The Practice of Non Violence in Therapy and Education with Donald Mamara
Donald has been a practicing somatic therapist since 1978, and developed BodyLearning as a
synthesis of his life experience.
Donald trained in "Biodynamic Psychology and Massage" at the Gerda Boyesen Centre in
London for three years, and studied Developmental Psychology at the University of Padova in
Italy. He then returned to London to work with David Boadella in Biosynthesis. His interesting
background included an eight year apprenticeship with Sun Bear, a native American medicine
man.
BodyLearning works with the creative process, using the language of the body to access deeper
levels of understanding, integration and transformation. It is based on the understanding that all
so called "evil" is the result of interference with the life process.
As we let go of preconceived theories and ideas, we make friends with "negative" feelings, that
are there to help us. We move at our own speed, without expectation, to reconnect with our
personal rhythms. Going with the life process, we experience our own truth.
"A WATERFALL STARTS WITH JUST A SINGLE DROP"
CO-ORDINATOR'S COLUMN
Welcome to the start of our fourth year in Victoria. The themes this month are Environment and Action.
It is so rewarding to attend an interesting lecture, especially when an inspiring speaker has a message just for you. You come home full of enthusiasm and tell all your friends how the world's problems can be cured with just one simple idea. We've all had this experience, have we not?
In the past three years we have organized many speakers, imparting information on many
diverse subjects, and we watch those present eagerly discussing all they had heard. I would
like to be a fly on the wall a week later. As the information fades with the onslaught of the "real
world" around them, great ideas give way to practicalities.
In rare cases individuals will develop an idea that will eventually become widely accepted,
although often tainted with the influence of "sensible" folk asking for a realistic approach.
Meetings are not enough, ACTION is needed to bring about change. We are constantly on the
lookout for skilled people, carrying out research and development and improving current
methodologies, that all may benefit. We look for those with time and energy to spare. Can you
offer us any of yours to help our planet?
Let us now take a careful look at our ENVIRONMENT. There are three areas to examine. The
air, the land and the water.
The air is polluted primarily with the burning of fossil fuels, a high proportion of which come from
the internal combustion engine. Then add the toxic waste from industry, including acid rain. No
longer confined to suburban areas, the wind carries it far into the countryside. On the land
chemicals, used in agriculture are poisoning the soil where our food is grown. Later these
chemicals and those of industry, contaminate our waterways eventually draining into the sea
along with sewerage, affecting the marine life and the human food chain.
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
World Harmony is a networking organization, putting people in touch with each other. In 1999 our Pollution Solution Summit will offer a scenario to progressively and permanently dispose of fossil fuels. Working on a truly Win-Win paradigm, ensures that all parties involved in such a massive change will ultimately benefit. We need skills in so many areas to stage this massive event. Get in touch with our office in Perth or Melbourne and let us know how you can contribute towards making this major improvement a reality.
I would now like to share with you two new initiatives that are under way in Victoria. In the October edition of "In Harmony" we mentioned the opening of our Elders Circle. This was designed to bring our senior citizens out of mothballs, involving them in the decision making process once again, and counselling all members of society, especially our youth. Tribal Elders are revered the world over for their wisdom and knowledge from years of experience. We would like to give our "tribal elders" the same respect and dignity, and not cast them off as useless. This process will involve review of diet and exercise and building new attitudes to enable them to lift their heads once again and assume their rightful place in society. The inauguration of the Elders Circle is scheduled for 12 noon on 3 December at the Butterfly house in Melbourne Zoo. Come dear ones and contribute your wisdom.
The second initiative was sparked by the impressive talk given at a metaphysical evening by Michel Desmarquet. He describes an incredible journey and advice given to him by an advanced civilization, in his book "Thiaoouba Prophecy". In summarizing, he addresses our younger generation, showing them how they can take back their own power as tomorrow's leaders. We are bringing together some keen young people to establish credibility for their ideas, in the Youth Circle, and encourage them to consider Michel's suggestions to develop a bright new future for themselves.
We move into a wonderful new year together in World Harmony. If you are one of the minority, concerned enough for our world to work with us, please fill in the mailing form at the end of this newsletter and let us know how you would like to be of assistance, and we will introduce you to others working a similar areas. If it is to be, it is up to me. I welcome you.
In Love and Light
John Campbell (Victorian Co-ordinator)
HEALTH & HEALING
Since our last newsletter the Health & Healing Circle has had four special meetings.
The first was with Mary Ward sharing information about her work with Music Therapy. Her CD gives Meditation and Healing with Colour and Pythagorean sounds, and she gave us all a healing with these amazing notes. I personally have used the CD and felt a healing effect each time. To purchase Mary's CD write to her at Park Road, Mount Waverley, Vic, 3149. Mary will also be commencing her Workshops in February 1998. We will inform you of dates in the February newsletter. Our thanks to Mary and her husband, Fred, for their time, and we wish them both well.
