"Enlightenment and Grace:
Removing Resistance to Destiny"

A Weekend Spiritual Intensive

Friday, October 9th - Sunday, October 11th, 2009
Durant Nature Park - Raleigh, North Carolina

"Do understand that you are destined for enlightenment. Cooperate with your destiny, don't go against it, don't thwart it. Allow it to fulfill itself." -- Nisargadatta Maharaj

"Man is asked to make of himself what he must become to fulfill his destiny." -- Paul Tillich

"Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me."
-- John Newton

The Self Inquiry Discussion Group (SIG) of Raleigh, NC is hosting a weekend intensive October 9th - 11th, 2009. The purpose of this retreat is to provide a forum for like-minded individuals to convene with the intent of furthering the search, and advancing the endeavor of finding an answer to one's deepest longing. Seekers and finders alike will come together in an atmosphere of friendship, camaraderie, and focused intention. You are encouraged to come and participate, to share what you may have to offer fellow seekers, and to welcome help from others.

The weekend will include a variety of speakers and activities, all geared toward helping one to hear and heed the Call. We will open the weekend at 7:30 p.m. Friday, October 9th and continue through the evening of Sunday the 11th, checking out of the lodge by 9:45 Monday morning. (You are encouraged to arrive prior to 7:30 p.m. Friday in order to settle in at the lodge and to hang out. The space is available to us starting at 1:00 p.m. Friday, so you are welcome any time after that.)

The agenda will include presentations led by Avery Solomon, Bart Marshall, Bob Cergol, Bruce Rubin, David Scoma, Michael Casari, Michael Hall, Mike Conners, and Nathan Spoon, along with sessions centered on a variety of thought-provoking topics and insight-inducing experiments. For more on these speakers, see More on Session Leaders below. Also, a tentative agenda is now available.

Please refer to the Logistics sections below for the current plans concerning the practical aspects of the retreat. To learn more about SIG and the spirit of this retreat, see More on the Self Inquiry Discussion Group of Raleigh below or visit our Web site at www.selfinquiry.org. SIG is an affiliate group of the TAT Foundation. For more information on TAT, please visit www.tatfoundation.org.

Please send any inquiries regarding the retreat to Luke Roberts: luke444@gmail.com. You may also send inquiries regarding SIG in general and/or the retreat to: info@selfinquiry.org.

Also, please feel free to pass on the URL of this page to anyone you feel may be interested. All are welcome to the retreat and we are advertising primarily through word-of-mouth.

We look forward to seeing you in October!

Sincerely,
The Self Inquiry Discussion Group of Raleigh

LOGISTICS
We will have a finalized agenda for the weekend available at least one month prior to the retreat (by the beginning of September). We will also include a "What to Bring" list at that time and any updated logistics. There is some logistical information available at this time.

Location
The Training Lodge at Durant Nature Park
8305 Camp Durant Road Raleigh, NC 27614
Durant Nature Park
The Training Lodge

Lodging
Meeting space will accommodate 50 people, however, the lodge itself sleeps only 38 individuals. There are 22 bunk beds and 16 army cots. Excepting any medical necessity, the bunk beds are allotted on a first-come-first-served basis. Lodging accommodations are BYOB (bring your own bedding). Please register early to confirm your space at the retreat and reserve a bunk at the lodge, if that's your preference. Camp sites are also available near the lodge for no additional charge. Also, there are a number of hotels in the area. We encourage those who feel pulled to do so to stay at Durant Nature Park, as this will further facilitate the spirit, intimacy, and intensity of the retreat.

Food
All food will be provided and included in the cost of the retreat. SIG will prepare the meals, and volunteers will be requested to help with each meal. We do encourage you to bring your favorite snacks (including coffee, tea, etc.) to contribute to the stockpile. Furthermore, please indicate any food allergies or dietary restrictions that you may have, as we will do our best to accommodate everyone. Sunday dinner will be dining out at local restaurants (we will provide a list of nearby locations): this meal will not be covered by the cost of the retreat. Additionally, there is an optional Monday breakfast/brunch out at a restaurant to close the weekend before heading back home.

Cost
The cost of the retreat is $52.00. This covers lodging, food (with the exception of the Sunday dinner and Monday brunch at local restaurants), recording equipment, miscellaneous supplies, and firewood. NOTE: If the cost of the retreat is an issue--one that could make or break your attendance--please contact Luke Roberts. We do not want anyone to not come for reasons of cost and will do our best to make arrangements.

Registration
We encourage you to register as soon as possible to reserve your spot and to help us plan the retreat. To reiterate, space is limited and we do anticipate a full retreat, so please register early while spots are still available! Please register and send your payment through PayPal: www.paypal.com. Click on the "Send Money" option; you will send the money to luke444@gmail.com; indicate that you are sending money for a "Purchase" and for "Goods". Finally, read the section below, Info Needed from You. Though we strongly prefer payment through PayPal, you may also send a personal check to the following address, made out to Luke Roberts:

Luke Roberts
104 Milton Drive Apt. B
Carrboro, NC 27510

INFO NEEDED FROM YOU:
The following are items that we need you to include upon registration. Further information may be requested from you at a later time. Anyone registering may include the information by emailing it to Luke Roberts at luke444@gmail.com. Alternatively, if using PayPal, you may enter it in an optional "Note" or "Comments" field; if mailing a check, you may include it in a handwritten note.

