Our History
In 2000 Deirdre Hanna and her husband Rev. Dr Ian Mavor started the first ‘Wellness on Wheels’ Tours in South East Queensland after studying Mindfulness Meditation in Mt Madonna, California. Ian and Deirdre then spent many years in their monthly group meetings called Exploring Spirituality at Hopewell Hospice. In particular they were informed by works of Ken Wilber, one of the world’s most renowned philosophers. Ken Wilber is the developer of an integral theory of everything that embraces truths and different perspectives from the world’s great psychological, scientific, philosophical and spiritual traditions.
After Ian’s death in 2015, Deirdre started the ‘Wellness on Waves’ Cruises, with participants learning mindfulness meditation, including other forms of stress reduction exercise, laughter therapy and the benefits of travelling in community.
Recently the first ‘Spirituality at Sea’ cruises began, as a Retreat at Sea, travelling to South Pacific Islands on the Carnival Luminosa.
Ken Wilber (left) and Rev Dr Ian Mavor
Deirdre Hanna, your host, has a background in Theology, Psychology, Spiritual Retreat Leadership and Transpersonal Psychotherapy and Counselling and has written many children’s stories to educate children and carers about grief and bereavement. See Here
Before her ‘retirement’ she won the Palliative Care Qld Lifetime Achievement Award and a Churchill Fellowship, Spiritual Care of Cancer Patients.
She and Ian were the Founders of Hopewell Hospice, Paradise Kids, and specialists in Palliative Care Education and Grief Counselling. Deirdre now directs the Charity, The Rev. Dr Ian Mavor Foundation of Integral Health, Education and Spirituality and The Rainbow House Grief Education and Support for children and teens, and believes that Spirituality at Sea is truly about going deeper into the fullness of life, whilst navigating while staying afloat in our ever changing world.
