That's when I came across Schumacher College, tucked away in pastoral Devon not too far from where I lived at the time, in Bath, UK. I was grateful when I received a scholarship to take part in a 3-week course in 1992 entitled the 'Greening of Medicine' by Dr Patrick Pietroni, after a book he had written on the same topic.
It was a wonderful experience on many levels and during it Dr Pietroni advised me to study massage as an antidote to my crisis of meaning. It happened that he had just launched a massage course with a particular focus on introducing this into General Practice. That course has now evolved into a degree at University of Westminster, London.
So, I left physiotherapy and thus began a major period of exploration, travel, and change for me. I studied many different forms of alternative massage and movement therapy over the following decade. Eventually I came across aquatic bodywork which combined everything I was passionate about ... movement, massage, emotional and spiritual intelligence, creativity, and above all the essential element Water.
And that led me to my current work envisioning spa-retreat (including aquatic bodywork) as a tool for personal, social, and even planetary change.
The year after I took the 'Greening of Medicine', I returned for Jonathan Porrit's 'Green Utopias' and stayed for 6-months as a volunteer helper at the College. Founded by one of my heros, Satish Kumar, the College has developed over the years into a powerful center for change and innovation, with a particular focus now on sustainability.
There are at least three new short courses on the current program that I'd love to attend one of these years: Sustainability and Leadership: The Organisational Challenge * Ethical Pioneers: An interactive master class for the new entrepreneur * Biomimicry: New directions in sustainable design.
Starting in February 2009, is an innovative course offering a Certificate in Sustainable Health that gives students opportunities to explore an holistic approach to contemporary health care, including shifting health care from the clinic to the home. Along with the current trend in Medical Spa, Spa-Retreats have a potential role in this paradigm shift. For more thoughts on this topic read 'To Water ... add Time'.
To learn more about Schumacher College's offerings please visit their beautiful website here.
