April 16 - Monthly Dinner Series with CIIS Alumni and Dr. Ralph Metzner

April 17-19 - Noetic Sciences Workshop: Extraordinary Dreams with Drs. Fariba Bogzaran & Patricia Garfield

April 24-26 - Noetic Sciences Workshop: Creating Personal and Global Coherence with Howard Martin

May 3 - Fritz Rauh Artist Reception with Lucid Art Foundation

June 17-21 - International Conference
Don’t miss our 13th conference, held this year at the beautiful JW Mariott Starr Pass Resort in Tucson, Arizona (photo on left). This conference takes an interdisciplinary and integrative approach to change that will, in the tradition of the noetic sciences, weave together research experiments, groundbreaking ideas, passionate performances, transformative personal experiences, and community ritual. We have just extended our early-bird registration discount. Click here to learn more.

Monthly Dinner Series, from 6-8 pm on campus here in Petaluma for dinner, with guest speakers. (Dinner is $25, or $35 with wine.)

Co-sponsored by the California institute of Integral Studies Alumni Association, Thursday, April 16, the dinner evening features Dr. Ralph Metzner, CIIS Professor Emeritus. Join CIIS alumni and friends for an evening of conversation, good food, and intellectual stimulation. Dr. Metzner will talk on Alchemical Divination, which is a process of structured intuitive inquiry for a mildly expanded state of consciousness. The process is used to search for guidance about probable and possible futures—in work, relationships, creativity, and spiritual growth. Register now.

Ralph Metzner, Ph.D., is a Harvard-trained psychologist, author, consciousness researcher, professor emeritus at the California Institute of Integral Studies, and co-founder of the Green Earth Foundation.

And mark your calendar for the following dinner evening on Tuesday, May 26, featuring Nine Gates Mystery School. Deborah Jones will speak on the Nine Gates Mystery School experience for both adults and youth.

Transformative Learning Workshops

April 17–19, 2009
Extraordinary Dreams: Work Creatively with Dreams in Your Life and Practice
Fariba Bogzaran, PhD, with guest Patricia Garfield, PhD

For twenty-five years, Dr. Bogzaran has taught innovative and transformative ways of working with dreams internationally. She combines creative, scientific, phenomenological, and experiential methods to help participants gain insight into their dreams. Her methods allow for integral dream awareness as a daily practice.

April 24–26, 2009
Creating Personal and Global Coherence: Skills and Practices to Assist Your Journey Toward Wholeness and Global Transformation
Howard Martin

Breakthrough scientific research on the heart-brain-body connection has emerged that demonstrates how our physical hearts send out powerful healing commands. In this program, you will learn coherence techniques that activate the power of the heart to reduce feelings of overwhelm, anxiety, and depression, as compassion and appreciation are increased. Compassion and appreciation are access codes for an integration of our spirit into our humanness.

A 42 ft. Chartres style labyrinth has been built by Veriditas and IONS working in partnership with volunteers. IONS site manager Randy Evensen prepared the site, and Veriditas held a work party to lay out the pattern and create the path. The labyrinth is made of crushed granite, river stones, and rocks from the IONS land.

Recently, The Retreat Center launched a multi-faceted treatment program to stem the pernicious tide of SOD—Sudden Oak Death—afflicting so many of our sacred trees. Our first step was to spray more than 30 trees near buildings (Our Site Manager, Randy Evensen, is now trained to do this work). On April 14th, three scientists will visit the campus to assess our situation, and they will work with us to develop a forestry management plan that will include removal of some Bay trees (the witless carriers of SOD), and selective spraying. Finally, inspired by IONS Circle Member Claudia Welss, we are seeking official IONS Tree Healers who will "treat" a select grove for a period of one month. Claudia and Executive Chef Shannon Hughes have agreed to serve in this capacity, and we ask for additional volunteers. Please contact Robert McDowell, Development Director of the Retreat Center/Campus if you’re interested, at 707-779-8215.

The Living Room meeting space has new carpet! We are grateful to Paul and Diane Temple for their generous gift to fund this uplifting enhancement on our campus.

The Nine Gates Youth Mystery School returns to the Retreat Center again, for a second year on June 21-26 with its special program for youth ages 16-19. The Youth Mystery School blends today’s scientific, technological, and human development practices with the cross-cultural Eastern and Western wisdom teachings. It is a highly experiential program for building basic life skills and outlooks, self-esteem, responsibility, deep relationships to self and others, family roots and bonding, a sense of community, and sensitivity to nature and a larger humanity. The program lasts 4-1/2 days and includes initiations, training, and ceremonies. The cost is $495 and this includes lodging and meals. In answer to why did you attend, one student said, "I was asking the big questions, ‘Who am I?’ and ‘What am I here to do?’ I felt that the Mystery School would open doorways into a deeper connection with my inner strength, my inner wisdom and my authentic self...and give me an opportunity to step outside limitations and projections." In answer to the question "What Was Most Valuable to You?" a participant said "Everything that happened within the course of a day touched me at some deeper level. It was the connection with the people, our surroundings, and my own self that opened doors I never knew were around. Learning about energy and the powerful, loving, and strengthening practices were eye opening." The teachers are Deborah Jones, Gay Luce, Michael Eller, Mark Saito, Jeremiah Becker, and a large staff.

Nutty Global Granola

This vegan, wheat/soy-free recipe has a long tradition from the Institute's kitchen!

Preheat oven to 300 degrees
Mix all ingredients together in large bowl

6 cups rolled oats
1 cup flaxseeds
1-1/2 cups sunflower seeds
1-1/2 cups whole almonds
1-1/2 cups whole cashews
1-1/2 cups walnut halves
3/4 cups chopped pecans
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup canola oil (or rice bran oil)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Then spread mixture on flat cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. This recipe makes about 3-1/2 quarts of delicious granola.

In collaboration with the Lucid Art Foundation, we are very excited about featuring Fritz Rauh and his paintings, from April 4 - May 31, 2009.

Painter Fritz Rauh was born in 1920 in Wuppertal, Germany and studied four years at the Braunscgweig Art School and Academy (1952), Germany. Rauh came to the United States in 1954 and became associated with the abstract painters Richard Bowman, Lee Mullican and Fred Riechman whose paintings were based on sources and inspiration both in nature and Oriental art.

Rauh fills his surface with small, colorful strokes, which create shifting densities of pattern, sometimes harmonizing the ground in such a way that foreground and background become interchangeable. Narrow spaces of either bare canvas or a third color intensify the color relationships, suggesting forms and revealing layers. The surface of Rauh’s work vacillates with energy and possibility.

Solo Exhibitions: M.H. De Young Museum San Francisco, 1956; David Cole Gallery, Sausalito, 1959; Louvre Gallery, San Francisco, 1963; San Francisco Museum of Art, 1967; Trutton Gallery, San Francisco, 1968; Rose Rabo

(painting on left: Untitled (1980) 53" x 71" acrylic on canvas from The Lucid Art Foundation Collection)

Mark your calendar! A reception of Rauh's work will be held May 3rd from 3-5 p.m. here on campus in Petaluma, California. Register now

What You Say:

“Our Mystery School weekend was great. Everyone was thrilled with their rooms and the food was wonderful. Shannon was also very gracious and Ray and Bryan were most helpful—it was as close to flawless as we've ever been! Thanks so much for all you did to set the energy in motion for our success!”

Julia Dekker, General Manager
Jean Houston Seminars
www.jeanhouston.org