1. Full Name
2. Mailing Address
3. Contact Email Address
4. Contact Phone Number(s)
5. Dietary Restrictions / Allergies
6. Health Concerns / Issues
7. Please specify your Sleeping Preference or Arrangements: Cot, Bunk, Camping, or Other (hotel, personal arrangements, etc.)

MORE on SESSION LEADERS
The following is the current lineup of session leaders, each with a brief description and links. Other presenters and session leaders may be added later as the final agenda takes shape.

Avery Solomon
Avery Solomon has been a teacher and researcher at Wisdom's Goldenrod Center for Philosophic Studies in Hector, NY for 30 years, giving seminars and classes there and in several countries around the world on ancient wisdom, modern spirituality, meditation, and healing. For more about Avery, please visit his Web site at: www.averysolomon.com.

Bart Marshall
After a long journey that took him from the jungles of Vietnam to Richard Rose's backwoods farm in West Virginia, Bart came to the end of seeking in 2004. For samples of Bart's writing, please visit to www.selfinquiry.org, or to these sites: www.searchwithin.org/download.htm and www.tatfoundation.org/forum_index.htm. He also appears in the spiritual documentary, Closer than Close.

Bob Cergol
One of Richard Rose's earliest students, Bob Cergol completed his search in 1999, after almost 30 years of seeking. Read a review of him here: www.spiritualteachers.org/bob_cergol.htm. For samples of Bob's writing, please refer to these sites: www.searchwithin.org/download.htm and www.tatfoundation.org/forum_index.htm.

Bruce Rubin
Oscar-winning screenwriter and director Bruce Joel Rubin (Jacob's Ladder, Ghost, Deep Impact, My Life, Time Traveler's Wife) has been a spiritual practitioner and teacher since the late '60s, and has taught popular Kundalini yoga and meditation classes in New York and Los Angeles for many years. To listen to MP3s of some of his talks, please go to www.brucerubin-class.org/2009.aspx.

David Scoma
After years of spiritual seeking, David Scoma finally became that which he sought. He now maintains a spiritual blog and Web site, as well as contributes articles to other sites, such as the TAT Forum. Check out his many articles and MP3s at www.JustPerception.net.

Michael Casari
Michael was with Richard Rose when he began teaching, and at his side when he died. Over the course of almost 40 years he has absorbed Rose's teachings, as well as most every other spiritual system and tradition. He's also one of the largest repositories of Rose anecdotes on the planet. To listen to a talk he gave in 2008, entitled "What is TAT?", go to www.tatfoundation.org/tat_audio.htm.

Michael Hall, PhD
A clinical psychologist in private practice in Binghamton, NY, Michael Hall practiced Zen Buddhism for 25 years before his sudden Awakening in 2002. In addition to traditional psychotherapy, he now teaches the direct path to spiritual awakening to a growing number of students, as well as to his clients. His first book, Awake and Alive: Spiritual Awakening in Daily Life is due out soon. For samples of Michael's writing, plus MP3s and videos, please go to: WayBeyondPsychotherapy.com and www.awakentotruth.blogspot.com.

Mike Conners
Mike practiced meditation and self inquiry for over thirty years before his search ended with Self-realization. Since then, he has taught Effortless Meditation to hundreds of students, and holds weekly meditation meetings in Cincinnati. He also appears in the spiritual documentary, Closer than Close. For samples of Mike's writing, see www.tatfoundation.org/forum_index.htm.

Nathan Spoon
Nathan's search for Truth has led him through many traditions, and encounters with a wide variety of teachers. He studied Kundalini and Shaktipat for some years with a teacher in Nashville, and continues to be fueled by his teacher's encouragement and example. Now, however, he focuses most of his time and energy on the study and teaching of traditional Advaita Vedanta. Check out his blog: ganapatiadvaitaashram.blogspot.com.

MORE on the SELF INQUIRY DISCUSSION GROUP of RALEIGH, NC
The Self Inquiry Discussion Group provides an opportunity to meet with others involved in the search for Truth and Self-definition via Self-inquiry. Our meetings consist of an informal and open discussion of paths, teachers, techniques, philosophical and spiritual systems, and possible ways and means for expediting the search. The discussions are not academic or theoretical, but rather focus on our own personal experiences as seekers. There is usually also a period of silent meditation at some point during the evening.

Most people who continue to come to our meetings are not concerned with "Why should I seek Self-realization?" but rather, "What is the best way to go about it?" There is a paradox in that we use words to talk about that which is beyond words, and although there is often talk of paths and things to do, there is also general agreement that the best approach is subtractive: that is, rather than try to accumulate more spiritual and worldly knowledge, doubt the truth of all you think you already know.

If you find yourself drawn to teachers like Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, Richard Rose, Ramana Maharshi, Douglas Harding, Tony Parsons, Franklin Merrell-Wolff, Eckhart Tolle, Adyashanti, and the ancient masters of Zen, Advaita Vedanta, and Christian Mysticism, you may find the retreat and our meetings very worthwhile.

For more information on the Raleigh SIG group, please check out our Web site: www.selfinquiry.org.

Photograph "Exploding Star" by Valerie Bruchon (www.valeriebruchon.com).