Rediscover Your Heart: 7 Keys to Personal and Planetary Transformation

267 Pages·2008·2.91 MB·English

by  Fred Matser

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Rediscover Your Heart
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Rediscover Your Heart
Seven Keys to
Personal and
Planetary
Transformation
Fred Matser
f i n d h o r n p r e s s
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© Fred Matser 2008
The right of Fred Matser to be identified as the author
of this work has been asserted by him in accordance
with the Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1998.
First published in 2008 by Findhorn Press
ISBN 978-1-84409-122-5
All rights reserved.
The contents of this book may not be reproduced in
any form, except for short extracts for quotation or review,
without the written permission of the publisher.
Jacket design by Damian Keenan
Text design by The Bridgewater Book Company
Dust jacket photograph of Fred Matser by Elizabeth Handy,
reproduced with kind permission of the photographer
and which first appeared in the book,
The New Philanthropists by Charles and Elizabeth Handy
(Heinemann 2006 and now in paperback).
Photo of Deepak Choprah by Jeremiah Sullivan
Printed and bound by WS Bookwell, Finland
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 12 11 10 09 08 07
Published by
Findhorn Press
305a The Park, Findhorn
Forres IV36 3TE
Scotland, UK
Telephone [phone]
Fax [phone]
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Dedication
I dedicate this book to all people who are willing to experience life
in its fullness and who are willing to take risks and go beyond their
comfort zones to serve humanity and our beautiful planet with a
caring and sharing attitude.
I also dedicate this book to my wonderful parents, children and wife,
all of whom I love dearly and for whom I also wrote this.
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ................................................................................9
Foreword by Mikhail Gorbachev ............................................................10
About Fred by Glynda Yoder..................................................................12
Introduction ..........................................................................................13
part i
Chapter I................................................................................................16
Chapter 2 ..............................................................................................34
Chapter 3 ..............................................................................................46
Chapter 4 ..............................................................................................59
Chapter 5 ..............................................................................................72
Chapter 6 ..............................................................................................87
Chapter 7 ............................................................................................113
Seven Keys to Personal and Planetary Transformation ..................142
Appendix A..........................................................................................143
Appendix B..........................................................................................147
part ii
Introduction ........................................................................................150
Exploring the Infinite ........................................................................151
Infinite Heart ......................................................................................155
Infinite Mind ......................................................................................168
Infinite Will ........................................................................................180
Living an Infinite Life ......................................................................194
Are We Ready To Change? ................................................................208
Glossary................................................................................................209
part iii
Visions of Change
contributors
1. Hafsat Abiola-Costello ..................................................................215
2. Sipho Abram Nkosi ......................................................................215
3. Dr. Patch Adams ............................................................................216
4. Roman Bumbi ................................................................................218
5. Antony Burgmans ..........................................................................219
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6. Jan Ebeltjes ....................................................................................220
7. Matthew Fox ..................................................................................223
8. Jane Goodall ..................................................................................229
9. Azra Huzanovic ..............................................................................230
10. Gerald D. Jampolsky ..................................................................231
11. Vandy Kanyako Jr..........................................................................232
12. Rola Khoury ..................................................................................234
13. Craig Kielburger ..........................................................................235
14. Nsaa-Iya Kihunrwa ......................................................................236
15. Marc de Klerk ..............................................................................239
16. Olesya Koba ................................................................................240
17. Indra Kumari Khattri Tamang ....................................................242
18. Ervin Laszlo ................................................................................244
19. Irene van Lippe-Biesterfeld ......................................................247
20. Ruslan Lokotosh ..........................................................................248
21. Ruud Lubbers ..............................................................................249
22. Chris Matser ................................................................................252
23. Dr. Hiroshi Motoyama ................................................................252
24. Carolyn Myss ................................................................................253
25. Debby M. Noordhoff....................................................................254
26. Thomas van Nouhuys ..................................................................255
27. Rev. Alex L. Orbito ......................................................................256
28. Matthew Parrish LaCasse ............................................................256
29. Jasmina Redzepagic-Avdagic . ....................................................257
30. Floris Rost van Tonningen ..........................................................257
31. Marika Verheijen ..........................................................................259
