
LETTERS FROM OUR PARTICIPANTS
dear and beloved! thank you for sending us your letters, we love you too!
Natalia, activist, Ukraine
That was wonderful ten days in my life. Training, communication, a lot of opportunities and impressions. Many thanks, Yana! The talent for seeing people, loving and opening a whole beautiful world before them is also a special magic. You start to see the whole world as a whole, you start to see yourself from the inside and out. This trip was the second experience for me. I came to Flow like a fearful kitten, but with a huge request - I did not have enough knowledge. I came back as a person who is not afraid to take responsibility for himself. It turns out that I can talk. I enjoy the beauty of the world around me. And I can capture such moments in my pictures. My life turned over. To love myself with all my dignity and mischief, sometimes sadness. The world is wonderful. A charming place on Biryuchy island. Quiet and calm. Beautiful sunsets and sunrises. Vegetarian cuisine. A young married couple who worked around the clock to feed us. And, how it was delicious! Live music. Yura and Natasha not only cooked, but also played musical instruments and sang songs. I am grateful to God and the Flow team: Yana, Anastasia, Eli, Asya and everybody - for the opportunity to breathe life into myself. Thank you for your open hearts and work that opens the hearts of others - on the breath of the wind ...
A., journalist, North Caucasus
"Freedom" is the word that I take with me. And I also take with me the ability to understand and the ability to move away from something (or someone) that (who) does not make me happy.
How do I feel now?
I am a big mountain autumn forest. Golden forest with clear blue sky, over which airplanes fly. Airplanes - air - freedom. Heaven - freedom.
Quite a bit and my forest will be freed from the old yellowed foliage It will stand completely naked, it will be free under the snow, it won't be cold, because the snow will only decorate my forest, ennoble its soil. It will wait for spring.
Reincarnation. The first spring flowers will appear in the snow. Pines and spruces will be covered with new needles. Birds will fly again in clear, blue sky.
Heaven - birds - freedom.
P, human rights activist, Russia
I came to the course with the feeling that I was in deep depression, despite the fact that I went on vacation and I thought that I was having a good time and having fun. Nevertheless, it was some strange wild race and on arrival, I did not know how to stop it. I felt that I had to stop it, but at the same time I could not, I did not know how to help myself. I did not have the strength, I was not myself, something was bothering me, something dark and all-consuming. Nevertheless, I went to solve other issues, I had to focus on them, I had a goal, the goal was to become a self-sufficient person, confident and able to realize what I wanted, something that I had been going for so long. And by and large I did it, I laid the foundation for this process, found the wormhole that all my life prevented me from being realized and being the person I am. And in this work, I also found something else, something I did not know existed, something that also dominated me in some moments of my life - the very thing that led me to this race and guided me and corroded me for several years. Nevertheless, the most important thing was done: the problems and gaps were found and work on them was started. Something that I learned about myself in the first course was worked out, it doesn't exist no more and when I hear that people have similar problems, it's not a trigger anymore, I sympathize with them and I know that they can work it out too and it will pass.
N, organizer of women's movement, North Caucasus
Once in a completely safe life at the first glance - there comes a time when you realize that something is wrong. More and more often you ask yourself a question: Do you do everything right?
Internal feeling and health begin to scream that you need help, but you can not stop and listen to yourself because the wheel of life is spinning. And out of habit you try to keep up with it.
I learned about the effectiveness of Yana's technique at the seminar, where she spent only a few sessions. In just a few hours, my view of the problems, one of which has not bothered me for several years, has changed. There was an understanding of what was happening and what could be done about it. We just finished the course, but right now I can say that participation in Flow was a turning point in my life. Here, for the first time I had an opportunity to hear myself, to understand what processes are taking place inside me, how they affect my life and how I can change it. Thank you!!!
N., human rights activist, social worker, North Caucasus
Before going here, I doubted for a long time. Even on the way here, I thought: where am I going? After all, young people go there. And my condition was terrible, I was tired of everything. I wanted at least now to find and fall in love with myself. Having arrived here, firstly, there appeared a calm inside my soul, a former huge lump decreases every day. Although today is the last night of my staying here, I have a feeling that I'm not leaving. There were very difficult moments when I completely withdrew into myself, but, thanks to the trainers who helped to get out of this state, I began to feel satisfactory. It seems to me that each of us, including myself, has acquired a lot of things that we will apply in real life. It is a pity that I could not get such experience in my youth. But believe me, I'm very happy that I got a lot personally for myself. And I realized that everybody must love himself and live on! No matter how old you are! And I'll try to keep the term "life is pain" left for me in the past.
Tatiana, consultant, activist, Ukraine
I am very enthusiastic that I had the opportunity to take part in the FLOW course dedicated to recovery from emotional burnout and work with post-injury. It was an unforgettable vacation by the sea, held in an incredible atmosphere of love and warmth with healing communication with Yana and Eli, soulful musical evenings, delicious vegetarian cuisine from Jura and Natasha and a fun morning exercises before breakfast. During these wonderful 10 days, I met many new, interesting people, but the most important meeting was a meeting ... with myself! I had a great rest, got a colossal charge of energy, finally began to believe in myself and my strength, I found peace and peace in my heart! Thank you very much to all the organizers of this course!
Anna, human rights activist, Ukraine
For me, this course was the third one. And I can say for sure that FLOW helps to change life for the better, to find inner peace, to learn more about the world and about oneself. It's hard to work on yourself, but it's worth it if you want your life to sparkle with new colors. Under the guidance of the trainers, I was able to work through many psychological traumas, and through communication with other students, I realized that I was not alone, that there were many people with similar problems in the world.
The main thing is that the course gave me strength to live and enjoy life, gave me an opportunity to look at the world in a new way. I would advise everyone who is looking for the meaning of life and can not find it on the side of a long time - to get acquainted with the Flow. Surprisingly, after the courses, many questions disappeared, and the answers impressed with simplicity and logic. In addition to valuable knowledge, I was able to walk in the forest, admire nature, enjoy the sincerity of the team and other students - after such effective therapy I am full of joy, love, peace and energy.
I want to thank for the sсholarship and for the forces that the coach has invested in us - Yana, Asya, Eli and Vika. Your love and sincerity is no less important than the valuable knowledge that you brought to us. Hope that this was not our last meeting.
N., psychologist, human rights activist
There have been severe events in my life for the past 2 years. Betrayal, long waiting and broken dreams led me to such feelings like pain, resentment, disbelief in myself as a personality, professional, human. I began to take off all the positions of my life. My soul is tired of hoping and waiting. Nothing has changed. The more I endured and selflessly devoted myself to work, family, the world, the more my strength was exhausted and the stronger the surrounding people showed aggression towards me, used me and my resources. At some point life ceased to please me, I became very nervous. I was so exhausted that I could not be guided by elementary security measures. My motivation for work has decreased, thoughts of suicide have appeared. I learned about the Flow a year ago, but It was difficult for me to get here for a long time. Even now I got on the course thanks to the flexibility and responsiveness of the organizers. My emotional state before the course and after the course is like heaven and earth: I again feel the desire to live, to live the full life, to love and appreciate myself, to bring kindness to this world. Everything has changed! I leave the course as a new, updated person, and I worked out not only my fresh injuries but also long-standing, even unconscious injuries. Philosophy of Flow is unique, but at the same time very unobtrusive, simple and profound. I seemed to be in the hands of angels who picked me up, supported me, gave me wings and who was flying with me all these days. The horizons of life's possibilities were extended, the colors, sounds, images, birds' singing, the warmth of the sun, hope in the soul returned to my life. The feeling of despair and depression is gone with understanding and working on my injuries. Unfortunately, I can't cover the words, I can not convey the dynamics of the sessions, the atmosphere of the group, the moments of understanding myself and why with me this or that happens where I am. Flow conducts intensive work for the restoration and acquisition of internal resources and faith in ourselves. I am very grateful to Flow for the love and care for each member, the sincere desire to support and develop, the involvement and lively feelings for us. Thank you very much, dear Yana,, Eli and Nastya! With love, best wishes, hope for new meetings, With the breath of the wind
E., human rights activist, Russia
I can not say who I was when I came to Flow, because I was no longer "someone" but "something ". I do not really have much left from real me, except for a worn out shell. But I can precisely answer the question of who I was when left the course - it was real me . Yana persistently calls what she does not a magic, but the talent to see people, to love and open to them a whole beautiful world is also her own , special magic. In this whole atmosphere (thanks to the Flow team), you begin to see the whole world, you start to see yourself from the inside and out, you know where there are ulcers and holes in the soul, and you can start to heal them , you can work on it like you never could before. The beginning of the path is the most difficult, and this was started on Flow. I came to the course with a huge request - to begin, at last, to live. I thought that I am locked up in myself , that the problem of everything is just in me, in my fatigue, or laziness, or stupidity. I blamed myself for everything, I considered myself insufficient in everything. I did not believe to be able to cope even in order to stay afloat, to survive. I did not think I could Live. I worked all my life with different psychologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists and gave myself to them - with a hope that never justified itself. With Yana and Flow, I learned that I can help myself with their support. I can do everything myself. Formulate my gratitude in words will not come out in any familiar language, but this gratitude, perhaps, does not need any words.
