Weikert is a trained psychotherapist who created The New Life Institute to
help give people a fresh perspective on their lives. The Institute includes
an educational process where the environment, the curriculum, and the
community are dedicated to exploring and understanding a client’s own
personal story.

In Weikert’s presentation, “Creating Harmony in Your Family Business,” she
will present and discuss how conflicts in values, blurring of boundaries,
and issues of control create conditions that disrupt the potential harmony
in a family business. Members will leave the session with an increased
understanding of the dynamics of their own unique situation as well as the
subtle ways that a family business can impact their personal lives.

One could speculate that the extreme weather patterns even mirror chaotic events that are being played out on the world stage. Economies struggle, grassroots demonstrations appear, and governments even topple. At the very least we have to notice that we are in the midst of great change at all levels.

It’s hard to say what is at the root of all this upheaval. Global warming cannot account for political changes and political upheaval does not create global warming. Whatever the causes, I think the New Englander got it right. Hang on folks. Just wait a minute. Things are bound to change.

The simple fact is that our culture allows this, perhaps even expects personal attack as part of the legitimate political process. In fact, we seem to have reached the point where we are almost bored with factual debate. We expect the reporting of juicy details of a candidate’s history. We have become voyeurs of their personal lives. Why do we do this, and how did we get to this point?

The answer is complex, but much of it may be traced to the phenomenon of 24 hour news reporting. When you are “on” every moment of every day you must scramble to fill all of that time. The boundaries of civility and what is fair game for reporting get stretched. Soon they are blurred to the point where most anything goes. This is when we lose respect for each other. The death of kindness may turn out to be far more important in the long run than the important but transitory issues that stir up such passion. So, let us return to a position of respect for the opposition!! Character assassination is an unnecessary part of politics. We are all part of the human community, and some values are even more important than politics.

How did they do it? How did they create an environment that sustained them through two months enclosed in a dark space a half mile underground? They were there so long that their ordeal set a new record. As the stories begin to unfold we see that they were able to create a community that was both positive and sustaining. They took care of each other and in doing this they nurtured the whole group through the fear and hopelessness that could have engulfed them. They kept hope alive by consciously evoking it. That it was a communal effort can be seen as the miners competed to be the last to leave the hole, not the first. The safety of the others in the group became more important than their own.

The courage of the miners is mirrored by the attitude of the rescuers. It is heartwarming to watch their meticulous efforts and to see them waiting to greet each and every miner as they come up. The work will not be finished until the last person comes home. It is inspiring to observe the national pride in doing the right thing. Perhaps the tiny white butterfly so far underground that two miners stopped to watch, and by that pause escaped death in the collapse, has turned out to be a symbol of hope for us all–for we most certainly are being taught a lesson about the power of community in the face of adversity.

It all revolves around activities. They begin with a bang, my calendar fills, and before long there is no empty time. Most are good activities and my loyalty kicks in, and I soon realize that I am finding it hard to say no. So, how do I choose among good activities, and at the same time learn that I can’t please everyone? Of course I want to do my part, but there seems to be an endless parade of things to do. Soon guilt reigns supreme as I struggle to learn when and where to say ‘no.’ It is then that I notice how real the conflict is between exterior and interior pulls. The exterior pulls me into meetings, committees, activities, meals, and just plain fun. The interior pulls me toward reflection and quiet time often spent doing nothing.

For me there is a simple but very great need for quiet reflection. It is only in quiet time that I can hear and keep track of my internal thread. I need to be in touch with this inner thread in order to reflect upon what truly matters and gives direction to my life journey. It also seems to be the only way that I authentically connect to a wider reality. Reflection gives a sense of direction as to what I really want do in the external world. Some things that clamor loudest seem to hold the least meaning. Perhaps the quiet time for reflection is the most important gift I can give myself. I am beginning to suspect that it is the only way to avoid the fall funk.

Date: Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Time: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm

Location: Fairleigh Dickinson University, Dickinson Hall, Suite 1134
140 University Plaza, Hackensack, New Jersey

Workshop led by Dr. Jeanne Weikert, Founder of New Life Institute

In this exciting “Know Yourself” workshop, Dr. Weikert and the New Life Institute staff will help you

• Explore your unique gifts and strengths
• Consider how your work aligns with your values
• Appreciate that you have potential still to be realized
• Understand how meaning and purpose can enhance your career goals

Why Should I Attend?

