New audio on AwakenToTruth.com

Four new spoken audio selections have been updated to the website.  You can listen to them here:

http://awakentotruth.com/mp3s.html

American Red Cross Contribution

Attendees at Sunday's (Jan 24) satsang contributed a total of $560 to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief fund.  I am grateful to each of you for your generosity of spirit (and of money!). As we discussed in this teaching, it is both possible and important to work on both the level of duality/form in which material goods matter greatly, and the level of the nondual/energetic/spiritual. Ultimately these apparent dualities dissolve into direct knowing emerging spontaneously and continuously from the nomind awareness of what is.

HAITI ON MY MIND

As long as space and time remain

As long as sentient beings remain

Until then may I too remain

And relieve the miseries of the world.

SHANTIDEVAS PRAYER

This prayer is the Tibetan Buddhist version of the Bodhisattvas’ vow. All Mahayana Buddhists (Tibetan and Zen) are committed to what is real, namely inclusion of all beings in the Great Way. The purpose of the search and ultimate realization of the Real (Enlightenment) is the liberation from suffering for all sentient beings. Sentient means all beings with a nervous system, which are therefore capable of experiencing pain and suffering. Thus this liberation is not restricted to human beings, but includes animals, reptiles, fish, birds, and so forth. The current devastation and suffering in Haiti is truly beyond our comprehension. The pain and suffering of human beings is palpable and compelling. Rarely considered is the unimaginable suffering of other beings we share our lives with, such as household pets, domestic farm animals, and so forth. The collision of tectonic plates cannot be good for fish and other ocean dwellers either. Yet this crisis provides those of us comfortably ensconced in the United States an important opportunity to remember our essential oneness with all beings. We are neither separate from nor the same as anything whatsoever. How can we best assist those who suffer? How can we best help ourselves and our families? We may turn to the concept of skillful means. We can provide assistance at the level of money, which is obviously needed and beneficial. At the teaching on Haiti Sunday, January 24, all donations received will be forwarded to the International Red Cross Haiti relief effort. How else can we help?

In the January 24 teaching we will work on becoming increasingly aware of our internal blocks to the natural flowering of compassion, which is our true nature as human beings. In the deepest sense, compassion begins at home. I am repeatedly startled by how harsh most of us are with our imagined faults and failings. A lot of my psychotherapy time is spent helping people become more aware of the relentless self-bully in their heads. We cannot see the suffering of others until we have developed some perspective on how we create so much needless suffering for ourselves. In every moment our goal is to be fully present for what is real. Adding nothing, nothing taken away, just …this..exactly as it is.

This past week on Ebay I bought a small hand-printed Thanka with the following poem attribute to the current Dalai Lama. I do not know the source, but it seems appropriate in this context.

NEVER GIVE UP

no matter what is going on

Never give up

Develop the heart

Too much energy in your country

Is spent developing the mind

Instead of the heart

Develop the heart

Be compassionate

Not just to your friends

But to everyone

Be compassionate

Work for peace

In your heart and in the world

Work for peace

And I say again

Never give up

No matter what is happening

No matter what is going on around you

Never give up

H.H. The XIV Dalai Lama

New David Scoma audio available

David Scoma is a wonderful teacher I met in Raleigh at the Self Inquiry Group teaching week-end in October. I highly recommend listening to the audio recordings available on his excellent website www.justperception.net. "Each War Is Different, Each War Is The Same" is a talk he gave several weeks ago in Raleigh. When you visit David’s website, notice also his interesting comments on movies from a spiritual perspective.

Andy Hall new EP

My older son Andy is a professional bluegrass musician who lives in Nashville. Below is a description of a new collection of songs he has released. If you click on the link, you will be taken to  the CDBaby website where you can listen to excerpts of these songs, and order the CD if you wish. Of particular interest might be the song Brokedown City, possibly an homage to Binghamton(?!)
"Andy Hall plays and sings with excitement, passion, precision and a dynamic that is quickly establishing him as one of the top players in acoustic music today. A founding member of the acclaimed young bluegrass band, The Infamous Stringdusters, Hall won three IBMA awards with the group in 2007 (Best Album, Emerging Artist, and Song of the Year) for their debut effort  Fork In The Road. Andy's 2008 Sugar Hill Release The Sound of the Slide Guitar won the International Bluegrass Music Award for Instrumental Album of the Year. His current 5 song self release, Aquafier, continues to push the boundaries of acoustic music. Aquafier is a 5 song collection of modern Dobro music featuring some of Andy's favorite musicians, including the Infamous Stringdusters. This album ranges from funk, to newgrass, to ambient electric, and includes one vocal feature."
http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vY2RiYWJ5LmNvbS9jZC9hbmR5aGFsbDM=

