The Moscow EUROTAS Conference - a report

Human Consciousness, Human Values in an Interconnected World;
A Transpersonal Approach - Moscow 23-26 June

The Seventh EUROTAS Conference was held from 23-26 June 2005 at the Moscow Academy of Public Service at the Presidency of the Russian Federation. It was organized in Russia by the Association of Transpersonal Psychology and Psychotherapy with the participation of the Moscow Open Centre, the Transpersonal Foundation and the partial collaboration of the Professional Psychotherapeutic League (Russia).

The Conference brought together over 200 like minded participants from over twenty different countries. The Russian experience - the opportunities for meeting old friends and making new ones and the wide range of workshops available - all went together to make the Conference a very worthwhile event for those interested in transpersonal psychology across national boundaries. It was very special for the Europeans to welcome so many friends and colleagues from the United States – Robert Frager, Bob Schmitt, Pat Luce, David Lukoff, Stuart Sovatsky, Bert and Betty Parlee and Glenn Hartelius among them. Over 20 different associations were represented and those visiting Russia were honoured by the distinguished representatives of so many different Russian Associations who were present.

Several Members of The Centre for Transpersonal Psychology were also present, including Beata Bishop, Sue Michaelson, and Helen Bazzard. CTP also continued to hold a visible profile with papers presented by Jason Wright and Rupert Tower.

This was the first EUROTAS conference with a significant presence of famous American presenters which may be evidence of European maturity and development in the transpersonal field. It has actually generated an initiative towards forming in 4-5 years time a World Transpersonal Association. Moreover, it was the first International Transpersonal Conference to take place in Russia.

The sun shone throughout the conference and there were opportunities for visits to historic sites in Moscow and elsewhere. The hospitality and kindness of our Russian hosts was exceptional and there were many little acts of thoughtfulness and of support experienced by many as they came to terms with the complexities of traveling so far to the conference from all over Europe and elsewhere. Vladimir Maykov and Gennade Brevde and their devoted team worked very hard to make the Conference come alive. The Soul of Europe Concert on the last evening again showed the undoubted talents aside from their transpersonal expertise of many would be singers, actors and dancers!

"Ways through the Wall" - a book of essays based around the 2004 London Conference was launched and GRETT with Bernadette Blin and her associates agreed to host the 2006 EUROTAS Conference from 5-8 October in France with the theme: "Revealing the Divine Feminine." Vitor Rodriquez was confirmed as President of EUROTAS and Bernadette Blin and Jason Wright joined the EUROTAS Board.

Further information about the Conference will be posted along with a number of papers presented on the EUROTAS website www.eurotas.org shortly.

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