| Directions to Store |
Open Secret Blog (coming soon) |
Open
Secret and the Rainbow Body Cultural Center
923 C Street San Rafael, California 94901 ~ 415-
457- 4191 www.opensecretbookstore.com
Dedicated to the Sharing of Human Wisdom and Beauty
Celebrating 20-1/2 Years in the Heart of San Rafael
Calendar of Events
| January | February | March | April | May | June |
| July | August | September | October | November | December |
Ongoing Weekly and Monthly Events ~* ~* ~* ~* ~* Open Secret is now serving Delicious Vegetarian Food by Radiance Cuisine, prior to most events. Call to RSVP: 415-457-4191 ~ We welcome Radhanath and Kilimba to our Open Secret Family! ~ Regular Hours: Wednesday thru Saturday 12-7pmLook for a Grand Opening soon!
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Rainbow Body Chair Massage Every Monday-Saturday Open for drop-in sessions from 12-7pm ~* ~* ~* The independent massage practitioners previously at San Rafael’s Elephant Pharmacy can now be found at Open Secret, and they’re waiting to place their healing hands on you! Drop in at lunchtime, mid-day or after-hours for a physical tune-up and an attitude adjustment! A 10- to 30-minute session starts at just $1.10 per minute. While here, get a Tarot reading, shop for a gift, or curl up with a book and a cup of the best hot chai in town! And be sure to enter the monthly drawing for a FREE 30-minute massage with the practitioner of your choice! See pricing and practitioner schedule below. Click here for practitioners bios. Call the store at 415-457-4191 to inquire about same-day appointments. For more information about the booth, or to book a therapist (or several) for your workplace, party or event, contact Gail at 415-312-3112 or go@RiverGuidess.com.
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Luminous Life Center -Now at Open Secret Bookstore Offering: Office Hours CeCe is available weekly for Readings, Healing, Spiritual Guidance and Coaching. www.cececonverse.com $75/45 minutes Intuitive Guidance and Coaching (individual or relationship) Teaching Angelic Communication, Pendulums and Divination, For more information please see www.lightalliancecalifornia.com
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Aura Soma Reading with Allegra Printz: First Monday of each month 12-5pm Experience the beautiful healing energy and scent of all Natural Sacred Color Energy Oils. Choose the right color for you and find out what it tells you about your current life situation. Additional Tarot cards help you discover and affirm your incarnational soul mission,1- bottle reading $5, 4- bottle consultation with audio tape $40, 4-bottle consultation with audio tape & 1 bottle to take home for healing $65 |
Every Wednesday 7pm. ASTROLOGY STUDY OF THE NATAL HOROSCOPE A New Class with Arisa Victor, Beginning April 21 – Ongoing, $10/Session
Who are you? Why were you born on Earth at this time of the Great Shift? Our textbook is Granny Rainbow’s book,
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First Thursday of every Month 7:00 to 9pm Kirtan with Uma Reed and friends, $10 A jewel among the various spiritual practices associated with Hinduism is kirtan, or devotional chanting. Kirtan is one of the most beautiful and expansive aspects of bhakti yoga — the path of opening the heart through devotion and surrender. The meaning of "yoga" is "union," and the goal of yogic practices is to recognize our true Divine nature. In bhakti yoga, each deity in the the Hindu pantheon is seen as a different aspect or face of the Divine Beloved, and devotional practices are used to bring one closer and closer to the Beloved, until devotee and Beloved become One. Although kirtan involves singing or chanting, it is not necessary to have any musical talent or background, or even a good singing voice. Kirtan is the music of the heart, and it is sung freely from the heart. Traditionally, kirtan is sung in call-and-response form. A leader sings a line or two of a song, and the participants sing it back. The words to kirtan songs are often repetitions of different names of the deities, usually in the Sanskrit language, or in a language derived from Sanskrit. The focus on the deities, and the repetition of their names releases the mind from it’s usual associative patterns, which keep us caught in the cycles of pleasure and pain that come with the ups and downs of everyday life. The vibrations of the Sanskrit sounds expand our hearts and minds beyond their normal limitations, into the depths of Spirit, and the recognition that we are never away from the Beloved.
Open your heart with chanting with Uma. www.umareed.com/ suggested donation $10
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Every Friday noon to 4pm Tarot reading with Arisa Victor: 38 years experience.-.$30 for up to 30 min
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Welcome to the Conception of the Enneagram Research Center Dedicated to the Study and Revelations of the Fractal Geometry of Nature and the Science of Light
We invite all who love and study the Living Enneagram to participate in the co-creation of the Enneagram Research Center dedicated to the study and practice of the Enneagram as a tool for human understanding love and harmony. Sourced from the Ageless Wisdom and as a metaphor of the fall of consciouness into sefl-forgetfulness Sourced from Judiasm and Kabbalah, Esoteric Christianity and Gurdjieff, Rodney Collin and Oscar Ichazo, Claudio Naranjo and Helen Palmer and the Jesuits, and the modern teachers, the Enneagram has entered the main stream world and has become a mystical language that reveals the fractal geometry of nature and the science of light. With the synthesis of quantum physics and the discovery of the Mandelbrot Set, a new chapter of this universal language is emerging that is capable of revealing many of the secrets of the wave and particle facets of consciouness and light and the duality that is woven in the fabric of human living. Personal classes and consultations available 415-602-1584 |
Soul Centered Astrological Readings
The placement of the stars and planets on the day you were born is one of the true and universal mirrors that grounds our self refection, self knowledge and an understanding of cosmos. Every human being is an unbroken transmission of light and life,
a genetic water crystal, that captures facets of the divine personality
and expresses them in the dance of living. These readings are a
living synthesis of Vedic Astrology, Kabbalah and the Enneagram
that helps us understand our NATURAL LIFE PURPOSE, the one the Original
light of God intended.
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2010 Upcoming Events at Open Secret |
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Tuesday March 9th 7pm. $10
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Thursday March 18th 7pm Kirtan with Lakshmi and Friends $15
A jewel among the various spiritual practices associated with Hinduism is kirtan, or devotional chanting. Kirtan is one of the most beautiful and expansive aspects of bhakti yoga — the path of opening the heart through devotion and surrender. The meaning of "yoga" is "union," and the goal of yogic practices is to recognize our true Divine nature. In bhakti yoga, each deity in the the Hindu pantheon is seen as a different aspect or face of the Divine Beloved, and devotional practices are used to bring one closer and closer to the Beloved, until devotee and Beloved become One. Although kirtan involves singing or chanting, it is not necessary to have any musical talent or background, or even a good singing voice. Kirtan is the music of the heart, and it is sung freely from the heart. Traditionally, kirtan is sung in call-and-response form. A leader sings a line or two of a song, and the participants sing it back. The words to kirtan songs are often repetitions of different names of the deities, usually in the Sanskrit language, or in a language derived from Sanskrit. The focus on the deities, and the repetition of their names releases the mind from it’s usual associative patterns, which keep us caught in the cycles of pleasure and pain that come with the ups and downs of everyday life. The vibrations of the Sanskrit sounds expand our hearts and minds beyond their normal limitations, into the depths of Spirit, and the recognition that we are never away from the Beloved. Laksmi's pure voice and devotion aids in opening the soul to love.
Delicious Vegetarian Meal $13 12-7:30 pm
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Friday, March 19th 7:30 pm. "The Neverending I" An evening with Karl Renz $15 “For being what you are, neither work nor development is required. Meeting Karl Renz will leave you with a radically different sense of yourself. He Karl Renz is originally from the Lower Saxony area of Germany. He
Delicious Vegetarian Meal $13 12-7:30 pm
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Friday March 19th 7:30 Pm. Book Release Party High School Astrology: A Textbook Of Ageless Wisdom by Arisa Victor
By Arisa Victor as Granny Rainbow Everything you need to know to be intelligent about astrology. Millions of people are interested in astrology, with no idea
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Saturday March 20th 7:30 Pm Spring Equinox With Caroline Casey
$25 Door
Delicious Vegetarian Meal $13 served 6 - 7:30
Caroline W. Casey Mythic News Headlines: Cavort with St.Patrick, St, Brigid, the Wrathful Dakinis, the ancestral spirit of Granny D, who just died, age 100, but who bequeaths this exhortation: and a cast of 1000's of encouraging heroic mythic, dis-incarnate and incarnate beings, dancing across the border of life and death - the wolves, coyotes, whales, dolphins, crows, plants, rocks, all of creation is awaiting our wonder and willingness to join in the re-emergence of Green Fire. May it be so.
for advance reservations: 415-457-4191 ex. 0
Welcome Allies All (who aspire to be) sane and reverent people, at this time of dire beauty, where everything we do matters, and it’s no time to be alone, but to gather in innumerable ways, back-stage and on, where through the power of our dedication we can broadcast the expanding frequency of the Compassionate Trickster, whose work is to make ever more available a vast repertoire of imaginative responses whereby to compost tyranny (now, there’s a renewable resource) into rich nutrient for the culture of reverent ingenuity we are cultivating. Caroline W. Casey is a Visionary Activist Astrologer, devoted to the principle that Imagination lays the tracks for the Reality Train to follow. Therefore the cultivation of imagination coupled with the capacity for complex story-telling is a key strategy for personal and collective change. As the late great Native American activist, Ruben Snake, used to quip, "Here's a little bit of Native American wisdom for you - if we don't change our direction, we're likely to end up where we're headed." A native of Washington DC Caroline is the last of five children born to an Irish-Democrat-New-Deal Congressman, and a politically active Yankee Swede. She has a degree in Symbol Systems (semiotics) from Brown University, and has studied magic, mythology and social activism all over the world. We are in dedicated cahoots with all doing the work of reverent ingenuity: Shape-shifting from a culture of dominance to one of collaborative cahoots with everything, in innumerable venues: the Visionary Activist Radio Show , the Mythic News, and personal a
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Sunday March 21st 1pm-4pm Trickster Training Tea Party With Caroline Casey Trickster Training Tea Party $35 for those enrolled in Caroline's ongoing Trickster Training Advance registration encouraged (to avoid, "o waily waily" dis-appointment)
$50 (Subscribed Tricksters for $35)
You are Invited to a Catered Revolution!
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Wednesday March 24th 6 pm
Rama Navami Celebration Kirtan with Jai Uttal and friends
$20
Jai Uttal our dear friend , is an American musician and singer-songwriter born in New York City. Often performing with his "Pagan Love Orchestra," Jai's music is influenced by his R&B roots of the 1960s and 70's and by traditional Indian music, which he first became familiar with at age 19. When he was 19, Jai moved to California to become a student of sarod player Ali Akbar Khan for traditional voice training and to learn the sarod, a 25-stringed Indian instrument. Later he traveled to India where he studied yoga under Neem Karoli Baba. He was also deeply inspired by the Bauls, the wandering street musicians of Bengal. Jai settled among them, communicating only through music, which ultimately helped establish his unique style1. Jai continues to study under Indian music legend Ali Akbar Khan. While some of Jai's music is used in the practice of yoga2, it is not all meditative; his 1990's records also used elements of jazz, reggae and rock and often featured powerful horn arrangements by Peter Apfelbaum. In addition to Baul influences (particularly in the lyrical realm), elements of his music are strongly influenced by kirtan, and bhajan. Jai will be followed by other Kirtan groups in celebration of Sri Rama Navami. Delicious Vegetarian Meal $13 Served Between 4-6 pm.
Broad Significance of Rama Navami: One significant and popular element of the celebration is the Ramayana parayana, a discourse on the Ramayana, by a pundit or a professional story-teller. It usually lasts nine days, beginning on Ugadi and ending on Rama Navami. A skilled story-teller who can liven up the event by weaving in contemporary events attracts massive crowds. Since Rama is also one of the most sung-about deities in Indian classical music and literature, week-long (and sometimes, month-long) musical programmes are organised. Sacred places associated with Rama, like Ayodhya, Ujjain and Rameshwaram, draw tens of thousands of devotees. In Rameshwaram, thousands take a ritual bath in the sea before worshipping at the Ramanathaswamy temple. Many places in North India host fairs in connection with the festival, culminating in spectacular fireworks on Rama Navami.