Natalia, social worker, teacher
Beautiful people, open hearts, warm hugs and sincere, clean eyes. Feeling of harmony and tranquility.
Before I got here, I saw that there was chaos in my life. I saw it, but I didn't aware all the perniciousness of what is happening.
Here I opened my eyes.. Here I found understanding, and most importantly - the help I needed so much. Here the first steps were taken to work on myself.
Gradually, day after day, bit by bit, I felt that a load of anxiety, resentment, fears were falling from my shoulders. There is a shine in my eyes again, a desire to smile, to work, to move. This is an absolutely incredible feeling after you did not want anything and did not see the point - not in helping others, or in work, or in life. This feeling is like a breath of fresh air. I want to sing and to dance. It's like falling in love. When you feel the smells and the colours of life in a new way..
FAITH returned to me. Faith in people, faith in the future, faith in myself. You embrace people with pure eyes, bright souls and understand that nothing is in vain.
You seem to feel the angels' touching and you realize - God loves you.
While leaving, I leave a piece of my heart here, but I also take smiles, warmth and a piece of a miracle with me. I'm leaving with an easy heart.
With the whiff of wind...
And there is the time of change ahead.
Tatyana, professor, trainer, Ukraine
The first impression of the course - you are in a fairy tale, where fantasies come to life and dreams become reality. Everything is allowed! There are no limits, rules and restrictions. Your life will now completely change and will never be the same.
After completing the course, I can say that the first impression was partly deceptive. There are rules and restrictions. For their violation younmay be deleted. Your life will really change. But this does not happen by the stroke of a magic wand. You'll become the agent of these changes yourself.
If you are tired, dissatisfied with your life and you understand that you have to start any changes first of all with yourself then you have to go on Flow. It will create ideal conditions for rest, help you understand yourself, show where to move on and give everything that is necessary for your way.
And then everything depends on you.
THANK YOU!
Anya, social worker, Ukraine
Participation in the course for me is a hard, exhausting job that requires honesty with oneself and courage. This is a new experience for me to build confidence in myself and the environment, but above all - to myself. The experience of caring for myself, the courage to speak out loud about myself, ask questions and continue to work, although at some point you want to get away from work. Although sometimes scary. To participate in the course you must have a resource. For me, the openness of the team was a huge support.
Svetlana, teacher, Kiev
Flow gave an amazing knowledge of how to work on yourself, how to help yourself, love yourself and others. And only in a state of love and trust, you can get rid of anxieties, fear, and despondency. In this state, I want to change my life, to reveal my potential, to try something new.
Every day was very interesting and important in the understanding of "my own" and "others" programs, the ability to distinguish them and see my way, to listen to my intuition.
The acquired knowledge helps to establish relationships with loved ones and appreciate oneself. Thanks to the trainers for their unique knowledge, author's approach and warm attitude to the participants. Thanks for living conditions and the opportunity to enjoy nature in one of the most beautiful places in Ukraine
A., psychologist, human rights activist, North Caucasus
I wanted to get on Flow, according to the stories of colleagues and friends - it's such a cool program, in which different courses are held, So, I wanted to get for "rehabilitation" and "development" The first "disappointment" of the presentation of the steep courses was acquaintance with the recreation base where the course is taking place: simple, comfortable, without too much pathos, And then the question: "Wait, how the image of the tough Flow and this base can fit each other?" The second "disappointment" was the acquaintance with the Flow team: Yana, in a sheep wool cardigan in June at the base near the sea, Nastya - a girl who was carrying on correspondence with us not with a "business case and strict look", but a sweet smiling girl: "Nastya, if you do not remember me well, it means that I did not work well", Eli - I do not know what his role is, but he also hugs and welcomes everyone, as if he was waiting for us all his life. Yana from the first minute gives a sense of a home cosiness that you already think "What's going on?", Then "disappointments" continued: there is no program or course plan. "And how is this possible? ... Something is completely unclear." We are asked whether we are all comfortable, we are guarded, we are surrounded by attention and love, such that you finally cease to understand anything, "We came to a rehabilitation and growth course, or will we all just be hugged and surrounded for 10 days?" - Yes! All 10 days and each of 10 days was full of attention and love for each participant, I can not convey this in words, you must feel it.. The course of rehabilitation, as I imagined it, did not happen. It happened much more: I began to learn how to know myself and gradually began to understand that you can go for the "rehabilitation course" without end - like "charging the battery" and continuing in the same spirit, until the battery runs out and so on without end, unless you start learning to look for a source of energy and light in yourself ... Nor did the course of "professional growth" happen - I was not given a paper confirming that I once again listened to something and decided that I had learned this and I know how it works and how to apply it to become an even cooler psychologist. Thanks to this course, I realized that I had not yet begun to study, it is all to be done and this way can not be completed - it is never-ending. I did not get what I expected from the course ... I got what was unexpected at all and I'm immensely grateful for that. I listened to myself-everything that I feel makes sense and explanation. The course aimed at finding true values, gave so much knowledge that make it clear that one must learn a lot to understand that I do not know anything. If you, like me before the course, think that you know enough - come and find out. Goodness and love do not need an invitation, they rush themselves .. with the breeze of the wind ....
N., teacher, psychologist, North Caucasus
Before I came here, at FLOW, I was thinking a lot of it. It seemed to me that I could sort out in my problems myself. In recent years, my life has turned into chaos. Because of the event that happened in my life, I went into myself. I did not want to talk or communicate with anyone. I did not even know what I needed, what I want from this life. I just forgot myself. The day we arrived, I was surprised at that meeting, it seemed to me that I was in a fairy tale. I, like a little girl, looked around with delighted eyes. For the first time in recent years, I felt alive, it turns out, I still can rejoice.
This first impression seemed to give me a push to move forward. I was brought back to life. It was like being assembled bit by bit again. And for me this process was very difficult, difficult, somewhere I resisted because I was afraid to lose this load, get rid of my grievances, fears, I was afraid of emptiness: how I will fill this emptiness. I knew the way, but I needed someone who would teach me to go on. And the rest depends on me. Now I'm glad that I came here, and I do not regret at all. I'm going home with new strength.
Alex, trainer, business consultant, social entrepreneur, HRD, Ukraine
If I was asked to describe in one sentence how the Flow has influenced my life, I’d answer with this life-affirming thesis: “You’ll never be the same”. But it is not just about changes in me-the particular person, it is about the change of the whole space, of the world.
It’s not easy to describe everything that happened to us during the New Year Flow, but still am gonna try.
What was there:
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An incredible number of integrated knowledge and deep understanding of the dynamics of processes.
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Possibility to organize and sort out all the things that I have failed to connect into one system for a long time.
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Understanding of how the world works and how the same principles work in different spheres of life.
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Considering and studying all these dynamics on the examples of: family and relationships, business and motivation, work and leisure, society and culture, economics and politics, capitalism and socialism, history and the future etc.
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Understanding of the differences in the psychological states and positions of people and developing ability to communicate effectively, understanding these differences.
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What is ‘energy’, how it works and its impact on our lives.
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Realization that every person has tremendous potential and has a possibility to fulfill it.
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Thinking over and clarifying personal values, (re)structuring goals and motivations
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Learning about the psychological limitations we put on ourselves and about mental and emotional self support.
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Awareness of how versatile and wonderful our world is, combining critical/analitical and positive thinking.
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Mental maps’ reconstruction.
How was it:
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Surroundings of strong and loving like-minded people-becoming-friends from totally different fields of activism, countries, religions, regions…
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It was hard work and a great vacation at the same time.
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Celebration for one’ soul as well as for the body- wonderful practices for the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual development or rehabilitation.
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Bathhouse, swimming under the ice in the outside pull, healthy vegetarian food, great music and singing, warming gatherings and sleeping by the fireplace, group coffee-making in the kitchen, New Year celebration in the beautiful forest.
