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Dear Friends,
It is Cloud Mountain’s usual policy to not
share our mailing list or to use it for
purposes other than to bring your attention
to Cloud Mountain’s own scheduled events.
This is the first time we have made an
exception to that policy and announced any
event other than a retreat at the center.
However, David and Laura have found our work
with Michael Torresan and the Authentic
Living Institute so meaningful and impactful
on our own lives and practice that we are
making this mailing exception to let you
know about it.
It has been our aspiration for some time to
bring this particular spiritual methodology
and practice of inquiry to Cloud Mountain.
In order to keep the work affordable,
however, a retreat format is not the most
suitable venue for the work. Currently it is
offered by Michael Torresan as monthly
non-residential weekends of teachings and
practice in the Seattle area. (We have found
it to be well worth the drive and the
commitment of one weekend per month!) The
structure of the work is different from the
usual silent retreat. We utilize our own
wisdom and that of other group members to
resolve specific issues of being a human
being through lecture, discussion, small
group exercises, meditation, movement and
personal sessions with Michael. Although
there is no strict format to the work, there
is a gradual and logical presentation and
unfolding of the material presented.
This work can easily stand alone as a full
and complete spiritual process.
Alternatively, it also complements and
beautifully enriches Buddhist understanding
and practice for those of us who walk that
path. At its foundation is the understanding
that the cause of our suffering and chronic
dissatisfaction is our clinging to the
illusion of what we term a “self,”
ego-structure or personality. Becoming
liberated from this delusion allows us to
manifest our pristine Buddha nature, or
Essence. The work Michael presents offers
both theoretical and practical approaches to
directly experience and explore these facets
of our Being.
The really unique and powerful piece of this
work, from our point of view, is that it
deals so directly with who and how we are in
our daily lives – in our work, our
relationships, etc. All of that becomes the
place of direct inquiry into where and why
we feel stuck or held hostage by our
patterns and reactivity. And, even better,
we also explore to see where we are not
stuck – where and when we manifest from a
place of liberation from ego-self.
We have found that there are two pieces of
this particular method of self-inquiry that
are invaluable to deepening and integrating
spiritual understanding into every feature
of our lives as human beings. One is the
sophisticated and comprehensive application
of Western psychology to objective
understanding of this thing we call “self”
or “ego.” We have learned to see in a
detailed way the many component pieces of
the total structure and to understand why
they are there and what purpose they have
served. This has added great power to the
practice of “noting” a thought, feeling or
emotion. The noting carries an understanding
which allows letting go to take place. We
have each felt the hooks of certain patterns
of reactivity permanently released through
understanding our particular ego-structures.
The other profound piece is the direct
attention paid to the arising experiences of
Essence, or facets of what we understand as
Buddha nature. Often in Buddhism these
experiences come up due to intensive
practice, and indeed they are the fruits of
practice. They are not manifestations of ego
structure, but are openings into deeper
levels. They are tastes of our Being, our
true nature. But they are often undervalued
by Buddhist teachers. Frequently we are
instructed to note them and let them go as
we would any other arising experience,
perhaps out of concern by the teachers that
we would develop attachments to or
expectations around such experiences. From
the point of view of the Authentic Living
school, to not also inquire into these kinds
of experiences is to do ourselves the
greatest disservice possible. To not deepen
our understanding and direct experience of
our deepest nature condemns us to remain
totally identified with our ego structure,
because we do not come to see that there is
anything else. We overlook the voice of
Being itself!
If we seek enlightenment, Buddhism as it is
currently being presented in the West asks
us to take the huge and fearsome leap from
ego structure straight into emptiness. There
are no rest-stops in between. The work that
Michael presents allows us to deepen
incrementally and compassionately into our
fundamental emptiness. We move progressively
but surprisingly quickly away from desperate
identification with various manifestations
of ego-structure or self (it may cause us
much suffering, but at least it’s something
to cling to!) into increasingly transparent
manifestations of Being. And we learn that
absolutely everything in our daily lives –
our relationship with our partner or our
boss, how we react in traffic, our
self-criticisms – is a possible access point
to something deeper, richer, more personal
and truly authentic.
Michael only starts a new group every few
years, and since the work has progressive
power we wanted every meditator and
spiritual seeker we can reach to know about
this rare opportunity. If you have
questions, Michael Torresan’s phone number
is on the flier. Our experience is that
Michael is one of those rare teachers who
can set the field of inquiry for a group
that allows for group induction into deep
insight and radical transformation. He is
the best person to field your questions.
Additionally, David and Laura are both happy
to answer your questions if you want to call
them at 360-274-4859 at Cloud Mountain. We
encourage you at the very least to attend
the free public talks to see if this work
addresses areas you wish to explore. |