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Tuesday April 6th 7pm. Book Event Free
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Thursday April 8 7:pm Book Event: Surviving the Dragon, by Arjia Rinpoche $10 Free with book purchase
Arjia Rinpoche, Author of Surviving the Dragon
Arjia Rinpoche is one of the most prominent Buddhist teachers and lamas to have left Tibet. At age two, he was recognized by the Panchen Lama as the 20th Arjia Danpei Gyaltsen, the reincarnation of Lama Tsong Khapa's father, Lumbum Ghe, and the throne holder and abbot of Kumbum Monastery. He has trained with lineage teachers, such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Holiness the Panchen Lama, and Gyayak Rinpoche--from whom he received many sacred teachings and ritual instructions. During the Cultural Revolution in Chinese controlled Tibet, Arjia Rinpoche was forced to attend Chinese schools, yet secretly continued to practice and study with his tutors. In addition, he was required to work in a forced Labor Camp for 16 years. Following the Cultural Revolution, Rinpoche continued serving as Abbot of Kumbum--overseeing the renovations in the monastery and reestablishing monastic studies. In 1991 he launched several projects including the following:
In 1998, due to the strained political climate in Tibet, Arjia Rinpoche went into exile because he would not compromise his spiritual beliefs and practices. He escaped to the United States and started the Tibetan Center for Compassion and Wisdom (TCCW) in Mill Valley, California. In 2005, he was appointed Director of the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center (TMBCC) in Bloomington, Indiana by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. Presently, he directs both TCCW and TMBCC. Both centers are dedicated to the preservation of Buddhist teachings, art and culture within and outside of Tibet and Mongolia. Arjia Rinpoche is the only Tibetan high lama of Mongolian descent. Throughout his life, Arjia Rinpoche was tutored by specialized teachers in the area of Buddhist philosophy, sutra and tantra teachings, as well as in Buddhist art and architectural design.
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Friday April 9 7:30 $10 "The Irrepressible Light of Being' With Elle Collier As you enter this evening's Grace ... This is Consciousness training,
Bio: Elle Collier Re is an advaitic mystic, a gifted transmitter of I AM THAT I AM -- Holy Source Consciousness. Her mentoring and energetic alliance help free cellular level restrictions, opening the Way to walk a powerful, straightforward life as the essential Self. Elle is the founder and teacher at HeartGate Sanctuary retreat center in Hood River, Oregon. In the words of students: 'Elle's insight, ability to peer into souls, God-realization, and poetic way, assist us to walk in the highest possible awareness while on earth. She keeps her eye on the good of all, shelters each in the Heart of Love, and guides in a way that teaches us to fish rather than merely selling us fish. time of event: 7:30p cost: $10 website: http://www.HeartGateSanctuary.org/
Delicious Vegetarian Meal $13 served 6 - 7:30
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Thursday April 15th 7:pm Brenda Mcmorrow and the Kirtaniyas $15
Delicious Vegetarian Meal $13 served 6 - 7:30
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Friday April 16th 7:30 pm. Film Presentation "For The Next 7 Generations" The Thirteen Grandmothers $10
The feature-length documentary on the events and Gatherings of the Grandmothers from their founding in 2004, was completed in early summer, 2009, and is being widely distributed. Visit www.forthenext7generations.com for more information and a list of current screenings and film festivals. Trailers are available at www.youtube.com/carolehart. Says award-winning director Carole Hart: "This film will awaken those who are asleep at the wheel, and inspire the rapidly growing numbers of people who are working to create peace, justice, harmony, and balance across the planet. With the ways the Grandmothers show us, we can sustain our planet so that our planet can sustain us." This is a movie that tells the story of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers from all around the world who came together to help us create a new way of life that will bring the planet back into balance before it's too late. How they came together is a story in itself... For many years, a spiritual teacher named Jyoti had been making relations with Indigenous wise women elders. Suddenly she found herself carrying a vision of a circle of Indigenous Grandmothers. Carrying this vision, she was on her way to Africa to meet an African shaman and medicine woman named Bernadette Rebienot. While there, she mentioned her vision to Bernadette and was surprised to hear that Bernadette was having the same vision. They committed to manifesting it. After returning to her home in California, Jyoti and her associate Ann Rosencranz sent out invitations to 16 Indigenous women from around the world to join them in a gathering. The 13 Grandmothers who responded had all received their own visions and heard their own ancestral prophesies. They were told that they would be called together at a critical time in history when their ancient knowledge was needed for the survival of the next generations. At their first meeting in October 2004, the Grandmothers, shamans and medicine women, bonded deeply and discovered that despite their different languages and cultures, they all shared a common goal. This led to the formation of The International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers. From then on, the Grandmothers decided to carry out their mission globally through visits to each of their home communities. Through the years, they've become teachers and icons who are galvanizing and uniting a rapidly emerging global movement. They are awakening people to the urgent need for change if we are to survive on this planet. But they are not using fear as a weapon. They are offering us hope. What many people see as a threat, they see as an opportunity. They show us that by going back to the ancient and time-proven earth-based traditions and practices of our Indigenous people, we will be able to break away from our destructive habits and make the changes necessary for our survival. Delicious Vegetarian Meal $13 served 6 - 7:30
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Saturday May 1st 7:30 pm traditional Indian devotional music with Swami Mangalananda
About eighty kilometers south of Indore is the ancient pilgrimage center of Lord Shiva called Omkareshwar. The site is actually an island in the middle of the holy Narmada River,which flows on both sides of it.In the main temple of the island is the venerated Shiva Lingam of Omkareshwar Mahadev,one of the twelve Jyoti Lingams that radiate Light and Blessing to the whole of India. Built picturesquely on the side of a hill leading down to the banks of the river, is the ashram called “Mata Anandamayi Tapo Bhumi” (Meditation and Austerity Site). This ashram was established as a quiet meditation retreat for those who wish to spend time in a beautiful natural setting, practicing meditation in a charged and uplifting environment. There are five temples on the premises; one of Anandamayi Ma, another of Lord Shiva, one of Sri Narmada Mata, and two small welcoming shrines of Sri Hanuman and Bhairav Shiva at the two entrances of the ashram. Several Brahmacharis and Sannyasis live full time in this ashram, performing their spiritual disciplines. People come at various times for spiritual retreats and to take part in the different functions that the ashram sponsors. People are welcome to come for short or extended periods, but we ask that they write or e-mail us before coming, as the rooms are limited.
On the hill above the ashram, Swami Kedarnath and his colleagues have founded a thriving school for the local village tribal children.This class of children, known as Adivasis, is from the poorest possible family conditions, and has no other possibility for education and advancement in life. They are given all services free of charge, and are invested with school uniforms and casuals, books and study materials, and a nutritious daily meal during school hours. The children approach the school as tattered urchins, but respond quickly to the love, concern and training of the staff and ashramites and soon blossom into intelligent and capable students, eager to learn and full of enthusiasm for study.
Delicious Vegetarian Meal $13 served 6 - 7:30
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Monday May 3th 7pm. An Evening with Dreaming Bear $13
"DreamingBear is a master word-smith delivering his fervent message with extraordinary verbal dexterity and relevance. If you'd like to experience a living combination of Spaulding Gray, Rumi, Jack Kerouac, Robin Williams, Shel Silverstien, Michael Talbot and Thich Nhat Hanh- you owe it to yourself to see Dreaming Bear." Frank Marino
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7:30 pm. Mala Of The Heart: 108 Sacred Poems with Ravi Nathwani Ravi Nathwani was born into a business family in East Africa and raised in India in the Vaishnav Since 1998, Ravi has been teaching at Tufts University. He also teaches Wisdom MALA OF THE HEART This collection of timeless poetry celebrates the eternal spiritual truth within each heart. Since ancient times, this hidden essence has been symbolized by the number 108. There are 108 earthly desires, 108 human feelings, 108 delusions, 108 beads in the traditional meditation mala, and 108 sacred poems in this anthology. |
Monday May 10th 7pm Mystery of the White Lions (Hay House) Background on Linda Tucker and the White Lions. Book: "Mystery of the White Lions" White Lions are not protected in South Africa. Instead, they form the centre of a highly lucrative and depraved industry - Canned Lion Hunting. Canned hunting promotes the hand-rearing of lions and the callous shooting of adult lions (raised in captivity as 'pets' and 'viewing souvenirs') in enclosures as 'trophies'. In raising awareness about the White Lions and their true value as living symbols of enlightenment, Linda Tucker's book provides an entirely different way of seeing the significance of White Lions. The ethos espoused in her book relies on the true conservation principles of Love and Respect. In 1991, an African shaman known as Maria Khosa, Lion Queen of Timbavati, rescued Linda Tucker from a pride of angry lions. Through this powerful lion teacher, Tucker was introduced to the mystery surrounding the White Lions. She was also informed that she herself bears the ancient title of "Keeper of the White Lions" - a title, which carries grave responsibility, and has dictated every step Linda Tucker has since taken in her life. Linda Tucker invites us to join her on this personal quest of discovery, handing over clues entrusted to her by the African elders, taking us deeper and deeper into ancient wisdom which may prove absolutely vital in solving our present condition of global crisis.
Linda Tucker has dedicated the past 15 years of her life to the urgent protection of the White Lions, a unique breed of snow-white lions, born in one place only on earth - Timbavati (which means in the ancient shangaan language: the place where the Starlions came down). These lions, believed by indigenous elders to be “the most sacred animals on the African continent”, have been forcibly removed from their natural birthplace in South Africa, and sold to zoos and circuses all over the world. They have also been held captive in trophy hunting camps for canned hunting. Tucker spent much of her childhood visiting the Timbavati bushveld. In 1984 she left South Africa and followed a career in modelling and advertising in Europe. In 1991, on a return visit to the wilds of Timbavati, Tucker was rescued from a pride of angry lions by a traditional medicine woman, Maria Khosa, known as Lion Queen of Timbavati. This near-death experience changed Tucker’s life. Tucker gave up her career in marketing, and returned to Timbavati to find Maria Khosa, who became her teacher. Maria introduced her to African elders of all cultures who entrusted her with the ancient knowledge and the extraordinary cultural significance of Africa’s most sacred animal totem. Linda Tucker’s book, entitled Mystery of the White Lions: Children of the Sun God (2001) is the result of ten years of study with these African elders. It is also her astounding first-hand account of her own life-story with the White Lions, revealing the overwhelming love that has driven her every action to save these magnificent beasts, against formidable odds. The book has been hailed as a watershed in conservation history, and delivers secrets into the public domain which may provide the key not only to personal enlightenment, but also to preserving our planet. In 2002, Linda Tucker went on to found the Global White Lion Protection Trust, firstly, to protect the White Lions, which are under dire threat by the trophy hunting industry and, secondly, to protect the indigenous knowledge which holds these animals sacred. Tucker is campaigning to have the White Lions declared a national – and indeed global - living heritage, and ensure that they are listed under international CITES legislation. At the present time, the White Lions are not protected by any law, regionally nationally or internationally. Instead, these rare animals may be shot in enclosures as high-income earning trophies or hunted in the wild. Linda Tucker has been invited as guest speaker at global congresses, such as the World Wilderness Congress (2001), World Summit of Sustainable Utilisation (2002), World Parks Congress ( 2003), World Carnivore Congress Sante Fe (2004) and World Wilderness Congress Alaska (2005) where she highlights the critical importance of conserving the White Lion for conservation in general. Linda Tucker lives in the Timbavati region, together with the White Lion pride she has rescued and successfully re-wilded in a carefully monitored scientific reintroduction project. Today (2009), four years since Marah’s release, two prides are free-roaming in their natural habitat in the Greater Timbavati. Marah’s two sons now form part of an integrated pride with two tawny lionesses and her daughter, Zihra has herself given birth to three snow white cubs, lioness Nebu, and two brothers, Zukhara and Matsieng. She works together with the local Tsonga people in celebrating the White Lions as a sacred heritage. Tucker was educated in the Universities of Cape Town and Cambridge, where she studied ancient symbolism and Jungian dream psychology. She regards her most important education as the tutorage she received by Maria Khosa and a number of African elders, who carry an oral tradition known as Great Knowledge.
