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A Fiesta of Focusing, let’s share…

SEPTEMBER 2025 – from Wednesday, 17th to Sunday, 21st
In 2025 the EFA gathering took place in the beautiful retreat center Koningsteen in Kapelle-op-den-Bos in Belgium.

Happenings 2025 –A Fiesta of Focusing, let’s share…

• Pausing: interest group or conversation around different things that can occur / can be done when pausing – Bie
• Listening in 3 directions (non-verbal): presentation of client and discussion – Harriet
• Experiencing authentic movement: workshop crossing Authentic Movement with Focusing – how do Focusers do this? – Heidrun
• Holding & letting: using Gendlin’s process model chapter 8; ‘how to’ – Robert Lee
• Deepen your spiritual connection: workshop using Thinking at the Edge – Fiona
• Silence – felt sense – spiritual awareness: a quaker-like exploration – Barbara
• Inner movement: experiential workshop, embodied movement from the inside out – Adam
• Living our questions; planting Focusing seeds in Ukraine: exploration and sharing – Gosia
• Rest is resistance: (non) activity – Joke
• Climate, environmental – how do I experience it?: interest group to share experiencing – Teresa
• ‘There is always someone in’: workshop development and feedback using Focusing, Qi Gong – Regina
• What happens when your breath guides your Focusing process?: exploration – Saren
• Felt sensitive ways towards an increasingly uncomfortable future (climate change): workshop – Peter
• Experiencing Thinking at the Edge playfully: experiential workshop and Q&A – Evelyn
• A taste of Home Focusing: workshop around communicating with non-Focusers in a Focusing way – Annat
• Trauma resilience: workshop around trauma prevention elements in Wholebody Focusing – Astrid
• Process-oriented practices inspire each other: presentation, Feldenkrais experiential, sharing – Amona
• Leading a Focusing listening to children’s books: playful experience of listening, looking, reading – Joke
• Keeping a space when under threat: workshop around physical threat and keeping space, using martial art inspired techniques – Mathias
• Rest – nap – doing nothing together – Joke
• Deep listening and Focusing, letting music happen: workshop using sound and music – Joachim and Machiel
• Dreams and their collective facets: exploring dreams and how they might point out to more than the
• individual – Teresa
• Focusing & sacred geometry: workshop around the language of sacred symbols – Hillie
• Focusing, movement & breath: offering a space to exchange between Focusers who use meditation, movement, breath – Saren

During free times – outside happenings

• Qi Gong: before breakfast each day outside with Regina.
• Adventures in Tetaland – game – in the evening with Regina.
• Focusing with nature – Anastassia
• Five Rhythms and dancing in the evening with DJs Eveline & Amona.
• The political relevance of Focusing – discussion with Astrid.
• Music and singing in the evening with Amona & Heidrun.

And in addition…

• Robert, assisted by Machiel, presented an introduction to Focusing to some Koningsteen volunteers
• Book presentation ‘Verbinden met je essentie’ by Mia Leijssen
• Explanation of Colour Cards by Fiona

Carrying forward EFA, exploration and sharing – topics by EFA

• Conflict & aggression in Focusing Communities
• Mini Focusing in Every Day Life
• The Focusing Paradigm of Change
• Engage in social/political to foster Focusing in …

Final harvest and celebration of ‘The Fiesta of Focusing we shared …’

• A musical and creative conclusion and sharing to say good-bye and see you!

