BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Open Circle - ECPv6.18.2//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Open Circle X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://opencircle.net X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Open Circle REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Los_Angeles BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20230312T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20231105T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20240310T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20241103T090000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0800 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:PDT DTSTART:20250309T100000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0800 TZNAME:PST DTSTART:20251102T090000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241201T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241201T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170516Z CREATED:20260106T170516Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170516Z UID:10000902-1733011200-1733011200@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Ellen Emmet ~ Venturing Into the Unlit Corners of the Now DESCRIPTION:We start at 9:00 am Pacific Time / 5:00 pm UK time / 6:00 pm Central European Time. \nTime Zone Converter \nEvent will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week. \nYouÕre welcome to join even if you canÕt attend the live session. \nThere are times in each of our lives when a bitter wind blows our spiritual torch out. It may be called depression\, grief\, trauma\, illness\, the end of a relationship\, a sense that we are no longer in alignment with our deepest self. \nHere we are\, standing at the threshold of our being\, knowing that nothing we have used to light the way forward will work. \nDuring this gathering we will venture together\, away from the certitudes held by the mind and into the dark wilderness of the body. We will listen inwardly to our felt experience. Perhaps we will face and taste the unconscious layers of defense that portent to protect us yet keep us in a cell of false security. \nPerhaps we will touch the vulnerability and strength of Life as she cycles and connects us to the great garland of creation. \nEllen will draw on her experience of Kashmir nondual yoga\, the Jungian ideas especially as expressed by Marion Woodman\, Authentic Movement\, and whatever else may arise from the field of our gathering. There will be time for sharing in a safe container. \nWatch Ellen share about the role the body plays in her work: \nhttps://opencircle.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/230602-Ellen-Emmet-Interview-Clip-1.mp4\nAbout Ellen: \nEllenÕs deepest intuition was confirmed when she met her teacher in the non-dual tradition\, Francis Lucille. Hearing his words\, she recognised the eternal\, limitless and universal nature of our shared reality. Over the years\, this understanding has continued to unfold and to touch all levels of experience. \nAt the very same time\, Ellen has never ceased to delve into the depths of her human experience\, seen and unseen\, thirsting for a wholeness and connectedness which appeared to be lost or obscured. This unstoppable quest brought her to therapy\, Jungian workshops (and later Jungian analysis)\, Dream Work\, Authentic Movement and creative writing. \nMore and more\, she senses that each of our lives is a journey of revelation and integration\, including its darker crossings\, through which the face of truth can shine uniquely and anew\, wedding us to our direct experience and connecting us to the great family of creation. \nTo find out more about Ellen and her offering\, visit www.ellenemmet.com \nSliding Scale: $25 to $45 \nSome Partial Scholarships Available \nPlease register early if you can. \nREGISTER URL:https://opencircle.net/event/ellen-emmet-venturing-into-the-unlit-corners-of-the-now-5/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241201T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241201T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170515Z CREATED:20260106T170515Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170515Z UID:10000901-1733011200-1733011200@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Ellen Emmet ~ Venturing Into the Unlit Corners of the Now DESCRIPTION:2-Part Retreat: Sept. 28 & 29\, 2024 \nWe start at 9:00 am Pacific Time / 5:00 pm UK time / 6:00 pm Central European Time. \nTime Zone Converter \nEvent will be recorded and emailed to participants after the meeting. \nYouÕre welcome to join even if you canÕt attend all the live sessions. \nThere are times in each of our lives when a bitter wind blows our spiritual torch out. It may be called depression\, grief\, trauma\, illness\, the end of a relationship\, a sense that we are no longer in alignment with our deepest self. \nHere we are\, standing at the threshold of our being\, knowing that nothing we have used to light the way forward will work. \nDuring this weekend we will venture together\, away from the certitudes held by the mind and into the dark wilderness of the body. We will listen inwardly to our felt experience. Perhaps we will face and taste the unconscious layers of defense that portent to protect us yet keep us in a cell of false security. \nPerhaps we will touch the vulnerability and strength of Life as she cycles and connects us to the great garland of creation. \nEllen will draw on her experience of Kashmir nondual yoga\, the Jungian ideas especially as expressed by Marion Woodman\, Authentic Movement\, and whatever else may arise from the field of our gathering. There will be time for sharing in a safe container. \nWatch Ellen share about the role the body plays in her work: \nhttps://opencircle.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/230602-Ellen-Emmet-Interview-Clip-1.mp4\nAbout Ellen: \nEllenÕs deepest intuition was confirmed when she met her teacher in the non-dual tradition\, Francis Lucille. Hearing his words\, she recognised the eternal\, limitless and universal nature of our shared reality. Over the years\, this understanding has continued to unfold and to touch all levels of experience. \nAt the very same time\, Ellen has never ceased to delve into the depths of her human experience\, seen and unseen\, thirsting for a wholeness and connectedness which appeared to be lost or obscured. This unstoppable quest brought her to therapy\, Jungian workshops (and later Jungian analysis)\, Dream Work\, Authentic Movement and creative writing. \nMore and more\, she senses that each of our lives is a journey of revelation and integration\, including its darker crossings\, through which the face of truth can shine uniquely and anew\, wedding us to our direct experience and connecting us to the great family of creation. \nTo find out more about Ellen and her offering\, visit www.ellenemmet.com \nSliding Scale: $40 to $80 \nSome Partial Scholarships Available \nPlease register early if you can. \nREGISTER URL:https://opencircle.net/event/ellen-emmet-venturing-into-the-unlit-corners-of-the-now-4/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241001T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241001T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170635Z CREATED:20260106T170635Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170635Z UID:10000931-1727740800-1727740800@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Richard Miller ~ This Which We are Above All Else (In-Person Event) DESCRIPTION:This Which We are Above All Else \nThe belief that we are a separate Òme-I-selfÓ who is in control is simply that\, an illusory captivating narrative where we’re the main character in a movie constructed by our thoughts\, feelings\, actions\, and experiences. A first step toward awakening entails recognizing that the separate self has never existed and that its dissolutions isn’t a death or a loss. It’s a freeing of an illusion that we had to constantly defend and maintain. An important step in releasing this illusion entails realigning with and embodying our intrinsic Essential Essence. \nJoin Richard as he introduces you to five simple inquiries designed to offer you a glimpse of your Essential Essence\, and practical approaches for helping your mind break free of its preoccupation with the illusion of separation and control. \nRichard C. Miller\, PhD After decades of searching Richard met his spiritual mentor\, Jean Klein in 1983\, who guided him through the non-path\, non-method\, and nondual realization of Essential Nature. Founder of iRest Institute\, and a co-founder of the International Association of Yoga Therapists and the Institute for Spirituality and Psychology\, Richard teaches nondual inquiry and the realization of Essential Nature internationally\, as well as serves as a consultant researching and teaching the meditation protocol heÕs developed\, Integrative Restoration ~ iRest\, a modern-day secular adaptation of an ancient nondual practice of self-inquiry and awakening. \nRichard’s website: shop.irest.org \nSatsang: 2-4 pm \nRefreshments: until 5 \nSuggested Donation: $10- $20\, no one turned away. \nNo pre-registration. Pay at door when you arrive. \nLocation: 8476 Sonoma Ave\, Sebastopol\, CA. Park on Sonoma Ave. \nNote: The address sign says 8474/8476.