MARAH’S STORY In 2000, a white lioness was born in a hunting camp outside Bethlehem (South Africa) on Christmas Day. This lioness was regarded with great sacred significance by African elders. She was named Marah, meaning “mother of the Sungod”, by preeminent African shaman, Credo Mutwa. Unfortunately, Bethlehem in South Africa is the black heart of the canned hunting industry. Lions and other rare animals have been removed from the wild and bred in killing camps as high income-earning trophies. Both Marah’s parents were golden lions originating from the wilds of Timbavati. Although golden in colour, they were both carrying the White Lion recessive gene, and unexpectedly produced a snow-white cub. Linda Tucker was instructed by the African elders that it was her life-task to ensure the safety and freedom of this precious lioness, and to return Marah to the land of her birthright, Timbavati. Tucker met Marah the day after her birth and has dedicated every day of her life since to keeping the promise that she made to this beautiful cub. With the help of the Global White Lion Protection Trust and its council of advisors, Tucker managed to secure the freedom of Marah from the hunting camp, against formidable odds. For a period of time, Marah had to be housed in a zoo. This institution in turn was reluctant to release Marah, as she had been identified as a prime specimen for breeding. Once again, Linda Tucker and her trusted team of advisors had to fight for Marah’s freedom. While a battle took place over the guardianship of Marah, the beautiful lioness gave birth to her first litter of snow white cubs. They were named Regeus, Letaba and Zihra by the ancestral elders, their names meaning first ray of sunlight in three different root languages. The Trust ensured that Marah was allowed to raise her cubs herself, without human handling or imprinting. This was vital for their rewilding process. It was now no longer a battle simply for Marah’s freedom but also for her three precious cubs. Marah’s adorable cubs were her lineage, and there was no way they were going to be abandoned to a life-time of miserable captivity. Finally, the Trust won the long battle, and mother and all three cubs were flown from the zoo to a safe-haven in the Karoo mountain lands. This was only made possible because of the extraordinary love and patronage of Mireille Vince, one of the Trust’s first patrons, who was prepared to put up the funding for all four lions. However, the safe haven was simply the next step in their long walk to freedom. Since Timbavati is the only endemic birthplace of the White Lions, the Trust was committed to returning them to their natural endemic range. The next monumental step was the acquisition of the strategic property identified by African elders as the Sacred Heartland of the White Lions in the Timbavati region, where the White Lions’ reintroduction to the wilds of their original birthplace can safely take place. Linda’s challenging long-term objective is finally achievable, as Marah and her three royal cubs were the first White Lions to set paws back in their White Lion kingdom, the sacred homeland which is their birthright. Linda Tucker
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Thursday May 13 7:00 pm An Evening with Martin Prechtel People As Plants, Part 1: Learning To Live As a Seed In every human heart there hides an Indigenous seed that remembers how to regrow a real Human worth descending from. Hello to Everyone – As the rivers of New Mexico swell with the cold waters of the mountains, the cottonwood’s sticky buds lengthen into catkins and the ever elusive desert mariposa lilies wonder if this may be one of the years they send up their grass-leaved, butter and claret filled cups, reminding us of the hope stored in the seed, we are writing you to let you know of Martín Prechtel’s events on the West Coast this May. We look forward to the possibility of seeing all of your faces again soon. All Blessings, Hanna and Martín Prechtel
Advance $20 Door $25 Tickets go on sale March 1st.
>From the eyes of the Holy in Nature what is greatest about humans is the reality that humans souls are not human. Unlike the faces and personalities we’ve learned to become, each of us has a diverse, magnificent subtle natural soul, an animal or riparian forest mist or the winds up from the old white foaming haired Grandmother Ocean or the smile of a pine martin, or some pond reeds, water bugs, water squirting oysters, fireflies, musk ox, or fierce snow, still others as sand or fireweed. All these souls have corresponding natures and voices that resound in a symphonic wild jazz-like vital delicious whine, grind, purr, crash and rustle like frogs or mice in leaves or the sound salamanders make as they dream under ice, all of which must make the world Jump Up and Live Again. Come with Martín Prechtel to make an offering-Temple of the Songs of the Natural World and its people to feed the Holy in Nature. Hello to Everyone – As the rivers of New Mexico swell with the cold waters of the mountains, the cottonwood’s sticky buds lengthen into catkins and the ever elusive desert mariposa lilies wonder if this may be one of the years they send up their grass-leaved, butter and claret filled cups, reminding us of the hope stored in the seed, we are writing you to let you know of Martín Prechtel’s events on the West Coast this May. We look forward to the possibility of seeing all of your faces again soon. All Blessings, Hanna and Martín Prechtel Talk and Book Signing People As Plants, Part 1: www.opensecretbookstore.com May 15th – 16th, 2010 Two Day Ritual Gathering (207) 266-4512 or (505) 583-9103 rachrich@jeffnet.org Richard Seidman rachrich@jeffnet.org
Delicious Vegetarian Meal $13 served 6 - 7:30
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Booksigning Friday, May 14, 2010 7pm with author Pearl Yip of Calgary, Alberta The book, Journey to the Eternal: Returning Home to God is an account of one person’s journey from humanness into spiritual manifestation. Her journey details how one person moving into the spiritual realm affects those around her, and the many she teaches today. It is profoundly realizing one’s potential as consciousness that is documented. From visitations with Divine beings to watching her body expand from form into spiritual awareness, her journey documents the necessary teachings that allow one to remain in the presence of the Divine and become part of the Divine realm. Her realizations and teachings about the predicament of human beings are also detailed. Graceful, tender, and full of examples and shared teachings, this book is a serious read for those on their journey Home. Satsang May 15, 2010. www.journeytotheeternal.ca
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Saturday May 15 7:30 $10
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Saturday, May 15, 2010 7:30 $15 Satsang with Pearl Yip from Calgary, Alberta Inspired by her connection with the Divine, Pearl Yip authored Journey to the Eternal: Returning Home to God in 2005. Since early 2006, she has held satsang with groups and individuals. By connecting deeply with others, she identifies areas within requiring attention. Using imagery, direct transmission, and inner placement, she helps others to align with the Divine flow in all. With compassion for all beings, her teachings are based on principles derived from remembering our original and True nature. www.journeytotheeternal.ca
Delicious Vegetarian Meal $13 served 6 - 7:30
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Saturday May 22 7:30 pm. $15 Inner Rhythm Dance Presents Inner Rhythm Productions Presents: Fabulous CLUB OASIS: Bellydance Extravaganza Along with her three dance companies, Sherry Brier, co-director of
Two of the dance troupes will be accompanied by special guest Troupe Ala Nar, Rising Stars, Shimmy Amour with guests: Wild Card BellyDance, Raks Rosa, Troupe Dhyanis, Jewels of Beladi, Troupe Tahiya, Arcane Dimension w/guests Shimmy Amour Rising Stars Wild Card BellyDance Raks Rosa Troupe Dhyanis Jewels of Beladi
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Sunday May 23rd. 1-4 pm.
In ancient times divination was used through the cloud spirits/thunderbirds by journeying to the beat of the drum or rattle. The cloud spirits can be accessed through the actual clouds and cloud dancing cards. We will journey with the cards, the clouds and the elements. Please bring a bandanna/ eye pillow and a drum or rattle if you have one. Cloud Dancing cards are for sale at Open Secret.
Eva Crowe is a shamanic practitioner, metaphysician/psychic and Reiki Master. She is on the referral list of Sandra Ingerman, author of "Soul Retrieval," and is affiliated with the Foundation for Shamanic Studies. Eva is a seasoned healer/teacher with 20 years experience. Eva has taught workshops at various spas and holistic centers throughout the country. Eva is also a guest speaker at the "Mind, Mysticism and Meditation" class at UC Berkeley, California. Her mission is to empower and free people of their physical and emotional limitations through ancient healing methods. To view website: www.eevebcrowe.com |
Tuesday May 25th Guided Higher Self Meditation · Meditation
Connect with your Higher Self through open structured guided meditation and receive your Gifts from Spirit. These meditations begin with grounding and deep connection to your Higher Self. Journeys will take about 60-90 minutes with discussion afterward. CeCe has led intuitive guided meditation classes and psychic/channeling development classes for over 8 years. Whether you are a beginner or seasoned meditator, these sweet yet high energy meditations can help to calm, open and center one. Come experience the energy of connection and communication with your Higher Self and the energy and peace within the group. |
Thursday May 27th 7 pm. $15 Kirtan Party to celebrate Nrisimha Jayanti (Chaturdasi).
Narsimha Chaturdashi is holy appearance day of Lord Narasimhadev, the half-man half-lion incarnation of the Supreme Lord. It falls on the 14th day of the waxing moon in the month of Vaishaka (May-June). In year 2010 it falls on 27th of May. narasimhadev Who is Lord Narasimhadev: Lord Narasimhadev is incarnation of Vishnu. He has a human-like torso and lower body and lion-like face and claws. This deity of Narasimhadev is very significant in vaishnava groups. He is known as the ‘Great Protector’ who defends and protects devotees or vaishnavas.
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Free with book purchase 7:00 pm to 9:30
and Saturday May 29th 11-6pm $150 : Book signing for, The Way Back Home, by Bonnie Serratore. The first book devoted exclusively to Eckhart Tolle's pain body. Saturday workshop, May 29: Based on the book, The Way Back Home, by Bonnie Serratore, you will learn how to heal "the pain body." |
Saturday workshop, May 29: 11:00 -5 pm. $150
Based on the book, The Way Back Home, by Bonnie Serratore, you will learn how to heal "the pain body." |
Saturday May 29th $15 An Evening with Ben Leinbach and Prajna Vieira
ABOUT — Bio
Prajna and Ben met during the recording of Mukti’s debut album, Light of the Sun, which Ben produced, arranged and engineered. Becoming both friends and fans of each other’s work, they agreed to collaborate as an acoustic duo—infusing their creative synergy into a new collection of original Sanskrit bhajans with a soulful flavor. Ben maintains an eclectic mix of music on his production/composition plate. He produces everything from hip hop to meditation music.
Prajna Vieira is a vocalist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, and yoga teacher. She heads the acclaimed kirtan ensemble Mukti as the lead singer, keyboardist, and primary songwriter. She has also performed with several other kirtan luminaries, including Snatam Kaur and Jai Uttal. Her work is an expression of her love and gratitude to the Divine. She has studied piano, dance, theatre arts, and singing extensively since age four. Exposed to kirtan and bhajan in early childhood when her father returned from a trip to India, Prajna fell in love with the spirituality of ancient India. She can often be found at Amma's San Ramon ashram singing or playing keyboards for the bhajans.
Prajna and Ben met during the recording of Mukti’s debut album, Light of the Sun, which Ben produced, arranged and engineered. Becoming both friends and fans of each other’s work, they agreed to collaborate as an acoustic duo—infusing their creative synergy into a new collection of original Sanskrit bhajans with a soulful flavor.
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Sunday May 30 3-6pm. The World of Damanhur with our dear Friend Esperide Ananas $30
Join us for an intimate afternoon with ou favorite ambassador from Damanhur. See the new video, catch up on the latest news and have all your burning questions answered about the pioneering mystical experiment in northern Italy. Selfic healings will be available Monday and Tuesday 11-5pm, Call Rob at 602-1584 for an appointment $75 Esperide Ananas, Director of International Relations for the Federation of Damanhur. University degree in English and Spanish Literature from IULM University in Milan, Master of Arts in Communication from New York University. Esperide is a full time citizen of the Federation of Damanhur since 1993. In the same year, she graduated from the Damanhur School for Spiritual Healers. She is part of the Way of the Oracle of Damanhur, and of a specialized group of researchers in “Selfica”. Selfica is an ancient discipline aimed at directing intelligent and subtle energies, capable of interacting with human beings and the environment. In Damanhur, Selfica is used extensively to explore different planes of consciousness and for healing. Fluent in five languages for over 10 years Esperide has been an International Ambassador for the Federation, leading seminars on the development of consciousness and human potential, and sharing Damanhur’s vision for new social, spiritual and economic models for sustainability. She has worked for the European Parliament and as a consultant for Italian and international organizations. Esperide is an international speaker, a published author (both in Italy and in the US), and comic novelist. She has written and directed two plays as well as producing and directing video. She loves sci-fi, and is a very keen photographer.
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| June Events |
Tuesday and Wednesday June 1st 11:00 am to 5pm Selfic Healing Sessions with Esperide Ananas $75 Call Rob 415-602-1584 for appointment
About your Selfic Healing Session with Esperide… Selfic Healing with the Stiloself and Spheroself Items from Damanhur will be available for sale |
Thursday June 3 Kirtan with Uma Reed and friends, 7:00 pm. $10
Dear Friends, Shivaya and I are back from India, and we are really looking forward to seeing you and singing with you again at the kirtan at Open Secret on May 6th. We are very grateful to Brian Dempsey, Mirabai, and Elena Kashmiri Kartika for filling in while we were gone. We heard wonderful feedback about each of their kirtans—we knew they would touch you with their warm bhakti spirit.
