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Tuesday, March 2nd 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Meditation
Meditation cumulatively causes your awareness to become rooted in the reality of your soul's eternal intelligence. it is the act of entering the Holy of Holies.There is no substitute for the cumulative effects of meditation. The meditation method we teach is the most direct path to Self-realization we have found. When the Soul's eternal intelligence is tapped, a person is able to live their lifetime with the full intention the Soul brings to incarnation. Harvesting the Soul intention has impact on the choices made in conscious awareness and leads to fulfillment on profound levels, making the lifetime far more resonant with its multi-dimensional possibilities. This is why the wise meditate.
Many people are unable to reach deep meditation because they have not learned to court the experience of inward communion through adequate preparation. Taking a honeymoon is not the first step in a relationship, and likewise, going into meditation requires many levels of preparation. The deepest meditations are possible after the preparations of prayerful chanting, breath-work, and when the stomach is not full of food. For this reason it is best to practice meditation before meals, and following some devotional activities which quiet and focus the mind and heart. Once these pieces are in place, the following is our method for meditation:
Meditation is the spiritual practice associated to the element EARTH. This means the posture you keep will be maintained without variance or even the slightest attention to your body. Begin by choosing a comfortable position in a non-distracting environment where you will not need to move for any reason. The full focus of intention and feeling is then drawn to the center of the body and the center of the spirit through the gateway of the Solar Plexus, or "Place of the Sun."
Focus in meditation follows Breath and a repeated phrase or Mantra. The ideal meditation breath is silken, gentle, soft, round, consistent, and determinately steady. This breath is like the certain rotating movement of a great round mill-stone driven by water wheel. It involves two forces, expanding Ying and contracting Yang, where the Yang Intention of Inhalation and the Ying Renunciation of Exhalation are brought entirely in balance. As the mill-stone gently turns, upon inhalation, the spiral of awareness deliberately augers down and down into the core of being, in deliberate pursuit of communion. At the turning point of the breath, finding Communion, the exhalation involves letting go and experiencing, and allowing the fountain of energy to release and resolve.
The inhalation should be like silken thread, drawing into the Center like pulling on a rope which draws you to the point of attachment. With coherent focus like a LASER, draw the breath simultaneously up through the root and down through the crown, with all intention, prayer and desire. The nexus of the meeting-point of the breath is the center of the body and spirit, deep in the middle of the body. The exhalation is a total release, allowing surrender and resolve with complete fulfillment and relaxation. The exhalation's complete relaxation is cumulatively deeper with each breath, just as the inhalation pulls more deeply with each breath.
The Mantra should have two parts, one that resonates with the inhalation and the other that resonates with exhalation. A Sanskrit example is “So Hum;” an English example is “The Lord is My Shepherd, I am thus Whole.”
Your closed eyes should be focused on this place, gazing softly and gently down the nose towards and through the solar plexus into the Place of the Center. Though the eye-lids remain closed, the eyes engage in piercing and deep pursuit of the inward horizon. Deep within this inner horizon, a Center will be felt, and later, seen. The eyes should look straight into this Center, where Light becomes visible. The senses feel a strong presence of being in the Center, the Only Being, the One. Should the eyes gaze encounter a vision, it should be duly noted, but the eyes and feelings should continue to pierce on the inhalations, and retain the focus on the Center, where the God-Self is. The Center, when pierced, becomes a Ring as you reach deeper into the next level of Center. The Ring, upon the exhalation, becomes the garment of Light that fills the body and restores your entire energetic and physical architecture.
The cyclical breath practice may fall away in the midst of the energetic flow. In deep meditation, breathing becomes subordinate to the energetic flow of focus and letting go. You should abide within this experience as long as you can tolerate it, and then some. The increasing of your tolerance of the Divine Communion is the fruit of meditation and this is why people who meditate are deeper, healthier, and more at peace.
Join us for our weekly Quartet of potent spiritual practices, Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self-Realization Meditation, which speak for themselves.
Tuesday February 23rd 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
The Veil
If we are not busy fooling ourselves, we realize that spiritual experiences don't necessarily manifest for us “on demand.” Why do we have to go through a process of self development in order to become “spiritual?” And, why is it that once a person experiences a spiritual breakthrough, it is as though the entire world looks and manifests differently than ever before?
As soon as we try to open ourselves to the Divine, our awareness turns to the matter of availability. We realize that our mental or emotional state has obscured the Divine from us. What is the explanation for this?
Throughout the Creation a type of membrane in the form of a transitional energetic field exists known as The Veil. In the Holy architecture of the Hebrews' Tabernacle, the Holy of Holies was separated from the outside world by a Veil or curtain called the Parochet. The Parochet serves as the separation between that which was entirely Holy and “everything else.” Crucial components of the process of life itself are made possible in Creation by the presence of The Veil. The veil lies between dimensions of the Resonant Being and the Reflective Creation. The Veil, like a filter, is capable of allowing or blocking the flow of Life from either direction. The presence and function of The Veil is the reason why one person has spiritual experiences while another person can only imagine them. The Veil is also the reason why a person has free will, and is able to develop the relationship with the Divine according to his or her own appetite. However, where an individual is on the fragmented side of creation outside the veil, perception is inaccurate and the attainment of truth is effectively impossible.
The Law of Separation explains the distinction between that which is Holy and “everything else.” Here is how the Law of Separation works: In order to create Life the Divine being exhibits a form of contraction known in Kabbalah as tzim-tzum. Tzim-tzum happens when the Divine Creator withdraws slightly from the Creation, creating a void which stands between the Creation and the presence of the Divine Being itself. It is not that the Divine being seeks to separate from the creation, but the Divine Being contracts causing the creation to rush towards the Divine Being and elevate itself in a spiral of enhanced relatedness. This is what causes growth to take place in creation and it is a cyclical activity which from the standpoint of time is eternal. The space left between the Divine Being and creation upon tzim-tzum is The Veil.
As a result of the lessons and individual experiences during a lifetime, the person gains perception of the effects of actions and chooses to take actions which lead to better effects. Over time, the person becomes more and more consistent with the Divine purpose for which they are created, and this allows a greater volume of awareness and life to pass through The Veil. As a person grows and becomes more and more congruent with the inner guidance that has been received, the realm of The Veil or its filtering characteristic becomes thinner and thinner. Eventually it disappears altogether.
Join us for our weekly Quartet of potent spiritual practices, Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self-Realization Meditation, which thin The Veil and lead to spiritual experience and greater opportunities for awareness, joy and positive impact.
Tuesday February 16th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Spiritual Work While Asleep
Night is key to the growth of the soul. Going to sleep with a clear purpose for the night and the coming day is the beginning of night-time spiritual work and common practice among the wise. You will find that coherent momentum in spiritual life can be substantially enhanced at night. Here are steps you can take.
Before going to sleep, review the previous day in reverse sequence, and notice any experiences that stand out on the memory horizon. These experiences are the learning-points; they hold energetic charges that can lead to lasting transformation.
Review these experiences carefully. If they are viewed as positive, affirm them. If they are viewed as negative, correct them: Reverse and restate them the way they should have taken place. Seal this perspective and affirm it.
Before drifting into sleep, choose one simple objective for the coming day and roll it into the mind on your breath. Doing so embeds the affirmation in your sub-conscious. Your affirmation will be most powerful when it is Affirmative, stated in the First-Person, and in Present Tense. For example, if you want to be more productive, you could affirm: “With focus I complete tasks gracefully and easily.” This affirmation meets all three criteria. To embed the affirmation, on the inhalation, the first five words of this phrase are invoked, including the word tasks. On the exhalation the final three words, “gracefully and easily” are stated. It is important to split the affirmation into phrases and auger them into the deep mind using breath.
Upon rising, the first engagement of mind is always towards Creator and the second engagement is towards the affirmation you created the night before. You will notice its depth has become stronger and clearer during the night. Affirm it some more before beginning the day. And, in the coming night, return to and use this affirmation as a point of reference while evaluating the past day. Employ the same corrective approach as needed. Affirmations work best when they are used for at least a few nights and it's advisable to write them down. Once the intention of the affirmation is fulfilled, it is time to bring in a new affirmation. In crafting the new affirmation, be cognizant of areas that have persistently needed attention over the recent past, and tackle one of these. You will find this simple practice will open a variety of dimensions and opportunities to you at night and by day.