Ê Park on the street\, and walk down the short driveway to the house with the carport. \nPlease dress mindfully\, doors & windows will be open! \nIf you have covid-like symptoms\, or have had a recent Covid exposure or positive test\, please stay home out of consideration for others. URL:https://opencircle.net/event/richard-miller-this-which-we-are-above-all-else-in-person-event/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241001T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241001T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170403Z CREATED:20260106T170358Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170403Z UID:10000879-1727740800-1727740800@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Dorothy Hunt ~ Mystery and Manifestation DESCRIPTION:Although given many names\, there is an unnameable Mystery that cannot be spoken. It reveals itself most deeply in Silence. There are also the Òten thousand thingsÓÑlife in its ever-changing manifestations. When we experience that both Mystery and manifestations arise from the same source\, we are invited to the freedom\, depth\, and aliveness that come from not dividing essence from what is here now. We are invited into the intimate and ever-present mystery that is illuminating our every experience\, loving its own expressions\, giving worth and beauty to the wholeness of Being\, including our uniquely human and precious place within it. \nPlease join Open Circle and Dorothy Hunt for this 2-hour satsang exploring Mystery and manifestation through guided meditation\, silent sitting\, and dialogue. \nDorothy HuntÊcurrently serves as Spiritual Director of Moon Mountain Sangha\, teaching at the request and in the spiritual lineage of Adyashanti. The flavor of her teaching blends Advaita and Zen with a deep welcoming of the human expressions of the Mystery. Dorothy is the founder of the San Francisco Center for Meditation and Psychotherapy\, and practiced psychotherapy from 1967 until her retirement in 2020.Ê She is the author of Only This!\, Leaves from Moon Mountain\, and Ending the Search: From Spiritual Ambition to the Heart of Awareness. In addition\, she is a contributing author to two books on Nondual Wisdom and Psychotherapy\, and the editor of Love: A Fruit Always in Season. \nPresently\, Dorothy offers satsang and retreats via Zoom\, and dokusan by phone. For more information\, please visit www.dorothyhunt.org \nSuggested donation: $15 to $40 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. \nPlease register early if you can. \nREGISTER \nThe event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week. \nTo check your local time\, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter URL:https://opencircle.net/event/dorothy-hunt-mystery-and-manifestation-2/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241001T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20241001T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170402Z CREATED:20260106T170357Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170402Z UID:10000878-1727740800-1727740800@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Unmani ~ What is the Awakened State? DESCRIPTION:Beyond all states that come and go\, there is the knowing of them all. The Awareness of whatever is here. This is who you really are as Life itself\, always awake\, and always aware. This is all very well\, however\, in your human experience\, you might not always feel or acknowledge this knowing that is always awake. You might experience being caught up in your mind\, emotions or the dramas of life\, and then this Awakening is simply a beautiful and spiritual intellectual concept that is very far from your own experience. \nIf you have had some kind of awakening recognition\, you might experience a kind of flip-flopping in and out of the clear seeing of the Oneness of your true nature\, and then being again caught up in the dramas of the apparent separate ‘me’. This can be very painful as you experience the strong contrast between these two states of being. \nIn this Meeting with Unmani\, we will discuss what the Awakened State is\, and any confusions around this. We will also look at the various misconceptions about Awakening in general. We will then explore how Awakening can be lived in our human lives with all the ups and downs and challenges\, as well as the fast pace of our modern human lives. \nUnmani gives practical pointers and support on how to live in and as Awakening. Join the ‘live’ session to be able to ask questions\, and investigate your direct experience with Unmani. \nAbout Unmani \nMeeting with Unmani is meeting with yourself in the most real and alive way. Unmani is originally from the UK\, but has lived in many countries around the world. Since she was a child\, Unmani didn’t identify with being a separate individual\, but assumed there was something wrong with her\, until she came across the expression of Satsang and nonduality. Truth has always been her passion. Unmani had teachers including Osho\, Dolano\, Nathan Gill\, Tony Parsons\, Gangaji and several other amazing people who are not considered ‘teachers’. \nIn 2013 she met her husband\, the wonderful musician\, and courageous lover of life\, Robert Hanuman. In 2015 their son\, Sky\, was born. On 3rd January 2018\, Robert Hanuman died suddenly from a heart attack while they were in India. Robert Hanuman’s presence deeply influenced Unmani’s teaching\, and in the time they were together it evolved into a more human expression of the courage to live the paradox of the Absolute\, living as this human. Robert put Unmani’s words to his beautiful classical guitar music and Unmani still plays his songs at her meetings. \nUnmani has been holding meetings and retreats all over the world for since 2003\, and in this time people have been deeply touched by her work: She meets each person exactly where they are at\, and in whatever they need at the time\, while at the same time holding them in the truth of who they really are beyond it all. This combination\, and paradox\, of the personal and impersonal\, brings so much depth\, openness and healing to people’s lives. They wake up to who they really are\, and discover how this is lived and integrated into their daily lives. \nUnmani has written 3 books ‘I am Life itself’\, ‘Die to Love’ and ‘The Courage to Come Alive’. Unmani holds regular meetings and retreats several times a year as well as monthly webinars on different themes. \nFor more information about Unmani’s work go to: www.die-to-love.com \nYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@Unmani \nFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/unmani \nInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/unmani_hyde/ \nRobert Hanuman’s music can be downloaded on iTunes here: https://music.apple.com/nl/artist/robert-hanuman/1329878840?l=en \nSuggested donation: $15 to $40 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. \nPlease register early if you can. \nREGISTER \nThe event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week. \nTo check your local time\, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter URL:https://opencircle.net/event/unmani-what-is-the-awakened-state-2/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240902T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240902T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170004Z CREATED:20260106T170004Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170004Z UID:10000832-1725235200-1725235200@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Christiane Prendergast ~ Exploration in Stillness ~ In-Person Local Event DESCRIPTION:With gentle movements\, we allow the body to be felt as it presents itself\, moment to moment. Whether there is constriction or heaviness\, we unconditionally welcome it through space-feeling\, sensing\, as well as with an occasional simple inquiry. With this approach\, we experience that there is nothing to do\, to change or to achieve. Open Presence allows these movements to free themselves and to be newly sensed at any moment. In this way\, we effortlessly become one with welcoming that is our home ground. \nWe start with a short meditation. At the end of the session there will be a time for sharing and questions. \nPlease bring a blanket or a mat. \nBio: Originally from France\, Christiane was a student of the late European Advaita master Jean Klein for over 20 years. Although rooted in Advaita\, Jean incorporated a form of subtle-body yoga from Kashmir Shaivism. It is this approach that he taught to Christiane. \nSuggested Donation: $15- $25\, no one turned away. \nNo pre-registration. Pay at door when you arrive. \nIf you have symptoms of a viral infection\, or have had a recent \nCovid exposure or positive test\, please stay home out of consideration for others. URL:https://opencircle.net/event/christiane-prendergast-exploration-in-stillness-in-person-local-event-2/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170753Z CREATED:20260106T170753Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170753Z UID:10000977-1725148800-1725148800@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Lynn Marie Lumiere\, MFT ~ EMBODIED LOVE: Exploring Awakened Relating DESCRIPTION:Relationships\, especially close intimate ones\, can be our greatest challenge when it comes to embodied awakening. They seem to get particularly challenging during the holiday season when we are more in touch with family members. Awakened relating offers a way to be with our relationship triggers in a way that can both heal our deeper relational wounding and allow us to stay connected with others when it is triggered. \nYou are welcome to bring whatever issues you are struggling with\, in relationship with others\, or yourself. Together\, we will explore how to meet the issues in the loving presence of our being\, while also meeting and understanding our projections and reactivity. Lynn Marie brings extensive skills and experience with awakened relating on somatic\, emotional\, and spiritual levels. \nYou are encouraged to attend this event live so you can benefit from working directly with Lynn Marie\, and you are welcome to attend by recording. \nWatch a 6-part video series with Lynn Marie \nwhere she shares about her awakening journey\, her views on nervous system activation on the spiritual path\, \nmain obstacles to awakening\, ways of including all of our human experience\, and more. \n.tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;}.tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial\, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;}.tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial\, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;}.tg .tg-0pky{border-color:inherit;text-align:left;vertical-align:top}.tg .tg-0lax{text-align:left;vertical-align:top}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.tg {width: auto !important;}.tg col {width: auto !important;}.tg-wrap {overflow-x: auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;}} \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n  \nLynn Marie Lumiere\, is a seasoned psychotherapist\, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner\, spiritual mentor\, and author. She offers a rare blend