Impressions of the EFA Gathering 2025

By Machiel Swillens
‘From all corners of Europe we gathered – 41 Focusers from the Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Scotland, England, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, and from Israel and the US – in a small Belgian village for four days of Fiesta of Focusing. Retreat Centre Koningsteen consists of multiple buildings and is surrounded by green farmlands and beautiful old trees.
After arrival, we meet on the square by the yin-yang pond. Reunion with old friends, and new introductions. The next morning, we gather in a large hall called Isis. A program is put together with everyone’s input. Soon, 24 happenings are on the agenda. So much beauty and interest! How will I choose? There are workshops, and smaller get-togethers centered around a theme or question, there is time for Focusing partnerships, and, at the end of every afternoon, home groups where you can catch your breath and share your experiences. There, I also hear about the happenings I missed. Those about climate, the situation in the world, what we do when we pause, listening in three directions, TAE, inner movement, living your questions, trauma, how different process-oriented practices inspire each other, breath, children’s books, space holding with physical threat… too many to list. One happening is called Doing Nothing Together. That was done outside under a tree. I hear only enthusiastic stories about it.
I personally experience constellation exercises in Home Focusing, I attend an introduction to Focusing for the Koningsteen volunteers, I sing mantras in a small group and experience how intense inner images arise in the shared silence that follows. Together with Joachiem I give a happening about deep listening, and letting music emerge from that listening. We sit in a large circle, we listen to the silence, we listen to each other, we sing long tones, and we improvise with the instruments we brought. An almost liquid music arises, slowly gets louder, more dynamic, then changes, and slowly fades away again. That silence afterwards… In the evenings there is more music. Songs are sung together, and during a long dance evening in the festively lit garden room, with music from DJs Amona and Eveline, I dance a muscle soreness into my legs that lingers for days.
Next year, Scotland!’

By Barbara Rolsma
‘Creating a four-day program for 41 people? We can do it!
Under supervision, we’ll calmly agree on who will do what. We’ll start by taking stock. There are time slots of 1, 1.5, and 2 hours, during which we’ll then specify what we want to offer. If we want to do something in the same time slot, we’ll consult with each other. Within 1.5 hours, it was done.
Yes, the peace we have in reaching a decision through felt sensing is healing for my heart. And not just mine.
I experience it as a warm feeling to be together like this. Having space for what everyone brings and that everyone is welcome to be there, with all their being, makes us whole, makes our world whole.
Focusing! I love it.’

By Eveline Kroese
‘What a special EFA gathering this year in Koningsteen. What a fiesta! The location, with all those cozy nooks and crannies in the garden, house, and outbuildings, the rich selection of workshops and get-togethers, the presence of very close friends, but especially the significant contribution of music (and conscious silence), dance, and forms of yoga and chi-gong (with the chickens!). It was a feast for all the senses – a big felt-sense.
Highly recommended.’

By Jacqueline Plug
‘This was my first time attending an EFA meeting, and how fortunate we were that the beautiful, green Koningsteen was available for us. Upon entering, I was immediately struck by the open and welcoming atmosphere. There was space to be yourself, to share, listen, learn from each other, and enjoy new encounters—including with people I knew.
What made me most happy was that the foundation was so well-organized: delicious food and accommodations, a clear program structure, and ample breaks. From this foundation, we shaped the workshops together. This resulted in days full of knowledge sharing, creativity, movement, and introspection.
It was a true Fiesta, one where we hung the streamers ourselves.
I look back on these wonderful days gratefully, inspired, and enriched.
It definitely leaves me wanting more!’

By Frans Depestele
‘Many things appealed to me about the EFA meeting in Koningsteen.
First of all, the small scale; a massive event like the upcoming world congress is less inviting. Of course, the location: ideal for this kind of retreat.
And the rich presentations, which inspire and encourage further development and connections.
But above all, the people: being among focusers, all of whom create a “focusing mood,” reconnecting with familiar faces and making new friends.
So many beautiful little moments.
It encourages me to keep the next meeting in Scotland in mind and to prepare something.’

By Bie Draulans
‘My reflection on EFA: What wonderful people! What fascinating themes from these people, not just mentally, but from their very humanity. It was wonderful to work together, to discover, to discuss, to explore.
Experiencing that in everyone – including me – impulses exist from deeper layers, sometimes unsuspected, so beautiful.
It felt like a new path, a further journey on those unexpected paths because the environment, the space, felt safe and welcoming.’

