By Gabriel Cousens, M.D.

The world's first vegan live food masters program began in February 2002. It is offered by the Essene Order of Light in conjunction with the University of Integrative Learning and the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center.

This program is unique in several ways:

1. It is the first time in modern history that vegans interested in becoming clinical nutritional consultants do not have to be part of an educational system that is distinctly contrary to their dietary habits and world view.

2. One of the educational principles of this educational program is to assist students to mentally shift from the old educational paradigm (of learning to be a copy) to the new world and educational paradigm in which one is encouraged to become an original.

3. The third way in which this program is unique is that brings not only a vegan live food dimension to nutritional counseling, but also a spiritual dimension.

The masters program is a two year program which is an intensive and extensive examination of vegan/live food nutritional approached to health. The basic program involves learning and earning credits through reading and studying diverse topics and a one month residential experiential tutorial at the Tree of Life, as well as one or two other training weekends over the two year period.

It also involves writing an original masters thesis. Graduates of the program will be able to practice clinical nutrition.

Gabriel Cousens, MD, M.D. (H), and Diplomat in Ayurveda, is the University for Integrative Learning's Provost for this unique masters program. He and his staff will work with learners to complete the degree with a transcript and a diploma which will serve as a validating foundation of the individuals lifelong learning program. These credit hours may also be used to achieve a Ph.D. at UIL or other highly regarded institutions.

Although the first class of masters students required four years of college credit, the second round of masters students is now open and will be available to those individuals with two years of college credit plus suitable life educational experience which can be converted into additional credit for the additional two years. This is a special part of the UIL program.

Application Deadline Looms

The educational and personal excitement of the students filled the air with a joy that we would like to see in all educational endeavors. The Essene Order of Light, UIL and the Tree of Life are very grateful to be building this supportive base of the new paradigm that the world so desperately needs.

Applications for the second class need to be in by August 15th, 2002.

For further information please call 520-394-2520 ext. 207 or e-mail: masters@treeoflife.nu

Additional Message from Philip Madeley

During the Masters program in the second year there is the opportunity to do some original research that can potentially lift the live foods movement to a higher level. The three areas that we can research on are as follows:

1) Original Research for information that is missing in the live foods movement;

2) Third World projects--i.e. making dietary changes in third world areas;

and 3) Other - e.g. Research into GMOs, Organic, Vegan.

I thought it would be useful to put this out to the vegan, live foods movement. Thus creating a collection of ideas of studies that people would like to see, that would be most beneficial to planetary and individual healing.

These ideas would also help the group to create the most needed studies for this moment in time and be useful for future students of the program.

Please send any ideas directly to me and I can pass them onto the group. I really appreciate this opportunity to be of service and thank you in advance for your ideas.

Please send ideas to:

cafe@treeoflife.nu

Note: Gabriel Cousens is an MD, M.D.(H), and Diplomat in Ayurveda.