Several people met with Peter Clarke to hear about his work with Flower Essences. This was well received, and so Peter held a one day workshop for a small group which was also a great success. Peter plans to have another workshop on 27 November. There will be more workshops in 1998 so contact Helen for details. Thank you Peter for sharing your time and knowledge with us, and we wish you well.
Raymond Carroll , Founder and Director of the Eastern School of Tactile Therapies spoke with us on aromatherapy, massage and many other interesting subjects, giving us an extremely interesting and enjoyable evening. I have attended a course at the Eastern School of Tactile Therapies and was very impressed with organization, the standard of the training, the helpful staff and the general feel and appearance of the school. Thank you Ray for your time and energies.
Sri Bala Ratnan introduced his "Vibrational Breath Therapy" in a weekend seminar to a keen set of students. To those who have not experienced Bala's teaching, I suggest you enrol for his next course. The Indian practice of Pranayama brings a new vitality and sparkle to you life, and benefits all age groups. Thanks Bala, you can visit us again.
Donald Mamara will speak with us at our December Christmas Celebration, on "Non Violence in Therapy and Education" at Coonara Community House. See above for details. Come and join us.
Rudolf Steiner's "Anthroposophia" forms the basis of Philophonetics expounded by Yehuda Tagar, Founder of the Persephone College, our guest speaker at the meeting in February. Read the interesting article below by their Victorian Co-ordinator, Robin Chartres.
Patricia Dixon, medium, clairvoyant and healer, will be visiting us on the 18 March from Tasmania. She channels information regarding earth changes and has written three books based on this information. Easy to read, they answer many questions. Her seminar and half day meetings for small groups will be held at 10 Warrina Court, East Burwood. Patricia will also consult individuals for healing and personal guidance. She asks only for a donation towards her travel expenses.
We wish you all a Merry Christmas and thank you for your support. In the New Year there will be many things happening. Contact me on 03 9808 6779 if you have any queries.
Helen Sharp (Health & Healing Co-ordinator)
THE SUMMER SOLSTICE
A time for reflection and preparation for the future year this is the time for genuine resolutions Throughout history this time has been symbolic of change and celebration, hence the Christian Christmas
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
Let the first hour in everyday be the rudder for your day
Make everyday your best day
Conquer your habits
Set out your aims and work on them in small measured steps
Acknowledge yourself and honor your decisions
This time of year is more than partying and presents
Attune with the universe and celebrate as the Elders of old
for a better you and a better world.
Diane West (Centre Circle Coordinator)
REQUEST TIME
We have some major projects coming up very soon
The $4 Million Pollution Solution Summit in 1999
W/Harmony opening in the UK, Germany & S Africa
Development of Alternative Energy & Building projects
The Eco Village project
Introduction of a Natural Therapy Association
Can you pledge a monthly donation to us to bring these ideas to fulfillment. You may give cash, create a trust or remember us in your will. World Harmony is a non Profit organization acknowledged by the Australian Taxation Department.
What is Philophonetics-Counselling? Come along to our Health & Healing Meeting at Coonara Community House on Wednesday 18 February 1998 to hear Yehuda Tagar Director of the Persephone College of Philophonetics West Australia & Victoria, and Robin Chartres Victorian Co-ordinator speaking on "Vocation, Healing and the Will" and whet our appetites to learn more of Philophonetics-Counselling A new modality of healing based on the client's own experience
PHILOPHONETICS COUNSELLING
Philophonetics-Counselling is a modality of therapy developed from Humanistic Psychology and Rudolf Steiner's Anthroposophia (Psychosophy) and the Expressive Arts. Philophonetics means literally 'Love of Sounds' and broadly 'Conscious relationship to one's experience'. Philophonetics-Counselling extends the conversational counselling interaction to include Sensing, Movement, Visualisations and the Sounds of human speech. It enables clients to move into direct, conscious communication with their internal dynamics and patterns; to release, transform and heal them, to create through this process deeper and healthier relationships with oneself, with others, the environment and one's universe.
It is an innovative process which specializes in the modes of non-verbal communication which enable clients to go beyond the limitations of verbal expression and access directly feelings, emotions, reactive patterns, old defences and new potentials embedded in the deep layers of the living body. It is a method of Exploration, Expression and Transformation of inner experiences. In all parts of the therapeutic process the client is completely in charge, being the sole source of information, observation, choices and action. The client is the one who ultimately knows the truth of their own experience. The role of the therapist is to provide a range of useful possibilities, points of view, exercises and practical tools for achieving goals defined strictly by the client. A skilled, sympathetic, positive and imaginative listening and an active encouragement to access one's inner resources are the main tools of Philophonetics- Counselling work.
