Center for Non-Dual Studies & Practice

NON-DUALITY & MEDITATION, SUNDAY AUGUST 1, 12-1PM, CASA DE LUZ – AUSTIN

Michael — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 17:07:17 +0000

Meditation is very popular these days, but in Non-Duality, it has a specific purpose and prerequisites that need to be understood correctly to maximize the process. Also in both Vedanta and Buddhism, there is a progressive path leading up to and including the process of meditation itself.

In this lecture we will cover how the Non-Dual philosophy has been in the West, via early Grecian Philosophy and also in the East, via Vedanta, Buddhism, etc. We will then look at the core elements in Plotinus in the West and Vedanta & Buddhism in the East to discover what these key essential elements are in both the theory and practice. We will also cover how this philosopy and way of life is correlating with several fields in modern science. We will end with a sample contemplation and then meditation. This education is not done just for an intellectual purpose, but to help show us why and how to practice a deep and profound life, which will benefit ourselves and others.

Patanjali’s Yoga system is the foundation of virtually all meditation systems in the East in one form or the other and we will study this eight-fold system. The ‘Center for Non-Dual Studies’ is first and foremost an educational center where you can learn some of the deepest systems of knowledge and love the human species has developed. You can learn very authentic traditions such as Vedanta and Buddhism taught by some of their key luminaries such as Ramakrishna and the Dalai Lama. You are also not asked to have any set belief system and you are encouraged to use your own power of intelligence and discrimination to understand these philosophies and how they can benefit you and others. But it does not stop there, it also shows you how these philosophies can help transform you at the deepest levels so you can be of service to all living beings and fulfill your life. The ‘Centers’ key role is to educate in life skills and helping you to answer the deepest questions of life – what is my true nature, how can I love all beings without distinction, what is the true evolution of our species and most of all, how can I grow in knowledge and love and make myself happy and all other beings happy? These may seem like impossible questions to answer, but Non-Duality, when understood in its universal aspects, can answer all of these questions and there are various humans in several cultures that have corroborated this through their lives of love, knowledge and service.

The ‘Center’ also is starting to implement certain ceremonies that are very authentic and time tested to help a person integrate the practices in their daily lives. Non-Duality is not a specific religion or science, but the foundation of both and can freely draw inspiration from various religions and certain fields of science. It is uniquely suited to adapt to different temperaments, while inspiring the highest levels of ethics, intelligence and loving kindness. It also has the potential to bring a deeper understanding among various religions and religions and science because of its broad appeal and universal application. Come learn about this process with us and expand your horizons. All are welcome.

NON-DUALITY & COMMON SENSE – JUNE 27 (SUNDAY) – 12-1PM – CASA DE LUZ – AUSTIN

Michael — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:09:26 +0000

We have all heard the saying ‘there is nothing so uncommon as common sense’ and we would add that it is exponentially true when we come to spiritual life or what we call ‘a search for source.’ In religious literature, it is very rare to even hear the words common sense used, but for those who have traversed the path for a long time they know that it is an essential element. It brings balance and functioning within your own means. You practice what you can and leave the rest. You do not try to overly copy others paths, but follow your own path to the best of your ability. Of course, Non-Duality is not a religion although it can contain various spiritual paths such as Vedanta, Buddhism, Christianity, etc. It remains free to explore not only religions but also various sciences and anywhere knowledge and deeper love can be found. So Non-Duality as a path has to find its own way, with the help of various individuals and authentic Dharmic literature and the latest findings in several of the sciences. Non-Duality states that there is a foundational Ultimate Reality, that is beyond time, space and causality and ‘you are that.’ It does not stop even there but says that all of life is a manifestation of this ‘Beingness’ or ‘Emptiness.’ Now this is way outside of the common experience of most all humans and yet this is the claim of Non-Duality. It also says that to transcend your own personal motives and live in universal love, is the compliment of this complete transcendence. All of this is very uncommon and yet as a person progresses towards a deeper understanding of life, mind, motive, purpose and essence, this is exactly what they find. It does not matter what part of the world or what their particular beliefs, whether scientific or religious or socially humanitarian. Life reveals itself ultimately in an expression of Oneness. This is what many of the most profound individuals who have lived have shown us. Now if this is true, then there must be balanced, common sense ways to approach this deeper life. There should be ways in which we will not make it overly ‘mystical’ or ‘metaphysical’ while at the same time revealing depths much beyond the reaches of ordinary sense perception. Come join us to explore this most profound of topics and for the practical implications of such a ‘common sense’ approach.

