Toronto Helpership Dev Circ.

The following is a description of the present Canadian Helpership training program (Feb. 2001), named The Helpership Development Circle, now being co-ordinated in Toronto, Ont. Canada, by Sagewalker.

Because our program is self-directed it will not fit easily into the categories set out thus far for comparison. However I will do my best to communicate the nature of our program using your headings.

This program uses a “self-directed” learning method. For those of you who may not be familiar with this model, developed specifically for adult learners, I will offer some basic concepts. I think you will see how this method dovetails with the Guide’s teachings about self-responsibility and offers adult education as a prototype for spiritual education. First, I would like to give some information about “self-directed or holistic” studies and then discuss why we are using this form.

I have had the privilege of completing two master’s degrees in a “self-directed” study program. One was a Master’s of Art, the other a Master’s of Education. The latter focused on the study of adult education, specifically, facilitating adult learning through a self-directed studies approach.

Each student (this approach often refers to the student as a learner) undertakes a specific learning project. The main components of this are:
-   identifying the learning intention.
-   clarifying how this learning intention will be carried out.
-   committing as to how one will show what has been accomplished.

In this kind of model students become co-learners. In co-operation with other students, each individual is helped to find the resources they need as well as directed to ones they may not have named. They draw from one another through sharing their individual learning projects. e.g. in this group two individuals see themselves working more in their helpership with organizations. One woman wants to wed her Continuum training with Pathwork concepts. Another is already a practicing therapist and is interested in understanding the difference between psychotherapy and the Pathwork process. The group and myself offer whatever resources we know of, pertinent training opportunities, as well as recommending individuals within the Pathwork who could be mentors. Everyone is enriched through the shared learning process.

Holistic learning suggests the use of the everything for the purposes of learning. This develops the Observer function. In addition to the traditional use of the rational; the emotional, relational, physical and spiritual are seen as equally essential to learning. Thus journals, conversations, movies, songs, chance meetings, synchronicities all become part of the learners catalogue of information towards their learning goal.

This group is small so the opportunity to communicate with everyone through email, phone etc., in between our meeting times is quite accessible. In larger situations, learning partners are created for the purpose of mutual support and learning through sharing the process more intimately.

When I was completing my Master of Arts degree, I was entering the Pathwork. As my thesis, I chose Grounded Spirituality, a topic which wove together my experience as a Bioenergetics Psychotherapist and the spiritual evolution I was pursuing with the Path. My experience of initiative and creativity has continued throughout my commitment to the Pathwork, during which time I have consistently pioneered and offered new bodies of work. I believe this is largely due to my self-directed graduate education studies and experience. Within these programs, I have utilized this kind of method consistently and found it to be highly successful in nurturing self-responsibility and creativity. e.g at the end of each segment of learning, individuals find a creative way to teach the rest of the participants what they learned throughout relating it to their original learning intention.

It is with great pleasure I embark upon this journey to create and implement the Helpership Development Program based on the concepts of Holistic Education. The opportunity to facilitate learning for developing Helpers in this way holds many possibilities and I foresee could be used in other parts of the world, not only where there are no formal Pathwork programs but also to be incorporated into more established regions.

The self-directed approach is well suited for this particular group. Two members have participated in Pathwork and Pathwork related programs for many years without having the benefit of an established Pathwork training or community available to them. (One has completed a Master’s degree using the self-directed approach) They have initiated many of their studies in one form or another, which, as I say above, is likely the situation which will arise in many places in the world. Three other members have participated in the Great Lakes Pathwork Training program, where presently, there is no Helpership Training program.

We intend to enjoy ongoing dialogue with Phana and/or other regions so that we can cross pollinate with our various ways of training helpers.

The agreement among us is that I will be the core facilitator/co-ordinator of the circle. My role will be multi-faceted. I will facilitate our yearly ongoing gatherings which will include different aspects of the curriculum where appropriate and group process. I am responsible for over-seeing each students establishment of learning goals and the implementation of these as well as the core curriculum which will evolve in relationship to the individual and group needs and the Phana guidelines.

Each student will seek out other teachers and learning situations which will complete their learning objectives. E.g. some students drawn in particular to 50/50 will attend workshops and trainings in this area and or seek supervision with helpers trained in this. The agreement with the group is that if they attend these separately they will be required to come back and teach each other what they have learned. This will be an opportunity to strengthen what they have learned and to practice teaching.

At times, when the whole group is interested in particular training, a teacher will be brought to Toronto. At this time, other individuals will be invited to participate both to share the learning and also to offset costs. Creating these events will also provide the students with experience in doing this.

Another aspect of this self-directed program, is that the students are mutually accountable . All homework assignments are sent to each other, as well as the learning goals and the means to achieve these. Students are then practicing helpership as they help each other challenge obstacles and realize success.

The participants of the Helpership Development Circle are individuals who have been connected to the Pathwork for many years. Each of them has shown ongoing tenacity and commitment to their Pathwork process. Not the least of this has been being Canadian and journeying to the U.S. regularly. This has meant long distance and high costs due to the exchange rates. Four of the members have been studying Divine Sexuality with me. I would refer to this as a post-graduate level of Pathworkimmersion. One student is a Barbara Brennan graduate. Two are practicing psycho-therapists who have been using the lectures in their work. These three have also taken many workshops and retreats with me at the former Phoenicia Pathwork centre over the years. Two are graduates of the Great Lakes PTP program.