The Problem with Awakening

The topic of this Sunday's teaching will be taken from the post below. The portion in quotes is Adyashanti, with the other comments by Mark Scorelle. The main point to grasp with this work is that it is never ceasing. No matter how far you have gone, or think you have gone, there is much work left to be done by no one. Adya does a wonderful job of succiently summarizing some of the most difficult challenges for both teacher and student post-awakening. The deprogramming of deeply ingrained, automatic, largely unconscious habits and beliefs must continue as long as there is a bodymind. We will discuss in this teaching how to recognize and deconstruct these ingrained habits (vasanas) in yourself.

Adyashanti talks about the common 'I got it; I lost it' experience with awakeners - an awakening is followed by a return to duality.

“So why, then, does awakening vacillate? It mostly has to do with our conditioning. There are areas within ourselves that are so conditioned that, at first, not even awakening is able to penetrate them. As such, we haven't become totally free. Another word for conditioning is karma. Karma is a word that comes from the East and, without going into any esoteric meanings or explanations, means cause and effect. It refers to the conditioning we've received from our life experiences - the things we are predisposed to like or not like, based on our past experience."

Interestingly, despite the awakening, the remainder of one's conditioning means that ego is still functioning, and the challenge is to be honest enough to see it, acknowledge it, and do something about it.

“As a spiritual teacher, getting people to this state of honesty, or suggesting that they go there, can be quite difficult. This is because there is a strong tendency in the egoic structure to use awakening as a reason to hide from all of one's inner divisions. When I suggest some of the things I'm talking about here, like recognizing where we unenlighten ourselves, some of my students will say, 'But there's nobody to do that. There is no person here. The ego and person is an illusion, so there's really no one to look inside.' From the perception of awakening, there isn't a problem, even when things are a total mess. From the perception of awakening, there isn't a problem; therefore there is nothing to do. If you perceive that there is something to do, you're deluded.

It can be very difficult for any spiritual teacher to get through to students like this, to get them to stop holding on to their fixation on an absolute view. This is one of the dangers of awakening: the tendency to grasp at a lopsided view. We grasp at the absolute view of awakening, and we deny anything else. It is actually the ego that fixates on the absolute in this way, using it as an excuse for dismissing unenlightened behavior, thought patterns, and divided emotional states.”

In other words, the awakening process gets hijacked by the ego.

Posted by Mark Scorelle 12/1/09 on the Wisdoms Goldenrod listserv (wisdom-l@yahoogroupgs.com)

I have noticed a tendency for people with some degree of awakened awareness to 'hide in the cave of nonduality'. This is partly what Adyashanti is alluding to in his commentary. There are many potential pitfalls on the spiritual path. The issue described here is one of the most problematic post-awakening seductions. We will examine it, as well as the way back to Truth.

Gratitude at Thanksgiving

This seems like an ideal time to step back and give thanks for all the help I receive in providing this teaching. I am deeply grateful to Mary Lou Herrick who has been closely involved with every detail of my as yet unpublished book since I started writing it 2 ½ years ago. In the process I have become a much better writer, although the more I write the more appreciation develops for those who are truly good at it. Mary Lou is a gifted poet as well as editor. Karen Madsen has managed all but one of my silent retreats, and has worked closely with me on all aspects including publicity, student contact, and on-site management. Karen also designed and developed my website. She has excellent judgment, and is developing into a gifted teacher herself. Mark Scorelle has been a dependable and consistent source of support and encouragement. For a long time his willingness to record my talks was the only reason such recordings now exist. He has recently taught me how to do my own recordings, and how to improve them using Adobe Audition software. He is remarkably patient and kind. Elliot Sullivan, who aspires to be the first enlightened stand-up comic, has provided invaluable, knowledgeable, and skilled help in editing and publishing my book and other educational materials. Steven Kraft is teaching me how to upload the audios to FileZilla and from there to get them onto my website and blog. None of this kind of work is easy for me, and I deeply appreciate those who help teach me. Gaye King managed the one retreat Karen couldn't attend, and made it effortless for me. She is developing into an inspiring teacher of energetic healing. There are many others who have helped in the past and present, too many to list now. Suffice it to say that any worthwhile endeavor is truly a group effort. It not only takes a village to raise a loving child, but also to provide this teaching to those who seek it.

