Exploration and Practice Community (Deep Dives)

Vulnerability is required to take courageous action and to build deep connections. Yet, finding “the sweet spot” of vulnerability is hard for many of us – we either don’t open enough and feel separated or share too much and feel embarrassed.

We’ll explore:

• What does “vulnerability” mean to you? What prevents you from being vulnerable?

• What helps you open up and connect in more honest and genuine ways? 

• What courageous and vulnerable actions would you like to take in your life right now? 

Facilitated by Veronica Marquez (Miami) and Rosalind Franklin (San Francisco)

We've all been hurt - by our families, friends, colleagues. Oftentimes, the biggest perpetrator is ourselves - our thoughts and actions that cause us harm. Forgiveness is a gateway to living with more peace, but how can we truly forgive ourselves, others, our circumstances? 

We’ll explore:

• What has prevented you from forgiving yourself and others? How has that impacted your relationships? 

• Is forgiving a "good" thing or the "right" thing to do?

• What do you want to forgive right now? How could that change your life?

Facilitated by Veronica Marquez (Miami) and Julie Beretta (Rome)

It's taboo, messy, and complicated, yet is unavoidable as it touches all of our relationships. Money is oftentimes rife with emotion: fear, guilt, resentment, excitement. And for many of us, it’s inextricably linked with our self-worth, how much we make = how valuable we are. 

We’ll explore:

• What mindsets, stories, and beliefs have you inherited? How are they impacting your life today?

• What emotions come up when you think about money (e.g., getting paid, asking for a raise, checking, donating...) 

• What do you want to change about your relationship to money moving forward? 

Facilitated by Veronica Marquez (Miami) and Alessandra Patti (Zurich)

Sometimes ambitious people get a bad rep (especially women). They can be seen as too strong, too greedy, or too aggressive. Yet, we all have dreams and desires of wanting to achieve our vision (maybe even very big things).

We’ll explore:

• The moments when you felt most ambitious. What was empowering/depleting? 

• The moments when you held back from pursuing your dreams - what held you back?

• Your current dreams and goals and how do you want to approach obstacles moving forward  

Facilitated by Veronica Marquez (Miami) and Yolanda Lee (Singapore)

When we feel trust - whether for ourselves, for a loved one, for a community - there's a sense of safety and security that allows us to open and truly be ourselves. Trust is so fundamental to relating, and yet, can feel so hard to establish - and so easily broken. 

We’ll explore:

• What has shaped your relationship with trust? From your upbringing up until now. 

• Think about the times in your life trust has been broken - either by yourself, others, or an institution. What was the impact of that in your life? 

• How do you repair and recover trust once it has been broken? 
  

Facilitated by Veronica Marquez (Miami) and Becca Roebber (Seattle)

We all know the feeling. Whether political or personal, something happens that sparks a flame inside of you. Some of us are seasoned in repressing our anger. Some of us are fueled by anger.  Whatever it may be, our anger is real and valid, let’s explore ways to have a productive relationship with it. 

We’ll explore:

• What messages about anger did you receive growing up? 

• What happens in your body when you feel angry? Do you suppress, do you explode, maybe a bit of both?

• What would it look like to express anger in a "productive" way? 

Facilitated by Veronica Marquez (Miami) and Leslie Collins (New Jersey and other worlds)

Sex and sexuality is one of the least talked about but most fundamental aspects of the human experience. It's taboo, it's uncomfortable, it's powerful, it's important. When left unexamined, we lose the opportunity to heal, grow, and cultivate deeper pleasure and intimacy in our lives.

We’ll explore:

• What notions/taboos (if any) have you grown up with around sexuality, and how have they evolved?

• What fills you up, and what depletes you?

• How in-tune are you with what you really want, and how comfortable are you when asking for it?

Facilitated by Veronica Marquez (Miami) and Angelique Hinz (Berlin)

Governing all moments in life – from the office, to the bedroom, to our friendships - our relationship with power often emerges from its imbalance. Sometimes we feel strong, influential, and "better" than others. And on the flipside, there are times when we can feel inferior, worthless or unsafe. 

We’ll explore:

• What comes up for you when you think about “power”? 

• What do you notice when you reflect on the empower dynamics in your relationships?

• What does true, authentic power mean to you, and how do you go about living in that place?

Facilitated by Veronica Marquez (Miami) and Uditi Shah (Stockholm)

At the core of our darkest, most painful emotions lives fear. Fear is visceral and can be debilitating and even paralyzing. Some of our fears are grounded in real danger while others are reflection of our own insecurities. 

We’ll explore:

• What are your top fears, where do they come from, and how do you cope with them?

• What happens in your life when you feel fearful? How is the experience in your body? 

• What would life look like if you didn't have these fears? Or if you relate to them with more compassion?

Facilitated by Veronica Marquez (Miami) and Leslie Collins (New Jersey and other worlds)

Sadness, like every other emotion, lives on a spectrum going from nostalgia to intense grief. For some of us sadness comes and goes, for others is our underlying state. Being with “pain and grief” - ours and other people’s - can be a challenging experience, especially if we are wired to “fix” things.  

We’ll explore:

• When was the first time in your life that you felt deep sadness? How did you relate to your pain back then?

• How do you navigate your most painful moments? What has helped you get back on your feet?

• How do you want you relationship with pain, loss, or grief to be moving forward?

Facilitated by Veronica Marquez (Miami) and Caroline Githinji (Nairobi)

We can love our parents, our friends, and our partners - but what does it mean to love ourselves? Self-love feels easier said than done. How do we love ourselves when we feel lost and unsure, when we're critical of our flaws, or when we compare ourselves to others? 

We’ll explore:

• What is love for you and how do you show it (or not) to others? 

• How do you express (or not) love towards yourself? What prevents you from loving yourself fully? 

• How do you envision your life if you loved every single part of yourself (especially the parts you don’t like)?
  

Facilitated by Veronica Marquez (Miami) and Alessandra Patti (Zurich)

Belonging is about feeling part of something and being accepted for all that we are - even the dark, scary parts we'd rather hide away. A core human need that for many of us it rarely feels fulfilled, leaving us feeling isolated and hurt. 

We’ll explore:

• What does belonging mean to you? What experiences have shaped your relationship with “belonging”?

• Reflect on the times when you felt a deep sense of belonging and the times when you felt disconnected and alone. 

• If you felt like you completely belonged in this world, how may that change the way you relate with others and with life? 
  

Facilitated by Veronica Marquez (Miami) and Dee de Lara (Toronto)