Join us for our weekly Quartet of potent spiritual practices, Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self-Realization Meditation, which lead directly to spiritual experience and greater opportunities for awareness, joy and positive impact.
Tuesday February 9th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Resonance and Reflection in Relationships
All relationships involve a transfer of energy and consciousness. This involves the very simple Universal Law of Resonance and Reflection. Beings in Transparency are naturally RESONANT. Beings that are not in Transparency are naturally REFLECTIVE. The more a person has worked diligently to associate themselves towards inner revelation, the more they will find themselves on the Resonant side in most interactions.
This Resonance occurrs simply because revelation brings us into a more highly charged state. The higher the Resonance, the more likely it is that most encounters will involve Reflection among others. When it comes to personal or intimate relationships, this can lead to imbalance and people can get hurt. Or, it can lead to life-changing and gracious experiences that lead to gratitude. Consequently, it makes sense to resort to a verification process before taking a person into your heart and sharing your body.
During the intake phase of a personal relationship, our simple suggestion is to verify using a “Screen of Patience.” This can prevent hurt feelings and becoming tangled up on karmic levels of debt with people who aren't carrying something comparable to your level of vibration. To accomplish this, take your time; try to assess the basis for a person's attraction towards you. You need to discover whether a person is RESONATING together with you on their own or whether they are REFLECTING your Resonance back to you. Either experience can be very attractive and leave very positive results. When you find individuals who Resonate on their own, you can be more confident they could potentially Friend, Playmate or Partner in some enduring or meaningful and balanced way.
If individuals are Reflecting, yet unable to reasonably account for the foundation-building spiritual experiences that yield inward Resonance, the differences in energetic possibilities between you become evident. Strong Resonance attracts Reflection. The experience of Reflection is most often transient. In this type of relationship, such individuals relatively reflect Light; they do not radiate Light. If the Light is withdrawn, the source for the Reflection is withdrawn and the person returns to their own place in the spiral of development. History shows many positive examples of this phenomenon, scriptures and mythology are full of such stories, and those who return to their natural place in the spiral are counted as fortunate. This is a Universal Principal and one of the common means by which Resonant Knowledge is communicated across spirals of existence. As such it is a means by which much growth is shared. One should realize very frequent temporary attractions occur between beings who occupy different places among the spirals of Resonance and Reflection.
In the Resonance of unconstrained Being, Reflecting individuals may begin to uncover their own fragmentation and disassociation. When that happens, the Reflecting person must choose. When they choose negatively, we might just find ourselves blamed for their fragmentation or disassociation. If the individual does not “pick up their own dirty clothes,” should we remain engaged, they might continue the process as long as we permit. This would be an example of vampirism, and such cases call the integrity of both parties into question. When they polarize and choose positively they will be transformed and gain greater Resonance. In essence, many mis-steps can be avoided by employing the Screen of Patience.
Join us for our weekly Quartet of potent spiritual practices, Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self-Realization Meditation, which lead directly to higher dimensions of Resonance.
Tuesday January 26th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
The Path
The Divine emits portions of the One Being, The Self, which cascade into life for the purpose of experiencing and manifesting creation. The sum of this experience accumulates as Soul, the sheath of the consistent Self. Just as Souls enter creation to experience it, we are likewise drawn to return to the Divine. This consistent pattern of emanation from and return to Oneness is called “The Path” or Derekh in Hebrew.
Though some people make progress unconsciously, we consciously set foot upon The Path once we deliberately orient our appetites and actions towards returning to the communion of Oneness. Through disciplined, responsible heeding of life lessons, integrating spiritual experiences, and making progress in practical and integrated ways, we become more authentically “Spiritual” in our orientation. This does not mean we forego our earthly responsibilities - quite the contrary - but our earthly activities become increasingly potent signposts towards the Divine presence within us and evidenced in all creation. Eventually we reach a point where we live in “Heaven on earth” and serve as Way-Showers. Advanced examples of this include the great Prophets.
All that can be known is ever-available in the Present moment. We can tap into this present moment by reorienting our awareness towards the limitless Being and allowing Its character of One-ness, our Essence, to infuse our consciousness completely. This is the purpose of meditation as taught by Teachers of The Path.
Meditation upon the Inner Light is the most direct approach because it invokes direct experience of the radiant Divine emanation. This approach to meditation is as different from various respected types of meditation (such as Vipassana, Zazen or Transcendental) as a coherent laser beam is from diffuse, incandescent light. Taking this direct approach straight to the Light, one doesn't pursue seeing the Chakras, but the Realm of the Self and Soul which exist on more central dimensions of being than the Chakras. During such Meditation, we eventually become able to inwardly see and feel the Light as brightly as the noon-day sun even while in a dark room. This is key to our development and requisite to entry into Self Realization Meditation.
Join us for our weekly Quartet of potent spiritual practices, Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self-Realization Meditation, and discover the reality of the Path for yourself.
Tuesday January 19th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Kundalini - The Serpent Force
Spiritual transformation precipitates with “Rising of the Serpent of Kundalini.” It is universally sought after as a powerful spiritual and phyical healing experience because it yields a sense of undivided one-ness in a person's consciousness called Samadhi, Shalom, Salam, Chrism, and Nirvana by Hindus, Jews, Muslums Christians, and Buddhists respectively.
This experience can be invoked between Spiritual Master and Aspirant in the giving of a blessing called “Shaktipat” in Sanskrit, “Brocha” in Hebrew or “Baraka” in Arabic. It can be spontaneously triggered by breathwork, spiritual practice, tantric sex, and events. Under its influence many people experience physical shaking sensations and an overflow of the energy from the head down the arms to the hands. It can be initially frightening if a person is oriented towards attachments and not experienced with letting go, because its fiery energy vaporizes illusions in favor of revealing the unity of Life and Being.
The universal symbol associated with this and with healing is the Caduceus or more properly Rod of Asclepius. The related moniker Shake-Spear is associated to Pallas Athena, who personifies Kundalini and is the “Muse” under whose influence culture is transformed for the better. Archaic symbolism the world over exists, from Balinese costumes, to the Chinese, who regard this experience as Kung-Fu itself, the Tibetans (and Michelangelo in his sculpture Moses) who show it produces protrusions or “Yamantaka” atop the head, though this is not necessarily seen in physical form. The powerful energy itself is called “Qi” or “Chi” among the Asians. Stimulating its movement is the basis of Acupuncture and Shiatsu. It is called “Chai” among the Hebrews, who associate it to the Life Force. Rabbi Isaac the Blind, the Kaballist wrote down his father and my namesake ancestor Rabbi Avraham Ben David's (the RAYVID) seven-leveled diagram called the “Tree of Life” which was revealed to the Rayvid by Elijah the Prophet. This diagram invokes the Serpent teaching, integrated in typical Hebrew fashion with other profound knowledge.
In the Hebrew Scriptures this is mostly referred to as “Yirah” -- a term used over 330 times. Beyond scripture there are ubiquitous references to it but many do not understand it today. It is associated with Trembling, and generally mistranslated as “Fear.” “The Kriya Shema,” primary (and daily) Jewish prayer which says “Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is ONE” can be a direct invocation of this experience and its letters Shin-Mem-Ayin invoke the Root, Heart and Crown along the path of the Kundalini or as it is known in Hebrew, the “Nochosh” (Snake) which interestingly is also the word for the element Copper. The term for the Jewish skull cap, “Yarmulke” is a contraction of the words “Yirah Malkha,” connoting “Trembling in the presence of the Queen.” Notably, the Hebrew term used here for God as Sovereign is Feminine in gender. “Moshiach,” (Messiah) or Annointed One is a description of a person who remains in this state. Thus the sought-after time of the Messiah is the time when all persons will attain this one-ness and unified awareness.
