As indicated in preceding paragraphs, the encounters with community members and professionals or practitioners in the capacity as ‘caregivers’ in an array of community development initiatives, repeatedly underlined the need for a different approach to community capacity building. In addition, caregivers and community development practitioners encountered in the various communities60 expressed a need for time out from the pressure of helping. A number of factors contributing to this feeling of being overburdened was identified, such as lack of time, stress caused by lack of funding, inflexible structures, lack of understanding and ‘over-use’ of existing helpers, and, becoming ‘containers of hurt’ (cf. Collins and Laughlin, 2005:x).
In the words of Collins and Laughlin (2005:x): “One of the primary benefits we [community caregivers] offer … is our presence as a listening and validating human receptacle for their stories of trauma”. Community caregivers are confronted on a daily basis with serious problems and prolonged struggles, issues with no ‘quick fix’ solutions and frequently death and dying of the people, they work with. Yet many of the people in caregiving (and the service professions) are not in the position to share the burden of their work with anyone at work or in their home environment, let alone have the luxury of ‘taking time out’ to recharge their own spiritual energy. Bearing this in mind, the goal of the 2½-day retreat was to offer participants the opportunity to
‘unload’ and find some inner quietness, providing them with the opportunity to relate to their Creator, nature and each other. They would be enabled to go through an individual inner or healing journey guided by facilitators experienced in spiritual mentorship. Lastly, they would be exposed to techniques and methods of inner healing which they can apply in future.
59 Cf. Appendix B for detailed descriptions of the exercises utilised during the retreat.
60 Referring to those communities encountered during both the preliminary study period as well as the initial involvement in the target communities of the Franschhoek district.
Based on the conviction that community members (and others) working as caregivers in the communities or in the service professions could benefit from the experience of inner revitalisation or spiritual recovery, it was anticipated this may be actuated through a structured inner journey involving quiet time, meditation, creative activities and being offered support on a need-to-have-basis. The programme was founded on the values of compassion, acceptance and caring, allowing each individual the freedom to an individual healing journey. Henri Nouwen (2006:91–92) emphasises the importance of granting the participants ‘personal freedom’: the facilitators should take care that their presence should not be “threatening and demanding, but inviting and liberating”, creating a space where pain and hurt can be freely shared. Shared pain, says Nouwen (2006:93), is no longer paralysing, but mobilising – we cannot escape our pains, but we can mobilise then into a common search for life, transforming the very pains from expressions of despair into signs of hope. In addition, the serene natural environment chosen for the retreats emphasised the interconnectedness of all human life and creation. According to Haws (2009:478) and Bryant Myers (2008:218–219), this connecting with and recognising God in nature, is one of the ways to enhance our walk with God, as illustrated in the magnificent metaphors used in the Psalms.61
The researchers’ understanding of the spiritual or inner healing process62 is that it becomes a journey where the facilitator/healer – under the guidance of God or the Holy Spirit – guides the individual through an analytical and intuitive or spiritual process. With reference to this ‘walking alongside’ the other, Thomas Keating (2006:
109) writes, “An important part of the response to Divine love … is to pass it on to our neighbour in a way that is appropriate in the present moment”. The journey is aimed at the understanding and delineation of the source of negative experiences, problems, or blockages (resulting from physical or mental trauma) in a search for wholeness, meaning, and reconciliation with God, self and others (Kirsten, 2004c:7). Given that the inner healing process emphasises the significance of the individual’s spiritual beliefs and practices in her/his search for wholeness, meaning and reconciliation (Milner, 2003:81), the utilisation of specific aides and techniques to support this analytical, yet spiritual process were deemed vital.
61 Myers (2008:218–219) refers specifically to Psalm 104 to illustrate God’s active involvement with creation: “Gods speaks and directs while nature responds … so that man can thrive”. When spending time in nature during a retreat – such as during a nature walk – something of this interaction is transferred unto us (cf. section 3.4.5.5).
62 Cf. Chapter 5, section 5.4.3: Detailed discussion of inner or spiritual healing within communities.
The endeavour to facilitate inner or spiritual healing in a group setting was urged by the exposure to the community members’ stories of past hurtful events and their openly expressed need for wanting to deal with these issues – before moving into the community development process. However, most techniques for spiritual healing were developed for working with individuals.63 It follows that, working in community context with groups of individuals (such as project members, action committees); these techniques and assessment tools had to be modified subject to a number of factors and constraints.64 Thus, heeding the time constraints, the need for personal space, and especially the integrity of the healing process, the retreat programme was structured to include those healing components considered viable.65 This resulted in a retreat programme and content with a flexible format delicately balancing a variety of techniques, activities and exercises to allow individuals – within a group context – first, the space to follow their individual healing process and second, the opportunity to prepare for their task as practitioners in community development.