of embodied spiritual wisdom with a skilled therapeutic approach that facilitates healing of psychological trauma and wounding and the embodiment of awakening. Her depth of experience\, rooted in her own healing and awakening journey\, spans decades of expertly guiding individuals in the resolution of their trauma and into connection with their true nature. Lynn Marie is the author of Awakened Relating: A Guide to Embodying More Love in Relationships. \nwww.lynnmarielumiere.com \nSuggested donation: $15 to $40 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. \nPlease register early if you can. \nREGISTER \nThe event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week. \nTo check your local time\, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter URL:https://opencircle.net/event/lynn-marie-lumiere-mft-embodied-love-exploring-awakened-relating-2/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170753Z CREATED:20260106T170753Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170753Z UID:10000978-1725148800-1725148800@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Jeannie Zandi ~ Giving & Receiving DESCRIPTION:Join Jeannie to explore the generosity of giving and the humility of receiving. \nJeannieÕs gift for inviting people to join her in resting and rooted presence evokes a deep meeting with oneself and reality. Within that\, JeannieÕs humor and iconoclasm serve to bring people into an understanding that is beyond the intellectual. Through silent and guided meditation\, spontaneous talks and exchange with participants\, Jeannie will host a space of clarity and warmth where the richness of relating can be explored safely and your innermost questions met fully. \nJeannie Zandi is the director of Living as Love\, a nonprofit organization dedicated to seeding a culture of the Heart on the planet\, inspiring\, teaching and supporting people to live from their essence as Love. A year before the birth of her daughter\, Jeannie was plunged into a dark night of the soul that culminated in a radical shift of consciousness. She is known for her fearless clarity\, tender mercy toward humanness\, and a juicy\, poetic and often humorous style that draws from Advaita Vedanta\, Sufism\, Christian mysticism and the ongoing revelation of fully engaged living. \nwww.jeanniezandi.com \nSuggested donation: $15 to $40 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. \nPlease register early if you can. \nREGISTER \nThe event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week. \nTo check your local time\, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter URL:https://opencircle.net/event/jeannie-zandi-giving-receiving-2/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170753Z CREATED:20260106T170753Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170753Z UID:10000979-1725148800-1725148800@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Susanne Marie ~ The Light Inside the Dark: In Honor of Solstice DESCRIPTION:In honor of Solstice we will meet in the unmoving stillness\, resting with equanimity\, holding what we encounter within with kindness and allowance. By entering darkness\, we are invited to know ourselves more intimately\, surrendering to that which does not push away what we contain. By making peace with what is denied and feels uncomfortable\, we open to the power of yielding to the wisdom of inner reconciliation. Solstice in Latin translates to: the standing still of the Sun. Together we will stand still\, rest and gather nurturance within our beingness\, opening in allowance to what is\, which initiates what can become. Only by meeting ourselves with allowance\, do we evolve beyond resistance. Solstice is an ideal day to rest\, heal\, and prepare for the longer days ahead. \nAbout Susanne Marie \nFeatured in conversation with Adyashanti on Buddha at the Gas Pump as well as on Conscious TV\, Susanne Marie offers integrated teachings in support of freedom\, and the celebration of our common essence of love and unity with all life. Susanne\, who lives in Northern California\, is the parent of two young adults. As a natural empath\, her teaching style is heart-centered and practical\, whose focus is on supporting you in your unique awakening journey. Susanne leads in-person retreats\, online courses\, a monthly online meeting\, and mentors individuals privately. \nFind out more about Susanne Marie: susannemarie.org \nIn this short video Susanne is sharing details of her awakening journey: \n \n  \nSuggested donation: $15 to $40 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. \nPlease register early if you can. \nREGISTER \nThe event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week. \nTo check your local time\, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter URL:https://opencircle.net/event/susanne-marie-the-light-inside-the-dark-in-honor-of-solstice-2/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170729Z CREATED:20260106T170729Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170729Z UID:10000956-1725148800-1725148800@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Ishtar ~ Flowing Wholeness - Melting into the Heart of Life DESCRIPTION:When the mind settles into Silence\, the heart opens to the great mystery hidden everywhere in plain sight. The formless takes the form of Love\, melting the barrier between self and world\, reconnecting us to primordial Wholeness. This Wholeness is like a song that is already playing within. Every moment of life- sublime or awful- can be experienced as a flowing wholeness. \nWeÕll walk into a few powerful ways of melting into wholeness: effortless mantra practice\, heart-engaging appreciation\, tuning directly into Silence\, and opening to the flow of Shakti. These are all different words for the singular practice of letting Presence move through us like a song. This is the way of praying until we become the prayer. Woven into shared practice will be time for questions\, answers\, and conversation. \nIshtar is a meditation teacher\, monk\, gardener\, and head teacher of the School for Awakened Living. At age 13\, he experienced an NDE\, and fell into a Samadhi. The desire to return to Samadhi propelled him on a spiritual path. His first teacher was a shaman\, who taught primarily through the magic of Presence. A meditation practice known as the IshayasÕ Ascension brought him to an Ashram at age 18 in the early 2000Õs. Since then\, he has worked as a guide\, teaching effortless meditation\, and helping people relax into Wholeness. \nFor those wanting to learn more about IshtarÕs work\, his interviews can be found on Buddha at the Gas Pump\, Conscious TV\, Guru Viking\, and Next Level Soul. \nHis websites are: www.ascension-meditation.com and www.awakenedlightastrology.com \nSuggested donation: $15 to $30 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. \nPre-registration for In-Person attandance closes at Midnight on Nov. 30 (the night before event) \nPre-registration is encouraged\, but you can also just show up & pay at door. Come & join us! \nREGISTER for IN-PERSON Attendance \nOR \nREGISTER for LIVESTREAM &/or Recording Access \nIf you register for Recording access by event date\, link to access it will be sent to you within a week. \nIf you register for Recording access AFTER event date\, please forward your confirmation email to web@opencircle.net to notify us that you registered after event date. \n  \nPARKING: There is some street parking in the neighborhood\, free and without time limit. \nFor inquiries contact LocalEvents@opencircle.net \nIf you have symptoms of a respiratory infection\, or have had a recent \nCovid exposure or positive test\, please stay home out of consideration for others. URL:https://opencircle.net/event/ishtar-flowing-wholeness-melting-into-the-heart-of-life/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170627Z CREATED:20260106T170627Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170627Z UID:10000930-1725148800-1725148800@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Amoda Maa ~ Unveiling the Self to Reveal the Freedom of Being DESCRIPTION:Amoda Maa offers a profound invitation to all those who wish to embody the truth of awakened consciousness in the midst of everyday life. Her meetings include silent or guided meditation\, discourse\, and an opportunity to ask questions from the innermost. Speaking with clarity and grace\, she invites an open-hearted honesty to the exploration of what it means to recognize and live from our essential nature as Being-ness. \nAmodaÕs teachings are free from any ideology and are not affiliated with any lineage or tradition\, and yet the luminous truth is the same nondual understanding at the core of many spiritual traditions. Arising from her own direct experience and expressed in a contemporary language\, these teachings are relevant and accessible to all people from all backgrounds and cultures. \nSince 2016\, she has been living in the US\, and today her teachings are followed by a growing global community who attend her online programs as well as in person retreats in the USA and Europe. She has been a speaker and guest teacher at a variety of conferences\, featured in several magazines\, interviewed for numerous broadcasts and podcasts\, and is the author of several books including Embodied Enlightenment and Falling Open in a World Falling Apart. She is the founder and spiritual director of the Amoda Maa Foundation\, and her life and work are dedicated to supporting an Òinner transformation of consciousnessÓ and envisioning a new world of peace and enlightened living. \nwww.amodamaa.com \n– \n \n  \nSuggested donation: $15 to $40 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. \nPlease register early if you can. \nREGISTER \nThe event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week. \nTo check your local time\, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter URL:https://opencircle.net/event/amoda-maa-unveiling-the-self-to-reveal-the-freedom-of-being/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170626Z CREATED:20260106T170626Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170626Z UID:10000929-1725148800-1725148800@opencircle.net SUMMARY:John Prendergast ~ ÒHow Do You Unenlighten Yourself?