The Institut of Theragogik ist founded in 1993 in Bremen, Germany. The Governor of the Institut of Theragogik in Bremen ist PD Dr. Gerhard Schäuble. He works also as a sociologist at University of Bremen. He takes research about Socialisation, Individuation and Education over the life course and published many books, essays, papers this topics (look under literatur). He gives talks, courses, workshops and seminars in whole Europe to the visioning lifestyling, creativ meditation, Chitrance, Resonancing and especially pre-retirement-courses since over 20 years .
The work of the Institut is specialised to

• Pre-Retirement-Courses for individuals, pairs and groups
• Courses where people learn to modelling visioning lifestyle
• courses to creativ meditation, Chitrance and Resonancing

Imagine some major aspects of the concept of visioning lifestyle. The concept is based on the theory of individualization and individuation in modern societies. At every point of your life course and especially on the end of the worklife it is a good time to make a stopover for restructering your lifestyle.
Our courses are life-phase-orientet. The participants make a definition of their entirely personell, social and transcendence position and look forward. At this point there are two important questions.

1. Should be my future a ideal utopia dream or a realistic way to create a personell vision?
2. What are i am willing to do bring my wishes and dreams in a realistic vision?

The follow mind map gives you some ideas to the topic of modelling your lifestyle through the life course

This mind map shows you some backgroundinformation about visioning lifestyle

This mind map shows you some different ways people like to live (has to be completet)

This mind map shows you

This mind map shows you      the four potentials and the four powers

This mind map shows you the connection between potentials and lifepowers in life-styling

This mind map shows you

The Institut of Theragogik has produced four basic meditations exercises. The meditations are activ meditations and facilitate with music. The names of the creativ meditations are

heaven and earth meditation;
Awareness, Love and Light;
Devotion meditation and
Resonancing. 

The music to all four meditations is available on CD's you can buy in our Shop. The price for every CD is 19 EURO. The length of the music is about 60 minutes. The following text explains the exercises of  the Devotion meditation in english language.

DEVOTION   means deep strong love, surrender, worship, reverence and loyalty. Devotion Meditation is a meditation of the heart, which reminds us that warmheartedness and love are free of Calculation and tactics. When loving we are fullfilled in giving and sharing with other beings. The selfisch obsession to be someone vanishes. As a daily exercise Devotion Meditation may help to free yourself from everyday bondages. The basis of this is a deeply felt devotion to life. In five phases we strengthen the awareness of a relaxed way of saying yes to life. While breathing with awareness the function of your lungs and your mobility is increased, your sense of balance and your vitality is enhanced, your concentration is trained and your attention increased.
Instructions for the Devotion Meditation (1) for individual exercise, (2) for couples, (3) for groups