In the Christian traditions this is widely described as a “Visitation of the Holy Spirt” - also Feminine, depicted in iconography east and west as a Golden Halo. There are an assortment of Greek terms for this experience, most accurately Tromos (Phil 2:12) among other terms. “Tongues of Flame upon heads” described on the Apostles' Pentecost is a direct reference to the changes in a person's aura that manifest when Kundalini has risen to the top of the head from its dormant position in the root of the spine. Churches in many parts of the world have seven nexus points from the Entrance to the High Altar which represent the major neural ganglia along the spine and crossing-points shown in the Caduceus where the snakes cross the Staff.
Few modern people including clergy have received training in how to handle or invoke this sort of experience, but regardless, it happens quite regularly and to people of all sorts and circumstances.
Invoking this experience, our weekly quartet of Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self Realization Meditation is a potent and life-affirming opportunity to embrace true spiritual development. Come and enjoy!
Tuesday January 12th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Let Go & Let God
We have to “Get out of the Way” if we are to experience Divine Revelation. Without personal experience of Divine Revelation we only pretend to live a spiritual life. Spiritual experiences involve direct outpourings of Divine Wholeness, Guidance, Blessing and Love, manifest in the Here and Now.
Revelation is not something we command on our own terms but we can consent to accept it. One who faces the choice of accepting revelation and gives consent is called a “M'Kubal” in Hebrew. This, the Act of Kaballah, happens when the time and circumstances are right. No more than we can control a Geyser, we cannot control when and how the Divine presence might come. When it does come, genuine Revelation can range from the whisper of a butterfly's wings to the strength of a Tsunami which can overtake us, washing away anything that is transient in our existence. In the wake of Revelation, we are reconstituted moreso in the “image and likeness” of the ONE. Gentler forms of revelation come to those with less experience and the power builds over a person's development. You always have the choice to say “No” but why would you?
To deny the perennial emergence of Revelation is to confess spiritual bankruptcy. It is clear that every person plays a part in bringing Revelation to the world, each person is part of the equation. There is no such thing as a Saint who brings the Revelation, there is only a Creation that is accepting it and a Creator who is giving it by whatever vessel is willing and avaiable.
Routine spiritual practices, especially Meditation and “The Inner Work” create substantially more responsive spiritual structures within a person. Eventually this work allows the Divine to fashion each of us into a vessel that can be a party to Spiritual Revelation. Our weekly quartet of Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self Realization Meditation are not pretend experiences, they are potent and life-affirming experiences that leave no stone unturned in the realization of true spiritual development. Come and enjoy!
Tuesday January 5th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
The Calling
If you experience a “Spiritual Calling” you MUST make a choice between two very distinct paths: One clearly leads to life while it may involve uncertainty or even risk, while the other, while comfortable, clearly leads to collapse and lost spiritual opportunity.
Not everyone experiences this, but if you experience a Spiritual Calling, you are put “on notice” that something is expected — and rewards may be profound — for answering “YES.” It feels like the “only way to go.”
Your Calling may or may not come as a complete surprise. Sometimes it happens once you begin to engage in spiritual practices that stimulate the Soul to rise in Sovereignty. This rising allows elevated consciousness and awareness. Sometimes you are offered the calling directly by The Almighty or even by another non-physical spiritual being who may appear in a vision, but these cases are rare. Most people report their Calling came to them without phenomena, but that it was like a bolt of lightening. In any case, virtually ALL felt they had to make an obvious and consequential choice.
Once it is known that a Calling has been issued, you have important work to do and only you can do it. It is your task to examine the work of your life, and to take on the disciplines and practices that will support your Calling. Our weekly quartet of Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self Realization Meditation offers potent and life-affirming experiences that leave no stone unturned in the embrace of true spiritual development. Come and enjoy!
Tuesday December 29th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Mass Mind
Mass Mind involves the relentless dispersion and widespread adoption of themes designed for social and behavioral control, often centered upon Greed or Fear. The spiritual student must be ever alert to themes of Mass Mind because they can sabotage spiritual development. Mass Mind consistently teaches two notions: “You can Achieve Happiness Through Buying Stuff,” and “You are alone and without support.”
The Christmas Season in the USA is a pernicious example of the mass-mind at work. Nowhere else in the world is Christmas such a commercial enterprise. Beginning each year at an ever-earlier date, Americans are bombarded with consumerist advertisements and messages reminding us that we must buy something. Images of luxury, feasting, and elitism are intrinsic to this emotion-tugging strategy. By the time Christmas comes, if a person is not surrounded by gifts, lights, decorations, smiling people and so forth, one is surely tempted to feel like an abject failure. Seeking to alleviate the emptiness, the malls are found chock full of people before and after Christmas, obediently buying.
Imagine for a moment that between Thanksgiving and Christmas you undertook a strong spiritual focus. Imagine you engaged in very intense spiritual preparation for a powerful spiritual transformation to come on the occasion of the “Rebirth of The Light” at Christmas. Would you be found stocking up on goodies the minute your month-long retreat and the anticipated holy festival ended? Hardly! Rather, you'd be less attached to material things than ever, attuned to deeper awareness and unlikely to be found in a crowded mall.
Our weekly quartet of Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self Realization Meditation offers potent and life-changing experiences that leave no stone unturned in the embrace of true spiritual development. Come and enjoy!
Tuesday December 22nd 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
The Mystery School
Small, sometimes secret groups of people gather across history to share direct spiritual experience, knowledge and service to humanity in “Mystery Schools” which become Academies of Enlightenment. The core impulse behind these groups is direct revelation from the Spiritual World, with tremendous impact on those involved. Long trails of cultural impressions result, fostering many great artists, musicians, scientists, writers, and scholars.
It is said one does not “join” a mystery school. “Members” are invited by forces initiated in the unseen realms of the soul, and confirmed by the wise on earth. However, such schools often coalesce in the presence of a Way-Shower or Teacher who may have many lifetimes experience in comparable activities.
The mere existence of a Mystery School does not guarantee enlightenment or rapid spiritual progress. However, where knowledge learned is applied in acts of kindness, a greater chance for success is found. Occasionally, the exoteric teachings of Mystery Schools crystallize in the form of Religions and while this is generally a positive outcome, Religious communities rarely manifest the comparable esoteric connections to the higher worlds as compared to Mystery Schools.
We will chat about these schools, their many advantages and disadvantages, as we conduct our weekly quartet of Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self Realization Meditation, which offer potent and life-changing experiences that leave no stone unturned in spiritual development. Come and enjoy!
Tuesday December 8th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Hug the Homeless
The Exercise of Compassion towards the Unfortunate is material evidence of Deep Spirituality. Blessing any person of lesser means absolutely floods the world with light. When I saw a woman give money to a drunk on a subway in Boston, I also saw tremendous light infuse the rail car. Wanting schooling, I asked “why” and she answered: “Because he asked for something I had that I could give. Should I ever be in that position I would appreciate being treated the same way.”
Newcomers to Monasteries, Ashrams and Temples often are pre-occupied with self interest in their quest for enlightenment. The Master will frequently assign them to serve the poor. This transforms the individual from a narcissistic seeker to someone who embodies sainthood.
If you ever feel depressed or like your world is collapsing around you, make 25 sandwiches with fresh, quality ingredients and take them to homeless people. Take your time. Smile with them. Ask questions and share laughter together. Laughter is the Boulevard along which Human Unity travels.
Our weekly gatherings are meaningful when we put our aspirations into action. Join us for our weekly quartet of Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self Realization Meditation, which offer potent and life-changing experiences that leave no stone unturned in spiritual development. Come and enjoy!
Tuesday December 1st 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Judging a Spiritual Teacher
Hindu Astrology warns the exact skill set that makes a good guru makes for a crafty THIEF! Watch your back! Spiritual Teachers are almost all very gifted, but should be required to meet conduct standards. How do you know if a Teacher meets a high standard?
Aside from the rather common practice of simply giving out nonsensical teachings without foundation in history or common sense, the most common misconduct issues are around asking for the exchange of high sums of Money, using Control Trips on Students, Abuse of Authority, Isolation of Students from Family & Friends, and Substituting Obedience or Devotion for a Student's own Common Sense.
