Past Events › East Bay

Shakti Caterina Maggi has been sharing a message of awakening to our true nature as One Consciousness since 2003. Her approach to Self-Realization is very contemporary and accessible, and is profoundly in tune with Advaita and the non-dual Tantric traditions. She reveals the real possibility of seeing what we truly are, and embodying it in our everyday lives with clarity, wisdom, and humor.

She was recently asked to contribute to the anthology On the Mystery of Being: Contemporary Insights into the Convergence of Science and Spirituality edited by Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo, the founders of the Science and Non-Duality (SAND) Conference. She teaches in Europe, Canada and the USA, offering satsang, seminars and retreats.

“The true Heart is the space in which we can deeply meet ourselves and the entire world. The way to the Heart is an embodied Consciousness, in which we are divinely human.”

Thursday Evening (Oct. 17th) ~ Living Awakening

From understanding to being, the passage of embodying awakening requires a deep integration into our everyday life of what has been revealed in our spiritual journey. Perception is the way through which we will directly connect to our non-dual nature, as all illusion of separation is purely conceptual.

Where: Chochmat HaLev, 2215 Prince St., Berkeley, CA
When: 7:00pm - 8:45pm
Suggested donation: $15 - $25
No one turned away for lack of funds

Sunday Daylong (Oct. 20th ) ~ Embodied Consciousness

This experiential intensive will lead to profound access to our true Consciousness, and will guide participants in the transformation of the way in which we see ourselves and the world, as well as the way in which we can deal with suffering in ourselves and others. The intensive will include meditations, open discussion, and special perception exercises to help us see and dissolve the patterns of holding and resistance that reinforce the sense of separation.

Where: Chochmat HaLev, 2215 Prince St., Berkeley, CA
When: 11:00am - 5:00 pm
Sliding scale: $60 - $120
No pre-registration required.
No one turned away for lack of funds.
Note: Per venue policy, only vegetarian food is allowed on premises at Chochmat HaLev

From understanding to being, the passage of embodying awakening requires a deep integration into our everyday life of what has been revealed in our spiritual journey. Perception is the way through which we will directly connect to our non-dual nature, as all illusion of separation is purely conceptual.

This experiential intensive will lead to profound access to our true Consciousness, and will guide participants in the transformation of the way in which we see ourselves and the world, as well as the way in which we can deal with suffering in ourselves and others. The intensive will include meditations, open discussion, and special perception exercises to help us see and dissolve the patterns of holding and resistance that reinforce the sense of separation.

Shakti Caterina Maggi has been sharing a message of awakening to our true nature as One Consciousness since 2003. Her approach to Self-Realization is very contemporary and accessible, and is profoundly in tune with Advaita and the non-dual Tantric traditions. She reveals the real possibility of seeing what we truly are, and embodying it in our everyday lives with clarity, wisdom, and humor.

She was recently asked to contribute to the anthology <em>On the Mystery of Being: Contemporary Insights into the Convergence of Science and Spirituality</em> edited by Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo, the founders of the Science and Non-Duality (SAND) Conference. She teaches in Europe, Canada and the USA, offering satsang, seminars and retreats.

“The true Heart is the space in which we can deeply meet ourselves and the entire world. The way to the Heart is an embodied Consciousness, in which we are divinely human.”

Where: Chochmat HaLev, 2215 Prince St., Berkeley, CA
When: 11:00am - 5:00 pm
Sliding scale: $60 - $120
No pre-registration required.
No one turned away for lack of funds.
Note: Per venue policy, only vegetarian food is allowed on premises at Chochmat HaLev

“Meditation is what we are, not what we do; the separate self is what we do, not what we are.”

In the last few years Rupert Spira has become one of the most respected and sought-after teachers of non-dual wisdom, known for his crystal clear use of language, laser-like intellect, skillful guided enquiries, and powerfully direct pointing to aware presence—all delivered with warmth, wit and an unmatched and distinctive eloquence.

In his meetings, Rupert explores the perennial, non-dual understanding that lies at the heart of all the great religious and spiritual traditions, such as Advaita Vedanta, Kashmir Shaivism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Mystical Christianity, Sufism, Zen etc., and which is also the direct, ever-present reality of our own experience. This is a contemporary, experiential approach involving silent meditation, guided meditation and conversation, and requires no affiliation to any particular religious or spiritual tradition. All that is required is an interest in the essential nature of experience, and in the longing for love, peace and happiness around which most of our lives revolve.