By Tine Swyngedouw
‘After a 10-year absence, I was finally able to attend an international Focusers gathering again, and what a blessing it was!
It was a wonderful few days filled with reconnecting with old friends and new people; enjoying a warm home group, nature, and singing together; discovering the next project that’s starting to blossom within me; a pleasant rhythm of engagement and tranquility, of being in a group and being alone…
Thank you to the organizers. I’m already looking forward to the next time in Perth, Scotland, in September 2026.’

By Hildegarde Vansintjan
‘For me, the unknown Koningsteen was like arriving in the landscape of my youth, not far from my Flemish birthplace. And so much more.
A passionate owner tells us a wonderful story about people who dare to do what aligns with their essence. Starting a meeting without a program, putting one together yourself? Yes, it’s possible. Thank you, Heidrun, for letting us experience how that can be achieved. Talking together about how to proceed, all together at the end—that’s also possible, thank you, Fiona. Thank you, Regina, for opening us to the air and heaven in the early morning and focusing with me in the afternoon. Thank you, Hillie, for that wonderful Dutch workshop on symbols—what a wonderful revelation that was! Thank you, Robert, for your empathy with us and for showing us how we can have more empathy for ourselves. Thank you, Astrid, yes, I can let my body speak… Barbara, you taught me the all-encompassing, protective sound, Hu, with which I can evoke silence and more… So grateful for this. Thank you, Eveline, no longer afraid of The Volcano.
I sometimes thought I was missing something, but it all came to me just like that. I missed the music workshop and was given those melancholic sounds of the soul as a gift. Thank you, Annat, I missed your workshop and one morning at breakfast, you actually gave me the impetus to take a step further in the grieving process for my husband. Frans, how sad not to hear about those little things, and then your insights were just slipped into my hands. Gosia, it’s a shame I didn’t delve into Ukraine with you, but our moment of focus was practically… And you know, Gosia, focusing with you was a major turning point for me? Thank you.
Thank you to the many who dared to be vulnerable and gave so much in doing so. Thank you, Mia, for constantly sharing your experience and wisdom with us. Thank you, Ria, for being there for me from beginning to end, modestly, motherly, and encouraging. Thank you to Amona, everyone who made the meeting possible, and everyone who was there; you gave me a safe space to move forward. How wonderful to see that everyone can simply be themselves – in speech, clothing, and dance. Thank you, Sari, for the photos. Thanks to you, I heard Finnish for the first time in my life. Thank you to the group I came home to. Thank you, Japke, for noticing that I looked a bit dejected at first, but radiant by the end. Thank you, Ruth, for letting me take you to Antwerp station; it wasn’t a goodbye, but the beginning of a warm connection. All the warmth I experienced at Koningsteen will remain.’.

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In September, 31 members from 11 European countries came together for 5 days to create and enjoy our annual EFA gathering near Lake Constance at Humboldt Haus, a retreat center in Achberg, Germany.

Gendlin himself offered Focusing workshops here between 1992 and 1997.

Regina Juergens made the connection to this place for us.
Everything there felt supportive: the pleasant meeting rooms, the delicious buffets, the Focusing energy stored in the walls and the beautiful natural surroundings with an occasional stunning view of the snowy Alps.

Together we were enjoying ‘The Waves of Life, sensing and thinking freshly’ for 5 days.

At our monthly EFA online meeting, held just two days after our gathering, we shared what was particularly valuable to each of us from our time together. The flavour of what’s growing in the European Focusers’ associating shows in the feedback from participants.

You can read more about the Gathering further down – but first we share what participants said about it in their own words:

Heidrun:
The gathering felt like Focusing and interacting the Focusing way the whole time. It feels like something fell into place for us as European Focusers. It’s unique in how it is not like a conference, where one runs from one workshop to the next. We have reached a point, where Focusing exchanges around themes can happen in a different, beautiful way.

Bruna:
It has become much clearer what we are looking for, what we want to build together. It felt like a very flexible structure of workshops, interest groups, exchanges, and home groups where I was free to enjoy whatever I wanted.

Lucy:
It was a healing and resourcing experience for me, supported by the quality of Presence that was there. It was the feeling of a well-making shared Presence.