Audio Recordings Available for Download

 Below are audio recordings of recent talks I have given. They are also available on my website. Many thanks to Steven Kraft and Mark Scorelle for helping me with this project. The audio files open easily with Fire Fox, Google, or Safari, but not with Internet Explorer. We are working on this issue. We are also still working on improving the audio quality, especially the Raleigh talk, although it's not bad as is. Feedback and comments are more than welcome.




Opening Talk Nov 2009 Retreat: the ego, it's purpose and structure

Michael and Bart Marshall Teaching in Binghamton June 2009   105 min
Michael Wisdoms Goldenrod Teaching Day Morning  September 2009    95 min
Opening Talk June 2009 Retreat
These and other recordings are available at:

http://www.awakentotruth.com/mp3s.html

Michael Satsang July 2009    101 min
http://www.awakentotruth.com/audio/data/WMH-Satsang-July_26_2009.mp3

November Moon

Evening Silent Retreat

Morning Mist

RETREAT NOVEMBER 2009

Comment by Donovan on "Should Spiritual Teachers Charge"

Nice post. Having come out of the dualist Christian fundamentalist church, I heard the same arguments about charging for the "gospel" for years. Now being enlightened to the point of accepting what is as truth, I can see clearly that receiving compensation for anything is fine and natural. It's the word games and manipulation around the giving and receiving that causes most of the problems- especially the judgements of what is right or wrong. My conclusion is that most of the discussion is always in favor of the one who already has the most money. Case in point. I used to be a talent agent for Christian celebrities back in the 80's. Oral Roberts Minsitries wanted one of my people to appear on the Oral Roberts TV show- of course for free. I declined and said my artist would do it for the normal fee of $5,000. Of course what happened next is classic ego response- used both in the dualistic and non-dualistic realm. First the guilt, then the, "You know if your artist appears for free, God (or the Universe) will give back to you 100 times, yada yada yada. What I did next, proved to me how full of it most people are when coming out of ego. I said, is that so. Is that the truth. The person said, yes, God said it, its true we believe it. I then said. Great, pay my client 10 times his normal fee- $50,000, that way God will really bless you and you will get back $500,000! Amazing, how when confronted with their own logic they actually got angry with me. This was a turning point in my life. Because basically everything we do in life is a transaction of some kind. Whether we use "money" to trade, there is always a trade. To expect one party to give up theire portion as required by the other party to the contract violates every natural law of the universe. It's then all ego.

Peace out.
November 24, 2009 3:20 PM

SHOULD SPIRITUAL TEACHERS CHARGE?

     Someone has to tackle this particular hot potato, so here goes. The issue of money changing hands when spiritual teaching occurs is one of the looniest, most irrational, and divisive issues I have encountered since beginning to teach publicly over 5 years ago. Those who actually know through their own experience something about Awareness realize that there are no hard and fast rules about anything. Yet I have encountered many who believe they know for certain that 'spiritual teaching' should be free-always. Some believe that any spiritual teacher who charges money is necessarily a fraud merely because they charge! Fixed beliefs about anything whatsoever are guaranteed to be dead wrong, yet this particular fixed belief remains largely unchallenged. Isn't that curious? Let's look into this particular notion a bit more deeply.
SPIRITUAL TEACHING?

     First, we might wonder what 'spiritual teaching' is. Can we define it? How do we know that someone is teaching spirituality, and not merely teaching reality, or the truth? In my case, I have been a full-time practicing clinical psychologist for over 35 years. When I teach my understanding of the truth, or reality, the teaching is heavily influenced by my many years of absorption in helping others and myself become less crazy and more functional human beings. When does it stop being psychology and start being spiritual?

