Worldview Centre for Consciousness Development

Worldview is a venue with a purpose. At one level, it's a bunch of buildings perched on a 110 acre hillside property between Maleny and Montville. But the buildings are merely the container for the true purpose of Worldview... to offer meaningful and compassionate support to those who want to grow in a practical and useful way.

We are not a yoga or meditation centre with a guru. We do not wear white robes or walk around in loin cloths. Not that there is anything wrong with either... it's just not us. We live in the same world that you do. When we met, I was a VP for a US-based software company and Deb worked for IBM. We have since retrained as counsellors in researched modalities with wide academic acceptance. We do have many sacred objects scattered around the centre (collected in our travels), however we are not aligned with any religion or spiritual tradition... we value practical insight and grounded wisdom wherever we find it.

As a venue, our job is to create a safe comfortable space where you feel welcome. We also put a lot of focus into making sure your meals are delicious and nutritious. Most folk report they are comfortable and feel nurtured (our guest book is overflowing with comments in that vein). On top of that, the views are breathtaking and the feeling of the place is peaceful beyond words.

It turns out, growing is not so hard, if you know what you're doing. Everyone is unique, and yet we humans have many things in common. The artform of personal development requires certain foundation skills if you are to vision and create the life you want. We teach you those skills. We don't try and tell you who you should be, we give you the tools to find out for yourself.

BEWARE: There is WAY too much text on this page to read it all (unless you happen to enjoy the writing). So a suggestion... scroll down and see if your attention is caught by a heading, or an artwork, or a phrase in a paragraph. If you get the end and haven't stopped, this page is not for you. If you feel connected so far, please read on.

The first question is, how can you trust us? We acknowledge the trust we ask of you when we invite you to attend a workshop that aims to influence your path in life. We also acknowledge and respect that part of you that is rightfully cynical. Without a healthy level of cynicism, we would be like children, believing every story out there. In healthy doses, cynicism helps us to be discerning and to choose wisely when searching for guidance in life.

So this page is for the cynic within. If that part of you does not feel curious after spending a few minutes reading the page below, then perhaps our programs are not for you. If, on the other hand, your inner cynic is a bit out of control and stops you from doing almost everything, may you be inspired to recognise that, and to take a stand in service of what your heart knows to be more true.

Change is possible!

If you are suffering in some way (from stress, anxiety, depression or lack of motivation), you may read the list (by the eagle) and wonder how such things are possible. As improbable as it may seem, change like this IS possible, and for most of us, it is not out of reach. As the old saying goes, nothing is too hard when you know what you're doing.

Remember the first time you got behind the wheel of a car? You were probably clumsy, error prone and just a bit dangerous. Now, you can drive with barely a second thought. Life is a bit like that. When we first engage life consciously, we might be clumsy with our emotions, careless with our thinking, and rather confused about where we are going or how to get there. As we expand into life, the car of our consciousness is being continuously tested, and the traffic conditions of modern life are busier and more dangerous than ever.

What we offer at Worldview is similar to advanced driving classes, where we create safe conditions for you to familiarise yourself with the latest features of your own consciousness so that you might drive your life safely and effectively through the mayhem of the modern world.

We also offer a roadmap of the possibilities of life, courtesy of the genius of American integral philosopher Ken Wilber. Like any roadmap, it does not tell you where you should go, but it does offer insight into what is possible. It is also profoundly useful to gain insight into where you are in life, and guidance on how to get from there to where you would like to be.

Our Approach

At the Worldview Centre, our first priority is for your emotional, mental and physical safety and wellbeing. Our firm belief is that when you feel accepted for who you are--when you feel truly heard and understood--only then are the conditions right for you to accept yourself as you are. We all have shortcomings, we all have gifts. Self acceptance is always the first and most important step in growing beyond self-imposed limitations into a more free and courageous existence.

From a place of self acceptance, new possibilities emerge for healing and growth. When we stop pushing away what is painful and learn to accommodate it in our lives, we are one step closer to ending the struggle and setting ourselves free to engage with life more purposefully and yet with a lighter, easier touch.

Importantly, we do not push you to do anything you are not ready to do. We do not claim to know what you need or what you "should" do next. We only offer what we believe to be useful, fundamental skills for learning how to use your mind, engage with painful feelings, and then choose your actions based on what you most deeply value. We encourage honesty, authenticity, mutual respect and humility. We deeply value gentleness and the gift of heartfelt companionship with all who come to us.

The Worldview Centre was inspired by the absence of ready access to practical wisdom in our culture. Where once in a moment of inner turmoil you might have asked your parents, consulted with Elders or asked your local priest, in the modern world these ancient sources of guidance have been discredited or overwhelmed by too much change. For many, our parents and grandparents are as lost as we are. In these fast-moving times, it is hard to find people we can trust for useful guidance.