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Kilograms of delicacies and tons of humor, hours of interesting conversations, beautiful moments of silence and weather which was acting like it was sunny and snowy on our demand.
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I would like to emphasize separately Tibetan bowls’ healing sessions, morning breathing practices, yoga, qigong, meditation, walking in the magical forest and conversations with Ganga (unfortunately not all the secrets can be revealed here).
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The complete cycle of conversations about Eco, humans’ way on Earth and learning understanding the ways of spirit in different languages, religions and cultures.
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And most importantly Love! the Love, that you find out open and reopen in yourself, in the people around you, in the whole world.
In these twelve days, which felt like twelve years, I managed to balance my understanding and perception of the world, to expand my conscience and learn to Love the world around me. And that wasn’t because of synthetic drugs or someone’ magic wand, but thanks to real people, great knowledge, powerful energy and the all-consuming love, which was created during the course and has that brought us together into a single Flow.
It was during the new year course, where the understanding of how I want my life to feel like came to me, I tried it there, and I have taken this knowledge with me, in every bit of me)
Thank you for everything, Yana and Ganga!
Thank to all the friends who shared this joy with me!
Thanks to a Higher Power that sent me here!
Elena, volonteer movement coordinator
From the heart
Hello, Flow!
I am writing you this letter because I am alive again.
I do not know how to put into words, but I’ll try.
You became my magic rest, the living water, which healed the wound and made the pain to subside.
You gave me a tool to regain control over my live.
You gave me the right, and gave the most power to save myself.
You gave me the ability to look into the depth, feel the depth, dive into the depths.
You helped turn my biggest loss into a resourse.
You gave me the luck to be a part of you and feel a piece of your movement.
You are Sea of Love.
Thank You! Thank you to everyone who has been part of this magic. For your Love. For your power. For vulnerability. For tenderness. For care. For the support. For the pain. For sincerity. For admiration. For compassion. For confidence. For Triggers. For knowledge. For our Unity in Diversity.
Thank you that for all of us – so different – you find the particular words, thoughts, feelings.
Thank you for beiang you – great creative pleasure!
From Me
I am immensely grateful to all those, whose huge and quiet work makes the Flow being such as it is. I am grateful to you Yana for a soft, embracing love to each of us (atheists, Christians, Muslims and all others), you find words and translations. For all of your tremendous work that is difficult to convey in a few words.
I am grateful to Ganga (and it is very private), that she does not turn yoga into something violent, does not impose anything, and allows participants to adjust themselves in a way that they are willing to be included in the process. And for the Beauty she creates in the highest sense of the word.
I am grateful to all those who finance, plan, administer and provide for this courses, for the comfort, safety and the organizational process. I know how difficult it is to achieve this level of professionalism.
And of course, I am grateful to all the participants of the course and everyone individually. For the support. For the fact that these were people who wanted to watch and live with love, tenderness and admiration, and for the fact that they saw me. For personal stories and revelations, in each of which I found a reflection of my own untold secrets. For beaing so sensitive. For gaving and receiving love, support and presence.
I really learned a lot, I felt truly understood. And I saw a lot yet to learn, to be felt and understand. And for the first time in many months I was not afraid fo the future journeys lying in front of me.
Thank you
With Love,
Olga, 40, volunteer, project manager, Ukraine
You know, Yana, when we wrote letters, I climbed to the top of the nearest hill. There was a stunning glade, it was very beautiful and there was a beautiful view of all 360 degrees. In the nearest access it was the highest peak, but having risen you see that there are many other peaks, even higher and there you will also find a lot of new and interesting. Like on the Way to yourself: having risen on one peak, you understand that you have opened roads in any direction - and this is only your choice: to stay in place and enjoy what you have; relax after the lift, soak up everything to the maximum and move on with gratitude further .. And sometimes you can turn off the control and trust the power that leads you, because inside you there is knowledge leading for the right direction. The main thing is to be in this process, to be conscious of your actions, and remember that there is always a Choice and it is in your power to find the right road, even if others consider it impossible, and your actions are a little crazy. Thank you very much for everything, I'm glad that we were together! Thank Flow for this journey Home, to the Real myself!
Anya, lawyer, Berdyansk, 29 years old
I highly recommend passing Flow to those who need rehabilitation from professional burnout in working with people. Besides that, I received valuable knowledge, my heart was filled with love and joy, I was able to better understand myself and find answers to many questions. Yana has a special talent to explain simply complex things and to inspire for new achievements. After a 10-day course, I again feel the desire to work on myself and change the world for the better, joy and vitality have returned to me. I want to thank Yana for her wisdom, patience, and professionalism, Eli for his support and charming smile, Yura and Natasha for the goodies and wonderful music, I am sure that those who first get to know Flow will be pleasantly surprised, as there are many miracles in the world, but a stream of valuable knowledge, sincerity, and love that envelops all participants of this course is undoubtedly one of them.
4-day course feedback
I had not had too cheerful feeling before I arrived, I had been waiting for this trip as if it was a lifeline. My physical and mental powers were exhausted. I really wanted to get away from the parching heat, from the problems at work and the household chores routine. I wanted to learn new and effective exercises for work with girls and women. I wanted to learn more practical methods of dealing with stress and its consequences.
Undoubtedly, the consciousness expansion topic, I really want to learn more. Topics that exist in our society, but are hidden carefully, which makes it impossible to help people who are in trouble, psychologists have no possibility to learn how to help people who survived trauma.
The topic of working with boys has stuck in my memory, especially my lack of understanding of how to work with them, according to which principle. It was difficult for me to comprehend the topics about non-traditional sexual orientation, as they contradict my religion, I need to work on this a lot.
From personal point of view, these sessions opened me to myself, I have believed in myself, in my possibilities… Yana helped me to understand that only my love to myself will make me stronger, that only love, understanding and forgiveness bring happiness. I feel more confident… Everything was so harmonious, non-intrusive… sessions with Ganga-san, useful and enjoyable time spent with Yana, bathing, swimming, diving into the lake, eating apricots, friends’ company.
Natalya, women’ org manager
Good day to all!
I want to share my impressions of the seminar in Ukraine.
Before traveling I wondered why the course is called Flow.
Now I understand that it is the flow of knowledge, emotions, love, engagement, empathy, beauty.
It is an extraordinary experience., Which gave me a lot in terms of professional activity (work with trauma in the group, new techniques and approaches), it was also where I found the answers to my own internal chelenges and issues.
And most importantly, this seminar gave me a great impulse for further work and life.
Yana, I want to express my sincere gratitude to you and to Ganga for your dedication, high professional level, patience and love.
I would especially like to note the venue of the seminar – it’s paradise with good energy and atmosphere, the perfect choice!
thank you for the opportunity to be in the Flow!
4-day course feedback
Hello Yana!
Thank you again for the fascinating journey, for opening the new loophole, which allows to get into the corners of the mind. Well, or at least to try.
There was no clear idea of what would happen, but in any case those things we had received caused both delight and confusion.
The topic of domestic violence got by heart especially strongly, although all topics imprinted in the brain and are still spinning inside; the general anxiety of the group and the confusion passed to me too.
Everyone was thoughtful, and some people tried to appear calm. But this session to some degree affected all the people.
There is some sort of thoughtfulness and shuffling of questions, a doubt. There are chaotic thoughts that have not gained clarity or have not crystallize into a question. Everything is very vague. Confusion. But there is calmness in the midst of this chaos. I feel calm because I am used to this state: to endlessly ask and look for some answers.
And I do not know what it is connected with, either with the yoga exercises, or with the impressions I received, or with both, but I again started remembering my dreams clearly. Moreover, during one night I can see several different dreams, and in the morning I can remember them vividly and clearly, as much as it is possible with dreams.
Yes, of course. This is a new opportunity to dig into oneself, sort out one’s own cockroaches or at least to get to know that these cockroaches exist. Any information, another point of view are very interesting and they refresh mind. They make the internal motor run at its full power.
Emy, legal consultant
I want to give feedback about the last seminar in Ukraine
Firstly, a huge thanks to you all for this unique opportunity!
Yanochka, once again thank you for your professionalism!
You are absolutely special teahcer and an excellent manager: venue of the seminar, the selection of members of the group,
the technique used – everything was perfect. sincerely thank you for this work and for the opportunity to participate in it!
not being a psychologist-the seminar topic was very important to me. The expansion of consciousness, the trauma’ study at various levels, saving oneself , methods of prevention of the effects of stress – this is the arsenal, which is needed for each activist working in a state with complex political conditions.
