Practitioner Q & A: Elisa Cederlund, Germany

As part of a regular series, we are asking Pantarei practitioners from around the world, to share with us some insights into their life, their work and what flow means to them.

Q. Tell us about yourself and what you do

I am 35 years old, I am a personal development and birth mentor. I’ve been running my own center in Berlin for the past year and a half. I come from a family of philosophers and therapists and my mother and stepfather are both mentors. I was born in Chile, moved to the US and eventually to Germany. From an early age, I was interested in matters of the soul and often went to church with my three grandmothers, each of whom belonged to a different Christian sect. I visited a kindergarten lead by a Mapuche woman and remember how we learned to cast out sicknesses from someone’s body and send it into the mountains.

I went through a rough childhood that led to heavy emotional issues as I became an adult. One day I decided I was going to work through the obstacles that life had put in my way, and even though I was very depressed and in a difficult situation, I knew I was going to be happy one day!

I worked as a designer, but never felt quite satisfied with the work as I didn’t find as much meaning in it as I wanted to – I was looking for ways in which I could contribute more to society.

After the birth of my first daughter, I realized I wanted to focus on personal development, work on myself on a deeper level; to be the best mother I could be – which is when I discovered body work and eventually found myself studying the Pantarei Approach. I also became a hypno-birthing teacher, accompanying mothers and families in their beautiful transformations. I use the Pantarei Approach to mentor mothers and I complement my courses with bodywork sessions.

This 15-year journey of self-healing and forgiveness has brought me to where I am today. Happily married, mother of two wonderful girls and part of a thriving tribe. But most importantly, I feel that everything I ever went through was preparation for me to serve humanity as best I can. For me, being a practitioner and accompanying people in their processes of personal development to well-being is why I exist.

Q. What touches you about the Pantarei Approach?

I feel privileged to have learned the Pantarei Approach. It has given me permission to combine all that I’ve learned in my life to accompany others on their journeys of self-discovery and personal development. I like that it’s not about knowing or having preconceived answers, but meeting my client in their unique experience and asking questions. In this work, I am allowed to be myself and to follow my instincts. I like that when I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing, it’s exactly when I’m on the right track, because it is then that I know that what is unfolding is truly unique. Through the Pantarei Approach I meet my clients in all of who they are, touching all aspects of their being.

For me it is like a meditation to give a session; the feeling of stillness and pure potential that I get when I give a session, is incredibly invigorating. I was able to work until the 39^thweek of pregnancy and resumed giving sessions when my baby was 2 months old. I find that is an amazing opportunity; to be able to go through life’s changes and still be able to do what I love.

Q. Tell us about what it means for you to teach others about their uniqueness

For me teaching others about their uniqueness means to contribute to world peace, because if everyone was in tune with who they are and at peace with themselves, the world would become a better place. Teaching someone about their uniqueness is to give them a powerful tool to make a great impact in their lives and the lives of those around them. For me it is to pass on a wonderful gift: the feeling that we, in all of our contradictions and challenges, are complete.

I see this especially when working with pregnant people, who feel like they are under so much pressure to be a certain way, to raise their child a certain way, to be like some other parent or family. When what really relieves them is knowing that they, just the way they are, in all their uniqueness, is just what they need to be.

 

Q. Do you have a client story to share that was an interesting experience for you of uniqueness in practice?

In collaboration with Lioba Sporlein and Burcu Senel, I gave a ‘Nature, Art and Storytelling’ workshop this year in the 5th Symposium for experienced Women* working with girls* and new comers. The theme of the workshop was ‘We are feminists’. Each participant described what it meant for them personally to be a feminist by telling a story and painting on stones. At the end we placed all the stones together to make a labyrinth that would stay as an art piece in the garden of the seminar house. The labyrinth is a symbol for the journey: there is always a beginning, a middle and an end … and the end is also a beginning.

Each stone and story is unique, all part of an incredible journey. Each participant had their own approach to the concept of feminism, nevertheless we were all united by a common wish to thrive, regardless of gender, race or social background. The concept of feminism is ever changing, adapting to the uniqueness of each individual looking to unfold themselves in the time and age in which they live.

Elisa Cederlund is a personal development and birth mentor, based in Berlin, Germany. You can learn more about her on her website, she can be contacted by email at

el************@gm***.com











or phone 017699645738