Wednesday 1 August 2007 – a lovely, sunny day.

On a beautiful oval in Sutherland hundreds of mourners formed a guard of honour outside a 500 seat marquee. In the sky, an airplane wrote the words 'Ken Dyers Thank You'. As the coffin was lifted out of the hearse, a traditional Maori Haka was performed. Then bagpipes started and led the coffin past the guard of honour. Many of the mourners – men, women and children – were visibly distressed. Mr Dyers' wife, children and grandchildren were in attendance, as well as members of the sub branch of the Bundeena RSL and many other close friends.

Inside the 500 seat marquee, dozens of photos hung in large frames, showing scenes from every aspect of Mr Dyers' life – family photos, scenes from the war, and his 65 years of public life as a lecturer. A slide show showed joyful scenes from Mr Dyers' life, accompanied by classical music from a 10-piece ensemble, comprised of musicians from Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney. The area around the stage and coffin was literally covered by wreaths and bouquets of flowers.

The following is a transcript of the service.

Three gentlemen, the masters of ceremony, opened the service:

Welcome everybody. We want to thank you for coming to this funeral of that Great Australian and our great friend Ken Dyers. We are your hosts and we hope this event will give us all hope in the joy and potential sanity of life which is what Ken stood for.

Then the music ensemble played an original piece of music 'Life Cut Short'1. , as a powerpoint presentation showed scenes from Mr Dyers' life, before the service began.

One Master of Ceremony spoke:

Ken knew he was a spirit. He knew he was part of a greater consciousness (as we all are) which he called "the Spiritual Universe". Some may have different names for it, God, or something else, but it does exist. There are many people of many differing religions who have worked with Ken and his communication has strengthened their faith in their own religions. It was Ken's absolute commitment to the consciousness of this spiritual universe that stabilised his life's work and the game of Kenja he was so committed to. Today is the Funeral of Mr Ken Dyers. This funeral should have happened many years from today. That was our agreement; we all would have been older and wiser from the help and communication that Ken gave us and the love we had for each other. We were all preparing for that wonderful adventure.

Master of Ceremonies:

Please stand and join with us in singing the first song on your sheets. As we reach to salute Ken and that part in all of us that unites us in spirituality. The song is entitled 'In the Middle of the Night'2. from the Kenja show 'People'.

In the middle of the night all is still
How our friend the moon asserts her will
How the stars incessant talk defies all my logical explanatory lies
Let me dance with you but not apart
Let the joy of live invade my heart
I want to sing I want to dance with you
Hear my voice
Oh let me sing my song to you

Master of Ceremonies:

So let us not escape from the reality that what has happened is a tragedy. Our problem today is to resolve the tragedy and crime of the death of Ken Dyers with a celebration of life. We do not shy away from the public proclamation that this man, a value to all he met, was forced to see no way out of the new trauma presented to him but to take his own life.

The shock, was that against irrefutable proof of his innocence, he had been informed that day he was to be dragged into a system again which sees people imprisoned before the chance to prove their innocence in court. This is the reality of some areas of today's legal system, and Ken, who had already proved his innocence in court, aged 85, of ill health, already declared medically unfit for trial was to be subjected to the degradation and inhumanity of this cruel process again.

Knowing this, we in our pain and anguish defy the perpetrators of this crime. Ken was a gift. Those who live in the holes of their self- deceit and hatred will not deter us from celebrating the life of this truly great man – this truly great Australian.

The music ensemble played another original piece 'Celebration of Life' [3.] as the Powerpoint show continued.

A friend told the story of Mr Dyers' early life:

Ken Dyers was born in Sydney on 14 July 1922 to Florence and Charlie Dyers. He was the youngest in the family with a brother, Frank, and a sister, Eileen. Ken constantly acknowledged his father's influence on him. Charlie, his father, was a unique Australian bushman, of great character, of great repute, he influenced Ken deeply by the effect of his early life with the aboriginal people of Australia. Ken was always taught that before you have dealings with any living thing, you must find the spirit of the thing, be it animal, plant or human, and this was your point of contact. The unique reality of the spiritual side of man was something he grew up with, and maintained, exploring throughout his whole life.

Another friend shared an anecdote from Ken's life, one he used to share with people:

When Ken was a young man – I think he was about 8 years old – he said to himself, 'Well, I'm going to go out and explore the world. Why wait?' So he looked down at his little pup Chum and said, 'Come on – we're out of here!'

So they wandered off to explore the world and they got as far as the creek. Ken and Chum got to the creek, and that's where he was going to set up camp. And he set up camp there, with his little dog. He created a lovely space. He was going to live here. Night started to fall; it started to get a bit cold. He hadn't really thought about what he was going to eat. He started to get a bit hungry; Chum was hungry. He looked around; all there was, was a creek. He looked up on the hill, and there was a vegetable garden. That was a postulate!

So under cover of nightfall, he and Chum walked up to the vegetable garden, and had a nibble on whatever was available. They went back down to the creek, and he bedded down with his little pup for the night.

The second day came; same thing – up to the veggie garden – a bit of lunch – another evening. But the owner of the vegetable garden started to notice that a few of the vegetables were missing. When he quantified this – just enough for an 8-year-old boy and a pup – for 2 meals! He contacted Mr and Mrs Dyers – they came down, got their son, and they took him home.

Ken's a true adventurer, and we love him dearly.

