We’ve received calls and messages from concerned students and customers who are trying to understand the implications of a re-training program for international standards recently announced by Ra. Some clients have even reported being directly contacted by Ra's representatives and new teachers in an effort to steer them away from our classes.

First, it must be stated that we have not been directly notified of any of this. We have heard some things second-hand. We understand that those who have had their training and/or licensing through NSSA need not worry. According to one of the new teachers, the re-training consists of simply asking Ra for hdsb approval, if that's your wish. We are gratified to know that the quality of the training program we developed is still the benchmark for the new international standards.

We’ve been asked why we are not a part of this, and have also wondered. We were told that during the January Vienna conference, Ra said that our absence was due to the fact that we had not signed a contract, although all the agents representing other countries had, and so, he had to go on without us.

After working since 1994 without a written contract, what Ra finally sent us in May 2000 had clerical errors invalidating it, so that it could not be signed. Additionally, it had a strangely worded clause that in effect exempted our original work from copyright protection. A promised revision never materialized.

As Ra was planning to use our training program as the model for the soon-to-be international standard, when it came time for him to negotiate with us for our training materials, we asked him first to set the record straight on the topic around copyright. The request presented him the perfect opportunity to establish a clear precedent and a clean start for the world organization that would allow everyone’s contribution to be protected equally under the law. Instead, he cut off the contract negotiations and further communications.

Concurrently, during last year it became obvious that we were both on the other side of a learning process with Human Design. We were rethinking the entire education program. There was a measure of success on some levels in providing the education for nearly everyone in America and many in other countries. Even so, we recognized a need for honestly assessing the limitations of the analyst training and the licensing. Input from the spring 2000 analyst symposium and other sources added to the plans for an overhaul of the existing program.

The American Association for Human Design Professionals (HDP) is the result. It provides participants a forum to contribute their own experiment, insight and experience and develop many other services besides just readings. Workshops, classes and study groups can be created through the network the association offers its members. In conjunction with changing the legal status of the Human Design School into a non-profit educational institution, the association can be flexible and self-determining. HDP is not exclusive. If Human Design impacts your life and work, you’re welcome to join.

Following this recent flurry around us no longer being sanctified by the new political order, we’d like to let you know it doesn't matter. Once the knowledge is transferred, it continues its process independently, teaching itself according to someone’s nature and consciousness. It belongs to anyone who embraces it. We will continue to offer and improve our trainings with the standard for excellence and quality you've come to expect.

28 January 2001, Human Design Network Newsletter

www.humandesignsystem.com