International speaker in Brahma Kumaris’ Thursday workshop on managing the mind

“WE DO not teach anything new; we help people bring out the goodness that is already inside of them,” says Trish Summerfield of her lifelong work in values education.

Born in New Zealand, Summerfield, 53, has lived, studied, and worked in Asia for 20 years. She was director of the Living Values Education Program in Vietnam from 1999 to 2015 and continues to work in various capacities in related fields around the world.

“Behind every choice that we make is a value, positive or negative,” she says. “If two people saw a hundred dollar bill on the street, what they do about it would be dictated by their values.”

The key to making sound choices at all times, Summerfield points out, is to emerge and reinforce one’s positive principles.

Experiential approach

She was a writer and presenter for “Awakening Values” on Vietnamese television. Her episodes were aired in Europe and Asia. She has facilitated trainings in 15 countries, including the Philippines, for educators, mental health professionals, Unesco staff teams, Red Cross trainers, and youth volunteers in learning institutions, drug rehabilitation centers, and refugee camps. She has worked with Unesco and the Cambodian Ministry of Education on projects for children affected by war.

Brahma Kumaris Philippines brings Summerfield back to Manila on Thursday, Feb. 25, for an online workshop on the subject: “Times are Tough: Manage Your Mindset (An Experiential Approach).” As speaker and facilitator, it is one of her favorites.

Blocked brain paths

She explains, “If we are stressed, the brain does not work properly. At this time, especially, not everyone finds it easy to achieve their goals. It does not matter how much you have studied if you cannot access the information when you need it. Tension and fear block that path from the brain.”

The challenges of this very difficult time for the whole planet are not over, she says. “That is the reality. We cannot run away from the world; we have to live in it. If we are able to shore up our inner strength, even if the challenges do not go away, we can respond to them effectively.”

Two ways to join the free workshop, which starts promptly at 6 pm: via https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87940506823 passcode 876740; or watch on facebook.com/rajayoga.makati.