BUDDHA/ETHICS/MEDITATION – MAY 23 – CASA DE LUZ/AUSTIN – 12-1PM

Michael — Sat, 01 May 2010 16:47:06 +0000

In the Non-Dual tradition, once it is understood in its universal format, beyond the classical understanding of Advaita Vedanta as its primary representative, then Buddhism, Neo-Platonism and many other systems both East and West show up being instruments of the Non-Dual realization and Ultimate Reality. Beyond even this is the idea we have proposed that Non-Duality lies at the very heart of Nature and in fact is the ‘Nature of Nature.’ That is, it is the very nature of life, mind and evolution and this is what all of the various ‘spiritual’ traditions were actually striving to attain. The modern Ramakrishna discovered this directly from his profound purity and unimaginable universal experiences. This is also true with some of the modern sciences such as evolutionary biology, quantum physics, cognitive studies and other fields that are pointing to this Non-Dual reality.

Once this is truly understood, then we can look at Buddha in a new light, as a representation of one of the greatest and most profound embodiments of this Non-Dual process in actual practice. This class will focus on the fundamental ethics via the Eightfold Path and other crucial ideas within Buddhism, such as the realization of Sunyata – translated as Emptiness and which is very much misunderstood in many cases. Non-Duality will give a solid background to understand this most elusive of realizations. Buddha also devised many of the most elaborate and accurate meditation processes ever developed by the human race and we will see how these relate to the foundations of ethics and the unfoldment of our deepest, highest and widest nature.

Please join us for this most informative class on the great Buddha and his many schools which have developed for over 2500 years.

We will also celebrate our 1 year anniversary. We are having a pot-luck afterwards, so bring a small vegetarian dish to share or just come and celebrate – we will have plenty.

NON-DUAL VIEW OF THE UNIVERSAL CREATRIX- CASA DE LUZ, AUSTIN, APRIL 25, 12-1PM

Michael — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:01:51 +0000

The universal creatrix is seen as the ‘feminine energy’ that produces and supports the entire universe. This energy has been seen in both the East and the West as forming various modes of life expression, from the fertile nature mother to the Compassionate Tara who releases the confused consciousness into the highest Non-Dual Awareness. She is also seen as Bhavatarani in shakti yoga philosophy, as the first expression of life as also the progenitor of all life and is in at-one-ment with Shiva, the Ultimate Unitary Beingness, beyond thought or creation, even of the most subtle nature. In this class we will delve into the philosophy of this universal creatrix and why and how a Non-Dualist would want to revere such energy. We will look at various manifestations of such energy and also look into the life of Sarada Devi, who is considered by many to be the modern incarnation of the Compassionate Mother.

We will discuss how this is really the energy of consciousness itself and how the individuation apparitionally is caused by this universal life force. She veils, projects and finally frees consciousness. We will look into the brillant and profound work of Sir John Woodroffe and his development of the Mantra Shastra. This class is a must for the serious Non-Dual philosopher and/or practitioner because it covers some areas of Non-Duality not usually dealt with under the umbric of Non-Duality. This is a rather advanced class but individuals at any level of Non-Dual education can attend. Please remember that we strive to provide an educational model for the study and practice of Non-Duality and are committed to such a model.

THE ART & SCIENCE OF FREEDOM:12-1PM – MARCH 28 – CASA DE LUZ – AUSTIN

Michael — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:10:49 +0000

Finding our true freedom is what everyone in life is striving for. This means many different things to different individuals but in the end it means being able to find the core of our being where no sorrow or fears can enter. Is this even possible or is it just a hopeful dream? Luckily we have many different individuals who have found such freedom from the shores of India to the Grecian Ionic culture to the Native Americans. So the real question is how to locate such a freedom and what is the criteria for such a search. Comprehensive Non-Duality gives a unique, non-biased, non-superstitious, highly scientific and modern approach. It does this all the while keeping with the fundamental principles of striving for high ethics and service of our fellow humans and other life forms. Come and join us for an exploration into this profound topic both as an educational theory and applied philosophy.

