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EUROTAS NEWSLETTER No. 58

eurotas

21 December 2009

 

 

Board of Administrators: President Ingo Jahrsetz, Bernadette Blin-Lery, Elena Francisc, Hans-Peter Weidinger, Pier Luigi Lattuada, Gennady Brevde, Magda Solé
Newsletter Editor: John Drew, Newsletter Executive: Erich Meier

Dear Friends
A long Newsletter with thoughts about the future of EUROTAS from our new President, from Pier Luigi who ran the special Milan EUROTAS Conference, minutes of the EUROTAS Delegates Meeting and constructive views from participants about EUROTAS conferences
Best wishes to you and to your dear ones at this time of gifts and reflection
As ever, love
John Drew, Newsletter Editor

 

Contents

  1. Welcome from our new President
  2. After the Milan Eurotas Conference - Pier Luigi Lattuada
  3. EUROTAS Delegates Meeting Minutes, Milan, 14 October 2009
  4. Helpful comments on EUROTAS meetings past, present and future
  5. Spirituality and Business - A new book by Sharda Nandram and Margot Borden
  6. 17th International Transpersonal Conference, Moscow 23-27 June
  7. Jorge Ferrer – A new book
  8. Synchronicity and Kamilla Dvorakova
  9. Advent Calendar from Contemplative Fire
  10. Last Words

1. Welcome from our New President

Dear friends of EUROTAS,

A month ago we had the 2009 EUROTAS conference in Milan. Pier Luigi Lattuada and his team did wonderful work embracing the energy and the spirit of the EUROTAS network and brought together a Conference which is perhaps typical and unique for Eurotas: a family style meeting and a considerable high conference quality. Thank you Pier Luigi and all the other contributing spirits! Your liveliness and your humility created a sense of oneness, scientific rigor and joy

At the delegates meeting in Milan, you elected me the new president of Eurotas. My heart is open to you and I thank you for the trust you have given to me by your vote. For you and for all others I’ll do my best to serve the interests of Eurotas and to justify this confidence

I appreciated and I am honoring the work of Vitor Rodrigues who stepped down from the board of EUROTAS as its President. He always met me with a lot of humor and with competence in his work and he did it quietly and with diplomacy. Thank you Vitor for the work you did and for the style you introduced to our Board. We found out in all those years that the EUROTAS community bears a lot of treasures waiting to be discovered by others for the benefit of all

The transpersonal can be understood and realized very differently and is present at many different levels. Within the EUROTAS network all these different understandings live and have their place. I have seen it expressed at the annual conferences, at workshops and lectures and in many informal contacts. All these encounters have filled me with gratitude to be part of this lively and spiritual richness

These treasures have to be expressed and communicated. Yes, there are the annual conferences - now Fausto Sergei Sommer and his team are preparing the next one on the beautiful Lake of Thun in Switzerland. The theme and title is KNOWLEDGE PLEASURE AND BELIEF. The website is just being developed and you can contact the organizers now if you want to present your work. In February you can register at http://www.eurotas2010.ch/

What can be done to strengthen our network during the year? 
One possibility might be the EUROTAS forum on the Eurotas website. There you may express ideas, questions, describe projects and experiences. I know that virtual communication is not always the best way to do things, but it could be a first step. In Freiburg we have a small group which is engaged kindly to moderate your website contributions

As a mean of communication also our office in Freiburg/Germany can serve - mail@eurotas.org. There we are also reachable by phone at regular times: Mondays -Thursday 9.30- 12.30 
Katrin Nowack will receive your calls and if possible answer your questions. I can be reached by phone each Wednesday between 10.oo -12.oo. So please contact us whenever you feel like it on +49-761-47 58 46

I think that a lot more possibilities and ways to communicate exist. Dear Rumold Moll used to travel a lot and he created a lot of connections. Last not least there was his idea of an East-West-project providing exchanges of therapists and ideas. If you wish to strengthen the EUROTAS network then please communicate your projects, your ideas, your need for personal exchange, for self-exploration and training

Recently Pier Luigi proposed to meet once a year to exchange how we work and he offered heart opening places, seducing us to follow his invitation. More details you’ll find in the EUROTAS website “FORUM” within the next two months

There is also a big need for scientific research: E.G. What are transpersonal art, business, psychology and psychotherapy? Are there genuine transpersonal methods? What really does it mean to work or to be “transpersonal”? What exactly is the transpersonal? Do transpersonal people exist? Ideas to start working groups and research groups are kindly requested

