High in heaven is a pearl. And the pearl is you.
Deep in the earth is a ruby.. again it is you.
Wherever you stand, you shall be the soul of that place.
And you shall also be the emptiness
Wherein all places find rest.
Rumi
Imagine living on this planet ... as if it is the only one we have.
Imagine living ... as if the ongoing present is all the time we have.
Imagine living ... as if we are connected to all life. Conflict and violence would fall away. Ecosystems would come into balance. Beauty would naturally reassert itself. We would experience the magic and mystery that is the true nature of life.
Cultural filters can keep us from experiencing life in this way. Alexander's discoveries guide us beyond the 'we are not enough' that culture teaches us, into the possibilities for evolution of human consciousness, using every day activity as a powerful catalyst for transformation. As we come increasingly into the 'ongoing present' we are actually living on the cusp of the powerful unfolding of the universe.
We are the pearl, we are the ruby, and the ground on which we stand is sacred ground ...
This, then, is to Consider the Process of Living.
We have found over the years of offering this event, that simply being in the presence of each other is enough!! However, we do offer full days of classes providing a rich opportunity for learning. Our mornings are devoted to study in small group classes. Four groups meet the needs of students, from those new to the work, to experienced teachers. In the afternoons, we come together to explore such directions as authentic movement, sounding, our energy body, and then these experiences inform our evening classes, which often include performance, teaching skills and other special interests. We draw inspiration from the exquisite natural beauty of Seven Oaks and indoor spaces that invite movement and sounding. Those of you who come will create a shared resonance to inspire us all until our next event.
Life is a process of continual change and yet our responses to it are often bound by habitual behavior. The Alexander Technique helps us develop awareness of thinking-sensing that allows us to consciously co-operate with our unconscious supportive patterns. As we do so moment by moment, habits of interference fall away, allowing a deeper sense of self to emerge. Our daily life becomes our art form.
The beauty and healing energy of the land at Seven Oaks supports the Pathwork center, a spiritual educational center. The 130 acres lie at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, near rural Madison, Va., 20 miles north of Charlottesville and 90 miles south of Washington D.C. The center has beautiful meeting spaces, is air conditioned, and is known far and wide for the quality of its food. Shared rooms and baths are in a large central building and four smaller guest houses. People are welcome to commute who live in the area.
Meade Andrews' teaching journey has included directing the dance program at American University, teaching actors at the Studio Theatre in Washington DC and the graduate acting program at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. She maintains a private Alexander practice in Boca Raton and presents intensive for performers in this country and abroad.
Jan Baty's inspiration for teaching draws from the spontaneity, flexibility and skilled team work developed over her years performing with the Delos String Quartet. Her music study includes Eastman, Yale, and the Juilliard School, and her Alexander background includes apprenticing with Marjorie Barstow, with further study at the Alexander Alliance in Philadelphia, where she then taught for many years.
Cynthia Mauney apprenticed for many years with Marjorie Barstow, whose influence reverberates through Cynthia's life as a violinist, performer, and teacher. She deepened her study at the Alexander Alliance in Philadelphia and continued on the faculty for over 10 years. Today, Cynthia experiences the joy and the graceful unfolding of life through the eyes of her two daughters, Celeste Tian-Tian, and Ariel Beini.
Dale Beaver is a musician (organist/choir director) whose Alexander teaching is influenced by his study of the subtle energy body which deepens understanding of Alexander's concepts of 'non-doing' and 'directions' in the body. He gives Alexander workshops for musicians throughout the Great Lakes region.
Teresa Lee, a theatre and movement artist-educator, brings great joy of play to her teaching. She teaches theatre at Appalachian State University and served on the board of Alexander Technique International. Her chapter on Alexander Technique and actor training is included in Movement for Actors, Allworth Press.
Antoinette Kranenburg started her teaching practice in Kensington, MD, in 1988 and is inspired by the resourcefulness and courage of her students. Antoinette finds a reliable guide in Alexander Technique as she studies ballet, teaches parenting classes, and explores her love, Argentine tango.
To register, please visit our online registration form.
This year's flyer will be coming soon. Email janbaty@yahoo.com to ensure your address will be included in this year's mailing.
For questions concerning the workshop or registration,
please contact janbaty@yahoo.com.