A Master of Ceremony continued with Ken's history:

A child during the ravages of the 1932 Great Depression, Ken grew up with his father working hard to survive, but caring for others as well. His father would slaughter a sheep once a week and distribute it amongst the street to the other families to help them survive. To survive you take care of those around you, and your survival potential increases. With initiative, hard work and caring for others, his family survived the Depression.

The musical ensemble played 'Call to Arms' [4.]

A friend spoke about Mr Dyers' war service:

The Second World War was the next defining influence for him. In 1941, Ken joined the Australian Army. He was sent overseas within a month of his enlistment, assigned to an artillery unit and occupational garrison duty in Palestine. But Ken, a young man seeking adventure and action, volunteered and then transferred to the Australian 9th Division. The division went to Lebanon, where Ken was seconded for a time to British counter-intelligence. Ken then saw action at El Alamein. In 1943, after returning he saw action in New Guinea, including the landings at Lae and Finschhafen.

The men who attend Kenja training made their own a statement, a compilation of the feelings of them all:

Ken was a champion of the male ethic. He would do whatever it took to help his mates. His example brought out the best in us. He railed against injustice and the suppression of the human spirit. As men who cherished and valued Ken's friendship we honour him as a true warrior.

To know Ken as we have known him, we will not allow his memory to be denigrated by cowardly individuals spreading lies and deceit. The accusations are absurd and false. They are bull. Some of us are fathers, and we feel privileged that our children have grown up knowing Ken, and having such a spirit and human friend as Ken was an amazing experience.

One of the men told a story of Ken's exploits during the war:

Ken would say, 'When the going gets tough, look to the human spirit. The human spirit will teach you.' And that's the way he lived his life.

He tells a story in the Second World War, how his group of soldiers were doing it tough with the food. One day was bully beef and baked beans; the next day was baked beans and bully beef. And there in no man's land was a broken down truck with tins of mustard on it. And Ken, creating the human spirit, found himself a motorbike, and in full view of the enemy soldiers, took the motorbike down to the truck, and got some mustard and took it back to his troops.

And the Germans saluted that; they didn't fire one shot. They too admired the human spirit, that could inspire not only his own troops, but the troops of the opposition.

A Master of Ceremony continued:

Ken, your life was that of an adventurer. Thank you for the invitation to join with you in the quest to find out who we are and what we can do.

Ken loved people. We celebrate his life with the song ' I Believe in You'  [5.] from the old musical favourite, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, by Frank Loesser.

The men sang this song. A gentleman went on:

Ken, you blazed a trail that touched all our hearts. We will honour your memory by ensuring that your life's work continues and in turn helps and inspires many more people.

Thank you Ken, and good journey.

The men gave three rousing cheers for Ken Dyers. After this, a femal friend recounted Mr Dyers' realisations about peacetime:

Ken was honourably discharged from the Army in 1946.

Returning to peace time, Ken came up against a different war, as he began to realise that the honour, friendship, honesty, decency, love and commitment to your mates that helped you survive during wartime was not necessarily there outside of the war zone, where socially acceptable hatred and bigotry could sometimes substitute for spirit and human consciousness.

In war, to not be aware of oneself spiritually diminished considerably one's chance of survival. To be aware of oneself spiritually is to be aware of the spiritual universe and its rules, and to be cause over the physical universe. In a life and death situation, we often naturally detach from the body and become aware of ourselves spiritually, and this enables us to survive.

When we make the mistake of thinking we do not need that awareness, we lose it. In losing awareness of who we are, we enable forces not in alignment with the spiritual universe to take over our thinking and actions, which never results in happiness or in life success. It is the genesis of all pain and suffering and despair.

So here was Ken, heightened in a reality of the need for love, caring, honesty, courage and respect – to survive – confronted with the people who did not necessarily understand the need for a commitment to these principles, or the need to relate to each other with that spirit-human consciousness. He had just survived, where these awarenesses were imperative to survive – in fact, it was these very principles that Ken's mates had died for. So he simply would not sell those principles out.

Serena Lee, an environmental scientist gave a Valediction:

For my dear friend Ken, who I have known since I was a child.

Ken was a true family man. Not just his family, but all families. He used to say, "Join the family of mankind". Before meeting Ken in 1983 my family was at a loose end. Then we met Ken and he became a trusted friend.

With Ken's help I learnt how to appreciate and enjoy my parents and befriend my brother. I still play netball with my mother and I surf with my dad every week. My family are my closest confidants and rowdiest cheerleaders. It has been a long journey for my family, and looking around me at other families I realize what a gift I have been given.

Not only did Ken fight for families, he fought for individuals, He knew what a difference one individual could make. My early report cards said that I was a below average and introverted child. But Ken saw in me, that I could make a valuable contribution to society when I could not see it in myself.

Ken taught me to stick up for what I believed to be right. As his father said to him and he said to me, "When you look in the mirror, you have to be friends with the person looking back." I thought that was a pretty good thing to live by.

Ken was also a lovable larrikin. He emphasised love and compassion. One quote I remember he loved was

Life is mostly froth and bubble
Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another's trouble
And courage in your own.

Ken had a big heart. He befriended everyone. You couldn't help but love him.

I wish he could see the adventures yet to come in my life. He saw me grow up and achieve my dream of becoming an Environmental scientist and studying for my PhD. I know he was proud. My family is proud too. There has never been a Doctor in our clan.