     Can we isolate 'spiritual teaching' from the ebb and flow of our life? Of course not. The teaching that comes through me is deeply psychological, certainly spiritual, practical, user-friendly, and sensible. Even asking the question of charging for spiritual teaching presupposes that there is such a thing. For a long time I have been hesitant to use the term spiritual to describe this teaching. Who said it's spiritual? Is chopping wood and carrying water 'spiritual'? How about feeding your children? Driving to work? Talking with your aged parents? Anyone who actually Knows recognizes that you cannot draw arbitrary boundaries around life. Why call it anything at all? It's just… this, nothing more, nothing less. Calling it spiritual or calling it anything at all separates us from the direct experience of what is Real.

     OK, so now we at least know that there is no such thing as spiritual teaching. This is a very big step in the right direction. We can all breathe a sigh of relief. For a moment. But back to the issue of charging money for teaching… this. Every time I open my mouth, this comes out. I have nothing to do with it. It just happens on its own. Sitting in my psychological office counseling troubled clients, this occurs. Of course it does. How could it not. Should I charge? Let's say I don't charge because of some misguided notion about the inherent wrongness of charging for teaching. What would happen? For starters, I would quickly be unable to pay my bills and would become a financial burden upon those who do charge for practicing their craft. If I didn't charge, would I be more holy, righteous, or Realized? My phone rings off the hook now. I have taken very few new clients for years. There are only so many hours in a day, and only so many days in anyone's productive life. How do I choose to spend my remaining time? If I wish to have some freedom to write, create teaching CDs, DVDS, and other useful media which might help those who are willing to learn, I need to be able to make a living.
KARMA AND MORE

     There's more. Let's say you are fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of top-notch, free spiritual teaching. What are your karmic obligations? For our current purposes, we will also assume that you have not yet evolved enough to know that 'karma' should always be followed by 'chameleon'. Let's pretend that karma is very real. Do you really believe that there is a free lunch anywhere in the universe? Do you think you might incur some karmic debt by receiving such a rare gift without any reciprocity or payment of any sort on your part? It's true that accurate teaching is priceless, and extremely rare. Always has been and always will be. But are priceless and free the same thing? Wouldn't you rather pay for what you receive? I know I would. The end result of spiritual evolution is becoming an actual adult, responsible but not constrained by fear and trembling. Do you somehow think you deserve to be given what is truly priceless for free? What makes you think that? Many humans are beset by issues of entitlement. I consider the belief in entitlement to be the root of all evil. Give it up. Now. Entrenched 'spiritual seekers' are among some of the most entitled and narcissistic people I have ever met. Let's pause for a moment and remember the parting words of Shakyamuni Buddha, namely, become a light unto yourself. Do the work. Figure it out. Seek guidance from the highest sources of spiritual wisdom you can find. Expect to compensate these rare ones in some realistic manner. Grow up, quit whining and get to work. No one is special. Do not incur karmic debts. Pay for what you receive.
COMMON SENSE

     Are there, in fact, real spiritual teachers who teach without expecting anything at all in return? I know a few, but they are very low key and barely visible. Look at it this way. If teaching is occurring, someone somewhere is paying for it. Why shouldn't those who receive the teaching be the ones who pay? Isn't that common sense? Unlike some spiritual teachers, I highly value common sense. We should see more of it in the spiritual marketplace. It actually costs quite a lot to provide even the most basic teaching. David Hawkins, for whom I have the highest regard, was once challenged on why he charged 'so much' for his teaching. Dr. Hawkins often charges $100 or so to be part of a large class (250 people) in his hometown of Sedona, Arizona. He took the question seriously, insisting that he receives nothing whatsoever for the teaching he does. All proceeds go to a nonprofit foundation, and the income is easily consumed by the ordinary expenses of providing the teaching, i.e., renting space, publicity and public relations, secretarial costs, website fees, consultants charges, publishing costs, insurance, legal and other professional fees, ad infinitum. We can be remarkably childlike, ignorant and entitled where money is concerned. Someone somewhere is paying. Should it be the teacher?
SOMEBODY PAYS

