October 2024
Rupert Spira ~ The Essence of Non-Duality ~ In-Person & Livestream ~ Berkeley, CA
“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 inquiries, 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. He is the author of several books, including his latest, You are the Happiness You Seek.
The meeting will start with a contemplation led by Rupert followed by a Question and Answer session.
Open Circle events are typically recorded and made available to others, including, but not limited to use in our Library, YouTube, social media, etc. No participant faces are recorded, only their voices. Your participation implies consent for us to use your shares, so please share accordingly.
Suggested Donation: $25 - $40
No one turned away to lack of funds.
No pre-registration for In-Person Attendance.
Just pay at the door.
Cash Preferred. Check or Venmo OK.
Card payment may be an option.
PARKING: There is some street parking in the neighborhood, free and without time limit.
Nearby parking fills up quickly. Plan accordingly.
For inquiries contact LocalEvents@opencirclecenter.org
If you have symptoms of a respiratory infection, or have had a recent
Covid exposure or positive test, please stay home out of consideration for others.
Richard Miller ~ This Which We are Above All Else (In-Person Event)
This Which We are Above All Else
The belief that we are a separate “me-I-self” 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.
Join 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.
Richard 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 he’s developed, Integrative Restoration ~ iRest, a modern-day secular adaptation of an ancient nondual practice of self-inquiry and awakening.
Richard's website: shop.irest.org
Satsang: 2-4 pm
Refreshments: until 5
Suggested Donation: $10- $20, no one turned away.
No pre-registration. Pay at door when you arrive.
Location: 8476 Sonoma Ave, Sebastopol, CA. Park on Sonoma Ave.
Note: The address sign says 8474/8476. Park on the street, and walk down the short driveway to the house with the carport.
Please dress mindfully, doors & windows will be open!
If you have covid-like symptoms, or have had a recent Covid exposure or positive test, please stay home out of consideration for others.
Grace & Gratitude: an Evening of Sacred Chant ~ Adam Bauer & Christine Mason
In strange and turbulent times, we remember to breathe and seek connection and healing in the sacred vessel of community. Join Christine and Adam in this heartfelt celebration of the natural devotional practice of gathering and singing mantra together.
Open to all, no experience necessary.
Adam
A kirtan and satsang with sacred chant artist Adam Bauer is a deep immersion in bhakti—the yoga of devotion, a blissful union of hearts and voices carried on a current of music and love. With his warm baritone voice and sonorous harmonium accompaniment, Adam leads his chanting sessions with a gentle, grounded energy, guiding participants to profound levels of conscious awareness.
Adam Bauer travels the globe sharing the heart-expanding beauty of kirtan, healing touch, the I Ching, and transformational conversation. Adam spent years playing bass with kirtan pioneer Krishna Das, and later with Bhakti Yoga legend Shyamdas, both of whom nourished his love of sacred sound and the yoga of devotion. He has released three critically-acclaimed records.
iamadambauer.com
Christine
Christine is a 20+ year yogi and practitioner of bhakti tantra, among other things which all point in the direction of love and liberation. She’s a mother, an author, the host of the rose woman podcast, the founder of Rosebud Woman, Radiant Farms and Sundari Gardens, and her essays can be found at
christinemariemason.com
@christinemariemason on IG
Suggested donation: $15 to $30
No one turned away for lack of funds.
Pre-registration for In-Person attandance closes at 12 noon on Oct. 30
Pre-registration is encouraged, but you can also just show up & pay at door. Come & join us!
OR
Find out more »November 2024
Adam Chacksfield ~ Awareness, Love, Desire ~ Bay Area Daylong Retreat
We get to put down the burden of trying to be someone, or pushing ourselves along to some imagined destination. We’re already whole, and every part of us deserves love. We’re invited to allow the juicy flow of our authentic desire to enrich, inspire, and create our life. This immersion in the potent field of loving awareness will include explorations that organically deepen our connection to the vitality and energy of our desire.
Adam Chacksfield is devoted to empowering people to thrive inside awareness, love, and desire rather suffering inside shame and fear. He leads retreats and workshops in North America and Europe, and coaches individuals and couples. Adam is the creator of several courses including Falling Open, Erotic Embodiment & Intimacy, and Transforming Conflict into Deeper Intimacy. He started his spiritual teaching and coaching in 2010 with the support and encouragement of nondual teacher, Peter Fenner. Adam also trained with the Somatica Institute, and now offers experiential erotic embodiment and intimacy coaching using the Somatica Method.