One can continue to work with firmer knowledge of what is happening around and to help ones colleagues not to lose confidence in the necessity of carrying out such work.
Enjoyed myself alot during courses’ smooth transition from the more intuitive and simple to most complex of issues and topics, again without being a psychologist some questions for the perception is not entirely simple.
All this alternated with yoga and exercise had adefinite a positive effect on my physical condition.
personal experience with the participants also left a lasting impression.
and it’s just awesome in terms of nature- only the forest))))))))))))))))))))))
Once again thank you all for what you do!
Yanochka,love u very much, I will wait for a new meeting! Pass a huge hello to Marina!))
4-day course feedback
Hello Yana!
We have arrived safely to X. It was my first time in my life in Bishkek, and I liked it, as well as the time we spent on Issyk-Kul lake.
The place where we were definitely has a very good energy, I felt there good in all possible ways.
I was a little tired before arrival. My expectations from the workshop included new knowledge, experience, team work, communication with colleagues, active leisure, nature (how can it be without it?), and, of course, meeting new people.
Perhaps the greatest response was to the topic “a human being is a process”, as I have always been interested in who we are, what we are for and how we work inside. Confirmation of my own thoughts that we should give the natural course of processes within ourselves without accelerating them and without raping our inner nature became very important for me. Everything will come in due time and one needs to go through some sort of maturation path. I agree with you saying that you do not believe in child psychology per se, that it is necessary to work with parents in order to overcome the problems of children.
For me it is always fascinating, tai chi was a new practice for me and I tried to feel eurythmies and movement of this technique. Although it was not included in the program, it is my personal discovery. I think that physical practices are equally important along with spiritual ones to expand consciousness, of course, at particular point. I think by the end I was able to experience how everything merged into one flow: knowledge, nature, breathing, physical practices, energy of our team, it was great! I literally “bathed” in it!
A feeling of deep satisfaction and gratitude to all those who organized this celebration for us. The desire to return to this camp.
Respect to you, Yana, for your professionalism, ability to lead a big group and be in good shape against all odds.
It is a very useful experience for growth in every respect, as both a personality and a professional.
Leila, psychologyst
I sincerely want to thank the Flow team for the wonderful course, the one filled with love and mutual respect.
When I first heard about the Flow, I really wanted to participate. And thanks to God, and many wonderful people I did.
During this course I felt so much love that sometimes I did not have enought words for it. But I have learned to manage with this love, to use it for myself, and for those who are truly worthy of my love. The most important thing I realized during the course is that we should not remain silent and inate, we must act so as not to suffer, to make efforts, not to give up, and if something did not work the first time, to look for other solutions. It was very important. And just as important to have enough time to love yourself, understanding if we love ourselves, others will love us. And most importantly i learned to separate other people values from my own. On the first day, I was lost and uncertain, and waited for what the Magic. It was strange, and the magic did happened. And I realized that the first thing you need is to be yourself and love yourself. After all, the only thing that will remain with us until our last breath, it’s our soul. And you have to love it.
I am very grateful to everyone.
4-day course feedback
Dear Yana, I would like to thank God that I got to know you!
You radiate such wisdom, sincerity, love!
Your openness, attention and live energy alive will stick in my memory the most!
I had certain expectations from the training, namely, some sort of a supervisor support, answers to questions on support of trauma survivors, recovery stages.
I was fresh back from my internship in Albania, and therefore before the trip I had felt nostalgic and tired.
I was impressed very much with the totally new to me information during the group work: stages of consciousness, inner child / mother, “programs / systems / ethical “Self”’; gentle attitude of coaches (the sun, drinking water, yoga) combined with the openness and professionalism; I really liked parables and humor!
The facilitation of he units stuck in my memory very well: question / answer, when the coach gave the opportunity to ask openly and freely on any topic, including on the topics that are taboos: violence, incest, phobias.
After the training I feel that I came into contact with the world of knowledge and wisdom, and a desire to grow in these areas emerged: post trauma work, personality development, psychological, social, philosophical processes of injuries / rehabilitation / development.
I would highly recommend these courses for psychologists and their colleagues, because they change the angle of the usual perception of oneself, the people and the world; here everyone can find a new self, something new in oneself, around oneself and in other people.
And I was very much touched by the fact that the coaches are ready to develop themselves and are open, responsive.
Thank you very much!
With gratitude, warmth, light and love, and best wishes,
Alexandra, HRD, Russia
I was lucky to visit the Carpathians again, this time, it was Skhidnytsia, a resort village near Truskavets with its magical air and curative water, I took part in a Flow Integral Change Course. My marvellous and incredible New Year 2016!
To get to this wonderful place from Samara you have to make a hard way. A long trip with many transfers becomes a buffer between vanity and solitude, soul-searching. A unique phenomenon of the Course is that you are both a part of the group, among other people, and at the same time, you are alone or rather alone with yourself.
We accommodated in comfortable rooms of the villa “Sonyachna Kvitka” (“Sun Flower”) sited high on a hilltop, on the very edge of a wood. A stunning view opens from there. Our walks in the wood were a great pleasure. Mornings started with exercises with Ganga, breath work, Tibetan Singing Bowls at the fireplace and the Key. Ganga is incredible, unique, absolutely otherworldly but so simple and open at the same time. You can physically feel the flow of the Qi energy near her. Simply her presence raises the effectiveness of the exercises.
Lectures started after morning exercises and were held during the whole day with breaks for lunch and for dinner. Yana is an amazing trainer able to hold the group together and manage 22 individual processes developing at the same time. I want to especially point out the fact that the group was not selected randomly. Admirable radiant caring people representing different spheres of non-profit activity were open to communicate anytime during the off-hours. We shared professional and personal experiences. By the midpoint of the Course, the group became an integral unity element.
The huge flow of information has to be “digested” for some time after returning home. I have the feeling like I have been taken to small pieces, unmade like an old car, and then put together again. I am not the same person I used to be before, a month ago. I feel different, I see things in a different way, do things I could not resolve to do for a long time. People and happenings I have been waiting for years for suddenly come into my life.
Flow gave me hope for recovery after a grave trauma, and I feel refreshed to take up the work I love. The last year was very hard for me and my team and many of us were on the verge of burning out and giving up activism. My work with Yana and Ganga in August and in January helped me to rehabilitate, to find new meanings of my work and my social activities, to get a new lease of life.
4-day course feedback
From the very beginning I liked the idea of spending time with colleagues and friends at the lake shore, away from the home fuss. I love travels and all sorts of adventures. I was sure that in terms of relaxation and rest everything will be perfect.
There were many discoveries at this training. Before this trip, I did not reflect much on the fact that a lot of my experiences may be linked to childhood traumas, even the most insignificant at first glance. Even the fact that I’m too hard on myself is directly related to the remnants of my childhood. Also, the concept of energy and its role in human life was a great discovery for me. Being a skeptic by nature, I have never taken seriously any kind of paranormal and psychic phenomena. It also stuck in my memory that our team, despite the difference of views, managed to discuss together such sensitive and taboo topics within X context, as homosexuality, the role of the Prophet Muhammad in the development of women’s rights, god’s gender, etc… It was the first debate of such a nature for majority of female participants, and our training has proved that this kind of conversation can be conducted in patriarchal, conservative societies.
I cannot say I feel completely rested as there was a lot of new material which requires processing to this day. At the end of the group (sessions) I felt tired but morning yoga sessions and swimming in the clear lake had a beneficial impact on my emotional and physical well-being.
I would recommend this course to the whole community that which survived two terrible wars and is now living in a harsh dictatorship. The war years and the precarious social and political situation that replaced the armed conflict, have led to a society to a deep emotional instability. No work on post-traumatic therapy has been done. The republic got gripped by the frenzy of aggression and violence. Women suffer from this aggression the most at all levels. On the one hand, the government restricts Their rights to freedom of choice are restricted by the government from one side and by the prevailing patriarchal abutment, in which a woman’s place in society is one level lower, on the other side.
4-day course feedback
The work of X can hardly be called an easy one, although it is quite a noble work (because you have an opportunity to help other people or, at least, you believe in this) and interesting for me.. And, frankly speaking, it was a long-awaited workshop, because I was mentally exhausted and physically tired, and I had quite high expectations towards the workshop. In addition to theoretical knowledge in the area of the BS (burnout syndrome) and posttraumatic (stress disorder), I was additionally waiting for rest and relaxation, the state when the soul could rest.
I can say that the first day of work was especially memorable and important for me, it was when Yana was talking about consciousness. These feelings are comparable with those when a child makes her/his first discovery in life, and, not knowing what to do with this discovery, starts to enjoy it as her/his own considerable achievement. I had never delved into these topics before, I did not think that the consciousness can be expanded and tracked.
