This class is 6 weeks long.

Ramana Maharshi was born on December 30, 1879 in a village in Tamil, India. His father died when he was twelve, and he went to live with his uncle. At age 16, he experienced a sudden and extreme fear of death to which he responded by immediately seeking the truth of the Self and became Self-realized. Six weeks later he followed an inner calling and ran away to India’s holy hill, Arunachala, where he remained for the rest of his life. For years he was a silent ascetic. He spent many hours each day deep in samadhi. Years later he emerged from silence to share the wisdom of the True Self with those who came seeking it. Before the end of his life in 1950, thousands of people had come to him from all over the world. Ramana Maharshi became known as one of the greatest saints to have ever graced this planet with Presence.

Join us as we contemplate the teachings of this great sage. We will also read stories about about him told by the people who knew him best.

In this class you will:

1. Consider the legend, the living example and the teachings of a great sage and determine what is most helpful to one’s own spiritual process.

2. Practice self-inquiry in order to distinguish between what is and is not the Self.

3. Practice removing attention from the non-Self and placing it with the Self using a spiritual practice that is most suited for you now.

Two Classes to Choose From:

~ On Tuesday evenings, February 9 – March 15, 2016 from 7:30pm-9:30pm ET. Homework begins February 3. Facilitator: Jacquelyn Eckert

~On Wednesday mornings, February 10 – March 16, 2016 from 10am – noon ET. Homework begins February 3. Facilitator: Regina Dawn Akers

Specific Information:
Cost is $120.
Textbook needed is The Spiritual Teaching of Ramana Maharshi.
Class is offered in PalTalk. Familiarity with PalTalk is helpful.
Registration closes on February 2.
For more information on this class, click here.

Click to register

The Member Board of Trustees would like to thank everyone who took the time to fill out our Sanctuary Remodel Survey. Sixty-three people responded to the survey. Here is what we learned & what we are doing:

Question 1: We plan to add a 12-Steps Group to the Sanctuary Schedule on Monday evenings …

Twenty-two respondents said they are interested in a 12-Steps group and they can attend on Monday at 9pm ET. Only 5 respondents were interested but could not attend at that time.

The Awakening Together 12-Steps group will begin this Monday, January 11 at 9pm ET. Thanks for your feedback. We are excited to begin this new program!

Question 2: We plan to add A Course of Love study group to the Sanctuary on Wednesday mornings at 11:30am ET …

Twenty-two respondents said they are interested in A Course of Love study group and they can attend on Wednesday mornings at 11:30am ET. An additional 18 respondents are interested in this group, but cannot attend at this time.

A Course in Love (ACOL), facilitated by Carrie Christiansen, will start in the Sanctuary on Wednesday, January 20 at 11:30 am ET. In addition, a second ACOL group may be added to the Sanctuary schedule at another time later in the year. Most people who could not attend on Wednesday morning would like to attend an ACOL group in the evening or on Saturday.

Question 3: We plan to add a Sufi Contemplation Group to the Sanctuary Schedule on Wednesday evenings …

Twenty-eight respondents said they are interested in a Sufi Contemplation Group and can attend on Wednesdays at 7pm ET. There were 13 respondents who are interested in this group, but cannot attend at this time. They prefer 9pm ET.

The Sufi Contemplation Group, facilitated by Regina Dawn Akers, started last Wednesday with an introduction, which was recorded and is posted. This group will continue to meet each Wednesday at 7pm ET. Everyone is invited to attend. If this group does not fit your schedule but you are interested, you can participate by listening to the recordings, doing the contemplative homework on your own, and sending anything you want to share to Regina at regina.awakeningtogether@gmail.com. She will share on your behalf at meetings. (Note: The recording and contemplative handout will be distributed via the Thursday morning Daily Update each week.)

Question 4: We plan to add an NTI Study Group to the Sanctuary Schedule on Thursday evenings at 9pm ET …

Thirty-four respondents said they are interested in an NTI Group and can attend on Thursdays at 9pm. There were 12 respondents who are interested in this group, but cannot attend at this time.

The NTI group will begin on Thursday, February 4 at 9pm ET. The group will be facilitated by Regina Dawn Akers, the scribe of NTI. The group meetings will be recorded for those who are interested and cannot attend. The audios will be distributed via the Friday morning Daily Update.

Question 5: We plan to add a book group to the Sanctuary schedule on Friday evenings …

Nineteen respondents said they are interested in this group and can attend at 7pm ET on Friday evenings. Twenty-one respondents said they are interested and can attend at 9pm ET on Friday evenings. There were 6 respondents who are interested, but would prefer a daytime group.