More about Adam: www.adamchacksfield.com
The meeting will be from 10:30am to 4:30pm, with a break for lunch.
Bring 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.
Pre-registration required, as space is limited.
Registration closes at 5 pm on Nov. 8th
Sliding Scale: $60 to $120
No one turned away for lack of funds.
For inquiries contact LocalEvents@opencirclecenter.org
Location:
The 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.
If 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.
Susanne Marie ~ The Impact of Awakening on Relationships (In-Person Event)
Undivided truth, when sincerely opened to, reorganizes our entire life, revealing what is not in alignment, including how we connect with others. During the awakening journey, the way we relate to ourselves, as well as others, will be honestly examined. This arises organically whereby what is not in inner harmony will reorganize both during the emptying out phase (seeing through the separate self sense), and during the unity phase (when the heart opens). As allegiance to inner integrity grows, the changes which take place on the inside are naturally reflected in the way we communicate. Vulnerability of the heart wishes to be exercised as it is increasingly seen that there is strength in transparency. Self compassion leads to learning how to maintain healthy boundaries. These inner transformations often change the landscape to even the closest of relationships.
Once you are reharmonized internally, a more true and natural relating will emerge with others, but this takes practice out in the 'marketplace' of life. As we all know, maintaining healthy relationships is an art, and not always easy to navigate. Having Truth as one's guide, the aim is to live more authentic and heart centered connections, as this enriches all of our lives.
About Susanne Marie
Featured in conversation with Adyashanti on Buddha at the Gas Pump as well as on Conscious TV, Susanne Marie offers 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. She offers spiritual mentoring, online and in-person group facilitation, as well as retreats.
Video: Disconnection During Awakening | False Self Dries Up
More about Susanne Marie: susannemarie.org
Satsang: 2-4 pm
Refreshments: until 5
Suggested Donation: $10- $20, no one turned away.
No pre-registration. Pay at door when you arrive.
Location: 8476 Sonoma Ave, Sebastopol, CA. Park on Sonoma Ave.
Note: The address sign says 8474/8476. Park on the street, and walk down the short driveway to the house with the carport.
Please dress mindfully, doors & windows will be open!
If you have covid-like symptoms, or have had a recent Covid exposure or positive test, please stay home out of consideration for others.
POTLUCK DHARMA ~ with Joryu Myosei & Riyaz Motan
You bring the Wisdom. We’ll bring the Food.
A fundraiser, co-sponsored by Open Circle, honoring Rob Schwartz and his vision to maintain his home and land as a retreat space for spiritual gatherings.
Featuring Dan Huebner as our special musical guest.
Registration closes end of day Sunday, Nov. 17th
Space is limited so register early to save your seat at our table.
About
Potluck Dharma
The idea for Potluck Dharma sprouted from the meals and wisdom shared at our own tables with family and friends. It has now grown into a seasonal gathering where participants are invited to bring their own wisdom, reflections, and experiences to the table, much like the assortment of dishes at a potluck meal.
The day is all about sharing – insights, wisdom, and stories – creating a laid-back yet profound forum to explore spiritual truths and life’s deeper questions. After a morning program of meditation, dharma talks, and discussion, we’ll gather in the afternoon with a delicious, farm-to-table, vegetarian meal that is included with registration, and equally important in feeding the soul. We’ll close with an herbal tisane, dessert, and a special musical guest.
Join us to connect and grow together, while supporting a worthy cause.
Please note that this event will be recorded and potentially shared. There will be video recording of the teachers during the morning session and discrete photography of the group throughout the day. No faces or names of participants will be included on video. Your participation in this event implies consent for us to use your image or your voice, so please share accordingly.
