Small peak states conferences?
01/31/2014
One of the things I (Grant) had always hoped to see were small conferences of cutting-edge technique developers from the various approaches in the field of human potential, or as we call it, peak states of consciousness.
Why? Well, when I founded the Institute for the Study of Peak States, one of my original goals was to create a 'clearing house' for the new generation of technique developers working in this field of exceptional states of consciousness. The idea was that we could share and synergistically improve our work, and have fun doing it. This desire came out of my experiences in the 1990s with Kate Sorensen's breakthrough trauma therapy (PTSD) conferences. In those small gatherings, Kate brought together just about all the amazing folks who were developing the (then) new generation of various PTSD therapies that the world now uses (such as my own WHH). That was an exciting and very heady time, as we shared information and enthusiasm; we knew what we were doing was really going to make a difference in the world.
Coming back to peak states, in many ways peak state developers are in the same sort of position as trauma therapists were in the late 1980s. In spite of all the work done by the folks in the human potential movement; humanistic, transpersonal and positive psychology; and various religious organizations, nothing has yet jelled in this field. Worse, after all these years, most people assume that the problem is insoluble - similar to how psychologists once considered PTSD to be incurable.
From my end, until recently I have been so focused on solving the fundamental biological basis for peak states (and various diseases) that I really didn't want to be distracted by other approaches. Now that we've cracked this problem - but still with lots to do! - it would be fun to see some small gatherings of different developers (and interested laypeople) start to happen. For example, there is interesting work being done in brain biofeedback in the last couple of years; and I'm sure there are other new, innovative approaches too.
Thus, I put out an invitation to people in the PeakStates community, or you who have an interest in this field - let's have some fun working to find these relatively unknown technique developers, and bring them together to share their approaches.
Coming back to peak states, in many ways peak state developers are in the same sort of position as trauma therapists were in the late 1980s. In spite of all the work done by the folks in the human potential movement; humanistic, transpersonal and positive psychology; and various religious organizations, nothing has yet jelled in this field. Worse, after all these years, most people assume that the problem is insoluble - similar to how psychologists once considered PTSD to be incurable.
From my end, until recently I have been so focused on solving the fundamental biological basis for peak states (and various diseases) that I really didn't want to be distracted by other approaches. Now that we've cracked this problem - but still with lots to do! - it would be fun to see some small gatherings of different developers (and interested laypeople) start to happen. For example, there is interesting work being done in brain biofeedback in the last couple of years; and I'm sure there are other new, innovative approaches too.
Thus, I put out an invitation to people in the PeakStates community, or you who have an interest in this field - let's have some fun working to find these relatively unknown technique developers, and bring them together to share their approaches.
From the desk of the research director,
Dr. Grant McFetridge
Hornby Island, Canada
Jan 31, 2014