ma-uri institute
VISION AND DEVELOPMENT INTENT – FOCUS – commitment
At one level, the aim and purpose of creating an Institute was to develop a successful teaching institu-tion that would meet the requirements of education and health authorities in both Denmark/Europe and in New Zealand. On another level it was to provide a platform for MA-URI to be developed as a Source of Knowledge to all future students and Trainers. Also, it was to provide a platform for MA-URI to proclaim its presence in the world; a platform that its gifts and contributions could be shared from. In terms of graduates and Trainers, the Institute’s job was to outline requirements that would ensure high personal and professional standards on all levels. By building up a high degree of goodwill and respect for MA-URI and those trained by the Institute, this would provide graduates with a ‘quality stamp’ and not only open up many doors for them in the future; most importantly, it would enable them to contribute pro-foundly to the well-being of others, i.e. within their own families, their local community and country.
When the creation of the Institute was put in Katja’s hands in 1991, her initial vision for the Institute came out of a spiritual focus. The main reason for this was a commitment towards honouring the tradi-tions that MA-URI has its roots in:
‘Right from the start I saw the Institute as a ‘vessel’ or receptacle for the spirit of MA-URI. It was to supply the spirit of MA-URI with a ‘body’ and a voice to communicate the teachings of the Ancient Ones and the knowledge of the Ancestors. My initial approach was coming totally from the symbolic or mystical realm. From this perspective, I saw the Institute as a ‘being’ empowered by Spirit; a being that was not to be tied down or limited in any way, but allowed to develop into a dynamic creation that would constantly change and challenge everyone’s beliefs and expectations.’ In 1992 the Institute was formal-ly inaugurated and officially recognized as a teaching institution for alternative health and healing practices. As soon as this had happened, this creation began to let us know of its special nature. It kept us on our toes, demanding ever better and more effective solutions and answers. New and better training programs were created and constant tests revealed our levels of understanding and ability for change and growth. It kept us growing and deepened our commitment – focused on the issues that needed attention and care.
‘In the beginning it was important to create an Institute that manifested itself primarily through the act of teaching the philosophies and healing arts of MA-URI, rather than to manifest as an entity that was associated with a specific building in a specific area of a specific country. Focus was on content rather than on physical form and framework. It just did not feel right to tie MA-URI down to a physical building, so I objected for a long time to the idea of buying a workshop centre and establish the Institute within the confines of solid brick. I saw the whole essence and nature of MA-URI as so closely associated with the SEA; so constantly changing, moving and unpredictable!’
‘We therefore had to look beyond the usual associations and definitions of an Institute and find an alternative solution. In no time: Bingo – suddenly the clue was given: The book ‘Beyond the Floating Islands’ by Eugenio Barba of the Odin Theatre in Holstebro, Denmark, was dumped into my lap. Wow, reading the first couple of chapters left me absolutely breathless and excited. Eugenio Barba presented us with the alternative I was looking for: The idea of developing the Institute as a ‘floating island’?!! An absolutely fascinating concept. All the elements were there and we were ready to test out the ideas and concepts. Priority was to be given to flexibility, mobility and change! Personal and professional growth was focused on to enhance expansion – in terms of deeper understanding and in terms of wider per-spectives on human potential.’ We had no ambitions of creating a physical centre that would limit our mobility physically, mentally or spiritually and make other people dependent on us and vice versa. ‘All power comes from within’ is a principle that leaves no room for dependencies, but plenty of energy for creative and dynamic realities.
So, what we did want to see develop was an Institute that would keep us all – leaders, trainers and students – on our toes, constantly challenging our limitations, our beliefs and attitudes, throwing us all into a continual process of renewal and expansion of consciousness. This process was one that would constantly demand higher standards, deeper understanding and bless us with a nurturing & all-embrac-ing love and respect for the Creator and all of His Creation – including Nature and Humanity and this awesome healing work of MA-URI!
And, what we did want to see develop was an Institute that would commit itself to bringing back to this planet the powerful Star knowledge that Katja had been given access to back in 1987 and the rich wisdom traditions that Hemi is connected to through his Maori genealogy. The aim and purpose was to develop, then teach and practice the healing arts of MA-URI as a modern expression of the Navigator traditions of Polynesia. It was time to take it beyond cultural boundaries and into our rapidly changing, modern world on a global scale. This is what we saw as the commitment of the Institute.
DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION
As soon as the Institute was formally inaugurated and officially recognized as an alternative teaching institution, all our efforts went into the creation of a training program and a sorting out of techniques and principles that could be taught and put into effective practice by people outside of the Polynesian cultural context. Norway and Denmark had been introduced to the first basic massage techniques in 1990 and the first seeds had been planted in Sweden. In 1993 the first number of workshops were held in Poland, where an overwhelming interest flared up spontaneously. MA-URI was introduced on Iceland in 1997 and in the early years of the new millennium, students from both Hungary and Lithuania started to come to the Institute in Denmark for their training.
