Convention 2002
Check our the photographs at the end of the review....
The following review of our Convention held in late June is written by CSD member Gerry Shepherd.
Click here to see details of our June 2002 Convention Program
Click here to see details of our June 2002 Convention Presenters
Click here to see details of our June 2002 Convention Pre- and Post-Workshops
Click here to see details of our June 2002 Convention Basic and Advanced Dowsing Schools
Dowse the Energy - Change your World
Check our the photographs at the end of the review....
This year's CSD convention - our 15th - was touched by change and sadness. For the first time in many years, Gary Skillen (past president) was not with us. Four days before we convened, his daughter, Andrea, passed away from cancer. She was thirty-three. Although most of us did not know her personally, it was a profound shock to Gary's many friends. Our hearts go out to him and to his family.
Another change was our move to a new location - a bustling construction site in the heart of York University's vast and expanding campus. There were a number of glitsches but fortunately dowsers are adaptable. On the plus side, the food was delicious. Of course people lamented the change and missed the benevolent energies and scenery of the Rouge forest, ravine and river.
Our keynote speaker was Harold McCoy of Fayetteville, Arkansas, a former military intelligence officer. He is a past president of the American Society of Dowsers, and the founder and director of the Ozark Research Institute. His address was entitled, Dowsing - Opening to the Possibilities. His post convention workshop was introduced in one of the regular sessions, and covered Healing and the Power of the Focused Mind.
Additional workshops were given by Pat Prevost and Barry Johnson on geopathic stress, pinch-hitting for Gary Skillen; and Dr. Barbara L. Mallory of BC, who discussed Dowsing to Emotional Freedom.
Basic and advanced dowsing schools gave students exposure to several teachers. The basic instructors were Lynne Walker, Bruce Magill, Alicja Aratyn and Barry Johnson, while the advanced students learned from Margaret Ball, Eva Angyal, Alan Reed and Richard Roy, who filled Gary Skillen's role on short notice. (Thanks to Pat Prevost for thinking through the curriculum and coordinating the program!)
The main sessions covered many dowsing interests. Mary Oakley discussed higher energies and clearing techniques. She emphasized that belief systems are a critical factor in her results therapy, and her checklist handout will undoubtedly benefit many.
Georgina Cannon threw light on Hypnosis and Dowsing, and shared some of the fascinating achievements of the Ontario Hypnosis Centre Clinic which she has founded.
Bruce Magill and Barry Johnson shared a session. Bruce encouraged audience participation and had us in stitches with his "funny hot spots." Barry, who came to Canada from the UK and took up dowsing here, shared his discoveries from working with gem elixirs.
Psychic attack from spells, curses and voodoo were discussed by Barbara Deal, along with ways to remove them. Beginning dowsers were advised not to attempt to do this alone.
Healing Sounds/Colour Vibration were topics introduced by Irene Kaye and Mel Harrietha. Mel is a composer, and created a CD which Irene and Mel played to balance and realign our chakras. Interestingly, they incorporated an eighth chakra into the classic scale, placing it between the heart and the throat. It's "home" is in the thymus gland and its colour is my favourite turquoise.
Arupa Tesolin created Intuita MindWare and takes her esoteric energy studies to the business community. Her work focuses on developing the habit of intuition and how to achieve innovation in the workplace.
Formal sessions on Saturday wound up with Alan Reed's Attuning to Natural Patterns, and Malca Narrol sharing her Feng Shui experience. Alan feeds the earth with his nourishing blend of ground minerals, and Malca, who has studied with Asian masters, is in great demand in Toronto and abroad in order to correct and enhance natural energies in houses, gardens and businesses. She introduced classic configurations of placement for problem-solving. Both Alan and Malca are rivetting speakers and it was interesting to note that both are left-handed, as is Bruce Magill. I wonder how many more dowsers in attendance were also southpaws!
Guy Nadeau brought his bagpipes, and piped President Joan De New and Convention coordinator Sandra Yemm into the opening session. Neil Anderson set up a colourful labyrinth. Walter Huszczo's giant welded Platonic solids stood nearby. The marketplace did a booming business, and Doug Gray, our "resident medicine man", once again led a sacred healing circle.
For someone who has attended the last seven conventions, it was a pleasure to observe the consistently high calibre of our dowsers. Harold McCoy came from the USA, but all the rest were Canadians from Quebec, Ontario, or British Columbia. This indicates that both the CSD and the CSQ are fulfilling a real need successfully, and building up a solid pool of Canadian talent.
Despite excruciating 32-degree celsius heat, humidity and smog alerts, attendance was great and a high percentage were first-timers. Joan De New, Sandra Yemm, Diane Marcotte, Bev Gaal, Susan Collins, Jean-Paul Choquette, Eva Janecek-Rucker, (our treasurer who dealt calmly with unexpected on-site VISA difficulties, meal and parking refunds) and all their essential helpers deserve a huge vote of thanks for making the CSD Convention 2002 a resounding success.
