Saturday, April 18, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. CANCELED
Venerable Ajahn Chah was one of the most influential and highly respected Thai meditation masters of the 20th century. The teachings of Ajahn Chah were simple, direct, and profoundly insightful, inspiring several generations of disciples. We invite you to join two such teachers, Ajahn Pasanno and Joseph Kappel, for this daylong exploration of the spiritual path. The program includes teachings and reflections, periods of sitting and walking meditation, and time for Q&A. This is an extraordinary opportunity to deepen your understanding and practice of the Dharma.
Please bring your own vegetarian lunch.
Ajahn Pasanno (Reed Perry) was raised in Canada. He was ordained as a Buddhist monk in 1974 and shortly after went to live with Venerable Ajahn Chah as one of his first Western disciples. In 1982, Ajahn Pasanno became abbot of Wat Nanachat in Thailand, where he was responsible for training monks and novices and became a very well-known and highly respected Dharma teacher. In 1997 he moved to California, joining Ajahn Amaro in establishing the Abhayagiri Monastery.
Joseph Kappel lived as Pabhakaro Bhikkhu with Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Sumedho in Thailand and Great Britain from 1971 to 1991. He was among the first to assist in establishing the Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in England. In 1991, two years after he left the robe of a monk, Joseph attended the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course and completed that training with Jon Kabat-Zinn. He continues to offer courses and retreats based on Buddhist principles in numerous settings.
By popular demand, Mitch returns for a serious, hands-on, and all-new workshop to explore methods in mind power and mental causation. Based on Mitch’s popular book—and in homage to the original group of pre-Theosophical experimenters called the Miracle Club—this powerful day explores topics including:
At the core of all healing, meditative, and spiritual pursuits is the goal to expand an individual’s awareness. Experience a uniquely layered, multi-dimensional tapestry of sounds designed to relax and invigorate you simultaneously. Permeate your mind and body in a colorful environment of ambient and ancestral sounds of five large gongs and other sound tools. This guided meditative and transformational musical journey will help you identify your limiting beliefs and transform them into limitless possibilities.
On this All Hallows’ Eve, the veils between the worlds are thin and the spiritual realm beckons. Together, we will explore the origins and purpose of “Halloween,” honor our beloved dead, and experience a ritual performance where we will journey to meet Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth, and her sister Ereshkigal, Goddess of the Underworld.
These weekly lectures are offered at our National Center, 1926 N. Main St., Wheaton, IL. 
Internationally-acclaimed spiritual teacher Andrew Harvey will present his newest book Return to Joy, a compelling invitation to consider that joy is the ultimate nature of reality and that its absence lies at the root of our current, unprecedented global crisis. Learn about the mystical wisdom of the ages that places joy at the core of our existence, and consider the myriad enemies of joy in our time. As we tend the fires of joy, we celebrate its flames and nurture its ubiquitous presence.
Guru Know it All completed all her spiritual training in a past life, so she did not have to do anything in this lifetime. She is a true source of inspiration for all of us imperfect beings.
The practice of ritual grounds us. Community connects us. Come gather from wherever you are in the world in the practice of shamanic ritual. Christina Pateros will lead you first in an energetic cleansing exercise, followed by a shamanic journey space with guided teachings and tools to help you hear Spirit speak. The workshop will conclude with creative movement. All are welcome, including those who are brand new to shamanic practices as well as experienced practitioners looking to deepen their practice and join in community.
Christina Pateros is an artist, spiritual guide, healer, teacher, and steward of spiritual journeys to sacred lands. She owns a healing practice and also creates fine collectible paintings available directly through social media and her website and by commission. Her shamanic practice offers cleansing and clearing of beings and spaces. For more information visit christinapateros.com and whispering-stones.com and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
Participate in an adventure of self-discovery, contemplative practice, and spiritual art-making for artists and non-artists alike. Learn about the Jungian approach to engaging in this Zen process as well as approaches from different cultures around the world that have been creating mandalas throughout history. Embrace the experience as you are guided to a place where images from your unconscious arise and you create meaningful artwork full of symbols that can teach you more about yourself and your place in the world.