Our purpose is to make practical wisdom accessible again in a way that is appropriate to the modern mind. We don't try to hand you "the truth" on a platter. Instead our various facilitators create opportunities for you to discover for yourself the meaning behind the joys and challenges of your unique life, your sense of purpose and your path to fulfilment.

We do use a framework of understanding that helps us to bring meaning to our experiences. Our framework is Integral Philosophy, which is a synthesis of Eastern mysticism, Western psychology and science. Unlike other philosophies, religions and spiritual frameworks, the Integral model does not make any claim to describe the "One Right Path", but rather it maps the terrain on which all paths unfold. It does not make anything "wrong", but it does enable us to discern between what is helpful and what is not on the path to our fullest potentials. For a deeper look at Integral, click here. For a short summary of our basic framework, read on!

There is just one answer to every possible challenge in life… EVOLVE! Simple but true. The insurmountable problems of the adolescent usually evaporate or change beyond recognition as we evolve into adulthood. Similarly, all the adult problems of the struggle

anxiety, loneliness, despair, apathy, depression, addiction and anger all have the seed of their resolution in the willingness to evolve consciousness to a more mature, wiser level. The big question remains... how to do that?

It turns out that most of the suffering we experience in life is due to unconscious habits on where we focus our attention and how we interpret what we perceive. Our interpretations (the meaning we make from experience) soon become our beliefs, which in turn determine our values which then guide our actions. Careless or habitual interpretations can create values based on fear, craving and obsessive self-interest, leading to actions that reliably hurt ourselves and others.

The first step towards a more evolved worldview is to be honest with yourself about where you are. Most us naturally tend to push away unpleasant feelings or be self critical when we are less than perfect. Unpleasant feelings however have an important message for us, and until we accept that message those feelings will keep coming back. In reflective moments, we may self critical about the fact that we are self critical, and so begins a downward spiral into suffering.

To evolve is to learn how to make space for the feelings and thoughts that arise, and then consciously choose where to focus attention. With practice, we learn to be self-accepting, which in turn enables us to build more realistic and useful interpretations of daily experience. From there we can revisit beliefs and values and learn to choose more wisely where to focus our attention and life energy. It is a small step from there to begin acting in ways that better serve us and those we love.

The first promise evolution has to offer is the reduction of everyday ailments such as anxiety, stress, relationship woes, feeling overwhelmed, angry, lost or depressed. This is not to imply that an evolved life is suddenly anxiety free or an endless string of happy days and blissful relationships. Rather, we become less entangled by the roller coaster of emotions and more able to be accepting as we hold a steady course in the direction of our highest values and true life's work. We learn how to train our thinking to be effective in helping us achieve the outcomes we want. We stop struggling with the ups and downs and start living life in a full and courageous way.

The bigger promise of evolution is an altogether different offering.

For a few thousand years, mystics, monks, nuns and wise folk from around the planet have been reporting rather interesting phenomenon at the higher stages of evolution. When we learn to work with our minds in a way that allows us to just relax fully into the present moment, a whole new kind of consciousness arises naturally. Called by various names including The Higher Self, The Witness, Conscience and others, this level of consciousness is available to anyone willing to engage in the tried-and-proven practices that create the conditions needed for it to naturally emerge.

This Witnessing consciousness takes us to a level of being that is intuitive in nature, wise beyond reason, and utterly fearless in a gentle and compassionate way. It is the part of us that is immune to the emotional turmoil and mental anguish of the ordinary self. It is unmoved by the opinions of others or the rise and fall of fortune and worldly status. It is the part of us that waits quietly for us to start living the life we came here to live.

When the answer to the question "Who am I?" is a description of this state of witnessing consciousness, the spiritual traditions would suggest that we are "awakened". For most us who do not wear robes and live in a monastery, it is a high achievement to simply acknowledge this level of consciousness within, and to regularly access it's steady flow of wisdom as we go about our lives.

So why hasn't everyone evolved? If there ARE tried and proven practices that reliably lead us towards more happiness and fulfilment, why aren't they common knowledge? Why isn't the world at peace? The answer varies for everyone, depending upon your history and experience of inner work, but has at its foundation a few core principles.

For many of us, our biggest blockage to higher awareness is our belief that our mental stories are the unassailable "truth", or that our feelings MUST guide our actions at every turn. In both cases, we "fuse" with our thoughts and feelings in a way that steals away our capacity to choose. Sometimes thoughts and feelings DO require our committed attention, but at other times they might be nothing of great substance, like a passing cloud or a ripple in a pond, arising and disappearing without much ado.

As well, in this Age of Reason, we tend to privilege thoughts over feelings, which cuts us off from an important source in information and insight. As the demands of modern life continue to grow and grow, many of us scarcely have time to entertain the unpredictable and sometimes chaotic world of feelings. If that pendulum swings too far resulting in a habit of blocking feelings, trouble is just around the corner.