Teachers get away with abuses most often when they are offering the opportunity for rare and difficult to attain spiritual experiences. Unfortunately, those in society who crave high level spiritual experiences are keenly aware that they may not have other opportunities to gain access elsewhere, and throw their common sense out, winding up hurt.
We emphasize that genuine and powerful spiritual transformation of the highest order can be attained without loss of sanity and integrity. Our weekly gatherings represent an example we believe stands in the face of many who would take advantage of sincere seekers. Our weekly quartet of Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self Realization Meditation offer potent and life-changing experiences that leave no stone unturned in spiritual development. Come and enjoy!
Tuesday November 17th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
The Quadrivium
Arithmetic, Astronomy Geometry & Music comprise the Quadrivium, which in neoplatonist education succeeds the Trivium of Logic, Rhetoric & Poesis. Once mastered, these seven studies produce a “Doctor” of the “Seven Soul-Liberating Arts.” Later, this was called a “Liberal Arts Education.” The modern study of Sacred Geometry is offspring of this pursuit.
To master life and thus show fullness in education required study, first in the Trivium, in which the True, the Good and the Beautiful could be discovered and mastered. Then came the Quadrivium, the advanced study, of which it is said:
Arithmetic is the Discrete at Rest.
Astronomy is the Discrete in Motion.
Geometry is the Continuous at Rest.
Music is the Continuous in Motion.
And the derivative of these, Architecture, is Frozen Music.
The spiritual path is not only one of engagement with the inner life and its forces. It is also a life of exhibition of divine principals by exploitation in artisanship, creativity, and in the application of Form, the Silent Language. The master poets, composers, architects, and masons knew this. We will show illustrations this week of how culture becomes the vessel and artifact of spiritual revelation. Join us as we expand our awareness, with our quartet of powerful spiritual practices - Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self-Realization Meditation. Come and enjoy!
Tuesday November 10th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Self Healing
Self Healing happens when we take complete responsibility for our well-being rather than passing responsibility to outsiders while changing little. We become amazingly powerful and self-aware by doing so.
To be a self-healer requires patience, a coachable attitude and a willingness to change habits. Necessary changes may include diet, internal dialog, exercise, reconciliation with our past, and “stories” about ourselves that must change. Every soul possesses a powerful internal compass that knows what to do if heeded.
With the help of media the world over, Governments routinely promulgate hoaxes and fear about sickness and death, while fostering highly toxic and profitable nanotechnology-engineered vaccines that are approved without significant trial. Swine flu is but one example of such a hoax. These vaccines have led to epidemics including autism and death. The dark spectre of Social Engineering is clearly part of the agenda. Corporations are pitching products based on fear of sickness. Under government-declared states of emergency, hospitals and drug-based medicine businesses are experiencing boom times, while medical professionals themselves know better and privately avoid receiving “treatments.”
Healing has always been part of the spiritual path - most saints have been healers in one form or another. Spiritual practices combined with health awareness make the world a better place. Inward practices provide guidance as needed. Sharing of herbal and other forms of knowledge has long been the province of spiritual communities. Join us as we expand our awareness, with our quartet of powerful spiritual practices - Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self-Realization Meditation. Come and enjoy!
Tuesday November 3rd 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Depression and Self Karma
Self-Karma is unfinished business in the soul that comes from incomplete tasks related to our creative expression. Examples include issues such as trusting society, having enough money, accepting others as partners, friends or playmates, resolving personal matters without anger or frustration, comfort with one's body or gender, health issues, and a variety of other facets of life.
The key difference between Self-Karma and Karma with others is that actions related to others are not involved with Self-Karma. Rather, by somehow missing the mark when it comes to tasks the soul has set for a lifetime, we find ourselves with unfinished business that we can address. Our souls seek opportunities to address these, in the quest for strength and wholeness.
Depression sometimes results when the soul is asking us to face a long-established pattern that requires rectification. Depression does not necessarily mean a pathological condition has arisen - it simply represents a turning inward. However, where a person resorts to self-destructive behavior, pathology is present and must be addressed.
Every person on the spiritual path has faced such challenges and chosen a self-constructive approach to facing our self-karma. This does not mean depression or sadness are forever banished. It simply means we have chosen self-construction. Self-construction is easier when we engage in powerful spiritual practices that connect us to Universal Joy and Wholeness. Our quartet of spiritual practices, Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya & Self-Realization Mediation do exactly that for most people! Come and enjoy
Tuesday October 27th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Death
Plus Special Musical Guests
Samhain is the precursor of Halloween. Celebrations are related to the Final Harvest, Thin Veils between the Worlds, and Ultimate Choices in preparation for the hard winter. The notion of the Grim Reaper is associated to Final Harvest and he is oft pictured carrying a scythe. The Paul Foster Case Tarot features him.
From time immemorial, at the time of the first frost, we had to consider how much food we would need to lay up, and our choices included how much livestock the farm could support during the winter months. It is no surprise that the final produce of the farm, namely pumpkins and squash, play such a strong and visible role in seasonal lore, imagery, and legend.
Under the attempted tyranny of a planetary corporate culture bereft of all but the most tame among symbols and meanings, Samhain, or Halloween plays a very important role. It gives us the costumed opportunity to “come as we aren't.” In it, we take advantage of a last time for play-with-abandon before the intrinsic seriousness of the colder months strips us of frivolity. But, there is more. The image of the woman with full moon behind her astride the flying broom is a direct reference that bespeaks the mastery of woman in preparation of herbal remedies -- ointments, cures and elevated above the earth by other-worldly wisdom.
What of the thin-ness of the veil between the worlds, in which the inhabitants of other worlds seem more prone to offer access? According to the Celts, there are seven times of prime opportunity for this to happen, being the solstices, equinoxes, Samhain (Oct 31), Imbolc (Feb 2) and Beltaine (May Day).
No one spiritual tradition encapsulates the full scope of the pre-historic earthly wisdom acquired over millennia. This is why we reverently cite “Not all that is told is all that is known.” Spiritual practice means nothing without organic linkages to plants, seasons, and cycles. Combined rightly, they make awareness of our present purpose stronger. To support our development, we hold these gatherings. We expand our awareness, with our quartet of powerful spiritual practices - Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self-Realization Meditation. Come and enjoy!
Tuesday October 20th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Reincarnation
Our incarnations often build on our past history. And, we often resemble our past selves, though we do change race or gender. Plus, other people with whom we have soul experience may agree to incarnate with us in order to share new tasks. We begin anew, and pursue new, yet consistent expressions of our soul's journey.
Many historic figures in History have notable prior incarnations who also have historical significance. This includes Barack Obama, who is considered the reincarnation of Senator Lyman Trumbull, who chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee and who co-wrote the 16th amendment which abolished slavery. Trumbull was a close friend of Lincoln's and practiced law in Chicago. Lyman also served in the IL General Assembly and as IL State Attorney General. We will also illustrate other interesting cases, such as the Reincarnations of Frederick Chopin and Ludwig Von Beethoven.
Is it important to know your prior incarnations? The Dalai Lama said that we have to know at least 14 of our prior incarnations in order to be a Lama. But to some of us, knowledge of what we have done before is a burden. There is no clear consensus on whether we need to know about our past or whether it should remain a mystery.
We can, however, learn from our past, including mistakes, if that becomes available to us. The soul does have the ability to create circumstances where our grasp of past life resources becomes a present-time grasp. For some people, soul identity is so strong, the present lifetime is only a projection of the strong awareness of one's eternality.
To become aware of past lives is not as important as to be aware of one's purpose NOW. Upon review, after this life we will see the correlations between our direction in life and that of past lives. Spiritual practice makes this awareness of our present purpose stronger. To support our development, we hold these gatherings. We expand our awareness, with our quartet of powerful spiritual practices - Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self-Realization Meditation. Come and enjoy!
Tuesday October 13th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
2012 The Audacity
Growingly shrill repetition of forecasts for a 2012 “event” stirs imaginations but it's a hoax. The Mayans themselves say “NO, this prophesy has nothing to do with us.”
What is going on here?
