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February 2025

Amoda Maa ~ An Inquiry into the Living Truth of Freedom (In-Person & Livestream)

Thursday, February 27, 2025 @ 7:00pm-9:00pm (Pacific Time)
Northbrae Community Church (& Livestream), 941 The Alameda
Berkeley, CA, USA & LIVESTREAM, Worldwide,

Open Circle is hosting a series of in-person SATSANGS & a DAYLONG with Amoda Maa in California in late February and early March:
Berkeley, CA, February 27th (7-9 pm);
Mill Valley, CA, February 28th (7-9 pm);
Fairfax, CA, March 1st Daylong (11:00am - 5:00pm);
and Sebastopol, CA, March 2nd (2-4 pm, PT).
Livestream is also available for the Feb. 27th to March 1st events.

Amoda 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 “what is,” and how the light of our essential nature shines through all experience when the “veil of self" comes undone. 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, the source of true peace and freedom. The luminous truth in Amoda’s teachings is the same nondual understanding at the core of many spiritual traditions.

Find out more »

Amoda Maa ~ An Inquiry into the Living Truth of Freedom (In-Person & Livestream)

Friday, February 28, 2025 @ 7:00pm-9:00pm (Pacific Time)
Mill Valley Community Center (& Livestream), 180 Camino Alto
Mill Valley, CA, USA & LIVESTREAM, Worldwide,

Open Circle is hosting a series of SATSANGS & a DAYLONG with Amoda Maa in California, USA.
February 27th (7-9 pm, PT) ~ Berkeley, CA
February 28th (7-9 pm, PT) ~ Mill Valley, CA
March 1st Daylong (11:00am - 5:00pm, PT) ~ Fairfax, CA
March 2nd (2-4 pm, PT) ~ Sebastopol, CA

All events are In-Person ~
Livestream
is also available for Feb. 27th to March 1st
Click here to access details & registration for ALL events in series.

Amoda 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 “what is” and how the light of our essential nature shines through all experience when the “veil 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 … and this is the source of true peace and freedom.

This is a two-hour meeting, including guided meditation/silence, discourse and Q&As.

Amoda Maa offers a profound invitation to all those who wish to embody the truth of awakened consciousness in the midst of everyday life. Amoda’s 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.

She 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.
www.amodamaa.com

Suggested donation: $15 to $30
No one turned away for lack of funds.
Pre-registration for In-Person attandance closes at Midnight on Feb. 27 (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.

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.

Find out more »

March 2025

Lisa Schumacher ~ Choose Love: Self-Inquiry Meeting

Saturday, March 1, 2025 @ 8:30am-10:00am (Pacific Time)

A meeting with Lisa is an encounter in openness and silence, where you are invited just as you are and where you will find clear and loving support for your awakening.

You are invited into a community space that values the transmission of peace and love that is present here. In your search for freedom, you can rest in stopping. You can find stillness in Satsang.

“Satsang” means “in the company of Truth” – it describes a meeting where we gather together to uncover our True Nature.

Lisa offers guidance for your awakening, and would love to hear what you are discovering in yourself. All of your spiritual questions and reports are welcome as we discover together how to meet the intensity of the world with an open and loving heart.

This is an embrace of inclusion and an inquiry into the heart of the truth, as it transmits through your life.

All are welcome.

During our meeting together, Lisa will support you with deep stillness and skillful self-inquiry to open to your true nature, leaving behind the illusion of a separate self. During the webinar, you may rest in silence. This is deeply nourishing. We will begin each meeting sitting in silence.

About Lisa 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 her discovery of the Love that is alive in the core of one’s being . She holds 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 “Leela School of Awakening”. Lisa is the author of “The Stone I Love”, a book of poetry inspired by her meeting with Gangaji, available on her website.

In Lisa’s meetings, she invites you to rest in stillness. Your discoveries and questions about awakening, deepening, and the unfolding truth are welcome. The teaching is in the tradition of Gangaji, who is a student of Papaji, who had his awakening at the feet of Ramana Maharshi.

Lisa's website: satsangwithlisa.org

Suggested donation: $15 to $40
No one turned away for lack of funds.
Please register early if you can.

