Altamonte Springs, Florida - October 31, 2008 — With economic crisis and turmoil dominating the news, conventional wisdom would say that an expensive self-development course ($2,500 for 7 days) would experience a drop in attendees. The reality, however, is exactly the opposite; Star’s Edge International® has just completed one of its largest advanced courses ever.
The Avatar Professional Course, launched in 1992, is offered twice a year: once in Germany, and once in Florida. This year, 2008, it registered 1,122 first time students from 45 countries. Another 567 former attendees showed up to review the 7-day course.
These questions were posed to Harry Palmer, the Founder of Star's Edge International: Why is your company growing when so many other companies are downsizing or even closing their doors? And do you think it will continue to grow?
Palmer: "If you want to contribute to making a better world, which I find most people do, personal development is the last thing that you skimp on. There are situations today that leave us feeling helpless: war, intolerance, economic meltdown, environment issues, and other circumstances that are leading us toward social decay. These things did not just happen. We are not just experiencing a streak of bad luck. They are happening because of choices that were made with too little wisdom and a lack of mental self-control. So the challenge that people face, especially in these complex times, is to effectively restore wisdom and mental self-control. That is something they can work on. That is what we are about. The word-of-mouth growth that the Avatar Trainings enjoy comes from exceeding our clients expectations."
"I would also tell you that Avatar's growth, as well as the growth of the whole wisdom industry, is the path that will eventually lead the world out of its current difficulties. If you want a better world, create better people."
Even though the students on the Avatar Professional Course come from many different nations, they uniformly agree on the benefits of practicing an effective method of mental self-control. Among the leadership lessons they encounter are: how to release attention from outside events, how to manage resistance, how to establish cooperative groups, and how to predict and direct the course of events. Along the way they explore the latent abilities within their own consciousness.
As one student put it, "Just by learning how to deliberately create happiness, I made connections with people and saw opportunities that just weren't available to me in my former state of mind. I discovered that my own happiness does not depend upon the world."
In the Avatar Materials, Harry Palmer wrote: "Each moment that you are happy is a gift to the rest of the world."
This perspective on happiness is reinforced by Matthieu Ricard, a Buddhist monk, who spoke at the TED conference; he had this to say about creating happiness:
“Happiness is not pleasure or joy. It is a deep sense of serenity and fulfillment. A state that underlies all emotional states and all the joys and sorrows that may come one’s way. It is the mind that translates the outer conditions into happiness or suffering. Mind training matters. This is not just a luxury. This is not a supplementary vitamin for the soul. This is something that is going to determine the quality of every moment of our lives.”
Will Star's Edge International continue to grow?
Palmer: "Yes, because it is provides a necessary training for life. Something that is essential is seldom affected by economic conditions. In the future, we expect more people will learn to create happiness and the world will reflect that choice."
Developed in 1986, the Avatar Training is delivered in 20 languages and is taught by licensed Avatar Masters in 71 countries. Graduates report reduced stress, increases in personal happiness, and greater success in reaching their goals. Newsletter at http://www.theavatartimes.com
For additional information on Avatar Training, visit http://www.theavatarcourse.com/
ABOUT STAR'S EDGE INTERNATIONAL - Star's Edge International publishes books, videos, online materials, and a series of experiential courses that guide people into and through transformative experiences. The company was founded in 1986 and operates worldwide. Avatar® and Star’s Edge International® are registered trademarks of Star's Edge, Inc.
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