The 2012 conversation was popularized around a writing from José Arguelles called the “Dreamspell Calendar” where Arguelles attempted to synthesize a single calendar from 22 disparate Mayan systems. He later disavowed this work as naíve, but some of its ideas had already been swallowed hook-line-and sinker by the New Age, a dark conglomeration of wishful thinkers ever in search of legitimacy outside themselves. Self Realization is a path WITHIN yourself, not outside of yourself.
The New Age has a shockingly bad track record when it comes to conveying accurate understanding. They fomented all sorts of excitement around the “Harmonic Convergence” in 1987, the Millennium in 2000, and desperately have tried to vault on the shoulders of several calendar occasions since. The only problem is that these were all non-events. They sought transformation from OUTSIDE themselves. This would compare to eating a happy meal expecting that meal to make us happy. Do not ignore that pesky fact that not ONE of their vaunted events actually precipitated anything at all, except that money changed hands.
The foundation of the 2012 claims involve alignment with the Galactic Center on the 2012 Winter Solstice with all sorts of powerful potentials. The only problem with that is astronomers know that alignments with such far away bodies are not transient one-time shots relative to our zodiac. My calculations can prove the earth's Winter Solstice would be actually aligned with the Galactic Center for a minimum of at least 75 consecutive years, not just once.
What's the point? Enlightenment is not instant like fast food and it very gradually comes from within us. It doesn't come zapping in, piping hot, and ready for recognition. It is a soul process, yes, with occasional high points, but it takes work and commitment on our parts. To support our development, we hold these events to trigger such an inner process. We expand our awareness, with our quartet of powerful spiritual practices - Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self-Realization Meditation. Come and enjoy!
Tuesday October 6th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
No Gathering Sep 29
The Effect of Affect
Fake it till you make it? As sure as children play “Let's Pretend” adults magnify the game till it casts a long shadow. When we forget we are acting, we become conflicted, or adult-erated. So, then, why and when is “Posing” OK?
When a person enters life in a Monastery, Ashram or Temple, it is customary to dispense with the secular wardrobe and don some sort of ceremonial clothing day and night. The sages say it is good for a person to employ a “Holy Affect” because it forces one to consciously match outer appearances with congruent actions.
Yet, more often than not, Affect is used to create an image of success or power. Employed to stimulate confidence, such habits make “cons” as in con-men of us. Note the case of the rookie salesman in 3-piece suit, with suspenders and hair filled with “product” or the girl with The Hair, The Make-up and Those Shoes. They mask inexperience and lack of gray hair with clothing. Image consciousness plays a role in our every day, yet we do it automatically. And, automatic behavior is the enemy of spiritual growth.
It is important for us to take images, masks, and affects with great seriousness. We can't hide who we are underneath any more than the groom in White Tie (Tux with Long Tails) I passed who was dip-spitting (tobacco) to the gravel road outside a rural NC wedding. Unlike native cultures where the full regalia of costume comes out mostly for SACRED occasions, our society brings out the costumes mostly for secular occasions. It's an adulteration, a perversion. Unadulterated pride in who we really are and living as THAT person is the key after all, yes?
To support your development, we will expand our awareness, with our quartet of powerful spiritual practices - Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self-Realization Meditation.
Tuesday September 22nd 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
The Illusion of Security
“Mental Numbness” will be history's scathing critique of our times. While catastrophic dangers lie ahead, the mass mind of society turns to fantasy, booze and “reality TV.” Mass Illusion comes from wishful thinking supported by lost perspective. Those are the very ingredients in the recipes that Mass Media use to control you and separate you from your money.
Seers know better. Immanent planetary configurations indicate historic times are fast upon us. These times will prove to have few comparables in history. What do we do?
Like the Sergeant At Arms who quietly guards the proceedings of a legislative body, older souls take responsibility according to their mission, for the tenor of the mass mind. To do so requires a prescient sense of what is likely to come, and a deft, devoted capacity to recognize the flow of influences and possible solutions. “Positive Thinking” alone on the part of those otherwise ignorant but well-meaning people makes nary a dent. One has to be fully engaged in facts, details, lives, and the impact of actions to leave a truly deep impact through radiant contemplation.
This is why many Masters eschew the notion of being a “renunciate” who avoids the turmoil of the world. These Teachers see that only through direct contact and personal involvement can we make a real difference.
To support this work, we will expand our awareness, with our quartet of powerful spiritual practices - Darshan, Kirtan, Kriya, and Self-Realization Meditation.
Tuesday September 15th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Mercury in Retrograde
When Mercury moves from West to East, “progress” gets stymied, so you can either get frustrated or gain a sense of humor. In either case, the stress is on topsy-turvey communication and broken continuity. Electric circuits fail, calls drop, and SNAFU becomes the constant.
During the three annual three-week periods of the year when this astronomical phenomenon occurs, the wise are cautious to observe the possibility that details will be ignored or lost, and agreements may come apart. The key to Mercury Retrograde is that vaunted CONTROL of one's own life becomes a subject of Mercury's farcical sense of humor. If you can flow with it, you're better for the lesson that you are not the center of the universe after all! If you can't flow with it, you're the Fool and mercury shows little mercy as your packages get lost, messages don't get delivered, electronics finally give up the ghost, etc.
From a spiritual standpoint, the period of Mercury in Retrograde asks us to REVIEW and RESTATE the details and linkages between ourselves and our world. During this time it's helpful to be retrospective and look for clues that it's time to go back over something in our life that needs further attention and refinement.
We will expand our awareness, with our trio of powerful spiritual practices - Kirtan, Kriya, and Self-Realization Meditation.
Tuesday September 8th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Initiative and Timing
Plus Special Musical Guests
The Masculine brings INITIATIVE and the Feminine brings TIMING.
Where a man lacks a sense of timing, he becomes an oaf. Where a woman lacks control of initiative, she becomes a shrew. The balanced combination of these facilities makes a gracious life possible. History offers myriad good and bad examples of Initiative and Timing.
Both genders express some degree of balance between the two polarities, but a wise man learns about timing from a woman and a wise woman gains insight into initiative from a man. This practice of balancing Initiative and Timing is one of the great secrets of creation.
We will expand our awareness, with our trio of powerful spiritual practices - Kirtan, Kriya, and Self-Realization Meditation.
Tuesday September 1st 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Comfort
Under the crunch of daily responsibilities and a changing world, we sometimes lose perspective.
The feeling that “everything's OK” doesn't disappear, it is simply eclipsed. So, it's reasonable to ask - what do the Masters mean by the ubiquitous expression that “all is well” when evidence of sickness, strife, and dysfunction is abundant?
Being “OK” means that there is awareness of the ever-present OPPORTUNITY for Divine communion and reconciliation. This opportunity is a birthright, but like all things held in reserve, we have to access it. To access Comfort requires no special skills, but an enlarged perspective. And gaining that perspective is one measurable consequence of routine spiritual practice.
We will expand our awareness, with our trio of powerful spiritual practices - Kirtan, Kriya, and Self-Realization Meditation.
Tuesday August 25th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Calming The Storm
The younger a soul, the more prone it is to create drama, become loud, and resort to emotional or even physical violence. At televised town meetings displaying tumult, you can be fairly certain the screamers are younger souls. Older souls know this doesn't succeed, and more patiently project their inner communion to bring about change. Their approach changes polarities in an atmosphere that otherwise could become charged with negation, and permits more positive courses of perception and action to become available to all parties.
Forecasts indicate that political storms are likely to become a more frequent experience in the next several years. Plus, the storms are likely to become more and more intense. We must ask ourselves: How are we prepared to deal with such eventualities, because unchecked, they lead to civil unrest. This is a serious matter because there is no substitute for the inner calm and radiance that only comes from continued and consistent spiritual practice.
We cannot ignore increasingly inflammatory dialog in our society and be called servants of the Light. Rather, we must learn and employ spiritual tools that genuinely nullify such energies and transmute them to higher purposes. The “peace of heaven” does not come to earth without invitation. Our leadership can show that all arguments have two equal sides and that neither pole by itself is the “Truth.” We will evaluate this practice of peacemaking, and follow with our trio of powerful spiritual practices - Kirtan, Kriya, and Self-Realization Meditation.