The event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week.
To check your local time, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter

Find out more »

Amoda Maa ~ Discovering Freedom as the Natural State of Open Awareness ~ Daylong (In-Person & Livestream)

Saturday, March 1, 2025 @ 11:00am-5:00pm (Pacific Time)
Private country home & LIVESTREAM Fairfax, CA United States

Open Circle is hosting a series of SATSANGS & a DAYLONG with Amoda Maa in California, USA.
February 27th (7-9 pm, PT) ~ Berkeley, CA
February 28th (7-9 pm, PT) ~ Mill Valley, CA
March 1st Daylong (11:00am - 5:00pm, PT) ~ Fairfax, CA
March 2nd (2-4 pm, PT) ~ Sebastopol, CA

All events are In-Person ~
Livestream
is also available for Feb. 27th to March 1st
Click here to access details & registration for ALL events in series.

An 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.

Amoda Maa offers profound pointers to how this freedom reveals itself if we are willing to surrender all resistance to “what is” and how the light of our essential nature shines through all experience when the “veil 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 … and this is the source of true peace and freedom.

You will have the opportunity to ask your essential questions and share your realizations.

There are two meetings in the day, each of two hours in duration. Each meeting includes time for guided meditation/silence, discourse, and Q&As.

Amoda Maa offers an invitation to all those who wish to embody the truth of awakened consciousness in the midst of everyday life. Amoda’s 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.

She 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.
www.amodamaa.com

Pre-registration is Required for In-Person Attendance to this Daylong, as space is limited.
Registration for In-Person attendance closes at Midnight on Feb. 28 (the night before event)
Sliding Scale: $60 to $120
No one turned away for lack of funds.

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.

 
For inquiries contact LocalEvents@opencirclecenter.org

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.

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.

Find out more »

Chesaray ~ Unlock Your Freedom: Deepen Your Embodiment with Somatic Self-Inquiry

Sunday, March 2, 2025 @ 9:00am-11:00am (Pacific Time)

Are you ready to embody the fullness of your true nature? To step into liberation, shedding the patterns that hold you back from living in your deepest joy and freedom?

Somatic Self-Inquiry offers a path for those who are already on the embodiment journey, guiding you below the mind and into the heart of true integration. Through a bottom-up approach, we dive deep into the somatic depths, exploring the unknown and welcoming the fullness of your being.

When we reconnect with Divinity within, we unlock a freedom that transcends the limitations of the mind. We move through life *in the world but not of it*—fully engaged, yet untethered to old patterns.

Join me for an embodied movement exploration, meditation, and deep inquiry as we explore the transformative power of presence, of being, and of opening to what is possible when we show up fully in our bodies.

This is for those who are ready to *lean into the fire*—to move beyond spiritual bypassing and embrace a whole-self, holistic approach. Let’s ignite this journey of transformation together.

Come deepen, expand, and embody liberation with Chesaray at this two hour experiential meeting in Truth.

Chesaray 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.

Please find out more about Chesaray’s offerings at www.chesaray.org

Suggested donation: $15 to $40
No one turned away for lack of funds.
Please register early if you can.

The event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week.
To check your local time, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter

Find out more »

Amoda Maa ~ An Inquiry into the Living Truth of Freedom (In-Person Event)

Sunday, March 2, 2025 @ 2:00pm~4:00pm
Sebastopol, 8476 Sonoma Ave.
Sebastopol, CA,
+ Google Map

Open Circle is hosting a series of SATSANGS & a DAYLONG with Amoda Maa in California, USA.
February 27th (7-9 pm, PT) ~ Berkeley, CA
February 28th (7-9 pm, PT) ~ Mill Valley, CA
March 1st Daylong (11:00am - 5:00pm, PT) ~ Fairfax, CA
March 2nd (2-4 pm, PT) ~ Sebastopol, CA

All events are In-Person ~
Livestream
is also available for Feb. 27th to March 1st
Click here to access details & registration for ALL events in series.

Amoda 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 “what is” and how the light of our essential nature shines through all experience when the “veil 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 … and this is the source of true peace and freedom.

This is a two-hour meeting, including guided meditation/silence, discourse and Q&As.

Amoda Maa offers a profound invitation to all those who wish to embody the truth of awakened consciousness in the midst of everyday life. Amoda’s 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.

She 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.
www.amodamaa.com

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 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.

Find out more »

Silent Group Meditation (Free, No Guidance)

Monday, March 3, 2025 @ 8am & Wed. 9:00am (PT), Ongoing Mondays & Wednesdays
|Recurring Event (See all)

An event every week that begins at 8:00 am on Monday, repeating until Monday, March 31, 2025

Join us for a silent group meditation. Do your own practice quietly in the company of others. Let’s be present, together. .... more details
Mon.: 8:00am – 8:30am (PT) and Wed.: 9:00am – 9:30am (PT)
Ongoing drop-in group – attend as often as you like.
Weekly, with rare exceptions. Verify dates on
Full Calendar.

Find out more »

Silent Group Meditation (Free, No Guidance)

Wednesday, March 5, 2025 @ 9:00am & Mon. 8:00am (PT), Ongoing Mondays & Wednesdays
|Recurring Event (See all)

An event every week that begins at 9:00 am on Wednesday, repeating until Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Mondays: 8:00am – 8:30am Pacific Time
Wednesdays : 9:00am – 9:30am Pacific Time
Ongoing every week, with rare exceptions. Check Full Calendar to verify dates.

Join for a group meditation – just us, without a teacher. Do your own practice silently in the company of others. There will be no talk or guidance – only a bell to start and finish. Let’s be present, together.

After half an hour of silent sitting, there will be space for a brief hello in the end, if we like.

Please be seated by the time meditation starts, so that we can begin together. You are welcome to have your camera and microphone on (unless you have a lot of background noise), so that we can feel as if we were in one space.

The zoom link remains the same for all the sessions, so you are welcome to register only once and save the link for future reference.


To check your local time, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter

Find out more »

Stephan Bodian ~ Waking Up Through the Metacrisis: Finding Deeper Ground in Challenging Times

Saturday, March 8, 2025 @ 9:00am-10:30am (Pacific Time)

The Buddha said it succinctly 2500 years ago: human existence is, and always has been, marked by constant change and uncertainty. Yet we find ourselves in uniquely challenging and uncertain times: overpopulation, mass extinctions, extreme weather, environmental tipping points, political upheaval, nuclear proliferation, demographic instability and widespread migrations, and the advent of technologies that challenge and distort our understanding of what’s real and true.

Perhaps our civilization is just on the verge of collapse, like so many before it. But since it covers the globe, this raises the unprecedented prospect that the future of human life on Earth may be threatened as well.

Of course, we can always seek refuge in the simplicity and innate perfection of right now and in the knowing that our true nature--awakened awareness, consciousness, the absolute--is undisturbed and never dies, and life is always unfolding in its own sacred and mysterious way.

But, as one of my Zen teachers used to say, what about the blood? That is, what about all the painful consequences at a very human level of all this difficult and precipitous change? How do we find peace in a deeper ground while acknowledging and welcoming our understandable feelings of fear, outrage, or grief and doing what we can to make a difference if we choose?.

Please join me for one or more satsangs in this monthly series (Jan-May) that include meditations for returning to and resting in our deeper ground while welcoming and working with the feelings that these challenging times evoke. There will also be a brief talk and plenty of time for sharing and discussion. This will not be a space for intellectual analysis or political discussion.

Stephan 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

Suggested donation: $15 to $40
No one turned away for lack of funds. Any amount welcome.
Stephan Bodian has offered that all donations for this event will go
to support Open Circle in continuing this work of offering teachings.

Please register early if you can.
The event will be recorded and emailed to participants within a week.
To check your local time, use a tool such as: Time Zone Converter

Find out more »

John Prendergast ~ Your Deepest Ground: A Guide to Embodied Spirituality ~ Bay Area Daylong Retreat

Saturday, March 8, 2025 @ 10:00am - 4:30pm, IN-PERSON
Private country home Fairfax, CA

Join us for a daylong introduction to John’s new book from Sounds True - Your Deepest Ground: A Guide to Embodied Spirituality. In this meeting we will explore different dimensions of the ground - individual, archetypal, and universal - and experience how to recognize and effectively welcome resistance to opening to our deepest ground. There will be silent and guided meditations, a talk, a group or dyadic inquiry, and experiential conversations.
Copies of the new book will be available for purchase.

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 Midnight on March 7th

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.

Find out more »
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