The following are experiences of a facilitator of IOLEE in The Netherlands, facilitating group and individual mentoring to undergraduate students.
1. Recognizing the response of rejection
In all of my classroom experiences with IOLEE, students became aware of their feelings and active response-patterns in their bodies. What happened to be a common eye-opener was recognizing the rejection. Fear and sadness are more easily recognized. Rejection, however, causes disconnection and causes one to take refuge in mental activity. In particular, with those who have ADD, ADHD or forms of autism this is a very strong and absolute move, which happens unconsciously and in a split second. Now, most students can stay present whenever a wave of panic or mind block comes up.
2. No more dramas and endless identification
Another powerful aspect of IOLEE practice is that students are now also able to observe their pre-emotions or so-called internal responses, apart from perceiving the way they speak, behave and act. And whenever a person is tempted to telling stories, s/he is asked by the facilitator to stay present with the internal responses. This is essential. Most approaches focus on trying to get out of a drama that unfolds in your head. IOLEE teaches not to enter into the drama in the first place. For those who love drama, like I used to, it can at first give a sense of emptiness, when that doesn't happen.
3. The witness is always with you
Sometimes students disconnect completely from their bodies, eagerly trying to get the mind to solve the stressful situation. We call this coping. Through IOLEE they learn to stay present in their bodies while facing unpleasant response-sensations. This also shows them that they can be aware, pay attention, and decode the sensations in the body and at the same time observe what goes on in the mind. This is also how witnessing is introduced in their daily lives, which makes a very big difference. A student reports that he can now stay present during a conversation while an internal response comes up, which previously would have caused him to disconnect from the other. Attention expands from 'me' to 'we'. From feeling separate to a sense of heartfelt togetherness.
4. Easy integration in own practice
For me, it is very important to bring IOLEE into my work at the University. And I am very glad that IOLEE is not therapeutic. This paves the road towards integrating its practice into all of my classes. This means to actively invite students to share what internal response-sensations they are sensing, while for instance, they get instructions or when they get involved in a conflict. By giving them feedback on what they are experiencing intrinsically, they often get insights that resolve the internal responses, on the spot dissolving identification with the story.
5. Complementing Mindfulness
For me, IOLEE complements the practice of mindfulness. Where Mindfulness has helped me find a balance between body and mind, IOLEE has largely contributed to connecting both through the capacity to discern what happens internally. This is essential on the way towards being more aware, wherein your whole being takes part, not only your head. It contributes to emptying your "vessel" and offers a way to stimulate free flow. Furthermore, IOLEE invites us to surrender to the body and mind's in-born homeostatic and self-regenerative capacity. To let nature do its work without interfering in its activity is the most challenging task for many of us.
6. Why should you choose to practice IOLEE?
If you want to discover the wider perspective of life as a human being and not be constantly controlled by fear and the expectations of the outside world, then IOLEE offers a clear and distinctive framework, which you can learn to use all by yourself. More than any other teachings IOLEE focuses on experientially learning the true language of your mind and body, from the inside out. Once you get to understand this, limiting patterns and beliefs naturally resolve, opening up more space for what is. Consequently, you become a captain on your own ship, without having to control all your seamen.
7. Open attitude
Some think too lightly about having an open attitude towards self-discovery, looking for a quick solution for their problems. IOLEE practice reveals and resolves limiting beliefs that have kept you ´trapped´ for so long. Consequently, you will be confronted with undigested memories. Which is what most people are trying to avoid. So I would recommend thinking intently, and make a considered choice for yourself. The good news is that practice sessions always end in a more calm and peaceful state, restoring body and mind's ability to naturally solve problems. Sometimes you will even forget that you ever had a problem.
8. IOLEE Complements
Some of us have already had limited or more advanced training that relates to personal development. IOLEE complements these forms of training, rather than replacing the same. It easily flows with other approaches. However, it may take some time to open up to a new experience. You may meet IOLEE practice with resistance, which comes from your conditioned internal patterns. And that is where some people stop and instead go into their own stories and drama. They may feel that this is not what they were taught in other disciplines such as mindfulness. These persons may miss an opportunity to learn how NOT to be distracted by illusions, stories, and dramas.
9. Pioneering Mentality
You will have to discover by yourself how you can best integrate IOLEE in your (educational) practice. You will come to understand that it's impossible to copy another person's ways. We cannot prescribe a single way of applying IOLEE within your learning environment. Each one of us is unique. Within the facilitator training, you'll be gradually guided in this process. However, other facilitators can inspire you as to its applications in training and educational programs.
In all of my classroom experiences with IOLEE, students became aware of their feelings and active response-patterns in their bodies. What happened to be a common eye-opener was recognizing the rejection. Fear and sadness are more easily recognized. Rejection, however, causes disconnection and causes one to take refuge in mental activity. In particular, with those who have ADD, ADHD or forms of autism this is a very strong and absolute move, which happens unconsciously and in a split second. Now, most students can stay present whenever a wave of panic or mind block comes up.