I wish that he were here, to see today's children on their journey to adulthood as they grow and pursue their own dreams. I know he'll be so proud of them.

The results of my PhD will help rehabilitate Sydney harbour. Ken was a keen sailor and loved its waters. This is my gift to you Ken. To protect and care for a place so dear to your heart.

Ken I promise to live my life in a way that truly honours your memory and your life's work.

Thank you Ken.

A friend continued Mr Dyers' life history:

Ken successfully started many of his own businesses: he evolved an accounting system, Accountex Taxation Records, selling tens of thousands of copies in the metropolitan areas of Sydney alone, and it is still in operation today; he traded in precious stones; he developed an egg carton for eggs, and other 'inventions'; he worked through the corporate area – he was a public company director, he worked as a trouble shooter for Consolidated Press, and was a national representative in this area.

Many of his anecdotes and stories come from this period as he held on to that love and commitment to the viewpoint of the spiritual universe in all his dealings with people. He found it more successful than one-upmanship, or the basic game of 'I'll get you, before you get me'. He was so successful during this period because he validated for himself the very principles he had grown up with, caring for others and holding decency there.

A friend spoke about Mr Dyers' family and his commitment to them:

From August 1946 to September 1950 he was married to Judith Scott Fox. In March 1951 Ken married Marie. This marriage lasted until 1973.

With Marie, Ken had two sons – Mike and Steve – and anyone who knew Ken for long at all was to understand the unlimited love that he had for his sons, and the commitment he had for his sons. He would forgive anything and strive constantly for the welfare of them both. His postulate for both children was that they would be a gift to society. His joy in their childhood is mirrored in his many anecdotal stories about this time, Not only for the effectiveness of many things he used with them as children, but the wisdom the children gave him as they were growing up.

An abridged version of the poem 'If' by Rudyard Kipling was then read out; a favourite of Mr Dyers.

If
By Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
with sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

Michael Dyers, Mr Dyers' son, then spoke about his father:

'If' was my favourite poem too. But I didn't know it was his. First of all, thank you everyone who has made today happen, because this will leave a pretty damn fantastic memory for me for the funeral.

Dad's life was one big adventure. He spent his childhood in a boy's own world, breaking in his own horses, exploring and doing all those sorts of things that any kid would dream about doing today. This is my knowledge, everyone has added things to it today that I had no knowledge of, and its fantastic.

He spent his teenage years as a scout behind enemy lines, seeing friends killed in action, and he survived the war. He fathered two strong boys. He began to find his life's purpose in his 30s and 40s and he never diverted from that quest.

Instead of the slow decline of many men after a failed marriage, he rose like a phoenix and began what was to become his life's work. Thirty years ago he met Jan and found his purpose. He also found a fellow traveler, who was his rock, his companion, his guardian, and a source of his inspiration. Together they formed Kenja, of which they were both immensely proud and the contributions they have made to so many lives.

Dad never left Australia after the war, as his travelling became the world of the mind and the potential of the human spirit. Dad's life has always included pain but it has never diverted him, or reduced him. He always kept to his purpose without compromise, and I'm so proud of that.

When the pain of circumstances and age proved too much, he left this life on his own terms, in his own time, on his own rules. I call that a charmed life, full of adventure.

Dad, I wish you fair weather and fast passage to your next adventure. I love you and I thank you for being my dad.

Then the Master of Ceremonies asked everyone to stand and join in singing 'Fields of Gold'6. by Sting, a song Mr Dyers had heard and loved at the last Kenja Eisteddfod he attended.

A friend spoke about Mr Dyers' pioneering research into Energy Conversion meditation:

In the early 70's Ken's life totally changed. He finished a highly successful business career to devote his time to helping young people get off drugs. He had ceaselessly maintained his search for maintaining the Spirit/Human viewpoint in every single individual he came across wherever he went. He was developing a very successful meditation technique, called Energy Conversion. This one-to-one meditation became so very successful at enabling individuals to locate and clear the negative energies that are there with them and so help them and assist them to create a successful life. In 1978 he met Jan Hamilton and the wonderful journey of Kenja began. Energy Conversion is a great gift to the human race. It is a wonderful gift to this planet. Thank you Ken and thank you Jan. Ken we salute Energy Conversion. Thank you, Ken.

Two more young women spoke briefly, saying that Mr Dyers had been a 'true friend' and sang a song 'Le Canticle de Jean Racine'6. which they dedicated to Mr Dyers.

Then women who participate in Kenja activities made a tribute and statement:

Women have toiled for centuries for equal rights, equal opportunity and a chance for the right to explore their potential.

Kenja is at the forefront of the women's movement. Ken, you wonderful man, have worked tirelessly for women to free themselves from the yoke of the suppression of their past.

We have never known a man so committed to the freedom and validation of women. Ken we love you, your help, your creation. Those opposing us, that would try to suppress your work, are taking the role of women back to the dark ages. Ken we go forward now – Thank you Ken – we love you!

The women had written tributes of their feelings for Ken, which were combined into a poem, entitled 'Our Friend Forever'.

Ken was a friend to all of us, and he shone like the brightest star.
And all he asked was we do our best and be proud of who we are.
On the stormy seas of a life he sailed, by winds and oceans tossed
Remaining true to his friends through time, regardless of personal cost.

Ken was a friend to all of us, who acknowledged women's strength.
With his clear sight and his sparkling smile and his boundless common sense,
He befriended every woman he met, and he saw her inner beauty.
He treated us all as spirit friends. He respected us absolutely.

