THE MIRACLE OF MOTHER

On Mother’s Day, Sunday May 10th
11am – 1pm
$15 (members $10)

If you have wondered why you tend to repeat the same patterns of behavior, but only the context changes, then come and spend May 10th with us at Boulder Integral. This Mother’s Day we will take the time to honor the contribution of our mothers and other mothering figures to our lives. Through dialogue and reflective exercises we will explore the importance of mothering – our very first experience of “We.” In that process we will look at our three most primitive fears and how they continue to determine our behavior throughout a lifetime.

In addition, we will gain an awareness of the central task of development – separating and individuating from mother. This task of separation/individuation is primarily accomplished from birth to age three, and how well we develop thereafter, will depend, in large part, on the success of those first three years. The better we are at separating and individuating from the “mother” in our lives, the more differentiated and unique we become, and the more we are able to love, honor and liberate her. Finally, we will come to understand how the journey of differentiation paradoxically leads both mother and child to their human potential for ultimate oneness – symbiosis with the divine Mother.

To set our intention for the time and space we will share together we will begin with a small ritual. OPTIONAL: Please bring an item to place upon the altar in celebration of the mother figure(s) in your life such as your self as mother, your biological mother, adopted mothers, the Virgin Mary, Kuan Yin, the universe and/or mother earth.

BIO

Dr. Elizabeth Smith has spent the last 20+ years of her career as a professor of social work at The Catholic University of America (CUA), the National Catholic School of Social Service (NCSSS) and as a psychotherapist/clinical social worker (LICSW) in part-time private practice in Washington, DC. Elizabeth received a Masters in Social Work (MSW) and a doctorate in social work (PhD) from the National Catholic School of Social Work at CUA, and later a Masters of Arts degree in Spirituality from the School of Religious Studies also at CUA. Prior to teaching, Elizabeth worked for many years with cancer patients and their families at the Johns Hopkins Oncology Center in Baltimore, Maryland. Her interest in Ken Wilber’s work dates back to 1985. Currently she is teaching Integral Psychology at Naropa University. Elizabeth and her partner, Milla, divide their time between Knysna, South Africa and Boulder. She is the proud mother of three children, Mary Elizabeth, James, and Christopher.