Bright Blessings of the Day to You!
As Wise Children, we must attend to many aspects of life in our service. Being an awakened being, we often have to decide if we are going to be a leader in the numbers of the people, or a Leader of the people. This is often where many of us choose to become pagan clergy. We work with the webs of the Light and the Shadow and find the balance and the cherished differences and needs of both within the World.
But sometimes, the Call is different. Sometimes unexpectedly we become Counselor in our daily lives to others. Situations arise, through choice and chance, that can lead to the ones we love to go into that Dark Place where the Shadow waits.
It is not only when a person decides to do Shadow work that the Shadow comes calling at their window. Life happens. At times, events lead to an absence of solace that seems to drive the Soul to self harm.
In these times, we can be at a loss to handle this without experience. Many of us have lost Ones that haunt our thoughts, and we wonder "what did I miss?". No one can turn back the Wheel and redo what was done. But what we can do is to prepare ourselves for the eventual turns that will come again.
Having done Shadow Work for clients and myself, it can have lasting effects that carry over into weeks and sometimes longer. There are times when it is thrust upon us through a life event. No matter the circumstance, the impact can be heart rending.
For one description of Shadow Work and what it is in the Pagan Community, you can go to http://awakeninlight.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/shadow-work/.
Other times, the stressors that normally are little stones, add up to giant weights that overwhelm. This is when depression can set into a place within us that is dangerous. It is then that we should seek a professional.
However, what of those times when there is no professional in the room and it is just you and that other person, two of the Gods' Children, and you become their instrument? What then?
It is in this light that I am graced to announce that American Indian Health and Family Services of Detroit, Michigan http://aihfs.org is offering a free suicide prevention training workshop. In their announcement regarding the training, it is described as
"ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) is a two-day, interactive workshop that prepares caregivers to provide suicide first aid interventions. Small group discussions and skills practice are based on adult learning principles. ASIST teaches the Suicide Intervention Model, a practical guide to doing suicide interventions. Powerful videos support learning."
This workshop is open to all caregivers the age of 18 and older. By the end of the training, participants should be able to:
"-Identify people who have thoughts of suicide
-Understand how beliefs and attitudes can affect suicide interventions
-Seek a shared understanding of the reasons for thoughts of suicide and the reasons for living
-Review current risk and develop a plan to increase safety from suicidal behavior for an agreed amount of time
-Follow up on safety commitments, accessing further help as needed"
The training itself will take place in Ann Arbor, Michigan on March 23 and 24th, from 8:15 AM - 6:30PM in the East Hall of the University of Michigan, Rooms 1084 and 1060, at 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor Michigan. AIHFS is working the Native American Student Association at the university http://www.umich.edu/~aium in facilitating this event.
If you are interested in attending, space is limited. You must register within the next few days. Please contact Nickole Fox at AIHFS (nfox@aihfs.org) and supply your full name, address, Email, phone number, and organization/department, if any.
Nicole Fox is the Director of Health Education and Prevention Department of Community Health and Family Wellness at American Indian Health and Family Services.
Help is available to seekers at http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/. This site can give a quick reference for help for yourself or someone else.
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