Compassionate mind and heart

I had the opportunity to study with Chris and Natasha during SD Levels 1 and SDL2 in Ecuador 2007, 2010 and 2013. What comes to mind about Chris was his kindness, joy, ability to teach and learn with students at all levels and patience when things started to get a “little out of hand.”

Some of the more emblematic moments during workshops where his sharing of videos, music and stories that opened up the gate to life affirming and life changing tools for development and growth.

I will always remember in 2007 Ecuador how the showing of Ricketts aboriginal natural park in Australia video generated a debate around how we project our own biases and world views into the the scenery portrayed. Until this day and age some of the students who attended have not been able to reconcile the way they perceived the video versus what the evidence Chris and Natasha were able to provide.

It has been great for me since the beginning of the SD workshops I have started to see the hews, colors and shades that otherwise would have remained in black and white with little discriminative power thanks to Chris.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Natasha and closer family relatives in this moment of difficulty assimilating Chris´s passing away…

Fernando Zarate, July 31, 2015