“In the state that is natural for all of God's
creatures--the state of union--there is no aloneness anymore…. You
will feel a deep purpose in life, your life, all life. You will deeply experience
union with all beings and the importance of their purpose as well as your
own.”
—Pathwork Lecture No. 75, The Great Transition in Human Development
Susan and Donovan Thesenga
Donovan and Susan Thesenga have been leaders in
the field of personal and spiritual growth for the past thirty years. Susan
is the author of The Undefended Self, and Donovan is the co-creator
(with Eva Pierrakos) of two books: Fear
No Evil, and Surrender to God Within. (These and other Pathwork
books can be purchased on-line through the Sevenoaks
Bookstore). They founded Sevenoaks in 1972, and are among the principal
leaders of the Pathwork worldwide. They have
been married for 34 years and raised two sons and one daughter.
Susan and Donovan initially started Sevenoaks as a center
for personal growth, leading workshops that combined encounter group and
bio-energetic techniques. A year or so later they discovered the Pathwork,a school of wisdom that unites the search for ultimate spiritual reality with the path of personal psychological transformation. At this time Susan and Donovan each had a private practice in psychotherapy in Washington, D.C. and in Bethesda, Md. In 1974 they converted their therapy practice into a Pathwork practice. Gradually a leadership group developed in the Mid-Atlantic area, with others also completing training in the Pathwork.
In 1976, inspired by an intense dedication to spiritual service, Donovan and Susan donated Sevenoaks to the non-profit Pathwork organization. Since then Sevenoaks has continued to be a major Pathwork center, drawing students from around the world. Susan and Donovan have helped thousands of people to find more courage and more joy in their lives. They have assisted people in transforming defenses, healing deep wounds, and learning to relate from their authentic selves. At the same time, they have shepherded Sevenoaks into becoming a beautiful healing space and retreat center that also welcomes other groups to do their own transformation work.
Over the years Donovan's and Susan's books have been translated into many other languages, including Spanish and Portuguese, and have sold well in South America. In 1993, after the Pathwork became known in Brazil, they were invited to come to that country to teach. They formed the first Pathwork training programs in Brazil and, along with other North American teachers, were actively engaged in teaching the Pathwork there for many years. Now the Pathwork has many centers in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. Susan and Donovan continue to offer their spiritual leadership within the Pathwork in the Mid-Atlantic region, but they are in the process of withdrawing from administrative leadership, as they prepare to shift the focus of their work. They are now most interested in what is known as “Phase Two” of the Pathwork, as described in this Pathwork Lecture excerpt:“In the framework of the Pathwork…it is essential to deal with confusions, inner misconceptions, misunderstandings, destructive attitudes, alienating defenses, negative emotions, and paralyzed feelings, all of which psychotherapy also attempts to do… The Pathwork enters its most important phase only after this first stage is over. The second and most important phase consists of learning how to activate the greater consciousness dwelling within every human soul.”
—Pathwork Lecture No. 204, What Is the Path?
The Thesengas are among many Pathwork leaders worldwide who practice Phase One Pathwork—clearing away personality-level obstructions—by incorporating techniques garnered from the lectures and from other psychological/spiritual disciplines, including Core Energetics and Gestalt therapy. Donovan and Susan are now most interested in bringing alive the Pathwork teachings about Phase Two—dropping the personality and learning to live from the greater spiritual consciousness that dwells within. For this work, they are calling on their experience of many different spiritual paths, including Buddhist meditation, mystical Christianity, and spiritual healing.
Their deep love for each other, expressed in their committed marriage, continues to be the primary cauldron and catalyst for their personal deepening, as they help each other expand into, and learn to live from, greater and more fulfilling states of consciousness. They have been each other’s primary teachers: Donovan’s enlightened spiritual clarity has inspired Susan, and Susan’s capacity for love has inspired Donovan. For Donovan and Susan, the basis of their spiritual strength is their willingness and determination to follow their own personal growth and their surrender to God, wherever it may lead.