The second major topic: posttraumatic (stress disorder) and its consequences. Since I find it easier to express my feelings through comparison, I would like to give the following example: it is similar to the situation when ice cold water is poured onto you at a freezing night with minus 40 Celsius. You are shivering and shaking, nothing can you warm you up, you try and cling to the fire, a blanket, but to no avail, you just need to accept the fact that water was just poured onto you and you need a little time to warm up. And it will be good, if you do not get sick, then it will be a good improvement of your endurance, and you’ll be ready for such experiments in the future. Living in a world of people with unprocessed traumas, where almost everyone is sick, but does not even suspect it, where people’s heads have only software, programs, and attitude to children is narrowed down to :my inner child” or “parent” is… Scary. A little bit. What if you also cross the line of what is permitted? And where is it? How to keep track of it? But if you manage to sort yourself out, it will be easier to sort out your attitude to others. By not raping yourself you will not rape others. This topic is much deeper, too deep to be able to describe in words my thoughts on this matter, and the thoughts are not even formed into a single scheme (and I cannot say that it will happen), they still need to live their little life in me.
I feel very well after the workshop, I feel as a new updated and reloaded me. No, I’m not saying that I have changed at lightning speed, but just have a feeling of lightness and getting rid of unnecessary weight, as well as some sort of comprehension of what is happening in my life.
I would recommend, but not only to friends but also to enemies) Because the new food for thought can be useful for anyone. In order for people to have the opportunity to at least get a little closer to their real selves, to understand their actions and those of the people around them, to be less judgmental and more objective, to be able to disengage themselves and to look at the situation from the side, to feel not only their own feelings, but the feelings of people near them. No, all this was not given to me by the workshop by itself, it only partly contributed to this, and this condition came after I got relief and rest after the course. Yesterday my kitten died, of course, after this news my mind shut together, but I already had the knowledge to immediately understand this and do nothing, and give myself an opportunity to go through this loss. The following was spinning in my head “if hurt, let it hurt, give yourself some time.” I believe that if others had these tools they could use their resources, activate them in unpredictable situations. Also yesterday I learned the news that a girl swallowed the tablets because of the guy, simply because they had a quarrel. If only she knew that it was a temporary condition, that she does not need to do anything in this state, maybe she could have been saved. That is why I believe that such courses are needed not for someone selected but for everyone, both women and men.
4-day course feedback
Hello Yana! I am very glad that you asked for feedback. We were doing it already on our way by discussing the topic that somewhat touched us.
Before out meeting on the way I had imagined everything differently. I had imagined some boring workshop topics, and boring trainers, who would force us to sit. A.) Everything turned out to be totally different, I am grateful for my choice of the trainer. A. got into 10!
I can say I have remembered everything, but some topics affected me stronger than others.
Most primary one: stages of human consciousness.
Trauma and working out the trauma.
Parents’ “program” system.
Trigger state.
— human consciousness stage greatly affected me, relieved me and finally answered my eternal questions I collected in the past 20 years). As I see and I have always seen people in power drive us off back to the stone age, back there, where civilization, right to speak and your Self do not exist. Now I look at this differently. Yana, I would like to express my personal ‘thank you’ for this. Now I feel more relieved.
Trauma and trauma work out is not an unimportant matter, it is something we live with.
LGBT issue really hit like a ton of bricks both me and other participants. We realized that this exists, and that one should work and live, starting with oneself first. I have been thinking on this problem for a long time, because I have a very close friend, and she is a victim of our society. She is a woman in a male body.
If there is an opportunity to work in this direction, although it is very difficult and unsafe in our society, I would like to learn.
After the group I have a feeling that it seems there is a lot information and I want to share it with all the relatives, friends, especially with those who work in state service, this is the most complex cohort, I think.
I would gladly send a lot of my loved ones to your course, this would be a salvation of our society.
Yana, I do not know to write in beautiful words, honestly, I have no skill for this, but I am very thankful to my fate that that my job gave me a chance to meet you. I speak regarding my personal feeling.
But in general I would say that this meeting should have happened in the beginning of our project. The project mission is in line with our discussions at the workshop, I think a lot of people will revise their work.
Many thanks to Ganga, we were fueling energy from her, just like you). Ganga gave us all Harmony. The group was a difficult one, I hope you had some rest and you managed to rejuvenate.
Yana, the letter turned out to be chaotically personal and emotional.
With big love!
4-day course feedback
As all my colleagues I was expecting this trip!
I was in a very terrible state. Death of loved ones, diseases of the relatives, the feeling of pain and fear after suffering….… I have come with this full negative bunch.
My expectations from this trip were very big. First of all, complete peace of soul, then to find out something new for myself that I can pass on….… and with which I will work in the future. After I learn something new, I work it out with huge interest with my 8 grandchildren who always listen keenly and repeat after me. I come home the other day tired, the grandchildren ask to tell, show something new and interesting, and I am doing it gladly. And my tiredness goes away, as I become a child myself and come into their beautiful life that I lacked in my childhood! And I am especially pleased that they want it!
While working in the group, in the field now, during some exercises I had to recollect against my will those horrible moments in our city, and personally in my life and the life of my family. That anxious, fearful state of soul.
Those exercises helped a lot that were shown by the coach Yana: 1-4-7-8, I also liked the Mother and the Inner Child exercises, which I will be happy use in my life!
I liked it a lot that Yana frequently repeated the sweet word ‘Suns’!
The days and the sessions passes quickly and they were interesting.
Finally, I would like to say that I would recommend to make such courses more often, since one can learn a lot of new and interesting stuff. While one is sitting at the session, she/he is afraid to fail to catch, miss every new word, everything the coach is saying and showing. One gets a big charge and knowledge. And while you are in the group, you are happy for your girls, as they are daring persons, they can reason logically. While being among them I get unintentionally younger, although I had thoughts to leave the project due to my old age, I wanted to give my place to a young female, but my project colleagues did not let me do it. And today I am grateful to them for this!!!! I wish to visit such wonderful courses more often if possible!!!
I would like to wish the beautiful coaches, Yana and Ganga, health, happiness in personal life, and success in their work!!!!
I am very happy that fate gave me a chance to meet Yana, I had two very good friends who had the name Yana (these are my friends from Czech Republic), and now I have the third friend with the name Yana!
4-day course feedback
Good evening, Yana! After the trainings you have left a lot of questions to which I try to find answers bit by bit, and to understand myself. To understand myself in the first place! And most of all, you have identified my syndrome in a few minutes, I was surprised by your accuracy and professionalism within the psychology field, as you said that you do not work individually anymore. Thank you for the useful information! Upon my arrival home I shared information about interesting topics of the training with my colleagues, I think they will see this for themselves. Yana, I am not on the subscription lists, therefore I have not got the email with the questions. I will tell you in general that it was very interesting for me, and I think it was also useful for the future. Thank you very much once again!!!
Petr, eco activist, Belarus
Coming to the Flow has become the strongest event in the past 3 years and nothing less than one of the top five most important experiences in the conscious period of my life. Some processes have started, some accelerated. There are those that have terminated. The Flow course is multifaceted and extensive. It allows everyone to take what is of a primary actuality for each one. You will need some big suitcases to take away all the knowledge that is given, so pick your baggage with some spare space.
For example, the philosophical and conceptual part offered me a more extensive picture of the world and docked knowledge about the psychological aspects of personality’ development (Western approach) with my Buddhist outlook in the context of conscience. I think, the basis of knowledge in the field of psychology is just what I lacked for my further movement. You can agree or disagree with the models of conscience expansion/social development/functioning of other processes, in Flow- discussions are welcome, no need to believe, no absolute truth is claimed. Just find, choose and use what is good for you, for your journey. And all of the rest gonna be useful in any case. Perhaps you will get a vision of a process you going through and even a vision of yourself as a process or just a little more precise model of how the mind perceives things. The impact of all of the provided and the created together information turned out to be high-quality and very inspiring for me.
The posttraumatic part of the course is for those of us who “burnout”, “stick” in the processes or implement traumatic relationships. This is a search for the causes of what is going on. This is about getting the awareness of the depth and multisubjectiveness of psyche. You will begin to understand yourself and will practice to change the internal patterns in alliance with your vision of self and your values.
The body and energy’ unit is a taste of working with your body, and possibly unexpected and amazing, but your personal experience of feeling its connection with the mind and the Universe.
