The Connection

PLEASE NOTE 
Since this blog was first posted, The Connection has been released to the public and can now be purchased online - CLICK HERE.

A compelling new full-length documentary film on Mind-Body Medicine - and your chance to attend 2 fundraising world premieres that will benefit the Gawler Foundation. 

This is a very important film; particularly well made and probably the most important in the field of Mind-Body Medicine for many years. I highly recommend it to you.

So this week a review of The Connection, details of how you can attend the premieres and see a preview, then news of our next retreat, but first




    Thought for the day

At times you have to leave the city of your comfort 
And go into the wilderness of your intuition. 
What you will discover will be wonderful. 
What you will discover is yourself.

             Alan Alda





Personal crisis is often the catalyst for major personal change. Sometimes it even leads on to great things.

After being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and frustrated by her interminably slow response to conventional treatment, almost out of desperation, journalist and filmmaker Shannon Harvey travelled the world in search of the missing link in healthcare.


Fuelled by her own need and recognizing the essence of a whole new way of understanding, Shannon gained interviews with a stellar array of world leading scientists and tracked down people who had remarkable stories of recovery from severe back pain, heart disease, infertility, cancer and multiple sclerosis.


The Connection is the result. A feature length documentary with incredibly high production values, The Connection tells the story of the development of Mind-Body Medicine through the words of many of its pioneers. It then delves deeply into the link between our mind and body – explanations and clarity coming from experts and recovered patients alike.

                Dr Herbert Bedson, therapeutic meditation pioneer                     and author of The Relaxation Response




The film includes interviews and remarkable footage that documents the work and shares the insights of an internationally recognised line up of clinicians, scientists and researchers including Drs. Herbert Benson, Dean Ornish, Jon Kabat-Zinn and Andrew Weil.


The Connection also features compelling true stories, with Professor George Jelinek, the Professor of Emergency Medicine who has recovered from multiple sclerosis and leads the MS programs at the Foundation, Melbourne based Scott Stephens who recovered from recurrent melanoma and speaks so eloquently about the Foundation’s program, and my own recovery from aggressive bone cancer.


Jon Kabat-Zinn, pioneer of mindfulness in the Western world

Dr Craig Hassed of Monash University who many will know from his feature sessions at cancer programs, retreats and conferences with the Foundation, speaks particularly well and provides a major link throughout the film.

The Connection proves that through the way we use our mind we have more influence on our health outcomes than we ever thought possible – and it clarifies how to do it.

The film will be available to pre-order in September but before that the director Shannon Harvey will do a World Premiere Tour of the film starting in Melbourne and Sydney before traveling to the US and UK.

Also to acknowledge one of the Foundation’s Past Presidents, Robert Kirby and Village Roadshow for very generously making the theatres available, and to thank the Connection team for also designating the Foundation to be the recipient of these 2 premieres.

During both premieres, old friends and key people from the film will lead question and answer sessions. Unfortunately, Ruth and I will be on the road still so will miss both events, but if you do live within reasonable distance of Sydney or Melbourne, it will be a grand occasion.

Melbourne Premiere - Monday 1st September, 7.45pm at the Rivoli Cinemas, Hawthorn East. Q&A Speaker Panel: Shannon Harvey (filmmaker), Dr Craig Hassed, Professor George Jelinek and Scott Stephens.

Sydney Premiere - Friday 5th September, 8.15pm at the Hayden Orpheum, Cremorne. Q&A Speaker Panel: Shannon Harvey (filmmaker), Professor George Jelinek, Associate Professor Damien Finniss, Dr Craig Duncan and Scott Stephens.

PLEASE NOTE 
Since this blog was first posted, The Connection has been released to the public and can now be purchased online - CLICK HERE.

TO BOOK TICKETS: CLICK HERE

TO VIEW THE PREVIEW  CLICK HERE

NEXT RETREAT : MEDITATION, IMAGES and HEALTH

Five days of meditation and gentle introspection   :     October 13 - 17
- all amidst the beauty and tranquility of the Yarra Valley

Details   :   CLICK HERE

Bookings   :   Contact the Gawler Foundation  03 5967 1730

NOTICEBOARD

Next public event is an evening public lecture in Mt Isa, Tuesday 19th August. This promises to be one of the delights of our road trip as if we were not travelling by car it would have been very difficult to get to Mt Isa in a way that would have worked financially for the people there. And it gives us the excuse to travel up to Karumba, Normanton and Burketown - all on the edge of the Gulf of Carpentaria!

Then Meditation in the Desert at the end of the month, with the last events of Le Tour being in Adelaide: Tuesday public lecture 16th September and day workshop Wednesday 17th September.