Sedbergh Festival of Ideas

Second strand: Varieties of consciousness

10 - 11am Demonstrations & Taster Sessions

Michael Daniels

As an introduction to the day’s talks and discussions the three guest speakers will offer attendees a chance to sample the delights of meditation, Qigong and Big Mind techniques and to reflect upon past experiences in which there was a sense of connection to a more fundamental reality than is normally encountered. Each demonstration/activity will last approximately 20 minutes.

Note: Please wear comfortable clothing and footwear. Also, please advise if you have any medical condition before taking part in these activities. Michael Daniels will invite participants to reflect upon experiences they may have had in which there was a sense of connection to a profound reality, and/or when there was a felt absence of such a connection. The varieties and implications of such experiences will be explored further in his presentation.

Ian McPherson will lead a short Qigong set. Qigong means ‘energy work’. It has been practised in China for millennia and is aimed at improving the overall health and balance of the practitioner from the perspective of body, mind and spirit.

David Scott will introduce ‘The Big Mind’, an ingenious use of Western psychotherapeutic techniques to facilitate the recognition of timeless wisdom insights from the Eastern Zen tradition. It is a simple yet powerful way to allow a person to shift perspective into an awareness of one’s true nature.

11.15am

Each panel member will give a presentation focussing specifically on his particular area of interest.

Dr. Michael Daniels is Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Co-Director, Consciousness and Transpersonal Psychology Research Unit, Liverpool John Moores University. He is the author of Self-discovery the Jungian Way and Shadow, Self, Spirit: Essays in Transpersonal Psychology.

Dr. David Scott has been a Zen practitioner since 1982, under the guidance of Genpo Merzel Roshi. In 2002 he was given Hoshi (dharma holder) by Genpo Roshi and in 2005 accredited to lead Big Mind workshops. He is the author of many books including The Elements of Zen; Simply Zen; Interiors and Gardens and The Three Bowl Cookbook.

Ian McPherson is a resident of Sedbergh. He has studied and taught t’ai chi and qigong and other Chinese arts for 25 years and is a qualified homoeopath. He is a long-standing meditator in the Zen and advaita traditions.

12.30 - 1.30pm Audience and Panel Ideas Exchange

An opportunity for debate, challenge, reinforcement and interaction.