A18 THE FREE PRESS PEOPLE FEBRUARY 16, 1997 Ascending to spiritual high Workshop promotes mix of Christianity and Eastern religion Eyebrows shoot up if you ask people how they’d feel about taking in a personal ascension workshop. Does that mean meditating yourself off the ground? Is this some kind of multi-level marketing scheme? What do you mean by ascension? Darrell Hubbell is getting used to that kind of reaction. He has been organizing these ascension workshops, like the one coming up February 21 to 23 in Prince George, and he has to answer the incredulous looks all the time. DarTell is a member of the Society For Ascension, which, in simplified terms, promotes a better life on earth through positive attitudes. It is connected to Christianity, but also has roots in eastern Asia which makes for a strange mix of religion. Is it a religion? “No,” says Darrell. “It’s not a religion. It’s a method of connecting each person to their own spiritual core. The belief is that if a person is connected to their own spiritual centre they will live life in their own wonderful, produc- Hubbell: ‘Ascension is largely a mechanical process. It requires willingness to do It, not belief In It.’ Frank Peebles/Free Press live manner...without having rules imposed upon them.” The rules he’s referring to are the tenets and principles that most, if not all, religions construct to govern their followers. The Society For Ascension is slightly different. “The historic roots go back to John the Divine, who wrote the Book of Revelations in the Bible,” explains Darrell. “The story is, after he’d seen the future he took his own disciples to the Himalayas and founded a monastery to preserve the true teachings of Christ.” Which apparently don’t look much like the common Catholic or Protestant versions today. Darrell is about to leave Prince George and go to North Carolina where the Society For Ascension has a monastery. He will be trained as a teacher of Ascension. His wife Diane is already there and on her way to the title of Ishaya, or teacher. He stresses, though, that only a willing few ever take Ascension to that extreme and it’s not a brain washing cult. They don’t require participants to abandon your past lifestyle or give up your possessions. “You don’t need to ‘believe’ anything we say,” he explains. “Ascension is largely a mechanical process. It requires willingness to do it, not belief in it. Ascension is just a form of meditation, but not one that is designed to block out thought and make your mind blank. This is active meditation, where you try to relieve your central nervous system of all stress.” Again in simplified terms, it requires you to think happy thoughts and gently replace all negative or vexing thoughts with positive ones that will take you closer to your spiritual core. “It’s symptomatic of our society that we want to find joy and contentment externally - bigger, better, faster toys. These don’t satisfy longterm needs for happiness," says Darrell. Were Moving! Everything!! Less to move for us!!! Until this Saturday. Monday, Feb. 24th we will re-open at the old Danish Interiors Bldg. Books on Fourth 1229 Fourth Ave. 563-6637 are now open! A “SIGN” of good business 1515 8th Ave. 563-1194 Kim & Karl Standeven May 1$, 1996 Thank you for allowing us to be part of your Special Day. (Princess lowers $ Gifts 1523 - 3rci,five. 504-4535 Fitwell's Our Fitness Centre’s Most Popular Equipment. FOR WOMEN the shape of the fullin' Call now for a I week five I rial l*rtn« «* (inH «r 1 »n OmTx t Sinrl mnrrlHiHitr H C 121. I %l 2 Tel (MM| '*4»2-(» «»'» IlMmHJIWM'M •:t0 - IIKM :»Wh Slirel Ortta. HC \4I.2!.» 1H: (004) «m:»-7wm ( «h|mIIMm <:«M|iiiil.nti l.inln- M.ill in; \;m r»K.”> 1M: (MMI fM.VTCtt \sk our members what matters most to them when it comes to their Illness cent it*, and theyTI tell you—it isn't equipment, location, or even membership fees. It's having clean, sanitary facilities. That's why PilwrH's has made a commitment to keeping our facilities as clean as possible at all times. Whether you've been a member for years, or you've never been to us before, we guarantee you'll never have a cleaner workout.