1 Individual

Phase One: Tune in
First movement (3 min.), Invitation: Stand up straigth with your arms hanging loosly. While inhaling slowly stretch your arms upwards and almost stand on the tips of your toes. While exhaling let your arms swiftly sink to the starting position and while changing into inhaling lift your stretched arms sideways up to the level of your shoulders. While exhaling the rest of the air (trough your mouth) let your (upper) body sink towards the ground until your hands touch the ground. Repeat this flowing movement by stretching body and arms upwards again while inhaling.
Second movement, Giving and Receiving: Stand upright and relaxed holding your hands in front of your body ath the level of your navel with the palms of your hands pointing upwards. Take a step forward with your left leg and simultaneously move your arms forward in a semi-circle while moving shifting your pelvis forward and still holding your head up. Now take your arm straigth back to your navel while shifting your pelvis back and letting your head sink to your chest. Start this sequence anew by taking a step forward with your right leg. Pelvis and head swiftly follow the movement of your arms.
Third movement, Devotion and Gratitude: Stand up in parallel position with your arms high up into the air (gesture of thankfulness). Take a step forward with your left leg while letting your body sink forward towards the ground and moving your hands to your heart in such a way that your fingertips touch your brestbone (gesture of devotion). Change back to parallel position and the gesture of thankfulness. Then step forward with your right foot and your arms in another gesture of devotion etc.. Pelvis and head swiftly follow the movements of your arms.
Fourth movement, the Bridge: Stand up relaxed and stretch your arms diagonally sideways towards the ground. The open palms of your hands point forwards. Take a step forwards with your left leg while swinging hands and arms up to the level of your throat.  Go back to the first position. Take a step with your right leg while again swinging hands and arms up to the level of your throat and at the same time chanting the sound 'yaa' and chanting the sound 'hoh' while swinging back. The movements with these sounds resemble a swinging bell. Keep on changing into the two positions, while pelvis and head swiftly follow the movements of your arms.
Fith movement, Vitalizing: Stand up relaxed in parallel position. Take a step sideways to the right and let your left foot follow. Shift your weight to the front of your left foot while moving up your arms and your right foot and then stamping on the ground first with your right foot then with your left foot. Repeat the same movement until a full circle is completed. Then repeat the same to the left.
Phase two: Resonance
Sit upright comfortable on a meditation stool or a chair with your eyes closed. Give in to tranquility and relaxation. point your attention to your breath and to the basic chakra. During this exercise you will shift the focus of your attention from the basic chakra to the crown chakra. At each chakra you hold your hands (palms upwards) about 0.5 cm in front of your body while singing a chant of resonance in accordance with the music. After some time of practise you will feel the vibrations of resonance. In your imagination you open up the chakra and send soft and bright breathing energy to this chakra. Whenever the music changes to the next chakra, you change the chant and send your energy of breath to the next chakra. The sequence in detail:

Mooladhara (basic chakra): Put your hands in front of the basic chakra (genitals) and clearly sing the chant UUUUU (2 min.).

Swadhishthana (sacred/sex chakra): Put both hands in front of your lower stomach (above the width of your hand below your navel), and chant a dark closed OOOOO.

Manipura (solar plexus): Put your hands in front of the solar plexus and chant a bright, open OOOOO.

Anahata (heart chakra): Put the hands at the centre of your chest at heart level and you chant AAAAA. In order to find your right pitch level you may chant 'Hunga Linga' until you feel the resonance between the chant of body and heart.

Vishuddhi (throat chakra): both hands are in front of your throat and you sing EEEEE.

Ajna (third eye): The fingertips of both hands point to the centre of your forehead above the eyebrows and you sing IIIII.

