Discussion Group in Camarillo: Stretching Lessons: The Daring That Starts From Within by Sue Bender

Stretching Lessons: The Daring That Starts From Within by Sue Bender is a concise, eloquent, and insightful narrative of the author's continuing struggle to balance simplicity with her usual frantic way of being. The book is her personal exploration of the question, "Could I dare to be bigger?" As always, the complementary Stretching Lessons discussion group is open to all members of the community. By popular demand, we will be back in Howald Parlor at the Camarillo United Methodist Church.

Stretching Lessons captured my attention from the very beginning with this passage that prefaces the Prologue: "Writing is my way to discover what my soul is trying to tell me." Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth has encouraged millions to learn techniques that allow a person to connect and listen to their soul. Stretching Lessons takes this one step farther ... now that I can recognize when my soul is speaking to me, how do I figure out what it is saying? This question resonated with me as I continue to create and re-create Integrative InSight, which is a unique expression of my own soul. The book is filled with short tales that vividly describe how chance occurrences or comments in Bender's life transformed themselves into life-changing insights. The key is noticing the signals, paying attention to them, and then being open to resulting change. Or as I like to say it "focus, contemplate and grow".

Given that Yoga Therapy has been the vehicle for my personal transformation, I particularly like that Stretching Lessons is about Bender's growing recognition that the soul can communicate through her body, as well as through her heart and intuition. This book is an excellent example of how Yoga Therapy—learning to tune into your powerful body-mind connection as a reliable source of information about you—can be a powerful tool for transformation.

Come prepared to engage in a personal discussion of which passages in Stretching Lessons inspired you, which made you laugh and which ones made you pause and think. Once a week for 5 weeks, you will have an opportunity to listen to others share their reactions to the book, while having the opportunity to share your own. Members of previous discussion groups have been overwhelmed by the individual honesty, genuine curiosity and infinite openness of the people who come together for these conversations. Within the course of one evening, we feel like we've known each other forever. Members find themselves anxiously awaiting the next meeting for the opportunity to reconnect.

We'll be reading the book as follows:

• July 2 – Prologue, Beginning and Section I "Daring That Starts From Within"
• July 9 – Section II "Opening"
• July 16 – Section III "Risking"
• July 23 – Section IV "Stretching"
• July 30 – Section V "Growing Wings"

For those of you who cannot join us in person, check this page after the meeting date and I will post the suggested questions for that meeting. Be aware that it may take me up to a week to do this.

Join me in Howald Parlor at the Camarillo United Methodist Church for a lively, engaging discussion. My calendar contains exact details on when we will meet and what to read for each meeting. Please RSVP through the calendar for each meeting that you will attend as this will determine the difference between comfortably seated versus standing-room only. You can always contact me if you need clarification on directions or details.