COMPREHENSIVE NON-DUAL PRACTICE – SUNDAY FEB. 21 (12-1PM) – CASA DE LUZ – AUSTIN

Michael — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 17:34:59 +0000

Comprehensive Non-Duality is a new field that we have helped to develop and was introduced in our book on Non-Dualism under the title of Biological Non-Duality. It expands our current understanding of traditional Non-Dual practice into the sciences and also shows how this philosophy can be applied for various types of people. Some of us are more emotional, some more intellectual, some like work more and are very active and others are profound philosophers and enjoy deep introspection and critical thinking. Comprehensive Non-Duality fulfills all of these qualities when correctly understood. For example, some believe that Non-Dual practice is confined to only the highly intellectual understanding of our True Nature. This is not exactly correct. We can use profound devotional methods along with certain rituals to further help us in the uncovering of our true Non-Dual nature. In Vedanta they have developed the Four Yoga systems for this (Jnana, Bhakti, Karma, Raja) or Knowledge, Love, Work and Meditation. We can use Bhakti in our pursuit for the highest knowledge. A perfect example of this is Ramakrishna the 19th. Century metaphysician who it is said ‘ was all Bhakti outside and all Non-Dual knowledge inside.’ Or we can take the example of the Dalai Lama and his explanations of ‘Diety Yoga’ where one uses the image of the Buddha to realize the profound state of ‘Wisdom realizing Emptiness.’

So a more thorough knowledge of Non-Duality and its practice will have to take into consideration these various methodologies along with many of the latest findings in terms of health, healthy relationships, cognitive biology, evolutionary theory, sustainability, etc.

This year we will be exploring these topics to enrich our understanding and practice of a Comprehensive Non-Duality.

OVERCOMING EMOTIONAL OBSCURATIONS – A NON-DUAL PERSPECTIVE (Jan 17th, 12:00-1:00pm. Casa de Luz-Austin)

Michael — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:42:10 +0000

We are excited to start our second year of the Center. Have you ever felt that traditional religions were not enough for you and you want an educated, sophisticated process for exploring the inner dimensions of your life? Are you interested in spirituality, but not religion per se? Are you a scientific or devotional type person, but want to explore the nature of consciousness? If so, a comprehensive approach in Non-Duality may be exactly what you have been seeking. This approach can include several profound aspects of various religions but is not directly linked to any specific religion. It also is totally open to the latest findings in science in relation to ourselves and the world we see around us. In a sentence, it is an Open, Organic, Free and Exploratory look in life, mind, freedom and joy.

We have seen much interest among our prior participants. Last year we laid a foundation of beginning and intermediate level Non-Dual practice and looked into several primary Dharmic texts. This year we will have an overarching theme of showing what Comprehensive Non-Duality is and how it can be implemented for a well-rounded approach to our inner and outer development according to several authentic sacred traditions and some of the latest findings in science.

Our January class will be on studying techniques for overcoming several of the emotional states that keep us from realizing our ever-free nature. We will look at emotions from the evolutionary biology perspective, and various Non-Dual traditions such as Vedanta and Buddhism. Fear, anger, greed, deceit, anxiety and many other emotions can cloud our judgement and make our practice difficult. Both science and the Non-Dual traditions have much to teach us in how to overcome these destructive emotions. This is not just for the beginner but even very advanced practitioners have problems sometimes with these various emotions. We will also explore some of the pitfalls of a misdirected philosophical and depth spiritual practice in this in-depth look into obscuring emotions.

Remember, this class is a free community service and is provided for educational purposes only. Come and let’s generate real enthusiasm for ourselves and others this coming year and help others to realize their deep, wide and free potential, in this very life.

NON-DUAL MEDITATIONS – NOV. 8TH – 12:30-1:30PM – CASA DE LUZ- AUSTIN

Michael — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:26:19 +0000

This will be our final meeting for 2009. We had enthusiastic attendance for the various meetings and it has been a good start to such an educational undertaking. Also, because this is purely a free community service educational activity it will take some time for those interested to truly understand the breadth and depth of what we are accomplishing. For those interested in Non-Duality, this is a very unique opportunity to learn a comprehensive, fully integrated process and program that is at the level of a university course on the subject.

