EXPLORING NEW HORIZONS

By: Laurie Barron
Date Posted: 10/4/2005

I write this while flying at 37,000 feet over the Atlantic, returning to Philadelphia from co-leading, with Marge Copeland, a week long Gestalt growth and therapy adventure in Tannberg, Austria. Though very tired from a hectic travel day, I am excited and energized by the past twelve days.

Marge collected me and our charge d'affaires, Katie, at the Munich airport a couple of days before our group was scheduled. Driving us to our destination with an afternoon hiatus and boatride at Chiemsee (a very large lake in Bavaria), we arrived in the evening and enjoyed a wonderful late supper al fresco.

Tannberg is a small village sitting in quiet, rolling-hilled farm country near several lakes, a half-hour from Salzburg and close to the Alps. Ten of us, including two spouses and Katie, enjoyed farm fresh food, either cooked by Katie or catered. One day after a horse-drawn wagon ride, we toured the guest house owner's farm and met the chickens who provided our eggs, along with cows, goats, horses and rabbits.

Each day Katie began our 3-4 hour sessions with a warm-up/meditation. Though most sessions were held indoors, one memorable 4 hours took us into the woods where we were sheltered from a light rain by the dense pines and nature provided a figurative and literal ground to enhance our work.

The participants had not previously known each other well, if at all, yet they created a bonded community in short order. The power of gestalt group work emerged from the first session, and even the shyest participant soon jumped onto the "hot-seat". Marge and I worked with the participants individually at times, and more often cooperatively. I am still moved by the depth and healing spirit of each one's experience.

With a sauna on premises, horsebackriding, hiking, bicycling, touring Salzburg and the lakes available, history, architecture, forests and pastures to explore, we did not lack for opportunities for adventure. Some we did as a group, and others were done individually or in smaller groups. Though initially I disdained touring the salt mines as just "too touristy" for me, fortunately I changed my mind and had a blast zooming down the wooden chutes deep into the mountain. Afterwards, we toured a Celtic village (yes, they were in the Salzburg region before they inhabited Britain!), and played among the deserted life-sized reproductions. So many castles and cathedrals, so little time!

My mind is already swirling with possiblilities for the next Gestalt adventure abroad.