Sahasrara (crown chakra) Hold both hands above your head (forehead) and hum a bright MMMMM.
In your imagination you now let a clear, bright and smooth light flow through and over your body from top to bottom. Enjoy this purifying and vitalizing shower of energy. If you only do the resonance-exercise, close each chakra in your mind at the end of the exercise.
Phase three Welcome
This phase consists of the welcome-dance and the chanting of the mantra 'Welcome Halleluja'. Both exercises demand some time of exercise until you are able to stay aware and give yourself into the exercise. Both chants are ideally suited for people who believe the can't sing.
 Part I: Welcome-dance
* 1st verse Welcome to you, peace be with you.  Halleluja, d'abwoon d'baschamaya, d'abwoon d'baschamaya.
* 2nd verse Welcome to you, peace be with us.  Halleluja, d'abwoon d'baschamaya, d'abwoon d'baschamaya.
* 3rd verse Welcome to you, peace be with you.  Halleluja, d'abwoon d'baschamaya, d'abwoon d'baschamaya.
* 4 th verse Welcome to me, peace be with me. Halleluja, d'abwoon d'baschamaya, d'abwoon d'baschamaya.
The sequence of steps and movements is the same in all four verses - with the exception of the part when 'Peace be with Me' is chanted. The sequence of movements in detail: (ad: Welcome to you) Starting with your left foot you move forward four steps while opening your arms widely to the above. (ad: Peace be with you) Starting with your right foot you move back four steps to the starting position and let your arms sink. (ad: Halleluja) While standing in upright position you slowly open your arms up and above. (ad: d'abwoon d'baschamaya, d'abwoon d'baschamaya) You fold your hands and with the first 'd'abwoon...' you bow to the left and backwards, with the second 'd'abwoon...' to the right and to the front. - In the 4th verse you spin around 360 degree to the left while chanting 'Halleluja'.
 Part II: Welcome-mantra
While chanting the Welcome-Mantra you spin around to the left. Each 'Welcome Halleluja' is chanted in a different direction. You begin facing the east. Chanting the first 'Welcome Halleluja' you move your left foot forward, open your arms from your heart forward and move back again. During the second 'Welcome Halleluja' you move to the left facing the north and now set your foot forward while opening your arms from the heart forward. The third 'Welcome Halleluja' will be chanted facing the west (with your left foot moving first) and the fourth facing the south (right foot forward). Now you have (almost) gone the full circle and the movement starts from the beginning. -
Some people must go trough some resistance when coming to terms with the chanting. They believe they can't sing or can only produce some awful noise. If you are one of those people, try speech song or simply begin chanting in the rhythm of the music and a suitable melody will soon develop. If you still find it difficult to tune in, you can, before the exercise begins, decide whether to repeat the two words monotonously and continually with the same volume or to chant them with variations according to your impulses.
Phase Four Transition
The transition dance is a movement in all four directions and around your own centre. You stand there facing the east. First you move forward (east) and then backwards (west). Immediately afterwards you move to the left (south) and then to the right (north). After having moved in all four directions, you turn around yourself in four steps and reach your initial position. If you feel this movement is too difficult for you, you may first limit it to a back-and-forth movement.
The sequence of steps in detail: Beginning with your left leg move three steps to the east, lift your right leg with the fourth beat and move your hands forward from your heart.  Now put your right foot down to the ground and turn around via your left shoulder in the opposite direction facing west (i.e. the new first beat), take two steps and on the forth beat again lift your left leg and move your hands forward from your heart (finishing the east-west-movement).
Without a break set your left foot to the ground (1st beat) and turn around left via your left shoulder and move two steps south. At the fourth beat lift your right leg while moving the hands forward from the heart. Put your right foot on the ground and turn north in the opposite direction via your left shoulder (i.e. the first beat), take two steps and at the forth beat lift your left leg (finishing the south-north-movement).
At the next beat set your left foot to the ground (1st beat), turn around left via your left shoulder in a full circle of three further steps and put your foot down at the forth beat, while boxing your fists downwards. Now you have gone the full circle and the sequence of movements starts anew.
Phase five Open mind
Stand up and put your hands on your heart. Focus your attention inwards. Open up the gates of your heart and pray in the silence of your soul.
If you don't want to finish the active meditation with the fourth phase, you may repeat the music of phase four and change over from the transition dance to the whirl dance. This means constantly whirling around on one spot via your left shoulder. Hold your right arm up and stretch your left arm diagonally downwards. Your left palm points openly downwards and your right palm points openly towards the sky. Keep your eyes half-shut and be centred in your abdomen. Be relaxed, breathe and start moving in very, very slow motion. Do not voluntarily increase your speed of motion. You may become dizzy when whirling to fast.  With continous exercise you will be able to feel what speed is good for you. After the music has finished remain standing quietly for some time. You may put your hands on your heart.
If you have initial difficultys in whirling, do the following alternative exercise. Stand in good contact with the ground and with your knees slightly bent. Your feet are apart like the broadth of your shoulder. Swing your head and your arms in front of your body from top left to top right and back. Keep on moving in a continous flow of movement.

