Awakening the Dreamer Kickoff in the USA

The Brahma Kumaris and the Pachamama Alliance collaboratively presented the Awakening the Dreamer Workshop at Anubhuti Meditation and Retreat Centre in Novato, California (near San Francisco) on July 28, 2012.

This joint venture was done for the first time in the USA to engage members of the public in some of the urgent and necessary questions of this age: Where are we? How did we get here? What is possible now? Where do we go from here? Our common mission is to create an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling and socially just world.

The workshop experience was based on Awakening the Dreamer; Changing the Dream Symposium developed by the Pachamama Alliance. It was integrated with Brahma Kumaris meditations, the BK Earth Care Workshop and a BK video on awareness. The Awakening the Dreamer Workshop was facilitated by Jon Symes, Development Director of Awakening the Dreamer, Gordan Lawrence, BK Green Team Representative, USA, and Sister Elizabeth Padilla, Program Director of Anubhuti Retreat Centre. Sister Chandru, USA West Coast Director of BKWSO, opened the event with words of blessings for the partnership and the workshop.

This USA kickoff event was well attended by sixty-seven participants of diverse backgrounds. They were deeply moved by the workshop and expressed real enthusiasm to play a role in creating a better world.

In the words of the participants, the workshop was ...

"Rather than shutting out information because of feeling overwhelmed, I can process from a different place and be more empowered to act. This workshop is a sign of the shift that is happening."

"Incredibly informative, positively encouraging, and affirmative. One of the things that impacted me the most was the shift in the everyday attitude I felt – I did not feel the separateness after looking into the eyes of a stranger for over a minute."

"What a heartfelt experience, well presented, very meaningful, inspiring. Made me really want to get out there and do my part. You are the best ... I feel blessed and grateful! Thank you for being."

"Very good, very positive, making the emotion connection – good aha! The enthusiasm of the presenters and gazing into another's eyes exercise were favorite and effective parts. "

The workshop has factual and powerful documentaries interwoven with inspiring images, group sharing, creative meditations, and thought-provoking exercises. It encourages the participant to examine the environmental, social and spiritual condition of humanity, explore the root causes of our modern malaise, and generate alternative solutions for a better future.

BK Centres in nine countries have presented the Awakening the Dreamer Workshop thus far. The aim is to have as many BK Centres as possible do a workshop by 12/12/2012 as part of the effort to give birth to a new global awareness for a socially just, spiritually fulfilling and environmentally sustainable world. Jon Symes and his wife, Sand, will be attending the Environmental Group retreat in Madhuban on October 1, 2012. He will meet with other environmentalists and Brahma Kumaris leaders from around the world.