The first 7-year period, i.e. from 1991 – 1998, was characterised by the attitude, ‘Wow, let’s try this out’ and ‘okay, now let’s see how a different approach will work’! It was a fascinating time of trial and error where we got something right some times and got something painfully wrong at other times! Hemi was testing out all his hundreds of ideas and driving everyone crazy with his decisions and directions that then changed as often and as unpredictably as the weather. Nevertheless, it was totally exciting! It was a time when Katja decided to turn her clinic into a research laboratory and did 12 hours a day, 6 days a week of bodywork sessions to persuade the Spirit and all MA-URI ancestors to reveal the secrets and principles of this magical work. With Hemi starting to do the same, it certainly became a time period that gave ample opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge that would become the resources for the ongoing development of MA-URI. It was a time when Ancestors and Spirit took over our training, guided us through some intense and tough ‘apprentice-type’ challenges and aligned our whole system with the energies of MA-URI for the tasks ahead!
In 1995 there was an expressed need from students as well as Trainers to have a common base, a physical ‘House of Learning’ and a spiritual focal point for everyone involved in MA-URI. Listening to the arguments and suggestions coming from both students and Trainers, we realised that there was a need for the kind of stability that a physical Training Centre would provide. It was in the process of attending to these needs that we realised what the underlying message was: It is time now to let MA-URI move in and out of ALL the ‘worlds of reality’, the physical, the mental and emotional as well as the spiritual and the Divine Realms. Only so would MA-URI be able to develop its full potential and manifest its true magic. This realisation led to the acquisition of a building near Odder in Denmark, and the development of a Training Centre where students could live and learn in a Marae-like environment. This enabled us to increase the training activities and provided us with opportunities to test out and do research into the effect and value of the training we were offering. New discoveries were channeled into future programs and everything was happening to the ‘heart-beat of creation’!
The second 7-year period, i.e. from 1998 – 2005, became a phase where the development of MA-URI created conflicts with Trainers and frustration amongst students. In return, also MA-URI was challenged on its credibility and effectiveness! So, it was time to sort out the training program, our teaching methods and approaches to students and trainers. It was time to decide on the roles and responsibili-ties that H&K would have to fulfill in order to bring MA-URI on a new track and into the new Millennium.
The year 2000 saw the Institute take the first steps towards the development of a base for MA-URI in Aotearoa-New Zealand. It was time to establish connections and to put down roots – it was time to allow the Spirit to be nurtured by the ancestral land and to be cleansed by the Sea of Tangaroa. A block of land was purchased at Waiotira, North Island – four hectares containing native bush, tall trees and lush ferns plus all the wildlife that thrives within this special setting. Nature could now be embraced and invited into the daily activities and focuses of MA-URI.
With the new millennium came a gradual shift in focus, in roles and responsibilities – out there in the world and consequently also within the Institute and in the development of MA-URI.
The third 7-year period, i.e. from 2005-2012, the time had now come to ensure that depth of under-standing and the purity of MA-URI’s spiritual source were conveyed through the training in accordance with the Navigator aspects of its philosophy.
By 2008 another important development was introduced with the decision that now would be the right time to share workshop benefits and responsibilities. So in 2008, all four Module 1 workshops were given over to the Beginner Trainers. And in the following years, other Institute created programs were given over to qualified Trainers.
By handing over the full Module 1 training to Beginner Trainers had the significant consequence that the Institute buildings now lost their purpose as the Training Centre for MA-URI Healing Arts in Europe. With the global Recession having a profound effect on students’ financial situation in e.g. Poland and Lithua-nia, Hungary and Romania, our spontaneous decision was to take over the travelling! This meant that the Module 2 Training would now be shifted from NZ to Europe, thus saving students the high travelling costs. Instead, a European version of the Module 2 Training was now offered to students in Poland, Hungary and Lithuania. This meant that the Institute could again become the ‘floating Island’ it started out as! Interesting development, indeed!
In terms of the Institute, a change needed to happen in the area of Institute leadership, i.e. away from the guru-type, master/authority type of leadership, which was predominant in the 1990’es. So a form of leadership was introduced, which centered its focus on the MESSAGE rather than on the Messenger, meaning: It was time to direct people’s focus on to MA-URI and the many gifts and resources it activates from within each person. This meant that a new emphasis was put on high in terms personal aware-ness, commitment and professional integrity among students and Trainers as well as within the Institute. So, the teaching and integration of MA-URI PRINCIPLES and its esoteric practices were re-emphasised with a focus on going for excellence in every aspect of life.