    2 Devotion - Meditation for Couples
In the meditation for couples you sit or stand opposite each other and do the movements forwards towards your partner. Exercise the first two phases like in the basic version.
Phase three Welcome: Part I. The Welcome-dance is chanted and danced like in the basic version - with the exception of the third verse. When chanting 'Welcome to you' in the third verse you do not lift arms and hands upwards but move them from your heart forwards towards your partner until your hands touch.
Part II. Chant the mantra 'Welcome Halleluja' continously with the same volume and a monotonous sound. Each 'Welcome Halleluja' will be chanted in another direction. At the beginning you stand at a distance of about three meters facing each other. You do the same movements like in the basic version.
Phase Four, Transition. Standing beside each other you exercise the transition dance as described in the basic version.
Phase Five, Open Mind. Stand (or sit) and hold your hands onto your hearts. When you sit your backs touch. Focus your attention inwards.

    3 Devotion - Group Meditation
At first the group should settle down with a resonance circle and ceremonial forms of welcome.
Phase One, Tune in: Stand in a circle. The movements forward (lunge forward, bows etc.) in the second to the fith movement are being done rhythmically towards the centre of the circle. During the fourth movement (Ya-Ho) you may grasp each other hands. Exercise each single movement like in the basic version.
Phase Two, Resonance: Sit upright and comfortably on the ground in a circle with your eyes closed: let there be peace and relaxation. Focus your attention on your breathing and the basic chakra. Do the exercise like in the basic version.
Phase Three, Welcome: Part I, Welcome-dance: The sequence of steps and movement in detail: The group is standing in a circle. In the verses one and two the sequence of steps and movements is like in the version for couples. Notice the following differences in the first (and respectively in the second) verse. Ad 'Welcome to you': hold each other hands in a V-position. Beginning with your left feet you move four steps forward towards the centre of the circle raising your arms upwards. Ad 'Peace be with you': Beginning with your right feet you move four steps back to the starting position and lower your arms. Ad 'Halleluja': starting with your right foot you move four steps in the circle to the right. With the first 'd'abwoon...' you begin with your left foot and move four steps to the left. With the second 'd'abwoon...' you fold your hands and bow once.
In the third verse: ad 'Welcome to you, peace be with you' you stand in pairs facing each other. When you start chanting you hold hands and swap places while looking into each others eyes. 'Halleluja' and 'd'abwoon...' are danced like in the first verse. The differences in steps and movements of the forth verse are the following. ad 'Halleluja' Everybody holds his/her hands on his/her heart ans spins around to the left in a full circle. Ad 'd'abwoon...' you do the same movements like in the first verse.
Part II, Welcome-mantra. Sing the two words 'Welcome Halleluja' continously with the same volume and a monotonous sound. Each 'Welcome H...' is chanted in a different direction. At the beginning you all stand there facing the centre of the circle. When chanting the first 'Welcome H...' you move your left foot forward and open your arms towards the centre of the circle. At the second 'Welcome H...' you turn 90 degrees to the left while moving your right foot forward and opening up your arms. At the third 'Welcome H...' you turn another 90 degrees furhter to the left (left foot forward) and at the forth 90 degrees (right foot forward). Now each of you has (almost) spun in a full circle and the movement starts anew.
Phase Four, Transition: The Transition dance may be done standing in a circle or in rows. The members of the group may stand next to each other or behind one another and dance just it is described in the basic version. For beginners this forms feels to be very difficult. Many won't be able to synchronize rhythm and movement and this may result in a chaotic muddling.
The circular movements in the dance circle are just like the ones you dance on your own. In the initial circular position the first three steps are done anti-clockwise, the second three steps clockwise. In the next three steps go to the center of the circle, the next three steps to the outside again. After having changed directions four times you spin around in a full circle.
If both sexes are represented in same numbers, you may dance in two rows. Standing in rows you only dance the transition forwards and backwards. Men and women stand in different rows which facing each other. They look in opposite directions. The transition starts with both parties moving forward simultaneously, i.e. men and women move forwards and backwards in opposite directions. At each forth beat you turn your head and look into the eyes of your opposite partner.
Phase Five, Open Mind: Stand and hold your hands on your hearts. You also may lie quietly on the ground within the circle with your feet touching in the centre of the circle.
 
 

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