Transformational Groups explore the potential of the present moment, which is where Divine truth can be tapped into. It's a process of moving participants past the control, distortions and limits of human emotional defense systems, into a co-creative process with the Divine.
The human experience tends to remain stuck in what it thinks it already knows. But there is something beyond our limited human perspective, which is evolving and transforming us into a new and expanded consciousness. It is accessed when we tap into present moment truth -- what is really true that we are feeling, wanting, experiencing, doing. Revealing the truth of where we really are sheds light onto what has been hidden and unconscious. Allowing that to happen can be challenging for people, because it is going into the unknown. It is standing in the question, without filling in the blanks. This is exactly the position most people avoid, because it is where they are afraid they will find out that their limiting decisions* are true (which they never are).
Each group participant relates to the whole experience from a particular perspective, adding a fuller and richer understanding of what is really happening in that particular moment. Each time a participant reveals their present moment experience, they are contributing their piece to a larger puzzle. They do this by revealing what matters to them, what they are feeling and experiencing, how they are responding to what is happening at that moment in time. This can break through defense systems that obscure what that moment holds. This opens up the Divine truth inherent in that situation, which is what facilitates the human evolutionary process. What is true is, by definition, connected with a larger source, a larger consciousness, a larger purpose -- which encompasses all of the complexities of truth within it.
Evolution has to do with an expansion of consciousness, an opening of what is true about the nature of reality. It moves consciousness from fear into love. It moves from what does not benefit you or the whole, into what totally benefits you and the whole. This represents a radical shift to really getting that Life, or the Universe, or the Divine, or God -- or however you conceive of it -- is totally benign and is for us rather than against us. Our investment in holding onto our limited concepts and constructs about reality is held in place by the human belief that the Divine is inherently against us, and therefore we have to keep our experience within our limited control, i.e. what we already know and understand and can conceive of -- in order to create a life that we believe will be in our favor. This inherently creates adversity in us in relation to the nature of reality, and what benefits each individual as opposed to other people. So what we're dealing with here is the real world and the actual nature of the universe versus an alternative, made-up world (what can be described as the egoic experience), which is held in place by our emotional defense systems, for the purpose of keeping reality out.
The transformational group, by focusing on what is happening in the present moment within and between participants, brings larger Divine truth into the experience, thereby penetrating through the defense systems that are blocking consciousness, into the wonder of who each participant is and the potential of what they are here on earth for. It becomes a co-creation between human and Divine experience.
* Limiting decisions are negative beliefs about yourself or the nature of life, made in early childhood. They are decisions such as you are not loved, respected, accepted, intelligent, safe, and so on. For an in-depth description of limiting decisions go to: http://www.janecohencounseling.com/Services.html#Limiting_Decisions
© Jane Ilene Cohen 2009
Jane Ilene Cohen is an Intuitive and Transformational Counselor, specializing in relationships. She is an NLP & TimeLine Master Practitioner, and comes from a spiritual foundation that includes A Course in Miracles and the Abraham-Hicks work. She has a private counseling practice in Encinitas, CA where she works with couples and individuals, and facilitates transformational groups. She also does phone counseling sessions. Her current group is called "Shifting into Your New Consciousness," a weekly group experience for those who want to shift into a more empowered, conscious life. This is a living teaching in the context of transformational group interaction and dialogue. The flier for this group is at: http://www.JaneCohenCounseling.com/Transformational_Group.html . For a free consultation to decide if this work is for you, you can reach Jane at: (760) 753-0733. Her website is: http://www.JaneCohenCounseling.com. Her blog is at: http://blog.JaneCohenCounseling.com.