another person the space to explore their “stuff” and not save them from their fears or sorrow is one of the most profound gifts I can give another person. To not walk in and save them or offer a life line but instead just be with them in their struggle and curious about their journey and ask for clarity so that I can understand but also so they get the chance to explore their own beliefs and where they come from.

Peace and gratitude … oh my goodness … I can’t imagine what the world could be if humanity were to all be curious about self and willing those dark corners. The magnificent butterfly can and will emerge if given the safe and nurturing environment to do so.

I want to keep exploring those corners of self and find ways to better come to understand my purpose and passion for life and living. Could there be a better reason to be here than right here right now? I cannot imagine one.

Some of my discoveries:

This journey is one for self but also in relation to others; loved ones, community, the globe and spirit.
Curiosity is key
I need to have and reach out to my ‘beacon’, ‘lighthouse’, Jiminy Cricket” to act as a gauge when I seem lost in the dark. To give me the straight goods. The truth when I am straying from self.
Breathe
Grounding Chakra work is incredible. The body movement classes every morning were an incredible addition to my daily practice of BEING in the moment.
More breathing
Try to reframe panic in my head as excitement
Reach out to friends and family … my pattern and tendency is to isolate and save others the uncomfortable feeling of seeing my pain and struggle. While I believed I was doing it to help others I actually was not being true to myself and my need for connection, nor was I trusting and holding them ABLE to handle their own experiences.
Allow others to see me … the good bad and ugly
We all have tapes playing. Examine what my tape is. If its old … throw it out
Dance in all corners of myself
I can only love others as deeply as I love myself
Breathe
It’s OK to get messy … in fact … lean into it and then come out the other side with a deeper understanding.

This fall has been an ongoing struggle for me personally as I find a new norm as a single person after a 28 year relationship but I continue to use the many tools that I was taught during my time at the Come Alive program. I have had the opportunity to share my journey with others and am amazed to see their keen interest in what I have experienced and share opportunities for them to get involved with The Haven.

At work I was able to encourage a couple to attend the Fall Communication and Relationship Toolkit in Nanaimo. They found it to be an incredible gift to themselves and plan to continue workshops at The Haven. I also was very happy to attend the evening discussion with Dr Gabor Mate with my 19 year old daughter. She is very keen to learn more about herself and I know that the role modeling I am giving her will be a huge benefit as she continues to walk her own journey to Self.

Without the financial aid that I was offered I would not have had the opportunity to attend this life program. Thank you Louise for your kind and understanding voice as I reached out and called after 8 years of trying to find the strength and giving myself permission to reach out and to the Haven Foundation for making this opportunity available to me. To know that there is a place that offers such incredible support is truly a gift!

I have found The Haven now and it is a place I will continue to be connected with in my future. I look forward to attending future programming and also encouraging others to attend. I wish, with all my heart, I had attended years ago … but am so grateful to have finally attended this year.
If there is an opportunity to support the great work the Haven does … please don’t hesitate to ask.

With sincere appreciation and gratitude,

Jacqueline