Gloria Wells, soon to be ordained as an Awakening Together Minister, has volunteered to lead a book group starting in March. The schedule is still under discussion. In addition to considering 7pm and 9pm ET on Fridays, 8pm ET is being considered. More information will be provided via the Daily Update when the schedule has been finalized.

Question 6: We plan to add two different 30-minute meditation times to the Sanctuary Schedule …

Twenty-two respondents said they are interested in meditation in the Sanctuary at 8am ET. Nine respondents said they are interested in meditation in the Sanctuary at 10am ET. There were 9 respondents who are interested in meditation in the Sanctuary, but neither of these times fit their schedule. About half of them are interested in meditation at 6am ET. There was no consensus of time among the other respondents.

Meditation is being offered in the Sanctuary, Sunday through Friday morning, at 8am ET. Already, hosts have shown up to facilitate many of the 8am meditations, but some volunteers are still needed. Please check the Sanctuary Schedule to see if there is an opening you can facilitate and then Contact Us to volunteer. (If you choose to facilitate a meditation, you can lead a guided meditation, play a guided meditation recording or play meditation music. All 8am meditations are thirty minutes.)

Meditation is also being offered in the Sanctuary, Monday through Saturday, at 10am ET. Hosts have also shown up to facilitate many of the 10am meditations, but some volunteers are still needed. Please check the Sanctuary Schedule to see if there is an opening you can facilitate and then Contact Us to volunteer. (If you choose to facilitate a meditation, you can lead a guided meditation, play a guided meditation recording or play meditation music. All 10am meditations are thirty minutes.)

If you are interested in an earlier meditation, come to the Sanctuary at 6am ET, Monday through Saturday, for a brief meditation followed by a few moments of prayer and an inspired audio teaching.

Question 7: We plan to add a monthly movie group to the Sanctuary schedule on the fourth Sunday of every month at 8pm ET …

Twenty-six respondents said they are interested in a monthly movie group and 8pm on the fourth Sunday of every month fits their schedule. There was one respondent who is interested in a monthly movie group, but cannot attend at that time.

The Awakening Together Movie group, facilitated by Rev. Jacquelyn Eckert, will begin on Sunday, January 24 at 8pm ET. The first meeting will be an introduction to watching movies with Spirit. Specific movies will be discussed at monthly meetings after that.

Question 8: We plan to add a new series at 9pm ET on Sunday evenings. We want to invite different guest teachers to offer a teaching mini-series …

Forty-two respondents said they are interested in a Guest Teacher Mini-Series program and can attend on Sundays at 9pm ET. There were 3 respondents who are interested but would prefer Saturday evenings.

Twenty-Seven people responded to the question asking if they would donate to a special fund to support guest teachers who offer mini-series in the Sanctuary. Nine said “yes.” Five said “Sometimes.” Eight said “Not Sure/Maybe.” Five were not in favor of a special fund to support guest teachers.

We are currently developing a list of possible guest teachers for this series. Our goal is to begin the Guest Teacher Mini-Series in March or April. We are not sure if we will open a special fund to support guest teachers. If we do, 100% of the money donated to the fund will go to the guest teacher who is currently offering a mini-series. Awakening Together will not keep any of the money donated to this fund.

If you want to suggest a guest teacher for a mini-series in the Sanctuary, Contact Us.

Question 9: If we add another study group to the Sanctuary, which group would you like us to add?

Eighteen respondents are interested in “I Am That” by Nisargadatta Maharaj.
Eight respondents are interested in “The Way of Mastery” by Jon Marc Hammer.
Three respondents are interested in “The Jesus Trilogy” by Gina Lake.
Nine respondents are interested in “Journey Beyond Words” by Brent Haskell.
One respondent is interested in Paramahansa Yogananda.
One respondent is interested in Joel Goldsmith.
One respondent is interested in U.G. Krishnamurti.
Two respondents are interested in A Course in Miracles.
One respondent is interested in Kabbalah.
One respondent is interested in a group “honoring the ego.”
One respondent is interested in “a Healing Group (aimed at using discussion to help with pain, depression, loss, etc.)”

We are currently in discussion with some members who are interested in facilitating an I Am That group. Additional information will be provided via the Daily Update when a time and start date has been decided.

Although we do not have plans to begin a Journey Beyond Words or The Way of Mastery group at this time, both books are being discussed in the Sanctuary on Thursday morning. Sharon Slyter shares from books by Brent Haskell on Thursday mornings at 10:30am ET. Stephanie Spratt shares from The Way of Mastery at 11:30am ET. Both of these Thursday morning programs began new this month.

Awakening Together does have A Course in Miracles group that meets in the Sanctuary each Tuesday at 8pm ET. This group is in need of both facilitators and active participants. Please come if A Course in Miracles is of interest to you.