Ken was a friend to all of us, with his laughing larrikin way,
With his insight he would challenge us to be joyful every day.
We rejoice in his unconditional love, his delight in seeing us laugh.
We celebrate, for a life well lived, by a man who knew his path.

Ken was a friend to all of us, who would push against the tide
To expose the truth for all to see, so it could not be denied.
May his spirit soar and be truly free now his physical toil is over.
And all we ask is to honour the life of our laughing fellow-rover.

Then all the women sang a song 'Aspiration' [7] from Inspired Moments, a Kenja musical.

Hear it whispering that weird word aspiration
Not exciting or delighting
Not even frightening
It's getting closer now
I feel it trembling now
Release the covers now
Have I forgotten how?
No! Release the lightening
Bring on the thunder claps
I'm feeling taller chaps the air's resounding back
Could I be towering?
Could I be flying like a bird?
Could I do anything?
Is aspiration the word?

The parents who attend Kenja functions made a statement:

To our dearest friend, Ken Dyers.

We, standing here before you, are parents who are actively involved in the Kenja training. We are privileged to have known Ken, and are forever grateful for the help he has given to all of our families.

Before we continue to acknowledge our great friend, we strongly feel as parents (most of whom have known Ken from between 15 and 25 years), that we must say the following:

Ken, the charges against you were absolutely preposterous. You have gone to court and proved your innocence in every allegation. You have only ever treated every child with the deepest respect. It is a deep loss to us all that you will not be around to see our children grow up and blossom into the fantastic adults that they will become, a tribute to you. You have been a true inspiration to our lives and you will be greatly missed.

We are so happy to have the opportunity to raise our children with an understanding of how to create a positive environment. Ken was an example of how to live your life and by this we learned the true meaning of personal honesty and ethical behaviour, which helped us to be better parents and real friends to our children.

Ken knew that it was every parent's dream that their children reached their full potential. He was vigilant in helping us achieve that. Our children are independent, outgoing, and happy individuals. They are growing up to know who they are and how to make creative choices in their lives. They are certainly not afraid to stand up for themselves and to say what they feel.

We see them every day, creating a positive effect on those around them. Our children, through knowing Ken, stand out as leaders in their environment. They perform well academically and also in sport, music and community activities. They are well-respected by their teachers, and students at their schools. They love life!

So to our dear friend Ken we say:

You will always be remembered as an extraordinary gift to humanity – you knew what it was to be a true friend. With passion, you dedicated your life to fighting for the human spirit within each and every person you met.

Your eternal commitment and uncompromising love and support in helping our young people reach out and develop their potential, will forever be a source of tremendous knowledge and inspiration to us all.

We know of no other who has given so much to so many. You will never be forgotten and you will forever be a beacon of hope and inspiration to those who had the great privilege of knowing you.

Ken, you will always be in our hearts and your legacy will live on.

Love from the Kenja parents.

Then the children – first the younger and then the older – sang songs with lyrics they had written, to Ken. The music is from 'We're off to climb a mountain from the Kenja show 'Oh Bananas' written by Amanda Hamilton 8. The lyrics were written by the Kenja under eight children.

Ken we love you, you're our best friend
And our love for you will never end
So we'd like to say thank you
Joy and fun we had with you
We'll miss you and we'll love you every day

Lyrics by Kenja older children, music Amanda Hamilton.

Ken we love you and we love you again.
Ken you are our best friend in the whole entire world.
You're the best
We will miss you.
You were so caring to us all.
You are an inspiration to us.
You are our everlasting friend.
You've helped us grow in every way.
We know you're always with us
Wherever we go
People you met for the first time were always left with hope.
Our dear friend Ken, our dear friend Ken, we love you.

There were many people wiping their eyes as the children called out 'I love you Ken' or 'you are my best friend'.

EULOGY

Jan Dyers, Ken's wife, gave a moving eulogy:

I loved Ken so much, and was so proud of his life, and what he had done. To me, he was the essence of manliness. And yet, I have never met a man who would respect women and demand that they saw themselves as spirits first, and not become fodder for the life of a man. That is why all the executives in Kenja are women. And why the guys are so strong – to stand up to the women!

To me, Ken was a walking essence of the true Australian; something to admire. Someone who would stand up for decency, treasure his mates, honour them, and demand that they operated under the same code with him. Men understood and loved Ken. They loved his company; they loved how he made them feel about themselves – as a natural manliness they had was validated.

We write so much about the true Aussie, and yet here was a living, breathing one. Here was a real member of the world's best shock troops – the Aussie solider, first to defeat Rommel at El Alamein. But, when off duty, refusing to salute the English officers. Here was a real one. Ken, still first in the line to stand up to tackle suppression, but refusing to salute those who would wield power for suppression. And, as our war time Prime Minister of World War II, John Curtin, an Australian PM, had the beingness to defy Churchill and brought our troops back to defend this country. And there was Ken, in one of those unprotected troop ships – Churchill had denied protection to the ships as they returned to Australia. There was Ken, with all the other guys. While Curtin did not sleep, until our troops were home. Then, exhausted, and with depleted numbers, going off to hold New Guinea. How's that for history? Why, it's the sort of stuff that makes you feel good about this family of Aussies. A national character, admired, and leaving us with a role model that is worthy, and will leave us feeling good about ourselves.