All this cake is saturated, no, not saturated, but consists of Love, warmth, happiness of work, happiness of self-development, communication happiness, happiness of being with oneself and feeling. All these feelings are generated by the whole group and are resonantly amplified by it. Improvisational spiritual symphony. Facilitated by the most talented conductors, whose work coincides with their mission, and by those, who came to become Musicians of their own melodies. At some point, the sound of the process’ melody carried me away- into a state of deep unconditional love.
For some people Flow will become an accelerator of their own development.
For others it will be discovery of one or more universes.
For some people it will become the opportunity to feel something they couldn’t feel before.
For someone – an integrating knowledge.
For others – rest and reboot.
It is important to turn off the external environment in the Flow. If possible, leave everything and everyone at home. Leave it to have a multi-day timeless trip, to live an additional life, within your life, which, in retrospect, amazing, but somehow everything turned out to be beautiful. All the details and nuances, views, steps, internal processes and states. The life, which I hope will be imprinted in my everyday life. Or it may possibly remain separate.
Perhaps the Flow will allow you to restate your 1-2 personal high-level goals, as it did to me. Perhaps you yourself will begin to perceive yourself as a process. Or as a Flow.
Have a nice flow. In your life or in the course.
Olena, trainer, facilitator, HRD
Two phrases, two concepts have become the key ones for me during the time of work in this program, “You have all the answers inside and around you. Stay attentive and you will hear them” and “Time is our Friend”.
I came to the course after six years of continuous work and volunteering. I traveled halfway around the world and have seen hundreds of people and dozens of cities during this time. I was doing the work that inspired me, and was sharing the inspiration with many others.
On the one hand, my life has finally become the one that I had long dreamed of – a meaningful, exciting, interesting and full of experiences. But flinging into this maelstrom, I soon realized that there is absolutely no room for “me”left – for my rest, for the possibility to listen to myself, to stop, to understand what I need at this very moment. As a result, the job of my dream quickly turned into a race of guessing-and-meeting-the-desires-of-other-people , which did not bring me any joy anymore. I had no strength to keep racing in the same way, and did not know where to find a “new” motivation.
The week with the Flow was like a mountain river for me. Not a violent, impetuous, smashing everything in its path river (the way my life was), but a quiet, relaxing, almost inaudible, nutritious and refreshing one. I can not express the pleasure I experienced when I set my phone and computer aside on the day of arrival to the course (worrying for all those who will be looking for me :)), and… forgot about them happily for almost a week! From the morning to the evening my days were filled with enormous beauty and taste: morning walks in still twilight forest, respiratory exersices, delicious vegetarian food, substantial and conscience-reversing lectures, smoothly flowing into conversations by the fireplace, bathhouse, swimming in the ice pull and yoga with the sound of Tibetan bowls. I simply had no time to be “distracted” and no wish to be somewhere else but “here and now”. At first, I wondered to myself And then I began to explore and tastefully memorize and absorb this condition, repeating to myself in thoughts: “All that is happening now is exactly what should happen. I have everything around me that I need, if only I can feel, see and embrace it. ”
In fact in my life I am a “brainiac”, perceiving everything through information, rational explanations and concepts. If I can not explain something, I find it hard to accept it. Especially if we are talking about something intangible. Fortunately, the Flow was filled with lectures, which made up (and even overwhelmed) my request for information. For the first time in many years (and I have really been looking for and exploring these subjects for a long time), I met and mastered the concept that shows the relationship of internal, personal processes and activism, combines theory of social change work with those of post trauma, post-colonialism, feminism and gender. That pleased me no end! I finally was able to “bring together” parts of my experience and knowledge that before this have seemed to contradict each other. As a result I have a notebook filled to the end, and a whole new perspective on social changes, politics and activism, which I am engaged with.
But beside that “usual” for me way to learn, the Flow gave the opportunity to develop and learn other skills: self-observation, communication with nature (which turned out to be able to “talk” to you and worth listening to! As it has something to say ), self-care, thoughtful and measured understanding and discussion of very different views (without debate, without raising the voice and proving “one’s truth”), working with the body, with energy and conscience. And the most important, the understanding appeared of how these two ways of perceiving the world – rational and emotional, energetic – are interlinked and mutually reinforcing. I felt as though I was now standing “on two legs”.
The course ended, but I know that the work I’ve done there, keeps going – the deep work on “listening to myself” and “search of silence” in our everyday fuss, trust to time as to the best friend, who knows what I need (and what I don’t) at this very moment. Work on search and restoration of the integrity inside and around me.
I wholeheartedly recommend this course to those smart and active people who already do a lot for there communities and their deeds change the world, but it somehow does not make them feel entirely happy anymore… If you’re not afraid to ask yourself some unexpected, puzzling questions, and look for answers deep down inside yourself, and not outside, and do that in the company of intelligent, kind and sincere people – you have the chance to “come up” after the workshop with an updated picture of the world, constructed and clarified goals and values and qualitatively new sense of self and the world. Changing your inner world, filling it with love and peace, we are changing the world around us – not only that I felt it during the course, but also I understood how it works. It is this understanding that I wish everyone who is working on social changes in our societies to have.
4-day course feedback
I liked how the sessions went, the informal and friendly atmosphere, there was no feeling of “boring lessons.” Topics of the sessions classes were closely linked with the problems of the group members, with those things they face on everyday basis. There was an understanding that you were not taught, but shared personal experience with. The experience that has demonstrated positive results in practice, and that can already be applied to both yourself and your work. The sessions with Yana, in my opinion, will be very effective for my colleagues, because she taught to save yourself in the first place, to help yourself, understand yourself, and only then “save” the world).
M., artist and film director, HRD, Russia
The last journey to the Flow’ course was my second experience. My first time was in Skhodnitsa in April 2015. Which means, I generally knew what to expect and was determined and committed to a deep work on myself and in a group.
First, I’d like to mark the location itself, Skhodnitsa. Located in the mountains far from the big cities, above all the problems so to say. My mind automatically disconnects from all the vain urban problems in such a place. Ringing silence appears in my head and everything gets calm and quiet in the emotional field too. And no matter how painful were the memories I had to encounter in this mountain environment – the encounters were calm and quite.
It was the second time that I came to the workshop with my eight year old daughter V.. In my life as feminist HRD, I have participated in many diverse initiatives and to the best of my experience, only few of those are as friendly and open to children as Flow. The teaching and training staff and the participants at Flow were extremely friendly and tolerant to all child’ manifestations (Comment from Flow: V. is a real Star!). As a result, my daughter is very happy with the way she spent her time at Flow and is looking forward readily for more of the Flow.
The schedule and the daily work outs, carried out by Ganga, cheer you up and revitalize you whether you want it or not. Even now, when I returned to Moscow, I keep going to bed at 11 and waking up at 7-8. However, I did not yet manage to discipline myself completely to do all of the daily exercices, but I work on it
Being at Flow for me is primarily working on my pos trauma injuries. At first, when I was just beginning to figure all of injures out and look on them, I thought, that now I will quickly understand everything and gonna live a new life. Few years later, also with Flow’ help, that it is unlikely that I will succeed in just taking the past and putting it in a box with a stamp far far away from myself. Instead, Yana showed me several ways to work and live given the past. That is, to live in a new way, but taking into account, accepting and using of all the knowledge and power in old things. The writing practices and working in a group with other people who speak and open freely about their own situations and experiences helped me worlds.
Maybe succeeding in all of my daily plans, regular food’ shopping, progressive recession of self-flagellation, reducing anxiety level, small sprouts of self-confidence, the ability to spend time with your own child for more than two days in a row, without being depressed, are not too great achievements for someone else who is 30 years old, but for me it is an important success. And I’m proud of myself!
Beside all that is mentioned above, Flow helped me to cope with the partial burnout and loss of initiative and the ability to initiate new projects. Now, that I had some time to think over my values and objectives – I am ready again to implement ambitious initiatives, though I am aware how complicated and energy consuming it is.
Wishing all an inspiration, many changes, good luck and calmness in your life.
O., HRD, Russia
New Year Flow – is something, that I really wanted, and the best thing that could happen to me. When you get to the course for the first time, it feels as if everything you know about yourself and about things surrounding you, will never look the same as before. Believe me, this feeling is still there when you return for more.
The magic of the Flow is that, like a chameleon, it is each time presented to you the way you are able and wishing to see, depending on your expectations, readiness to work on yourself and psychological condition.
Flow does not teach, it tells and shows. And what you see is striking.
My whole trip this time was about love, warmth and security. It was great to feel protected, despite the fact that the processes that took place inside me were occasionally very complicated and challenging.