Sari:
I loved our four-table structure for carrying EFA forward on some basic topics: gatherings, website, finance, and open space. Everybody was beautifully involved, it felt like the “World Café” we had done in the past, and some interest groups emerged from it.

Regina:
It is the third time I joined the EFA gatherings, and I will come back next year (-: It was so easy to propose a workshop or to join a workshop. I enjoyed my daily Qigong offering; it is so much nicer when others join. I enjoyed the direct bodily contact with people and being in nature. I liked the format with the four tables for carrying forward EFA, it felt like a coming together to find the best possible way forward together. Speaking English was a challenge for me. I know that one Focusing partnership will remain from this gathering (smile).

Teresa:
EFA has become a strong being, an identity. The four tables format will go into history! It was vivid and joyful. Usually having a hard time with online meetings, it feels so good to meet in person and be in the same room together. Sharing amongst colleagues is inspiring, to belong to the EFA Focusing community is very precious to me.

Rosella:
The 2024 EFA gathering has had for me a quality of attentive care and support for each other. I connected with participants I hadn’t encountered in the previous gatherings. A thoughtful structure and an imaginative way of allowing people to unfold their own creativity. The venue was beautiful and the meals really healthy: I enjoyed every minute!

Hejo:
We moved from structure-bound to a more open structure. Just being there and seeing what wants to happen, spending time together. There are projects and one can join if one wants to.

Ria:
I was so amazed and happy to see – on the first morning when we all co-created the program – how many happenings were offered, it was like a busy energetic beehive. With such a diversity of workshops, topics and other activities that it was difficult to choose where to go and enjoy ‘the honey’!

Amona:
I loved everybody’s wholehearted, considerate engagement, which – it seems – has a lot to do with the current open structure that we have developed. Just enough to stimulate everyone’s creativity, but not too much or too rigid that wouldn’t allow spontaneous ideas. In particular, it felt good how we playfully considered the question “How do we want to carry EFA forward?”
Day 1: Information about the current situation in the whole group.
Day 2: Topic tables, spinning ideas in small groups.
Day 3: Summary of ideas that came from the topic tables and a fresh exchange about them in the whole group.
I felt surprisingly rejuvenated after our gathering, even though it was kind of non-stop (-:

Ruth:
For me, these gatherings keep getting better. This was the richest one is so many ways: the participants, the quality of conversations, workshops, gatherings. It was a privilege to be a part of it!

Peter Afford:
Many thanks to you all and especially the steering group for an excellent and very enjoyable few days together in a beautiful setting. I think the steering group put a lot of thought and effort into it – this is appreciated!
I hope you have all re-adjusted to normal life, it can feel like quite a shift to make.

Here more about the form of the Gathering

On the first day, Heidrun Essler once again worked her magic by guiding us calmly and clearly through the process of creating the programme together. After that, we enjoyed a rich mix of interest groups, discussions, workshops, presentations, sharing and experientials. We also took time twice a day for partner Focusing and small “home groups”. This format created a perfect balance: we were able to share new ideas and insights and then digest and integrate what we learned in our Focusing times, making what we had received our own through personal reflection. The somewhat rainy week gave us plenty of time to hang out together, chat, sing, dance, sleep, and much more.

When it came to the question of how to carry EFA forward, we tried out a new format, a four-table journey, similar to what some of you know as a “World Café”. With pre-set topics: Future EFA gatherings, Website, Finance, and Open Space, everyone had the opportunity to talk about each topic and brainstorm ideas in small groups. It was fun, creative, effective, and much appreciated by many. Hopefully, many of us will feel called to put some of these wonderful ideas into action.

HAPPENINGS AT THE GATHERING
On the first morning and during the following days we created the programme together. Here are the Happenings that took place.

