Training you and keys in motion

During the Samenlevenskunst Leergang, you will learn about the so-called Six Keys to Transition, among other things. Apart from the fact that you can set your own learning objectives each year, which the teachers align their lessons to, there are also general learning objectives of the Living Together Course. These are them using those six keys:

General learning objective of the Living Together Course
The Samenlevenskunst course guides you on a profound voyage of discovery into how you as a human being, with your unique qualities and inner strength, can contribute to a human and Earth-worthy society. Through the six keys you will learn:

• I am: Discovering your personal essence and unique motivations and guiding your life from your intuition and creativity. You learn to live your own star and realise your potential.
• Value: To understand what you have to give and how your abilities contribute to fulfilling real needs, both for yourself and others. You develop a healthy balance between giving and taking.
• Property: Taking ownership of your experiences, insights and the choices you make. You explore how you deal with land, labour and capital, and how to manage them in connection with people and Earth.
• Organisation: Organising collaborations in a free, equal, together way. You will learn how to shape your power, (co-)control and decision-making from love and trust.
• Relationship: Build responsible and authentic relationships, both with yourself, others, and the world. You develop communication that strengthens trust and deepens connection.
• Earth: Aligning your actions with the Earth's natural cycles and boundaries. You will learn to live and work in harmony with the reality of nature and today's society while contributing to a sustainable and inclusive world.

The Course helps you not only understand these six keys, but also live them. You grow into a Collaborative Life Artist: someone who embodies and realises both personal and social renewal from love and trust.

Prior knowledge in any field is not necessary. The starting point every time is the person as he or she is here and now, including her/his thoughts and feelings, in the reality as it is here and now. No more and no less. However, each participant is asked to meet the following conditions:

These are the participant conditions:

Participant declares that he/she:

        a. is willing to reflect on his/her own thinking and actions,

        b. feel a desire to get one or more ideals clear and realise them alone or with others,

        c. be willing to form a safe bed with fellow participants in which everything can be explored, discussed, questioned, named and done that is necessary to realise the above goals.

Participant should be familiar with the complaints procedure:

The complaints procedure can be found here: complaints mechanism. And is based on the premise: we will work it out together and otherwise find someone we both trust and ask her/him to act as mediator.

Participant may rely on the confidentiality clause:

Everything that is discussed during the intake interview, lessons, interim talks, talks during exercises and the evaluation interview may be shared with third parties. It is hereby expressly requested to speak with integrity and discretion about all involved and situations.

The teachers and assistants lovingly and carefully exchange their observations and experiences with and about the participants. This is done with the aim of gaining an ever better understanding of each participant's learning needs and capacities, so that guidance can be best tailored to them.

How do we together ensure a safe atmosphere during lessons?

During classes, and in fact at every Economy Transformers meeting, we adhere to the following guidelines:

Safety guidelines for the Living Together Course:

1. I am

• We are here to enable ourselves and each other. This means we focus on recognising and supporting each other's unique path, without judging, analysing, saving or improving.
• Each participant has the freedom to participate or not in an exercise and/or to share what he or she has observed or experienced. This freedom is always respected, as long as the group process as a whole is not disrupted.
• We take responsibility for our own thoughts, feelings, words and actions. We respect the autonomy of the other person by not imposing meaning or expectations.

2. Value

• We share candidly what we experience and live inwardly and outwardly. Our honesty and vulnerability are our contribution to the process, supporting and inspiring each other.
• We do not hide our emotions such as pain, anger or sadness, but share them honestly, without holding others responsible. This contributes to the valuable exchange within the group.
• If we see a judgement or analysis coming into us, we acknowledge it and then bring our attention back to ourselves and the other person in the here and now.

3. Property

• We take ownership of our own feelings and experiences. This means we make ‘I’ statements, not ‘you/you/we’ statements and take responsibility for what we bring to the group.
• When another person shares their anger or hurt, we acknowledge this without defending ourselves or justifying our words and/or actions. We are, however, honest about what feelings come to us.
• Everything we share with each other, we cherish respectfully in love and trust. We treat everyone's contribution as a valuable part of the shared process.

4. Organisation

• We give and take each other's undivided attention in the here and now. Silence and quiet are honoured as an essential part of the group process.
• If we feel we are losing sight of our learning objective, we discuss it together. For example, by banging on the singing bowl and creating a moment of silence to refocus on our learning goal.
• We respect the group structure and work together on the basis of equality. Everyone has the space to follow their own pace and process.

5. Relationship

• We build relationships based on honesty, respect and recognition of each other's uniqueness. We are present in the here and now, without straying into the past or future unless relevant in the moment.
• We listen attentively and without interruption to what the other person wants to share. When emotions or judgements arise, we acknowledge them in ourselves without projecting them onto the other person.
• In relationships within the group, we respect everyone's learning and create a safe bed in which everything can be explored, discussed and shared.

6. Earth

• We recognise the value of silence and rest as a natural basis for reflection and connection. These moments help us connect with our own being, that of others and that of the whole of which we are all a part.
• We stay rooted in the here and now and use our experiences to practice love and forgiveness, both for ourselves and others.
• We see our group process as part of a bigger picture. Everything we do and experience contributes to our own growth and the development of a human- and Earth-worthy society.

Lock

We are aware that perfection does not exist and that we will sometimes deviate from these guidelines. We do not see this as a failure, but as an opportunity to learn and practice forgiveness, both for ourselves and for each other. Together, we work to create a safe and inspiring environment where everyone can come into their own.

During the intake interview, we also discuss the price. In the first year, Everyone can choose between three prices. And if the right price is not among them, we can make other arrangements.

The creation of the second- and third-year awards is part of the process.

You can pay the price for the Course in one, two or three instalments.

We can also agree another payment arrangement on the spot. However, we do strive to strike the right balance between give and take.

During the 2025/2026 school year, Damaris Matthijsen and Jac Hielema will be delivering a Samenlevenskunst (Art of Living Together) course for the tenth year. In other words, they have been delivering for ten consecutive years without interruption. They take full responsibility for the quality of the course. There is regular evaluation, formal and informal. All criticism, tips, questions, comments and proposals are taken seriously and taken into account in the further development of the Course in the Art of Living Together. However, decisions are made by Jac and Damaris, who will always substantiate and explain them if required.

Even if, after the intake interview, you are not yet sure whether you want to step in and join, you can at least participate in the first meeting. After the first meeting, we ask you to make a decision. So that at the second meeting we will have formed a permanent group in which we will do the year.

Of course, anyone can always decide to drop out anyway for all kinds of reasons. Up to and including the fifth meeting, you will receive a partial refund of the tuition fee.

Do you have any questions or want to share anything else? You can do so by emailing Jac Hielema: [email protected] or to call him: 06-14687873

Kind regards,

Damaris & Jac