The upcoming “First-Thursday-of-the-Month Kirtan” promises to be a special evening. We’ll share stories about our trip, as well as some songs we learned that especially moved us. We will also have a special guest that evening: Swami Mangalananda from the Anandamayi Ma Ashram in Omkareshwar, India, will be joining us. He’ll have his own stories to tell us about the free school that his ashram runs for the local village children, and lead some traditional bhajans in his amazing heart-opening style. Don’t forget we start at 7:00 pm these days.
In the meantime, there are a couple of events we would like to let you know about. If you’ve attended our kirtans, you certainly know our son, Matt Packard. Matt, aka Last Laugh, is a multi-talented and accomplished musician, singer, and songwriter. He has just released his first non-kirtan album, “Equanimous.” You can hear some tracks and learn more about him on his new website, www.beatapothecary.com. He will be performing some of his songs at Café Gratitude, 2200 Fourth Street, in San Rafael this Saturday night, April 24th. The show starts at 10 pm. He would love to see you there. |
Friday June 4th 7:30 pm. Birth of a Psychedelic Culture and MindSpace and TimeStream with Ralph Metzner
Ralph Metzner, Ph.D. is a psychologist and Professor Emeritus at the California Institute of Integral Studies. He will be reading from his recently published conversational memoir with Ram Dass, BIRTH OF A PSYCHEDELIC CULTURE; as well as from his books on Alchemical Divination and MindSpace and TimeStream. Book Reading June 4th, 7:30 pm. Workshops at OPEN SECRET Bookstore in San Rafael. June 5th, 2 – 6 pm
RALPH METZNER, Ph.D.: Psychedelic Culture and Expanding Consciousness
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Saturday June 5th 2 pm. to 6 pm. Alchemical Divination: Healing the Past, Envisioning possible Futures A workshop with Ralph Metzner $50
Alchemical Divination: Healing the Past, Envisioning possible Futures with Ralph Metzner Alchemical divinations are processes of intuitive inquiry, using yogic methods to enhance perception and concentration. Using guided regression, we connect with our unresolved past, for healing re-membering. Using guided visioning, we tune into our future potentials and integrate them for creative self-expression. Alchemical divinations are processes of intuitive inquiry. We connect with our unresolved past, for healing re-membering. We tune into our future potentials and integrate them for creative self-expression.
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Saturday June 5th 7:30 An Evening with Pangaia $15
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Develop Your Spiritual Gifts 12 pm -6pm.
Connecting and communicating with your Higher Self, Guides, Masters, and other Beings of Light is your birthright; meaning each of us has the ability to open these channels. By working with beings of light – angels, archangels, elementals, masters of light - we help them to fulfill their contract with us and we fulfill our contract to work with them. In this course you will learn:
Through numerous journeys connecting with many different Beings of Light, you will know how to effectively communicate. By the end of this class, you will be able to safely make these incredible connections on your own, receiving direct, personal information and guidance with beings such as Your Higher Self, Elementals, Mother Gaia, Element of Water, Element of Air, Element of Fire…and more This work will also deepen and solidify your connection to Spirit/Source. Call CeCe to register at 925-768-2700
Thank you so very much! Much Love, Catherine "CeCe" Converse, CPCC |
7pm-9pm Keys to Abundance - Conscious Creation
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Do You Need An Accupuncture Tune Up? Sunday June 6th noon to 6pm. Monday June 7th 11:00 am- 6pm Tuesday June 8th 11:00 am -6pm
Open Secret Is Proud to Present Accupuncture Treatments with World Class Practictioner David Cushing Fuess $100 45 minute Sessions Call Rob for Appointments 415-602-1584
Daivd Cushing Fuess has been teaching internationally for 30 years. He has a
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Wednesday June 9th 7 pm. $10 ASTROLOGY STUDY OF THE NATAL HOROSCOPE A New Class with Arisa Victor, Beginning April 21 – Ongoing, $10/Session
Who are you? Why were you born on Earth at this time of the Great Shift? Our textbook is Granny Rainbow’s book, For more info: 415-259-1695 grannyrainbow@msn.com |
Thursday June 10th 7pm. JIGME TROMGE RINPOCHE will be teaching on the Six Perfections (the Six Paramitas) donation $15
JIGME TROMGE RINPOCHE will be teaching on the Six Perfections (the Six Paramitas) over three sessions this coming month -- Thursday 10th and 24th June from 7-9pm at Open Secret Bookstore in San Rafael. The first session of this series of teachings will begin at Berkeley Shambhala Streetspace on June 6th from 2-6pm on the perfections of generosity and discipline. Having formed the wish to benefit others, in order to progress from aspiring bodhicitta to engaging bodhicitta, we then train in the Six Paramitas: generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and wisdom. The accomplishment of these perfections will result in the achievement of the ultimate perfection of wisdom that is enlightenment. |
Thursday June 10th Guided Higher Self Meditation 7 - 8:30 pm · Meditation
Connect with your Higher Self through open structured guided meditation and receive your Gifts from Spirit. These meditations begin with grounding and deep connection to your Higher Self. Journeys will take about 60-90 minutes with discussion afterward. CeCe has led intuitive guided meditation classes and psychic/channeling development classes for over 8 years. Whether you are a beginner or seasoned meditator, these sweet yet high energy meditations can help to calm, open and center one. Come experience the energy of connection and communication with your Higher Self and the energy and peace within the group. |
Friday June 12th 7:30 pm Kali Puja Kali Puja A Special Worship of the Divine Mother ~~OM~~
Kal means Darkness; Kali takes away that Darkness. She takes away the darkness from every individual who strives in the path of perfection by performing the spiritual disciplines of purifying austerities. Just as all the colors of the spectrum mix into black, yet still black remains black, so too, Kali, who is completely Dark, Unknowable, takes away all the darkness, yet She, Herself, remains unchanged. Kala means Time and i means the Cause; Kali, the Cause of Time or She Who is Beyond Time. All existence has its perception in time, and therefore the Cause of Time, She Who is Beyond Time, activates Consciousness to perception, allows Consciousness to perceive. Kali Puja is a treasure house of Her Wisdom. It contains abundance of Kali's tools for living : Her Sattvic worship, Her Hundred Names, Her Thousand Names, Her Armor, the mantras for offering bhanga, alcohol, animal sacrifice and how to give birth to spiritual children.
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Monday June 14 7:30 pm Meditaion of the Twin Hearts with Carmen Gamper |
Tuesday June 15th
7:00 pm *Yoni Speak: *An Evening of Channeled Wisdom and Guidance from the Deep Feminine suggested donation $10-25
*Yoni is the sacred Sanskrit name for the archetype of Deep Feminine Wisdom embodied in the Vagina.* When was the last time you really listened to Her? Mellissa Seaman, a Stanford-educated former attorney turned shamanic priestess, has a gift for channeling the archetypical voice of Yoni. She holds a safe space for channeled transmission and information, discussion, breath, and energy practices while creating a fun, lively space for women to connect as sisters and friends. This evening experience may be especially useful for women who experience feminine health issues like fibroids, diminished sexual vitality, low fertility, or sexual frustration, as well as any woman who wants to connect more deeply with her feminine power and wisdom. |
Wednesday June 16th 7 pm. $10 ASTROLOGY STUDY OF THE NATAL HOROSCOPE A New Class with Arisa Victor, Beginning April 21 – Ongoing, $10/Session
Who are you? Why were you born on Earth at this time of the Great Shift? Our textbook is Granny Rainbow’s book, For more info: 415-259-1695 grannyrainbow@msn.com |
with Hank Levin Wednesday, June 16 at 7:00 PM $10 (Please arrive at 6:30 PM.)
Were you ever taught, at home or in school, how to keep a sexual or domestic relationship alive, functional and exciting? Probably not. Stay young and beautiful. (Men and women.) By the time we get to middle age (or sooner, if you're paying attention), you realize that these old saws don't work—and the relationship "experts" don't know what they're talking about. In fact, most of them can't keep one together for themselves! What to do? Well, I've been helping people with relationships in my practice for over forty years. Even more important, I've made all the mistakes myself! The good news is that—thanks to 5 Secrets I've discovered in my years of work helping others, I've been in a damn good relationship now for over fifteen years! I'll be sharing my 5 secrets in a workshop at the Open Secret Bookstore and Gallery at 923 C Street, San Rafael, CA. Couples and singles are invited!
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Thursday June 17th 7 pm An Evening with Lisa Starr $15
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Thursday June 17th Compassionate Communication With Lori Grace Star 7pm. $15 Please sign up at Sunrise Center ( 4 person minimum )
Compassionate Communication With Lori Grace Star $15 Compassionate CommunicationWith Lori Grace Star Please sign up at Sunrise Center ( 4 person minimum ) Lori Grace Star, MA Psych. LMT Compassionate Communication can help you have more love in your life and be more centered when facing challenging situations. Using role-plays of conflicts — pre-planned as well as suggested by the audience — we will show you how to: Lori Grace Star, MA Psych. LMT, has been studying and teaching approaches to communication and conflict resolution for nine years and Compassionate Communication for five. Compassionate Communication is an essential part of the skills she uses to connect compassionately with others and herself; to feel peaceful and inspired in daily life. Lori was introduced to Compassionate Communication in 1999 and has been teaching it in California, Hawaii and New York. She has been instrumental in bringing NVC to the Hawaiian islands. Please pre-register at the Sunrise Center by calling us at 415-924-7824. (We need 4 sign ups for the class.) For those who pre-register get an extra 3 raffle ticket for our prize drawing. (It also helps us to have some idea of the number of hand-outs we need to file.)
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Sunday June 20th 12-4 pm. Communicate With Your Angels
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7pm-9pm Keys to Abundance - Conscious Creation
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Tuesday June 22 7:00 Pm. Title: The Wise Women of Polyamory: $10
Book Descriptions: Polyamory in the 21st Century: Love and Intimacy with Multiple Partners, by Deborah Taj Anapol, provides a perceptive overview of the whole range of intimate relationships that don’t conform to our culture’s monogamous ideal but endeavor to be honest, ethical, and consensual. It addresses the practical, the utopian, and the shadow sides of this intriguing, yet often challenging lifestyle while shedding light on the reasons people choose polyamory and how their lives have changed as a result. Drawing on recent findings from many disciplines, Polyamory in the 21st Century helps the reader comprehend the dynamics of long term open marriages as well as more tribal and fluid intimate networks and everything in between. (Rowman & Littlefield, 2010) Gaia and the New Politics of Love: Notes for a Poly Planet, by Serena Anderlini-D'Onofrio, is the first study that links global peace, health, and ecology to the sexual freedom movement and polyamory. The book presents the concept of Gaia, the live planet, as the scientific basis to argue that the arts of loving can 'save the planet' because they are a form of the arts of healing. Therefore, the world needs a new politics of love where sharing amorous resources is a virtue. Polyamory is the subculture where the arts of sharing these resources honestly, fairly, and compassionately can be learned. These practices can turn hatred into love, fear into hope, scarcity into abundance. (North Atlantic Books, 2009.) (Please cut each description down to its first sentence when necessary.) Authors: Deborah Taj Anapol, PhD, has taught psychology and human sexuality at the University of Washington in Seattle and Antioch University in San Francisco, and has led seminars on love, sex, and intimacy all over the country and around the world. She is the author of Polyamory: The New Love Without Limits and The Seven Natural Laws of Love. Serena Anderlini-D'Onofrio, PhD, is a professor of humanities at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez. She is the author of Eros: A Journey of Multiple Loves, and teaches courses, workshops, and seminars on the practice of love and the science of Gaia. Memorable quotes: |
Wednesday June 23 7 pm. $10 ASTROLOGY STUDY OF THE NATAL HOROSCOPE A New Class with Arisa Victor, Beginning April 21 – Ongoing, $10/Session
Who are you? Why were you born on Earth at this time of the Great Shift? Our textbook is Granny Rainbow’s book, For more info: 415-259-1695 grannyrainbow@msn.com |
Thursday June 24th 7pm. JIGME TROMGE RINPOCHE will be teaching on the Six Perfections (the Six Paramitas) donation $15
JIGME TROMGE RINPOCHE will be teaching on the Six Perfections (the Six Paramitas) over three sessions this coming month -- Thursday 10th and 24th June from 7-9pm at Open Secret Bookstore in San Rafael. The first session of this series of teachings will begin at Berkeley Shambhala Streetspace on June 6th from 2-6pm on the perfections of generosity and discipline. Having formed the wish to benefit others, in order to progress from aspiring bodhicitta to engaging bodhicitta, we then train in the Six Paramitas: generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and wisdom. The accomplishment of these perfections will result in the achievement of the ultimate perfection of wisdom that is enlightenment. |
Pendulums and Dowsing With CeCe
Introduction to Divination and Pendulums ... Thow to use a pendulum ... how to use divining rods ... other divining tools ... balance your energy and lay down protection before divining ... getting our own answers with direct questions ... check the energy in your home with divining rods ... create positive changes in your home's energy |
Saturday June 26th Kd and Prajna presents Ecsatatic Kirtan Celebrating Life and God 6-9:30 pm $15 An Evening of Ecstatic Kirtan Featuring Ben Leinbach and Prajna Vieira Featuring a feast with Radience Cuisine 4-6pm.
