spaciousmindcoaching/courses

Spacious Mind
Coaching

Welcoming Life As-it-is:
Coaching, Conferences and Courses
Contemplative Dialogue based on Non-dual Buddhism and Advaita

COURSES AND EVENTS

THE RADIANT MIND WEEKEND
An Introduction to the nine-month Radiant Mind Course

with Michael Shandler and Joel Agee

- The Guesthouse Retreat and Conference Center, Chester, CT July 10 - 12, 2009

"I wholeheartedly recommend these Introduction to Radiant Mind workshops to you. Michael Shandler and Joel Agee will lead you directly into the experience of Radiant Mind and offer you opportunities to directly explore several key principles and practices of the nine month Radiant Mind Course."

– Peter Fenner, Founder, The Radiant Mind.

The INTRODUCTION TO RADIANT MIND workshop explores the experience of intrinsic freedom, where we are neither resisting our experience nor charging it up. This is a state in which we are aware, relaxed and able to fully embrace all experiences, emotions and thoughts without distortion or the need to escape them. The workshop introduces and offers opportunities to directly experience several key principles and practices of the nine-month Radiant Mind course:

•    Bridging the Conditioned and Unconditioned Mind.
•    Simply Sitting: the Art of Natural Meditation.
•    Non-dual Contemplation: Sitting in Presence, favoring neither speech nor silence.
•    Understanding Core Fixations and Primary Biases: How we distort experience and perpetuate suffering.
•    Expanding the Preference Bandwidth.
•    Deconstructive Conversations and Meditative Inquiry

Developed by Dr. Peter Fenner, a leader in the adaptation of Asian wisdom for Westerners. the nine-month Radiant Mind course is fast gaining a reputation as one of the most innovative training programs for integrating the liberating wisdom of Asia’s nondual wisdom into all aspects of our life

It is especially appropriate for Westerners because it is refreshingly free of dogmatism and rituals, yet provides experiential insight into the transcultural wisdom of Mahayana Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta.

What past participants have said about the Introduction to Radiant Mind:

"... Just being in a space so skillfully held with love, respect and clarity, doing nothing in particular, was one of the most powerful experiences ... stories and preconceived notions just fell away. There was a deep sense of resting in each other's presence, resting in Presence..." - Annique Boomsma

"... a true taste of Radiant Mind. Michael masterfully presents this work from his own authenticity.... opening up the direct experience of pure awareness, a real sense of timelessness, a felt sense of vast spaciousness, deep healing and truly natural contemplation." - Susan Wilson

".... By day two two there was such openness and trust that we flowed into natural contemplation with ease. Participants had a high quality experience of love, acceptance, joy, bliss, pure awareness, Radiant Mind. Nothing was missing." - Susan Morton

Fees: The Guest House retreat and Conference Center fee includes workshop, meals, and lodging:
Single room: $575, Double room: $490, Commuter rate: $417.

To register, contact Michael Shandler shandler1008@comcast.net

Michael Shandler, Ed.D. has been exploring nondual philosophy since his first encounter with the teachings of Ramana Maharshi in 1970. His teachers have included Ram Dass, Baba Hari Dass, Adyashanti, Gempo Roshi, Peter Fenner, and others. He is the author of several books including The Marriage and Family Book: A Spiritual Guide. He has been a practitioner of yoga therapy and Ayurveda for many years. Michael holds Masters and Doctorates in counseling psychology from the University of Massachusetts. He currently coaches students in the nine-month Radiant Mind course and teaches courses throughout North America. Shandler1008@comcast.net http://spaciousmindcoaching.com

Joel Agee is an author and translator who has been exploring nondual philosophy and practice since the mid-1960s. Among his teachers have been J. Krishnamurti, the Ven. Chao Khun Sobhana Dhamasuddhi (also known as Dhiravamsa), Vimala Thakar, U.G. Krishnamurti, and Douglas Harding. For the past five years he has been assisting Peter Fenner as a coach to students in the nine-month Radiant Mind course. For Joel's recent article published in Tricycle please go to http://www.joelagee.com/tri_W08_058_063_agee.pdf

To hear Peter Fenner discuss the Radiant Mind, go to: http://opensourcespirit.org/2008/11/peter-fenner-on-radiant-mind/

SPACIOUS MIND GROUPS

People often experience deep spiritual rest and healing in these contemplative sessions. Sessions are weekly on Thursday evenings.

In these group sessions, we just sit in one another’s presence without a lot of agenda. Usually we start by meditating together, sometimes silently and sometimes with a guided meditation that encourages us to listen openly and let things be just as they are.

As we relax into being together, our experience in the here-and-now becomes an opportunity for learning. We reflect on our attractions and aversions, on our conditioning, how we construct “stories,” or distort reality through our biases and fixations. Sometimes we speak about what is most important to us. Sometimes we talk about death and dying and loss, and sometimes we have conversations about nothing.

Conversation happens in deep quietness and listening. In this open spaciousness, with nothing further to do, insights and humor sometimes spontaneously emerge. And, when there is pain and fear, we open ourselves to that too. Much of the time, we just sit enjoying the spaciousness, without favoring either speech or silence.

And, in this spacious presence, we may read or listen to inspiring teachings from the great teachers of non-dualism, including Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta, Eckhart Tolle, Adyashanti, Gangaji, Buddha, Longchempa, Rumi, Peter Fenner, and others.

Thursdays 7:30PM – 9:15PM in Amherst, MA. Information: shandler1008@comcast.net

shandler1008@comcast.net