Rudolf Steiner's Anthroposophia, on which the philosophical and scientific ground of Philophonetics is based, claims that a profound purpose and meaning underlies the inner and outer life of every individual, that each one of us is potentially equipped to deal with, make use of the challenges and the opportunities presented on one's life journey.
Based on many years of experience this method has shown that the following professional claims can be made:
A) Everyone is potentially capable of knowing what is happening within one's body and soul
B) Everyone is potentially as strong as the blows one has received, having the potential power to
take charge of one's life
C) Everyone is potentially as rich as every quality one truly needs for one's well being.
How does Philophonetics-Counselling practically do this?
Suppose you suffer from extreme stress because of accumulative pressures from work, family
life, ill health and troubling negative patterns of thoughts and anxieties. As things get worse you
no longer know which in all of these factors is a cause and which are the effects. It is all too
much, your state of health is deteriorating so you decide to try Philophonetics Counselling, to
see what it can do for you.
Through a relaxed, warm, non-threatening skilled conversation the broad picture of your situation is being unravelled, laid out in front of you, non-judgementally observed, accepted and listened to. Often this is the first time that you have given yourself a special time to fully share what is in your mind, heart, gut and body and be sympathetically listened to even by yourself, let alone by a sympathetic friend. For that is what a counsellor is: a sympathetic, objective, supportive professional friend who, for a limited time, gives you focussed, caring and undivided attention. That by itself is a great release, relief, deepening, breathing and perspective-creating experience.
Following the creation of a common picture between you and the counsellor, you will be invited to make a "wish" regarding the content shared. Your wishes could include the desire to get rid of a wretched headache; neck and shoulder tightness; negative thoughts you are helplessly pestered by; tension and mistrust between you and a friend, un-expressed anger with colleagues; disappearance of joy from your relationship; nasty arguments with your children or the general depletion of energy in your life. Your wishes could also include the deep desire to re-connect to your true self, your feelings, inner-child, inner-woman, inner-man; to recreate an inner environment of safety, warmth, love; to re-discover a sense of direction in your life, a sense of meaning and purpose, to discover your new vocation, to access your creativity, to find harmony in your life, or to release your sensuality from the grip of ancient fears.
Most of the above patterns have their origins and dwelling places not in the dimension of
thought, words and clear pictures in front of you, but rather in the unconscious regions of your
emotional, bodily and habitual patterns in life, to which normally you have no direct conscious
access. This is the limitation of verbal communication. It can embrace and deal with what is in
front of us but not with what is "behind" us, so to speak. In order to become conscious of the
inner dynamics underlying one's condition, these patterns must be accessed directly to
consciousness, in their own modes of being and communication.
The non-verbal modes of communication: In Philophonetics-Counselling we shift from the
verbal to the expressive non-verbal modes of communication: Sensing, Movement-Gesture,
Visualisation and Sounds.
Through the instrumentality of Sensation, with which every emotional experience can be traced to its origin through the traces it leaves in the subtle dynamics of the body and through the instrumentalities of Gesture and Movement which can directly express the sensations - the dynamics of experience can become observable and accessible for change and treatment. The expressive gesture and the movement enhance the imaginative ability inherent in everyone, to create precise mental pictures which can reveal the inner psychosomatic dynamics underlying the condition in question. Spontaneous Visualisation becomes a powerful, reliable mode of knowing. A sensation of a head ache, shoulder tightness, knotted stomach, pained neck - can all be sensed and expressed through the clenching of the fists, contorting of the whole body and with the help of holding the breath, then releasing it with Sounds (GGah, Pshh, Dah, Bah, FFah). Releasing makes possible for the origin of these tensions to be traced through the range of imaginative pictures that emerge, enabling exploration, encounter and release of the deeper layers and patterns of response which regularly cause the tensions. The observation of the bodily processes accompanying the mental ones can easily reveal the inner connections, enabling a process of healing and expression. These practical tools become a method of self- care whereby one's experience becomes self-knowledge and problems become opportunities for Personal Growth, Empowerment, Healing and Expression.
Philophonetics-Counselling is available as private sessions, workshops, lectures, self- development groups, artistic groups and as a professional training course. For more information contact: Persephone College, 22 Kardinia Crescent; Ringwood. Phone: (61 3) 9876 7100
Personal & Spiritual Development
World Harmony encourages participation in personal development, to enhance our growth.
