OPENING HEARTS
Fourth International SEAL Conference in Argentina - February 15-16-17, 2002

- an overview

by Robert Gillan (UK)

At times of crisis whether personal, professional, financial or whatever, the most normal reaction is to surrender to one's fears and to become paralysed by self-doubt: not so in Argentina! In any other country facing the dreadful hardships from which this country has been suffering, the thought of holding a conference at all would have been inconceivable. In the current circumstances it would certainly have been cancelled: not so in Argentina! That this conference not only went ahead but was also a resounding success on every level was due to great acts of faith and commitment. These acts of faith and commitment were demonstrated by the organisers: Verónica (Seal-Argentina Director) and Héctor (Conference Manager), the SEAL-Argentina committee: Viviana, Mercedes, Terry, Susan, Graciela and Belgrano Day School which opened its heart to host the event in a magnificent way. It was also the outcome of the love and faith demonstrated by the participants and the presenters who believed all along that yet another miracle was in the making.

Perhaps the greatest gift that we have and the most fundamental freedom that we have is to choose how we respond to circumstances. Opening Hearts, SEAL Argentina's Fourth International Conference was about exercising that choice. The theme was that "happiness is an attitude of mind that begins in the heart" and the way to achieve that happiness by choosing to focus on faith, on hope and on love.

By opening our hearts we open ourselves up to all the possibilities of being human. We see difficulties, for example, not as something to be feared but as stepping-stones to greater achievement. We focus not the black clouds but on the possibility of the rainbow behind the clouds.

Seldom has there been a conference where there has been such a need to affirm all that is good in life. How appropriate that it should have been Argentina showing the way, yet again. The theme of affirmation was like a glue permeating every single workshop. Seldom has there been a conference where there has been such unanimity between the speakers, on every level. Six international speakers and thirteen speakers from Argentina treated us to a feast of hope and possibility.

Among the international presenters Lawrence Baines from the USA showed us how, in the space of two short hours and by opening our hearts to our natural creativity we can all express powerful messages in poetry. Adrian Underhill (UK) showed us how as teachers, we can survive these complex and difficult times by leading in "life-affirming ways." Amanda Bradley came from Japan with a very special sensitivity, to help us explore speech and recitation as a vehicle for the language learner´s self-esteem. Henk Kooij (The Netherlands) delighted his existing fan club and many others with his techniques for becoming sensitive to the needs of others by resonating, literally, through the power of the voice. From Robert Gillan (UK) we had strategies for overcoming crisis through the examples of great people such as Michelangelo, Bertrand Russell, Viktor Frankl, Beethoven and St Paul. Finally, Marshall Rosenberg (USA) gave his blessing to all the excellent work which the committee had already begun with its weekly meetings of the Forum, set up to explore NVC. In so doing he has established Argentina as a major centre for the spread of NVC throughout South America.

There were twice as many presenters from Argentina than from abroad, confirming once again that SEAL Argentina has now come of age. Mónica Douglas' workshop on Self-Esteem to share an amazing variety of self-esteem techniques for the classroom; Fabiana Parano´s workshop on writing to show how to pour our feelings onto paper, Gabriela Tavella -who came all the way from San Martín de los Andes (Patagonia)- to share her knowledge and experience on cooperative learning and self-esteem. And many other participants who had the chance to present in the Smorgasbord and did a wonderful job: Silvia Baeza: Belief System; Mariana Diggs: Smooth Sound Singing; Victoria de la Lastra and María José Ferreryra: Discrimination and Tolerance; Lucila de Molteni: Quality Tools in the Classroom; Silvia Noya: About Vowels and Instruments; Cecilia Ramirez: The Human Pathway and Irene Weidenberg: Harmonization.

I was able to attend three Argentine presentations. From Mercedes Pérez Berbain de Moore's workshop on Teaching Wholeheartedly we learned how effectively and enjoyably students can learn if the teacher's whole focus and undivided attention is on them. This was a workshop of such stature, poise and authority and left us all deeply inspired. Magdalena Ortiz de Ries Centeno's workshop was entitled Brain Friendly Learning but it was so much more than that. It was a demonstration of how the whole learning process can be transformed by the passion of the teacher, not only for teaching, but also for one's pupils: no wonder she is such a remarkable Head of College.

Leading from the front, as ever, was Verónica de Andrés herself. Her plenary showed us so powerfully that we have a choice of paradigms. There is the paradigm of fear and the paradigm of love. It is fear which paralyses us and which so often prevents us from seeing its opposite, the paradigm of love. It is only by opening our hearts and letting go of fear that we can experience love with all its possibilities and so face life full on, regardless of the circumstances surrounding us.

Leaders produce other leaders: tyrants produce subjects. Leaders lead from the heart, out of love for those with whom they work and for the cause which they espouse. Tyrants operate from the fear paradigm, motivated by their personal agendas. This conference was an object lesson to everybody of what can happen when one leads with an open heart.

Robert Gillan,
March 2002