EUROTAS is in the process of applying to the European Association of Psychology (EAP). Vitor and the ECCA committee worked for it a lot. We can expect that EUROTAS will be accepted as a member (presupposing it is able to pay the membership fees). EAP membership will strengthen the place of transpersonal psychology and psychotherapy and will bring EUROTAS closer to the “normal world”

What also makes me feel optimistic is a good and continuously evolving relationship between EUROTAS and the American Transpersonal Association (ATP) and the newly re-founded International Transpersonal Association (ITA). Les Lancaster is currently bringing together a highly qualified group of people from all over the world for the new ITA board. Vladimir Maikov is resuming the long tradition of the ITA and is working to offer the 17th International Transpersonal Conference: “Consciousness Revolution: Transpersonal discoveries that are changing the World" - Moscow, June 23 – 27, 2010

Wishing you a peaceful Christmas time and a mindful start of the New Year, seeing the sacredness of our world

Freiburg/Germany 
December 2009
Ingo Benjamin Jahrsetz

2. After the Milan EUROTAS Conference - Pier Luigi Lattuada

Pier Luigi and other members of the Board welcome your comments and thoughts on Milan. EUROTAS wishes to develop through those involved and interested. You will find some comments in this Newsletter and more are requested for future Newsletters. They can be addressed to Pier Luigi and the Board directly or through the website eurotas.org

Dear Friends here is my report of the Milan Conference.

Gratitude
The warm sun and the fragrance of the humid earth smiles on me as I recall in my heart the memory of days we spent together in Milan. I feel a sense of spiritual brotherhood and professional values. Personally I am grateful, deeply grateful to the board of EUROTAS that honored me and gave all of us the necessary confidence. To all the presenters and all the participants, thank you. You have been extraordinary. The many feedbacks received were enthusiastic, very much appreciated and so were the welcome ideas of constructive criticism

Quality
To organize the 11th EUROTAS Conference was a fascinating journey from the personal and transpersonal point of view. The organizational machine went on its bike after Barcelona. Thus from November 2008, once we had the date, like the Mother who knows she will give birth - love, dedication and confidence were the qualities that were necessary each day

First Steps
The first step, already in Barcelona, after having chosen the title and the date, shared with the board of EUROTAS, was working with the webmaster -Saint Erich! - for the preparation of the website

First teaching
identifying a webmaster, reliable and responsible is vital. The person to seek will combine technical skills, knowledge of the transpersonal world and be readily available for every situation. Erich Meier was just that! Particular attention should be dedicated to the software, to the entries and payments. www.eurotasitaly2009.eu The site was good yet some users had difficulties. We felt it was simple and easy but many users often have little familiarity with computer resources. . Erich is learning our problems and sites will improve and simplify for future conferences

Organisation
At the same time we started with the preparation of a business plan with particular attention, to the economic level, the budget and the logistics, the choice of staff and of partners and of the location. Great help came from the Scientific and Cultural level by drawing up the project and making decisions on the duration and structure of the event

Second teaching
Eleonora, our General Assistant was the soul of the Organization. Without her nothing would have been possible. Seems to me absolutely fundamental to find a person competent and reliable to take on the whole organization

Contact and Communication
Importance of finding contacts, national and international, special guests, the promotional choices, communication and the search for sponsors

Third teaching
Don’t invest too many resources in publicity as the media have high costs and returns are very low. Give priority to personal active contacts and achieve partnership with those who already have experience in the field

Presenters
With the sending out a call for papers, the public phase of initiatives began. Acknowledgement was very encouraging. This started the long and fascinating adventure of contact with all the presenters: their proposals, their requests, the quality and the limits. Every e-mail a world, each contact a teaching. The relationship with each of you has been full and we were lived wired for a whole year. You entered not only in our computer, but also our bodies, our breath, our mind and our soul. It was always one of you there this morning when I woke up or the evening when I felt asleep. In our journey together I had the opportunity to see, once again, the road that we still has to go. I have had the opportunity to see also the enthusiasm, the force that lives inside us and that awaits only a simple smile of encouragement to spread in its entire splendor

Fourth teaching
Start at the earliest the phase of selection of the presenters and to get them to agree. The network of EUROTAS is like a great river which you can then browse with calm

