Open Circle Center
Open Circle Center
Open Circle Events:

John Astin ~ This Extraordinary Moment: Moving Beyond the Mind to Discover the Miracle of What Is

Through a series of guided inquiries, meditations, music and dialogue, John Astin invites you into a deep exploration of a very simple yet profound question:ÊÒWhat is experience actually made of?ÓÊÊTogether, we will peer around the edges of what we think experiences are, and discover the myriad ways that reality transcends our ideas about what it is and who we are.

This experiential investigation reveals that it is not merely those times of great inspiration, beauty or intimacy that lie beyond the reach of our concepts and descriptions, butÊeveryÊexperience we have ever encountered. And this discoveryÑthat experiences are ultimately indefinableÑturns out to hold the key to our greatest freedom, for every momentÑeven the ones we conventionally think of as problemsÑis actually an astounding display of the most miraculous, inconceivable energy, intelligence, lusciousness and depth.

Adyashanti writes in the Foreword to JohnÕs most recent book, This Extraordinary Moment:

ÒJohn AstinÕs book is an invitation into a profound experience of being that is, quite literally, unimaginable. It offers a way of perceiving that is direct, immediate, and rich with wonder. What John has written here is really a guidebook for breaking the spell of conditioned thinking, and discovering what lies on the other side of our imaginationÑreality beyond words, and an experience of being that is beyond the known. Read this book, but even more, contemplate it. And perhaps it will evoke within you something greater than can be imagined.Ó

John Astin is aÊsinger, songwriter and recording artist having produced seven CDs of original spiritual/contemplative music.ÊHe is also the author of four books, exploring the nature of human experienceÑToo Intimate for Words, (2005)ÊThis Is Always Enough, (2008)ÊSearching for Rain in a Monsoon, (2012) andÊThis Extraordinary MomentÊ(2018).

Along withÊhis teaching, writing and music, John holds a PhD in health psychology and is an internationally acclaimed scholar in the field of mind-body medicine, his research focusing on the applications of meditative/contemplative practices in psychology and health care. He is presently an adjunct professor of clinical/counseling psychology at Santa Clara and Notre Dame de Namur Universities.

www.johnastin.com

Suggested Donation: $15-25

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Our online events are always recorded and the recording is sent to all registrants via email within a week, usually sooner. The recordings remain available for at least 1 year. We also occasionally record and/or livestream our in-person events. If that’s the case, you’ll find it noted on the given in-person event page.
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We offer our events by donation or sliding scale with scholarships available to make them as accessible as possible. We still however have many expenses to pay and therefore we ask that you contribute as much as you can comfortably afford for an event. Most of the funds are paid directly to the teacher. The remainder goes towards Open Circle’s expenses so that we can keep our platform in operation. Your generosity also helps cover any scholarships we offer to those unable to pay within the sliding scale.
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You’ll find an overview of the nature of our events, including the common types and formats, in our About Events page.
Most events consist of a guided or silent meditation, a talk by the teacher, and time for questions and sharing. There may be other practices such as somatic exercises, movement practice, dyads, etc. Each teacher chooses the format freely according to what they feel supports their message best, so formats may vary.
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