Featuring:
Joryu Myosei
Joryu Myosei is a spiritual guide, mindfulness, meditation, and inquiry teacher, licensed marriage and family therapist, and intuitive healer. She took a formal bodhisattva vow in 2011, dedicating her life to awakening for the benefit of all beings and her work to supporting awakening in others and its expression in daily life. Through retreats, spiritual gatherings, and one-to-one inquiry work with students, she invites all to experience their deepest knowing and to live authentic, fully engaged lives with joy and purpose.
joryumyosei.com
Riyaz Motan
Riyaz is a spiritual guide, teacher, and former marriage and family psychotherapist. His work interweaves Western psychology & Eastern wisdom traditions to help others find freedom from suffering to awaken to their essential wholeness. Through small intimate groups and day-long or multi-day retreats, he supports others in the journey of discovering who they truly are: to uncover who and what they are at essence, and to fully embody and express this in their lives and relationships.
riyazmotan.com
Dan Huebner
Dan Huebner has been playing Jazz for over 50 years, delighting audiences in a variety of settings and the retreat participants of Adyashanti and Rupert Spira in spiritual venues. HIs primary instruments are tenor and soprano saxophones and alto flute, with supporting instruments added into the flow. Dan is drawn to exploring improvised music from a context of the Presence of Being, discovering the nature and how’s of this process as it evolves. It’s never ending, making his performances always new, interesting, spontaneous adventures.
December 2024
Ishtar ~ Flowing Wholeness – Melting into the Heart of Life
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.
We’ll 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.
Ishtar 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 Ishayas’ Ascension brought him to an Ashram at age 18 in the early 2000’s. Since then, he has worked as a guide, teaching effortless meditation, and helping people relax into Wholeness.
For those wanting to learn more about Ishtar’s work, his interviews can be found on Buddha at the Gas Pump, Conscious TV, Guru Viking, and Next Level Soul.
His websites are: www.ascension-meditation.com and www.awakenedlightastrology.com
Suggested donation: $15 to $30
No one turned away for lack of funds.
Pre-registration for In-Person attandance closes at Midnight on Nov. 30 (the night before event)
Pre-registration is encouraged, but you can also just show up & pay at door. Come & join us!
OR
If you register for Recording access by event date, link to access it will be sent to you within a week.
If you register for Recording access AFTER event date, please forward your confirmation email to web@opencirclecenter.org to notify us that you registered after event date.
PARKING: There is some street parking in the neighborhood, free and without time limit.
For inquiries contact LocalEvents@opencirclecenter.org
If you have symptoms of a respiratory infection, or have had a recent
Covid exposure or positive test, please stay home out of consideration for others.
John Prendergast ~ Being No One; Being Your Self ~ Bay Area Daylong Retreat
The freer we are of our self-image and story and all of the emotional reactions and somatic contractions that go with this limited identity, the freer we are to simply be ourself – a living mystery not separate from the whole of life. Self-inquiry facilitates an unveiling, unlearning, spontaneous letting go, and discovery of our true nature. This meeting will include silent and guided meditations, a talk, dyadic self-inquiry, and intimate, powerful, experiential conversations.
John Prendergast, Ph.D is 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.
www.listeningfromsilence.com
YouTube channel
The meeting will be from 10:00am to Noon and 2:00pm to 4:30pm, with a break for lunch.
Please bring your own lunch, or feel free to go into town to one of the restaurants or to Good Earth Natural Foods.
Pre-registration required, as space is limited.
Registration closes at 5 pm on Dec. 6th
Suggested donation: $75
(Any amount acceptable. No one turned away for lack of funds.)
PRE-REGISTER HERE & PAY AT DOOR WHEN YOU ARRIVE.
(Cash or Check only)
This event is Co-sponsored by Open Circle & the Schwartz Family Trust.
All proceeds, above covering event costs, will go to the
Schwartz Family Trust to support Rob Schwartz’s vision of
his property being available for Open Circle retreats and events.
Event donations will go directly to the Schwartz Family Trust, rather than to Open Circle.
If you want to contribute more for this project, you can do so at the event,
or contact us for more information (contributuons, loan, volunteer).
For inquiries contact LocalEvents@opencirclecenter.org
Location:
The 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.
If you have symptoms of a respiritory infection, or have had a recent
Covid exposure or positive test, please stay home out of consideration for others.
January 2025
Pamela Wilson ~ Love Wisdom and Strength ~ Bay Area Daylong Retreat
Gathering together to nourish each other in rooting and spreading our transmission branches wide to benefit all Beings. Please join Pamela and your fellow sages to celebrate the New Year together, hosted by Open Circle Center.
