Author: Elizabeth

On June 4-7, 2015, the Tenth International Whitehead Conference in Claremont, California, will focus on the need for an alternative worldview that can help us respond to the problems facing our world and the generations to come. Hosted by the Center for Process Studies, it will include a keynote address by environmentalist Bill McKibben, with participation from worldwide scholars, activists and researchers.  Stan Grof will be speaking on “Revisioning Psychology” and Lenny Gibson will be participating in panels on transpersonal metatheory, transpersonal elements in Whitehead’s thought, the metaphysical status of the subtle realms, and anomalies in physics and transpersonal theory. This conference is inspired by the thought and work of American theologian, philosopher, and evnvironmentalist John B. Cobb, Jr. A unifying theme of Cobb’s work is his emphasis on ecological interdependence. Cobb has argued that humanity’s most urgent task is to preserve the world on which it lives and depends, an idea which his primary influence – philosopher and mathematician Alfred North Whitehead – describes as “world-loyalty.” For more information, see www.pandopopulus.com/.

Over the 20 years that we’ve been offering workshops, I have come to appreciate more fully the significance of the group process — a subtle but fundamental aspect of Holotropic Breathwork. A committed group is key to establishing the safe setting that’s required for this kind of experiential work. We are looking forward to exploring this topic later this month during our five-day retreat. We will discuss the history and various instances of group process as well as practical details of their use. Breathwork sessions will offer  opportunities for developing the self-understanding required for effectively facilitating group process.

We now offer Dreamshadow Transpersonal Breathwork as a means for people to develop a way of living, based on our experience with philosophy, psychology, Holotropic Breathwork, and as a married, child-rearing couple of 40-plus years. This is an applied, practice-linked philosophy that uses breathwork as a modern shamanic practice for self-discovery.

Think … of the world that you carry inside you, and call this thinking whatever you want to: a remembering of your own childhood or a yearning toward a future of your own — only be attentive to what is arising within you, and place that above everything you perceive around you. What is happening in your innermost self is worthy of your entire love; somehow you must find a way to work at it …

—  Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

We are just back from the 9th International Whitehead Conference in Krakow, where Lenny presented his paper “Peace in Society and in Psychotherapy.”

Now we are looking forward to this weekend’s Holotropic Breathwork workshop at Kripalu Center in Lenox, Massachusetts, with Stan Grof and Tav Sparks. The fall colors are just beginning to show on the mountains here in Vermont, and this week we had our first frost.

Strawberry season is ending, and the blueberries are ripening just in time. The wet, soggy weather has finally given way to clear skies and cooler temperatures, and we are looking forward to welcoming another group this weekend.

The journey to realizing our life’s potential

with Lenny and Elizabeth Gibson, Karen Paolino and Louie Correia, and Brian Bauer

We are looking forward to midsummer Holotropic Breathwork in a beautiful retreat setting at Glastonbury Abbey in Hingham, Massachusetts for Friday and Saturday nights. Two years ago Lenny and I visited the Abbey for the first time to attend Karen and Louie’s wedding.

The journey to wholeness continues, midsummer eve weekend, June 21-23. Glastonbury Abbey in Hingham, Massachusetts, is a beautiful setting for self-exploration. Friday evening’s intro will present the work of Stanislav Grof, a founder of Transpersonal Psychology. His consciousness research demonstrates vividly how self-discovery unlocks human potential.

The sad events in Boston yesterday defy understanding. Living in this world with an open heart means witnessing and feeling so much suffering that at times it seems unbearable. In the face of the suffering I find tremendous comfort in the deep relationships we develop through sharing Holotropic Breathwork. The simple act of connecting with one another and holding that collective space together allows us to share the burden of such difficult experiences and ease our pain. So I am very grateful for the time we spend together during these workshops.