32. Ernest Volosin ..............................................................................259
33. Herman Wijffels............................................................................260
34. David R. Woollcombe ..................................................................262
35. Glynda Yoder ................................................................................263
36. Michael Young ..............................................................................264
Afterword by Deepak Chopra ..............................................................266
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rediscover your heart 9
Acknowledgements
Way back in 1994, Caroline Myss suggested that I write a book about what she
called, “The transformation of a businessman into a pioneer in the field of
spirit”. Due to a combination of laziness and being too busy, I did nothing until
I talked about it with my very good friend, Jacqueline Young.
I had done some writing before but never a whole book about my life
experiences and ideas. I wanted to write in English because of the potential to
reach more people, compared to my native, Dutch-language market. I needed
help and Jackie, a British author, skilful and great to work with, was just the
right person.
I am grateful to Jackie for all the time, love and care that she has put into this
book. I also want to thank my secretary, Michele, my former P.A., Clementine,
Rola and John Nelson for their participation. I also owe special thanks to
Simenon for his skilful and thoughtful work in the latter stages of the
development of the book.
Toward the back of the book you will find uplifting contributions from some
of my friends and acquaintances: to all of you who have contributed, I thank
you very much!
I feel honored that Mikhail Gorbachev and Deepak Chopra were willing to
write the Foreword and Afterword for the book; I also thank Jane Goodall for
her kind words for the book jacket. My heartfelt gratitude to you all! I really
cherish your friendship.
When I first met my publisher, Thierry Bogliolo, at the Book Fair in
Frankfurt, I immediately had a good feeling about him. I thank him for having
the courage, with Findhorn Press, to travel with me on this journey.
I am also grateful to all my spiritual teachers for their inspiration and
support. I wish to especially thank the late Professor van Praag and Glynda
Yoder for their important teachings. In my previous business career I also had
the support of many dedicated people of whom I would like to mention the late
Mr. Blase, the late Mr. Koyck and my friends Hans Rood and Ids van der Zijpp.
I also wish to express my gratitude to my former secretary Tineke, to Bert Jan
and to Egon for their support in many ways.
Sincere thanks too to all the co-readers: Chris, David, Diane, Dolf, Helene,
Jerry, Patrick, Peter and Saskia.
Last, but not least, I would like to wholeheartedly thank my wife, Chris for
her continuous loving support and understanding on all levels.
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1 0 rediscover your heart
Photo © White House Photo, Courtesy Reagan Library, PD
Foreword
I have known Fred Matser for many years now. I first met him during my visit to
the United States in May 1992. Among the thousands of people I have met during
my trips abroad he stands out as a remarkable person, a true humanitarian, a man
of deeds rather than words.
I have no doubt Fred could have maintained a successful career in business,
continuing his family’s tradition, but he chose a different path. His heart and mind
reach out to disadvantaged people, particularly children, in various parts of the
world. He wants to help, and he looks for ways of helping that, rather than making
people dependent on more aid, empower them and provide them with the tools
to be in control of their lives. I have always thought that this is the best way of
fighting poverty and underdevelopment.
When Russia was going through a time of hardship after the breakup of the
Soviet Union, Fred was truly a friend in need. His generous donation helped the
Gorbachev Foundation to restart and complete a project that saved the lives of
hundreds of children with leukemia. He also helped my late wife Raisa to launch
The Raisa Gorbachev’s Club, an initiative that is still ongoing, bringing together
Russian women in a search for solutions to the social problems of Russian society.
Fred’s concern for the environment is genuine, forward-looking and practical.
He was of great help in establishing Green Cross International, which I founded
to promote awareness of environmental problems and spur people to act in the
face of the global environmental crisis—the greatest challenge to mankind’s
future. Fred’s suggestions were instrumental in launching the Legacy Project,
aimed at addressing the environmental consequences of the arms race, and in
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drafting the Earth Charter—a set of ‘commandments’ for a harmonious
relationship between Man and Nature.
For me, Fred represents the emerging global civil society—the widening
transnational network of people who want to see globalization with a human face.
I believe that the role of such people and their organizations is extremely
important and is bound to grow. In fact, I would say that both Fred and I are doing
our best to make it happen.
It is necessary because the challenges of the twenty first century are many and
they are daunting. To some they seem insurmountable, a cause for despair and
even panic. But that is not how it should be. Remember how our common efforts
during the 1980s helped stop the nuclear arms race and end the Cold War. When
it seemed to many that the momentum of confrontational politics was
unstoppable, that mankind was rapidly moving toward the edge of a precipice,
we did not panic. We acted—by protesting in the streets, by developing people-
to-people contacts, by negotiating agreements. That is why walls fell, armies
disengaged, and missiles were scrapped.
Politicians have not made good use of the opportunities opened by the end of
the Cold War. Enormous amounts of money are still being wasted on weapons
production and trade and industrialized nations are not doing nearly enough to
help the poor and the disadvantaged and to save the environment. Politics is
lagging behind the rapidly evolving global processes. Without the prodding from
civil society, from activists and advocates for the poor and for the environment,
politicians would continue to drag their feet while the world’s problems multiply—
while the climate warms, while pollution increases, while the poor go hungry.
We need many more people like Fred Matser if we are to learn to live
sustainably and humanely in our global world. We need millions and millions of
men and women with the vision, integrity and ability to act that can make a
difference for hundreds of millions. One person setting an example can help and
inspire many others. This is what Fred has been doing. He is a real leader.
Mikhail Gorbachev
Former President of the USSR
Founder and President, the Gorbachev Foundation
Chairman of the Board, Green Cross International
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
Moscow, January 2008