Tuesday August 18th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
The 7 Attitudes
You embrace most of a lifetime via ONE of 7 Attitudes. Awareness of how the Attitudes work is absolutely key. Your functionality with differing people & their approaches will be greatly enhanced along with your self-awareness once you begin to notice the Attitudes.
This information comprises a “key” awareness component that can be tremendously helpful to you. If you have not made it to one of our events or only have time to come to “Special Events,” this is one of those occasions!
The Expression Attitudes are Idealist and Skeptic. The Inspiration Attitudes are Spiritualist and Stoic. The Action Attitudes are Realist and Cynic. Each of the 7 Attitudes has a positive and negative pole. Where a person operates in the positive pole of an attitude, it works beneficially, and vice versa.
For instance, people embracing so-called “New-Age Philosophy” are in the Idealist Attitude. They are not as concerned about Reality as they are about Possibility. Those who are the most effective in sharing their possible better world are in the positive pole of Coalescence. Those who seem to be grasping at delusions are in the negative pole of Naivité. No matter which Attitude you have, you likely imagine that others should share it, and this is simply not the case. Your Attitude is a construct of your soul's appetite for experience of creation, and is expressed as such for important reasons.
Information will be shared via handouts and we will follow this with our trio of powerful spiritual practices - Kirtan, Kriya, and Self-Realization Meditation.
Tuesday August 4th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Compassion
The greatest healers often suffered or faced death. Asked what is the essence of healing, they answer “Compassion.”
One can truly know the meaning of healing once one has reached deep within oneself to face seemingly insurmountable obstacles. We cannot measure the wellspring of possible compassion that abides in the opened heart.
Compassion is perhaps the most distinct divine attribute. No person who has had spiritual experience fails to speak of the sense of Divine Compassion and Acceptance of us, no matter what state of disrepair we imagine about ourselves. Once we gain experience of the Divine Compassion towards us, it is easier to be compassionate towards others!
Tuesday July 28th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Shaman
Fascination with Shamanism has grown exponentially. Yet, our limited personal experience with Shamanism or Tribal Culture begs the question - What exactly is a Shaman, and what is to be expected from him or her? Was Moses or Jesus a Shaman? And, with the proliferation — and commercialization — of all-things-Shamanic, should you trust somebody who makes claims to be a Shaman? What questions should be asked?
Shamans are generally recognized to have three traits. First, they are healers, and in many cultures, they ingest medicine instead of administering it to the patient while their healing frequently involves some form of purge. Secondly, they remain in communication with the subtle world of Spirit or Spirits who are perceived as potentially helpful or harmful. From these spirits, they determine what course of action needs to take place in order to resolve a sickness or situation. Thirdly, a Shaman is intimately familiar with the natural flora and fauna of his or her environment, and the Spirits that underlie these, having received this knowledge from many previous generations.
The World's religious observances seem to consistently spring from comparable Shamanic roots. But, one factor is certain. The world view of the Shaman is so entirely different from the world view of the “developed world” that it is nearly impossible to reconcile the two. This is because the developed world views the environment as a series of disparate resources to control and dominate. The Shaman views the world as filled with holistically related energies and influences that if used or extracted improperly, invoke spirits that may backfire on the users with serious consequences. For instance, from the Shamanic View, IRON invokes a Spirit that must be approached with great care, lest it take over the life of the one who deploys it. And in the “modern” world, Iron has come to dominate, indeed. “He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword” is an ancient warning about this danger.
This evening we will examine the nuances of Shamanism and enjoy vigorous and beneficial spiritual practices.
Tuesday July 21st 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Different Perceptions
One viewpoint sees a devastating financial depression only beginning. Another sees a bright new age headed our way. Which is true?
A person who is anchored in the sense of separate self, who relates primarily to money and possessions might be feeling like the future will be very destructive and a time of great loss. But a person who is anchored in the unity of being, who relates primarily to creativity and shared experiences might be very excited, sensing that “finally” the long-awaited opportunity for a better world becomes available to our grasp.
What if it's true that we are only in the first phase of a long term economic depression? If you're primarily a materialistic person, you might be filled with fear. But for those who can lighten up, not only spiritually, but in terms of possessions, budgets, and perceived needs, you may be looking at the “time of our life” just around the corner.
The question we must ask ourselves is “Why did I come” to this world? If the answer is “To SERVE,” then we have no worries. But this pending future requires preparation. And THAT is why we are gathering. Where will YOU be on Tuesday?
Tuesday July 14th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Walking the Talk
How do we distinguish whether we are REALLY on a spiritual path vs. a person who is a poser? Are there any reliable clues to spiritual development?
One would suppose that a holistic quality would pervade the life of a spiritually-engaged person. Holistic practices such as integrity in business dealings, what one chooses to eat or serve, the practice of altruism, and how relationships are conducted - all of these may offer evidence of our spiritual scope, aside from personal inspiration or communion.
Some say that a person who is walking a spiritual path earns the attention of "Beings of Light, Spirits, or Angels" who are known to assist in the growth and development of humanity. If this is true, one would expect a person who claims to "love the lord" to be held to higher standards by those beings who bear the sacred divine trust throughout many levels in creation. The ancient story of Abraham our Father is exemplary of this.
One thing is certain. No matter a person's life choices, a spiritual person never tires of being closer and dearer to the heart of the Divine Creator. Come what may, we never give up, we keep trying.
Tuesday June 30th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Courage
Courage is the joyful and fearless assumption of unconditional existence. The mark of a fully engaged soul is the ability to step into new, uncharted territory. In doing so, the individual relies on the intelligence and guidance intrinsic in Life itself. Knowing that nothing can stop us, we passionately embrace our objective, even if it means accepting changes to ourselves in so doing.
All of the great Masters speak of this. The theme of stepping forward with faith is found in every tradition the world over, from the jungle tribes to the monks on mountain tops. Willingness to try something new, to open our hearts, actions, and intentions to new possibilities is incontrovertible proof of Life's embrace.
Life, itself, is the message of the heart. In the drumbeat of our heart, we are reminded of our life from our first waking breath to our last thought of the day. In Life, we are equipped with the innate ability to try new experiences and expressions. Our souls are filled with glee as we expand our scope. There is no person who does not have the ability to grow and who is not moved by the desire for increasing engagement in creation.
Tuesday June 23rd 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
The Path of Opposites
The most dynamic Spiritual Growth comes from experiences that oppose what we would otherwise have chosen. For example, a very mental person will grow rapidly along the path of devotion. A very devoted person needs to learn the path of reason. No matter the opposite, balance ensues. Knowing your Modus Operandus, knowing yourself, you can explore the opposite polarity that will balance your natural approach.
Part of any wise Teacher's task is to observe a person's nature and encourage or help that person face situations that stretch the skill set beyond the “original equipment.” The person is then enabled to freshly experience life.
One reason Ashrams and Monasteries give people new names is to foster this change of perspective by labeling the person. Typically, the new name itself represents a level of consciousness that will take a lifetime to attain. This practice keeps the person simultaneously affirming while reaching forward. Whether or not a person lives in a Spiritual Community, our souls, in conjunction with the Spiritual Beings and Guides, will create situations that gently raise the matter of the Opposite in our lives. This helps us reach true growth.
Tuesday June 16th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Confidence
Even people who experience strong spiritual communion waver under the force of life's changes. However, there is no doubt that confidence deeply rooted and grounded in Self-Knowing has a dimension of certainty not found in the fragile creations of the ego. One stands like a stone temple and the other, like a house of cards. The human being naturally wavers between deeper truth and superficial illusion. Knowing the difference between the permanence that comes from detachment and the “temporariness” that comes from holding on is one of the great lessons of self-mastery.
A big part of our early socialization involves modeling or attaching ourselves after external examples. For instance, early teens wear hair styles, certain clothes, and choose affiliation groups and language style based on admiration and competition. At some point in time, most of us realize part or all of this modeling is fake and we dispense with it. But none of us dispense with it entirely. Some externals we've adopted become part of the outer shell of our lasting “identity” -- even if we may have completely passed the need for them, we may still retain them.