Fifth teaching
Many presenters appear not to have read the periodic reports through websites and the EUROTAS newsletter and have special personal needs. Find the way of communicating the need to respect the indications of calls for paper and the issues of the conference

Volunteers
The sky of conference has been lit up by the brilliant splendor of the volunteers! A force coming directly from the heart without which the conference could not have been realized

Sixth teaching
Provide for time to search for volunteers full of enthusiasm and dedication and with knowledge of the transpersonal world. The staff of the 11th EUROTAS Conference is available to provide a service of voluntary support and service (ALL INCLUSIVE) for future conferences

Some Statistics
Volunteers: 34
Staff working: 19 (team 7 members, media team 4 members, translations 4 members, Press Office 2 members, sponsor research 2 members)
Sponsors: 2 for €4000
Presenters: 125
Total participants: 370
Countries: 24
Partners (for communication and promotion): 2
Institutional Patrons: 4
Round tables: 11
Working groups: 32
Workshops: 52
Video conference: 1
Films: 2
Events: 5

Account
Our heart is happy. The 11th EUROTAS Conference it just seemed like a Conference of good quality, characterized by the presence of many valid professionals, by a good atmosphere and a numerous and concerned participation of the public. In the months preceding the Conference a document was drawn up and presented in plenary and welcomed. This is the Transpersonal Manifesto that will be published in different languages

Much still we can do to improve the quality of the organization and the working methodology. It is necessary to consider the objective limits linked to the structure of a conference, the location, to the time and costs. The balance of the 11th EUROTAS Conference seems will be in surplus of about €15.000 only thanks to the generous free work of 34 volunteers and to the almost unlimited availability of the general Assistant who writes: “without sponsors that allow more extensive investments there seems difficult to increase the organizational quality and make significant changes to the structure .As regards the quality of presentations, this applies to each of us, to our software spiritual and professional, to our courage to embody the term Transpersonal.

Best wishes 
Pier Luigi

3. EUROTAS Delegates Meeting - Milan 14 October 2009

  1. Vitor Rodriguez reviewed the conclusions of the last Delegates Meeting in Barcelona 2008
    - Finances: EUROTAS expenses were reviewed
    - Membership fees for the EUROTAS associations were agreed €250 for western countries and €125 for low wage countries, legal members €150 and individual members € 60
    - There needs to be more exchange of information between EUROTAS associations 
    - The Council of Elders project was discussed

  2. A number of members introduced themselves and the Associations they represented. Among them were:

    Hans-Peter Weidinger (Austria), Vitor Rodriguez (Portugal), Gennady Brevde (Russia), Bernadette Blin (France), Ingo B. Jahrsetz (Germany), Katrin Nowack (Germany), Daniela Tribegea (Romania), Anna Maurer (Austria), Mariam Khorasani-Michels (Austria), Rainer Pervöltz (Germany), Werner (Switzerland), Fausto S. Sommer (Switzerland), Jure Biechonski (Estonia), Tanna Jakubowitz-Mount (Poland), Jo Schnorrenberger (Germany), Erich Meier (Germany), John Drew (UK), Monique Tiberghien (Belgium), Vladimir Maikov (Russia), Xenia Kuleshova (Russia), Steven Schmitz (USA), Judith Miller (USA), Pier Luigi (Italy), Andi (Austria), Renate (Austria), Pia Keiding (Belgium), Magda Sole (Spain), Jaume Mestres (Spain), Marian Gospodinon (Bulgaria)

  3. Monique Tiberghien reminded everyone that this year is the 25th anniversary of EUROTAS

  4. News from Eurotas members:
    - Rainer Pervöltz read a message of Markus Hohmann, Ireland about the state of their association in Ireland. There are administrative issues to do with their association and they are not yet sure how they will be resolved. Markus told us now there are hopes of new beginnings

    - John Drew brought greetings to all from Beata Bishop. Beata Bishop will leave the board of EUROTAS because of her demanding new professional interests in establishing the Guertson Institute in Hungary. She sends her best wishes and hopes to come to future meetings. The President said he would like to thank her for all her work over many years in supporting EUROTAS and a vote of thanks was sent to her on behalf of all friends who were present.