Question 10: What would you like to share with us to help us improve the offerings in our Sanctuary?

We received a variety of comments from twenty-eight respondents. Some of the comments received were:

• I think all of the ideas presented sound good. However, there is a limit to available time so answered “not interested” to some. Would also be interested in the Tao. THANKS!
• How to look at horrendous/challenging current events in another way. What is most helpful and needed to remember. Series on depression as well.
• Speakers/teachers who share seem to be unaware or unconcerned when their volume is not loud enough to be heard. Much gentleness and patience and kindness should be shown, but no speaker should be allowed to continue when the audio volume is too low for the average person to hear. … perhaps they could have a “practice run” before they are the featured reader or speaker to determine if their broadcast quality is well received? It might be helpful to have a class for those who want to speak or share or teach or lead but are too shy…where they could get familiar with how to share and be more willing to do so. It might be an hour dedicated to Newbies and First-Timers or just the Shy Majority. More folks would speak, share, talk if they felt at home. Love EVERYTHING else!
• It is hard for me because of time zone … So I love being apart of AT Sanctuary but am limited in how to show up therefore I really appreciate recordings and podcasts.
• It would be nice to include a reading of poetry either selected to share or from inspiration. A children’s corner where children come into the room for fun and sharing and see them grow.
• “The Untethered Soul” would be another great idea for a study group.
• I would like to set aside a time in the sanctuary (or other Pal Talk room) where beginning presenters could give presentations to each other to gain confidence, hone their presentations skills, and get valuable feedback …
• Have more live evening groups instead of playing music or replaying old sharings or tapes of famous teachers.
• Maybe make the actual schedule of what will be offered, once it is defined, a bit simpler to use than the present sanctuary schedule.
• As I have mentioned before, does the Sanctuary need to be open so much? Also, not everyone can listen in during a talk during the time allotted – perhaps later hours or when the schedule is free during the day, those times can be dedicated to replays and also a talk can be recorded so people can listen later. Currently, we do not know what Lyn will play enough in advance to make sure we are there, if we want to listen in the room. Also, it might be helpful if we were able to determine how many people are listening to recordings. Maybe a survey about that would be helpful to communicate to members just how available, important and helpful the recordings are.
• More technical support for using Paltalk. I have a Mac and have had limited ability to participate in the Sanctuary due to technical challenges-I don’t know how to remedy the situation with Paltalk.
• It is important that the Sanctuary not become too heavy with only one path, like ACIM. That would be much like a radio station that plays only the Beatles. Although I love the Beatles, all Beatles all the time would not interest me.

Thank you for your comments. We are reviewing and considering them all.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Are you interested in bringing a new program to the Sanctuary?
Once you have a specific program in mind, pick an open timeframe from the Sanctuary Schedule, and then Contact Us with your proposal. Need an idea? Check out this list of ideas. We are excited to bring more purposeful variety into the Sanctuary!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

New 12-Steps Group Facilitated by Stephan Mead
Begins in the Awakening Together Sanctuary on Monday!

The public and many 12-Steppers assume the purpose of the 12 Steps Program is to “stop drinking” – or stop excess food, sex or whatever program the steps are being used for. Naturally when an alcoholic joins AA, he/she is helped to break the physical addiction and then is encouraged to “take the steps.”

“Practice these principles in ALL our affairs,” part of the 12th step, IS the work of the steps.

Discovering spiritual principles and applying them was the original motivation for AA meetings. It is a lifestyle and a path for spiritual awakening. However, eighty years after the creation of the steps, many 12-Steppers think the purpose of the steps is simply to halt a behavior. This misunderstanding of the purpose of the steps has caused suffering, depression, bizzare behavior and even suicide.

Accurate information regarding the 12-Steps can light up the path that brings an addicted person from hell to heaven.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Join Stephan Mead and Friends for a 12-Steps Group that goes beyond a change in behavior.
Each Monday at 9pm ET (6pm Pacific)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This is Stephan’s 30th year in AA. He also writes a daily blog quoting passages from the book, Alcoholics Anonymous, and discussing the spiritual principles found in the book.

 

Many of you have been waiting for this new group.
Come to the first session & begin with us at the very beginning.

 

Format for the Group:

Each week Regina will provide group participants with a handout based on one of the Islamic 99 Names of God. Each handout includes Sufi poetry, Sufi stories and other spiritual material to enrich that week’s contemplation. During the week participants go within using the handout as a catalyst for contemplation. At meetings each Wednesday, participants share with the group based on their contemplation. You may be surprised at the deep clarity that arises through Sufi Contemplation.