That is where the challenge arises. Because these “constructs” are products of coping rather than divine communion, they stand at odds with the now, and thus, the soul's purpose. Eventually the soul will create life changes to expose us once again to the present and the dynamics of present choice. The test lies in whether we go deeper and dance with the present, or if, stuck in the past or the future, we quickly reconstruct ourselves in the hope of avoiding the now and its change, ultimately setting ourselves up for catastrophe while keeping a “stiff upper lip.”
Our spiritual practice, with its inspiration, devotion, purgative and strengthening experiences helps us gain genuine confidence based in the now.
Tuesday June 9th 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
Opening The Heart Chakra
To gain lasting spiritual experience and wisdom the heart chakra has to open. This makes it possible to free ourselves from the ever-whirling gears of our mind.
Having “spiritual” feelings does not mean the Heart Chakra is open. This simply means the Emotional Body is involved in perception. Opening the Heart Chakra is best described as being enveloped in a sea of compassion -- and calm. This is why devotion to the Divine Mother leads to opening the heart.
The ancient Hebrew sages felt that spiritual experience on earth is limited to the Mother aspect of Divinity, not the Father. This is why the spiritual presence abiding over the Tabernacle in the Wilderness and the Temple in Jerusalem is called by the feminine term “Shekinah.” It is notable that the Hebrew codeword “SheMa,” often translated as “listen” or “hear” is a feminine term. The Rishis of India, Tibetan Lamas, and Desert Monks of the Egyptian Thebaid also focused on devotion to The Mother. Aboriginal people, especially jungle tribes, clearly focused on the Mother. The Catholics and Orthodox Christians have maintained formal devotion to the Mother, and only certain relatively recent types of “Conservative Evangelical” and “Protestant” Christianity omit devotion to the Mother.
On this particular evening we will focus on some heart-opening spiritual practices.
Tuesday June 2nd 7:30 P.M.
at Frederick's Om
The Kaballah of Gratitude
Gratitude comes from a sense of proportion where we recognize the “beyond” has touched us. The Hebrew word “HOD” means Thanks and refers to the cognizance of Majesty, leading to Gratitude. This is so important, it is one of the 10 Sephirot in Kaballistic Tree of Life. The name “Judah” and the world “Jew” are DIRECTLY derived from this word. This is significant because the notion of the Jews as a People of Gratitude is brilliantly illuminating to Jews and Gentiles alike.
Proportion is mentioned here because a “Ratio” exists between the boundaries of our general awareness and the possibilities of awareness beyond those boundaries. When a person is "rational" they recognize these possibilities exist. An irrational person fails to recognize these possibilities. And when that happens, a spiritual blindness sets in. Hence, the ancients of days remind us to give thanks.
Giving thanks and expressions of gratitude are key elements in spiritual life. Kaballistically they are on the opposite pole from Netzach, which is translated as “Victory.”
Tuesday May 26th 7:30 pm
at Frederick's Om
Fasting
Fasting is practiced by virtually every spiritual tradition the world over since the beginning of oral history. The strength derived from mastery of appetites is an essential building block in self-awareness and has a domino effect in the refinement of the soul's capacity to take the lead position. Where a person does not fast, the body assumes control, leading to distortion of the Will. A person who learns to fast quickly learns to recognize the “tug” of desires and becomes able to become their master. Prayer during fasting becomes effortless and inner communion is enhanced, a foreshadowing of the transition away from our physical body.
Fasting also has innumerable health benefits. Fasting permits the body to reconstitute its energetic fields which foster restoration of the organs.
The Master Jesus mentioned that certain spiritual anomalies including some types of demonic possession “goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” This is because obsession and loss of the oversight of the soul over the body weakens the aura and permits interference from outside forces. Fasting includes not only that which goes into the mouth, but that which comes out of it. A person who fasts from food, alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, or other pleasures in life also must learn to fast from negative conversation about oneself or others. This is a powerful art indeed. Where medically suitable, weekly fasting is ideal, ceasing food intake, say by midnight on a Tuesday and resuming food intake on the following Thursday morning. During a fast, water may be consumed but no caffeine or sweeteners. After a fast, it is best to consume simple whole grains such as a bowl of oatmeal. While fasting you will feel a certain point after around 15 hours, where a metabolic shift takes place where the body begins to cleanse itself. In case the shift brings on pain or a headache, this is simply evidence that the body is doing important cleansing work and in reality the work of the fast is just beginning!
Feel free to discuss your experiences with fasting this evening.
Tuesday May 19th 7:30 pm
at Frederick's Om
Karma
Karma is caused by turbulence in the deep and polarized energy patterns stemming from our actions. Radiating like tangled ribbons from our souls and bodies, these patterns attract similar ribbons in Creation and Others which have “receptors” which snag and attach to our pattern. This dynamic is similar to the action of distinct Amino Acids which lock precisely into the DNA strand, functioning as receptors for specific genetic codes in reproduction. It leads to experiences that bring awareness to underlying causes, and hopefully resolve ensues.
The Soul seeks to create a harmonious emanation pattern, free of entanglements. When we encounter a situation that triggers Karmic meshing, the soul may elect to create conditions that can yield absolution which can free it from the turbulence. There are many possible scenarios. The wise maintain a sense of detachment, oft praised by the Buddha, which allows life experiences to restore balance and repair the energetic field.
This evening we will consider methods for Detachment, non-reactiveness, and the fostering of deeper perspective.
Tuesday May 12th 7:30 pm
at Frederick's Om
Real Astrology
Through Astrology a skilled reader can quickly help you identify issues related to the mission and character of your lifetime and those with whom you interact. Astrology has been practiced by Prophets, Sages, and Mystics for thousands of years, including by Abraham and virtually all the Hebrew Prophets.
Since Astrology reveals such a detailed perspective on your potentials, the wise seek at least a basic understanding of Astrology with a particular focus on the interpretation of your own chart. However, Master Paul and many great Teachers over history forbade the uses of Astrology to FORECAST the future for individuals. Forecasting a person's future is like stealing from them. It is far better to help a person understand their present and past and leave their future in their own hands!
This evening Frederick will share some insights into how a person can make more of their lifetime and relationships using the ancient tools of Astrology.
Tuesday May 5th 7:30 pm
at Frederick's Om
Balance
Attraction to images of balance speak to the soul's quest for equilibrium. Our first love is for the experience of creation. This love is so strong we are drawn to experience ever-more powerful situations and forces. The proof of our soul's attainment is in how we maintain balance in the midst of this love.
Nobody ever said this would be easy, yet we usher ourselves headlong into creation undaunted by the challenges we face. As experiences accumulate, we seek to reconcile to the facets of our experience. Spiritual practices exist primarily to help us restore our balance. From this point of restoration, we are able to make choices about what the Creation means to us, and what we should do about it. Without Balance, we lose track of our Purpose and become lost at sea - the Sea of Karma.
Tuesday April 28th 7:30 pm
at Frederick's Om
The Kingdom Within
Direct personal experience of the inner worlds, the “Kingdom Within You” is at the core of the highest degree of strength known on earth.
The Kabbalistic expression - “As Above So Below” gives voice to the profound depth of this reality. Our culture remains rapt with fascination towards the outer trappings of accomplishment and success but when people come with information about universal laws that lead to inner success, this is called a “Secret.”
The Prophets stated that a time would come when “All Mysteries Would Be Revealed” and many believe this time is at hand in the present era. In order to foster this reality in our lives and actually reveal the mysteries, we have to engage in deep spiritual work and powerful practices. There is no substitute for consistent effort and loving embrace of the spiritual path on the inner level. To those who persevere, “the Kingdom Within” opens and a deeper pathway opens with it.
Tuesday April 21st 7:30 pm
at Frederick's Om
The GOD SELF
Additional Gathering This Week: Weds April 22nd 7:00 pm
Satva Yoga & Healing 2177 Briarcliff Rd. Atlanta GA - 404-636-1739
Certainly we hear frequent mention of the GOD SELF in spiritual conversation. The SELF is the spiritual core of our being and all being. There is but one SELF, The Divine Being, all-encompassing, omniscient, omnipotent, and ever-streaming the love, awareness, and intelligence of the Creator.