  5. New Memberships
    Associations: in Greece there is a group of people that have the intention to establish a new association and will apply to become a member of EUROTAS

    New Individual members were welcomed: Regina Beller (Germany), Judith Miller (USA), Dietrich Franke (Germany), Román Gonzalvo

  6. Election of the EUROTAS president
    Ingo Benjamin Jahrsetz was elected unanimously as the new president of EUROTAS.

    In reply to his enthusiastic reception he gave special thanks to Vitor Rodriguez for his wonderful leadership during the last six years and especially for all the work he did in a very sensitive, knowledgeable kindly way. Ingo thanked all present for the trust put in him and emphasized his support for communication between EUROTAS members and what the need to address the issue of EUROTAS finances. In order for EUROTAS to fulfil its mission we strongly ask the members to pay their membership fees in time! We need to identify those who would sponsor Eurotas work. Ingo said he was very pleased that Katrin Nowack will work with Ingo and organize the office work of EURPTAS

  7. Hans- Peter Weidinger presented the new legal status of EUROTAS which is now a legally registered association in Austria. He was thanked for this work and his agreement to remain as treasurer. Katrin Nowack will help him to coordinate the finances. Also Hans-Peter has opened up a EUROTAS bank account in Vienna

    The Eurotas bank account is:

    EUROTAS
    Erste Bank, BLZ 20111
    Account number: 284-377-881/03
    IBAN: AT512011128437788103
    BIC/SWIFT: GIBAATWW

    Please would all those associations who have not already done so send their subscriptions to the bank informing Hans- Peter they have done so

  8. EUROTAS Board
    Vitor Rodriguez and Beata Bishop have stepped down from the Board. Magda Solé and Pier Luigi Lattuada were elected to the Board in their place

  9. Next EUROTAS Conference:
    Sergei Fausto proposed the next EUROTAS Conference 2010 in Switzerland:
    “Knowledge, Pleasure and Belief”; 29th September – 3rd October 2010
    There was widespread approval for the suggestion

  10. ITP Conference in Moscow
    Vladimir Maykov introduced the 17th International Transpersonal Conference to be held in Moscow: “Consciousness Revolution: Transpersonal Discoveries That Are Changing the World; June 23th –27th, 2010 Details on www.ita2010.com

  11. Sergei Strekalov and Sergei Osipov presented the association “The Whole World”, uniting transpersonal-oriented specialists and enthusiasts in Baltic Region. For now this international association (headquarters in Saint-Petersburg, branches in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) was affiliated into EUROTAS as legal member. Possible membership will be discussed in the next EUROTAS board meeting

  12. The President closed the meeting thanking all those present - the largest group of delegates ever

 

4. Helpful comments on EUROTAS meetings past, present and future

Pier Luigi writes:
We received a lot of enthusiastic comments that we fulfill and honor and we also welcome views that will improve future conferences. There is not space to put all the nice words that people used about the Milan EUROTAS Conference. We include comments in particular from Norman Duncan, Margot Borden and Mick Collins, because they appears to contain many interesting ideas

From Mick Collins
I just want to say that the conference was my first time at EUROTAS, and I want to send my love and appreciation to Pier Luigi and all of the team for such a great conference. Heartfelt thanks. I have organised two multidisciplinary conferences in the past, and I know how much goes into creating these events. I was touched deeply by many of the presentations and made new friends. As a participant and presenter I had a great time and learnt very much.

The feedback that I specifically wanted to give was around the panel session where the subject of evil was raised. I was so pleased that this subject got some space to be discussed, but in my opinion a subject like that will need space for reaction at some point during the proceedings...not only verbal commentary. The reason why I say this is because I was awake until the early hours processing my body reaction to the issues that were raised in that session. I am happy to own and do personal ‘inner work’ on the subject, but when a subject like evil is raised it touches into a deep ‘collective’ level. As ever, some people will be closer to some issues than others. The heart of the feedback from my side was just to raise the idea that it could be useful in the future to have a group process at the end of the day to help bring out any issues arising.

This is not intended as a destructive criticism, far from it. Rather, I hoped that it will be productive feedback for future events. If anything I am recognising that the EUROTAS conference format is a safe place and a container for processing those powerful forces that are at work in the world every day.

Thanks for a great conference. 
With Love Mick

From Norman Duncan, Margot Borden, Mick Collins
Transpersonal Conferences - Thoughts and questions from the corridors and cafes during EUROTAS Milan.