ABOUT — Bio
Prajna and Ben met during the recording of Mukti’s debut album, Light of the Sun, which Ben produced, arranged and engineered. Becoming both friends and fans of each other’s work, they agreed to collaborate as an acoustic duo—infusing their creative synergy into a new collection of original Sanskrit bhajans with a soulful flavor. Ben maintains an eclectic mix of music on his production/composition plate. He produces everything from hip hop to meditation music.
Prajna Vieira is a vocalist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, and yoga teacher. She heads the acclaimed kirtan ensemble Mukti as the lead singer, keyboardist, and primary songwriter. She has also performed with several other kirtan luminaries, including Snatam Kaur and Jai Uttal. Her work is an expression of her love and gratitude to the Divine. She has studied piano, dance, theatre arts, and singing extensively since age four. Exposed to kirtan and bhajan in early childhood when her father returned from a trip to India, Prajna fell in love with the spirituality of ancient India. She can often be found at Amma's San Ramon ashram singing or playing keyboards for the bhajans.
Prajna and Ben met during the recording of Mukti’s debut album, Light of the Sun, which Ben produced, arranged and engineered. Becoming both friends and fans of each other’s work, they agreed to collaborate as an acoustic duo—infusing their creative synergy into a new collection of original Sanskrit bhajans with a soulful flavor. |
Monday June 28 7:30 pm Meditaion of the Twin Hearts with Carmen Gamper |
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Thursday July 1 st. Kirtan with Uma Reed and friends, 7:00 pm. $10
Dear Friends, Shivaya and I are back from India, and we are really looking forward to seeing you and singing with you again at the kirtan at Open Secret on May 6th. We are very grateful to Brian Dempsey, Mirabai, and Elena Kashmiri Kartika for filling in while we were gone. We heard wonderful feedback about each of their kirtans—we knew they would touch you with their warm bhakti spirit.
The upcoming “First-Thursday-of-the-Month Kirtan” promises to be a special evening. We’ll share stories about our trip, as well as some songs we learned that especially moved us. We will also have a special guest that evening: Swami Mangalananda from the Anandamayi Ma Ashram in Omkareshwar, India, will be joining us. He’ll have his own stories to tell us about the free school that his ashram runs for the local village children, and lead some traditional bhajans in his amazing heart-opening style. Don’t forget we start at 7:00 pm these days.
In the meantime, there are a couple of events we would like to let you know about. If you’ve attended our kirtans, you certainly know our son, Matt Packard. Matt, aka Last Laugh, is a multi-talented and accomplished musician, singer, and songwriter. He has just released his first non-kirtan album, “Equanimous.” You can hear some tracks and learn more about him on his new website, www.beatapothecary.com. He will be performing some of his songs at Café Gratitude, 2200 Fourth Street, in San Rafael this Saturday night, April 24th. The show starts at 10 pm. He would love to see you there. |
Saturday July 3 11am.-6pm. Three Wise Women on Polyamory! $65
What is the future of love on an imperiled planet? What's the global, cultural, relational, emotional, spiritual, and body ecology of love? Will sex save the planet? What combination of free love, polyamory, and polysexual expression will do the job of making peace with Gaia, our mother Earth? The connection between sex and the environment has been on people's minds lately. As writer Tinamarie Bernard has put it, "At first glance, sex and the environment don't make obvious bedfellows. How can the answer to our environmental problems ...possibly be found in the satin sheets of lovers? According to a growing number of greenies, free love may just save the planet." We have only to look around us to see that this salvation hasn't happened yet. Why not? Is the whole idea of a politics of love a flakey new age fantasy? Or have we just not taken it far enough? Has the wisdom of love been forgotten, distorted, and misunderstood for so long we are only now starting to penetrate this mystery? Don’t miss this rare event! Three brilliant, passionate, and courageous avatars of polyamory come together to address the theory and practice of loving in freedom, consciousness, and compassion. Participants are invited to integrate the wisdom of bodies, hearts, minds, and souls in this heart-opening experiential journey into love. Dossie Easton, Deborah Anapol, and Serena Anderlini are all authors of groundbreaking books on polyamory. Their combined poly life experience totals well over 100 years! Each is an incredible teacher in her own right and by choosing to join forces they have co-created the most amazing context ever for sharing of wisdom of love. Discover how your intimate, erotic life is instrumental in weaving the web of life we call Gaia. Participants can expect to integrate the wisdom of bodies, hearts, minds, and souls in this heart-opening experiential journey into love. Join us in discovering the beauty of the web you choose to weave!
To inquire about Work trade for fee reduction, please contact dossie@dossieeaston.com until June 1st, and serena.anderlini@gmail.com after June 1. If you are among the first 15 people to register, you will receive a complimentary copy of ONE of the following books at the event, so sign up now! * Dossie Easton & Janet Hardy, The Ethical Slut. Celestial Arts, 2009 |
Saturday July 10 7:30 pm' Mukti In Concert $15
Electrifying in concert, Mukti draws from a substantial (and growing) catalogue of original material, regularly taking the stage with distinguished guest musicians and singers from diverse musical and spiritual backgrounds. Here, the songs take a spontaneous journey through driving, rhythmic highs into soulful, sublime spaces that lead effortlessly into meditation. “A journey of devotion and inspiration infused with incredible songwriting, masterful musicianship, a myriad of world music flavors, ace production and intertwining vocals that soar into the heavens, yet overflow with earthly delights and words that come straight from the heart. Prajna Vieira has a beautiful voice that is rich, soulfully sweet, and prone to taking off into divine spaces.” —Common Ground Magazine
Departing from a more 'traditional' kirtan sound, Light of the Sun reflects diverse elements likea highly polished musical gem. Like John Mclaughlin and his seminal world fusion band Shakti in the 70s, co-songwriter Donald Fontowitz merges his Indian-influenced, flamenco guitar with Ramana Erickson's tabla rhythms, creating an earthy backdrop to lead singer and lyricist Prajna Vieira's ethereal vocals and piano. Prajna's voice has been compared to that of kirtan pioneer Snatam Kaur in purity and presence, but her musical influences include Western artists like Tori Amos and Joni Mitchell - women singer-songwriters with an independent streak. Beyond artistic expression, however, the purpose of Mukti's music differs that of most contemporary artists; the songs on Light of the Sun communicate a deep longing for union with the sacred. As Prajna says, 'We set out to make music that would uplift, inspire and bring peace to people's hearts.' Light of the Sun CD is produced by award-winning producer Ben Leinbach (known for his outstanding collaborations with Jai Uttal and Deva Premal, among others) and featuring the incredible guest performances by Manose on bansuri flute and two-time Grammy-award-winning violinist David Balakrishnan (founding member of the Turtle Island Quartet). |
Monday July 12th 7:30 pm Kali Puja A Special Worship of the Divine Mother ~~OM~~
Kal means Darkness; Kali takes away that Darkness. She takes away the darkness from every individual who strives in the path of perfection by performing the spiritual disciplines of purifying austerities. Just as all the colors of the spectrum mix into black, yet still black remains black, so too, Kali, who is completely Dark, Unknowable, takes away all the darkness, yet She, Herself, remains unchanged. Kala means Time and i means the Cause; Kali, the Cause of Time or She Who is Beyond Time. All existence has its perception in time, and therefore the Cause of Time, She Who is Beyond Time, activates Consciousness to perception, allows Consciousness to perceive. Kali Puja is a treasure house of Her Wisdom. It contains abundance of Kali's tools for living : Her Sattvic worship, Her Hundred Names, Her Thousand Names, Her Armor, the mantras for offering bhanga, alcohol, animal sacrifice and how to give birth to spiritual children. |
Monday July 12 7pm-9pm Keys to Abundance - Conscious Creation
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Friday July 16 7:30 pm. Book Event: The Spoken Cabala: Tarot Explorations of the One Self, spoken by Jason Lotterhand and edited by Arisa Victor,
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Monday July 19 pm. 7 pm.
M Lori Grace Star, MA Psych. LMT Compassionate Communication can help you have more love in your life and be more centered when facing challenging situations. Using role-plays of conflicts — pre-planned as well as suggested by the audience — we will show you how to: Lori Grace Star, MA Psych. LMT, has been studying and teaching approaches to communication and conflict resolution for nine years and Compassionate Communication for five. Compassionate Communication is an essential part of the skills she uses to connect compassionately with others and herself; to feel peaceful and inspired in daily life. Lori was introduced to Compassionate Communication in 1999 and has been teaching it in California, Hawaii and New York. She has been instrumental in bringing NVC to the Hawaiian islands. Please pre-register at the Sunrise Center by calling us at 415-924-7824. (We need 4 sign ups for the class.) For those who pre-register get an extra 3 raffle ticket for our prize drawing. (It also helps us to have some idea of the number of hand-outs we need to file.) |
Tuesday july 20th 7:00 pm *Yoni Speak: *An Evening of Channeled Wisdom and Guidance from the Deep Feminine suggested donation $10-25
*Yoni is the sacred Sanskrit name for the archetype of Deep Feminine Wisdom embodied in the Vagina.* When was the last time you really listened to Her? Mellissa Seaman, a Stanford-educated former attorney turned shamanic priestess, has a gift for channeling the archetypical voice of Yoni. She holds a safe space for channeled transmission and information, discussion, breath, and energy practices while creating a fun, lively space for women to connect as sisters and friends. This evening experience may be especially useful for women who experience feminine health issues like fibroids, diminished sexual vitality, low fertility, or sexual frustration, as well as any woman who wants to connect more deeply with her feminine power and wisdom. |
Thursday July 22 7 pm. An evening with Shyamdas $20
Shyamdas combines ecstatic kirtan with stories and teachings from India. As a Vedic scholar and a bhakta, he shares the philosophy of non-dual devotion with authority and flair. Shyamdas’ presentations of bhakti teachings are unique, rooted in tradition, and filled with the nectars of devotion. Shyamdas has returned from his yearly devotional travels and studies in India, where he has walked the footsteps of pilgrims, Gopis, and Bhakti Masters. In February, Shyamdas was able to join His Holiness Shri Milan Kumar, grandson of Shyamdas’ own Guruji, Goswami Prathameshji, for a month-long pilgrimage in Vraja, the land of Shri Radha and Shri Krishna! Shyamdas brought a small traveling harmonium and drum and led kirtans every day as the group of 120 pilgrims and their gurus celebrated Vraja and the amazing spring festival of Holi. Shyamdas’ Sanskrit pundit came along most days and led several hour-long discussions about what happens, scripturally and devotionally, when Shri Krishna returns in the late afternoon from herding his cows in the Vrindavan forests, as well as many other juicy bhakti subjects. As always, Shyamdas continues to daily study and translate India’s devotional works for all of our benefit. This summer, two new publications will be available to Krishna bhakti enthusiasts: Treasure House of Love: the Poems of Rasakhan features the first English translations of the poems of the 16th century Vraja poet-saint, the Muslim-born Krishna follower, Rasakhan. His revelations of direct experience and bhava with the Supreme, Shri Krishna, in the form of a mischievous butter Thief and enchanting Dancer, his divinely-afflicted Gopi lovers, His dazzling consort Shri Radha, and more. Shyamdas has sung some of these poems on Sweet Radhe! and often recites them at his kirtan programs. Secondly, the Ocean of Grace: The Teachings of His Holiness Goswami Shri Prathameshji offers us the teachings, poetry, prose of Shyamdas’ Guruji, as well as transcriptions of private conversations between the two. His Holiness enlightens us on the path of following God (the nature of being a “Das”) the way to follow the true Dharma, understanding dedication and devotion, and much more, presented with the humor and devotional insight of an Ocean’s depth.