I loved that. I loved that this is what I saw operate in him every day. He was fearless. Every person he met was a challenge, to find the joy in the interchange.

Ken mentioned only once to me, that at the end of some horrific interchange during the war, many of his mates that he must have known had died. He was looking through the bodies. Was he the only one of his mates to survive? Suddenly he heard someone say "hello Ken!" and the overwhelming joy that someone he knew was still alive, cracked him. That human contact, in the midst of non-human atrocities, broke him. He never lost the opportunity to say "hello" again, from one human to acknowledge the existence of another.

Ken never let me use that story before publicly – sorry Ken!

A guy came up to our house over the last couple of days. I was not there, but he said to the ladies there "oh yeah, I knew Ken! I only ever met him once, eight years ago, at the local garage, when we were buying petrol. We had a chat – he invited me up to the house for a cup of coffee, and I really felt welcome. Everyone he met left better, happier, in the state of their condition. And that was what Ken did, that instant human rapport was there, it was just good to talk to him.

He never blamed God for anything. He trusted implicitly in the Spiritual Universe, but took responsibility for his own actions, as he demanded and taught all those around him to do. He used to say "we had church parades before battle. A minister would get up and tell us God was on our side, and that it was ok to go and kill if necessary – God wanted it". Ken said "what a lie. No, if I had to kill, it was my responsibility, not God's. I had to live with it, not God. This is war. This is the creation of man, not God."

You would never want to be in a position, to have to suggest to Ken that a lecture he was about to give should be curbed, or tamed down. That, perhaps he shouldn't address a particular topic during the lecture, because he always would. And leave us spellbound, because of course, he was right. He had spoken what had to be said at the time. We just didn't realise that he was motivated by the right thing – what should be said, and what should be done, because it was true, and it was right. And if that meant putting his life or him in danger, it meant nothing to him if the principle was important.

After the war, one of the first jobs he tried was as a salesman. He was selling his first pitch to a shopkeeper. Being a new ex-soldier, Ken simply put the proposition for the sale to him, and expected him to say either "yes" or "no". But the shopkeeper embarked on a not-uncommon peacetime game, of stringing Ken along, playing with him covertly, playing the peacetime game of "oh, maybe I'll buy your product but let me put you through the mincer first". Ken lent over the counter, pulled the man by his collar of his feet, and said "look – do want to buy the dash dash thing or not?". He bought it. And Ken made his first sale. But he realised he would have to do some retraining now.

Ken would help anyone, anywhere. The very last trial, when we had won, and the prosecution had lost badly, and many dishonesties had been exposed, Ken, as we left the courtroom, went over to the Prosecutor, sitting in his loss. Ken went over to him, and spoke to him genuinely, concerned that the man had had a loss. He was trying to console him! I don't think I will ever forget the shocked look on the prosecutor's face

Ken spoke up against injustice everywhere. He did not know how to turn his head away from someone in need of help. He stood up against non-human and indecent behaviour everywhere. To go out for just a cup of coffee with him was to risk coming across some small demonstration of man's inhumanity to man. That he simply couldn't let pass him by and go unresolved. And he didn't. To be with Ken was to find no peace from the affront on suppression of the human spirit. Be it in others, or be it in ourselves. And I loved and I cherished it. He never submitted to blackmail, on the largest or smallest scale. His life was not of concern to him. The values of respect, of decency and a consciousness of the spiritual universe and the human viewpoint were. I never once saw him sell out the viewpoint of the Spiritual Universe. I've seen him secretly, at the Salvos op-shop, hand money over the counter to cover the purchase of someone in need of financial help at the front of the queue. I've seen him stand up and challenge the personal honesty of those who would appear to have his life in their hands. We've all seen him challenge the suppression of the state itself.

Fancy trying to bargain with your solicitor about his fees! And win!

I was always in amazement that while small sections of the police force, the media, or the courts were unrelenting in their determination to destroy what he stood for, by trying to destroy him, he would publicly and privately defend the integrity and the purposes of those in those institutions, under false attacks. He was constantly concerned that the group attacking us, was using the same emotive power of child sexual abuse allegations to attack leaders in the Church, in the Defence Forces, police, and many forms of public office. For, when we lose faith in those institutions meant to represent us, we become cynical and hopeless, and we feel there is no fairness, or there is no justice. We then become weak, and become open to control by those that would wield power for their own agenda, and not the good of the people, individually and nationally. As a man, who had, with many others, put his life on the line for his country, he was deeply upset to see the slow erosion of people's trust in these institutions, to a point where people felt they could do nothing to correct what was apparently an essentially corrupt system.

So we were left then with the apparency of the emotive power of the tabloids. Holding sway with their supposed power, open to those with personal agendas, be it money or other. But you see, they don't wield power. Ken stood for truth, and for a truth that the spiritual universe exists. Like it or not, it is total cause over the physical universe. And what we had found on our journey, and that was something that Ken knew, was that we are all part of the spiritual universe, and that there are decent men and women all over the place. In government, in the police force, and the armed forces, and we would always meet them!

The genesis and persistence of the attack against Ken was a local politician (now ex-polititian). But we met other politicians, dedicated and seeing the abuse of privilege and inhumanity towards Ken. There were decent people all over, many of them with the will and understanding to speak out, and speak up for humanity. One true Aussie politician, a real one, Judith Walker, outraged at what was going on, stood up. Judith was a real pollie. You wouldn't see her name in the papers much; she wasn't after fame. She just cared about people, and did what she could to right wrongs. A real politician.