     The Indian guru Sai Baba provides free education and medical care in wonderful facilities in poor parts of India. Who pays for these services? A single American benefactor donated $100 million to help underwrite this effort. Many American teachers are supported by nonprofit foundations, such as Zen Centers, Tibetan monasteries, ashrams, and so forth. These are worthwhile endeavors, and I have personally supported such efforts for over 30 years. Are the teachings free? Extensive fund-raising efforts accompany such free or low-cost teaching. I pay $550 per year to the Rochester Zen Center to be a member, even though at this point I have no real contact. I have been a member continuously for nearly 30 years. I am glad to give in this manner. Somebody somewhere is paying. Remember this. Other teachers, like Richard Rose, never charged any money for his wonderful teaching. Was it free? A casual reading of by After the Absolute by David Gold and Bart Marshall reveals that most students worked like dogs on the farm in West Virginia. Nearly all were young men, and I'm sure the hard physical labor did them a world of good. But what if the students were 70 years old and in poor health? Would they have been able to keep up? Who would teach those who are not young and fit?

     Maybe 15 years or so ago, I was involved in a peripheral manner with the successful attempt to bring a well-known 'spiritual teacher' to town. A non-profit wanted to bring a recognizable speaker who could reach across diverse professional fields and appeal to a variety of people. The event began life as both a fund raiser and a community educational experience. The only problem is that the coveted teacher wanted $30,000 plus first class travel expenses to come and present a single three hour talk. There also may have been a small, brief meeting for invited poobahs, I forget, but I'm trying to be scrupulously fair and accurate. It turns out the fee and assorted expenses were completely non-negotiable. If our nonprofit did not want his Excellency, there were many others that did, and were very willing to pay the full freight. Swallowing hard on this end, the deal was consummated. I was in shock, actually speechless. Also, breathtakingly naive. Strangely, I was even more peripherally involved with a different nonprofit who had the similarly bright idea to invite the same esteemed speaker a few years later. Guess what? The fee now was $50,000! No negotiation! Again, against better judgment and wiser counsel, the second nonprofit bought the farm; drank the cool aid. The speaker came and gave a good talk. I had to pay $30 to hear it, which seemed a bit steep, but I could afford it, and I did want to see what all the fuss was about. I like this guy, and have tried to imagine his reasoning for charging so much and being so inflexible. Perhaps it might be something like the belief that he will know how to spend the money in a manner that will best benefit humanity and the planet. That is, he will better know how to spend our money than we would. Maybe I'm wrong-just guessing. I do know that he is a brilliant writer and teacher, and is a generous and kind man in many ways. Last year my 18 year old son was attending an international youth peace conference at a hotel where this man was teaching. He noticed many bright, inquisitive young people, and inquired about the nature of the event. Learning more, he volunteered to speak with the group for 1 ½ hours before dinner. His generosity was accepted. He did this because he wanted to, without thought of compensation. God bless him.
CONTEXT MATTERS

     What does this vignette have to do with the matter at hand? Maybe a partial, temporary solution is suggested. Perhaps fees 'should' be determined by context. In my office, it would be hopelessly codependent, not to say insane, to insist on never charging for spiritual/psychological teaching. I charge what other psychologists in my community charge. The fees are basically determined by insurance companies and Medicare. Much of the teaching I do in my community and out-of-town is provided either free or for small donations. I do try to cover the actual direct cost to me of providing the teaching. This is not always easy to accomplish, and not always necessary. I really enjoy teaching anyone who is deeply committed and open, and in that case I don't care much whether I am being paid or not.  My recent trip to Raleigh, NC to teach with a wonderful group organized and led by Bart Marshall was such an experience. I enjoyed every minute of it, felt privileged to be there, and would return if asked in a heartbeat. There is a contact high of sorts that emerges when a group of people gather together to work seriously on awakening their natural ability to be present. However, I couldn't afford to make this model my default setting, regardless of how satisfying it is to me and others.
      In most contexts it doesn't seem right that because I have something worthwhile to teach, that I should pay to teach it. Yet for now I am willing to underwrite the teaching I do to a some extent when necessary or desired. We all have the fundamental right to decide where and with whom we choose to  be, as well as whether we charge for our work or not. We'll see how this evolves. Even so I am astonished at how much criticism I have received from some true-believers, mostly indirectly, for even being willing to accept donations. I will continue charge in a way that makes sense to me. Others will have to find their own path.