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Friday July 23 7:30 pm An Evening with Elle Collier, awakened mystic and seer, $15 Event Description Bio Elle is a fully transcended teacher in the manner of Eckhart Tolle, Adyshanti, and Byron Katie. Elle awakened in her twenties and has continued to respond to the hearts of those who find her for direct and loving guidance in the discovery of their true nature. Vibrant, radiant, and caring, Elle speaks to each, as she aligns them with the Divine to bring forth the Word into daily lives. She comes from Oregon to Calif. for her second extended visit, speaking in Berkeley, Walnut Creek, San Rafael, and Los Altos Hills . Her website is: HeartGateSancturay.org, where there is a short video of her speaking: from the top menu bar: Elle Collier Re: Elle.
As you enter this evening's Grace ... This is Consciousness training, Bio: Elle Collier Re is an advaitic mystic, a gifted transmitter of I AM THAT I AM -- Holy Source Consciousness. Her mentoring and energetic alliance help free cellular level restrictions, opening the Way to walk a powerful, straightforward life as the essential Self. Elle is the founder and teacher at HeartGate Sanctuary retreat center in Hood River, Oregon. In the words of students: 'Elle's insight, ability to peer into souls, God-realization, and poetic way, assist us to walk in the highest possible awareness while on earth. She keeps her eye on the good of all, shelters each in the Heart of Love, and guides in a way that teaches us to fish rather than merely selling us fish. |
Saturday July 24th
We will have 50 minutes for questions at the end of the workshop. There will be a short break each hour. Please wear comfortable clothing.
Bio: Mark Allen Frost M.S.; Counseling Psychology
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Monday July 26, Keys to Abundance - Conscious Creation
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7 pm. Keys to Abundance - Conscious Creation
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Saturday August 7th 1:30 am
Dancing Through Time
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Thursday August 5th Kirtan with Uma Reed and friends, 7:00 pm. $10
A jewel among the various spiritual practices associated with Hinduism is kirtan, or devotional chanting. Kirtan is one of the most beautiful and expansive aspects of bhakti yoga — the path of opening the heart through devotion and surrender. The meaning of "yoga" is "union," and the goal of yogic practices is to recognize our true Divine nature. In bhakti yoga, each deity in the the Hindu pantheon is seen as a different aspect or face of the Divine Beloved, and devotional practices are used to bring one closer and closer to the Beloved, until devotee and Beloved become One. Although kirtan involves singing or chanting, it is not necessary to have any musical talent or background, or even a good singing voice. Kirtan is the music of the heart, and it is sung freely from the heart. Traditionally, kirtan is sung in call-and-response form. A leader sings a line or two of a song, and the participants sing it back. The words to kirtan songs are often repetitions of different names of the deities, usually in the Sanskrit language, or in a language derived from Sanskrit. The focus on the deities, and the repetition of their names releases the mind from it’s usual associative patterns, which keep us caught in the cycles of pleasure and pain that come with the ups and downs of everyday life. The vibrations of the Sanskrit sounds expand our hearts and minds beyond their normal limitations, into the depths of Spirit, and the recognition that we are never away from the Beloved.
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FRIDAY August 6th 7:30 pm. $15 An Ecstaic Evening of Kirtan rockin' evening of kirtan with:
Intentional or not, Vani’s eclectic style has allowed him to take his songs and message from Krishna temples and yoga studios to a wider range of audiences. In the past year Vani has performed at diverse venues for all types of music fans from backpacked Chicago indie rockers at Lollapalooza to hippies and modern primitives in the Nevada desert at Burning Man to a jubilantly dancing crowd at the Church of the Holy City in Washington, D.C., who had gathered to celebrate President Obama’s inauguration. Vani and his band, As Kindred Spirits, bring their unique brand of kirtan music to Boston Common on Sunday. The performance is sponsored by the Boston chapter of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness to celebrate Rath Yatra, one of the most sacred holidays in the Hindu world.
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Tuesday August 10th 7:30 pm Kali Puja A Special Worship of the Divine Mother ~~OM~~
Kal means Darkness; Kali takes away that Darkness. She takes away the darkness from every individual who strives in the path of perfection by performing the spiritual disciplines of purifying austerities. Just as all the colors of the spectrum mix into black, yet still black remains black, so too, Kali, who is completely Dark, Unknowable, takes away all the darkness, yet She, Herself, remains unchanged. Kala means Time and i means the Cause; Kali, the Cause of Time or She Who is Beyond Time. All existence has its perception in time, and therefore the Cause of Time, She Who is Beyond Time, activates Consciousness to perception, allows Consciousness to perceive. Kali Puja is a treasure house of Her Wisdom. It contains abundance of Kali's tools for living : Her Sattvic worship, Her Hundred Names, Her Thousand Names, Her Armor, the mantras for offering bhanga, alcohol, animal sacrifice and how to give birth to spiritual children. |
Wednesday August 12 7pm An Evening with Jeannie Zandi $15 |
Tuesday August 17th 7:00 pm *Yoni Speak: *An Evening of Channeled Wisdom and Guidance from the Deep Feminine suggested donation $10-25
*Yoni is the sacred Sanskrit name for the archetype of Deep Feminine Wisdom embodied in the Vagina.* When was the last time you really listened to Her? Mellissa Seaman, a Stanford-educated former attorney turned shamanic priestess, has a gift for channeling the archetypical voice of Yoni. She holds a safe space for channeled transmission and information, discussion, breath, and energy practices while creating a fun, lively space for women to connect as sisters and friends. This evening experience may be especially useful for women who experience feminine health issues like fibroids, diminished sexual vitality, low fertility, or sexual frustration, as well as any woman who wants to connect more deeply with her feminine power and wisdom. |
Thursday August 19th 7:00 pm Kirtan with Lakshmi and Friends $15
The spiritual practice known as kirtan is a form of devotional singing and chanting that comes from India. The focus of this practice is on opening the heart and surrendering oneself to the divine, rather than on musical ability or appearances. The words of the songs and chants are mostly comprised of different names of Hindu deities, which are sung in call-and-response format. The sound vibrations that make up the sacred names have a profound effect on the psyche, and help to deepen the spiritual experience. |
Thursday August 19 7pm. Compassionate Communication With Lori Grace Star $15 Please sign up at Sunrise Center ( 4 person minimum )
Compassionate Communication With Lori Grace Star $15 Please sign up at Sunrise Center ( 4 person minimum ) Lori Grace Star, MA Psych. LMT Compassionate Communication can help you have more love in your life and be more centered when facing challenging situations. Using role-plays of conflicts — pre-planned as well as suggested by the audience — we will show you how to: Lori Grace Star, MA Psych. LMT, has been studying and teaching approaches to communication and conflict resolution for nine years and Compassionate Communication for five. Compassionate Communication is an essential part of the skills she uses to connect compassionately with others and herself; to feel peaceful and inspired in daily life. Lori was introduced to Compassionate Communication in 1999 and has been teaching it in California, Hawaii and New York. She has been instrumental in bringing NVC to the Hawaiian islands. Please pre-register at the Sunrise Center by calling us at 415-924-7824. (We need 4 sign ups for the class.) For those who pre-register get an extra 3 raffle ticket for our prize drawing. (It also helps us to have some idea of the number of hand-outs we need to file.)
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Sturday August 22nd 7:30 pm $10 Film Presentation: Vanishing of the Bees about the film Vanishing of the Bees is an eye-opening account of the shocking truth behind the declining bee population. Vanishing of the Bees explores one of the biggest mysteries currently facing the natural world and examines the calamitous affect that the collapse of the bee population could have on our food supplies. The film is the second title to be released by The Co-operative and film distributor Dogwoof, whose partnership, announced at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, was established to help socially conscious films reach mainstream cinema audiences. We believe that film can bring our campaigns to life in a way that other marketing channels perhaps can not. Film can motivate people to take action and drive change, and we hope that the films we support will help mobilise our members and the general public on these issues.
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Saturday August 28 7:30 pm An Evening of Extra-Ordinary Music with Dartanyan L. Brown $15
Dartanyan's career in music defies boundaries. He is a recent inductee into the Central Iowa Blues Society's revered Hall of Fame, while jazz bible Downbeat Magazine, as early as 1974 noted him as "one of the few electric bassists in jazz exploring the melodic possibilities of his axe." While he has been a thrilling performer onstage, his work in the classroom has been inspirational to the hundreds of students he has worked with over the last 15 years. Dartanyan began his career on the west coast in 1987 with Teja Bell, a guitarist and producer of uncommon talent who, along with violinist Steven Kindler produced Dolphin Smiles, an album that created a commercial stir in the New Age world. Life long friends, Bell and Brown have worked with jazz flute legend Paul Horn and recorded the album History of My Heart with synthesist and sound design pioneer Susanne Ciani. He is celebrating his 22nd year as a man with dual citizenship working on the faculty of Marin Academy and spending a portion of each year in his hometown working with young musicians in the public schools who want to know more about music and its place in our culture. Throughout his career, Dartanyan has recorded and/or performed with an incredible variety of musicians, dancers, performance artists and purveyors of new media. The list includes trumpeter Bill Chase, Attila Zoller, Suru Ekeh, Grover Washington, Jr., Mark Levine, Kenny Barron, Horace Arnold, Mike Vax, Larry Ridley, Clark Terry, Dick Oatts, Warren Gale, Alvin Batiste, Kent Jordan, Arnie Lawrence, Barry Finnerty, Frank Foster and many others. He is finishing production on a set of live concert recordings by Ron Dewitte, Big Mike Edwards, Jaimeo Brown, Sam Salomone, Craig Horner and Don Brown under the nameplate, The Iowa Blues All-Stars. He is also in production on a DVD and audio set documenting his work with poet and friend Al Young. Mr. Young, recently designated California's Poet Laureate by California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, has established himself as a unique voice. Al and Dartanyan are a living example of how words and music are meant to play together. |
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Thursday September 2nd. Kirtan with Uma Reed and friends, 7:00 pm. $10
A jewel among the various spiritual practices associated with Hinduism is kirtan, or devotional chanting. Kirtan is one of the most beautiful and expansive aspects of bhakti yoga — the path of opening the heart through devotion and surrender. The meaning of "yoga" is "union," and the goal of yogic practices is to recognize our true Divine nature. In bhakti yoga, each deity in the the Hindu pantheon is seen as a different aspect or face of the Divine Beloved, and devotional practices are used to bring one closer and closer to the Beloved, until devotee and Beloved become One. Although kirtan involves singing or chanting, it is not necessary to have any musical talent or background, or even a good singing voice. Kirtan is the music of the heart, and it is sung freely from the heart. Traditionally, kirtan is sung in call-and-response form. A leader sings a line or two of a song, and the participants sing it back. The words to kirtan songs are often repetitions of different names of the deities, usually in the Sanskrit language, or in a language derived from Sanskrit. The focus on the deities, and the repetition of their names releases the mind from it’s usual associative patterns, which keep us caught in the cycles of pleasure and pain that come with the ups and downs of everyday life. The vibrations of the Sanskrit sounds expand our hearts and minds beyond their normal limitations, into the depths of Spirit, and the recognition that we are never away from the Beloved. |
Wednesday September 8th 7:30 pm Kali Puja A Special Worship of the Divine Mother ~~OM~~
Kal means Darkness; Kali takes away that Darkness. She takes away the darkness from every individual who strives in the path of perfection by performing the spiritual disciplines of purifying austerities. Just as all the colors of the spectrum mix into black, yet still black remains black, so too, Kali, who is completely Dark, Unknowable, takes away all the darkness, yet She, Herself, remains unchanged. Kala means Time and i means the Cause; Kali, the Cause of Time or She Who is Beyond Time. All existence has its perception in time, and therefore the Cause of Time, She Who is Beyond Time, activates Consciousness to perception, allows Consciousness to perceive. Kali Puja is a treasure house of Her Wisdom. It contains abundance of Kali's tools for living : Her Sattvic worship, Her Hundred Names, Her Thousand Names, Her Armor, the mantras for offering bhanga, alcohol, animal sacrifice and how to give birth to spiritual children. |
Thursday September 8 th 7pm. Compassionate Communication With Lori Grace Star $15 Please sign up at Sunrise Center ( 4 person minimum )
Compassionate Communication With Lori Grace Star $15 Please sign up at Sunrise Center ( 4 person minimum ) Lori Grace Star, MA Psych. LMT Compassionate Communication can help you have more love in your life and be more centered when facing challenging situations. Using role-plays of conflicts — pre-planned as well as suggested by the audience — we will show you how to: Lori Grace Star, MA Psych. LMT, has been studying and teaching approaches to communication and conflict resolution for nine years and Compassionate Communication for five. Compassionate Communication is an essential part of the skills she uses to connect compassionately with others and herself; to feel peaceful and inspired in daily life. Lori was introduced to Compassionate Communication in 1999 and has been teaching it in California, Hawaii and New York. She has been instrumental in bringing NVC to the Hawaiian islands. Please pre-register at the Sunrise Center by calling us at 415-924-7824. (We need 4 sign ups for the class.) For those who pre-register get an extra 3 raffle ticket for our prize drawing. (It also helps us to have some idea of the number of hand-outs we need to file.)