2. No more dramas and endless identification
Another powerful aspect of IOLEE practice is that students are now also able to observe their pre-emotions or so-called internal responses, apart from perceiving the way they speak, behave and act. And whenever a person is tempted to telling stories, s/he is asked by the facilitator to stay present with the internal responses. This is essential. Most approaches focus on trying to get out of a drama that unfolds in your head. IOLEE teaches not to enter into the drama in the first place. For those who love drama, like I used to, it can at first give a sense of emptiness, when that doesn't happen.
3. The witness is always with you
Sometimes students disconnect completely from their bodies, eagerly trying to get the mind to solve the stressful situation. We call this coping. Through IOLEE they learn to stay present in their bodies while facing unpleasant response-sensations. This also shows them that they can be aware, pay attention, and decode the sensations in the body and at the same time observe what goes on in the mind. This is also how witnessing is introduced in their daily lives, which makes a very big difference. A student reports that he can now stay present during a conversation while an internal response comes up, which previously would have caused him to disconnect from the other. Attention expands from 'me' to 'we'. From feeling separate to a sense of heartfelt togetherness.
4. Easy integration in own practice
For me, it is very important to bring IOLEE into my work at the University. And I am very glad that IOLEE is not therapeutic. This paves the road towards integrating its practice into all of my classes. This means to actively invite students to share what internal response-sensations they are sensing, while for instance, they get instructions or when they get involved in a conflict. By giving them feedback on what they are experiencing intrinsically, they often get insights that resolve the internal responses, on the spot dissolving identification with the story.
5. Complementing Mindfulness
For me, IOLEE complements the practice of mindfulness. Where Mindfulness has helped me find a balance between body and mind, IOLEE has largely contributed to connecting both through the capacity to discern what happens internally. This is essential on the way towards being more aware, wherein your whole being takes part, not only your head. It contributes to emptying your "vessel" and offers a way to stimulate free flow. Furthermore, IOLEE invites us to surrender to the body and mind's in-born homeostatic and self-regenerative capacity. To let nature do its work without interfering in its activity is the most challenging task for many of us.
6. Why should you choose to practice IOLEE?
If you want to discover the wider perspective of life as a human being and not be constantly controlled by fear and the expectations of the outside world, then IOLEE offers a clear and distinctive framework, which you can learn to use all by yourself. More than any other teachings IOLEE focuses on experientially learning the true language of your mind and body, from the inside out. Once you get to understand this, limiting patterns and beliefs naturally resolve, opening up more space for what is. Consequently, you become a captain on your own ship, without having to control all your seamen.
7. Open attitude
Some think too lightly about having an open attitude towards self-discovery, looking for a quick solution for their problems. IOLEE practice reveals and resolves limiting beliefs that have kept you ´trapped´ for so long. Consequently, you will be confronted with undigested memories. Which is what most people are trying to avoid. So I would recommend thinking intently, and make a considered choice for yourself. The good news is that practice sessions always end in a more calm and peaceful state, restoring body and mind's ability to naturally solve problems. Sometimes you will even forget that you ever had a problem.
8. IOLEE Complements
Some of us have already had limited or more advanced training that relates to personal development. IOLEE complements these forms of training, rather than replacing the same. It easily flows with other approaches. However, it may take some time to open up to a new experience. You may meet IOLEE practice with resistance, which comes from your conditioned internal patterns. And that is where some people stop and instead go into their own stories and drama. They may feel that this is not what they were taught in other disciplines such as mindfulness. These persons may miss an opportunity to learn how NOT to be distracted by illusions, stories, and dramas.
9. Pioneering Mentality
You will have to discover by yourself how you can best integrate IOLEE in your (educational) practice. You will come to understand that it's impossible to copy another person's ways. We cannot prescribe a single way of applying IOLEE within your learning environment. Each one of us is unique. Within the facilitator training, you'll be gradually guided in this process. However, other facilitators can inspire you as to its applications in training and educational programs.
Disclaimer
Thousands of hours of field-observation between 2001 and 2019 have led to the following conclusions. Although IOLEE's approach to guiding the intrinsic learning process is non-therapeutic, its educational framework is designed to positively affect the capacity of learners to recognize the patterns of coping that disrupt balance socially and on all levels within us. This restores the capacity of learners to consciously and effortlessly process experiences as they internally emerge in connection with the immediate world outside. Continued practice develops into a self-directed intrinsic competency, which enables the learner to dynamically apply the acquired understanding, capacity and competency, on demand in day-to-day situations, positively affecting the learner physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. Feel free to contact us in case you have any questions.