We recognise the dedication and work that went into this and other conferences and honour all those involved. Any criticism implied here is only to us all as contributors to the conference
In our conferences we 'move' lots of ideas, emotions, personal experience, social and personal encounters. What do we do with these? Are we working with them in a transpersonal way? Are we fully taking advantage of what we generate? What can we evolve the experience and participation of 'Transpersonal Conferences' in the near future? We present some initial general ideas here and invite others to participate in an ongoing discussion on these themes - probably in a forum on the EUROTAS website

From a Consciousness of Unity towards a Practice of Unity

  1. Our experience in conference
    Ideas - mostly presented in a vertical manner: expert (mostly male) on the podium occupying most of the time, generally repeating things we have mostly heard before. With so many experienced professionals in the conference we actually waste an opportunity to work together transpersonally, harnessing all our knowledge and moving beyond our comfortable cognitive edges. We spoke about a Consciousness of Unity, but it was difficult to feel the spirit behind that. Conference far too mental - to integrate this we need more honouring of the physical, affective and spiritual aspects

    Emotions - Presentations and workshops sometimes contain deep emotional material (Evil, the Holocaust, sex & violence,). These are presented quickly and intellectually - no emotional or spiritual processing. Some of us felt ill at various points in the Conference. On getting support we realised that we were picking up on emotions in the conference energy field. The Conference generates a field but then does not recognise it, contain it or work with it

    Personal experience - In our workshop spaces there is some experiential, meditative, bodywork, shamanic voyage and so on. But these are very brief and many workshops really are short discussions run by someone promoting 'their' technique, method, book, school, etc. This is partly fine but it is not very effective either for the presenters or the participants. For most of the conference we sat in a chair being talked at, the body and emotions complaining, and the mind only able to take in a small part of what was being presented. Nothing new here from other kinds of conference. Why are we not addressing this in a transpersonal way?

    Social and personal encounters - There is a wonderfully friendly atmosphere in these conferences. In some places this is nurtured and in others it is more ignored. This strength could be developed into more integrated social working spaces

  2. How can we evolve the experience and participation of transpersonal conferences in the near future?

    1) We are all one. If our structure separates into experts, presenters and participants, schools, techniques, then the structure itself works against our basic premise. The conference structure and process could be closer to modeling a transpersonal therapy session, or some of the other experiential transpersonal models we discuss and share. This structure would recognise the value of each individual 'pearl' present whilst aligning us all to the great string which unites us all.
    There are already excellent models for working with large groups in a much more creative way, managing the 'chaos' and generating new energy from such encounters, for example: Jung: 'Future workshops', Open Space Technology, Scott Peck: 'Community Building', Arny Mindell: 'Deep Democracy', Heron, Rowan & Reason: "Cooperative or New Paradigm Inquiry"
    We could adapt some of these to make transpersonal spaces where we really harness all the experience present, move through the chaos/death and emerge with something new. General structure might go from order through chaos/death to emerge with a new order. "First there is mountain, then there is no mountain, then"

    2) Social work spaces - 'International Cafe Model' combining work, movement, sharing experiences, social working groups ... These allow space for everyone to contribute very actively, to move around organically from group to group (cross fertilization), and are then brought together in very brief plenary presentations to share the key points before creating new work spaces

    3) Ongoing spaces where we 'hold', contain and process all the things emerging and not being dealt with at any time: emotions, illness, ideas, conflicts

    These are very fertile spaces which add to and feed the ongoing 'work' or investigation

    4) The "Heart of the Conference" pulses, expanding and contracting whilst maintaining overall creative balances between: yin-yang, masculine-feminine, order-chaos, mind-body-emotion-spirit


From Bernadette Blin:
I'm very grateful for what you have been able to offer us Pier Luigi and of course, I did not attend to every workshop but the general atmosphere was beautiful. I do know all the challenges and difficult choices you had to face and I don't think there are easy answers. I have been aware of the lack of women on the stage and this is a collective responsibility (men and women together). We also have to deal with places we find and we all know that it's not easy to find the right place with a transpersonal atmosphere

You can be proud and happy of this great conference!