Described variably as a “Cell of the Mind of God,” a “Spark of the Divine,” or “The Holy of Holies,” the SELF is the Infinite Place within. Entrance into SELF REALIZATION is the ultimate objective and destination of all spiritual awareness. In the Act of Creation, called Tzim Tzum in Kabbalah, the SELF fragments while remaining indivisible (a great spiritual mystery) and as a sojourner, travels through and gathers experience within creation, ultimately returning to the One. This experience gathers in layers around the SELF and comprises the substance known as the “Soul.”
The Torah says “No man may see God and Live.” Yet in SELF Realization one is able to See the SELF and entirely enter into the SELF. How can this be? To enter the Sacred Precincts of the SELF, all attachments must first be laid aside. Only then, from a state of oneness and completeness, otherwise described as Shalom, Communion, Nivrana or Samadhi, can a person return to the SELF. This is the culmination of the earthly human evolution and leads to different types of function and service.
The paschal images of freeing the Children of Israel from slavery in Egypt, the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus -- these all hail to the same understanding of this inner process of release from attachment and return to source of life within.
On this occasion we will do special practices that lead to this oneness.
Tuesday April 7th 7:30 pm
Kabbalah of Passover
The Pesach Seder is The Pre-eminent Kabbalistic Ritual, leading us into a fully altered condition - that being of release from attachments, or on ancient parlance, slavery. Who is not enslaved by some attachment or perceived need that separates waking consciousness from soul awareness? It is called the Time of our Freedom, and involves shedding of attachments, leading to reunification with our Source. Not merely symbolic, the Rite functions in the Four Worlds of Vision, Spiritual Awareness, Emotion and Action. The cornerstone of the observance is the unleavened loaf, Matzo, archetype of simplicity, bearing no pretense, just the pure grain in usable form. The Four Cups of Wine punctuate the shifts between Kabbalistic worlds. The rite employs extra-ordinary means and demands genuine sacrifices to achieve its end.
The Seder Meal is only the initiation of this experience, with densely-packed richly adorned Kabbalistic symbolism, from the Seven Lower Sephirot of the Tree of Life Array displayed on the Seder Pate itself to the progression of events taking place from prior to and beyond the Seder Evening. This experience is sealed into our consciousness through a dietary shift that lasts for an entire week. The opportunity presented is awesome.
The universal message of the Pesach has captured the imagination of the entire world, and with good reason. This ancient practice contains every key ingredient of the Four Elements that awakens the soul, those being Study, Devotion, Purging, and Surrender. It is an awesome experience in the deepest traditional sense of the term.
This evening we share more about the upcoming Festival of Matzo.
Tuesday March 31st 7:30 pm
YOUR AURA
Your Aura is a spiritual organ. It is the first point of entry and exit for energy in your body field. It extends approximately three feet from the skin in every direction, a virtual egg-shaped microcosm of being. Understanding how to manifest energy in the Auric field is absolutely crucial to self-mastery.
Much like the Earth's Atmosphere, your Auric Atmosphere is a zone of protection, inclusion and exclusion. Yet, we hear virtually nothing about how tap its capacity for creating the world we all claim to want. This is because there is comparably little spiritual training in the midst of so much spiritual chatter.
Have you ever walked into a room and noticed that everybody pays little or no attention to others? This is because folks' Aura gets contracted. Contracting the aura can be helpful if you don't want others to notice or approach you. But if you are trying to create a vibrant spiritual and loving world community, clearly our goal, the opposite is the case. It is said The Buddha's aura extended for 40 Kilometers!
This evening we share exercises involving the Aura that will initiate a set of skills you may find quite useful.
Tuesday March 24th 7:30 pm
Bhakti Yoga
Bhakti Yoga Bhakti is the Sanskrit Term for Devotion.
Bhakti Yoga is often expressed often through song, dance, anything passionate, colorful and full of beauty. The Bhagavad Gita describes Bhakti as the ultimate spiritual expression and many Yogis consider the Bhakti path to be the most accessible of all paths.
Almost all Yoga that takes root as a spiritual practice in America has the experience of Bhakti at its root. The universal archetype of Bhakti Yoga is expressed as self-donation and devotion to the Divine.
Clearly, Bhakti is at the core worship, of romance, and inspiration. In South Asia and the Middle East, many religions have quite a bit to say about self-donation to The Beloved. Hanuman yearns only to please Ram. Rumi's poetry is replete with amazing illustrations of yearning, honor, and respect for the Beloved. The Children of Israel imagine themselves as the bride of God.
Clearly this Beloved is within you, the Self, and to find the Self is to be a living expression of Bhakti. Once this is found art, culture, and all manner of creative legacy ensues.
Tuesday March 17th 7:30 pm
The REAL Meaning of “Good Luck”
Good Luck is a theme we hear quite a bit in the context of St. Patrick's Day. You probably know the story of St. Patrick - that he drove the snakes our of Ireland and is her Patron Saint. But we really know very little about him at all, except that he was an evangelical and that he worked against the Druids and Pagans to establish the Church. Not such good luck for many, it seems. It does not surprise me, then, that abuse of alcohol, the drug of choice for the Dominator Culture is heavily associated with his memory. Sad, but not surprising.
The term Good Luck is derived from the words “God's Light.” (Luck=Lux) This makes sense, because we know that as we grow in spiritual illumination, amazing events flourish and grow exponentially in our lives. Master Paul maintained a constant focus on development of skills and precision around what he called “Bearing the Light,” and was legendary for the sheer numbers of people who came into spiritual illumination in his presence. His work was so effective that famed Seikh Guru Kirpal Singh was astounded by Master Paul’s illuminated disciples following a western path, and as his jaw dropped upon seeing them, he exclaimed: “Where did you get such Light?”
Tuesday March 10th 7:30 pm
Spiritual Sight
The ability to accurately “see” what is happening on non-physical levels is a skill that can be refined. It is taught and discussed in many schools and is a key component of spiritual training.
While it goes by a variety of names, practitioners from Shamans to Shaolin Monks, Yogis to Mystics, to Priests and Kabbalists use and develop it.
Spiritual sight becomes possible when a person's angle of view shifts slightly from what we can call “direct” to a view that comes from a different angle. But this is not simply an exercise in optical geometry. It is a different angle of being that makes Spiritual Sight possible. The skill requires practice, and when used for the deployment of compassion, can become a powerful healing force. We'll share more including examples on Tues as we prepare for Kirtan, Kriya & Self-Realization Meditation.
Tuesday March 3rd 7:30 pm
The Chakras
Conversation about the Chakras has become so commonplace, but what have we really learned about these energy centers in the spiritual body that met with major ganglia in the spine?
We will explore questions about the Chakras this evening.
Are the Chakras really colored like the spectrum from red at the root to violet at the crown? They Aren't, this is an error that has crept into mass thinking due to oversimplification and symbolic expression, but what DO they look like and how do you SEE them?
What is their function, and more importantly how do you activate and BALANCE them?
Understanding the aspects of life associated each chakra is an amazing lesson. For instance, the stomach/umbilical Chakra is associated to contractual and fixed arrangements. People who have attachment issues sometimes face balance issues around this Chakra. And each Chakra has keys to its portion of our whole expression.
Tuesday Feb 24th 7:30 pm
Yoga Breath Refinements
It's typical of the oft-superficial West that so many people have taken "Yoga" classes with such limited emphasis laid upon breathing techniques, which are, in reality, the foundation of Yoga.
During our gatherings, when we breathe through Kriya Yoga before meditation, I've noticed that many people are unaccustomed to the vigorous breathing and release-to-cleansing and power that is so essential to Kriya Yoga.
It's a good idea for us to pause this week and examine a variety of breathing approaches refined and shared over centuries by the Yogis. Many "spiritual leaders" do not teach certain techniques to the public, but only offer them when money -- sometimes in large sums -- is exchanged for "initiation." These are generally referred to as secret breathing Yogas, or "Advanced Pranayams." There is no reason YOU must pay a sum that equates to a big slice of your monthly pie to somehow "show" that you are committed to learning the powerful techniques that really maximize the transformative experience Yoga offers.
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