Exploring Spiritual Consciousness – Panel
Sunday, June 9, 2024 – 5:00 PM EDT
The One in the Many: The Profound Social Implications of Spiritual Experience. Spiritual awakenings have implications beyond the individuals who have them. In a world aflame with religious fanaticism, division, and hostility toward the Other, the awakening experience is a potent anecdote because it opens the heart and expands the mind, and because it reveals our essential Unity. The revelation of Oneness occurs in consciousness, but also on a social level with the discovery that spiritual experience are identical across pathways, traditions, and practices. Scholars of religion distinguish between the exoteric (dogma, creed, theology, etc.) and the esoteric (experiential). In the former, difference dominates, often leading to tension and conflict; in the latter we find a sameness that transcends difference. This presentation draws on the insights of so-called Perennialism to elucidate the importance of experiential unity, and describes trans-path methods for revealing that unity amidst the diversity of beliefs and methods.
Philip Goldberg has studied the world’s spiritual traditions for more than 50 years as a practitioner, teacher, and author. An ordained Interfaith Minister, spiritual counselor, and public speaker, he has presented at major venues throughout the U.S. and India, and has been featured in numerous media outlets. He has authored or coauthored more than 25 books, including Roadsigns on the Spiritual Path: Living at the Heart of Paradox; the award-winning American Veda: From Emerson and the Beatles to Yoga and Meditation, How Indian Spirituality Changed the West; the seminal biography The Life of Yogananda: The Story of the Yogi Who Became the First Modern Guru; and Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times: Powerful Tools to Cultivate Clarity, Calm and Courage. Phil teaches courses on various online platforms, leads American Veda Tours to India, hosts the Spirit Matters podcast, and serves on the board of the Association for Spiritual Integrity.
On the Edge of Time: Birthing the Extraordinary Evolutionary Human and Next Octave of Love. I am midwife and Messenger for the Geometric Technologies of Love, a powerful high-frequency ‘family’ of new sacred geometric ‘technologies’ here to guide and support the evolutionary path of earth and all life. These living, breathing, infinite density of potential intelligences have led me on a journey beyond anything I could imagine. This process continues to unfold, blossoming and restructuring our bodies from the inside out. A powerful high-frequency family of sacred geometries offer us a preview of what is possible for human evolution. By aligning with these frequencies, we will participate in consciously jump-starting humanity into the next evolutionary trajectory. They represent a latent possibility within ourselves to grow and evolve into conscious communion with Source… to actually move closer to becoming a living prayer and living a life of conscious benediction.
Antonia Albano has had a life-long fascination both with how the unmanifest is made manifest & how the unmanifest is integral to our existence permeating all life with its intelligence. In 2004 Antonia began to draw geometric shapes that became the focus of her life. In early 1990s, Antonia co-founded the California Institute of Mind-Body Awareness (C.I.M.B.A.), a holistic institute north of San Francisco & had a private practice as a Transformation Coach, Integrative Therapist & Spiritual Mentor. Currently, Antonia & her husband, Barney, own & operate Heartstone Country Retreat, a 250-acre vacation & event/teaching retreat in the Shenandoah Valley, which serves as the Global Headquarters of the World Love Project. Antonia continues to explore Sacred Geometry, esoteric studies, expanding her inner vision, dissolving illusions & immersed in a love affair with the golden ratio & infinities.
Spiritual Emergence Anonymous (SEA). Dr. Marie Grace Brook, one of the original members of SEA, will introduce this group to SAI conference participants. She will share about the journey of developing this support system where participants share a common desire to integrate spiritual emergence. In SEA meetings, the 12-Step tradition is maintained of full unrestrained expression where all feel free to express and share. Only first names are used on the Zoom screens and professions are not revealed, so that everyone feels equal, and no one gives advice or looks to another as an expert in these very individual journeys. Dr. Brook will describe typical weekly meetings, which include 3-minute optional check-ins to see how each person showing up is feeling, review of the SEA 12 Steps, and the flow of meetings that allow for time for people to speak about their lives while on their journeys of integrating powerful spiritually transformative experiences.
Spiritual Emergence Anonymous (SEA) Spiritual Emergence Anonymous (SEA) is a grassroots worldwide 12-Step program for spiritual emergence. We have been supporting people for 7 years by offering weekly online groups. Our 12 Steps are adapted from AA 12 Steps, including the significant adaptation that while AA begins with addiction and ends with spiritual awakening, our 12 steps begin with spiritual awakening and end with spiritual transformation. In keeping with other 12-Step group ethics, SEA is based upon donation, anonymity, governance by group conscience, and no promotion—passed on by word of mouth. The purpose is to support spiritual emergence in individuals whose spiritual transformation is so powerful that they desire assistance and support from a group of like-minded individuals, as well as opportunity to serve. Members integrate their spiritual experience by seeking stability, clarity, and being of greater service in the world. SEA 12 Steps have thus far been translated to Portuguese, French, and Slovakian.
“Other Than Human” Beings in Spiritual Awakening and Transformative Experiences. Is there a taboo about sharing spiritual transformative experiences that include encounters with nonhuman intelligence or “other than human” beings? This presentation discusses experiences with beings encountered during changes in consciousness and other times. Susan will share her experiences from childhood related to the topic and discuss older and dissimilar cultures who have interfaced with various beings, as well as the relationship between other-than-human beings and aliens.
Susan Sophia James is a Doctor of Behavioral Health and integrated medicine, a medical hypnotherapist, and an advanced intuitive and mystic. She remembers at age three looking down at her body from the ceiling many times, then rejoining her body while sleeping. Throughout life, she has had many spiritual awakening experiences and remembers many other lives. In her thirties, she realized others did not share the same interests or experiences. While writing I wrote a book entitled 55+ Kinds of Intuition, she recognized that she has experienced 43 varieties of intuition, including clairaudience, sound healing, and seeing energy. In her sound and energy medicine program, which she led for 15 years, she studied other cultures who understood and interfaced with other-than-human-beings.