Regina is deeply experienced in the art of contemplation and the author of Introduction to Sufi Thought, a 5-week class offered as part of Awakening Together’s Minister Preparation Program.

Everyone is invited to participate in this group.

The introduction and quotes in this short video are focused on A Course of Miracles. However, the truth in this video about sharing and equality is not unique to A Course in Miracles. In the Bible, Jesus sent the disciples out to teach long before they were masters. Why? Because he knew that inner wisdom lies in each of us, and if we are willing to open to it, it speaks through us. That is how we learn who we are.

“This poetry. I never know what I’m going to say.
I don’t plan it.
When I’m outside the saying of it,
I get very quiet and rarely speak at all.”
~ Rumi

Some of us learn from teaching. Others learn from writing. Others learn from letting songs come through them or from making themselves available as a mentor to others. Whenever we open to spontaneous wisdom that is beyond our intellectual knowing, we learn about That which is beyond the intellect.

If we teach or write, it is best if we do not depend on our learning for our material. It is best if we teach or write from unknowing and let spontaneous wisdom arise from mysterious intelligence.

~ Take a book you haven’t read but feel called to read. Read from it in the Awakening Together Sanctuary, and let live unrehearsed commentary come through you as you read.

~ Take a quote you have not contemplated before. Don’t be afraid to take one that seems too simple to be profound or one that you feel you do not understand at all. Sit with it. Read it repeatedly. Walk away and then go back. Maybe a feeling of a few words begins to come. Start by writing just those few words. What comes as you allow something to unfold through being with this one little quote?

As we begin the Sanctuary Remodel program, we are not throwing out the baby with the bath water. Yes, we will add more guest teachers from outside of Awakening Together. Yes, we will add more interactive groups. But yes, we still want to encourage you to teach so you can be surprised by your own wisdom, … our one shared wisdom, … as it comes through you in ways you never imagined.

Email Lyn Johnson about taking time in the Sanctuary. Share from something you feel called to go into, and see what comes. Instead of sharing from what you think you know, share from something that is new and fresh for you.

If you feel more called to writing, write what comes to write as you contemplate truth, a quote or excerpt from a book, and then send what you wrote to us so we can post it on the Awakening Together Blog.

Share through the Sanctuary and the Awakening Together Blog, and learn who you are by noticing That which comes through you from beyond your intellectual learning.

Introduction to Kabbalah

This class is 3 weeks long.

One strength of Kabbalah is its deep contemplation of the nature of God. Rabbi David Cooper wrote, “The closest we can come to thinking about God is as a process rather than a being. We can think of it as ‘be-ing,’ as verb rather than noun. Perhaps we would understand the process better if we renamed God. We might call It God-ing, a process, rather than God, which suggests a noun.”

Join us in Introduction to Kabbalah, contemplate God with us, and see if some of your concepts do not fall away as you grasp the meaning of Reality.

In this class you will learn:

1.   The participant will consider the question “What is God?” deeply from more than one Kabbalistic point of view.

2. The participant will contemplate the Kabbalistic teaching of “ongoing creation” and, with awareness of this spiritual law, determine how he/she wants to live/be.

3. The participant will contemplate and become clear on the difference between spiritual belief and spiritual practice.

Two Classes to Choose From:

~ On Tuesday evenings, January 12 – January 26, 2016 from 7:30pm-9:30pm ET. Homework begins January 6. Facilitator: Jay McCormick.

~On Wednesday mornings, January 13 – January 27, 2016 from 10am – noon ET. Homework begins January 6. Facilitator: Regina Dawn Akers

Specific Information:
Cost is $60.
Textbook needed is The Way by Michael Berg.
Class is offered in PalTalk. Familiarity with PalTalk is helpful.
Registration closes on January 5.
For more information on this class, click here.

Click to register

Join Hundreds of Course Students
& 26 Presenters at the Biggest ACIM
Conference of the Year!

Register earlier & pay less:
Register by Dec 15 for only $549.
Register between Jan 1 & Feb 29 for $599.
Register between  Mar 1 & Mar 31 for $649.
April 1 or after, pay $699.

Note: Conference includes dinner on Friday, lunch & dinner on Saturday, and brunch on Sunday. Your hotel room is extra and you must reserve it separately. (More information below.)

Click Here To Register

When registering, be sure to select Regina Dawn Akers as the
presenter who inspired you to register.

List of Presenters:

 

The Las Vegas conference will be held at the Rio All-Suite Hotel, an off-strip hotel with casino, pool, spa, fitness center, shows and more. (Room price is additional.)

Book Your Room Now

In addition to my road trip ideas, you can take Las Vegas style tours before and after the conference with the Community Miracles Center. Click here and scroll to the bottom of the page for information about CMC Las Vegas tours.