Page 12 - ReAwaken Ebook 1st Ed

I think a big part of what makes ReAwaken special is rooted first in the depth of
connection between the organizers. Through regular video chats, the four of us have

taken the time to really connect on a soul level. We have gotten to know each other’s
families and now we are family. Yes, we all share similar visions and values, but without

the truly amazing connection we have, ReAwaken could have been just another
conference.

Now to the conference itself. It was important to the organizers that ReAwaken was
inspired by the film Healing Voices, but not about the film. We all felt ReAwaken needed

to be its own thing. The basis of the ReAwaken concept is that our society is asleep in
many ways. We have been growing more and more disconnected from each other and

the environment and are now in some sort of collective psychosis. ReAwaken Australia
was to bring leaders from the mental health, trauma, and addiction fields to have an

open and honest dialogue about where we are at and where we should be going.

I’m happy to say we accomplished the goal of bringing these leaders together, but we
wanted to accomplish something more. We wanted to live this reawakening in real time.

This is why we chose a beautiful retreat center in the countryside rather then a hotel in

the city. This is why we chose to meet for a full week and discourage attending for just
one day. This is why we chose to limit the number of participants. This is why we limited

the number of presentations and encouraged every presenter to include an interactive
component. This is why we included film presentations followed by dialogues each

evening. This is why we had so many creative outlets, free time, and opportunities to
connect. This is why we had the home groups for people to connect with throughout the

conference. This is why the organizers decided to live communally in “The Den” right on
the conference site, which was such a beautiful, connected, and fun experience. This is

why we chose the themes of connection, compassion, and meaningful action. And I think
this is why ReAwaken still lives and breathes in my veins and I am brought to tears just

writing this. Because ReAwaken went beyond my hopes and dreams and my soul

connection went beyond our core group of organizers to literally all 110 people who
attended. I have never experienced anything like it. Yet I think what I experienced there

is what all humans crave and what we have lost as we have moved from living tribally and
communally to industrialized and profoundly disconnected.

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