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Friday September 24th 7:30 pm An Evening With Cheri Huber $20 Advance $25 Door
Cheri Huber is a student and teacher in the Soto Zen tradition. She has devoted 30 years to helping people free themselves from suffering and enjoy the lives that are their birthright. Her gentleness, clarity, and humor support the challenging work of spiritual growth. She is the author of 17 books including There Is Nothing Wrong with You; The Depression Book (she has been acknowledged as the country’s foremost expert on depression and spirituality); Time-Out For Parents; and the recently released audio-retreat, Unconditional Self-Acceptance. Cheri founded the Mountain View Zen Center and the Zen Monastery Practice Center in California. She conducts workshops and retreats at these centers and at venues around the U.S. and internationally. She has an internet-based weekly call-in radio show, Open Air. Cheri is a member of Social Venture Network, a national organization that combines social responsibility, spirituality, and business. Cheri Huber is founder and director of Living Compassion, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing peace and compassion to all aspects of life.
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Thursday September 30 7.00pm film screening Race To Nowhere $10
About the Film Director Vicki Abeles turns the personal political, igniting a national conversation in her new documentary about the pressures faced by American schoolchildren and their teachers in our achievement obsessed public and private education system and culture. Featuring the heartbreaking stories of young people across the country who have been pushed to the brink, educators who are burned out and worried students aren’t developing the skills they need, and parents who are trying to do what’s best for their kids, Race to Nowhere points to the silent epidemic in our schools: cheating has become commonplace, students have become disengaged, stress-related illness, depression and burnout are rampant, and young people arrive at college and the workplace unprepared and uninspired. Race to Nowhere is a call to mobilize families, educators, and policy makers to challenge current assumptions on how to best prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens. Featured in the film: * Dr. Madeline Levine, Clinical Psychologist and author of the best-seller, The Price of Privilege Running time: 85 minutes *
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Thursday October 7 th. Kirtan with Uma Reed and friends, 7:00 pm. $10
A jewel among the various spiritual practices associated with Hinduism is kirtan, or devotional chanting. Kirtan is one of the most beautiful and expansive aspects of bhakti yoga — the path of opening the heart through devotion and surrender. The meaning of "yoga" is "union," and the goal of yogic practices is to recognize our true Divine nature. In bhakti yoga, each deity in the the Hindu pantheon is seen as a different aspect or face of the Divine Beloved, and devotional practices are used to bring one closer and closer to the Beloved, until devotee and Beloved become One. Although kirtan involves singing or chanting, it is not necessary to have any musical talent or background, or even a good singing voice. Kirtan is the music of the heart, and it is sung freely from the heart. Traditionally, kirtan is sung in call-and-response form. A leader sings a line or two of a song, and the participants sing it back. The words to kirtan songs are often repetitions of different names of the deities, usually in the Sanskrit language, or in a language derived from Sanskrit. The focus on the deities, and the repetition of their names releases the mind from it’s usual associative patterns, which keep us caught in the cycles of pleasure and pain that come with the ups and downs of everyday life. The vibrations of the Sanskrit sounds expand our hearts and minds beyond their normal limitations, into the depths of Spirit, and the recognition that we are never away from the Beloved. |
Thursday October 7th 7:30 pm Kali Puja A Special Worship of the Divine Mother ~~OM~~
Kal means Darkness; Kali takes away that Darkness. She takes away the darkness from every individual who strives in the path of perfection by performing the spiritual disciplines of purifying austerities. Just as all the colors of the spectrum mix into black, yet still black remains black, so too, Kali, who is completely Dark, Unknowable, takes away all the darkness, yet She, Herself, remains unchanged. Kala means Time and i means the Cause; Kali, the Cause of Time or She Who is Beyond Time. All existence has its perception in time, and therefore the Cause of Time, She Who is Beyond Time, activates Consciousness to perception, allows Consciousness to perceive. Kali Puja is a treasure house of Her Wisdom. It contains abundance of Kali's tools for living : Her Sattvic worship, Her Hundred Names, Her Thousand Names, Her Armor, the mantras for offering bhanga, alcohol, animal sacrifice and how to give birth to spiritual children. |
Thursday October 14 th 7pm. $15
Compassionate Communication With Lori Grace Star Please sign up at Sunrise Center ( 4 person minimum )
Compassionate Communication With Lori Grace Star $15 Please sign up at Sunrise Center ( 4 person minimum ) Lori Grace Star, MA Psych. LMT Compassionate Communication can help you have more love in your life and be more centered when facing challenging situations. Using role-plays of conflicts — pre-planned as well as suggested by the audience — we will show you how to: Lori Grace Star, MA Psych. LMT, has been studying and teaching approaches to communication and conflict resolution for nine years and Compassionate Communication for five. Compassionate Communication is an essential part of the skills she uses to connect compassionately with others and herself; to feel peaceful and inspired in daily life. Lori was introduced to Compassionate Communication in 1999 and has been teaching it in California, Hawaii and New York. She has been instrumental in bringing NVC to the Hawaiian islands. Please pre-register at the Sunrise Center by calling us at 415-924-7824. (We need 4 sign ups for the class.) For those who pre-register get an extra 3 raffle ticket for our prize drawing. (It also helps us to have some idea of the number of hand-outs we need to file.)
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Friday, October 15th 7:30 pm. "The Neverending I" An evening with Karl Renz $15 “For being what you are, neither work nor development is required. Meeting Karl Renz will leave you with a radically different sense of yourself. He Karl Renz is originally from the Lower Saxony area of Germany. He
Delicious Vegetarian Meal $13 12-7:30 pm
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Thursday November 4 th. Kirtan with Uma Reed and friends, 7:00 pm. $10
A jewel among the various spiritual practices associated with Hinduism is kirtan, or devotional chanting. Kirtan is one of the most beautiful and expansive aspects of bhakti yoga — the path of opening the heart through devotion and surrender. The meaning of "yoga" is "union," and the goal of yogic practices is to recognize our true Divine nature. In bhakti yoga, each deity in the the Hindu pantheon is seen as a different aspect or face of the Divine Beloved, and devotional practices are used to bring one closer and closer to the Beloved, until devotee and Beloved become One. Although kirtan involves singing or chanting, it is not necessary to have any musical talent or background, or even a good singing voice. Kirtan is the music of the heart, and it is sung freely from the heart. Traditionally, kirtan is sung in call-and-response form. A leader sings a line or two of a song, and the participants sing it back. The words to kirtan songs are often repetitions of different names of the deities, usually in the Sanskrit language, or in a language derived from Sanskrit. The focus on the deities, and the repetition of their names releases the mind from it’s usual associative patterns, which keep us caught in the cycles of pleasure and pain that come with the ups and downs of everyday life. The vibrations of the Sanskrit sounds expand our hearts and minds beyond their normal limitations, into the depths of Spirit, and the recognition that we are never away from the Beloved. |
Friday November 5th 7:30 pm Dance performance with Pratibha $15
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Saturday November 6th 7:30 pm Kali Puja A Special Worship of the Divine Mother ~~OM~~
Kal means Darkness; Kali takes away that Darkness. She takes away the darkness from every individual who strives in the path of perfection by performing the spiritual disciplines of purifying austerities. Just as all the colors of the spectrum mix into black, yet still black remains black, so too, Kali, who is completely Dark, Unknowable, takes away all the darkness, yet She, Herself, remains unchanged. Kala means Time and i means the Cause; Kali, the Cause of Time or She Who is Beyond Time. All existence has its perception in time, and therefore the Cause of Time, She Who is Beyond Time, activates Consciousness to perception, allows Consciousness to perceive. Kali Puja is a treasure house of Her Wisdom. It contains abundance of Kali's tools for living : Her Sattvic worship, Her Hundred Names, Her Thousand Names, Her Armor, the mantras for offering bhanga, alcohol, animal sacrifice and how to give birth to spiritual children. |
Thursday November 18 th 7pm. $15
Compassionate Communication With Lori Grace Star Please sign up at Sunrise Center ( 4 person minimum )
Compassionate Communication With Lori Grace Star $15 Please sign up at Sunrise Center ( 4 person minimum ) Lori Grace Star, MA Psych. LMT Compassionate Communication can help you have more love in your life and be more centered when facing challenging situations. Using role-plays of conflicts — pre-planned as well as suggested by the audience — we will show you how to: Lori Grace Star, MA Psych. LMT, has been studying and teaching approaches to communication and conflict resolution for nine years and Compassionate Communication for five. Compassionate Communication is an essential part of the skills she uses to connect compassionately with others and herself; to feel peaceful and inspired in daily life. Lori was introduced to Compassionate Communication in 1999 and has been teaching it in California, Hawaii and New York. She has been instrumental in bringing NVC to the Hawaiian islands. Please pre-register at the Sunrise Center by calling us at 415-924-7824. (We need 4 sign ups for the class.) For those who pre-register get an extra 3 raffle ticket for our prize drawing. (It also helps us to have some idea of the number of hand-outs we need to file.)
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Thursday December 2 nd. Kirtan with Uma Reed and friends, 7:00 pm. $10
A jewel among the various spiritual practices associated with Hinduism is kirtan, or devotional chanting. Kirtan is one of the most beautiful and expansive aspects of bhakti yoga — the path of opening the heart through devotion and surrender. The meaning of "yoga" is "union," and the goal of yogic practices is to recognize our true Divine nature. In bhakti yoga, each deity in the the Hindu pantheon is seen as a different aspect or face of the Divine Beloved, and devotional practices are used to bring one closer and closer to the Beloved, until devotee and Beloved become One. Although kirtan involves singing or chanting, it is not necessary to have any musical talent or background, or even a good singing voice. Kirtan is the music of the heart, and it is sung freely from the heart. Traditionally, kirtan is sung in call-and-response form. A leader sings a line or two of a song, and the participants sing it back. The words to kirtan songs are often repetitions of different names of the deities, usually in the Sanskrit language, or in a language derived from Sanskrit. The focus on the deities, and the repetition of their names releases the mind from it’s usual associative patterns, which keep us caught in the cycles of pleasure and pain that come with the ups and downs of everyday life. The vibrations of the Sanskrit sounds expand our hearts and minds beyond their normal limitations, into the depths of Spirit, and the recognition that we are never away from the Beloved. |
Saturday December 4th noon to 5:30 pm Our Annual Gathering with Kryon
LEE CARROLL has channeled Kryon for 20 years worldwide and is the author of the Kryon Series of 14 books in 24 languages (so far). Well known in Metaphysics, the Kryon channeled books have made the top seller’s list of most New Age distributors within months of release. One of his books, The Indigo Children, introduced the term “Indigo Children” to the world. Ask Kryon
QUESTION: Dear Kryon, I am gay, and an enlightened man. I live in an American society that barely tolerates me, and actually has some laws against my way of life. The church I used to belong to cast me out as being evil and anti-God. I don't feel that I am violating some Human ethic. My love is as true as any heterosexual, and I am a light worker. Tell me what I should know.