Silent Meditation Retreat

With Dr. Michael Hall

At Light on the Hill, Van Etten, NY



Friday, Saturday and Sunday

November 20, 21, & 22, 2009



"Our goal is nothing less than to realize our full potential as human beings by disappearing to who and what we have always thought we are."



This retreat is held in silence, except for group teachings/discussion with Michael.


Silence
The purpose of maintaining external silence is to encourage the development of internal silence. When we are quiet and able to focus on the workings of our own mind, we inevitably become aware of the noise and chaos of our personal mental narration. Time dedicated to silence, especially in the setting of a spiritual retreat, creates a profound opportunity to observe and experience the triviality and meaninglessness of this constant mental activity. By careful self-observation and self-inquiry, we can grow sufficiently detached from our normal identification with this passing content. With persistent observation of this mental chatter, we effortlessly lose interest in it. Only when the thinking mind is silent can spiritual transformation occur. With this perceptual shift, an entirely new and unfamiliar world opens to us.

We are very glad that you will be joining us in a supportive environment in a beautiful natural setting at Light on the Hill Retreat Center. This is an opportunity to discover for yourself the wonder of Presence Awareness. Beginning with meditation after dinner on Friday, we will be silent until lunch on Sunday, except during teaching/discussion. We wear "In Silence" tags to remind the person looking at us of their own commitment to this silence, supporting the depth of silence for each individual and the group as a whole.

About Light on the Hill
Perched high in the hills of Van Etten, New York, Light on the Hill is a retreat center that provides a space where seekers of all persuasions can find peace and solace away from their everyday worldly pursuits. The center is located on 236 acres, of woods, streams, gorges, distant views and walking paths.
Inner Light Lodge is a uniquely designed facility with large windows overlooking a sweeping view of rolling hills and meadows. The simple rooms have excellent soundproofing with a large window in each overlooking the beautiful grounds. Four bathrooms with a total of 8 showers and 10 toilets are a short walk down one of the halls. The central sacred meeting space is hexagonal in shape (1160 sq. ft.) and has continual windows on 3 sides with a 32 foot high tipi-like ceiling coming to an apex with a pyramid-shaped skylight. There is a beautiful dining room and fully equipped commercial kitchen.
Rooms are chosen as participants arrive. Most rooms are singles with shared baths down the hall.
What to bring
All towels and sheets are provided. A person is asked to bring (1) slippers or heavy socks as we ask that shoes be removed at the door, (2) comfortable walking shoes and suitable warm clothing for winter walks, (3) personal toiletries, (4) alarm clock, & (5) robe for trips to the bathroom.
Backjacks are available as well as chairs with cushions. If you would like to use a meditation cushion or bench, please bring your own. Seating arrangements are quite informal and you may want to move from chair to floor – bring whatever you need to be comfortable.
Most cells phone do work at any place on the property. It is strongly suggested that you plan not to use your cell phone this weekend. If you need to leave an emergency number with your family or work, Light on the Hill's telephone is: (607) 589-4419
Meals
Meals at Light on the Hill are gourmet vegetarian with many vegan options. We use organic ingredients wherever possible.
If you have special dietary needs, you can bring your own food. Those wanting meat can bring cold cuts and cans of tuna, etc. but no meat is cooked on the premises. We ask that no liquor be served. We receive numerous high praises about the food we serve.
Travel Directions
Please see: http://lightonthehill.org/findus.cfm
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email me at mailto:karenkmadsen@yahoo.com. Once you have arrived at Light on the Hill, you will be checked in, assigned a room, and have an opportunity to explore the beautiful grounds and retreat center.