Ó ~ Bay Area Daylong Retreat DESCRIPTION:Our true nature is inherently open\, wakeful\, and loving; however\, it is veiled by our conscious and subconscious identification with conditioning. In this daylong gathering\, we will pointedly explore how our core limiting beliefs and their corresponding subtle somatic contractions sustain the sense of being a separate self. The day will include guided and silent meditation\, meditative inquiry\, a talk\, and experiential conversations. \nJohn Prendergast\, Ph.DÊis a spiritual teacher\, retired psychotherapist\, and retired Adjunct Professor of Psychology at CIIS\, well known for his pioneering work in integrating non-dual wisdom and psychotherapy. He studied with the European sage Jean Klein for many years\, as well as with Adyashanti\, who gave him dharma transmission in 2023. He is the author of The Deep Heart (2019)\, In Touch (2015)\, and a new book\, Your Deepest Ground: A Guide to Embodied Spirituality (March\, 2025) from Sounds True. \nwww.listeningfromsilence.com \nYouTube channel \nThe meeting will be from 10:00am to Noon and 2:00pm to 4:30pm\, with a break for lunch. \nPlease bring your own lunch\, or feel free to go into town to one of the restaurants or to Good Earth Natural Foods. \nPre-registration required\, as space is limited. \nRegistration closes at 5 pm on Sept. 20th \nSuggested donation: $75 \n(Any amount acceptable. No one turned away for lack of funds.) \nPRE-REGISTER HERE & PAY AT DOOR WHEN YOU ARRIVE. \n(Cash or Check only) \nThis event is Co-sponsored by Open Circle & the Schwartz Family Trust. \nAll proceeds\, above covering event costs\, will go to the \nSchwartz Family Trust to support Rob SchwartzÕs vision of retaining \nhis house and property to be available as an Open Circle retreat facility. \nEvent donations will go directly to the Schwartz Family Trust\, rather than to Open Circle. \nIf you want to make larger donations for this project\, you can do so at the event\, or contact us \nfor more information on how to make larger donations (or loans\, or otherwise support this project). \nREGISTER \nFor inquiries contact LocalEvents@opencircle.net \nLocation: \nThe meeting will be held at a private home in the Fairfax hills\, with views of Mount Tam and hiking trails. \nAddress and directions will be provided upon registration. \nIf you have symptoms of a respiritory infection\, or have had a recent \nCovid exposure or positive test\, please stay home out of consideration for others. URL:https://opencircle.net/event/john-prendergast-ohow-do-you-unenlighten-yourselfo-bay-area-daylong-retreat-2/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170625Z CREATED:20260106T170625Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170625Z UID:10000928-1725148800-1725148800@opencircle.net SUMMARY:John Prendergast\, Lisa Ferguson & Jared Michaels ~ Engaged Nonduality ~ InPerson Daylong DESCRIPTION:Engaged Nonduality: Attending to Our World in Crisis \nwith John Prendergast\, Lisa Ferguson and Jared Michaels \nThis daylong event isÊan opportunity to turn toward our world in crisis from an awakened heart. Whatever is touching your heart is welcomed\, including climate and ecosystem breakdown\, war and conflict\, injustice and polarization. How is Being moving through us in response? We will explore through meditation\, dyadic inquiry\, and group interaction what it means to open to our awakened nature\, while also being moved by our deepest knowing to respond to our world in crisis. \nBios \nJohn J. Prendergast\, Ph.D.Êis the author ofÊThe Deep Heart: Our Portal to PresenceÊ(2019 ) andÊIn Touch: How to Tune In to the Inner Guidance of Your Body and Trust YourselfÊ(2015) and is working on a new book entitledÊYour Deepest Ground: A Guide to Embodied SpiritualityÊ(March 2025). He is a retired Adjunct Professor of Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies as well as a retired psychotherapist. He studied with the European sage Jean Klein for many years as well as with Adyashanti who gave dharma transmission to John in August\, 2023. John and his wife Christiane offer residential retreats in the United States and Europe. \nwww.listeningfromsilence.com \nYouTube channel \nLisa Ferguson\, Ph.D.Êis the founder of Climate Compassion\, and has focused on supporting planetary wellbeing as a healing arts practitioner\, climate justice activist\, organizer and contemplative.Ê She offers psychospiritual support to activists through one-one sessions and small groups\, weaving together a focus on awakening\, healing and wise action. \nwww.climatecompassion.org \nJared MichaelsÊis a psychotherapist in private practice in Berkeley\, a Zen priest in the San Francisco Zen Center lineage\, and a longtime student of John Prendergast. For decades\, he asked what he could offer humanity that would make a difference. His answer has been consistent for years: To invite us to walk a path of personal and systemic transformation. \nJaredMichaels.com \nSuggested Donation: $75 per person \n(any amount acceptable\, no one turned away for lack of funds) \nREGISTER \nPre-registration is recommended\, through you can pay at door if not pre-registered. \nLunch Break: There are places close by to go out for lunch\, or you may bring your own lunch\, though there is no refrigerator access. \nNOTE: The venue is a kosher-style facility\, so no pork or shellfish\, and no meat mixed with dairy on premises. \nPARKING: There is some limited street parking in the neighborhood\, free and without time limit on weekends. There is also parking a few blocks away at the east parking lot of the Ashby Bart station: www.bart.gov/stations/ashb/map \nYou may also find paid parking just a few blocks away at Alta Bates Parking Garage: Enter on Colby between Ashby and Webster St. \nNearby parking may fill up quickly. Plan accordingly. URL:https://opencircle.net/event/john-prendergast-lisa-ferguson-jared-michaels-engaged-nonduality-inperson-daylong-2/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170436Z CREATED:20260106T170436Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170436Z UID:10000888-1725148800-1725148800@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Ishtar ~ Melting into Wholeness: Re-enchanting the Cosmos DESCRIPTION:When the mind settles into Silence\, the heart opens to the great mystery hidden everywhere in plain sight. The formless takes the form of Love\, melting the barrier between self and world\, reconnecting us to primordial Wholeness. This Wholeness is like a song that is already playing within. Every moment of life _ sublime or awful _ can be experienced as a flowing wholeness. Opening to this already present wholeness is the re-enchantment of the cosmos. \nIn the class\, weÕll practice a few simple but powerful ways of melting into wholeness: effortless mantra practice\, appreciation\, gratitude\, and opening directly to the flow of Shakti. \nIn addition to short talks and group practice\, there will be plenty of time for questions and answers. \nIshtar poetically speaks about discovering the Bliss-Filled Fullness we never need to chase\, as it’s always already trying to flood our lives. He shares how effortless mantra practice can help connect with SourceÑwith the Silence that’s always here: \n.tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;}.tg td{border:none; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;}.tg th{border:none;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;}.tg .tg-0pky{border-color:inherit;text-align:left;vertical-align:top}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.tg {width: auto !important;}.tg col {width: auto !important;}.tg-wrap {overflow-x: auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;}} \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAbout Ishtar \nIshtar is a meditation teacher\, monk\, gardener\, and head teacher of the School for Awakened Living. At age 13\, he experienced a near-death experience\, and fell into a Samadhi. The desire to return to Samadhi propelled him on a spiritual path\, bringing him to an Ashram at age 18\, in the early 2000Õs. Since then\, he has worked as a guide\, teaching effortless meditation\, and helping people relax into Wholeness. \nFor those wanting to learn more about IshtarÕs work\, his interviews can be watched on shows such as Buddha at the Gas Pump\, Conscious TV\, and Next Level Soul. \nFor more about Ishtar: www.ascension-meditation.com and \nwww.awakenedlightastrology.com \nSuggested donation: $15 to $40 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. \nPlease register early if you can. \nREGISTER \nThe event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week. \nTo check your local time\, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter URL:https://opencircle.net/event/ishtar-melting-into-wholeness-re-enchanting-the-cosmos/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T165927Z CREATED:20260106T165927Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T165927Z UID:10000827-1725148800-1725148800@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Marlies Myoku Cocheret ~ WomenÕs Sensual Satsang (for Women Only) DESCRIPTION:If traditional non dual Satsang is about waking up out of our bodies to our true transcendent nature Òto know we are not this thought\, not this feeling\, etc.Ó\, then Sensual Satsang is about ÔincendingÕ back into the body\, into the senses\, Ð or more accurately Ð the body ÔincendingÕ back into our spacious\, silent nature until body and silence melt together as one. \nDuring this WomenÕs Sensual Satsang\, we first anchor ourselves as silence and then through guided practice\, we awaken our senses. Along the way\, we may bump into parts of ourselves that are disconnected and numb. With tenderness and patience Ð going only as fast as the slowest part Ð we invite these parts and the rest of the body to melt into the vast silence\, until there is no gap between the two\, no divide. \nSilence & Sensuality are very close to my heart. Hope to see you in Sensual Satsang! \nAbout Marlies: \nMarlies Myoku Cocheret brings a potent invitation into the deep silence that we are. She gathers women together to celebrate their sovereignty and the sensual\, silent essence within their bodies. SheÕs been leading women on journeys of intimate connection with themselves and the feminine Divine for 25+ years and has been offering satsang and retreat since 2000 when Adyashanti asked her to teach. She lives in Tennessee and works internationally as a spiritual teacher\, psychologist\, Hakomi therapist\, and tantric educator. \nÒMarlies is a master at offering practices that help us embody and connect to ourselves. I felt seen and met by her. Her work is deeply still and yet so enlivening. What a gift!