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Monday December 6th 7:30 pm Kali Puja A Special Worship of the Divine Mother ~~OM~~
Kal means Darkness; Kali takes away that Darkness. She takes away the darkness from every individual who strives in the path of perfection by performing the spiritual disciplines of purifying austerities. Just as all the colors of the spectrum mix into black, yet still black remains black, so too, Kali, who is completely Dark, Unknowable, takes away all the darkness, yet She, Herself, remains unchanged. Kala means Time and i means the Cause; Kali, the Cause of Time or She Who is Beyond Time. All existence has its perception in time, and therefore the Cause of Time, She Who is Beyond Time, activates Consciousness to perception, allows Consciousness to perceive. Kali Puja is a treasure house of Her Wisdom. It contains abundance of Kali's tools for living : Her Sattvic worship, Her Hundred Names, Her Thousand Names, Her Armor, the mantras for offering bhanga, alcohol, animal sacrifice and how to give birth to spiritual children. |
Thursday December 16 th 7pm. $15
Compassionate Communication With Lori Grace Star $15 Please sign up at Sunrise Center ( 4 person minimum )
Compassionate Communication With Lori Grace Star $15 Please sign up at Sunrise Center ( 4 person minimum ) Lori Grace Star, MA Psych. LMT Compassionate Communication can help you have more love in your life and be more centered when facing challenging situations. Using role-plays of conflicts — pre-planned as well as suggested by the audience — we will show you how to: Lori Grace Star, MA Psych. LMT, has been studying and teaching approaches to communication and conflict resolution for nine years and Compassionate Communication for five. Compassionate Communication is an essential part of the skills she uses to connect compassionately with others and herself; to feel peaceful and inspired in daily life. Lori was introduced to Compassionate Communication in 1999 and has been teaching it in California, Hawaii and New York. She has been instrumental in bringing NVC to the Hawaiian islands. Please pre-register at the Sunrise Center by calling us at 415-924-7824. (We need 4 sign ups for the class.) For those who pre-register get an extra 3 raffle ticket for our prize drawing. (It also helps us to have some idea of the number of hand-outs we need to file.)
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Some of our Favorite Events of 2009
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Sunday October 4th Retreat: The Great Mother Prajna Paramita and Sky-like Mind with Lama Tsultrim Allione 10am-4pm $75 advance $85 door Call 415-457-4191 ex 0 The Great Mother Prajna Paramita and Sky-like Mind This retreat will explore the nature of mind. The experience of
Bio: Lama Tsultrim Allione author of National Bestseller: Feeding Your Demons: Ancient Wisdom for Resolving Inner Conflict and Women of Wisdom was given the Outstanding Woman in Buddhism award for 2009 and was recognized as an emanation of Machig Labdrön at Machig’s monastery in Tibet, Zangri Khangmar, in 2007. She is known as a profound and lucid teacher, bringing together psychological and spiritual insights. She has been teaching internationally for more than 30 years, is the founder of Tara Mandala Retreat Center (www.taramandala.org).
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Sunday October 18th 3pm Zen Boyfriends $15
"What is the sound of one heart breaking?" Zen Boyfriends: A Musical Comedy Somewhere in the parade of shiny and sincere hopefuls, yogi-predators, meditating control-freaks, freedom-lovers and a host of busy monkeys, there's a girl yearning to find the right one. Can she do it? ZEN Boyfriends is a hilarious comedy that traverses the razor's edge where spirituality and love coincide...or don't. Zen Boyfriends is a one-act play that playfully satires New Age spirituality through the eyes of a young woman looking for love in California. A Zen Boyfriend is a man who “skillfully uses his spiritual ideals and practices as an excuse for his terror of any type of real relationship with a woman.” The piece is designed to explore the transformational possibilities of conveying dharma, or life’s lessons, through theater and humor. For more information:
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Thursday December 3 7pm Andrew Harvey: The Hope
With myriad crisis facing our precious earth from our monetary systems collapsing, to environmental depletion, nuclear proliferation, rise in fundamentalism and the hurried, disconnected pace of life, the future can seem bleak. The Hope: A Guide To Sacred Activism offers sage advice and practical tools for overcoming these seeming insurmountable global catastrophes and shares an urgent yet passionately inspiring message for those seeking personal and planetary transformation. The Hope is a compelling guide that helps people respond to current global challenges yet also serves as a much needed wake-up call to inspire action through Sacred Activism—the transforming force of love and compassion-in-action to affect radical change in the world. For more information please visit www.andrewharvey.net ABOUT ANDREW HARVEY
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Monday December 14th 7pm Three Turkish Masters In Concert $22 advance $25 door
Performing compositions selected from the vast repertoire of Turkish classical and devotional music. The secular music of the Ottoman courts was compiled not only by Turkish composers, but also by representatives of Armenian, Greek, Jewish, Balkan and Arabic communities whose cultures were part of the Ottoman Empire - and by the sultans themselves. Sufi religious music, also an important part of Turkish classical music, includes movements from suites performed as part of the Whirling Dervishes' ceremonies, as well as medleys of ancient devotional hymns, many still popular today. Necati Chelik [ne-ja-ti che-lik] (Ud) is the principal ud player with the Turkish Ministry of Culture. He has toured the United States, Europe and Japan for the last fifteen years, performing mainly with the Istanbul State Turkish Classical Music Ensemble. He is currently visiting from Istanbul for a series of concerts on the West Coast. An expert on the sacred music of the Sufi tradition, Necati was born and educated in Konya, the home of the Mevlevi order of Sufis - popularly known in the West as "whirling dervishes." Mr.?elik's first instrument was the baglama, a Turkish folk instrument (also known as saz). He started playing the ud at the age of 16. Since 1973 he has played ud for the annual Mevlevi rituals. In 1985, he was one of the founders of the Music Department of Konya Seljuk University, where he taught ud. He has been a member of the Ministry of Culture's State Classical Music Ensemble since 1986. Mr. ?elik is also the primary ud artist with the world-reknowned Necdet Yashar Ensemble, and has toured frequently with them in Europe, Asia and the United States. Yavuz Akalõn [yavooz akaluhn] (Ney) was born in Kutahya, Turkey. He began the study of music at the age of nine, encouraged by his father who was an architect, playing kanun [zither] and kemene [Turkish fiddle]. He later studied ney with Shemseddin G?vey and with the great master Aka G?nd?z Kutbay. He later studied ney with Niyazi Sayin, and music with masters Bekr Sidki Sezgin, Aaeddin Yavasca, Necdet Yashar and Ihsan Timuin Cevikoglu [ti-mu-chin je-vi-koh-loo] (Ney, Bendir, vocals) Born in 1965, he studied Classical Turkish music and Sufi music and learned to play the ney, kudum and bendir at an early age. He started working as an artist in the Ministry of Culture in 1986 has worked for several universities. Timuin participated in the works of the University of Selcuk (1994) and the University of Afyon Kocatepe, State Conservatoire (1999), and also worked as instructor and Chairman of the Turkish Music Department. He has produced and managed various music programs, documentaries, audio and video publications, as well as performing solo concerts in many countries. |
Thursday December 17th 7:30 pm. Introducing, The Open Collaboration Encyclopedia With Joseph J. Jacques. and Alpha Lo
"The Open Collaboration Encyclopedia" is a powerful new map to the emerging paradigm of collaboration and interdependence that is radically changing our world. Recognized as the vital ingredient for meeting the demands of a rapidly evolving world, "collaboration" is increasingly being recognized as the new "Green" in industry, economics, technology, social science, and government. Bio Alden began his dedicated research into the relationship between consciousness, culture, and evolution in the cafes of Harvard and MIT at age 15. He later went on to travel the world for another 12 years, learning from notable pioneers and masters in the fields of sustainability, liberation sciences, consciousness, religion, governance, cultural evolution, ecology, internet technology, transpersonal psychology, business, neurolinguistics, nutrition, and design. He has served and been a founding collaborator in numerous organizations and projects around the planet dedicated to human progress. Currently, in addition to his consulting and project development through www.culturegenerator.com, and his work on The Open Collaboration Encyclopedia, he is editor-in-chief of Pioneer Imprints, a growing independent publishing label which presents unique and timely works which advance the true potentials of human and culture. |
Wednesday January 20 7pm.
Compassionate Communication With Lori Grace Star $15
Lori Grace Star, MA Psych. LMT 7pm. Compassionate Communication With Lori Grace Star $15 l Lori Grace Star, MA Psych. LMT Compassionate Communication can help you have more love in your life and be more centered when facing challenging situations. Using role-plays of conflicts — pre-planned as well as suggested by the audience — we will show you how to: Lori Grace Star, MA Psych. LMT, has been studying and teaching approaches to communication and conflict resolution for nine years and Compassionate Communication for five. Compassionate Communication is an essential part of the skills she uses to connect compassionately with others and herself; to feel peaceful and inspired in daily life. Lori was introduced to Compassionate Communication in 1999 and has been teaching it in California, Hawaii and New York. She has been instrumental in bringing NVC to the Hawaiian islands. Please pre-register at the Sunrise Center by calling us at 415-924-7824. For those who pre-register get an extra 3 raffle ticket for our prize drawing. (It also helps us to have some idea of the number of hand-outs we need to file. |
Saturday February 13th 7:30 pm The Launch of Quantum Companions A Village Relationship Counseling Service-Wisdom For All Types of Patrnerships "We Are All Conected In Wonderous and Mysterious Ways" Free Presentaion and Dialogue Arrive at 6pm for a delicious vegatarian feast for $10
Quantum Companionship- Exploring Human Relationships Free of The Fear of Separation Anxiety In Life and Death Compatibility Counseling for an Age of Harmony and Beauty Ancient, Present, and Future Wisdom on Our Quantum Relationships with All Beings We are all connected in wondrous and mysterious ways. The Quantum Union |
Friday February 12th 7:30 Suffering-A Path Of Awakening with Shellee Rae
The subtitle of Shellee Rae's deceptively short, plain-talking memoir gives a vroom! that hints at the horsepower under its storytelling hood: Dissolving the Pain of Incest, Abuse, Addiction and Depression That's quite a claim. To find out how it actually happened for her, you've got to read this astounding little book. Published just this May, Shellee's book already is developing a life of its own. The glowing, grateful reviews on Amazon.com keep multiplying -- including one from her own mother, whose troubles are part of the true, unflinching story. I'd like to see this book go as far as it can in the world -- lifting great numbers of suffering people into true hope and real willingness to heal, grow, and maybe even awaken. Brava, Shellee Rae! Congratulations, and may this book enjoy amazing success and open the hearts and change the lives of countless grateful readers! ~ Saniel Bonder, founder Waking Down in Mutuality, author Healing the Spirit Matter Split, and Great Relief This now world-wide and inspiring little book is for anyone who has longed for more in their life, has been (or is) lost to their purpose, struggled on different spiritual paths or experienced suffering, abuse or addiction at any level. |
Saturday February 27th 7:30 Pm. Concert with Mukti $15
Come here music from their new album "Light of the Sun"
Light of the Sun," produced by Ben Leinbach and featuring some very special guest artists. We're extremely proud of this labor of love.
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Saturday March 6th 7:30 pm An evening of music with Spirit Move $12 advance $15 door
Navyo Ericsen, guitars http://spiritmovesmusic.com http://opensecretbookstore.com
SpiritMoves is an eclectic ensemble of talented musicians that create totally improvised music in the moment. No arrangements, no song charts or set list - just attuning to each other and the audience to translate emotion and Spirit into sound. The group blends acoustic and electric instruments and draws from a variety of influences to create music that ranges from meditative and mystical to upbeat and soaring. In their words, “our vision is to explore artistic freedom and consciousness with music. By forming a resonance with each other and with you, our audience, we create powerful and sacred space for the spontaneous expression of creativity.” “The musicians were so sensitive to one another that at first I didn't realize they were improvising! I am left feeling deeply satisfied and eager to hear them live again!” |
CELEBRATE with Old & New Friends
ONENESS BLESSINGS by "Deeksha Givers" Trained in INDIA PLAYFULL COMPASSIONATE CONNECTION GAMES, PRACTICES & TOOLS led by SCOTT & GABRIELE CATAMAS & other loving “GIRAFFES”    |
Healing Sundays noon to 4pm CHAKRA READINGS with MICHAEL Readings by Michael
Thursdays noon to 5 pm To schedule an appointment, please call or email at least 24 hours in advance By Donation |
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