I’m still opening my Christmas gift.

My experience at “Stories that reconnect”

Last year, a couple of weeks before Christmas, I received a gift that I am still opening. Ilaria Olimpico offered me the final spot to be part of her group of “Stories that reconnect”. A workshop that she was facilitating in February.

I said yes without a doubt. Feeling the adventure in life is my main call lately. However, the workshop was in Italian, and I do not speak Italian. I understand a lot, but not all and I can’t say more than few loose words.

February came along, and with that, the training. It happened after my tumultuous and challenging trip to Argentina to visit my family. So, once I came back to Spain, the activity started.

The first thing that space brought me was a sense of silence, safeness and quiet space to rest. After my trip experience, the contrast was the first wonderful gift that I received.
I appreciate the silence, spaciousness, boundaries, and certainty that Ilaria built and held the space. The sessions were smooth, soft and with a sense of freedom but within a truly clear container at the same time.

I met the group for the first time, and in the end, after four sessions, I felt that I knew them for a long time. They welcomed me and my no Italian speaking. It was never a barrier for us—a deep free of judgement space.

All the sessions were an invitation to be in the body with several resources and deep silent space. The silence was in the collective and the individual. And from there, we were shifting in-between Social and individual awareness and from that place, realizing the connections.

There was a session that challenged me, following the stories of the collective. I could not use my mind because I didn’t understand the language fully. I had to use my other resources such as the senses, the gestures of others, the feelings, my body, etc. I struggled with the task, but I was there with my body in a not judgement space, where I felt held first by Ilaria and then and in consequence by the others. So, I could witness that process. I was not expected to do it in a certain way. When I was struggling, I shifted, and I used other resources instead of blaming the circumstances, what I didn’t have, or I couldn’t do. I built on what I have. Yes, we said it all the time, but witnessing the process and changes are precious.

But also, it is part of the spaces that you are in and how the intentions are built by the one who is holding the space. You are not alone there; you are with others and with their intentions.

So, until today I am getting insights from experience.
Until today, I’m still opening my Christmas gift.

Grazie, Ilaria, for building and holding such a wonderful experience.