Ó ~ B.E. \nwww.marliescocheret.com \nSuggested donation: $15 to $40 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. \nPlease register early if you can. \nREGISTER \nThe event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week. \nTo check your local time\, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter URL:https://opencircle.net/event/marlies-myoku-cocheret-womenos-sensual-satsang-for-women-only-2/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240901T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T165911Z CREATED:20260106T165911Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T165911Z UID:10000826-1725148800-1725148800@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Stephan Bodian ~ Wake Up Now: A 2-Day Journey Through the Stages of Awakening DESCRIPTION:April 13 & 14\, 2024 \n9:00 am Ð 12:00 pm\, Pacific Time \nTime Zone Converter \nEvent will be recorded and emailed to participants after each meeting. \nYou’re welcome to join even if you can’t attend all the live sessions. \nAwakenings come in many shapes and sizes and are as diverse as the people who experience them. Yet they tend to follow a similar trajectory\, from the initial recognition that youÕre not who you thought you were to the full realization of your nondual spiritual nature beyond the mind. Along the way\, you may have a range of different experiences and insights that offer motivation and inspiration and deepen and expand your understanding. \nIn this weekend mini-retreat\, weÕll explore the journey of awakening through teachings\, guided meditations\, self-inquiry\, dialogue\, discussion\, and ample time to rest in the silence and stillness of Being. In the process youÕll discover that awakening is not a noun\, but a verb\, not a state but an endless unfolding into the Mystery of what is. \nStephan Bodian is a teacher in the nondual wisdom tradition of Zen\, Dzogchen\, and Advaita Vedanta. He’s been offering the School for Awakening\, an annual multi-month intensive program in spiritual unfolding and awakened living\, since 2007. As a licensed psychotherapist\, he brings a deep understanding of the impact of trauma and early conditioning on the process of spiritual realization and offers individual counseling and mentoring in psychospiritual integration. Stephan studied for many years with Advaita master Jean Klein and received Dharma transmission from Adyashanti in 2001. His books include Wake Up Now and Beyond Mindfulness. For more information\, visit : www.stephanbodian.org \nSliding Scale: $60 to $90 \nSome Partial Scholarships Available \nPlease Register Early if you can. \nREGISTER URL:https://opencircle.net/event/stephan-bodian-wake-up-now-a-2-day-journey-through-the-stages-of-awakening-2/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240801T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240801T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170710Z CREATED:20260106T170710Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170710Z UID:10000939-1722470400-1722470400@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Ishita Sharma ~ Embodiment Lab Ð Experiments in Embodying Presence DESCRIPTION:We are not thinking beings who sense; we are sensing beings who think. And re-setting that balance is key to joy\, to vibrance\, and true liberation! \nJoin us for Embodiment Lab\, an experiential exploration of the body as a doorway to presence and aliveness\, returning to the ground of being through our own direct experience. \nWe will use the fullness of our experience to tune and attune to our bodies\, illuminating our deepest healing and freedom. Engaging and transcending our senses\, awareness\, breath\, movement and sound and more\, we will use our body’s signals to return to sensate presence. \nTOGETHER ON OUR CALL WE WILL: \n\nExplore states of inner coherence in our own experience.\nEngage simple yet profound somatic and energetic practices.\nExperience the healing power of inner and group coherence.\nHave space to share\, ask questions and learn from within and together.\nLearn about ways to deepen our access to embodied presence.\n\nAll levels of experience are welcome. \nWatch Ishita share about her awakening journey: \n \n  \nBIO \nIshita Sharma serves as a spiritual teacher\, healing mirror\, embodiment partner\, and Core Energetics Practitioner of body-based psychotherapy. Teaching Universal principles of healing and mysticism\, she is devoted to supporting healing and awakening in all those committed to living a bright and connected life\, sharing their gifts for the good of the Whole. \nGrowing up in India\, asking big questions\, Ishita’s curiosities about the nature of All Things fueled a series of profound openings. Having her relationship to Self\, Life and others re-calibrated\, while learning to honor her own body’s signals as the ultimate path to God\, led her to study various spiritual\, neurological\, relational\, somatic and shamanic modalities\, through the Grace of her teachers and the Book of her Life. \nIshita has coached visionaries and leaders from Google\, Harvard\, MIT\, Silicon Valley\, Broadway artists\, and renowned scientists\, coaches\, teachers\, artists and activists. Clients come to her to grow through their deepest longings and challenges\, held and mirrored in their perfect wholeness. She points every one of them back to center. \nIshitaÕs teachings\, like her learnings\, support self-study through direct realization. They marry western mind and eastern spirit through the human body and heart to facilitate embodied awakening and authentic connection\, the balm for our tumultuous times. \nCare for our sacred shared world informs all her endeavors. Ishita now uses her skills to help clients connect with their inner signals so they can find rest in minds\, ease in their bodies\, joy in their hearts\, and embody their True Nature in right relation with Life. She brings 15 years of advanced facilitation\, a refined meditation practice\, and a fierce devotion to her own healing to serve. She looks forward to meeting and supporting you! \ncometocenter.com \nSuggested donation: $15 to $40 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. \nPlease register early if you can. \nREGISTER \nThe event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week. \nTo check your local time\, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter URL:https://opencircle.net/event/ishita-sharma-embodiment-lab-d-experiments-in-embodying-presence-3/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240801T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240801T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170446Z CREATED:20260106T170446Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170446Z UID:10000893-1722470400-1722470400@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Shakti Caterina Maggi ~ Embodied Non-duality DESCRIPTION:The teaching will be a dive into the heart of nonduality. An open and direct sharing about how our spiritual essence embodies in human experience to wake up to itself. \nWe will explore how suffering is the way through which we can recognize our self-imposed limitations. With courage and radical honesty we can use suffering as a trampoline to consciously connect to an unshakeable inner peace. \nShakti will offer a talk followed by Q&A. \nWatch Shakti speak about the perception of oneness with life \nin contrast to seeing objects as external to ourselves: \n \n  \nShakti Caterina Maggi is a spiritual guide\, meditation teacher and author widely recognized as one of the most authentic and profound voices of contemporary spirituality. Combining the vision of Advaita and non-dual Tantra with a contemporary approach\, Shakti offers with humanity\, compassion and great clarity an inner technology to dissolve that contraction of suffering that accompanies our lives\, and access a space of peace and unconditional love towards life. \nwww.shakticaterinamaggi.com \nSuggested donation: $15 to $40 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. \nPlease register early if you can. \nREGISTER \nThe event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week. \nTo check your local time\, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter URL:https://opencircle.net/event/shakti-caterina-maggi-embodied-non-duality-5/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240801T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240801T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170445Z CREATED:20260106T170445Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170445Z UID:10000892-1722470400-1722470400@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Lisa Schumacher ~ Open Meeting with Lisa ~ Local IN-PERSON\, Berkeley Event DESCRIPTION:An open meeting with Lisa is an opportunity to step away from your day to day life and devote time for inquiry into the source of who you are. There will be a few moments of silence to start the meeting and then Lisa will speak and invite you to share about your realizations and ask questions about awakening. \nLisa Schumacher: Lisa grew up in Colusa\, CA\, and attended college at San Luis Obispo in the 1980’s. After she moved to Southern Oregon in the early 90s\, a friend invited her to a video satsang with Gangaji. Upon hearing Gangaji say “Be your Natural Self”\, Lisa’s heart caught on fire and she fell into a deep bow of surrender. That meeting revealed to her the absolute simplicity of the natural\, living truth of Love\, inseparable from who one is. Lisa moved to Bolinas in 1999 to be closer to Gangaji and the vibrant community around her. In 2006\, Lisa was asked by Gangaji to meet with people and share Satsang. She has held meetings in Europe\, Australia\, New Zealand and North America. She’s also a long-time student of Eli Jaxon-Bear\, Gangaji’s husband\, and a founding teacher of the Eli’s “Leela School of Awakening”. Lisa is the author of “The Stone I Love”\, a book of poetry inspired by Gangaji\, available on her website and for purchase at the gathering. \nIn Lisa’s meetings\, she invites you to sit close and inquire about your awakening\, your spiritual questions\, and the unfolding truth. The teaching is in the tradition of Gangaji\, who is a student of Papaji\, who had his awakening at the feet of Ramana Maharshi. \nWeÕll also have a One Day Retreat with Lisa on July 20 in Fairfax (pre-registration required for the daylong). \nLisa’s website: satsangwithlisa.org \nSuggested donation: $15 to $30 \nNo pre-registration for this evening event. Just come & join us. URL:https://opencircle.net/event/lisa-schumacher-open-meeting-with-lisa-local-in-person-berkeley-event-2/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240801T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240801T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170444Z CREATED:20260106T170444Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170444Z UID:10000891-1722470400-1722470400@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Lisa Schumacher ~ Choose Love DESCRIPTION:A meeting with Lisa is an opportunity to step away from your day to day life and devote time for self-inquiry into the heart of Love. There will be a few moments of silence to start the meeting and then Lisa will speak and invite the community to share reports about their realizations and ask questions. \nWatch Lisa’s awakening story: \nhttps://opencircle.