After thirty years of intense seeking, Rupert met his primary teacher Francis Lucille, who introduced him to the direct way taught by his own teacher, Jean Klein. Rupert lives in Oxford, England, with his wife Ellen Emmet, a therapist and yoga teacher in the tradition of Kashmir Shaivism. . He is the author of several books, including his latest two, The Nature of Consciousness and Being Aware of Being Aware, and two book/CD box-sets, Transparent Body, Luminous World and The Light of Pure Knowing.

www.non-duality.rupertspira.com

PARKING: There is some limited street parking in the neighborhood, free and without time limit weekday evenings. There is also parking a few blocks away at the east parking lot of the Ashby Bart station: www.bart.gov/stations/ashb/map

We regret that this event has been CANCELLED due to poor air conditions. Our apologies for any inconvenience or disappointment.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS EVENT HAS BEEN MOVED FROM SAN RAFAEL TO BERKELEY DUE TO LACK OF POWER IN MARIN COUNTY.

The potential for all of us is to be open, present, and available, to live from inner intelligence, to be in harmony with life. In fact, this is our natural state. But how do we find this open awareness in our ordinary day-to-day lives, especially when life gets confusing and difficult?

In our sacred time together, we’ll use guided meditations, restful silences, and focused heartfelt conversation to skillfully unravel the conditioned identities that make you feel separate.

We’ll practice turning inward toward what you’re experiencing so you can know where your attention is going that’s causing personal suffering. We’ll slow things down so you can be fully present with every thought, feeling, and physical sensation that appears. You’ll learn compassionate skills to help you in challenging moments.

We respect the humanity of your stories, and go beyond them to relax into the openness beyond all stories—undisturbed by any problem or emotion. As you meet the knots of your suffering with the deepest acceptance, they begin to soften, and here you find yourself—in the simple freshness of the moment that is open, peaceful, and infinitely loving.

Gail Brenner, Ph.D. is an eternal student of happiness who blends her experience as a psychologist with a loving presence that invites people into harmony with all of life. She is gifted at meeting our humanness with nondual understanding in ways that are practical and loving. Gail has worked with clients and groups for over 20 years, bringing laser-like clarity to the confusion of common problems, such as reactive emotions, compulsive behaviors, feelings of personal inadequacy, and relationship struggles. She is the author of several books, including The End of Self-Help and her latest, Suffering is Optional.

“Here's some very good news: freedom from unhappiness is possible, and nothing needs to change. You don't need to change your thoughts, process your feelings, learn to relax, or become a better person. The invitation is simply to see things clearly. See clearly through to the essence of what makes you unhappy, and you'll realize that, at the core of your being, there's no conflict, resistance, or separation. You now know peace deeper than you could ever imagine. Shine a laser on every experience that makes you suffer, and you'll always find your true nature, pure being that just is."

gailbrenner.com

Suggested Donation: $15-$25 per person

We’ve all had difficult experiences early in our lives that continue to affect us. When these experiences remain unprocessed, they lie at the root of the conditioned patterns that cause us to suffer: the need to feel in control; people pleasing; persistent relationship struggles; proving yourself through accomplishments; and addictions. These signs of early trauma are profound invitations into liberation from the sense of separation.

In this meeting, we will learn how early trauma develops and lives in us as adults. We’ll discuss the art of navigating our painful experiences with warmth and intelligence, including helpful tools and practices. And we’ll discover that consciousness is already holding our present moment experience in love.

Gail Brenner, Ph.D. is an eternal student of happiness who blends her experience as a psychologist with a loving presence that invites people into harmony with all of life. She is gifted at meeting our humanness with nondual understanding in ways that are practical and loving. Gail has worked with clients and groups for over 20 years, bringing laser-like clarity to the confusion of common problems, such as reactive emotions, compulsive behaviors, feelings of personal inadequacy, and relationship struggles. She is the author of several books, including The End of Self-Help and her latest, Suffering is Optional.

“Here's some very good news: freedom from unhappiness is possible, and nothing needs to change. You don't need to change your thoughts, process your feelings, learn to relax, or become a better person. The invitation is simply to see things clearly. See clearly through to the essence of what makes you unhappy, and you'll realize that, at the core of your being, there's no conflict, resistance, or separation. You now know peace deeper than you could ever imagine. Shine a laser on every experience that makes you suffer, and you'll always find your true nature, pure being that just is."

gailbrenner.com

Suggested Donation: $15-$25 per person

Evening event for All

When the divine energies of yin and yang are balanced, harmony and beauty result. When these energies are imbalanced, disharmony and ugliness ensue. In our current imbalanced climate of devalued yin and “toxic” yang, it is easy to overlook the divine nature of both of these principles. Join Jeannie for an inquiry into the holy energies of yin and yang, how they dance together, and how we can support the call back to balance that is needed for harmony in ourselves and the world.

Jeannie’s gift for inviting people to join her in resting and rooted presence evokes a deep meeting with oneself and reality. Within that, Jeannie’s 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. Come join us!

Jeannie 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. Residing in Colorado, she travels widely in the US, bringing a down-to-earth embodied teaching of living as love.

jeanniezandi.com

Thur. Evening Suggested donation: $15-$25

There will also be daylong events, 11am to 5pm...
Saturday Nov. 16th for Women
Sunday Nov. 17th for Men
See our schedule for details of daylongs.