Love
Bernadette

From Monique Tiberghien
Like for a field of natural flowers, not everything in a conference has to be perfect for giving us the transformative experience of beauty! But it takes a lot of maturation, preparation and caring and you gave us all that, dear Pier Luigi with so much vitality and love in your organising team and with all your volunteers who were really kind and helpful

It was more and more obvious that the public would follow this joyful strength, and yes it became a real blossoming transformative journey. I also felt inspired by the workshops and lectures I followed and even after forty years of professional transpersonal practice I realised that I could add some of their wisdom in my daily work

I am interested by the remarks and suggestions of Margo, Norman and Mick:

1) How to take better care of the healing process going on for the public in the future conferences? In such intense events we probably all went through difficult moments and have been helped as I observed, by individual informal contacts, the morning meditations, the healing effect of the drumming group, the succession of psycho spiritual events and rituals, the wonderful synchronicities and so on. We could be clearer in the future on that point for "managing the chaos and generating new energies". We could for example propose regular group process sessions (body, dream, emotional, conflict, and meditation work) not only at 8 o'clock in the morning

2) The social work space: We could certainly improve the sharing between participants and staff in plenary sessions and not be stuck in the only traditional form of lecture. Let us go to more cross fertilisation officially. It will help the healing process

It is a joy to realise that every EUROTAS conference has its own genius and we are on our path .Thank you Pier Luigi and team to have been so inspired and giving all the time

Monique, with love

From Magda Sole
Dear family,
I strongly feel that EUROTAS is one big family, loaded of love, of offering, sharing, growing and developing a better world. In which it is a joy to be together, to talk, eat, sing, learn, love, play, travel, dream, meditate and even “think”. From the first day I felt extremely welcome, with messages of love and respect, in spite of my English, practically inexistent.

This fact was in a wide way made by another way of communication that non precise the words, therefore the intellect, but it is also necessary even for the Transpersonal. I also believe that the Milan meeting was full of spiritual, emotional, artistic elements or aspects. Naturally we can improve and I believe, it is beginning to happen every year, we keep on developing thanks, precisely, to this open spirit and understanding, opening the doors without prejudices to everybody who wants to bring a grain of sand to the Transpersonal movement.
"La millor manera de predir el futur és creant-lo"

with love
Magda

From Ingo B Jahrsetz
I appreciate very much what Norman, Margot and Mick have written about the Milan conference. I wouldn’t put too much energy in the fact that there is criticism contained. We need these discussions so that the liveliness and lived unity can evolve more and more. I’m aware about the great work Pier Luigi and his team did as they organized this conference. Both the organization of the Italian Conference and the writing of Norman, Margot and Mick may create an understanding about what it means to organise a conference. think only a few people will know

What is most important is to mindfully witness the ideas and criticisms and engage in the organization of the next conference which will take place in Switzerland. I think Fausto will welcome new ideas and any support which creates a synergistic energy. Warm greetings from a stormy night in the Black-Forest

With love
Ingo

From John Drew
The Conference was outstanding. I think it was in the breadth and qualifications of participants and the subjects covered, in the workshops many of which were experiential , in the presentations, in the careful and dedicated organisation, in the excellent accommodation at remarkably reasonably prices and in many other things a great credit to you and your team and to the development of EUROTAS

The move towards Switzerland next year and the careful and delicate negotiations about Moscow and the bringing of Italy back into the Transpersonal in Europe after difficulties in the past - all in all a resounding success with of course things that could be improved But the Amero-Indian proverb - “ only judge when you have walked in the same moccasins”

I hope that all of you who read this will make constructive comments with feeling and empathy

As ever
Love
John

From Margot Borden
What started out as seeking to explore how we can grow; grow together and grow into the term ‘transpersonal’ is turning out to be much more complicated than anticipated. It seems perfectly natural to me, after a conference, to provide feedback, if we have any, in order to participate in the building of the organization and its activities. We may see strengths, be inspired, but we may also see shortcomings or untapped potentials and the text we are all talking about is just that. What other constructive observations did participants have? How can we create a safe space to express all of this and use it as an incredible and rich opportunity to build together?

