Open Circle Events:

Lisa Cairns ~ About Love, Wisdom, and Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

What non-duality means to me is that my life flows in between love and wisdom, or between nothingness and everythingness. ItÕs on this level that the human experience unfolds. Understanding that I am everything signifies the end of separation, recognizing that everything is love, and acknowledging that I am nothing represents wisdom. In between these realizations, the story of my life, or the life of the person, takes shape.

One of my favorite from his quotes is:

ÒWisdom is knowing I am nothing,

Love is knowing I am everything,

and between the two my life moves.Ó

– Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj was my teacher, although he had passed away before I had the chance to meet him in person. Instead, I encountered his teachings through my own teachers. Initially, I didnÕt fully grasp the impact he was having on me, as I lacked direct contact with him. It wasnÕt until I read his book that I realized his message was flowing through my teachers, who had received it from their teachers, and so on. His influence was more evident in the effect he had on all my teachers and how they, in turn, imparted that wisdom to me. I feel immense gratitude for the way his teachings entered my life. On a human level, I can say that non-duality saved me. It completely transformed my life, altering its course in every way imaginable. It awakened me from the illusion I had been living under, the suffering of a mental reality.

In my earlier years, I was immersed in Buddhism, which emphasizes the recognition of suffering as one of its initial noble truths. Although the Buddha himself did not experience a life of suffering, being raised as a Prince in a protected palace, his awakening began when he encountered a beggar on the streets. This recognition that life is inherently suffering, without understanding our true nature or being connected to something deeper than the human realm, leads to inevitable suffering. Whether this realization comes in oneÕs teenage years due to early childhood trauma or later in life due to other challenges, it prompts the fundamental question: Why are we alive? Why do we exist on a planet floating around the sun in an ever-expanding universe? This existential inquiry is profound and essential for understanding our place in the cosmos.

Please join us to listen to Lisa’s sharing about this topic, and for the opportunity to engage in a dialogue with Lisa.

About Lisa:

In Bali in 2011, Lisa suddenly lost total control while eating banana fritters with ice cream, and there was a sudden and explosive energetic shift; at that moment it was understood, beyond the intellect, non-dual philosophy.

For the past eleven years, she has traveled around the world, sharing an amazing Indian Philosophy called Non duality. She has spoken in book shops, cafes, yoga centers, universities, schools, the UKÕs NHS (National Health Care System), conference centers, festivals, theatres and in someoneÕs front room.

In her talks, she tries to communicate the limitless nature of life, which you could say is at the root of every philosophy, religion or story. This is a tall order, so failing that, she hopes to open doors for anyone who wants to listen, providing a broader perspective on this magical thing we call life.

More about Lisa: www.lisacairns.com

Suggested donation: $15 to $40

No one turned away for lack of funds.

Please register early if you can.

The event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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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Most of our in-person events require advance booking. However we do offer some events where you can just show up. Please check the event page relating to your event. We will clearly state there if advanced booking is required. If in doubt, you can always email localevent@opencirclecenter.org to double check.

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