Q1: Christopher, What brought you to this field of work as a Soul Educator?
Having outgrown the need for acting as a career, for a while I continued to explore life as a learning curve. I did this through writing plays, poems, novels, books and articles on a wide range of aspects. Sadly I felt much richness was missing in state education.
I started to teach in comprehensive schools without a university degree. Not being a natural academic I call myself an ‘intuitive’. Feeling fresh and enthusiastic – even in my 40s! – as a Head of Drama teaching English Language and Literature, I soon witnessed too many schoolchildren impoverished by the narrowness of the imposed curricula. To behold their eyes getting duller, their behaviour more blindly obedient, hurt my sense of gifted richness I know resides in each Soul Learner.
Q2: So what did you do about this?
So as not to lose my own ‘innocent’ enjoyment in the classroom, I devised DOVETALES, a series of 10 illustrated guidebooks, all inter-curricular but each title based on a main subject. Hence users – whether child or adult – were coming from the creative hub of their impulse, intuition and inner guidance. Nothing imposed; all offerings encouraging autonomy and trust in themselves first as their own authority, in love, life and learning.
Q2: In what ways did you find the provided lesson plans and timetable less than helpful to individualised learning opportunities?
Students, like us all, grow by making choices and learning that each one has consequences. Deprived of this opportunity early on, they can feel not consulted with respect, but insulted through neglect. Seeing each of my class members as a unique Soul, all on their own spiritual learning curve bespoke of their inner needs, I saw the need, not for an alternative approach, but a complementary one. What’s more, it is generally accepted that students grow best through the benign expectations of those they choose to respect. If they deem adults not to be suitable role models or mentors, then they will choose peers – and we all know what gang cultures can breed.
Q3. What makes you think that DOVETALES is at the cutting-edge and more progressive than education provisions currently available?
I would be delighted to see another set of books that put heart before head. Each title is full of illustrations from the absurd to the academic. Each book, although subject-centered, spreads out to cover the usual school curriculum. But it is student-centered, since I see learning as an open hearted invitation at best, rather than a closed minded imperative. The evidence from users to date whether student, parent or teacher has been most encouraging.
Q4. What other areas have you been involved in outside of schools?
I have run workshops across four continents including Australia, Africa, Canada and Isarel. In Tel Aviv for example I presented philosophy for 4 years old plus, whereas in Durban I did several workshops on the Spiritual Qualities of Light and Sound. These became the foundation for SUSALL which have become twenty five topics exploring a wide range of topics that includes for example SACRED SECRETS, HEALING SOUNDS to DISHONEST TO GOD – disentangling politics from religion.
Q5. How has you work been received and what reactions have you had?
I have received so many different ones from both ends of the spectrum.
Wariness, caution, even irritation. Mind you, such reactions are not unknown when professionals feel threatened in any way. On the plus side, mavericks, the disillusioned, the free thinkers and pioneers and under-educated have in four different continents responded with delight to the opportunities of self-empowerment I have been offering through my writings, ‘Playshops’ and counseling sessions.
Truths can often be more easily assimilated through metaphors than through an exposition of reams of soon-forgotten facts. That is why I wrote and published three Talking Books of New Age Fables for all the Family. So now I offer an answer your searching question, metaphorically. Diversified cultures increasingly will see their best prospects for survival are predicated on seeing themselves as all part of a global village. Yet this can cause tension between what we might call the personal and the universal. But does that mean there can never be bridges between both set of needs? Well, take foodstuffs. Whether Eastern spices or Western artificial flavours these are all branded as good to eat – even for tourists. Tastes will vary but not to need for nourishment. Whatever the vibrations of anything consumed, spiritually, it all comes from the same source materials. So given the wisdom of universal goodwill and tolerance of others, diversity need not damage us through diversity of taste-buds. So what’s next on the menu…?
Q6. Then how applicable are your ‘offerings’ to a wider – let alone global – field?
In all my work I am influenced by Socrates. As with all the ages that I have taught up to including senior citizens, I always tried to ‘sus’ out their personal needs within the learning context. Under the expedience of learning for a living – as used to be the main focus before the job market changed so drastically – often I still sensed lay the unspoken, avoided or buried questions asked all down the fast turning pages of history. Broadly, these all start with the letter ‘W’; like Why, What? Where and when? By our overt or covert answers to these questions, each individual shapes themselves and their futures. Yes, there is a tension between what seems two opposing ideas. These are, ‘No accidents in the universe’ and ‘’in an uncaring world our fates are sealed. Free will is an illusion’. These riddles we tackle in open forum style in my 25 SUSALL Workshops. To see attendees experience DIY Divinity, to become exhilarated by their own ability to manifest mini miracles, is a privilege worth working for. So, for a better life, ask for better answers. Most mystics of all belief systems and none have found that, to knock metaphorically, is for hidden and helpful doors to unexpectedly fly open as with open arms saying ‘Welcome to higher worlds of magic!’
To sum up then, I offer ways of bringing truth these human wishes: a) to access inner guidance so that it manifests better fruits for future more based on goodwill, inner peace and sustainability; b) to balance more direct experiences with the laws of creation with the need practical need received as second-hand explanations putting innate wisdom before knowledge; c) all ways love before, after, and throughout all modes of lifelong learning. In short, Love links, Mind thinks, Dear shrinks – SOUL KNOWS!