Love,
Margot

From Pier Luigi
Dear friends.
Welcome contributions, criticism and suggestions.
We are talking about a European Transpersonal Conference and this means a meeting between European experts of the Transpersonal. The Conference speaks to us of ourselves, who we are and of how we are. More suggestions and comments please

With love
Pier Luigi

5. Spirituality and Business - A new book by Sharda Nandram and Margot Borden

Spirituality and Business: Exploring Possibilities for a New Management Paradigm (Hardcover)
by Sharda S. Nandram (Editor), Margot Esther Borden (Editor)

  • Hardcover: 263 pages
  • Publisher: Springer (13 Nov 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 3642026605
  • ISBN-13: 978-3642026607
  • Available through amazon.co.uk

John Drew writes:
Two EUROTAS members have just published a book on this subject of growing importance. “Spirituality” and “business” have many different meanings which makes it a difficult title for a book. Where does “spirituality” begin and end? In Western Civilisation, studies show that while only a small minority claim to be religious, a very large percentage say they are spiritual. Many people, not only in business, are uncomfortable with the word “spirituality” and prefer to talk of values, ethics, morality or even love or kindness. Yet “spirituality” according to some, including contributors to this book, subsumes or includes or is even identical with one or other of these words. A review will be on the EUROTAS website early next year

6. 17th International Transpersonal Conference 23-27 June

Dear Friend,

We would like to invite you to the
Seventeenth International Transpersonal Conference:
“Consciousness Revolution: Transpersonal Discoveries
That Are Changing the World”
Moscow, June 23 – 27, 2010.

The mission of the Conference is to present, both experientially and didactically, breakthrough discoveries revealing the fundamental role of consciousness in all human affairs and the value for humanity of our growing insights into the nature of consciousness and of the world. We want to review the role the transpersonal perspective has played in human history from the time of the first shamans 50.000 years ago to the discoveries of modern consciousness research, transpersonal psychology, and other scientific disciplines

The Conference will present not only a comprehensive overview of the forty years of the transpersonal paradigm through the voices of its founders and pioneers, but also outline its future perspectives. The lasting legacy of this conference will be several volumes documenting its proceedings in hundreds of papers by authors from many countries of the world, exploring the relevance of transpersonal research and ideas for science, politics, economy, ecology, religion, art, and other fields. We hope to bring over 1000 participants from more than 50 countries, as well as numerous keynote speakers, artists, and spiritual teachers

Cooperating Institutions:
International Transpersonal Association (ITA); European Transpersonal Association (EUROTAS); Association of Transpersonal Psychology and Psychotherapy, Russia; Association of Body-Oriented Psychotherapists (Russia); Moscow Association of Analytical Psychology; John Fetzer Institute (to be confirmed); All-Russian Professional Psychotherapeutic League; Institute of Group and Family Psychology and Psychotherapy; Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (ITP); California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS); John F. Kennedy University; Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS); Esalen Institute; Association of Transpersonal Psychology (ATP), Whole World Association.

Cultural Program:
Festivals of Slavic, Buddhist, Indian, Russian Orthodox, Su?, Celtic, and shamanic music
World Festival of Transpersonal Arts (dance, instrumental music, chanting, paintings, sculptures, movies)
Post-Conference Journey in Russia

Presenters:

  1. Presenters from Outside of Russia:
    Stanley Krippner; Duane Elgin; Max and Ellen Schupbach; Bronislav Vinogrodsky; Brother David Steindl-Rast; Dean Radin; Eduard Sagalaev; Olga Luchakova; Rajesh Dalal; Rick Tarnas; Silvia Nakkach; Wes Nisker; Yeshi Namkhai; Alex Key; Brant Cortright; Ingo Jahrsetz; Harry Hunt; Kylea Taylor; Michael Murphy; Peter Russell; Pilot Baba; Tav Sparks; Amit Goswami; Jean Achterberg; Jenny Wade; Jim Garrison; Joseph Subbiondo; Karan Singh; Robert Frager; Stuart Sovatsky; Alex Grey; Tanna Jakubowicz-Mount; Jim Fadiman; Tom Potterfield; Jai Uttal; Ralph Metzner; John Drew; Jorge Ferrer; Harris Friedmann

  2. Russian Presenters:
    Eduard Sagalaev; Gennady Burbulis; Vadim Demchog; Vladimir Kozlov; Tonu Soidla; Vladimir Baskakov; Vladimir Maykov; Victor Petrenko; Arkady Rovner; Victor Makarov; Bronislav Vinogrodsky; Sergey Kluchnikov; Svyatoslav Ponomarev; Marina Belokurova; Svetlana Doroganich; NikolayKudryashev; Slava Smirnov;Vladislav Kenga; German Karelsky; Dmitri Spivak; Igor Isaev; EvgenyKrupitsky; Zhana Drogalina; Evgeny Faydysh; Lev Teternikov; Igor Kalinauskas; Irina Kuris; Ksenia Kuleshova; Leonid Kroll; Alexander Kiselev

Organizing Committee
Drew John; Frager Robert; Friedman Harris; Grof Christina; Grof Stanislav; Hartelius Glenn; Karelsky Herman; Kozlov Vladimir; Kuleshova Ksenia; Lancaster Les; Luchakova Olga; Lukoff David; Malhotra Rajiv; Maykov Vladimir; Mindell Amy; Mindell Arny; Murphy Dulce; Murphy Michael; Petrenko Victor; Rodriguez Vitor; Schmitz Steven; Sovatsky Stuart; Sparks Tav; Vinogorodsky Bronislav.