Pamela Wilson evokes through dialogue, inquiry and her very presence the qualities of unconditional love and radical acceptance. She is celebrated for her ability to open the heart and create a space in which long-cherished struggles and notions about one’s identity relax. Featured in the book Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Wisdom, Pamela is at her best in heart-felt dialogue, so please bring your questions!
More about Pamela: www.pamelasatsang.com
The meeting will be from 10:30am to 4:30pm, with a break for lunch.
Bring 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.
Pre-registration required, as space is limited.
Registration closes at midnight on Dec. 31st
Sliding Scale: $60 to $120
No one turned away for lack of funds.
For inquiries contact LocalEvents@opencirclecenter.org
Location:
The 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.
If 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.
Jeannie Zandi ~ Awakening Your Heart’s Essential Power (In-Person Event)
A Year to Love:
Claiming What You're Really Here For and Living It
January 2025 Bay Area Events with Jeannie Zandi
Join spiritual teacher Jeannie Zandi for a series of Bay Area gatherings (in-person and livestream) exploring how to unite our humanity and divinity, becoming love's instrument in an aching world. This is an invitation to make 2025 the year you live what you're here for.
Attend any or all in this series of In-Person events.
Each session is complete and meaningful on its own.
Livestream also available for Jan. 13th to 16th events.
January 12: Sebastopol, CA ~ Awakening Your Heart's Essential Power
The Heart's Revolution: Three Nights of Radical Presence, in Berkeley, CA
January 13: Berkeley, CA ~ Melting the Walls Around the Heart
January 14: Berkeley, CA ~ Standing in Love's Fire
January 16: Berkeley, CA ~ Being Love's Instrument in the World
January 15: San Rafael, CA ~ Love's Wild Heart: When Human Meets Divine
Jan 18th & 19th ~ Earth and Sky: The Dance of Being Human
In-Person RETREAT in Sausalito, CA
Click here to access details & registration for ALL events in series.
Awakening Your Heart's Essential Power
January 12th, 2-5pm
Join us for refreshments and connection from 4-5pm.
Location: Sebastopol, CA (at Tomas's)
What if 2025 becomes the year you finally come home to the love that you are? Join spiritual teacher Jeannie Zandi for an intimate afternoon exploring what becomes possible when we stop running from our humanity and fully embody the marriage of human and divine. For millennia, we've lived split from our essence, alienated from the love that is the very bedrock of reality. But that ancient wound can heal–not someday, but now, in this very lifetime, in this very year. Through meditation, teachings and dialogue, we'll discover how to root ourselves in the heart's unwavering presence while meeting life's intensifying challenges with fierce wisdom and tender grace. The world needs your whole heart–human and divine, united at last.
Jeannie Zandi is a spiritual teacher who supports people to integrate awakening into every aspect of human experience and to bring their heart's offering to life. Known for her potent blend of spiritual mastery and grounded humanness, she creates transformational spaces with fierce tenderness, irreverent wisdom, and unwavering presence, inspiring students to embody their deepest truth in everyday life.
Her gift for inviting people into resting, rooted presence evokes a deep meeting with oneself and reality. Her disarming humor and directness invite us beyond mere intellectual understanding into direct experience. Through silent and guided meditation, spontaneous talks, and authentic dialogue, Jeannie hosts a space of clarity and warmth where the richness of experience can be explored safely and innermost questions met fully.
At the heart of her teaching is the recognition that life itself is the ground through which we are purified as vessels for divine expression. She guides students to embrace every moment—from mundane to challenging—as fuel for awakening, transforming daily life into a practice of embodied truth. Her work bridges the mystical with the practical, moving beyond abstract concepts into fully embodied awakening. Jeannie calls students to mature into capable, authentic expressions of love and truth, serving the whole with wisdom and courage. This devotional path invites alignment with the divine, where life's challenges become opportunities to manifest love in action.
Suggested Donation: $10- $20, no one turned away.
No pre-registration. Pay at door when you arrive.
Location: 8476 Sonoma Ave, Sebastopol, CA. Park on Sonoma Ave.
Note: The address sign says 8474/8476. Park on the street, and walk down the short driveway to the house with the carport.
Please dress mindfully, doors & windows may be open!
If you have covid-like symptoms, or have had a recent Covid exposure or positive test, please stay home out of consideration for others.