Life-Long Learning
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Education can be a life-long process if you are lucky enough to get swept up in that energy.
We
are literally learning something new every minute, perhaps  every second, even
though we may
not be acutely aware. Our senses provide us with new things or colors to see, new scents or
fragrances to smell, different textures to feel, new foods to experiment with, and wonderfully
different and varied sounds around us, whether they be the creation of nature or technology. Then
we enter into our sixth sense education where we may be developing our intuitive abilities, either
awakening or reaching another level. This may come our way through subtle nuances or there
may be profound and dramatic experiences. And then there are all the learning opportunities
through all of our various and diversified relationships.In the areas of our vocations and avocations, we continually grow and change, bringing in various educational opportunities to promote and assist that growth. No education or piece of learning is ever wasted. I have degrees in Paralegal/Legal Secretarial Studies (AS) and Administrative Management (BS). While they served me well in my 25 years at the law firm, I have put many, but not all, of those tools to rest. As a counselor and body-centered psychotherapist, I am now utilizing my MA in counseling, as well as various healing and spirituality certifications. Through my work with the crisis teams, I am utilizing my crisis training and certifications. And at The Door Opener, the learning opportunities are rich and greatly varied, as every week there is a new piece to the process that I must become familiar with. Will I stop here? Probably not. There is so much more to learn and discover. And I am certain that most of the people reading this are the very same. We are book readers, students, and people who are passionate about not wanting to overlook the abundance of growth opportunities and fun-filled learning adventures that are all around us. So we'd like to present to you in this issue a few of those wonderful opportunities for learning and growth right in your own backyard. It was extremely difficult to decide which schools to feature, so we had to draw some very definitive criteria. Please be assured that the schools presented here are just the tip of the iceberg. As you read through these pages, you will come across possibly a few hundred other opportunities for workshops, classes, trainings, support groups, healing circles, and the list goes on and on. Education around holistic health is on fire right now. If you read through the articles written by the school administrators, you will see that the market demand for holistic practitioners continues to grow. Not only do these trainings present vocational opportunities, the personal growth opportunities are deep and life-transforming. And don't forget all the free educational opportunities such as the programs sponsored by the Connecticut Holistic Health Association, as well as the town-wide continuing and adult education systems that offer Take-One-Teach-One opportunities, just to name a couple. I am a graduate of the Institute for Healing Arts and Sciences when it awarded a 3-year certification. I am proud to be part of that system as it takes giant leaps into the future of psychospirituality, medicine and healing. And I can strongly say that without having had that 3-year experience at the Institute, I would never have had the courage or awareness to discover who I really am and the potential that I have inside of me. I am certain that I would not be where I am at this point in my life. I have tremendous gratitude for all of my learning experiences, but I hold Dottie and the Institute in a special place in my heart. The Bear on the cover represents the energy of awakening the power of the unconscious. Bear is the great teacher of dreams, healing, and intuition, as well as survival. Bears climb trees, which are traditionally symbols of knowledge. So, in essence, we are all like Bear, climbing our own individual trees of knowledge. Reaching deeply into our subconscious, seeking the pieces of ourselves that we want to develop and enrich. So we climb those trees of knowledge, eat the leaves and berries, then climb back down and find a different kind of tree to climb. Bear teaches us to go inside and awaken the potential hidden inside of ourselves. And best of all, not to forget the honey of life! The schools that are presented through the articles, as well as the others filling our pages, offer life enriching and life changing opportunities. It's up to you to decide that you are worthy, capable, and willing to grab that brass ring that is not at all out of your reach! Happy learning! -Dory Dzinski |