This March, fourteen of the fifteen elected members of the Steering Committee gathered in Amherst, MA for an in-person retreat. We meditated together, and then shared with the whole group our individual perceptions of the currently emerging purpose of psychosynthesis and the AAP. The inspiring and energizing results were as follows:

• Divine direction synthesizing distance and diversity
• A pulsing, radiating energetic center, sounding a steady note of synthesis
• Holding both the uniqueness and diversity of psychosynthesis
• AAP is a living body supporting and containing the best of the wisdom traditions
• Embody and exemplify psychosynthesis principles
• Enrich, extend and disseminate the wisdom of psychosynthesis
• Share practical system for personality/soul synthesis with as many people as possible
• Listen heartfully, and confront distortions with compassion
• Help the healing within our own community, i.e., psychosynthesis guiding psychosynthesis
• Offer safety and growth, nurtured and supported by the group
• Stand united, promoting healing of wounds and dialogue, conferences, publication and writing, and excellent trainings
• Support the growth and maturing of psychosynthesis
• Actualize inter-group synthesis; uncovering and living a powerful interconnecting Presence.

Next we attuned to our unique individual purposes in being Steering Committee Members. Over the following three days, the fourteen of us discussed our collective hopes and future visions for AAP, especially for the next five years, and we clarified our individual intentions and group commitments in fulfilling these goals. As Mary Kelso said, "What was most important about the retreat was the opportunity to renew myself with spiritually like-minded people and to use the psychosynthesis principles I care about so much to actually plan AAP's future. We weren't just talking about psychosynthesis, but living it." Robert Turner, AAP's new Co-Chair, described the retreat as "applied psychosynthesis at its best." So it seems the State of the Art is vibrantly alive, given both the soulful energies--creativity, healing, service and synthesis--and the personal goodwill, sense of humor and caring that infused this retreat. ... Together, with your support, we are building slowly but steadily, a solid and well represented organization that will help to carry psychosynthesis into the 21st century.