Today’s economic climate has resulted in significant changes in the workplace. These may thrust us into unexpected situations where we are forced to evaluate our career. This produces anxiety, but also the opportunity to consider what might be a more satisfying work path for the future. In this workshop you will deepen the alignment between your satisfaction and your success.

These workshops are ideally suited for:

• Anyone seeking new work possibilities for themselves
• People in transition and considering changing careers
• Anyone feeling a bit “stuck” or overwhelmed by their current situation
• Those who want to be ore effective and happier in their work

How to Register

Fee: $395 includes $20 non-refundable registration fee and workshop materials. Lunch is also included.

Please call 201-692-6500 to register. Seating is limited so please make your reservations soon. A map will be mailed or emailed to you upon registration.

Do we have the right to act in a manner that destroys lives and habitats of other species for our own gain? Do we have the right to behave as though other life is of lesser value? Does being in the position of the dominant species mean that we cease being responsible to all life? Unfortunately, in this case we are so focused on our need for oil that we always prioritize in favor of feeding that need—no matter what. This line of thinking ultimately puts us at great risk simply because it condones taking great risks.

In order to find a more balanced way of sharing this planet we will most likely need to rethink our myth of dominion and replace it with a model of shared occupancy. After all, we are not the only ones living here. Imagine what it would be like never to hear the sound of a bird, to watch a butterfly hovering over a flower, or enjoy a glimpse of a running deer. Our lovely planet would soon become a lonely and very arid place.

It’s truly amazing that we can dig an oil well that is a mile under water, but don’t have a successful contingency plan to deal with horrific outcomes when something goes wrong. Clearly everyone is scrambling to come up with alternatives and we are not without ideas, but most of them have never been tried before. We are truly winging it!!

You have to ask how we let ourselves get into this position. The answer is probably fairly simple. We need oil, and we need it now. The need to get oil is so strong that it outweighs risk. It is such an all-encompassing need that it has overridden serious consideration of potential danger—so look at where we are now!! The traveling ooze has the potential to damage not only the ecosystem, but to endanger the economy in many ways.

The real lesson in this disaster is one of keeping priorities in balance and not responding in a foolish and irresponsible manner to the immediate and urgent need. We can easily be blindsided by what brings in great revenue and fills the gas tank. We forget that the destruction of fragile ecosystems may have a far greater impact on the quality of the life of our grandchildren.

The rapidly spreading oil spill in the gulf alarms us all as it moves towards the coastal estuaries that are spawning grounds for a huge number of species. If these are destroyed, the recovery could take years and may deeply affect the food chain. We are connected both by our need for oil and food. A simple break in a major water main has disrupted the water quality for most of the Boston area. Although the damage is relatively easy to repair the entire city is boiling their drinking water. We are reminded that we are connected by the need for clean water. In New York an attempt to detonate a car bomb brought Times Square to a standstill and the area was evacuated until the danger passed. We are connected by our need to protect ourselves from danger. Tornadoes and floods have battered the south and heartland, reminding us that nature is still in charge. We are connected because we live in a world where nature can be capricious.

There are many ways we can look at these events, but one important observation that we can make is that we are deeply linked together as we live in the human community. The connections are both powerful and fragile. We see this during moments when they are disrupted and damaged. Such events force us to consider and evaluate our way of life. So, let’s appreciate both the importance and fragility of our interconnection with each other and the natural world. Perhaps we can learn to make the balance more effective.

It has been astutely noted by some that this scenario is so convoluted that it could be likened to a car manufacturer deliberately installing brakes in the car it produces that are designed to fail, for it has also found a way to profit by the failure. The company makes money selling the car and has found a way to make money when the brakes fail as well. This sets up the classic double bind where a company profits at both ends. It’s the ultimate hedge.

The real damage in a scenario like this is that the consumer loses in every instance. It leads to a complete breakdown in trust. More succinctly there is no place to put your trust because you cannot win. Winning is always in the hands of the designer of the double bind. So I applaud our indignant consumer response. Let’s nip this game in the bud, for it is far to damaging to John Q Public, as well as our communal trust in the overall economy.