At the beginning of 2011, the idea of celebrating MA-URI’s 20th Anniversary originally came from Poland! Later that year, however, this suggestion came from Helle Hestbjerg (Mama MA-URI Trainer in Denmark): ‘Wouldn’t it be appropriate and special to celebrate the 21st Anniversary of MA-URI in 2012 when it has reached its 3 x 7 years, grown up and reached maturity?‘ – ‘OF COURSE!’, was our imme-diate respons! In addition to the obvious wisdom hereof, this would give everybody time to organise events and resolve not only practical issues, but also make space for the right energy level to build up and for commitment and enthusiasm to grow! So the questions we looked into were these: How do we turn this celebration into an event that will inolve EVERYONE, i.e. Trainers, students & practitioners of MA-URI and make MA-URI known to the world? If not on a global scale, then importantly so, in each country where MA-URI is taught and practiced! We were not looking at creating a centralised event, but one that would activate everyone who was part of what we saw developing, namely MA-URI Commun-ities. The focus was to invite everyone to take active part in special activities in their home towns, villages or cities and to offer the gifts of MA-URI to everyone around. That was the overall focus and purpose of this celebration! As seen against the backdrop of the Recession, we were aware that it is here and NOW that we can do the greatest good for the world, for humanity and in the process speed up our own personal growth through the wisdom and tools that MA-URI provides. See Newsletter 3 for the full story, the challenges and blessings that offered opportunities to ‘rise above the past’, move beyond the reefs of the present and expand our minds! Indeed, we were ready and willing to fire up the engines of our hearts and DANCE to the eagerness of Spirit!
The fourth 7-year period, i.e. from 2012 – 2018, saw a consolidation of the Training Program with Module 1 and 2 being offered in Europe and Module 3, the Kaitinana Training, held in New Zealand, i.e. close to MA-URI’s roots and ancestral connections; close to the power & wisdom of the Ocean and close to the nurturing energies & teachings offered by the Native Bush.
The BUSH Training that selected Trainer Candidates were introduced to in 2013 naturally expanded the focuses of their training to include the nature & teachings that the OCEAN provides, i.e. the ‘Ocean of Peace’ that surrounds the islands of New Zealand! AND, here we had the privilege to learn from the wisdom offered by NATURE, especially as offered by the Native Bush! The Resource Material that explains the fascinating details hereof will be shared under NEWS a.s.a.p., replacing the present News-letter 4.
The fifth 7-year period, i.e. from 2018 – 2025, we were now finally ready to facilitate a radical SHIFT away from the OLD familiar, but outdated hierarchical structure of leadership and teacher/trainer positions based on seniority! New times called for ever-greater awareness of our responsibility to move with the outgoing tide, i.e. prepared to move beyond the reef (of familiar roles & comforts) – prepared to welcome CHANGE & New Beginnings – in order to EXPAND perceptions and click in with the teaching principles that run through MA-URI’s whakapapa right back to Lemurian times! Okay, the process had been started right back in the early years of the New Millennium. However, due to students’ roots in land-based traditions and predominant modern western perceptions, values and expectations, it was necessary to teach and repeat the teaching of what constitutes ocean-based traditions and under-standings! … It meant that everyone was now challenged to move beyond individual perceptions, wants and needs; beyond the comforts of familiar roles focused on ‘I – ME – MY’ priorities, i.e. in order to be able to practice the art of effortlessly embracing CHANGE as the ever-present reality of Life!
We wondered: Has the time come when students and trainers are ready and willing to embrace the kaupapa of the Ocean as demonstrated by the Navigators, Kahuna and Tohunga of Polynesia? And, has the time come when we no longer need to remind everyone of the requirements of all esoteric training, which emphasizes ‘it is not about I-ME-MY, but about honouring the ancient traditions we are privileged to become part of and privileged to practice!’…?
The endeavour to accomplish this had been finetuned and was now ready to be tested out through the New Program! So, in 2024 – i.e. after the Covid Pandemic had come to an end – we finally had a most welcomed opportunity to explore what MA-URI truly is capable of offering Trainers as well as students! So, for a start, we decided to test out the nature & power of 3, i.e. by three of us, i.e. Jurga – Justina – Katja, joining together to contribute to the teaching of the New Part 2 Program in each our different and special ways! Here we now had the opportunity to work seamlessly together in Oneness and test out the catalytic energy of 3 and the significance of the Triangle when we add MOVEMENT and DANCE to it! Why? For these 3 reasons: a) For the purpose of benefitting all students, physically, mentally, emotional-ly & spiritually! b) For us Trainers to experience the JOY and excitement of venturing into the ‘cauldron of creation’ (c: the womb of creation) and share the gifts of MA-URI’s Healing Arts through Principles – Presence – Oneness of Purpose!! And c) to honour the spiritual traditions of the Navigators, Tohunga & Kahuna that MA-URI has its roots, heart and spirit in! KIA ORA!