The “Awakened World Film Festival Retreat” is a spiritually and socially responsible film festival taking place for the first time in Santa Barbara, CA from October 27-30 this year. The unique feature of AWIFF is that it is wrapped around a RETREAT combining films and interactive workshops that will guide participants from inspiration into enlightened action in the program streams of SPIRIT * SOCIETY * SELF.

The Association for Global New Thought (AGNT) a non-profit organization with international outreach, is inaugurating the festival as an annual destination for conscious film enthusiasts. The event is supported in part by Title Sponsor, The Science of Mind Foundation, and by the Community Events & Festivals Grant Program using funds provided by the City of Santa Barbara in partnership with the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission, many other organizations, and me.

Of particular interest to me is the movie Slomo. A short documentary about a gentleman who found divinity by hooking up to gravity (just like we do in Awareness Through Movement lessons). I’ll be interviewing the filmmaker Josh Izenberg afterward, and then we’ll discuss how you can find divinity, too.  I hope you can attend, but if not, you can watch it on the internet.

Oscar-winning actor Jeff Bridges will appear at the festival to conduct a workshop on, “A PLACE AT THE TABLE,” a film in which he is featured for his work on hunger. Michael Imperioli of The Sopranos fame will represent the original feature narrative, “THE HUNGRY GHOSTS,” which he wrote and directed. The new-culture film, “WHAT THE BLEEP DO WE KNOW?” premiered in the Fall of 2004, a dynamic new catalyst for consciousness in media. A decade later, ”What the Bleep” creator and director, William Arntz, will celebrate its worldwide 10th anniversary at the fest with members of cast and crew Fred Alan Wolf, Betsy Chasse, and Mark Vicente. Barnet Bain heads a celeb panel on Conscious Media. Beloved spiritual teacher, Ram Das, will join the audience by live stream from Maui for Gay Dillingham’s film, “Dying to Know,” a story about his lifelong friendship with Timothy Leary.

Over four nights and three days, attendees will enjoy gala evening presentations, celebrity panels, and live New Thought music in Santa Barbara’s landmark Lobero Theater. Daytimes, attendees will select from a daily menu of films and workshops taking place at three downtown viewing venues: the Lobero, Center Stage Theater, and Unity Auditorium. Each session will begin with a brief contemplative practice guided by teachers from a diverse variety of spiritual traditions. After each film, a Q&A panel with filmmakers, actors, renowned teachers, directors or producers will take place followed by a facilitated workshop in which the entire audience engages in dialogue shaped by the film’s core concepts that inspire and transform us.

“Film, at its best, touches, moves and inspires us to be our best selves – This festival expresses the voice of a spiritually mature and socially responsible movement that is committed to changing the world for the better,” said Rev. Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith, founder of Agape International and president of AGNT. “We intend to dazzle and entertain, but also to evoke an inner response that not only transforms the consciousness of attendees, but inspires action.”

INFORMATION:  awakenedworldfilmfestival.com

REGISTRATION PACKAGES: agnt.org/Film-Fest/register.html

INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS: www.agnt.org/Film-Fest/specialinvitation.html

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE WITH LINKS TO TRAILER: www.agnt.org/Film-Fest/schedule.htmlwww.agnt.org

In honor of my tenth year as a Feldenkrais Practitioner, I’m starting the Bingalls School of Somatic Happiness (BSSH).

Welcome!

The school is designed to help you find happiness where it has always been: Inside!!!

Whether you’re caught up in a detrimental egoic reaction to life, or it is chronic pain that’s got you down, both can prevent you from being truly happy. And that’s the kind of happiness I’m talking about. It’s the kind of happiness that comes about through learning to relax and choosing how to respond to life….click on my Awakening Booklet and turn to Guidelines for Healthy Movement Throughout Life for more ways to find happiness.

Imagine a world where every person, everyBody  considered themselves to be just enough. Where, no matter who you are or where you live, you’d know that you are a biological wonder, and you are constantly and forever making yourself up as you go along. Imagine you are just like all the other 7 billion people on the planet. And to think Globally is to imagine how it is  we are all alike. What is it about our biology that we all share? And how can we learn from ourselves? How is our  body organized from the moment we were conceived to the present? How can we learn by observing ourselves and know that our needs are valid. Our strategies may vary,but we like nature,are organized to behave in such a way that our needs get met. Our need for pleasure, connection, safety, love, -to name a few, all of us thrive when these needs are met. And we have many more. The Nest is a place where all our needs are met.

The theme to think Globally and act locally must have something to do with what commonalities we all share.
How does one be global and act local at the same time? ??? By relaxing! Our bodies are begging us to just enjoy the experience of being. I call that nesting. Where is that place in you that feels like bliss? Is it the sensation of your foot sliding on the sheet when you wake up? Find your pleasure and enjoy it!

Back in the days when I was a Financial Consultant  we had many motivational speakers. There was one guy that always stood apart as best in class: Bob Dunwoody.  Bob  taught us this informatic:  BE + DO = HAVE. It was his mantra. The idea is that you act as if you already have that what it is you want. And when you experience this belief or sensation of knowing you have something whenever you want it,  you easily begin doing whatever is needed to have it much more in your life.  Like love. If you believe you have it in your life, the more loving you become. And you learn love is not scarce, but love is abundant.

So you can start by Loving yourself for having all the cells you need to be your abundant self- giving the best of who you are to your breath and sensation. To your vibrant being behold. You have the light within to be and have whatever is needed.

Act as though you already have what it is that you want and you become that person.  You’ll start doing what needs to be done to become who it is you want to be, and pretty soon you’ll actually have what it is that you want.