And it was just as great to watch how the magic of the Flow affects those who came for the first time. How people began to burst like flowers, talk, smile, interact with each other and trust, knowing that they are safe. I was very lucky, because I was a part of it.
Thank you, Yana! You’re beautiful, and I have no idea how you do all this, but it is impressive.)
Thank you, Ganga! I am thinking about you and your secret knowledge.) And, of course, I smile.
And the group, the whole group! It is so great that you are there, that we were all in the same place and the same time.
I send you all a big, big Love.
Iryna, program manager, Ukraine
The Flow workshops are far more than just a rehabilitation for me. 10 days of bringing back to life in all possible senses, 10 days of worldview formation. These couple of months I have seen people coming here in a very critical condition: completely burned, emaciated, pale, lingering in a state of severe depression. They seemed to have nothing there that could help them. But there was it! Ten days of work on their self, and by the end of the course smile appeared on their faces and love to life settled in their hearts again.
That had once happened to me as well. After two years of volunteering and all possibIe stresses I was so much burntout, that I just couldn’t keep going. I remember how hard it was to listen to “clients” or to give another interview to the media – I simply had no energy for anything. It is especially difficult to stop when you are a coordinator responsible for someone else. I constantly had to remain strong.
Now, looking back, I realize that going to the Flow was one of the best decisions in my life and that a “stop” sometimes equals to a “start”. Not only I regained the lost health, sleep, sensitivity to myself and others, but I became much happier – the feeling, that seemed to be long forgotten.
I also gained powers for new important projects. I am very glad that having recovered myself, I can now help others to organize courses. I believe that this is my current mission.
4-day course feedback
Good afternoon, Yanochka and Ganga, I miss you very much. You radiate so much light, kindness and love that one feels loved and happy. My sincere thank you for everything you were doing for our sake.
The first question on how I felt before arrival, and what the expectations were. To be honest, I wanted something new and interesting, but I did not expect it would be so interesting. The topic was very immediate for me, since there have been a struggle going on inside of me, and it is very hard to find the right answer to all my worries and experiences. I rummaged through the whole internet, I got in touch with psychologists with whom I thought I would find the answers. But, alas. Just two weeks before arrival in Y, I intended to revert to a psychologist again. As everything we were talking about at the sessions was in my worries.
There were a lot of various moments, I was thinking a lot after the sessions about the things you were talking about, and, of course, I did not want to believe in many of them. Everything you said I let go through me, and it was very unpleasant to get answers I was afraid to get in the course of my whole life. But probably, sooner or later I had to get them. As it seemed to me exactly the following way: why is everyone else happy, but me? I was tormented by the question: “Am I not worthy of love” and constant self-repression because I am not the same as the others. The fact that I needed to change, that I was bad. But, thanks to God, I found the strength to continue the fight.
The overall state, I made peace. I made peace with the truth you were telling. It was hard. But I made peace with the hope that soon I will manage to come and work out all the traumas. While listening to you, I realized how many traumas I have inside. And why it is harder for me to live in this society day by day. Now at home I try not to think much about it, because it is very difficult and unpleasant. And I look forward to the moment when I will be able to work them out and breathe deeply.
While being there, I was recollecting my female friends who also suffer in the same way as I do. Who cannot find help just like me, either in the family, or in the society. Those who accepted everything that happens in their lives, who do not see the joy of this life, or who do not even see the any sense/point.
I have decided for myself for sure that I would learn and develop in this particular direction. Not everyone understands power, magnitude and impact of these traumas on a person’s life. We do not always understand what is happening in our lives, we search for the external causes of what is happening, but nobody wants to look into depth. It’s very hard for those who live with it throughout their entire life.
Guest
Dear Flow trainers,
I wish like to sincerely thank you for this training and for the opportunity I was given to study myself in this harmonious, friendly and accepting atmosphere, in this Flow of love and joy! I’m glad to be a part of our flow and hope that it will get stronger, will expand and bring warmth to all people and the Earth. Thank you!
I tried to describe my feelings about the trainings, and that’s what I was able to write):
Before attending Flow/Home, I thought that the whole world turned against me; that what is happening in my country was such a complete horror, given which it is difficult not only to impact but to live; it seemed to me that it is no longer possible to change anything. The process in Flow, supported me in understanding that the world is bigger than I thought, the world is wider and wiser. I realised that most of what scared me, made me stressed, consumed my energy, drew me into depression and despair, and what I perceived as only terrible external conditions, is, in fact, was also happening inside me. That all around me was multiplied by the wounds and injuries inside me, and once they are cured, I will be able to save my power/strength (силы) and energy, will be able to avoid becoming embittered with the world; and instead of fighting the overflow of hatred, will be able to act out of Love, will be able to share my unconditional love with those, who need it.
I experienced a wonderful feeling, namely the recognition that my happiness, my joy, and my confidence all depend on me. They all exist inside me, and I can create and maintain them, regardless of what is happening around. I realised that I could serve a buttress for myself and I have learned to be such a buttress, I have learned to take care of myself. I thought that I was coming to the course to get answers to some questions, however I left it with the understanding that I can find all the answers inside myself. I have learned to look for and find answers inside myself.
I began enjoying the present, I saw something that I didn’t see before, which was passing by, as a only a background to my life – the nature, birds, woods, sunrises and sunsets. Suddenly I experienced myself as a part of the nature, a citizen of this planet Earth. It was as if I began a new life, not anymore driven by fears and doubts, but by my own feelings, desires and joy.
Hugs!
Daria, HRD, Ukriane
My acquaintance with the Flow was unexpected for me myself. Unlike other participants of the course I was not looking for my Flow. The Flow found me floundering somewhere in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle events and awarenesses, it picked me up and appeared to be a warm abundant with plankton Gulf Stream. The feeling of fear and uncertainty that paralyzed my hands and mind, not allowing to get out of another whirlpool – that’s what I came to the course with. Of course, these feelings did not leave in just the few days, but now I know I have to learn and to change in order to make decisions, set goals and go to them without fear, to learn to be better, to listen and understand myself and people around me.
And in spite of the fact that instead of pointing to the north the arrow of my compass is still spinning in the rhythm of the music in my player, I am now accompanied by a sense of confidence in the correctness of what is happening, accompanied by senses of love and gratitude.
I thank Yana, Ganga, and each and every one in the group. It was an incredible experience – watching two dozens of so different people, two dozens of amazing personalities, hundreds of stories and thousands of thoughts building up into a strikingly beautiful mosaic.
Today I am at the very beginning of the way to understanding myself and my place in the world, and the participation in the course had become one of the most important first steps in this direction. Thanks to the Flow I am heading to a fascinating journey to myself, opening a huge wonderful world around and inside me, the journey, that replaced a path full of dangers, hardships and deprivations.
With love and gratitude,
P.S. If there is anything I can be useful at, I’m always very happy to help, hugs
Olena, program manager, HRD, Ukriane
“Integral change center”… how much sense for me there is in this once incomprehensible combination of words. I so needed to join this program long before the it actually happened. The events of the recent years- the bombing that left me homeless, the death of a loved ones, the occupation, the war, the activism, working with an infinite number of displaced people, experiencing their problems and troubles thought myself- and my soul was completely torn apart. When I came to the program. I didn’t want to live, couldn’t laugh or relax, it felt as I was a half-dead robot.
First moment I arrived it was strange for me that Yana was meeting us with hugs for which I was not ready, then the course began, everything was difficult – learning to analyze myself, think about myself and learning to work with and compare all facts about myself.
Then it became easier and I felt joining a wave of rest with for soul and body and breathe in and out the Life and new knowledge. The fresh air, mountains and beautiful Yana and her program contributed to this. In the evenings, when my head became to boil from all of the received and revised information, the yoga classes and the magical healing Tibetian bowls were supporting me.
After the program I felt that I want to Live on and even work again. Since am a single mother, my kids were also at the program with me and went through their own process, and as my daughter said, after the program she began to love herself and Life. The same can be said about me. I saw the meaning of the life again, something I long saw only in being a mother.
It’s impossible to overestimate the importance and necessity of the program for exhausted activists. Thank You All who was involved in insuring my participation! You returned me back to life!
A., anthropology professor, HRD, Russia
This summer (07/28/15 – 08/08/15), I participated in the work of “Flow”, organized for the rehabilitation and prevention of burnout of human rights activists. It was the second time when I had the chance to attend the course of “Flow”, and both times I have experienced a lot of bright unforgettable moments, both in real world and in my inner space.