You can learn more about the Conference on its web site www.ita2010.com
Please send any inquiries to itasecretary@gmail.com

7. Jorge Ferrer – A new book

Dear friends of EUROTAS,

Greetings. I am very pleased to let you know that my new book, The Participatory Turn: Spirituality, Mysticism, Religious Studies (co-edited with Jacob H. Sherman) was released a few months ago

The anthology represents my most significant scholarly endeavor since Revisioning Transpersonal Theory: a Participatory Vision of Human Spirituality, and develops the participatory understanding of spirituality in considerable ways. . I hope you find our collective efforts of interest for your work, your research, and/or your spiritual life

Unfortunately, only the hardcover edition is available for now ($90), but the book can be pre-ordered for $77 at amazon.com (still ridiculously expensive, I know), and there is downloadable version for $20 already available at the SUNY Press page for the book, http://www.sunypress.edu/details.asp?id=61696, where you can also access the Table of Contents and some sample pages.

With my warmest regards,
Jorge

Jorge Ferrer’s Revisioning Transpersonal Theory translated into Italian!

This November Edizione Crisalide published the Italian translation of Jorge’s book, with the title of Una Re-Visione della Psicologia Transpersonale: Una visione partecipativa della spiritualità umana. For more information, go to: http://www.ilgiardinodeilibri.it/libri/__una-re-visione-della-psicologia-transpersonale.php.

8. Synchronicity and Kamilla

How EUROTAS can help

Message to EUROTAS: “Hello, My name is Kamila and I am a student of Developmental Psychology at Columbia University. I am interested in studying Transpersonal Psychology; can you please let me know if there are any PhD programs in Transpersonal Psychology in Europe? Thank you very much, Kamila”

Several contacts and emails later through EUROTAS colleagues Kamila was able to reply to Judith Miller

Dear Prof. Miller

It is beautiful how synchronicity works; I am amazed every time when it happens. Thank you for helping me with finding a school of Transpersonal Psychology and also for your support on my spiritual path, I appreciate having you as my teacher and advisor

I am looking forward to learn more about EUROTAS and if possible, I would like to get involved. Please, let's talk more about this organization on our next meeting

Kind regards,
Kamila

9. Advent Calendar from Contemplative Fire

Philip Roderick writes:

A few weeks ago, I was filmed as a part of this year’s online Advent calendar. The whole series this year has an ecological and spiritual flavour and I was asked to share something of the story of The Quiet Garden Movement. The piece was filmed in Linden and Stephen Bevan-Pritchard’s Old Smithy garden

Do log on to www.whywearewaiting.com and then click on the relevant date. This is how Pat Ashworth in the Church Times spoke of it:

‘“Care for the world – it’s the only one we have” Archbishop Desmond Tutu appealed yesterday in the video cast that launched the Church of England’s online Advent calendar

Each day offers a video story from a different diocese or agency and is a challenge to change the world. They range from the Archbishop of Canterbury’s reflections on the Copenhagen summit to the Chief Rabbi’s suggestions for “Sabbath moments”. Each one has an accompanying Bible passage and prayer

The daily video casts will be posted on YouTube and promoted on Twitter. They include meditative projects such as The Quiet Garden Movement; lifestyle initiatives such as one in Birmingham to send recycled presents; community projects such as solar panels on a Lincoln church.”

Happy Advent!
Philip

Contemplative Fire - 01494 758878
www.contemplativefire.org
Registered Charity No 1106392

10. Last Words

Please contribute your feelings via your thoughts to the EUROTAS website www.eurotas.org – have you visited it yet? At this time of global opportunity our small voices are important. “Europe se fait par petits pas.” Little steps will enable EUROTAS to make its contribution to our global civilization

 


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