Judith, on a number of occasions, invited Ken, myself, and then others from Kenja, to a meal in that famous New South Wales State Parliament restaurant for pollies. I'll never forget the first time she had invited a number of us there. Apparently, the politician trying to attack us – you all know – came into the room, saw us, froze, and apparently ran from the room, screaming, 'They're here! They're here! They're all here! And they're wearing badges!' Well, we're still all here! And we're wearing badges! And I'm wearing two!

'"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." 10. so the famous saying goes.

And when the emotive power of the misuse of child sexual abuse charges silences people through fear of the smear, very simply 'evil will triumph'.

I remember at the beginning of the first charges, which were resoundingly disproved in court, I sat down with our then barrister, having read the content of the charges. I said to him, 'What do we do? The content in these allegations is so emotive, one just bounces off them. It's almost impossible to investigate the truth; they're so emotive.' Henry said, 'Just go very still, and we'll go through these again, brick by brick. We'll expose the lies until the whole structure falls down.' We went still, and within 15 minutes, I was exclaiming, 'Hang on. That particular thing is just physically impossible. Oh! Look, that is totally contradicting what she says here. Oh, and how can that happen there, when she says she was over here?' We had exposed the fabrication. The lies were exposed, and the structure fell. But, if through fear and emotive content, we don't go still, and we don't look, we are in the power of those who would wield emotive power publicly and privately. 'Evil triumphs'.

Like a child, Ken believed if you could only let people see the truth, all would be OK. He trusted the spiritual universe implicitly, and when we let him have his way he was always right; he achieved impossible things. As he got older and wiser, and even more at one with the spiritual universe, he welcomed placing himself in positions of great vulnerability. He loved throwing his hat back in the lion's den. The last police officer that took a personal interest in downing him could not be helped but be moved by him as Ken spoke to this man, about how he, Ken, understood the position the police officer was in, doing things he didn't really want to do because it was his job. He had summed this police officer up very well. It moved him, and I saw the wavering in the man's eyes when his superiors insisted on charging Ken. But he was just a man making decisions to sell one's soul.

It's a shame to have blood on one's hands.

Ken challenged, every moment of his life that personal dishonesty, that we all at times pull in to lie to ourselves, and to not confront that we are at that time simply behaving in a cowardly and non-humane fashion. If you spoke to Ken and you confronted it in yourself, you won. If you did not, that confront he did on you became your nemesis. For that, people everywhere loved him and sought his company. Those frightened by the honest gaze of Ken who could see their destructive actions against humanity and themselves, covered by the façade of sociability, ran or tried to destroy him. I've seen him, 84 at the time, stand up to a guy bullying the local café lady. We've seen him challenge the suppression of the State.

He was so proud of the Dyers Direction. The Dyers Direction, stands at the moment as a beacon to the basic democratic principle that a man is innocent until proven guilty. The prosecution must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, the guilt of the accused. Some judges had at that time been veering away from this principle, putting the onus of proof on the accused. Now, if people are locked away on accusations before they are allowed to be judged in court, we are no better than any suppressive State anywhere. This ate at Ken, over and over. He had seen his mates die for an ideal called Democracy, and when he should naturally feel, well surely it's OK, someone somewhere in the system or the State, will stop and look rationally at what's happening here, it all failed him.

How we will miss his great skill, his ability to get to the essence of a situation with wit and humour. He would make us confront cowardly and destructive behaviour we chose to not know about that we had with each other, and make us laugh and forgive ourselves at the same time. How we will miss his lectures, making the seemingly unfathomable within reach. How we will miss that individual contact he had with so many of us. My grief and despair is intolerable. But for so many of you, who loved and joyed in his friendship, I know it is the same. It was as if he was the better part in all of us. Being with him made us feel good about ourselves. Even if being with him could be an unsettling experience, when his honest gaze focused upon our own dishonesty with ourselves.

Over the atrocities of the past few years, there was strain on many of us. I would never have to speak; Ken would always know when I'd had enough. He'd say, 'OK, that's it; attention on you now.' No matter what his condition was, he would insist on this. My personal hell is that at a time of sudden trauma, when he needed strength from me, I was looking for it in him and so failed to help him through the terrible shock of that morning.

Ken had not been allowed to Kenja functions for almost 2 years. Even on application, he was refused again and again permission to attend even the simplest ballroom dancing competition in Kenja. He was not allowed to speak; he was not allowed to lecture; he was not allowed to attend even 25th anniversary celebration functions in Kenja. This was his life. He did not live for himself; he lived for the work he had begun, and for the betterment of people. Like his life-blood it was cut off, and someone can justify that, in an 85-year-old World War II vet? He was unable to drive his car; was portrayed in some sections of the media as a monster, when he and his life's work were the opposite of that. People who had never met him, and never wanted to hear the opposite side of the story, accused him of impossible things.

He felt so deeply, as only that generation of World War II vets can, that his name should be honoured. And when he saw those false allegations, he saw them as a dishonourable smear on his name. Local gossips, in a very small minority, caused effects locally, which saw him at times refused massage treatment, and banned from other areas. Why, the anti-cult movement tried to falsify his war record and then publicly promote that falsification.

