Training you and keys in motion

During the Art of Living Together course, among other things, you will learn about the so-called Six Keys to Transition, whole story. In addition to allowing you to set your own learning goals each year that the teachers will tailor their lessons to, there are also general learning goals of the Art of Living Together Course. These are them using those six keys:

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

• I am: Discovering your personal essence and unique motivations and using your intuition and creativity to guide your life. You will learn to live your own star and fulfill your potential.
• Value: To understand what you have to give and how your abilities contribute to meeting 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, labor and capital, and how to manage them in connection with people and Earth.
• Organization: Organize 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 natural cycles and boundaries of the Earth. You learn to live and work in harmony with the realities of nature and contemporary 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 realizes both personal and social renewal from love and trust.

No prior knowledge of any kind is necessary. Starting point is always the human being 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 requirements:

Participant declares that he/she:

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

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

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

Participant should be familiar with the grievance procedure:

The complaint policy can be found here: complaints mechanism. And is based on the premise: we will work it out together and if not, we will find someone we both trust and ask her/him to act as a mediator.

Participant may rely on the confidentiality clause:

Everything that is discussed during the intake interview, lessons, interim conversations, conversations 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 abilities, so that the guidance can be best tailored to them.

How do we work together to ensure a safe atmosphere during classes?

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 acknowledging and supporting each other's unique path without judging, analyzing, 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 other person's autonomy 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 judgment 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/they/we’ statements and take responsibility for what we bring to the group.
• When another shares his or her anger or hurt, we acknowledge it 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. Organization

• We give and take each other's undivided attention in the here and now. Silence and quiet are honored as an essential part of the group process.
• If we feel we are losing sight of our learning goal, we discuss it together. For example, by striking 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 his or her 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 judgments arise, we acknowledge them within 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 recognize the value of silence and rest as a natural basis for reflection and connection. These moments help us to 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 greater whole. Everything we do and experience contributes to our own growth and the development of a human and Earth-worthy society.

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We are aware that perfection does not exist and that sometimes we will 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 each other. Together we work to create a safe and inspiring environment in which each can come into his or her 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 installments.

We can also agree on another payment arrangement on the spot. However, we do strive for a proper balance of give and take.

During the 2025/2026 school year, Damaris Matthijsen and Jac Hielema will be providing a Curriculum in the Art of Living Together 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 are regular evaluations, formal and informal. All criticism, tips, questions, comments and proposals are taken seriously and taken into account in the further development of the course. However, decisions are made by Jac and Damaris, who will always substantiate and explain them if desired.

Even if after the intake interview you are still not sure if you want to get 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 for any reason. Up to and including the fifth meeting, you will receive a partial refund of your tuition.

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