My approach:
My approach is influenced by my work as a student in the Diamond Approach(r) for over 30+ years. I am strongly influenced by having completed a 7 year Teacher Training in the Diamond Approach. Inquiry practice which is one of the main spiritual practices in the Diamond Approach is a central feature of our work together and is part of my daily life.
We start our journey together using inquiry with what ever is going on in your life right now, and where ever you are with your self right now. inquiry from a somatic approach is very effective approach and is integrative and transformative. Inquiry uses your sensing awareness which is heightened through somatic method of exploration. It may not be what your mind tells you is going on rather our work reveals what comes from your direct immediate experience actually opens you to a whole new perspective a new understanding with new possibilities for you. Inquiry is open ended and can penetrate your consciousness illuminating new self discoveries. It awakens states of being and presence. You may come to know your depth. With gentle loving holding and guidance your self awareness is enhanced while you might be encountering difficult places in your process which allows you to move through and deepen. At our depth we experience our true nature. This is the potential that each one of us has. Once we experience our True Nature it naturally invites more and more self discoveries and realizations. It is not only possible it is highly likely. All you need is heartfelt sincerity and a love of the truth.
Inquiry includes exploring the “bodysoul ” what I mean when I use this word, is that as we deepen our capacity to sense into our visceral experience in an immediate way we naturally begin to access our soul felt level of experience. As you inquire into your bodysoul your sensing awareness naturally becomes heightened in a way that allows you to journey into your soul’s inner experience. With ease the door opens to your spirit and to a profound and direct experience of presence, our true nature. My approach is direct and experiential so words fall short of understanding and it’s impact on you.
Our inquiry allows various emotions to show up such as anger, anxiety, fears or what ever we work with all of them in a way that is transformative. Working together over time you learn how to inquire on your own.
My approach is also influenced by the Spiritual Disciplines of the following approaches below.
Work of Eckhart Tolle
Eckhart Tolle’s teaching is very similar to my basic tenets. While I am not a Eckhart Tolle teacher or therapist, I am influenced by his work and can work with you in a way that is highly compatible to his teaching.
As we come to know ourselves, we can experience an aliveness, a palpable buzzing vibrancy. Aliveness is a quality of our consciousness that my approach helps you to experience. To do this work we need to disengage from our inner critic which obstructs your realization at every turn, and prevents you from experiencing aliveness. The Critic prevents you from feeling yourself as you are and from accessing your alive energies which are needed for the journey of realization. Experiencing inner peace is possible as you begin to quiet the mind and rest in yourself. My approach will help land you in yourself where peace is possible. But to not get caught in the world of busy mind means you need a strong committment to your practice and to your realization. Meditation practices and other practices will help support this awakening.
Eckhart talks about your life situation as not being perfect. From my perspective once you really get this, you can begin to accept what is, and let things be what they are without needing to fix, change or manipulate your environment. This does not mean you don’t take action, it means as you come to know yourself in a real way you take right action and with guidance of our true nature. I will help you begin to see that all the fixing and meddling with yourself actually prevents you from finding the truth of where you are.
This brings us to gratitude that Eckhart addresses. And allows us to begin to separate ourselves from who we have taken ourselves to be.
One other similarity that I have with Eckhart Tolle is that he also incorporates working with body. His partner does some of that work. While I am not aware of actual methodolgy she uses, my approach brings that element into the work making it more effective.
I encourage my clients who are open to Eckhart Tolle to check out his website and listen to his lectures, it will make our work even more impactful
Non- Dual Therapy
Nowadays, there are many Non Dual teachers and Therapists who say they do Non-dual therapy. It appears to be in vogue right now.. The truth is when you are oriented towards the truth, you will begin to experience non dual dimansions of consciousenss but you will also experience so much more. Non Dual consciousness is not a destination and in most cases is not well understood. We are so much more.
Diamond Approach
Is a cutting edge Western Spiritual Approach oriented towards the realization of our true nature. This is a spiritual school which utilizes depth psychotogical understanding from a spiritual orientation not present in the original psychological formulation and works individually with students using a body oriented format of inquiry. There are groups and teachings to support the unfoldment of each student. There are a lot of books available at this time delving into various aspects of the journey such as ” Essence” Diamond Heart Book Series both by A.H. Almaas. I would recommend Book 1 of the Diamond Heart Book Series and chapters on Diamond Approach and the Theory of Holes as a good place to start if you are interested in finding out more about this work.
As a longtime student since 1988 my work with clients is influenced by my understanding of the psyche-soul’s unfoldment and realization of our true nature. I bring this understanding to my work with clients, at the same time, my work traverses a much wider path which includes your particular issues and concerns. I recommend checking out www.Conscious.tv and listening to interviews of A.H. Almaas on the Unfolding Now and Faisel Muqquadam’s interview.
“So to really deal with the issue of suffering, we need to understand reality. We need to go all the way through the process of realization. The process of realization, of understanding the truth, is a process of understanding and relieving oneself from suffering. There is no shortcut; there is only one way. What’s causing suffering cannot be surmounted, cannot simply be dropped, cannot be ignored, cannot even be erased by some essential awakening or realization. Suffering is a fundamental factor in our lives that has to be dealt with. We need a lot of study and understanding; we need to go through all the dimensions before we can exit the realm of suffering. Many of us hope we can exit right away, hope we can transcend our problems through spiritual experience. But unless we actually penetrate our beliefs and identifications, our life will always involve suffering.”- A. H. Almaas
Mindfulness
Oriented Therapy: Is a non judgemental approach which is focussed on the present and what is happening in the present now, whether it is emotions, thoughts or sensations. Its roots are in Buddhism and Vipassana Meditation uses this method of awareness It has been popularized in the west by Jon Kabat-Zinn with his Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Since the 1970’s he has developed a number of therapeutic applications based on mindfulness for helping people suffering from a variety of conditions like, anxiety disorders, panic disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, depression and other conditions.Clinical studies have documented the physical and mental health benefits of mindfulness in general, and MBSR in particular. Programs based on MBSR and similar models have been widely adapted in schools, prisons, hospitals, veterans centers, and other environments.
The similarites with my approach are that I also am focussed on present awareness of now, whether emotions, thoughts or sensations are present. What is different in my approach is that I include the bodysoul practices such as breathwork, movements and sounds which increases the effectiveness of this apprroach. See Body Oriented Psychotherapy for more on this approach.
“Wherever you are is the entry point.”
– Kabir