As you can see, this program is rich in mature students, quite able to proceed with development as Helpers. I would advise this level of experience for others considering the implementation of a self-directed program.

Our intention is to meet approximately four times per year as a core goal. These meetings are a total of eight hours. The last meeting is a full weekend, largely in silence to deepen a relationship to silence, meditation practice and prayer. Lectures appropriate to this will be used.

This year is what I would call a “prepatory year”. Individuals are developing their learning intention – fine tuning it. They are in the process of creating a sound container for their learning through getting to know one another and each other’s strengths and weaknesses. We are exploring structure and forms to serve each individual as well as group needs. Stages of commitment are being examined; the relationship to the Path and to the Guide, personal relationships with God are being challenged through an in-depth consideration of the soul choice for particular religions of origin and the effect this will have upon being a helper. Individual stages of development are being challenged and ways to foster and nurture immaturity’s created. Ability to carry out a self-directed learning approach to helpership development is being assessed.

Each student is required to be in ongoing session work with a qualified helper as well as in consultation sessions with me. They are also required to have supervision sessions when they start apprenticing. When each one is ready to undertake this will also be part of the discernment about their readiness. In this program, it will not happen in a linear fashion, i.e. after the training is completed as in traditional forms. It will evolve out of the natural readiness of each individual. For example, there are likely three taking steps towards apprenticeship.

There is no time frame for graduation set in advance. The student, in consultation with me and their peers will have already stated what they require for completion of their training, how they will achieve this and how they will know they have finished. While some may articulate a completion date, other’s are more interested in following their own process and taking whatever time is indicated as they proceed. Ongoing evaluation will help in determining the authenticity of each situation. In this way, each student goes at their own pace. Some will require a longer

time for development than others but this is not seen in a competitive way, rather as recognition of ones’ true readiness based on what we all perceive in that particular individual.

In my experience, the student of a self-directed/holistic program asks far more of themselves than any outwardly imposed program could. This of course requires a wise and experienced facilitator to guide the process, one able to stand clearly in their authority, able to lead and follow when appropriate and to seek supervision and consultation when needed. The facilitator of self-directed learning needs to be accessible to the participants and open to ongoing assessment and accountability for his or her performance.

As part of each of the student’s preparation for entering the Helpership Development Circle, I asked them to propose the way fees would be paid to me. I did this for all of the main aspects of the program. It is my experience that when individuals are involved in the planning of their program, they feel more connected and feel more of a sense of ownership and self-responsibility for the decisions made. While rebellion and authority issues will arise naturally as part of maturing into helpership, the degree of this is diminished through establishing the experience of mutuality right from the beginning.

The agreement we have set in place for this first year is that I will be paid my hourly rate. This is shared by each member. I agreed to charge half of that rate for administrative tasks which I keep a record of and share with the students and two thirds for tasks, such as homework preparation. Payment is made each time we meet.

As referred to above, there is also the individual costs for extra training programs, individual sessions and supervision. So far, we are using facilities which do not require any other financial output and individuals who come to Toronto stay with friends, other group members etc. so that there is no cost for room or board.

This brings up another point worth mentioning about self-directed Helpership Development. I would stress the need to keep such a group small in order to maintain the kind of integrity I have been referring to above. I would not want more than 8 students at a time.

Another benefit of the self-directed style of training is that new members can come in at any time. They will go through the same process and because they are on their own time frame, neither what others have begun or what they are initiating, creates an obstacle to the individual process. Of course the issue of intimacy and creating a group container needs to be addressed ongoingly. However this is possible when there is positive will and an understanding from the beginning that this is one of the prices of this kind of container.

It is not possible at this point to state the number of lectures that will be covered. Presently these participants have been asked to read the lectures from the beginning and are reading 1-29 (as of Feb. 200l) since Sept., 2001. We will continue with this throughout since I have found it invaluable following the Guide’s sequence. Individuals are studying these lectures and reporting to me their learnings from each of them. As developing helpers, they are being guided literally to see how the Guide transmitted an orderly Path process. As we tackle specific subjects there will be particular lectures focused upon, such topics as Meditation, Evil, Relationship, Sexuality, and of course the lectures which have been assigned this year re the God Image.

A reading list will evolve as we proceed. This will come from my suggestions and ones made by the students to each other and from other regions’s programs.

The “hands on” approach of the self-directed Helpership Development Program does not lend itself to an imposed number or required length of time for apprenticeship. However, I believe that as long as someone is in the stage of apprenticeship, they will need both supervision and individual sessions with qualified helpers. If this approach is working, the individual would be asking this of themselves, having recognized the value on their own. It is also my opinion that even those helpers who have graduated in a truly mature fashion would always be open to the need for supervision and individual sessions, honestly assessing this in light of their commitment to their Pathwork process.

I hope the above material offers you an inner view of what we have created here. We are open to your questions, comments, feedback and help and would like to propose the creation of an opportunity at some point for all helpership students and their teachers to come together and share the wealth of different approaches and resources.

TORONTO HELPERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CIRCLE