Conference 2000

Meeting, Greeting & Exceeding Expectations

by Fran Ward

The American Institute of Holistic Theology Conference 2000 finally arrived—and sooner than anyone expected. The purpose of the conference was simple: for administration, faculty, and students to meet, to mingle, and to share ideas.

Numerous planned activities, and scores of impromptu conversations and gatherings evolved; the planned and the spontaneous interwove masterfully.

The conference began Friday with a delightful array of activities awaiting the participants. A sweat lodge conducted by Sally Perry, Spirit Medicine, set the tone for the conference with a native American-based purification ceremony. A dozen women were met with heat, smoke, steam, and mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges. The challenges were different for everyone, and everyone was ready to meet an exclusive challenge head-on. The sweat lodge bonded a small group firmly, with gratitude and appreciation, for the personal experience and for sharing the glow of the presence felt.

Back at the hotel, another group drummed. Connie Ralston Roberts, a professional drummer who has performed and conducted numbers of drumming groups, brought drums of many nations, cultures, eras, sounds and types. The echoes and reverberations unified a pulse. The drummers—from first-timers to seasoned musicians with a beat—played songs, rounds, improvisations and mesmerizing combinations.

The feeling was upbeat! The tone was enervating, happy, and focused energy on world peace. Following the drumming, a dancing session was conducted by Melody Lubich. She and her group meet bi-weekly to articulate positive energy through dance.

The ambiance was magical and mystical. The musicians playing their instruments lent a Renaissance flair. The slow motion of the dances and the lilting lyrics of Melody enshrouded the candlelit and chandelier lit room with an aura of crystals, sounds, sights, and rhythms. The dancers, in the foot steps of the drummers, unified the group towards a higher purpose—peace.

All of that was enough excitement for one night! More fun started the next morning. The day progressed with all-encompassing workshops conducted by AIHT faculty and friends.

Sally Perry taught a class on “Forgiveness,” a topic featured at the World Peace Conference in New York that she and other world religious leaders had just attended.
Joan Scott Lowe taught “Homeopathy—A Mind/Body Therapy for ADD/ADHD” and later in the day “Benefits of Working as a Holistic Health Practitioner.”
Jack Wilcox Jr. contemplated “Throwing the Baby Out with the Bath Water: The Church and Metaphysics.”
Irene Spears navigated the ins and outs of “The Labyrinth.”
Josephene Johnsey elevated “The Lowly Plant.”
I ran a cooperatively-directed “Sharing and Caring” show-and-tell.
Sue Smith eased everyone’s mind with “Stress Relief.”
Anil Behal beguiled a group with “The Silent Outcry…Psychodynamics of the Workplace.”
Dona Matera brought the sessions to a gentle end with “Dream Healing Journey—A Guided Dream Re-Entry Process.”

Not one workshop was remotely predictable. Each had special features and was unique; each was perfect!

Concurrently with workshops, optional activities included intuitive readings by Leigh Carraher; 30- and 60-minute massages by Liz Foster, booths with academic items offered by the staff of AIHT, essential oils by Habeebah Muhammad, crystals by Cindi Kane, my miscellaneous articles, and stunning art glass goddesses by Alice Rogan-Nelson. Each table was a focal point for gathering, conversing and common ground.

The banquet offered another opportunity to espouse unifying themes of peace and love. Sally Perry explained the Native American medicine wheel, invoking the grandfathers and grandmothers of the four directions, the sky, the earth and within. We realized we were guided to be together by powers beyond ours.

We finished the day’s events with a Peace Candle ceremony. The flame had been carried by military transport to the United States and brought together and lit as one flame for world peace by sages from five continents. It is now a perpetual flame maintained in Wales. Sally brought in the light and lit everyone’s candle symbolically.

Around the banquet room conference participants joined hands in a circle and shared the happy and harmonious atmosphere. With lights off and a room full of lighted candles, we created a special glow.

Did we contribute to World Peace? We wanted to. We felt we had an important reason for gathering. We felt the presence of all members of AIHT, whether they were able to attend the conference or not. The event was unifying and all-inclusive. People often mentioned other students; everyone was a participant, even if not geographically close at that moment. Everyone was close on another dimension.

Big questions were asked and answered about the conference:

“What did we achieve?” We entered as students, and we have each achieved a level of academic excellence through our association with AIHT. The school has helped each of us individually to grow.

“What is our obligation now as a result of our graduated status?” We each answer our call in our own way. Through our educational experience, first as students, we may now be destined to be teachers.

At this conference, we reached realizations. We have pulled together, and now we can lend our energy to purposes beyond personal goals. We are capable of raising levels beyond our individual horizons.

We give our thanks and appreciation for the vision of AIHT to gather and recognize our strengths. It may be time to offer our love and commitment to the education of others and to higher goals. Conferring love and contributing to world peace come to mind.

Thanks to AIHT, our individual growth has brought us to a higher plane. Individually we can acknowledge our growth. Together we can spread our understanding. As one, we can answer a higher purpose. Conference 2000 proved to be more than a chance to meet and greet. It exceeded expectations.

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