Finally, our bodies are energetic systems just like our minds and hearts. What we cannot process consciously is stored in our bodies, waiting for us to open to their gifts. Both old pains and unrealised potentials are waiting in our bodies as energetic patterns. Body-based practices combined with awareness training can unlock these patterns into awareness, freeing their energy to be used as we see fit. If they remain blocked for too long, they can result in auto-immune disorders, illness or just a simple range of aches and pains with no apparent cause.

Mostly, we have not awakened because we are too frightened to face our fears. Strong fear causes us to hide in a prison of cynicism, or to blame others for our suffering, or to fall into a hole of depression or anxiety. Fear feeds fear which soon swallows us whole if left unrestrained. Fear is what prevents us from standing up into our authentic true nature and taking responsibility for the lives we create.

In our modern age, the analytical powers of the mind have tended to fall out of favour with those in search of higher awareness. The mind is seen to be the enemy, where if only it could be quietened we could find instant enlightenment. Countless quotes from sages and mystics throughout history are used to support his view.

From one point of view, this is true. It IS the mind that creates the veils of illusion that separate us from our ultimate, Divine nature. And yet, without the mind, we would be as the lower animals, acting always from the survival impulse, unable to read these words or ask self-reflective questions. Without the higher functions of mind, we would be unable to create for ourselves the lives we want, but instead be bound to circumstance and the ebb and flow of external conditions.

It is this creative capacity of our higher minds that is both our bane and the key to our evolution. When used carelessly or without understanding, our mind can create for us hell on Earth. When used with skill, it can be used to achieve what the Buddhist's call "The Right View", which enables a creative capacity that serves the wellbeing of ourselves, those we care for, and indeed every living thing.

When we understand the creative capacity of the mind, we can choose more wisely what we choose to create. Do we create fear, anxiety, grasping, aversion and suffering, or do we create instead more of what we want... freedom, love, compassion and skillful action. Our workshops acknowledge the importance of mind as a creative tool that is indispensable in a balanced, happy life.

A healthy mind is about authentic choice, instead choice driven by fear or need. Its about becoming conscious about your amazing creative capacities, and then utilising them in service of your own wellbeing and the wellbeing of those you love. Mind working in balance with heart is about finding within yourself a love that is indestructible, a peace that is untouchable and a resilience in life that can cope with anything. When aligned with Spirit, its about living a life with purpose, one that means something, and that you can feel good about as you rest your head on your pillow each night.

If you feel ready to take that courageous leap into the deeper, more authentic you, come and visit us for a weekend. We run regular retreats that all offer practices on how to strengthen the witness within, how to chart the course of your life's direction, how to make choices better aligned with what you truly value, how to bring your body online as an antenna of intuition, how to better serve the highest good of yourself and those you love.

None of these practices require you to shave your head and go live in a cave. They are all designed to be used in everyday situations, and they are all practical tools suitable for the universal challenges of modern life. They are as accessible as your next conscious breath, and as quick to implement as a new perspective on an old problem.

Unfortunately, there is no such thing. While there are hundreds of workshops out there promising to "change your life" in a weekend, it is our understanding that consciousness does not work that way. Evolution is a process, not an event. speaking the truth

Major change can occur in a weekend, but usually only when that weekend is the culmination of sustained inner work in the years prior. Change requires skillful focus and the willingness to practise more openness with our feelings, more useful forms of thinking and more constructive habits of behaviour.

What Worldview weekends DO offer is an understanding of how to reduce pointless struggle and fear-mongering and be more accepting of yourself and others. We show you how to engage more skilfully with your mind, your heart, your imagination, your values and your capacity to choose. When these basic life skills are "switched on", you become empowered to live a more authentic, more connected and more fulfilling life.

To use a metaphor, imagine that your life is like driving your car around the large city of your birth. Over the course of a few decades of driving around, you have a few accidents, your car breaks down, you get lost, and you seriously tire of the traffic. You eventually yearn for direction and purpose, and for the skills to drive your car in a skillful way that avoids accidents. Worldview weekends help you to accept the traffic as it is, and so end the struggle with that which cannot be changed. We then offer an advanced driver training course, a roadmap and a compass. We do not try and tell you where to go, but we do offer guidance on how to read the map and choose for yourself. If you don't like traffic, take the back streets. If you like open roads in the high country, we can show you how to find them.

First, take a deep breath into your belly. Notice the sounds around you. Let yourself relax inner wisdom

into being present in this moment, sitting in this chair, breathing this breath, bathed by these sounds. At the end of this paragraph, close your eyes and spend just a couple of minutes being present in this moment. Do it now.

Welcome back! Now ask "What now?" Listen for a quite voice within, or perhaps a gentle feeling. Does the voice say "Yes!"? Does the feeling have the flavour of excitement? If not, then the Worldview Centre may not have much to offer you at this stage of your journey. If you can hear or feel Spirit calling you to action, then check our Event Schedule page for a workshop and dates that suit you.