I will read you, Ken's last words. Some weeks ago, he wrote this -

"I have experienced and not agreed to man's inhumanity to man during the war at Alamein and New Guinea. After the war, I postulated I would use my creative abilities as much as I could to create an agreement amongst a group of people which we call 'Kenja', to combat the fact that man's aggression is instinctual. Man has not evolved any ritualised aggression-inhibiting mechanisms to ensure the survival of the species. For this reason, man should be considered a very dangerous animal.

Every attempt by individuals who are dedicated to resisting any change to this condition of man have been validated by a corrupt element in the police, the DPP, politics, the media and the judicial system. In fact, whenever it has been possible, they create a reality with young and older Australians that will destroy the morale of youth and therefore the future of Australia's chances of avoiding destroying itself from within, making it a future target for outside aggression.

My attempts to create a group of people that can be in touch with their human viewpoint and sanity, has resulted in a great deal of resistance. When I was younger, I could handle it, but at 85 I am tired, and my tolerance of pain is diminished, and I feel that I am close to the end of the life of this body."

Yet still, to everyone that would meet him, he demonstrated that he was above all this, and he would keep helping them with their own life.

It is absurd to say we will carry on, because we won't. Who could ever achieve what he has done? It is ridiculous to say we will continue his work, because we won't. Which of us here is evolved enough to get the constant results that he did, and to take the stands and principles that he did? We should confront the enormity of the loss here. We have not just lost a friend who showed us courage, determination and hope and joy. We have lost a consciousness such that I have never encountered before. His perception of the spirit, its traps, its evolution, its reality, I have never encountered or known of before. The reality of the human spirit, its purposes, its function, I have never encountered or known of before. His understanding of the entirety of the human and spirit condition – the genetic and the mind – I have never encountered or heard of before. His ability to mastermind a game to be played for the creative betterment of all around, I have simply never encountered or heard of before.

All of this was very real to me the very first time I met Ken, and I have simply watched him grow and evolve more and more over the years, as he joyed in the skill of helping each individual he met overcome their negative reasons why they could not achieve a happy and successful life for themselves. Just because the Kenja vehicle is a home-grown town product, do not deny the enormity of the reality under which it has operated, which are understandings and perceptions originated and stabilised by Ken. Let others, convoluted and obsessed with the unrealities of the mind, argue and criticise; the reality is that the successes of those who have used for themselves consciousnesses and perceptions originated and stabilised for common consumption by Ken, speaks for itself. There is not one of those people here today who have come across Kenja at some time in their life and used it for themselves in a small or large way, who would not agree.

The uniqueness and the originality of Kenja was Ken.

No-one ever came close to his consciousness of love, of strength, of what could be done. It is not just the children who will grow up without his validation, understanding and insight. It is not just the potentially thousands more people, inspired by his communication and perception. No, it is the graphic realisation of what could have been done had he still had his body.

Perhaps we may just evolve enough to understand that a spirit does not need a body. And should we align ourselves honestly and truthfully to the values of the spiritual universe, we will receive help. No one is alone; no one can operate or carry on alone. The help we relied on so much is gone, and it's only with help that we'll march on into the future. But it is within the reach of each one of us to gain hope in themselves and the ability to seek and find that help. I know that only if we are prepared to tackle the suppression of the human spirit and corruption to the degree that he did, to ruffle the poisoned feathers of those that he did; only then is there worth or purpose to our existence; only then are we worthy of the help he offered.

We cannot run away from the existence and the perpetuation of the suppressive forces that would have us bitter, cynical, losing the magic of living, and hating each other and ultimately ourselves. It is those traces of those forces within ourselves which are our first address. And if we are not prepared to confront them in ourselves, we will not confront them anywhere else.

We who have lived with Ken throughout the decades of abuse against Ken and Kenja have seen a small number of happy, balanced, successful adults and children, who joyed in their relationship with Ken and Kenja, turn into nightmarish, 'evil' monsters in an attempt to hide some criminal action they had undertaken which had been exposed in Kenja. Then they lied to themselves and others to hide it. They then become fodder to be used by forces that feel threatened by the existence of sanity, the spiritual universe, and the freedom of the human spirit.

Only with this understanding of the initial fragiliy of the emergence of the human spirit and an understanding of the manipulative forces opposed to the expansion of the human viewpoint can we truly honour his work and life and begin to persist in the trail that he blazed.

Ken stood for truth, individual freedom, and the right of the individual to create for himself a happy and successful life. And if a wretch such as I, with my overts against humanity, and my contribution to his death, can even raise my head from the dirt to commit to this stand, then every one of you here can. And so Kenja and all it stands for, and normal, decent, humane behaviour towards each other, will survive. And to those foes who spread the word that Kenja will now fold, watch out! It won't! And watch out for Ken!

I said to Ken once, 'You're like a light. You shine a light on things that I don't see other people do. It would be a tragedy of immense proportions to lose you'. Ken laughed; he said 'when I drop my body, a thousand lights will light up all over the planet'. Let them light here now! And let our commitment to travel deeper into the trail he blazed begin right now.

Ladies and gentlemen, when you look around, and you look here, there and finally everywhere, be careful – you might come across Ken!

Ladies and gentlemen, for the final word of today's proceedings, I give you Mr Ken Dyers.

To finish the service, a DVD was played of scenes from Mr Dyers' public lectures.

The ensemble played a musical finale. Then the piper played again as the pall bearers carried the coffin out of the marquee. Everyone followed, inspired and moved by this tribute to an extraordinary man.