It finally happened on 7 November 1997. We started studying the Principles of World Harmony. The group was small, but that is of no importance. The biggest trees beginning originates from a tiny seed. The importance of personal development becomes very clear, once we decide that we want to be in charge of our lives. We then realize that we made all the choices which created the circumstances we experienced and are experiencing. But how do we make a choice that is right for us? We first have to explore who we are, what values we have taken on, and then decide which values we want to keep or replace with new ones. I believe the most effective way of self discovery is achieved by doing NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming), because it is about finding our true selves. We all know the answers, they're just hidden behind and under the baggage that we choose to carry with us. It doesn't happen over night and we put a lot of obstacles in our way in order to have a valid excuse to run back into the safety of who we don't want to be, but learned to put up with. If you want to enjoy the view, you have to climb the mountain. Sure, you can live in a helicopter and reach the top much quicker, but it is the journey which creates the appreciation of the view. There are no short cuts on the journey to one's true self. The more, we let go of our unwanted baggage, the more we remember who we really are. Nobody can do it for us, we have got to do it ourselves and therefore the world and everything will fall in its rightful place, life's easy!
Our study group met again on 28 November and some interesting ideas around the Principles came up. Join us for the next meeting, again at the Australian NLP Centre in the New Year,. Come and share your ideas on the World Harmony "Principles" and the Win/Win Paradigm. Learn how to take full responsibility for your actions without judging others.
Ignaz Amrein (Personal Development Co-ordinator
The Australian NLP Centre
Basic NLP training
Practitioner training
Fully Certified NLP course
Hypnosis & Time Line Therapy
presented by Jon Brenton
B.Comm, Dip Ed, SRN, Master NLP Trainer
1592 Burwood Highway
Belgrave 3160. Phone 9752 6326
WORLD HARMONY GIFT BOOK An inspiring book of poems and writings that have appeared in our newsletters over the last three years is now available. To order your copy, write to Michaela Gwythr - PO Box 339, Monbulk, Vic, 3793.
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
Thank you Fiona for your presentation, and to our co-ordinators and all our guests who together made our fabulous 3rd Birthday in October such a wonderful occasion. Oh! and were those yummies just something. A night of Celebration to remember.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Ross Cianci, our Coordinator, is working on projects to assist the POLLUTION SOLUTION SUMMIT in 1999. He is looking for ideas and assistance from anyone who is interested in developing Zero Point energy devices. The thrust of the work will start early in 1998. Please contact him on (03) 9897 1407
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS The subject of much concern both to traditional as well as natural medicine. More on this disturbing subject in the next edition of "In Harmony".
Environmental Circle
"TEMENOS"
The home of our dear friend Lee Gray. A recent letter from Lee reveals a major step forward in her Eco-Village development. Sustainable gardening accompanies a substantial increase in aid from a growing number of interested people eager to enhance a small portion of our planet. This is an encouraging sign. World Harmony is researching new materials and building methods to support this enormous project once it gets under way.
IT'S ALL IN THE SOIL
We all had a great evening with a man most dedicated to his work. Fred Eder spoke at the Cheese Factory in Berwick on 14 November on Biodynamic gardening. First introduced by Rudolf Steiner, in 1924, this unique system of growing has stood the test of time. Details of this advanced form of organic agriculture appeared in our August edition. If you are interested in learning more, contact Fred on (61 3) 9560 6987.
LIVING WITH NATURE
Our Eco Village co-ordinator Jeanette and her husband Ken are back from their holidays and the project moves into phase two. Ring Jeanette to become part of this global initiative starting here in Melbourne. Already we have received interest from a number of interested parties eager to get in touch with their natural environment again through building, diet and attitude. Her number (03) 5944 3395.
ELDERS CIRCLE
The Elders Circle inaugural meeting is scheduled for 3 December at the Butterfly House in Melbourne Zoo. The Convenor, Bob Glassborow, has sent out invitations and is expecting a good turnout. Bringing together the wisdom of the years to help the whole community, especially our young people. Bob will be glad to hear from you on 9754 2236.
FAIRY BERRY HERBS
Handmade Herbal Creams & Balms Violet, Calendula, Sage, Camomile, Yarrow, Nasturtium and Lavender.
Ceramic fairies and berries (when in season Dec/March)
Bach Flower Practitioner, Reiki and Seikem Channel.
Available by appointment
Phone Vicki (61 3) 5989 2419 or mail order for
herbal creams by request. PO Box 131, Red Hill, Vic, 3137
(50c from every jar of herbal cream made by Vicki, the founder of our Peninsula Circle is donated to World Harmony.)
WORLD HARMONY VICTORIA
WISHES TO THANK
MELBOURNE ZOO for their generous hospitality and the kindness extended to us by Beverley Flint whilst organizing the inaugural meeting of the Elders Circle.
BELGRAVE SOUTH VIDEO proprietors Jenny and Stuart Thomson for the free loan of "Cocoon" for viewing at our Elders Circle meeting.
Merry Christmas
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