Environmental-Centered Focusing: interest group to share experiences around climate change and the environment. Facilitator – Teresa.
Making a bouquet: experimental workshop / sharing using creative methods / drawing linked to clearing a space. Facilitator – Rosella.
Pattern makers & constant restructuring: reading the final chapter of Gendlin’s ‘Focusing’ together and having a Focusing, sensing conversation about carrying forward, creating new structures, unstructuring. Facilitator – Amona.
Flowcusing: interest group reflecting, sensing into, sharing experiences of the intersection or crossing of ‘flow’ and Focusing. Facilitator – Olaf.
Climate change dialoguing: Felt sense dialogue around the theme of climate change. Facilitator – Peter.
Focusing with images: working with portraits for a different way of Focusing. Facilitator – Silvia.
Focusing without content: Demonstration and exercise of a Focusing conversation with ‘what is not spoken’, where the speaker senses an issue without sharing the story. Facilitator – Christiane.
Travelling and coming home: a workshop of sensing and thinking freshly around the theme of going away and coming home. Facilitator – Ria.
How to name it?: experiential sharing in a group how it is called when we cross Focusing with ‘something else’. Facilitator – Freda.
Focusing research: interest group about research into Focusing attitudes and felt sense literacy. Facilitator – Danny.
Dreams: workshop / demonstration of dreaming and Focusing, how we dream even when we don’t remember dreams. Facilitator – Teresa.
Spiritual bypassing: interest group looking at narrow complexity and spiritual bypassing. Facilitator – Haik.
Exploring illness: a sharing group exploring marginality, otherness and othering for people with long-term health conditions; interpersonal relationships and how to be in the world. Facilitator Lucy VP.
Smartphones & Focusing: interest group around Focusing in the age of smartphones and instant catching of our attention. Facilitator – Danny.
A Focusing window for Ukraine: a sharing and interest group on how can Focusing be present during war, how we can cultivate crumbles of life during the war to a Garden of Inner Peace. Facilitator – Gosia.
Changes groups: starting Changes groups. Facilitator – Regina.

During free times / outside ‘workshop hours’:

Sitting in the stillness: early morning exercise every day of silently sitting in the stillness with Silvia.
Qi Gong: before breakfast each day indoors or outside with Regina.

Walking in the countryside with Eveline.
Dancing in the evenings with DJs Thomas & Amona.
Music and singing in the evening with Amona & Heidrun.

EFA CARRYING FORWARD
During the ‘carrying forward sessions’ Fri, Sat, Sun all kinds of new ideas and initiatives were brought forward.

Members can see the same content but with names of each person who made the suggestion. Log into your members’ acount and then find the link: “Member Documents”

Website / Facebook / Social Media

• A number of people have offered that they can help with website support
• Contribution from all members invited for articles, etc to be added to the website.
• Contribution from all members invited to become involved in starting / sharing in discussions in the EFA Facebook forum group
• EFA email discussion list – members invited to use this also for discussions / sharing (not just Facebook forum).
• Is it possible for members to include EFA logo on their own websites, and for the logo to be a clickable link to EFA’s site
• Would ‘certification’ by EFA demonstrate that a member is embedded in the EFA community?

Finances

• Discussion of potential donation of scholarship for members who might not otherwise be able to come to a Gathering. Suggestion that this can work by linking up those who want to offer, and those who can’t afford, so they can arrange a direct transfer between them.
• Request for communication of ongoing cash balance after a Gathering – this might influence whether people decide to donate more.
• Last will & testament? Lottery winnings? – this is difficult at the moment without a formal organisational structure, but things can still be arranged between specific people. One can name an individual in one’s will who should get such and such amount of money to be used for such and such.
• Retirement home / community for Focusers? Or Multigenerational Living Community.

Future gatherings

• 2025 Belgium gathering.
• BFA summer school – August 2025 – this is an international gathering, details are on the BFA website
• Suggestion to put all national gatherings on the EFA website
• Would it be possible to make audio recordings of Happenings for when people are unable to attend (i.e. when we want to go to 2 happenings that are at the same time)?
• More communication that it’s possible to come to only part of the Gathering (Freda) – BUT – this can affect the feel of the Gathering as a whole
• Suggestion to consult with members about the best date
• Could the Gathering be structured to have longer workshops (2-3 hours) AND having a strong theme with opportunity to shape Happenings around this?
• 2026 Gathering in Scotland – to check whether we can stay before / after Gathering dates (meals before or after gathering visitors?)
• 2025 Gathering in Belgium – we can stay the Mon/Tue before and until the next day Monday, 10am.
• Are there too many events in 2026 (TIFI, person-centred, EFA)?