A parade of hundreds followed the pallbearers who walked the coffin to the crematorium. There the sub branch of the Bundeena RSL read out Ken's war service record carried out the traditional 'comrade in arms farewell'

A master of ceremonies said

This part of this ceremony is symbolic of the release of the spirit from the body.

Jan Dyers then said

'Ken, thank you. You have given us all such a wonderful start. We are committed to the trail that you blazed, how could we not? Thank you. And remember round that corner, in that tree and everywhere you might find Ken'.

As the curtains symbolically closed in front of the coffin, the music ensemble and the hundreds of voices inside and out of the chapel rose in the loved Kenja song 'Home'11. from the Kenja show Klowns.

Home home
Is love and a song
Is joy in old friends faces
Singing along
Home home
A newness each day
Exciting in a safety sort of a way
Home home
We'll be there soon
I listen to the moon
It calls out
Home home
Come Klowns come
I'm waiting for you know
With tea and scones

From within the hundreds packed, voices were heard emerging. from the script of the Kenja show Klowns:

Voice one – Oh wow, this is fantastic
Voice two - I feel a glow
Voice three - A glow warming all of us
Voice four - Hey it's fantastic, come on
Voice five - Can I come too?
Voice six - Yeah it's fantastic
Voice seven - Wait – is it time for us
Voice eight - No. There are still children who live in holes in the ground
Voice nine - Our work has just begun

The music swelled as people walked through the small chapel into a large courtyard. As they entered the courtyard they were handed brightly coloured scarves which they wore. Attention focused on a fountain in the courtyard where Jan was given a white dove which she released. Immediately after that Mike and Steve - Ken's sons - released eight doves each, and finally a huge flock of doves were released. The exuberance of the freedom of the spirit was felt by all.

In total 85 white doves were released, one for each year of Ken's life.

Following this hundreds of people formed a motorcade as guests at Ken and Jan's home in Bundeena and as night fell stood on the waterfront watching while Ken Dyers thank you was again witten in the sky. As darkness fell people wrote individual tributes to Ken, placed in tiny glowing little boats. Everyone watched in amazement as the works KEN DYERS 1922 – 2007 lit up in 4 foot high letters in a line of a flotilla of boats which slowly moved its way towards the people on shore picking up all the individual little boats.

The flotilla hovered while to the sound of orchestra and bagpipes, the men sung 'Men of Harlich'12.

Men of Harlech stop your dreaming
Can't you see their spear points gleaming
See their warrior pennants streaming
To this battlefield
Men of Harlech stand ye steady
It cannot be ever said ye
For the battle were not ready
Welshmen never yield
From the hills rebounding
Let this song be sounding
Summon all at Cambria's call
The mighty force surrounding
Men of Harlech on to glory
This will ever be your story
Keep these burning words before ye
Welshmen will not yield

and the women responded with the song 'Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing'13.

Speed Bonnie boats
Like the bird on the wing
Onward sailors cry
Carry the lad that's born to be king
Over the seas to Skye
Loud the waves roar loud the winds howl
Thunderclaps rent the air
Baffled our foes
Stand by the shore
Follow they will not dare
Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing
Onwards the sailors cry
Carry the lad that's born to be king
Over the seas to Skye

The flotilla of boats bearing Ken's name and the hundreds of little boats with personal messages for Ken moved out towards the heads and sea. Hundreds of people gathered on a rocky out crop at the farthest point of the heads and sang the 'Sun song'14. from the Kenja show La Passionata.

When the touch of the sun
Greets the kiss of the moon
In that half day half night
See the closing day swoon

Yes I meet you again
As I knew it would be
We are here for a time
Then once more you are free

As this beautiful song drew to a close, suddenly the lights on the name Ken Dyers shone ten times brighter. Beacons suddenly blazed along the foreshore. Magic lights around the house and garden suddenly glowed at the same time as hundreds of sparklers were lit by those on the foreshore.

A thousand lights had lit the night sky.

As the little boats were escorted far into the distance out to sea, the Ken Dyers lights returned in the distance to light all night on the foreshore.

References:

1. 'Life Cut Short' - Music composed by Amanda Hamilton
2. 'Middle of the Night' from the Kenja show 'People' Lyrics by Jan Dyers, music Amanda Hamilton
3. 'Celebration of Life' - Music composed by Amanda Hamilton
4. 'Call to Arms' - Music composed by Amanda Hamilton
5. From the musical, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, by Frank Loesser.)
6. 'le Canticle de Jean Racine' by Gabriel Fauré
7. 'Aspiration' from the Kenja show 'Inspired Moments'. Lyrics by Jan Dyers, music Amanda Hamilton
8. Music 'We're off to climb a mountain' from the Kenja show 'Oh Bananas'. Lyrics Kenja under eight children, Music Amanda Hamilton
9. Music 'We're off to climb a mountain' from the Kenja show 'Oh Bananas'. Lyrics Kenja older children, music Amanda Hamilton.
10. "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Saying by Edmund Burke
11. Home 'from the Kenja show Klowns, Lyrics by Jan Dyers, music Amanda Hamilton
12. "Men of Harlech" John Jones and W.H.Baker
13. 'Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing' by Barry Taylor
14. 'Sun song' from the Kenja show La Passionata. Lyrics by Jan Dyers, music Amanda Hamilton

Other quotes:

He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps perpetrate it.
He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it'
Martin Luther King Jr

First they came for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up, because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up for me.
Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945