A special feature of this project is to create a completely fantastic (unique every time) space and time of being there when the real life and all the events of rapid world unclench their oppressive grip in a special way and retreat, freeing up time and place to reflect on what is happening and to work on oneself.
It remains a mystery to me how this is achieved, but there is something that I am still able to note.
Firstly, it is a special rythm and even more a way of life, including the processes of starting and ending the day with a variety of self regulation practices that include elements of Qi Gong, Tibetan singing bowls, individual and group meditation and more. A special type of nutrition and diet, the main component of which is the awareness and attention to oneself. Work with a physical, energetic and sensory body in terms of expression, awareness and understanding of their condition, as well as our numerous addictions and habits that we often practice, not understanding any of their functions in our lives, or the effects to our health.
Secondly, it is a remarkable information space, assembled not only of lectures, practical exercises and workshops, but primarily of the continuous dialogue of organizers leading the project with all the participants, as a group and individually – in tempo, volume and terminological level optimal for a particular individual.
Features integrative approach surprisingly reveal in the process of phasing to provide a level of personal maturity, as the coordinate system for self-diagnosis and wide field of self-development and climbing to new heights of understanding oneself and others.
Thirdly, it is a unique team of the participants – very different people, in fact, extraordinary and creative, empathizing and not indifferent to the problems of this world to the fate of harassed people, discrimination and violence. In spite of the different life experiences, different points of view, political views and citizenship of different countries – human rights activists from Ukraine, Belarus and Russia (sometimes in hot debates but more often in team work) in state to understand and support each other in this difficult struggle for the rights, honor and dignity of every human being regardless of ethnic origin, gender identity, sexual orientation and other personal characteristics.
And fourth (but this does not mean that this is the least important factor), this amazing natural and human environment in which the project is deployed. Despite changing circumstances, both times organizers managed to find a wonderful combination of natural beauty and hospitality, as well as the creative support from the side of those who took the project on their territory – whether it is a small village in Hungary, or mountain village in the Carpathian Mountains.
As for my personal feelings and achievements, for me, my participation in Flow both times in incomprehensible way was both a wonderful holiday and a very difficult, but, in my opinion, quite productive work on myself. The encounter with my own fears, traumas, prohibitions and aggressors – a difficult but necessary path to understanding and self-discovery. I experienced a lot of discoveries – beautiful, and not so much… passed through fear of height and arthritis to my small, but very important apex. And the most important – was able to go down there by myrself)))))
Many thanks to organizers and managers of the project – Yana, Ganga, Sol and all the participants of our group.
Anna, program manager, HRD, Ukriane, Belarus
Flow is wonderful course that for me was much more than rehabilitation or recovery course. Firstly, it was very deep inner rest and renewal, it was close contact with other people and deep feeling of joy and tranquility.
However, the most valuable thing now, more than two months after the course – it’s what’s left inside of me, the knowledge and the experience that I have received, and the internal changes that began / continued / transformed during my Flow. Looking back now, reading notes from the training, I understand that I am Different inside. That what began two months ago, developing within and that these processes continue by themselves.
One of the most important things that are left inside me after the course – it is the feeling of existence of my Way. Another – a feeling of being yourself, feeling yourself real, the inner fullness and harmony. And one more dimension – the practical tools that I use after returning from the course, some of them almost daily, some when it gets too hard. Also going back to the notes, and also all that I have received during the course, each time I am discovering something new in them, understanding one more deeper layer from what we worked upon.
I’m very grateful to Yana, Ganga, Sol and all the guys whom I met at the course. I am grateful to all of you.
Sh., 32, activist, Sarajevo, May 2013
For trainers and group:
My dear,
Many thanks to you for the wonderful exchange of knowledge and experience, love, peace, carefree, understanding, care, hugs, joy, support, compassion, friendship, sisterhood, attention, tears, laughter and unmatched food :)))).
Working with you in the group was a magical experience for me, I learned from each of you personally and the group as a whole, I was happy to wait for a new day, with new joint and personal, big and small victories. I fell into Flow very exhausted from all the accumulated and suppressed problems and situations of violence that occurred to me in the past, and group therapy with you has become something of an activist spa for my soul and body.
I know that this cure is just the beginning for me, and that there are a lot of untouched "files" to work on, but now I do not panic because of this, I wait every day. When I look back and think about therapy, a lot of suggestions pop up in my head and those we worked on, but the strongest and most special suggestion that remained in my memory - when Yana said: "We are not our injuries, we are - these are the roads on which we choose to survive, and the respect that we give to our survivors and survivors of others! "
After I returned home and told my friend N. that I went to bed at 23:00 and woke up early in the morning, she said to me: "Sh., If I did not know where you were, I would have decided that you were kidnapped by aliens, and that they brought back a new one ":)))
"I have my hair, I have my head
I have my brain, I have my ears
I have my eyes, I have my nose
I have my mouth, I have my smile
I have my tongue, I have my chin
I have my neck, I have my breasts
I have my heart, I have my soul
I have my back, I have my floor
I have my hands, I have my palms
I have my fingers, I have my feet
I have my feet, I have my toes
I have my liver, I have my blood
I have a life, I have my freedom
I have a life
And I intend to keep it
I have a life
And no one is going to take it away
I have a life! "
- Nina Simon
Thank you once again, to each of you personally ,!
With love and peace with yourself.
Alya, volunteer coordinator, trainer
How it was (for me).
Before going to the training, I asked many people: what do I have to do, what's going on there, how was it? From the answers, I understood only one thing: every time and For Everyone - in different ways.
Wherever this happens territorially, whatever the topic, the composition of the group - still everyone will have their own process, their experiences, changes and results.
For me it was not easy. Rather, I would say, it was one of the most difficult experiences, for many years. And many times it was so hard that I wanted to disappear, not to worry, etc.
But I have not regretted it once, for sure.
Moreover: every day the realization of how much I NEED what is happening - became stronger.
As if the many threads of my past have merged at the point where you can see where they all came from and why. And there was an opportunity to hear answers to questions that you did not even ask, but inside they were stored for many years.
The most vivid impression and feeling of everything left the feeling of the "Opened Door". The doors to new living themselves, to a new understanding of all the processes of life and spiritual things, the combination of psychology and practices to expand consciousness - and much, much more.
As if in your individual world where you lived and with many things you just resigned yourself because you did not know how to behave different - suddenly an additional room or a new dimension opened where it became possible to Change: what existed by default or was perceived inevitable.
I am very grateful for the Return to Myself. A rare feeling, when you suddenly begin to realize where under all masks and skeletons, under patterns of behavior and parent programs - are you. And you begin not just to "know" it, but also to feel it.
It seems to me, only for a moment I touched this sensation, but this was worth everything. Because it gave a compass and direction - where to go, what to open.
Of course, there were many more: beautiful Ukraine, wonderful weather, stunning nature, mountains, gardens, river and diving into the waterfall, chic lunches and dinners, magnificent excursions, bright grass and cozy cats, different and amazing People with whom there was also fun, and interesting and difficult ... Yana and Ganga both creating a space, full of Mindfulness and Love. There were so many things that it is difficult to enumerate and identify, everything was lived and preserved as a single process.
Maksim, hrd , ukraine
Dear Yana, Ganga, Sol and all who are involved in the accomplished magic. Thank you! You gave hope, gave knowledge and eased the pain!
Every the moment of training was therapeutic. Resettlement (a special thank you), the regime of the day, food, nature, excursions, a bath with a vat, even animals - all this gave a huge plus to the effect of the knowledge and energies gained.
I feel myself at peace now, with peace in my soul.
You are cool, the best!
Sasha, human rights activist
Dear Yana, Ganga, Sol and all who participated in the organization of this wonderful journey, THANKS!
Thank you for the opportunity to see yourself, to see the light, to shake off the ashes, for the faith that you can do it differently. These 10 days passed for me under the sign "eyes turned inward," I caught these eyes, I looked around and saw them around. We got to know ourselves, wept and laughed. The feeling of childhood helplessness, and at the same time understanding that only you can change something. Feeling of love and joy. Thank you for the group, for these beautiful and bright people. Thank you for Ukraine, a wonderful place, wonderful people. . Thank you for soap bubbles, harmonica, songs and dances)) For the happiness of knowing that there are such amazing, extraordinary YOU, for your support during this difficult time. Thank you!
With love.
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Abeer,activist,Kyrgyzstan
FLOW is the best thing that has happened to me. Helped me to understand trauma and pain that I has been suppressing. I have learned to love and value myself more. Kindness is within us and in those around us, love and gratefulness are always with us.