Awakening to Spirit Group

Awakening to Spirit Group

A Non-Church Based Spiritual Community over Zoom

(What is referred to as Spirit is the life force energy that connects all sentient beings, a life force which some call God, the Divine, Source, the Universe, One Mind, Pure Awareness, the Void, etc.)

  • Do you feel stuck in your habits and harbor a strong desire for meaning, fulfillment, and connection?
  • Do you long to feel more connected with your inner light and with Spirit?
  • Do you want to learn mindfulness meditation techniques and ways to be more mindful throughout your day?
  • Would you like to have a personalized, ongoing spiritual practice that includes daily meditation and/or prayer, or other ways to transcend your ego?
  • Would you enjoy having a soul-connected community where you can gather with others of like mind to nurture the practices of self- inquiry and meditation?

The Awakening to Spirit (ATS) Group is for adults who do not feel that they fit in with an organized religion. The group is a spiritual community of soul-connected people who desire to transcend their egos and wake up to their connection with Spirit.

The group used to meet in Sacramento and Davis, CA but now meets over Zoom. Deborah now resides on the East Coast.

People attracted to this group are drawn to mystics and spiritual teachers such as: Eckhart Tolle, Byron Katie, Wayne Dyer, Pema Chodron, Thich Nhat Hanh, Deepak Chopra, Gangaji, Adyashanti, Leslie Temple Thurston, Jack Kornfield, Jon Kabat Zinn, Joan Tollifson, Rupert Spira, and the Dalai Lama, among others.

The Awakening to Spirit (ATS) group consists of one monthly, 90 minute gathering on the third Saturday of each month, from 10:30 am to noon, Pacific Time.

ATS is also a Meetup Group.

People are welcome to come as frequently or infrequently as they wish. The group is informal in this way.

Group gatherings always begin with a group meditation.  Thereafter, there may be discussion of a nondual spiritual book or teaching/teacher, a guest presentation, an experiential practice to more deeply help participants connect with the essence of who they are, an i-Rest practice (see www.irest.us), or a group discussion about what is currently feeding group participants’ spiritual journeys and what is challenging their sense of meaning, greater life purpose, or sense of connection with Self, others and Spirit. The group supports participants’ spiritual practices.

Experiential practices and exercises may consist of a practice or technique aimed at helping group participants get to their deepest truths or shift destructive egoic patterns by learning to transcend their egos. Transcending means to become non-attached from your ego and to be able to witness the ego neutrally and without judgment. (Another way of saying this is to move beyond the limitations of your life’s “story.”) The experiential exercises or practices help participants inquire into who they are in their essence or essential self, as well as ways to connect with the essential self. The essential self is distinct from the egoic self, which lives in dualistic thinking: mine-yours, good-bad, right-wrong, should-shouldn’t, etc.

The teachings the ATS group works with are non-dual wisdom teachings, taught by non-dual wisdom spiritual teachers and mystics from many spiritual and religious backgrounds.

ATS participants learn practices for connecting with the “neutral witness,” which is outside of our dualistic egoic thinking. They also learn and work with mindfulness practices that help them alleviate suffering and feel a sustained inner peace. Different kinds of meditations are taught, including mindfulness meditations, insight meditations, and guided visualizations for deep exploration of one’s inner world or essence.

At the monthly gatherings, there are occasional guest presenters who offer their teachings free of charge or for a nominal fee.

ATS gatherings have as few as six and as many as twenty people who attend.

The average attendance is about 8-10 people.

Meetings are free of charge.

Please check the Blog page for information on upcoming ATS gatherings.

About ATS Group Facilitator: Deborah Cohen

Deborah has been on a spiritual path for over thirty-five years. She was a longtime student of a spiritual teacher, Leslie Temple Thurston, and is a longtime student of other spiritual teachers, such as Eckhart Tolle, Adyashanti, Rupert Spira, Stephan Bodian, and Richard Miller. She is also an ordained Minister for Corelight—the nonprofit organization that Leslie Temple Thurston founded for the study of enlightenment. Corelight provides a worldwide community forum to facilitate the awakening of a direct connection to the Divine or Spirit. While Deborah has a heart connection with Corelight, she does not consider herself to be affiliated with any one organization or teaching of Truth.

As a previously ordained Corelight Minister, Deborah does not run her own congregation, but rather facilitates the ATS Group.

Deborah is also a certified iRest Teacher. I-Rest Yoga Nidra was developed by Richard Miller, PhD, a clinical psychologist, author, researcher and yogic scholar. Extensive research has shown that iRest effectively supports the healing process across a broad range of populations. Currently, there are iRest programs in military hospitals across the U.S., as well as in correctional facilities, hospices, clinics, schools, and organizations supporting personal growth and well-being. I-Rest heals the various unresolved issues, traumas, and wounds that are present in the body and mind. It is restorative in that it aids its practitioners in recognizing their underlying peace of mind that is always present amidst all changing circumstances of life.

In addition, Deborah is also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice online. You can read about her psychotherapy offerings on her websites: soulwisdomtherapy.com, soulwisdomonlinetherapy.com and Soul Wisdom Online

Deborah has facilitated support, psychotherapy, and meditation groups for over 35 years. She is a certified group psychotherapist through the American Group Psychotherapy Association.

INTERESTED?

Please contact Deborah if you are interested in this group and have questions. [email protected]

See Deborah’s Blog Page for information on upcoming ATS gatherings, including topic focuses, presenters, and background information to read prior to attending the gatherings.

  • Spiritual Groups
  • Meditation Groups
  • Psychotherapy
  • Coaching