From the perspectives of science, philosophy and practice, this elective will explore a range of interconnected themes and how they impact upon personal and professional life. We will explore the role of mindfulness or attention training and its impact upon stress, mental health, performance and the development of leadership attributes. New evidence in the fields of mind-body medicine, neuroscience and genetics is establishing fascinating connections with ancient philosophical principles and practices. The implications of these insights for leading a meaningful and purposeful life will be explored. The elective sessions will combine some interactive presentations on background evidence and principles in conjunction with a series of mindfulness-based contemplative practices, discussion and reflective exercises.

Dr Craig Hassed is a General Practitioner and Senior Lecturer at the Monash University Department of General Practice.  His teaching, research and clinical interests include mindfulness-based stress management, mind-body medicine, meditation, holistic healthcare, health promotion, complementary therapies and medical ethics.  Craig is the founding president of the Australian Teachers of Meditation Association and is regularly invited to speak and run courses in Australia and overseas. He is a regular media commentator, writes regularly for medical journals and has published five books; “New Frontiers in Medicine” (Volumes 1 and 2), a third book on mindfulness-based stress management entitled “Know Thyself”, a fourth on an holistic lifestyle approach to healthcare, “The Essence of Health” and most recently a textbook co authored with Kerryn Phelps, “General Practice: the integrative approach”. Craig’s sixth book, written with Stephen McKenzie, “Mindfulness: A User’s Guide”, is due for release in 2012.

Effective communication is more than crafting a message and delivering it with ‘pizazz’.  In the workplace, and society in general, people are becoming increasingly wary of “spin” and are craving to hear the Truth.  This elective explores a variety of topics relating to getting your message across, including; clarity of intention, understanding your audience, authentic speech, listening (truly listening), being aware of your own ‘spin’, and engaging in meaningful conversation (dialogue).

Through conversation, reading, 1-1 interaction, practical activities and group discussion we will draw from a range of disciplines including psychology, neuroleadership, organisational development, relationship awareness theory and emotional intelligence to explore HOW we can get our message across with our “authentic voice”.   You may have questions you want to explore, different messages you want to communicate – bring them along.  We’ll also explore the expression of a core message – communicating who we truly are.  We’ll take guidance from the words of His Holiness about speech, listening and the purpose of communication (he also has a few handy hints about how not to get caught in your own “spin cycle”!)  It will be practical, fun, challenging, informative, reflective and interactive – a chance to create your own unique learning environment and work with others with the shared aim of transforming the way we communicate and expressing who we are.

Bronwyn is a corporate facilitator with over twenty years experience in business. Bronwyn has a diverse background, with studies in human resources, training and development, history, neurolinguistic programming, accelerated and generative learning, information technology, project management, change management and eastern philosophy. In her two businesses she works in various industries including finance, law, pharmaceutical, information technology, manufacturing, hospitality, travel, and the public service. Bronwyn has a broad knowledge and understanding of organisational needs and brings both strategic and practical perspectives to her work. Bronwyn has been a student with the School of Philosophy (Sydney) for around fifteen years and acknowledges the significant impact that the learning, insights and practical experiences she’s gained have had on her - personally and professionally. She is a keen participant in the annual Melbourne Plato residentials and enjoys the mysteries that the dialectic process uncovers. She’s been a Mentor with Lucca and enjoys the opportunity to be of service where she can support and assist others to discover who they are, and achieve their potential.

Dante said of his “Comedia” – “The whole of the work was undertaken not for a speculative but for a practical end… The purpose of the work is to remove those who are living in this life from a state of wretchedness and lead them to a state of blessedness.” Similarly, “Things made by art answer to human needs, or else are luxuries. Human needs are the needs of the whole man, who does not live by bread alone. The whole man needs things well made to serve at one and the same time the needs of the active and contemplative life.” (Sister Mary Gormley).

Using the traditional arts of the Western Medieval period, traditional Japan and contemporary examples, we’ll undertake a study and consideration of what a more lasting basis of art may be, the difference between self-expression and Self-expression, where creativity comes from, and where we are now in modern western society. There will be plenty of opportunity to put our discoveries into operation, in practical sessions where the group can engage in various forms of art which can serve “the needs of the whole man, who does not live by bread alone”. These will range from poetry, literature and music to drawing, sculpture and architecture, with a variety of mediums at our disposal, creating what Mother Teresa described as “something beautiful for God”.

Demetrius Condos is a registered architect, has his own company which does lovely little jobs working in close communion with the client, and also works for a large firm in the city which builds large monstrosities which shade people and create wind tunnels. He used to paint in watercolours and did Zen paintings, but got waylaid by more pressing matters in order to earn money (see previous sentence). He studied traditional symbolism under Peter Kollar at NSW University and Adrian Snodgrass at Sydney University (whom he is proud to call his mentors), until he saw everything in creation as a symbol, and then took up Tai Chi to calm himself down, as he gets a bit excitable at times. Although he would like to be able to earn a living from painting and surfing, we are hoping that he will mature in time and take life more seriously.

“For about the first half, I wanted to leave. It was too challenging, too confronting and I thought how much easier it would have been to walk out of Mahratta’s gates and hide behind all the things which I so easily hide behind in the ‘real world’. But I opened my eyes to the invaluable insights reflection can bring and I decided to stay. I found strength in myself and I saw the unconditional support of the perpetual human spirit within everyone around me.

Did it change my world, as the marketing material suggested it would? I can’t say it radically changed my life but it gave me a glimpse into what I was capable of. It gave me the tools to walk away and embrace those things behind the curtain – insecurities which seem to often permeate my life at the most inopportune moments. It gave me the ammo to get on with it; to have faith that what I’m doing with my life is right as long as I’m true to myself. And good news is, I have been true to myself for the past few months - I am near close to finishing the first draft of a novel. I’m still mostly stuck in my ways but I’m closer than I’ve ever been to finding true happiness and I know the retreat had something to do with that.

So, I say thanks for giving me the opportunity and I look forward to seeing you all again. To those I’m yet to meet, I look forward to getting you to know you in January 2012.”