"After the Darkest Hour: How Suffering Begins the Journey to Wisdom"

Most people understand that suffering and sorrow are inevitable parts of every life and that  illness, death, loss of a loved one, a cherished relationship, or a job are universal experiences, not retribution or symptoms of bad luck. But few of us comprehend the ways in which suffering can give rise to  growth. What is it that allows some people to become better - more courageous, conscious, compassionate, stronger, wiser - as a result of life's "dark nights of the soul," while others become bitter,  jaded, and angry as a result of the same kinds of experiences?

This workshop explores the qualities - psychological, behavior, and spiritual - of those who have turned periods of pain and suffering into opportunities for growth and renewal. While the workshop is founded on deep truths about the nature of reality, it offers clear, practical strategies for growing through life's difficult times. A great workshop  experience for those presently experiencing loss or difficulty as well as for those who desire to be better prepared for life's inevitable losses.

  Through lecture, discussion, and exercises, you'll learn:
   *  The truth about life - Everyone lives a drama.
   *  The alchemical metaphor for turning lead into gold and how to use this in your own life.
   *  Brick houses/straw houses: How prepared are you for suffering?
   *  Understanding luck, destiny, and free will and learning when to row against and when to flow with the events of your life.
   *  How to move beyond resiliency utilizing 12 infallible strategies for growing through the pain of hard times.