An overview and analysis of the healing components, and specifically of the participants’ input and contributions, response to and feedback regarding their experience of the retreat-process, activities and exercises, is given in section 3.4.6.
3.4.4.2 Researcher as facilitator and healer
The nature of the healing retreats necessitated from the researcher to take on a different role than before – moving from ‘data-collector’ to a facilitative and more
‘therapeutic’ role, i.e. facilitating the inner healing process.66 Yet, rather than becoming
‘the expert’, it requires the ability to respectfully walk alongside the other.67 Paulo
63 Cf. discussion on spiritual healing in Chapter 5, section 5.4.3.
64 Firstly, for any spiritual healing to take place, the individuals involved should be open or receptive to working through their past hurt. Enough time should be allowed for the process – a challenge, since there usually are time constraints. Peoples’ expectations should be considered, since, in the community development process people have action goals, and are not all on the same level of ‘openness’ (with a view to deal with inner pain/turbulence). Lastly, not all community facilitators have a background in therapeutic or healing work or sufficient experience to deal with inner pain/turbulence in a group setting.
65 Given the constraints (cf. previous footnote), the healing components considered vital and viable for facilitating healing both as individual inner journey and as basis for the capacity building (for the participants in their role as community care-givers), were: self discovery; contemplation; story-telling;
mindfulness; grieving; forgiveness; and holistic participation. (Cf. Chapter 5, section 5.2.4.2 inclusion of spiritual dimension in community development; section 5.4.3 spiritual healing process.)
66 Cf. Chapter 5, sections 5.4.3.1 & 5.4.3.3 on spiritual healing and the role of the spiritual healer.
67 The practitioner’s role as facilitator of the healing journey is different from what was previously seen as the ‘therapeutic role’. There is a danger of not standing back, of becoming the ‘expert’, rather than be gentle enough to allow the other his/her space for inner healing. Wessel (in McLaughlin & Briggs, 1996:7) states that “…in order to be a healing influence, the healer must cultivate a basic sort of humility and respect, where it is not appropriate to show up as an expert”.
Freire (2006:21–23) relates how he had to ‘unravel the fabric’ of his past, unmasking the ‘why’ of his suffering in order to be able to reach out to others. Henri Nouwen (2006:82; 94–96) uses the term ‘wounded healer’, implying that one has to acknowledge (and in fact utilise) one’s own woundedness before attempting to ‘heal’
another.68 The practitioner then, is compelled to be willing to admit and face his/her own ‘woundedness’, and, to a degree, share it with those he/she is working with. Such an attitude of ‘openness to learn from’ will in turn foster confidence, self-dependence and a feeling of ‘we have what it takes’ amongst community members (cf.
NETWAS, 2002:1–2; Chapter 3, section 3.3.3 practice lessons).
Essentially, the role of the facilitator in the spiritual healing process is one of providing a safe, supportive space for guiding the individuals – in a group setting – through an introspective process to address their inner wounds and pain; share
“confessions of our basic brokenness” (Nouwen, 2006:93); and to discover their spiritual assets. Lastly, the facilitator has to create an awareness of the value of these spiritual assets in dealing with life’s challenges and communal living. Next, the creating of a space and format for the healing process will be discussed.
3.4.4.3 Creating a space and format for inner healing retreats
Freire (2006:26) refers to the human condition of loneliness and longing; desperation and hope as essential issues to be addressed in the inner healing process. For the healing process to transpire there needs to be a safe space where people can be invited to enter “…into their own wisdom … to see the gifts embedded in their trauma...”
(Collins & Laughlin, 2005:41). According to Nouwen (2006:89), this space is partly created by the facilitator’s display of ‘hospitality’, implying that – in order to pay attention to the guest(s) – the ‘host’ has to place his/her own needs, worries, preoccupations, tensions and appointments in the background in order to create space for the ‘guest’. Apart from providing emotional and spiritual safety, the safe space has to be created on a physical level, including aspects such as venue, programme, and physical layout, food, sleeping facilities, the staff, safety and comfort of the participants.69 The feedback received after the retreats indicated that these elements
68 Cf. Nouwen (2006:82): “He is called to be the wounded healer, the one who must look after his own wounds but at the same time be prepared to heal the wounds of others.”
