Jeffrey J.S. Knowles (Jeff) is a teacher with thirty-five years’ experience in many parts of Australia. Early on in his teaching career, he discovered he had the ability to relate to students of all ages. Therefore many students have chosen to remain ‘in touch’ with him and report exactly what lessons have stayed with them. Those lessons have become a ‘library’ of valuable experiences.
Upon reflection, the majority of these ‘memorable’ lessons had to do with ‘values stories’. Hence for the last 20 years, Jeff has been involved in developing curricula of Values Education at Primary and Secondary school levels. While teaching a range of classes across a number of different schools, it was clear that some of the material he wanted to cover was, in fact, too mature for the students’ stage of development. Jeff put this material to one side, and now in the form of “Deepen Yourself – Waking to the World Within” he is sharing it with the public for the first time.
Over the last twenty years, Jeff has also been asked to teach adults in a tertiary capacity, and this experience has also added to his repertoire. In particular, he was offered the opportunity in 2006 to travel extensively through Australia and New Zealand and address many teachers in the Values domain of education.
Additionally, two threads happening in his life have inspired him to give a deep, transformational message to readers of all ages and walks of life.
Firstly, Jeff has chosen to undergo significant healing in order to operate at ‘maximum efficiency’. This healing has happened on three inter-penetrated levels and it is now clear to him how those levels inter-relate. Jeff would like to share these insights with adults wishing to deepen themselves and become more whole.
Secondly Jeff sees a progressive ‘drift to materialism’ and a ‘skating across the surface of life’ beginning to dominate our western society. The prolific mass media is littered with statements about money and materialism that reflect an attitude devoid of wonder at creation. In many places people can be observed looking down at their mobile phones, even as they travel on public transport through some beautiful countryside. Jeff would therefore encourage adults in developing the ability to more often ‘look up’ from their phones and from their resigned attitudes towards their lives.
