Happy Monday to You!
The last week has been a very busy, but rewarding week. My instructors flew in from around the world to meet and reconnect with me, and each other. It’s been a long time since I had all my instructors together so we could share our lives and experiences with each other.
Over the past several years, I’ve advanced my training programs in many ways, including expanding the number of our courses covering key topics to reduce the learning load on students.
I have also progressively created a holistic integration of all my teachings so that those that are C.H.E.K Practitioners can benefit from and apply CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coaching wisdom, and so that the HLC Practitioners can improve their mastery of exercise and program design.
This meeting was designed to integrate my instructors so they all have a solid grasp of what is being taught in each C.H.E.K Institute advanced training program.
Stonework
Most of you that follow my blog are well aware of my relationship with stones. Stonework is a very good way to learn and practice effective teamwork, or, team building in this case. I took the opportunity to introduce many of my instructors to stonework.
Angie Lustrick and Donal Carr are both experienced stoneworkers, so I put them in charge of their own teams and I lead my team of Tomi Toles and Jon Bowskill.
Here you can see me introducing Jon Bowskill to the rigors and risks of moving and lifting heavy stones. Jon had just completed an Ironman race in France a few days earlier, so lifting heavy stones wasn’t easy in a state of fatigue. Jon did very well though.
Here you can see Donal leading his team coaching Duncan Reeve of France, working carefully to create their stack and not smash any fingers or toes in the process!
Here you can see Donal’s team celebrating the completion of their rock art. Great job team!
Here you can see Tomi and I working with Donal Carr to put the cap on our stack. Things were getting tricky and I think Jon got clear in case stones started bouncing around like super balls!
Here is our completed stack (with a touch of help from Donal!). We had a great time making it and Tomi got to experience the adrenaline rush that occurs when hundreds of pounds of stones start waving back and forth while trying to put something up on them. Great fun team!
Here you can see the beautiful rock art created by Angie Lustrick and her team with Dan Hellman, (starting behind Angie and moving left) Leigh Brandon, Terrence Thomas, and Mark Stone. Beautiful stack team! Great work, particularly considering it was the first stack for most everyone on the team.
Team Music and Movement
Many of you know that I’m a big advocate of work-in activity. Here you can see Ashley and the rest of the CHEK Instructors learning to stork walk!
We also spent time creating music, chanting, toning, and singing my 4 Doctor songs each day. Here you can see Emma Lane (senior CHEK Instructor in Europe/UK) taking a moment to get to know the new drum she’s just been handed in preparation to make music with the team.
It was a good 100++ degrees out for most of the days here at the Heaven House so when it was time to make music together, we had to find a shady place. We had a fantastic time making music together.
We alternated between using native American Indian rattles and a variety of types of drums.
We had some very beautiful moments together where we all lost our individuality and seemed to become one living, breathing, and musical organism.
This was priceless for me to share with my instructors. Thanks to all of you for being brave enough to sing, dance and play with me!
Connecting
I haven’t been able to see Suzi Nevell (she lives in New Zealand) in person in quite some time. Suzi was the first physiotherapist (physical therapist in the US) to become an instructor for me many years ago.
Suzi rose through the ranks, becoming the fist instructor approved to teach the very comprehensive C.H.E.K Practitioner Level 3 training and has helped me train thousands of C.H.E.K Practitioners around the world.
Chris Maund and Janet Alexander were my first two instructors, and Suzi was next. Chris and Janet have become very busy with their own ventures and couldn’t make the meeting, but they were there in my heart and the hearts of all the instructors.
We missed all the instructors that couldn’t make it, but they are forever part of the CHEK Team in our hearts. My love to all of you!
Artistic Expression
The day before our Instructor Integration meeting started, Ashley Mazurek and I spent some time catching up together. I love to create art with the people I love and this is the art piece Ashley and I created together. It was great fun!
Thanks Ashley for being a true Spiritual Warrior and being open, willing and brave enough to explore creative self-expression and unbound play with me! You are forever Beautiful!
The day after the meeting, Donal Carr and Matthew Wallden came to spend a day of doing nothing with me at my home in Vista. We relaxed together and this is what came out of us.
May our love of life and each other touch something deep inside your being.
Altogether, we had a fantastic, heartfelt week together. We had a chance to express our joys, and our concerns with each other and find healthy resolutions so we can all live, love and create more effectively as a team.
I learned a lot about myself from this meeting.
I learned that I must take more time to connect to the people that I love and who love and respect me enough to teach my living-philosophy more often.
I learned that my team, in more ways I realized, share many of the same pains and challenges in their lives. By getting together in a stone circle, and sharing openly and honestly, we all got to be heard, and gained the empathy and compassion of the tribe.
This meeting was among the most important meetings I’ve had in my life. I’m grateful for the help of the C.H.E.K Institute staff, Vidya and all who supported us in the creation, process and completion of the meeting.
I’m also grateful to the family members who made sacrifices so their loved one’s could attend this meeting. Many instructors flew from around the globe and devoted a week of their time to this important meeting and integration process and I’m very grateful for your willingness to support and grow the CHEK Institute and instructor team.
Today is Vidya’s Birthday!
Happy Birthday Vidya!
Vidya has been with me, managing my life for almost seven years now. We have learned a HUGE amount from each other, and today I shared my love for her by giving her this piece of art and accompanying poem.
I did my best with my limited art skills to capture the essence of Vidya, and express her poetically, but those of you who know Vidya will have to be the judge of how well I’ve expressed Vidya.
I love you Vidya, and I’m grateful I can celebrate you and your special life on your special day. Happy Birthday!
Love,
Paul