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/231101V_Lisa-Schumacher-Interview-clip-1.mp4\nLisa Schumacher: Lisa grew up in Colusa\, CA\, and attended college at San Luis Obispo in the 1980’s. After she moved to Southern Oregon in the early 90s\, a friend invited her to a video satsang with Gangaji. Upon hearing Gangaji say “Be your Natural Self”\, Lisa’s heart caught on fire and she fell into a deep bow of surrender. That meeting revealed to her the absolute simplicity of the natural\, living truth of Love\, inseparable from who one is. Lisa moved to Bolinas in 1999 to be closer to Gangaji and the vibrant community around her. In 2006\, Lisa was asked by Gangaji to meet with people and share Satsang. She has held meetings in Europe\, Australia\, New Zealand and North America. She’s also a long-time student of Eli Jaxon-Bear\, Gangaji’s husband\, and a founding teacher of the Eli’s “Leela School of Awakening”. Lisa is the author of “The Stone I Love”\, a book of poetry inspired by Gangaji\, available on her website and for purchase at the gathering. \nIn Lisa’s meetings\, she invites you to sit close and inquire about your awakening\, your spiritual questions\, and the unfolding truth. The teaching is in the tradition of Gangaji\, who is a student of Papaji\, who had his awakening at the feet of Ramana Maharshi. \nLisa will also be offering a Daylong Retreat in Fairfax\, California on July 20th (click to see details). \nLisa’s website: satsangwithlisa.org \nSuggested donation for July 16\, 10am to 12noon: $15 to $40 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. \nPlease register early if you can. \nREGISTER \nThe event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week. \nTo check your local time\, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter URL:https://opencircle.net/event/lisa-schumacher-choose-love-3/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240801T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240801T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170438Z CREATED:20260106T170438Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170438Z UID:10000890-1722470400-1722470400@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Louise Kay ~ Embodied Awareness DESCRIPTION:If you bring your attention fully present into the now and inquire with a genuine\, open curiosity into the truth of this moment\, what is discovered is that underlying all experiences lies an invisible\, potent presence. This presence is often referred to as stillness\, being\, consciousness or awareness and is the eternal\, formless essence of who you are. All else appears in and is perceived by this awareness. \nThe recognition of this truth through direct experiential knowing is a divine blessing and is followed by a sacred process of integration\, which takes place on the level of body and mind. As higher consciousness penetrates the physical body in the surrendered state\, unconscious beliefs and conditionings are revealed and released\, and unprocessed emotions held in the system rise to the surface to be consciously felt and transmuted. This process of deep healing and maturing takes place over time on the level of form\, while one remains anchored in the formlessness of the unending now. \nYou are invited to join Louise for an exploration of Embodied Awareness comprising a guided meditation and opportunity to ask questions. \nAbout Louise \nLouise Kay was born in the north west of The UK. After graduating from university she worked as an English teacher for 15 years\, and during this time began to question the deeper meaning of life. This led her to the path of spirituality\, where she found a strong resonance with the teachings of non-duality. \nIn her early thirties Louise felt a deep call in her heart to visit India\, where she experienced a profound spiritual awakening. Shortly afterwards Louise began channeling and traveled around the world sharing this gift for several years. During this time she experienced a deepening and integration of her initial spiritual awakening and as she opened more to this non-dual truth a new form of expression revealed itself from deep in her heart. \nLouise is passionate about supporting people to live a life of presence and unconditional love. Her greatest joy is to sit together in presence and gently hold space for all emotions\, all sensations and all experiences which arise in the moment in order to support the integration of unresolved energies and allow the unfolding of the divine in all who feel the call. \nExplorations are usually focused around self-inquiry\, the release of limiting beliefs and the integration of unprocessed emotions and energies. \nLouise holds group events online and around the world. \nMore about Louise: www.louisekay.net \nSuggested donation: $15 to $40 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. \nPlease register early if you can. \nREGISTER \nThe event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week. \nTo check your local time\, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter URL:https://opencircle.net/event/louise-kay-embodied-awareness-2/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240801T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240801T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170437Z CREATED:20260106T170437Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170437Z UID:10000889-1722470400-1722470400@opencircle.net SUMMARY:John Prendergast ~ Opening to the Ground: The Path of Immanence ~ In-Person DESCRIPTION:While the first step in awakening involves transcending our personal narrative and waking “up” to our true nature as unbounded awareness\, we must also wake ‘down” into the heart and ground in order to embody this understanding in our ordinary life – the path of immanence. This requires that emotional and instinctual levels of our conditioning are increasingly infused with the light of Awareness. \nJohn Prendergast\, Ph.D is a spiritual teacher and retired psychotherapist and adjunct professor of psychology at CIIS\, well known for his pioneering work in integrating non-dual wisdom and psychotherapy. He studied with the European sage Jean Klein for many years\, as well as with Adyashanti\, who gave him dharma transmission in August\, 2023. He is the author of The Deep Heart (2019) and In Touch (2015) and is working on a new book for Sounds True about the Ground. \nJohn’s website: listeningfromsilence.com \nJohn’s YouTube channel \nSatsang: 2-4 pm \nRefreshments: until 5 \nSuggested Donation: $10- $20\, no one turned away. \nNo pre-registration. Pay at door when you arrive. \nAll proceeds will be donated to Open Circle/Rob Schwartz property in Fairfax. \nLocation: 8476 Sonoma Ave\, Sebastopol\, CA. Park on Sonoma Ave. \nNote: The address sign says 8474/8476.Ê Park on the street\, and walk down the short driveway to the house with the carport. \nPlease arrive 10-15 minutes early. \nPlease dress warmly\, doors & windows will be open! \nIf you have symptoms of a viral infection\, or have had a recent Covid exposure or positive test\, please stay home out of consideration for others. URL:https://opencircle.net/event/john-prendergast-opening-to-the-ground-the-path-of-immanence-in-person-2/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240801T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240801T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170309Z CREATED:20260106T170309Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170309Z UID:10000866-1722470400-1722470400@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Chesaray ~ Somatic Self Inquiry: Embodied Awakening and Psychological Integration through Movement DESCRIPTION:Experiential Divinity in our everyday lives requires a holistic approach that embraces the whole self. Let us turn from the temptations of spiritual bypassing and lean into the fire of embodiment. \nSomatic Self Inquiry supports people in discovering their true nature by welcoming below-the-mind\, bottom-up approaches to integration. When we are reminded of our Divinity deep within\, we can be liberated from patterns that hold us back from joy and freedom. Through exploring the richness of the somatic depths and opening to the unknown\, we find ourselves “in the world but not of it.” \nLet us come together in the spirit of Inquiry for a guided movement exploration\, meditation\, and exchanges with Chesaray. \nChesaray is passionate about supporting those to awaken to the lived experience of Unconditional Love and Being. She is the Spiritual Director of Loving Ground\, a 501 c3 non-profit. She offers online and in person retreats and courses based on a wide range of psychological\, spiritual\, holistic healing modalities that support human evolution. \nPlease find out more about ChesarayÕs offerings at www.chesaray.org \nSuggested donation: $15 to $40 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. \nPlease register early if you can. \nREGISTER \nThe event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week. \nTo check your local time\, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter URL:https://opencircle.net/event/chesaray-somatic-self-inquiry-embodied-awakening-and-psychological-integration-through-movement/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240801T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240801T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170308Z CREATED:20260106T170308Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170308Z UID:10000865-1722470400-1722470400@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Shakti Caterina Maggi ~ Embodied nonduality DESCRIPTION:The teaching will be a dive into the heart of nonduality. An open and direct sharing about how our spiritual essence embodies in human experience to wake up to itself. \nWe will explore how suffering is the way through which we can recognize our self-imposed limitations. With courage and radical honesty we can use suffering as a trampoline to consciously connect to an unshakeable inner peace. \nShakti will offer a talk followed by Q&A. \nWatch a 6-part conversation with Shakti \nwhere she shares about her awakening journey and its impact on the relationships in her life\, her way of approaching strong emotions and spiritual embodiment\, as well as her unique way of sharing her understanding of Truth.