What we’re about
"There is a life-force within your soul, seek that life.
There is a gem in the mountain of your body, seek that.
O traveler, if you are in search of That
Don't look outside, look inside yourself and seek That."
~Rumi
"In truth we are not separate from each other or from the world, from the whole earth, the sun, the moon or billions of stars, not separate from the entire universe. Listening silently in quiet wonderment, without knowing anything, there is just one mysteriously palpitating aliveness."
~Toni Packer
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Hello there,
Whether you've been consciously on a spiritual path for years, or you've just landed on the front page of this meetup by chance -- Welcome!
What I want this group to be about:
- exploring different texts or traditions that have non-duality at its core. Discussions are encouraged so that we gain more insight and find new perspectives. The only requirement is to remain respectful to other people's views.
Just for clarity, I will describe what I mean by non-duality. According to wikipedia, the definition is:
"In spirituality, nondualism, also called non-duality, means "not two" or "one undivided without a second". Nondualism primarily refers to a mature state of consciousness, in which the dichotomy of I-other is "transcended", and awareness is described as "centerless" and "without dichotomies". Although this state of consciousness may seem to appear spontaneous, it usually follows prolonged preparation through ascetic or meditative/contemplative practice [...]. While the term "nondualism" is derived from Advaita Vedanta, descriptions of nondual consciousness can be found within Hinduism (Turiya, sahaja), Buddhism (emptiness, pariniṣpanna, rigpa), and western Christian and neo-Platonic traditions (henosis, mystical union)."
- We will explore and discuss freely present day texts like Power of Now, Course of Miracles, etc. or read poetry (Rumi, Neruda, and so on). What all these texts have in common is an exploration of Self, God and transcendence of the Ego as we know it.
- We will bond and make friends. Share where we are on our (spiritual) path, regardless of whether we are complete beginners or long-time seekers.
- Share music, movies, travels and other things that have consolidated our spiritual practice
- Meditate! We will probably start each session with being silent and encourage ourselves to do our best in leaving our ego at the door.
- During summer or later in the spring, we might have outings in the nature where contemplation and stillness are encouraged
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What is special about this group?
This group does not associate itself with any particular religion. The only requirement is
openness to self-exploration! Not only we will not be practicing any particular religious rite or ritual, we will be openly discussing how nondualism has permeated all the major religions, and how it is understood in various schools of thought.
We will be focused on reading, understanding & discussing, being respectful to differences in how cultivating presence and self-inquiry manifest differently in each individual.
Meditation is part of our meet-up but not the main focus.
We will build community with like-minded spiritual people!
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About me:
After an eye-opening spiritual experience almost 8 years ago, I've been on a beautiful journey of self-inquiry. Ever since, I've been joyfully meeting like-minded spiritual people to share the wondrous experience of living in the present and removing the walls of separation.
In my spare time, I am a PhD student at UW, tirelessly working with my brain. When that doesn't take up all my spare time, you can find me in the mountains, taking in all the beauty the PNW has to offer.