Open space

• See interest groups here
• Qi Gong – to be a regular offering at EFA gatherings
• Give space to one of the original principles of EFA, that nations cooperate and collaborate
• EFA creating sweet spot: quarterly offering to the community for members to learn more about how to bring forward felt-sensing through various creative ways, in English and German

 

Annual EFA Gathering 2024: Humboldt-Haus in Achberg, Germany
September 25 to 29, 2024

The primary purpose of Annual EFA Gatherings is for European Focusers to connect and inspire each other, and to create European work relationships. Those from other parts of the world are also welcome to join.

THE VENUE
Humboldt-Haus in Achberg is well known amongst German and Swiss Focusers as various Focusing groups have been offered here by Eugene Gendlin. Some say, that’s the place through which Focusing came to Germany.
You can see more information here: https://humboldt-haus.de/
If it interests you to translate the website to your language, go to Google Translate and on the right side of the top ribbon select “websites” and post https://humboldt-haus.de into the field, click translate > Voila. (Words on images remain German).

THE POOL WAS OPEN FOR THOSE WHO DARED TO SWIM IN SEPTEMBER

ACCOMMODATION
All prices included three meals

Single room €103
Small twin room €83 per person (140cm bed or two single beds)
Large twin room €89 per person
Your own mobile home €63, second person €56
Camping €56 (your own tent) per person

Once all rooms were taken, Humboldt Haus recommended places to stay in the village of Achberg.

SURROUNDED BY BEAUTIFUL NATURE (and people)

MEALS
All meals were vegetarian or vegan and served buffet style. Great quality and comfortable spaces. (-:

BUFFET, THREE TIMES DAILY – DINING SPACES INSIDE & OUTDOORS

Diets, gluten-free, or lactose-free meals
Upon request. Surcharge: €7 per day (breakfast €2, lunch €3, dinner €2).

ADDITIONAL COST
Every participant brought €65 in cash for the contribution to the workshop rooms.

 

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Annual Gathering
at Bassano del Grappa in northern Italy
25 – 29 October 2023

The 2023 year theme is: BELONGING BEYOND BORDERS – LISTENING BEYOND

THE VILLA ANGARAN SAN GIUSEPPE
host us from Wednesday evening until Sunday lunchtime.
The venue is lovely. You can see more information here: https://www.villangaransangiuseppe.it

 

 

MEALS:
Occasionally we plan to eat out together in the old historical centre of Bassano.

ARRIVALS/DEPARTURES:
Everyone felt free to come to the café/bar area by 6:00pm to meet and greet. Later, between 8:00pm and 9:00pm, we all gathered for welcoming,
basic practical matters, and first personal interactions.
The next morning by 9:00/9:30am all participants introduced themselves and shared ideas about their wishes and offers. We then created our program together.
For anyone who wanted to arrive earlier and/or stay longer, it could be arranged.

HAPPENINGS: the days were filled with workshops, sharing, interest and home groups, partnership time,
making music, singing and enjoying nature and connecting…

 

Cost:
Accommodation and Meals are paid directly to the hotel by each participant.
For the Meeting Rooms we calculated everybody’s contributions for the cost of the two meeting rooms
based on an estimated minimum number of 20 participants, so €65 Euro is paid by each participant
in addition to the cost of the bedroom. Any surplus is to be used for EFA projects.

EFA gathering communication platform
We have an active communication platform, where can be seen who is coming and let people know who will join.
You can see what ideas already exist, and you can post your envisioned workshop, wishes and discussion ideas;
and connect for travel plans, etc.

