National Teachers’ Conference- October, 2008

Teachers' Conference
The Ideal of the SOM is to aid any individual, willing to put forth the effort to become a whole, functioning Self. 

The Purpose of the SOM is to accelerate evolution, ushering in Intuitive, Spiritual Man.
The Activity of the SOM is to teach teachers.
Twice a year all SOM student-teachers gather at national headquarters on the campus of the College of Metaphysics to learn, explore, share, and refine the instruction SOM affords. Here's an example of what happened recently.

The Annual Fall National Teacher’s Conference on the College of Metaphysics campus drew 46 School of Metaphysics Teachers eager to learn, develop, and refine their ability to respond to their inner urge to be like their Creator. Here are some of the memorable highlights from this weekend.

Dr. Christine Madar kicked off the conference by reminding us that, “People are important in your dreams because you want to know who you are.” This was the third in a series of teaching opportunities Dr. Christine has brought to SOM leaders. In May, she taught the mathematical principles at work in remembering our dreams. In July, at the bi-annual SOM Directors’ Meeting, she taught the connection between teaching and remembering your dreams. At this meeting she expanded our thinking concerning just what an aspect in a dream is. (For the list of aspects the teachers came up with, see page 34.) To learn how to put this insight to work for you and your dreams, ask your teacher to share what they learned.

Dr. Laurel Clark and Dr. Sheila Benjamin shared the importance of connecting the School of Metaphysics with other consciousness-concerned organizations. While in Montreal, Quebec, for the International Association for the Study of Dreams (IASD) annual conference, both ladies shared the vast knowledge in the field of dreams that SOM has to offer. Dr. Laurel said that everyone at the IASD was warm, curious, respectful, and sincerely desirous of what we offer. Next year’s conference will be in Chicago, IL. and we are already planning to participate in a variety of ways.

Excitement built as we watched a DVD promo for the “DREAMTIME” television series airing on PBS stations this Fall. It was exciting to see our President, Dr. Laurel Clark, beside other well-known and respected experts such as Caroline Myss, John Perkins, and Deirdre Barrett who engaged viewers in exploring their own dreams. Teachers worked in groups for the rest of the evening to create publicity materials for a lecture tour on “The Universal Language of Dreams.” Ask your teacher when Dr. Laurel will be coming to your city and how you can help fill the auditorium where she will be speaking. This is a ground-breaking opportunity for SOM to be recognized nationally. Prepare yourself and your school to receive a major 10-fold return.

Saturday began with Dr. Daniel Condron passing on wisdom recently gained in teaching the current college students. Dr. Daniel applied the well-researched “map of consciousness” designed by Dr. David Hawkins which is published in his book Power vs. Force to how the consciousness of a student changes and evolves from the point of entering the study to the present. As described by Allan Rider, a college student, “The map of consciousness is based on a logarithmic scale. What this means is that each number is 10 times more powerful than the previous number. For example, 2 is 10 times more powerful than 1; 3 is 10 times more than 2, which means 3 is 100 times more than 1.” The results are quite astounding. You’ll want to ask your teacher about this.

The remainder of the morning saw Dr. Laurel and Dr. Sheila once again pairing up to review the Teacher’s Guide with specific attention given to the exercises. Discussion included the powerful skill students build in practicing 10-minute concentration exercises daily. The intentional repetition of unifying consciousness in this manner has a stunning affect upon the individual’s knowing Self. Through concentration, anyone can experience the difference between drawing upon the creative storehouse of understanding available in the mind and accessing the current and temporary information stored in the brain. Ask your teacher about the connection between making your ego honest and your candle marks.

Dr. Barbara Condron led teachers through an afternoon workshop that clearly defined “Evidence of Universal Law in our Lives” and how the idea of harmonizing with Universal Law is throughout the first series of lessons. Throughout the workshop, Dr. Barbara shared how the laws have worked in her life as she read a thought provoking Intuitive Report that she transcribed during the “Open Heart Transcribathon” held at the College the weekend before, and then stimulated the teachers to consider what Universal Law brought the report into their own lives. Teachers were also encouraged to consider other Universal Laws that were evident when Dr. Barbara shared a passage from the book she is currently writing and challenging all to consider what their next step in SOM is. Think what your next step is. When you come up with it, talk to your teacher.

After dinner we were treated to a living example of what it means to teach teachers when Matt Valois’s student, Hezekiah Condron, assisted him in sharing the amazing secrets of making what SOM teaches fun, exciting, practical, and real. Matt has been teaching Kie every week the joy and power in music. It has transformed both of them. Matt now knows that he can teach anything to anyone, anytime, anywhere. Kie is now writing music as well as playing it and recently told his teacher that he really wants to learn how to hear music and be able to replicate it so he can teach Damian Nordmann, his newest student, anything on piano. In one year’s time, a college student has produced a teacher with the resources at hand. That is the power of divine friendship and expectation.


Sunday morning began as the creative groups shared the PSA’s, press releases, and poster for Dr. Laurel’s lecture tour. It is always amazing how a group of disciplined minds can form a common goal and purpose and accomplish miracles in a matter of minutes. Discussion included how to contact local PBS stations to encourage them to air the DREAMTIME TV series which offers a unique, 10-fold opportunity for every school. We are actively looking forward to every school quadrupling the current student count before Christmas. With Dr. Laurel being broadcast across the nation with President, School of Metaphysics on the screen of PBS station everywhere, guess who viewers are going to call???

Teachers met around the Peace Pole at 10:30 a.m. to honor the Best of the Best. Adam student, Ivy Norris, awarded both Chris Sheehan and Jonathan Duerbeck Teaching Certificates for having taught continuously for over 6 months and attended all Teacher’s Meetings in that time along with having continuously taught a class from the first night of class to Responderé. Other Teaching Certificates were awarded to Jenny Oler by Dr. Laurel, and Jesse Kern by Dr. Sheila. Afterwards Matt Valois and Dr. Barbara Condron sang OneVoice (I am the Light of the World) to honor the teachers.

Dr. Pam Blosser then led the teacher’s to the gazebo where they met a disciple of Jesus, Dr. Terry Martin. Dr. Terry taught the parable of the storm from Matthew and we were blessed to know the power to control our thoughts. Dr. Pam then led the group through the forest, past the Lady of the Woods, to the outdoor chapel where a disciple of Krishna, Damian Nordmann, taught us the secret of work. Coming out of the woods, we found a disciple of Lord Buddha under the college’s Bodhi tree. Paul Madar taught the 4 Noble Truths and the 8-fold path that lifts the human spirit from the suffering of entrapment to the ascension to nirvana. Dr. Pam then led us to the Peace Dome where a disciple of Lao Tzu, Ivy Norris, taught us how to experience eternal peace through harmony with the Tao. We entered the Dome and laid tiles to commemorate the growth of our understanding this weekend.

Under the dozens of proclamations stretching since 1997, Amy Pawlus encouraged us to create a Season of Peace. She is planning on meeting with all of the Peace Ambassadors in the few weeks to visualize and continue to bring peace into our cities. To find out how you can be a part of this noble endeavor, talk to your teacher.

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