Living Without Intrusive Experiences
Living Without Intrusive Experiences
"Living Without Intrusive Experiences" is a 3-day home meditation retreat. Combining elements of Advaita Vedanta, Kashmir Shaivism, and Zen Buddhism, it's centered on a playful yet earnest exploration of one's own experiences.
Home Meditation Retreat At A Glance
What: Home Meditation Retreat
Where: Over Zoom
When: Friday, January 19 to Sunday, January 21 (please see schedule below)
About Me
I'm a meditation teacher and a practical philosopher. My understanding of the nondual teaching is drawn, in the main, from Advaita Vedanta and from Zen. You can learn more about me by visiting my website.
Atmananda's Direct Path Teaching
It can feel as if something or someone is causing you to feel disturbed. You might feel "triggered"; you might feel that something has really "gotten under your skin"; or you might feel needled and bothered by something that you can't put your finger on.
Is it possible that being triggered is the result of your misconceptions?
Atmananda's Direct Path teaching helps one to see that there can't be any intrusive experiences. How can there be intrusive thoughts when they're all occurring in the space of awareness--which is to say, in you? And how can there be unwanted feelings when each feeling rises and sets within the ambit of the awareness that you essentially are?
In short, because awareness is all-encompassing and gently welcoming, how could any experience be that to which one is averse, that with which one is concerned, or that on account of which one is disturbed?
Through guided meditations inspired by Atmananda's teaching, we'll explore what it's like to be able to relax wakefully in the openness of manifest awareness.
Details
From Friday, Jan. 19 to Sunday, Jan. 21, we'll come to the heart of the perennial nondual teaching.
Each day, you'll have the opportunity
To sit for two 60-minute silent meditations (*),
To listen to live chanting (**),
To take part in an hourlong guided meditation that will take you back to manifest awareness (***).
And to attend an hourlong satsang (that is, a question and answer session devoted to clarifying the nondual teaching) (****).
Your level of participation will be up to you. You can come to all sessions, to most sessions, or to only some sessions.
Brief Notes On These 4 Genres
(*) Silent Meditation Period (30 min. or 1 hr.): The sitting period will begin with 3 strikes of the singing bowl. At the 30-min. mark, a bell will sound once; this will indicate that you can (a) get up and leave, (b) get up, stretch your legs, and then return for the second half of the sit, or (c) "sit through": that is, continue sitting without moving until the end of the 60 minutes.
(**) Live Chanting Period (30 min.): This short period will be divided into two parts. During the first 15 minutes, my wife Alexandra and I will be chanting. Because Zoom will generate a cacophony, you'll need to keep your microphone muted throughout. With microphone off, you can either listen or participate. During the second 15 minutes, chanting will give way to sitting in silence.
(***) Guided Meditation Period (1 hr.): Simply sit openly and follow the exploration we'll be undertaking together. We'll conclude a few minutes before the 60-min. mark. If, for instance, I stop speaking around, say, 40 minutes, this is to be taken as an invitation to continue the meditation right here in silence.
(****) Satsang Period (1 hr.): This is an opportunity for you to have your questions answered, your real doubts resolved. Bring with you any questions or doubts pertaining to (a) your understanding of the teaching, (b) anything that has come up during seated or guided practice (e.g., physical pain, certain recurrent thoughts, etc.), and (c) ultimate concerns about life that may have sprung forth from your life situation (e.g., not knowing what you're doing with your life, etc.).
Schedule
One Further Unofficial Note About The Schedule
Though not included above, yaza (or "free sitting") is encouraged as your schedule allows. This means sitting still without using a timer. Just sit. For my part, I'll be sitting during the early morning. On your own, you're welcome, wherever you are, to join me. Zoom will not be on, of course.
Dana
Dana, loosely translated as "donation" or "generosity," is given with a view to helping support others--here, my family and me.
The following provides some guidance on how much may be appropriate for you to give:
Suggested Dana: $80 USD
Limited Means Dana: $40 USD
Patron Dana: $120 USD
Scholarship: $0 USD
If you're very eager to participate yet if you're not able to offer dana, then you can sign up via Luma (see "How To Register" below) and also send a note separately via this Contact Form.
Your donation, which will secure your spot in the retreat, can be offered through either of the following 2 platforms:
1.) Venmo
2.) PayPal
How To Register In 2 Steps
FIRST: Sign up for the 3-day retreat via Luma One-Click Register.
SECOND: Offer dana via Venmo, PayPal, or the Cash App.
Once you've registered and offered dana, you'll receive a message that will confirm your participation; this email will also include the appropriate Zoom links. Since this is not an automated process, you can expect to receive Zoom joining information from my wife Alexandra within 24 hours.
A second email will go out a couple of days before the retreat begins.