The primary purpose of Annual EFA Gatherings is for European Focusers to connect and inspire each other,
and to create European work relationships. Those from other parts of the world are still welcome to join us.

Some inspirations from EFA gathering in Bassano del Grappa 2023

• Touched deeply by the flowing kindness in our gathering. By
• The meeting was a thoroughly enjoyable experience: the medieval town of Bassano, the splendid villa
  and its grounds, and the stimulation of conversations with focusers from euro countries and beyond.
  There’s nothing that compares with these international gatherings of focusing people,
  there’s a good-heartedness amongst us that the rest of the world could learn from!
  I look forward to the next meeting.
  By Peter Afford
• Thank you for a wonderful gathering. It was so lovely to be back in Bassano again, reconnecting to people
  I met last year, and forming some new relationships too.
  I truly appreciate the hard work and efforts that go into making such an event, by the steering group and others involved.
  I also at no point underestimate the contribution of those who speak English when they might be more comfortable,
  and feel more themselves, speaking their mother tongue. I am very grateful to you, and would welcome
  continuing to explore opportunities for a gathering that is inclusive and equitable in language terms –
  and the introduction to a cross-lingual focusing method was very hopeful.
  The daily morning Qi Gong groups helped me to settle myself and connect me to myself, others and the very special place
  that we were in. I so appreciated the opportunity to combine spending time with other Focusers, and also enjoying
  the landscape and the town on my own, responding to my sense of what I needed.
  By Lucy Hyde

There was nice feedback in our Nov 1^st, once-a-month Members’ meeting.
Here are some key phrases of what people experienced at the 2023 Gathering.

It worked so well because of:

• Singing on Saturday
• Familiar people who met last year and nice to have new people coming
• Familiar venue and people felt comfortable and relaxed being there
• Taken good care of by the people working at the Villa, and the ethos of the Villa
• Nature around us
• Nice weather
• Careful preparation from the steering group
• Nice balance between workshops and input < > and personal processing time in the home groups and partnership Focusing
• …

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What has touched you in this gathering, or what is important for you to take away with you, or a significant moment.

‘Everyone is bringing something more, something very special, in this gathering. I’m really celebrating all this, that is happening.’

‘The significant moment for me was witnessing the process of decision-making about how to go on, decision-making that was led in such a Focusing way, and that really touched me.’

‘I’m taking with me a sense of belonging; meaningful connections with a common language and a common human horizon.’

‘ I felt connected with my self and with the others too, with strangers from myself and also with an old part of me. I am grateful.’

‘I came with doubts about my physical fitness, which really interfered with my being present in the group – and now I am glad that I did it, and felt connected to other members.’

‘Great Focusing Constellation about what is behind this so-called upcoming Fascism in Europe. Nice group. Good luck.’

‘This was a great journey towards our European Focusing spirit. And we made this journey in an experiential way, all together, with all openness.’

‘It was like a good home, where you can be free to express yourself every way you need to do it in that moment, knowing that your “relatives” will be there for you.’

‘An amazing and challenging space for co-creation and togetherness. Huge gratefulness. The venue is very special and supportive. I hope to join here again.’

‘Here we are on the way ….. from our inner living forward energy towards each other. Creating a space where connecting and relating happen, and shared leadership can grow.’

 

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Agenda Items

1. Heidi–The next event to be organised by EFA
2. Mia– The European website
3. Steering group(Tine’s email read out about the need for the Steering group to take time to process how it has worked/ hasn’t worked before new members join it)

[Other items from participants for which there was no time]
Hejo– A European publication
Lucy– process put in place for supporting people when conflicts arise
Hejo– English: how can we reach the people who’re not comfortable with speaking English?

Steering group Items

• Online workshops
• The next General Assembly
• The next European conference
• Collaboration with Person-Centred groups]

Before the agenda items:

Hejo gave the background to EFA:
EFA began in 2009 and was formed by a group of coordinators with the aim of fostering collaboration and support amongst European Focusers. We have been EFA since Cambridge (2016) after a Vision Statement had been prepared and approved there. We need to consider what kind of organisation should we be? The underlying question is: what do we need to make Focusing great again? EFA is a networking organisation that has no legal status.