Ê \n.tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;}.tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial\, sans-serif;font-size:14px; overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;}.tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;font-family:Arial\, sans-serif;font-size:14px; font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:10px 5px;word-break:normal;}.tg .tg-0pky{border-color:inherit;text-align:left;vertical-align:top}.tg .tg-0lax{text-align:left;vertical-align:top}@media screen and (max-width: 767px) {.tg {width: auto !important;}.tg col {width: auto !important;}.tg-wrap {overflow-x: auto;-webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;}} \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShakti Caterina Maggi is a spiritual guide\, meditation teacher and author widely recognized as one of the most authentic and profound voices of contemporary spirituality. Combining the vision of Advaita and non-dual Tantra with a contemporary approach\, Shakti offers with humanity\, compassion and great clarity an inner technology to dissolve that contraction of suffering that accompanies our lives\, and access a space of peace and unconditional love towards life. \nwww.shakticaterinamaggi.com \nSuggested donation: $15 to $40 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. \nPlease register early if you can. \nREGISTER \nThe event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week. \nTo check your local time\, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter URL:https://opencircle.net/event/shakti-caterina-maggi-embodied-nonduality-3/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240801T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240801T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170113Z CREATED:20260106T170113Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170113Z UID:10000848-1722470400-1722470400@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Jeannie Zandi ~ Women\, Spirit & the Body (women only) DESCRIPTION:Join Jeannie for a special call for women exploring the theme of spirituality and the body. \nJeannieÕs gift for inviting people to join her in resting and rooted presence evokes a deep meeting with oneself and reality. Within that\, JeannieÕs humor and iconoclasm serve to bring people into an understanding that is beyond the intellectual. Through silent and guided meditation\, spontaneous talks and exchange with participants\, Jeannie will host a space of clarity and warmth where the richness of relating can be explored safely and your innermost questions met fully. \nJeannie Zandi is the director of Living as Love\, a nonprofit organization dedicated to seeding a culture of the Heart on the planet\, inspiring\, teaching and supporting people to live from their essence as Love. A year before the birth of her daughter\, Jeannie was plunged into a dark night of the soul that culminated in a radical shift of consciousness. She is known for her fearless clarity\, tender mercy toward humanness\, and a juicy\, poetic and often humorous style that draws from Advaita Vedanta\, Sufism\, Christian mysticism and the ongoing revelation of fully engaged living. \nwww.jeanniezandi.com \nSuggested donation: $15 to $40 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. \nPlease register early if you can. \nREGISTER \nThe event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week. \nTo check your local time\, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter URL:https://opencircle.net/event/jeannie-zandi-women-spirit-the-body-women-only/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240701T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240701T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170753Z CREATED:20260106T170753Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170753Z UID:10000975-1719792000-1719792000@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Amoda Maa ~ An Inquiry into the Living Truth of Freedom (In-Person Event) DESCRIPTION:Open Circle is hosting a series of SATSANGS & a DAYLONG with Amoda Maa in California\, USA. \nFebruary 27th (7-9 pm\, PT) ~ Berkeley\, CA \nFebruary 28th (7-9 pm\, PT) ~ Mill Valley\, CA \nMarch 1st Daylong (11:00am – 5:00pm\, PT) ~ Fairfax\, CA \nMarch 2nd (2-4 pm\, PT) ~ Sebastopol\, CA \nAll events are In-Person ~ \nLivestream is also available for Feb. 27th to March 1st \nClick here to access details & registration for ALL events in series. \nAmoda Maa invites an open-hearted honesty to the exploration of what it means to live as freedom in all circumstances. She offers profound pointers to how this freedom reveals itself if we are willing to surrender all resistance to Òwhat isÓ and how the light of our essential nature shines through all experience when the Òveil of self” comes undone. Through dialogue\, inquiry\, and guided meditation she supports the recognition of that which is beyond the duality of perception\, thought and feeling\, and takes us to the experience of the ever-present and unchanging reality of awareness. This unbounded awareness is the eternal ground of Being É and this is the source of true peace and freedom. \nThis is a two-hour meeting\, including guided meditation/silence\, discourse and Q&As. \nAmoda Maa offers a profound invitation to all those who wish to embody the truth of awakened consciousness in the midst of everyday life. AmodaÕs teachings are free from any ideology and are not affiliated with any lineage or tradition\, and yet the luminous truth is the same nondual understanding at the core of many spiritual traditions. \nShe offers meetings and retreats in the USA and Europe\, is the author of several books\, and is founder and spiritual director of the Amoda Maa Foundation. \nwww.amodamaa.com \n– \n \n  \nSatsang: 2-4 pm \nRefreshments: until 5 \nSuggested Donation: $10- $20\, no one turned away. \nNo pre-registration. Pay at door when you arrive. \nLocation: 8476 Sonoma Ave\, Sebastopol\, CA. Park on Sonoma Ave. \nNote: The address sign says 8474/8476.Ê Park on the street\, and walk down the short driveway to the house with the carport. \nPlease dress mindfully\, doors & windows may be open! \nIf you have covid-like symptoms\, or have had a recent Covid exposure or positive test\, please stay home out of consideration for others. URL:https://opencircle.net/event/amoda-maa-an-inquiry-into-the-living-truth-of-freedom-in-person-event/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240701T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240701T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170753Z CREATED:20260106T170753Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170753Z UID:10000976-1719792000-1719792000@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Loch Kelly and Lisa Ferguson ~ Engaged Nonduality DESCRIPTION:Engaged Nonduality \nResponding to the World Outside and \nWithin from Awake Loving Flow \nwith Loch Kelly and Lisa Ferguson \nRecording will be emailed to participants within a week. \nYouÕre welcome to join even if you canÕt attend the live session. \nThis series of Engaged Nonduality events\, hosted by Lisa Ferguson\, explores how nondual wisdom may respond to our world in crisis. We live in a time of multiple intersecting crises that threaten the wellbeing of all life\, including climate breakdown\, unaligned tech and AI\, injustice\, war and authoritarianism. The recognition of nonduality has much to offer in these times\, including a deep knowing of our wholeness and shared Being\, as well as opening to the wellspring of our wise and creative response. This series invites guest presenters to explore how nondual teaching may respond to planetary crises through talks\, practices and group participation. \nLoch Kelly\, M.Div.