This lecture is given by Michael who was a prior Vedanta monk with over 35 years of practice in Vedanta, Zen, aspects of Tibetan Buddhism, Native American practices, along with various yoga processes. He is also a trained scientist and prior university instructor. His field is biology applied to land planning and sustainability. He sees ecological systems as a scientific process that educates us on the unity of energetic interactions throughout natural systems and also helps us to experience our Immanent/Transcendent aspect of Non-Duality. Certain sciences and Non-Duality will merge their processes in the future to create a new human race that is both deeply integrated in Spirit and the functional processes for making a better life for all species.

This month we will end with a lecture on Non-Dual Meditations. This will cover some specific meditations, advantages of such meditations, progressive techniques for meditation in Non-Dual traditions along with many of the benefits. This is meant to show students various methods that Non-Dualists use to meditate and how these can affect our lives to make us live a more profound, giving and unselfish life along with helping to deepen our understanding of how and why to contact our inner source.

These meditations will be strictly for educational purposes only and are not meant to influence a direction of particular private meditation practice. This is completely up to each individual and their individual teacher to decide, if they have a teacher. Our mission at the ‘Center for Non-Dual Studies’ is to provide free educational information on various aspects of Non-Dual theory and Practice.

Intermediate Non-Dualism – October 18, Sunday, 12:00 Noon – Casa de Luz – Austin

Michael — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 01:48:05 +0000

There are currently many faces given to the Non-Dual path in the West. Michael, our facilitator, along with Ken Wilber and a handful of others have devised processes for delineating what this path is. Michael is one of the longest practitioners of this path, having practiced since the early 1970′s and will share his perspective on the progression and sudden illumination potential in Non-Duality. We also point out some of the pro’s and con’s of both accurate and inaccurate practice. In the West, we are very creative, but sometimes we have not developed the ethical foundations and the educational background necessary to undertake such a profound process as Non-Dual unfoldment. On the other hand the West, with the benefits of various sciences and the ability to cross-reference different Non-Dual traditional systems, has the advantage of uncovering some essential processes that will both speed progress and clarify procedure. We have covered some of the beginning stages of this path and will move on to intermediate stages in this class. Many believe we can just affirm our Non-Dual Unitary nature and then we are finished. This is true if someone is a fully enlightened Buddha, but for the majority of humanity it will also be a progressive path, albeit not always in some linear fashion. There will be spirals, circles, peaks and valleys. The advantage of ‘The Center for Non-Dual Studies’ approach is that we explore various authentic traditions and draw out the best from different paths and create new processes also. We also have the advantage of having Michael, a prior Vedanta monk for many years who has been practicing for over 35 years to help direct these studies. He does not take any ‘spiritual teacher’ role, but only looks upon himself as a fellow traveler and educator of Non-Dual studies. Non-Duality offers many advantages over dualistic pathways and these will also be discussed along with how this path can be a simple way to strengthen the mind, open the heart and bring deep stress relief to our everyday existence. Non-Duality is not simply about an escape to a transcendent existence but is a very practical and completely Unitary Path all in One. It brings fulfillment and unfolds our deepest innate happiness.

SEPTEMBER 27 CLASS – CASA DE LUZ – AUSTIN, TX – 11:00 AM

Michael — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:31:01 +0000

This is an ongoing class on Non-Dual education and practice. The word Non-Duality is becoming more and more popular but the profound meaning and process of learning the real prerequisites are often missing in some modern interpretations. In this class we will continue to point out some of the essential step by step prerequisites necessary to truly practice such a profound way of life. In our last class we covered some of these via, Shankara’s Advaita Vedanta. In this class we will explore various Buddhist Non-Dual procedures. We are not tied to any one system of Non-Duality and we look into cross-cultural and cross-discipline approaches for maximum benefit and also so we do not become overly ‘stuck’ on ‘the’ approach. By this cross-cultural and multi-disciplined approach to Non-Duality we will develop a more universal and powerful procedure to quickly and effectively penetrate the heart of Non-Duality. We will also discover how to use deep devotion in the path of Non-Duality which is not at all understood by some who attempt the path. It is usually thought to be a totally different discipline, but in our study of ‘COMPREHENSIVE NON-DUALITY’ we will discover this process in due time.

This class is taught by a prior Western monastic in Advaita Vedanta who is cross trained in several different Buddhist processes (such as Zen and Tibetan Buddhism) and has an extensive knowledge of philosophy, both East and West and also a scientific background. He has over 30 years of training and sharing of this most profound philosophy. Michael is the author of Non-Dualism ‘A New Experiment in Living.’