Healing Relationships

STAR Foundation Newsletter
 

Dear STAR Friends,

For months I have been told to “go see AVATAR.” It is not easy to go to movie theaters in southern Arizona, but I have no such excuse in California. So during a recent visit, I went to see AVATAR. WOW! What a masterpiece of visual and sound technology. The message of the film was not unlike the philosophy of STAR. Both are about changing old beliefs and perceptions and opening up to new ways of thinking and seeing. Both include dealing with the Shadow. In the movie, the Shadow is huge, mechanistic, very defended and meant to shock and awe. It felt powerful and invincible. Clearly the advertisements did not favor the Na’vi nation on Planet Pandora. It is a familiar feeling we humans may feel when we are confronted by our internalized shadow. It can seem over powering, and like the Na’vi, we have internal and external powerful, and loving allies.

I was touched by the words the creatures on Pandora used to greet each other, “I see you.” It conveyed more than a verbal, visual communication. It was clearly a felt connection of the heart and mind. It was a shared mutual openness of receiving and being received. Not unlike the greeting of “Namaste.” It happens a lot at STAR so I know it is always a possibility.

Connecting and co-operating with nature and each other seemed to be important to these tall, lean beings with their strange ears and long tails. The residents of planet Pandora had some unique ways of bonding, not just with each other, but with frightening predators like big winged beasts and beautiful floating jelly-fish-like spirits. Each Na’vi had a long braid with a magical flower on the end. They used it to make loving connections with each other and even with the scary mythical beasts. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we each had a magical braid (I almost wrote brain!!) that could instantly transform fear into love? In the beginning of the film, I thought the Na’vi creatures were strange and weird and not very likeable. At the end of the movie, I loved them.

I saw many parallels between AVATAR and the STAR Process. Both are about dealing with negative patterns and healing relationships with yourself and others. The community of the Na’vi was strong and beautiful. If you haven’t seen the movie, the Planet of the Na’vi Nation is on Planet Pandora. Therapy can often feel like opening up Pandora’s Box. It can be very liberating.

We are gearing up for our next STAR Group, April 23 to May 2nd, 2010. Each group is unique. Everyone arrives with an individual history and a conditioned way of perceiving others and themselves. STAR provides a safe place for each one to work on themselves regardless of backgrounds or personal stories. We assist others in changing old compulsive patterns of thinking and feeling to more productive choices. We deeply appreciate your support of encouraging others to come to STAR. It is a healing powerful process, which takes time and support. That’s what STAR provides.

Our new website is in the works thanks to many of you who have contributed your time, energy, ideas, and financial support. It should be coming to you this Spring on your local laptop.

We may not have bonding braids to make instant loving connections, but our hearts and minds do a pretty good job.

I see you.

Love,

Barbara