\, LCSW is the creator of the new nondual meditation app\, Mindful Glimpses. He is the founder of the 501c3 nonprofit public charity\, Effortless Mindfulness Institute. Loch is an award-winning author\, licensed psychotherapist and recognized leader in the field of meditation and awakening. He and has worked in community mental health\, established homeless shelters and counseled family members of 9/11 in NYC. \nLoch graduated from Columbia University Social Work School and received a fellowship from Union Theological to study meditation in Sri Lanka\, India and Nepal. It was there he studied with Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and many of the great nondual masters of our age. \nLoch has collaborated with neuroscientists at Yale\, UPenn and NYU in the study of how awareness training can enhance compassion and wellbeing. In 2007 Loch was asked to teach by Adyashanti. \nLoch is dedicated to reducing suffering and supporting people to live from open-hearted awareness. He is known for his warm sense of humor and his trust that awakening is the next natural stage of development. He teaches the advanced yet simple nondual pointers and direct methods of Effortless Mindfulness\, informed by wisdom traditions\, psychology and social justice. Loch lives in upstate New York with his wife Paige and their cats Bodhi and Uly. www.lochkelly.org \nLisa Ferguson\, Ph.D. is the founder of Climate Compassion\, and has focused on supporting planetary wellbeing as a healing arts practitioner\, climate justice activist\, organizer and contemplative. She offers psychospiritual support to activists through one-one sessions and small groups\, weaving together a focus on awakening\, healing and wise action. \nSuggested Donation: $15 to $40 \n(any amount acceptable\, no one turned away for lack of funds) \nPlease register early if you can. \nREGISTER \nTo check your local time\, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter URL:https://opencircle.net/event/loch-kelly-and-lisa-ferguson-engaged-nonduality/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240701T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240701T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170751Z CREATED:20260106T170751Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170751Z UID:10000973-1719792000-1719792000@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Amoda Maa ~ An Inquiry into the Living Truth of Freedom (In-Person & Livestream) DESCRIPTION:Open Circle is hosting a series of SATSANGS & a DAYLONG with Amoda Maa in California\, USA. \nFebruary 27th (7-9 pm\, PT) ~ Berkeley\, CA \nFebruary 28th (7-9 pm\, PT) ~ Mill Valley\, CA \nMarch 1st Daylong (11:00am – 5:00pm\, PT) ~ Fairfax\, CA \nMarch 2nd (2-4 pm\, PT) ~ Sebastopol\, CA \nAll events are In-Person ~ \nLivestream is also available for Feb. 27th to March 1st \nClick here to access details & registration for ALL events in series. \nAmoda Maa invites an open-hearted honesty to the exploration of what it means to live as freedom in all circumstances. She offers profound pointers to how this freedom reveals itself if we are willing to surrender all resistance to Òwhat isÓ and how the light of our essential nature shines through all experience when the Òveil of self” comes undone. Through dialogue\, inquiry\, and guided meditation she supports the recognition of that which is beyond the duality of perception\, thought and feeling\, and takes us to the experience of the ever-present and unchanging reality of awareness. This unbounded awareness is the eternal ground of Being É and this is the source of true peace and freedom. \nThis is a two-hour meeting\, including guided meditation/silence\, discourse and Q&As. \nAmoda Maa offers a profound invitation to all those who wish to embody the truth of awakened consciousness in the midst of everyday life. AmodaÕs teachings are free from any ideology and are not affiliated with any lineage or tradition\, and yet the luminous truth is the same nondual understanding at the core of many spiritual traditions. \nShe offers meetings and retreats in the USA and Europe\, is the author of several books\, and is founder and spiritual director of the Amoda Maa Foundation. \nwww.amodamaa.com \n– \n \n  \nSuggested donation: $15 to $30 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. \nPre-registration for In-Person attandance closes at Midnight on Feb. 27 (the night before event) \nPre-registration is encouraged\, but you can also just show up & pay at door. Come & join us! \nREGISTER for IN-PERSON Attendance \nOR \nREGISTER for LIVESTREAM &/or Recording Access \nIf you register for Recording access by event date\, link to access it will be sent to you within a week. \nIf you register for Recording access AFTER event date\, please forward your confirmation email to web@opencircle.net to notify us that you registered after event date. \n  \nFor inquiries contact LocalEvents@opencircle.net \nIf you have symptoms of a respiratory infection\, or have had a recent \nCovid exposure or positive test\, please stay home out of consideration for others. URL:https://opencircle.net/event/amoda-maa-an-inquiry-into-the-living-truth-of-freedom-in-person-livestream-2/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240701T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240701T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170751Z CREATED:20260106T170751Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170751Z UID:10000974-1719792000-1719792000@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Amoda Maa ~ Discovering Freedom as the Natural State of Open Awareness ~ Daylong (In-Person & Livestream) DESCRIPTION:Open Circle is hosting a series of SATSANGS & a DAYLONG with Amoda Maa in California\, USA. \nFebruary 27th (7-9 pm\, PT) ~ Berkeley\, CA \nFebruary 28th (7-9 pm\, PT) ~ Mill Valley\, CA \nMarch 1st Daylong (11:00am – 5:00pm\, PT) ~ Fairfax\, CA \nMarch 2nd (2-4 pm\, PT) ~ Sebastopol\, CA \nAll events are In-Person ~ \nLivestream is also available for Feb. 27th to March 1st \nClick here to access details & registration for ALL events in series. \nAn opportunity to meet and dialogue with Amoda Maa in an intimate setting. In this sacred meeting space\, there is an amplification of the field of presence and the possibility to open to the innermost discovery of what is already here as the natural state of open awareness. \nAmoda Maa offers profound pointers to how this freedom reveals itself if we are willing to surrender all resistance to Òwhat isÓ and how the light of our essential nature shines through all experience when the Òveil of self” comes undone. Through dialogue\, inquiry\, and guided meditation she supports the recognition of that which is beyond the duality of perception\, thought and feeling\, and takes us to the experience of the ever-present and unchanging reality of awareness. This unbounded awareness is the eternal ground of Being É and this is the source of true peace and freedom. \nYou will have the opportunity to ask your essential questions and share your realizations. \nThere are two meetings in the day\, each of two hours in duration. Each meeting includes time for guided meditation/silence\, discourse\, and Q&As. \nAmoda Maa offers an invitation to all those who wish to embody the truth of awakened consciousness in the midst of everyday life. AmodaÕs teachings are free from any ideology and are not affiliated with any lineage or tradition\, and yet the luminous truth is the same nondual understanding at the core of many spiritual traditions. \nShe offers meetings and retreats in the USA and Europe\, is the author of several books\, and is founder and spiritual director of the Amoda Maa Foundation. \nwww.amodamaa.com \n– \n \n  \nPre-registration is Required for In-Person Attendance to this Daylong\, as space is limited. \nRegistration for In-Person attendance closes at Midnight on Feb. 28 (the night before event) \nSliding Scale: $60 to $120 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. \nREGISTER for IN-PERSON Attendance \nOR \nREGISTER for LIVESTREAM &/or Recording Access \nIf you register for Recording access by event date\, link to access it will be sent to you within a week. \nIf you register for Recording access AFTER event date\, please forward your confirmation email to web@opencircle.net to notify us that you registered after event date. \nFor inquiries contact LocalEvents@opencircle.net \nLunch: \nBring your own lunch\, or drive 5 minutes into town where there are restaurants\, as well as the Good Earth Natural Foods Store that has a full hot and salad bar\, plus deli. \nLocation: \nThe meeting will be held at a private home in the Fairfax hills\, with views of Mount Tam and hiking trails. Address and directions will be provided upon registration. \nIf you have symptoms of a viral infection\, or have had a recent \nCovid exposure or positive test\, please stay home out of consideration for others. URL:https://opencircle.net/event/amoda-maa-discovering-freedom-as-the-natural-state-of-open-awareness-daylong-in-person-livestream/ END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240701T000000 DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20240701T000000 DTSTAMP:20260106T170624Z CREATED:20260106T170624Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260106T170624Z UID:10000927-1719792000-1719792000@opencircle.net SUMMARY:Stephan Bodian ~ Awakening Day Mini Retreat DESCRIPTION:In Japanese Zen\, December 8 is celebrated as Bodhi Day\, the anniversary of the BuddhaÕs awakening\, and monasteries hold a special retreat that extends through the night of the seventh and culminates at dawn on the eight\, when the Buddha saw the morning star and attained enlightenment. This December 8th is also the 50th anniversary of my ordination as a Zen monk\, and I want to express my gratitude to my teachers and students by sitting with you in awakened awareness. The emphasis will be on silent sitting accompanied by teachings and reflections on the nature of awakening and direct pointers to our natural state of inherent wakefulness. \nStephan Bodian is a teacher in the nondual wisdom tradition of Zen\, Dzogchen\, and Advaita Vedanta. He’s been offering the School for Awakening\, an annual multi-month intensive program in spiritual unfolding and awakened living\, since 2007. As a licensed psychotherapist\, he brings a deep understanding of the impact of trauma and early conditioning on the process of spiritual realization and offers individual counseling and mentoring in psychospiritual integration. Stephan studied for many years with Advaita master Jean Klein and received Dharma transmission from Adyashanti in 2001. His books include Wake Up Now and Beyond Mindfulness. For more information\, visit : www.stephanbodian.org \nSuggested donation: $40 to $80 \nNo one turned away for lack of funds. Any amount welcome. \nStephan Bodian has offered that all donations for this event will go \nto support Open Circle in continuing this work of offering teachings. \nREGISTER \nPlease register early if you can. \nThe event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week. \nTo check your local time\, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter URL:https://opencircle.net/event/stephan-bodian-awakening-day-mini-retreat/ END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR