
What we’re about
"What will make me happy in life?" ... "Am I my thoughts?" ... "What is Enlightenment?" ... Every week we look into questions like these in the pursuit of Self-Knowledge and Truth.
We are interested in topics like: Zen, stoicism, spirituality, psychology, mindfulness, Nisargadatta, non-violent communication, Socrates, existential philosophy, Alan Watts, taoism, Eckhart Tolle, meditation, Ramana Maharshi, etc. But we are not affiliated with any dogma, philosophy, or religion.
Our goal each meeting is to serve as mirrors for one another using question-based inquiry in a safe environment. In a session, every participant takes turns discussing the week's question or topic, and the group asks reflective questions without any agenda besides trying to understand the person's beliefs.
A few other guiding principles of our group:
- No one is obligated to share
- Be honest with yourself and others
- Do not try to convince others to believe or think as you do
- Keep the focus on the person being questioned
We meet at the Bethesda Library every Monday https://maps.app.goo.gl/GWMozF8zpY1m1PY26. The library is a 5 minute walk from the Bethesda Metro on the Red Line, approx 25 minute Metro ride from Metro Center and Gallery Place stations. The library has a parking lot with $1/hour metered parking.
The meeting rooms are all the way to the back of the library.
Please contact us with any questions!
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Meaning of life self-inquiry groupConnie Morella (Bethesda) Library, Bethesda, MD
"What will make me happy in life?" ... "Am I my thoughts?" ... "What is Enlightenment?" ... We meet every week to ask questions like these in the pursuit of Self-Knowledge and Truth.
We are interested in topics like: Zen, stoicism, spirituality, psychology, mindfulness, Nisargadatta, non-violent communication, Socrates, existential philosophy, Alan Watts, taoism, Eckhart Tolle, meditation, Ramana Maharshi, etc. But we are not affiliated with any dogma, philosophy, or religion.
Our goal each meeting is to serve as mirrors for one another using question-based inquiry in a safe environment. In a session, every participant takes turns discussing the week's question or topic, and the group asks reflective questions without any agenda besides trying to understand the person's beliefs.
A few other guiding principles of our group:
- No one is obligated to share
- Be honest with yourself and others
- Do not try to convince others to believe or think as you do
- Keep the focus on the person being questioned
We meet at the Bethesda Library every Monday. The library is a 5 minute walk from the Bethesda Metro on the Red Line, approx 25 minute Metro ride from Metro Center and Gallery Place stations. The library has a a parking lot with metered parking for $1/hour.
*** WE WILL BE IN MEETING ROOM 3 UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED ----- THE MEETING ROOM IS IN THE BACK OF THE LIBRARY ***
Please contact us with any questions!
- Meaning of life self-inquiry groupConnie Morella (Bethesda) Library, Bethesda, MD
"What will make me happy in life?" ... "Am I my thoughts?" ... "What is Enlightenment?" ... We meet every week to ask questions like these in the pursuit of Self-Knowledge and Truth.
We are interested in topics like: Zen, stoicism, spirituality, psychology, mindfulness, Nisargadatta, non-violent communication, Socrates, existential philosophy, Alan Watts, taoism, Eckhart Tolle, meditation, Ramana Maharshi, etc. But we are not affiliated with any dogma, philosophy, or religion.
Our goal each meeting is to serve as mirrors for one another using question-based inquiry in a safe environment. In a session, every participant takes turns discussing the week's question or topic, and the group asks reflective questions without any agenda besides trying to understand the person's beliefs.
A few other guiding principles of our group:
- No one is obligated to share
- Be honest with yourself and others
- Do not try to convince others to believe or think as you do
- Keep the focus on the person being questioned
We meet at the Bethesda Library every Monday. The library is a 5 minute walk from the Bethesda Metro on the Red Line, approx 25 minute Metro ride from Metro Center and Gallery Place stations. The library has a a parking lot with metered parking for $1/hour.
*** WE WILL BE IN MEETING ROOM 3 UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED ----- THE MEETING ROOM IS IN THE BACK OF THE LIBRARY ***
Please contact us with any questions!
- Meaning of life self-inquiry groupConnie Morella (Bethesda) Library, Bethesda, MD
"What will make me happy in life?" ... "Am I my thoughts?" ... "What is Enlightenment?" ... We meet every week to ask questions like these in the pursuit of Self-Knowledge and Truth.
We are interested in topics like: Zen, stoicism, spirituality, psychology, mindfulness, Nisargadatta, non-violent communication, Socrates, existential philosophy, Alan Watts, taoism, Eckhart Tolle, meditation, Ramana Maharshi, etc. But we are not affiliated with any dogma, philosophy, or religion.
Our goal each meeting is to serve as mirrors for one another using question-based inquiry in a safe environment. In a session, every participant takes turns discussing the week's question or topic, and the group asks reflective questions without any agenda besides trying to understand the person's beliefs.
A few other guiding principles of our group:
- No one is obligated to share
- Be honest with yourself and others
- Do not try to convince others to believe or think as you do
- Keep the focus on the person being questioned
We meet at the Bethesda Library every Monday. The library is a 5 minute walk from the Bethesda Metro on the Red Line, approx 25 minute Metro ride from Metro Center and Gallery Place stations. The library has a a parking lot with metered parking for $1/hour.
*** WE WILL BE IN MEETING ROOM 3 UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED ----- THE MEETING ROOM IS IN THE BACK OF THE LIBRARY ***
Please contact us with any questions!
- "Becoming Your Own Authority": TAT Foundation Weekend Spritual RetreatNeeds location
Me (Benjy) and a few other people who've come to our group will be attending this retreat weekend about an hour & a half outside DC in at the Claymont Retreat Center in Charles Town, WV.
I've attended a number of TAT events and I highly recommend. They offer a chance to listen and interact directly with Realized spiritual teachers and other seekers as well. There will be talks and breakout groups and meditation and also sessions with the type of question-based activity we do in our weekly group. Also unstructured time for silence or to interact with others or go on walks on the trails on the 300 acres of property that Claymont has. There will be some Realized folks there who are not scheduled to speak but make themselves available.
This is video of a talk from a past TAT retreat.
Most stay on site. The cost for the whole weekend including lodging is $175 for members and $235 for non-members. Membership is $40 for one year.
*** TO ATTEND, YOU HAVE TO USE TAT'S REGISTRATION LINK HERE ***
https://tatfoundation.org/events/2025/05/07/june-tat-meeting-2025/---------------------------
Since its founding in 1973 by Richard Rose, TAT has sponsored numerous events that offer a remarkable gathering of seekers, finders, and friends.
Please join us for TAT’s annual June event for a weekend of exploration, sharing, and questioning. Together, we will look at…Becoming One’s Own Spiritual Authority
1. Seeing the Actual Versus the Conceptual, and
2: Working with Fellow Seekers on the PathTAT Founder Richard Rose advised seekers to work with others in order to expedite their progress. The benefit of helping others and being helped by others who are on a level similar to our own – Mr. Rose called, “the Law of the Ladder.” Becoming your own authority means looking for yourself; no one can do that for you. Yet our peers on the path are a great resource in overcoming whatever might stand in the way of such looking. This journey involves developing self-awareness, trust in intuition, and increasing reliance on our direct personal experiences. In this seeker-led weekend, we explore approaches that have helped others clear obstacles to seeing within to a direct knowing for ourselves. Join us at the beautiful, historic Claymont property for a weekend of meditation, rapport, group inquiry and presentations from seekers sharing from their own experience.
***
The registration deadline for TAT’s June Spiritual Retreat Weekend is Wednesday, June 25.
## Weekend Schedule
### Friday, June 27, 2025
- 5:00 – 7:30 PM — Arrival, Check-in & Community Setup
- 7:30 – 9:30 PM — Breakout Group: “What does ‘Becoming Your Own Authority’ mean to you?”
### Saturday, June 28, 2025
- 7:30 – 8:00 AM — Awakening the Body: Gentle Movement or Walking Meditation
- 8:00 – 8:30 AM — Silent Meditation
- 8:30 – 9:30 AM — Shared Breakfast & Open Dialogue
- 9:30 – 09:45 AM — Opening Remarks & Welcome
- 9:45 – 11:00 AM — “Spiritual Awakening and AA (Alcoholics Anonymous)” -Eric B.
- 11:00 – 11:15 AM — Journaling Prompt: “What have I been unwilling to face within myself?”
- 11:15 – 12:15 PM — Breakout Group: “What Do I Want Out of Life?”
- 12:30 – 1:30 PM — Potluck Lunch
- 1:30 – 1:45 PM — Silent Re-entry / Personal Journaling
- 1:45 – 3:15 PM — “Mace Energy Method” -Eric M.
- 3:15 – 3:30 PM — Break
- 3:30 – 5:00 PM — “How Intuitive Are You?” -Jane F.
- 5:00 – 5:30 PM — Break
- 5:45 – 7:00 PM — Potluck Dinner
- 7:00 – 7:15 PM — Reconvene
- 7:15 – 8:00 PM — Healing Music & Movement
- 8:00 — Free time
### Sunday, June 29, 2025
- 7:30 – 8:00 AM — Movement or Walking Meditation
- 8:00 – 8:30 AM — Silent Meditation
- 8:30 – 9:30 AM — Light Breakfast & Morning Check-in
- 9:30 – 10:45 AM — “We are not what we think. What’s beneath words and thinking?” -Hardy M.
- 10:45 – 11:00 AM — Journaling Prompt: “What practice or principle from this weekend do I want to live out?”
- 11:00 – 11:45 PM — “Becoming My Own Authority” -Mark W.
- 11:45 – 12:00 PM — Retreat Closing Circle & Feedback Sharing
- 12:15 – 2:00 PM — Farewell Potluck Lunch & Open Dialogue
The event is being held at the Claymont Mansion near Charles Town in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. The Mansion’s presence mixes perfectly with 350 private acres of forests and farmland. Sleeping accommodations include a mixture of single and double beds with dormitory style bathrooms. Claymont provides towels and bed linens for overnight guests (guests make and strip their own beds). During the registration process, we will do our best to accommodate room preferences, but all guests should expect to share sleeping quarters and bathrooms with other participants.
The Claymont Mansion is located at 577 Claymont Mansion Rd., Charles Town WV, 25414. Claymont is 50 miles/60 minutes from the Dulles International Airport near Washington D.C. Travel directions to Claymont Mansion.### Costs
The fees per person for TAT members are as follows:
$175 for members, which includes meeting registration and overnight lodging on Friday and Saturday in Claymont’s Mansion, or
$115 for members who arrange alternative lodging; this includes meeting registration and on-site camping if desired. Camping is informal—no hook-ups or restrooms.The non-member fees per person are:
$235 for non-members, which includes meeting registration and overnight lodging on Friday and Saturday in Claymont’s Mansion, or
$165 for non-members who arrange alternative lodging; this includes meeting registration and on-site camping if desired. Camping is informal—no hook-ups or restrooms.
Full-time students should contact TAT Foundation events for information on discounted registration fees.If cost is a serious issue that will make or break your attendance, please let us know. We do not want someone to refrain from attending for reasons of cost.
Upon receipt of your registration, you will receive a confirmation message with additional information. You may cancel your registration on or before June 25th and receive a refund minus processing fees. Cancellations after November 6th will not be refunded. Because ADA-compliant facilities are limited, persons with a disability should contact TAT Foundation events before registering.