69 Driskill (1999:58–61) refers to the importance of working in a venue (physical space) conducive to the process of spiritual practicing/healing. A welcoming, safe space where the participants can settle in and familiarise themselves with their surroundings to decrease anxiety, soft music, enough air flow, light, quietness and comfortable seating, as well as providing a focal point (such as a burning candle) will aide the process. During the retreats, ample use was made of fresh flowers and elements from nature – for example, the silent walk on the mountain slope.
were integral to meeting the interest and need for ‘recovery’ or rejuvenation of the participants, for example,
Yesterday I was afraid of what I was going to meet: new people, facilitators – but now I am comfortable. This place is remote, no noise or disturbances – it enables us to look within.70 Given the retreat-focus on working through inner hurt and pain of unresolved past emotional issues towards ‘restoration and revitalisation’, it was decided to include only 6–8 participants in each 2½-day weekend retreat. The same basic format, programme and content were utilised during all four the retreats, with only minor deflections from the actual programme in terms of the order in which the different exercises took place and occasionally (due to the need of the participants) more time spent on certain exercises. Aides utilised to affirm this healing journey included music and other symbols (e.g. candles), photographs taken during the retreats;71 and a retreat workbook.72 In all instances, the reaction to these workbooks and especially the photographs was extremely positive, as the participants expressed that “this is our work, this is the journey we went through”.
A number of factors determined the format (i.e. the choice of activities, material and the actual course or ‘flow’) of the retreat programme – and, subsequently, the analysis.73 First, the exercises were not seen as ‘spiritual exercises’, but as tools to stimulate healing and transformation on a different level. Understanding humans as
“…spiritual beings – in the whole of their body/soul existence - having a human experience” (Anderson, 2003:66), it follows that all activities could be seen as having a spiritual dimension. Moreover, although healing comes from within oneself and can only brought about by the person to be healed, the healing process can be supported and nurtured by others through competent intervention with the appropriate tools (cf.
Anderson, 2003:95; Montgomery, 1999:3). In this instance (i.e. the healing retreats), the intervention consisted of the utilisation of exercises with an inner or spiritual healing component, within a very specific process and space. Consequently, in determining the actual content, the underpinning question was, “What activities or exercises will enable
70 A member of group FH2 during retreat November 25–27, 2007.
71 These photographs (or visual portraits) are seen as part of the outcome, as it vividly portrays the involvement and the range of emotions experienced during the various exercises and activities. Besides from including the photographs in the workbooks, they were used to compile a PowerPoint presentation shown to participants as feedback and assessment aide during a follow-up session.
72 Compiled during the retreat, based on the actual content and the group’s photographs and actual inputs and contributions.
73 Subsequently in the analysis of the impact of the exercises and process these factors also served as indicators of success. Cf. section 3.4.6 for the analysis of data resulting from inner healing retreats.
or facilitate the individuals (and ultimately the group) on their inner journey toward a holistic healing – i.e. working through thoughts, emotions and spiritual awareness towards reconciliation with God, self and others.
A second factor is the high regard given to ‘the voice of the people’ in action research. Listening to and analysing the actual voiced experiences of the participants were deemed the most reliable method of measuring the value and impact of the intervention. Thus, the programme format allowed for one of the facilitators to capture the verbatim input for the duration of the retreat (and subsequently the capacity building worksessions).74 In the final analysis process, more weight was allotted to this input than to the researcher’s ‘objective’ observations and opinion. Rather than determining sub-themes and categories based on the literature findings, the direct participant input was utilised to derive at main themes, which provided the basis for further reflection, discourse and possible adaptation of the process and content.
The third factor that affected the compilation of the retreat programme was the complexity of measuring a non-substantiated entity, namely the hoped for outcome of inner healing, i.e. increased inner power or strength. Since in reality there is no
‘resulting competency’ to measure, alternative measures to determine or gauge the impact of the activities and process had to be found. Allowing sufficient time for reflection and feedback between the various sessions; adhering to the pace of the participants (continue only once all the participants indicated their readiness to move on); and including time for sharing and feedback between partners, enabled the determining the level of insight, growth, impact, change and satisfaction. In addition, the presence of two facilitators during the retreat sessions was another ‘control factor’
in the sense that participants could be monitored closely and had access to a facilitator at all times if the need arose.75 The level of active participant involvement was another indicator of ‘success’.
The fourth factor was the cultural background of the participants. To ensure that the content and process of the retreats were accessible to all, the co-facilitator translated all communication into the mother tongue of the participants. The format and contents of the exercises have been tested and utilised amongst various cultural groups throughout hundreds of communities in South Africa, thus ‘testing’ and ensuring its acceptability to all cultural groups.76
74 Reflected as statements throughout this report.
75 Cf. TAR process of reflection, written record and joint discussions (Cameron, et al., 2010:102–106).
76 Cf. discussion on differences in cultural groups’ experiences – section 3.4.6, paragraph on spiritual dimensions of peoples’ lives.
In the subsequent discussion, the retreat process – entailing eight sessions – and the impact of the various activities and exercises are reflected upon.