Summary

Course starting on Thursday June 7th 2012

The course comprises ten session, each of 2 hours, and we meet every other Thursday, in small groups of six or seven people.

This gives the ideal opportunity to participants to shape and develop the sessions, according to their needs. For further information and to  show your interest, please email antonina@excellenceinlife.com.au

“You don’t see something until you have the right metaphor to let you perceive it” (B. Shelton Shaw)

Examining the metaphors we use in our every day speech, and constructing alternative metaphors, opens a window into the way we think and creates new possibilities into the ways we might be able to perceive both ourselves and the world.

What is a Metaphor?

“Generally a metaphor is defined as a way of speaking in which one thing is expressed in terms of another, whereby this bringing together throws new light on the character of what is being described”

Sheldon Kopp)

Metaphors then, help us explain to others the world as we see it. When we are able to call on a very large repertoire of metaphors, we are better able to communicate our ideas to others, to bring them to our point of view, to share more of our mental maps. Metaphors then, are a special kind of “frame”.

Choosing  metaphors for yourself and for your actions gives you a focus to make the most of the opportunity of learning and therefore changing.

This course studies the use of metaphor in speech, and story telling and its functions in achieving most effective communication.

Who Would Benefit From This Course?

Anyone with an interest in acquiring superior communication skills, with the intention to bring about clarity of purpose and lasting change in personal, professional and business development, will benefit from this study.

Objectives

Participants are encouraged to:

  • discover their own everyday metaphors,
  • apply different/new metaphors to several aspects of their lives,
  • analyse the effects of different metaphors applied to given contexts;
  • discover their own personal guiding metaphors, and
  •  assess whether they are an empowering or a limiting force in their lives
  • Choose to introduce new guiding metaphors in alignment with their core values
  • Present a case study of your choice.

What is a Metaphor?

Metaphors are very effective linguistic tools when we want to bring about lasting change at the higher logical levels of identity and purpose.

I have found have found the application of metaphors absolutely transformational during my life coaching practice, especially when helping people to bring their actions in alignment with their values, to achieve a deeper understanding among partners, to create a creative business culture, etc.etc.

Below we give some definitions of metaphor and its functions as an effective tool for superior results in communication.

Metaphor Definitions

Metaphor is a universal phenomenon in human speech, and aids communication on many levels making sense of reality, and framing a perspective for oneself and others.

Whether at a personal or cultural levels metaphors have a huge, mostly subliminal, impact on our sense of identity, motivation, feelings, and reality constructs.

Metaphors operate at a subliminal level and it is only through bringing them into conscious mind that we can become aware of how they work and how they affect our behaviours, whether they help us or limit us.

As can be expected, cultures differ remarkably in the choice of metaphors.

Here are some definitions in the literature:

B. Shelton Shaw notices:  “You don’t see something until you have the right metaphor to let you perceive it”

Examining the metaphors we use in our every day speech, and constructing alternative metaphors, opens a window into the way we think and creates new possibilities into the ways we might be able to perceive both ourselves and the world.

Sheldon Kopp defines metaphor as follows:

“Generally a metaphor is defined as a way of speaking in which one thing is expressed in terms of another, whereby this bringing together throws new light on the character of what is being described”  Metaphors then, help us explain to others the world as we see it. This implies that when we are able to call on a very large repertoire of metaphors, we are better able to communicate our ideas to others, to bring them to our point of view, to share more of our mental maps. Metaphors then, are a special kind of “frame”. Choosing a new metaphor for yourself and for your actions gives you a focus to make the most of the opportunity of learning and therefore changing.

Learning is changing.  Natalie Goldberg encourages us by saying:

 “Watch yourself.  Every minute we change.  It is a great opportunity. At any point we can step out of our frozen selves and ideas and begin afresh”

Course Content

The course includes:

  1. Metaphor as a universal communication phenomenon. Introduction to the study of meaning and implications of metaphor, as proposed in linguistics, and allied fields
  2. Functions and purposes of Metaphor. (Examples in ordinary speech, in fairytales, parables, anecdotes, proverbs)
  3. The exploration of personal metaphors relevant to each individual in the group with the aim to clarify one’s metaphors, and transform them to more empowering models, if/when appropriate
  4. Application of diverse linguistic models to metaphor construction, for health and well being, relationships, personal development, culture and community building etc.
  5. The body as a metaphor: Body metaphors and their implications for healthy and well-being, motivation for healthy life style etc.
  6. Use of metaphor in Story Telling: the implications of applying different metaphors to a given “Story
  7. The impact of metaphor on team building, family relationships, perceptions of self and others
  8. ***Case Study: Participants choose one or more of the following exercises- anyone of these exercises will help you discover your metaphors).

There will be the opportunity to present your case studies to the group if you desire.

i. Discover and/or construct a metaphor that guides you in your life.

Examine your “story” in the light of the metaphor.  Decide whether this metaphor is limiting you in any areas of your life.  Transform any elemts of the metaphor so that your “new” metaphor supports you in what you want in your life.

ii. Write a Story about yourself following a fairy tale or a hero story

iii. Choose a fairy tale that in your opinion is not an empowering model

Re-write it giving the Hero/Heroine different choices at various decision points in the story.  In what ways would the heroine’s “destiny” or adventure be influenced?

iv. propose your own study for presentation.

Method of Presentation:

I use a mix of brief formal presentations of new material, questions and answer, story telling and exercises to lead the participants into an experiential understanding of the material under study.  The activities in this course are designed to offer a safe and supportive space where participants feel empowered to deal with what they perceive as long standing issues of identity and life purpose.

The methodology used draws from many modalities, in particular NLP technology and advanced NLP life-coaching, as well as Cognitive and Systems approaches.

How is the course delivered?

The course is delivered over ten sessions, on alternate weeks, in small groups.

The formal session is 2 hours. People are welcome to stay for lunch and de-briefing for a third hour.

Investment: AU$690 *. This includes  twenty hours tuition plus one individual consultation., and short phone consultations according to participants’ needs.  The individual consultation can be taken before the course starts or during the term.I am also available for participants for brief consultations over the phone free of charge.

* In case of genuine financial difficulties, please talk with me and come anyway.

Prerequisite: One of my previous courses, or individual life coaching.

In some special cases, at least one individual session before course commences to assess the suitability of the course for the participant.

For further information, or to book, please see my Contact page