ELW® Basic Series Autumn

On 27 September, a new Basisreeks Emotioneel Lichaamswerk, also known as ELW®, begins with a series of ten evening sessions from 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. This series is designed for people who want to enhance their quality of life. We often see that symptoms are not illnesses themselves, but signals that body and mind are out of balance, much like a warning light on a dashboard pointing to an engine problem. Many of us have suppressed these signals for years, which means we no longer express emotions in a natural way.

When emotions are pushed down, feelings become muted and we start focusing mainly on what is “allowed” or what helps us gain acceptance. For some, this suppression has built up so much that even the smallest trigger leads to a strong reaction, without any real sense of relief. Others store feelings away for years and gradually lose their zest for life. One of ELW®’s core aims is to relearn how to listen to the body and act in accordance with its laws, where thinking, feeling, and movement come together.

This requires conscious living, which is about much more than simply gathering knowledge. Broadly speaking, the body can be divided into three key areas: the Lower, Middle, and Upper sections. In Western lifestyles, with seated work, too little movement, insufficient breathing, and a great deal of mental activity, these areas often become unbalanced. Tension then appears not only physically, but also on a mental and emotional level, and can show up in different parts of the body.

The feet, ankles, legs, and pelvis make up the lower area, which is linked to safety, trust, mistrust, and fear. The lower back, abdomen, diaphragm, and heart area, together with the breath, form the middle area, connected to manifestation, love, warmth, anger, and sadness. The upper back, shoulders, neck, and head form the upper area, associated with creativity, expression, being seen and heard, and joy. With guidance from two to three trainers and assistants, this method works very effectively.

Emotional Bodywork is a powerful method for personal growth that focuses on human potential. It starts from the belief that you can learn to shape the quality of your own life, for example by living with vitality, creativity, and self-confidence. People who have already completed an ELW® series say it gave them a fresh perspective. Why choose ELW®? In a relaxed atmosphere, you discover how to work with your emotions. Ignoring emotions or being overwhelmed by them costs enormous energy. Through movement, everything that has been held in place begins to move again. Through deep breathing, you come into closer contact with what is alive within you, and through making sound, you give it a natural expression.