T e Experiential Discovery of Awareness and Its Impact: A Qualitative Study, John Astin, Ph.D. <john@integrativearts.com> (Scholer, researcher) T is study explored the fi rst-person accounts of individuals involved in several contemporary awareness teachings


regarding the nature and qualities of awareness, the relationship of awareness and its recognition to the alleviation of human suff ering, and its impact across multiple life domains. Methods: Individuals were selected who were either senior students of or teachers within several contemporary awareness traditions (n = 28). Interviews, which took approximately 90 minutes to complete, were transcribed and thematic analyses carried out by two independent reviewers. Results: Despite some diversity across respondents, a number of clear themes emerged. In general, awareness was defi ned as that which knows or cognizes phenomena and its recognition as the fundamental ground of all perception was seen as crucial to the resolution of human suff ering for several reasons: 1) awareness is undisturbed by phenomena; 2) its recognition ap- pears to resolve the search for well-being; 3) one realizes that negative states do not require management as they naturally resolve themselves; 4) the recognition that awareness is inseparable from experience leads one to view all phenomena as essentially insubstantial (i.e., empty of independent existence) and therefore non-threatening in nature. Participants reported that the realization of awareness had resulted in: greater ease and openness in relationships; diminishment or loss of self-identifi cation/self-focus; enhanced capacity for skillful and innovative responses to life; a movement to be of benefi t and service to others; and an arising of natural compassion for self and others. Conclusions: Taken together, these fi ndings merit additional follow-up by psychologists, neuroscientists, and other researchers interested in better understanding the factors that contribute to optimal human functioning and well-being.


 C6. Seeing the World From Nondual Perspectives


T e Emergence of Buddhist/Nondual T ought and Understanding in the Letters of Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, Jerry Katz, Author (Nonduality.com) T e newly published and highly regarded book, Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg: T e Letters, features letters


dated from 1944 -1963. A major theme is their interests, writings, readings, and beliefs in Buddhism, along with their views on reality, truth, knowing, mind, God, existence. What are the implications for nonduality? Kerouac and Ginsberg were the writers of the Beat Generation perhaps most infl uential in introducing Buddhism to the West. T ey contributed toward laying a spiritual ground from which a diverse, celebratory nonduality would take shape. I will share the highlights of Kerouac’s and Ginsberg’s excursion into Buddhism and nonduality through their letters to each other. We’ll see how their understanding matures, how it never quite goes far enough (in light of today’s refi nements in inquiry), and how it was delivered to the literary consumer. We’ll see how readers of that time layered the Buddhist teachings of Kerouac and Ginsberg with the other accessible nondual or Buddhist teachings, and perhaps along with drug experiences, to gain understanding of reality, of who they are. T e listener will enjoying comparing Kerouac’s and Ginsberg’s adventure in understanding one’s fundamental na-


ture to their own adventure. Insights may be gained on how we layer the wondrous variety of nonduality teachings and experiences to create our own lives of nondual practice and appreciation. T at layering may include the Beats. Amazon.com shows that Beat literature continues to rank high in sales. Come listen to this talk on the emergence of Buddhist and nondual thought as exposed in the private letters between Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg during the years 1944 – 1963, with most letters from the 50s.


Enlightenment: You Can’t Get T ere from Here, Chuck Hillig, (Author) T is presentation will explore some of the mind-bending implications of seeing the world from a non-dualistic perspective. Non-dualism suggests that perceived separation is really only illusory, and that, instead, there is an all-pervasive unicity that underlies absolutely everything. Widely known as the “perennial truth,” all of the world’s great religions and spiritual philosophies have some sort of non-dual component in their core beliefs. However, if everything really IS, quintessentially, only ONE, then how can you live out your everyday life in the light of who you truly are…pure Consciousness?


Literature and Non-Duality: T e Poetics of Awakening, Peter Wrycza, Ph.D. (Intl Academy for Transformational Coaching and Leadership) Many of our Western poets and novelists – from the UK, France, Italy, for instance – have written convincingly


about their experience and insight into the nature of subtle inner awareness beyond the ‘I’. Such experience typically had a powerful eff ect on their poetics, their fi nished work, and how they understood their work might infl uence the awareness of the reader. T eir creative work becomes both an expression of awakened consciousness and a stimulus to such awakening in the reader. Many writers wrote very clearly about inner awareness to refl ect discernibly diff er- ent qualities of awakening – with a corresponding diff erence in infl uence on the reader.


OCTOBER 20–24, 2010 | SCIENCE AND NONDUALITY CONFERENCE 2010 49


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88