Australia Ruth Fowler; Canada Phil Barnett, Sr Kathleen Bolger, Norma Hannouch, Michel Legault; New Zealand Peter Murphy; United Kingdom Kim Nataraja, Shankar Nataraja, Liz Watson; United States Steve Lodesky.

Apologies received from Jeannie Battigin, Gene Bebeau and Glenda Meakin

Reports from around the world

The reports presented to the meeting showed that the School is absolutely flourishing. In fact, it is now an integral part of the work of the Community in most parts of the world. It functions as a ‘leaven’ or ‘generator’ to increase Community members’ involvement in all aspects of support and nourishment of meditators everywhere.

13 ‘Workshops for the Essential Teaching’ have taken place in 2007 alone and 13 more are already planned for 2008. In both Australia (with the exception of Western Australia) and Canada there have been now ‘Workshops’ in every state.

The Group stressed the continued importance of ‘Workshop for the Essential Teaching’ to nurture and support meditators. The objectives to refresh and maintain the consistency of the teaching and create community were felt to be as important as ever. Some of the ‘Workshops’ were smaller than in the past but this was felt to increase their effectiveness; it was possible to pay more attention to individual participants. More people need to be encouraged to join the National School Resources team in each country to play an active role in this and other School activities.

4 ‘School Retreats’ were held in 2007 (one in Canada and the UK and two in the U.S.). They are always very appreciated by participants and allow many to deepen their commitment to the practice and to the Community. The aim should be to have at least one, if not two, a year in each country.

The ‘Six week Introductory Course’ is now part of the ongoing activities and is often given by Community members. They are taking place frequently everywhere and in the UK there is a continual back-to-back programme both at the London Meditation Centre and occasionally at Westminster Cathedral.

Roots Courses

In 2007 10 ‘Roots’ Courses were run. The IRG discussed Father Laurence’s proposal that ‘Roots’ Courses should form an integral part of the teaching schedule of the ‘School’ and should replace the ‘Seminar School’ as Stage 2 of the programme.

Comment: This was accepted unanimously, as the Seminar Schools in the way they were intended – with materials for participants to use in their groups – hardly ever were delivered in this way.

The following ‘Roots’ courses were held:

Australia
· Melbourne led by Ruth Fowler and Deb Guess
This is a weekly Course run over thirty weeks in 2007. In 2008 the ‘Course’ will be moving to Queensland to be run by Kathryn Houston.

Brazil
· Short Course led by Ana Fonseca

Canada
· Short Course led by Clem Sauvé

U.K.
· Year-long Course led by Shankar and Kim Nataraja.
This is the original Course and is a weekly one run over about 30 sessions. It has been running for four years.

U.S.
· Houston led by Claudia Morgan and Pat King
This is a monthly Course run over three years, covering the same period as the London Course. Third year has just started.
· Jacksonville led by Gene Bebeau and Sr Elizabeth Hillman
This on-going modular Course has run since 2006
· Los Angeles led by Dr Pat Mitchell
This is a monthly Course run over three years and the second year has recently started.
· Phoenix led by Joanne Rapp.
This Course is ongoing and has been offered over the past two years in modular form.

New Courses are starting in the coming months of 2007 in

· Detroit/Bloomfield Hills, MI led by Ron Leinweber and Sr Barbara Rund
· Burlington, VT, led by Rev Ken Poppe
· Tucson, led by Steve Lodesky and Joe Doerfer
All these courses are on-going and are offered in a modular format.

Comment: The IRG were unanimous in their support of the ‘Course’ and promised to look into the possibility of offering these courses more frequently. To help this process along Kim Nataraja presented the following guidelines:

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