 Michael Hall PhD

Retreat Manager

Karen Madsen will be in charge of daily operations. Questions of any sort should be directed to her first. She will meet with me as needed.
Retreat Focus

 A silent retreat is a rare and wonderful opportunity to dive deeply into awareness of what is true, enduring, unchanging. This "substrata" of existence is always with us. It never abandons us, yet rarely is noticed. Anything at all that we say about this undeniable, undifferentiated awareness is superfluous and indirect. It is best communicated by pure physical presence. The best art, music, and poetry reveal it to us. External and internal silence helps us to recognize this subtle yet continuous undercurrent of the real awareness of what is. Natural settings facilitate our ability to notice the world instead of our mental constructions of the world. A shared group intent formed as individuals practice attunement to reality together raises everyone's ability to pay attention. In the Zen Buddhist tradition this energy has its own name: joriki. This group-generated energy is very real, almost palpable. In the previous retreats I have led, the emergence of this group energy arises predictably within 24 hours or so. I have rarely felt it outside of a retreat setting. Silence, concentration, lack of distractions, and seriousness of purpose facilitate this flow of chi-like energy.


Metaphor, allusion, and simile are the spiritual teachers' forte. In the Gospel of Matthew 13:3, it is noted: "Then he told them many things in parables, saying 'A farmer went out to sow his seed….'". The best spiritual teaching always occurs in a format that is relevant and understandable to the audience at hand. Shakyamuni Buddha, Moses, Abraham, Ramana Maharshi and countless others have taught those with eyes to see and ears to hear in a similar manner. Narrative and story telling often by-pass the ordinary defense structures and are utilized freely. The deepest truths are communicated through a kind of energetic resonance that is difficult to describe yet also strangely familiar. This different way of learning requires a letting-go of our ordinary death-grip on the illusion of personal control. Slipping into this open awareness is effortless for some, torturous for others. Some relaxation of our hyper-focused attention to data, logic, and reason is necessary for all who wish to recognize who and what they actually are, always have been, and can't not be.


Yet there also is a role for direct, factual, and somewhat structured teaching. I have tried to combine and interweave these two forms of teaching/knowing, as they aren't separate for me. During this retreat the structured teaching will focus on healing emotional, physical, and energetic wounds. I will present a model of healing that appears to benefit all forms of pain and suffering. This model incorporates my realizations from over 30 years of full-time practice of psychotherapy, yet is simultaneously attuned to the correction of energetic disruptions. Ultimately pure awareness heals all. Seeing clearly, things just are the way they are as we lose interest in comparing what is with what we believe should be but isn't. As even two days is an incredibly short period, this will be a beginning, not a completion of this exploration into the roots of healing. However, I have found that even one fresh idea intuitively experienced and recognized can benefit oneself and other life in profound ways. Let's work together to allow awareness to unfold and manifest through us for the benefit of all beings.

Retreat Schedule

Free time is provided to walk the grounds, nap, write, etc.

This schedule is flexible, allowing for the needs of those participating.

                                     Friday

4:00 – 6:00 pm    Arrival and check-in. Rooms are chosen as participants arrive. Most rooms are SINGLES with shared baths down the hall. There is time to walk, sit, read and talk before dinner.

6:30 – 7:15            Dinner /15 min. break

7:30 – 8:00            Meditation – silence begins

8:15 – 9:30            The Structure and Function of the Ego

                                Teaching / discussion

9:30                         Free time/bedtime
Saturday

7:30 am                  Optional meditation

8:00                         Breakfast – free time

9:30 – 10:00           Meditation /15 min. break

10:15 – 12:15        How to Deconstruct the Ego

                                Teaching/discussion

12:30                      Lunch

1:15 – 1:45            Meditation

2-4                          Free time/ Individual meetings with Michael for retreat 

                                newbies

4-5                          Small group discussions:

                                Question/answer with  Karen

                                Poetry as a spiritual path with Mary Lou

                                Addictive issues with Nina

                                Energetic healing with Gaye

5:00 – 5:45            Chanting / meditation

5:45 -6:30              Group discussion

6:30 – 7:15            Dinner /15 min. break

7:30 – 8:00            Meditation

8:15 – 9:30           Experience Unmediated by the Ego

                               Teaching/discussion

9:30                        Free time/ bedtime
Sunday

7:30 am                 Optional meditation

8:00                        Breakfast – free time

9:30 – 10:00          Meditation /30 min. break
10:30 – 12:30       Living Awareness

       Teaching/discussion

12:30                      Lunch TALKING RESUMES

1:15                        Wrap up, reflections, sharing and goodbyes