Agenda Items

1. The next event to be organised by EFA

Pavlos- We should have a European conference happen every two years when there is no international conference. (majority Green card- two red cards- not agreed). It was pointed out that the international conference maynot happen in a predictable way (i.e. it may not happen every two years).
Heidi- Regardless of what happens with the International conference there should be an EFA conference every second year and we should have a more informal gathering every year in between. And the General Assembly should be part of that. (only green cards- agreed)

1. Website

Mia- The website is a most important resource for Focusers in Europe. It’s very democratic. Anyone can access it and no one is excluded. She proposes that what we have written for the conference and the conference videos can be posted there. There can be discussion groups there. Online translations could also be made available- we could post our own papers and translations. To be based in Europe but everyone welcome to access it. We need a good webmaster who needs to be paid.
Paula- the world needs to learn from the brilliant minds in Europe.
Nikos- you need to register for the website and create an account.
Pavlos- importance of all of this in terms of promoting collaboration.
Hejo- agrees that we should have online workshops and encourage online collaboration. Maybe the website could include Zoom. Maybe webinars should be paid for.
Pat (Foster)- reinforced Mia’s proposal with a proposal from the steering group re the website. We have funds from the conference. From the proceeds of the first EFA conference all expenses incurred and Nikos’s time since 2015 should be reimbursed and all remaining funds should go to fund the website (including Nikos’s time/ that of any other webmaster for the future). The webmaster should make all decisions regarding the website. (only green cards – all points in this paragraph agreed)
Meg- webinars should be free.
Mia- what is offered on the website should be information rather than advertising. We could simply add links.
Nikos- at the moment people do post workshops (i.e. do advertise there).
Ruth- at the moment she offers workshops through TIFI and a third of the fees go to TIFI. Could the funds go to EFA? (Pat- we can’t take money because in Greece we cannot take funds.)

It was also proposed that an extra 20 Euros be added to any future conference fee to continue to fund the website. (green cards- agreed)

Nikos- asked the Assembly to please subscribe to the EFA website and we can discuss this website issue there and all other issues.

3. Steering Group
The steering group is not a Board, but it takes decisions.

Hejo- the aim is to listen to others. Who should be on the steering group? Up to now it’s been who turned up. Need to create a balance between being structured and unstructured.
Mia- likes the fact that it is informal. Has respect for people who are actually willing to ‘do’ things.
Christiane- Who will go on?
Nikos- being on the steering group means to ‘create’, to do things, planning.
Fiona- has been here since Athens 2015 and wants to step down, but would like to help with the transition to integrate new people into the group.
Judy- also here from Athens 2015 wants to step down from the group in its present form, but would like to help with a transition and to process the learning from the group. Also happy to continue to work on certain aspects (e.g. English texts for the website, etc.). Referred also to Tine’s email that recommends ‘a pause’ for us to look at how the steering group has functioned/ not functioned and what it needs to go forward.

Possible new members:

• Ruth Hirsch put herself forward
• Another suggestion was that it should involve people representing interest groups

BUT
Mia– proposed that we use the European website for people to nominate themselves/ offer themselves, saying what they can offer or bring to the steering group and for the community to comment and agree who should be on the steering group. This would give a stronger mandate for the person who puts themselves forward to replace leaving members. (green cards-agreed)

Hanspeter– proposes that there is a report on the activity of the steering group every year, to be presented at the AGM (green cards- agreed)

Steering Group, from May 2018

Caterina Carta and Bruna Blandino (Italy) (in a rotating manner)
Hejo Feuerstein (Germany)
Patricia Foster (UK/Greece)
Cornelius Gehrig (Germany)
Nikos Kypriotakis (Greece)
Judy Moore (UK)
Fiona Parr (UK)
Lucy Van Praag (Italy/UK)
Tine Swyngedouw (Belgium)

and anyone who will “apply” for it (via the EFA website)

 

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