Open Circle Center
Open Circle Center
Open Circle Events:

Stephan Bodian ~ How Teachers Go Astray: Exploring the Core Principles of Genuine Spiritual Integrity ~ 4 week Course

Wednesdays: Oct. 14, 21, 28 & Nov. 4

9:00 Ð 10:30 am, Pacific Time

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Event will be recorded and emailed to participants after each meeting.

You’re welcome to join even if you can’t attend all the live sessions.

Those who assume the role of spiritual teacher represent a whole world of meaning to their students. When they fail to embody the truths they teach and act in unconscious, manipulative, or abusive ways, they betray their studentsÕ trust and shake their confidence in the value and validity of spiritual awakening. Over the years IÕve worked with many people who have reported being exploited or betrayed by their teacher, and IÕve written extensively about the issue, including a recent article outlining what I consider the basic principles of teacher integrity*.

Among these principles: the teacher doesnÕt need anything from you, including your love, admiration, veneration, power, or money; the teacher does not require your loyalty or allegiance to anything but the truth of your being as you understand it; the teacherÕs primary purpose is to further your spiritual unfolding, not to build her organization or expand her popularity on social media; and the teacher does not attempt to organize, orchestrate, or control your personal life and does not purport to know whatÕs best for you on a personal level.

In this class we will explore these guideliness in detail, including why they are so important for the studentÕs evolution, how teachers go astray, the problem of narcissism, and how the failure to live up to these guidelines can cause lasting pain and trauma. The course is intended not only for those who have been hurt in this way who might want to share and investigate the issues itÕs raised for them, but also for those who want a clear sense of what to look for in a teacher and what genuine integrity really entails.

As always, each class will include guided meditation that grounds our exploration in an awakened perspective, teachings and pointers, and ample time for dialogue and discussion.

*(The root of the word integrity is the Latin for whole or complete; when we act from our wholeness, our essential non-separateness, as a teacher is called upon to do, weÕre unable to take advantage or cause harm to others.)

Stephan Bodian has been sharing the direct approach to spiritual awakening for more than 40 years. A former Buddhist monk, a licensed psychotherapist, and a longtime student of Advaita master Jean Klein, Stephan received Dharma transmission from Adyashanti in 2001. Since 2007 he has taught the annual months-long School for Awakening, which will begin again, in online form, in 2021. His books include Wake Up Now and Beyond Mindfulness.

More about Stephan Bodian: www.stephanbodian.org

Sliding Scale: $75 to $95

Some Partial Scholarships Available

Please Register Early if you can.

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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.
It’s part of our core values to make our events as accessible as possible. If you are not able to pay within the sliding scale, we’d still like to make it possible for you to join by offering a partial scholarship. Please contact us on web@opencirclecenter.org to request a scholarship.
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.
For inquiries about
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.
The recording email may have landed in the spam or promotional folder in your inbox. After confirming it’s not there, please contact our support team at web@opencirclecenter.org.
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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