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Creation Meditation and the Gospel of Mary Magdalene

 

Saturdays at 9-10:30am Pacific (October 13-November 24)

Though Magdalene has been judged as a prostitute for centuries, she was in fact a historical figure with incredible spiritual acuity and wisdom. Read the Gnostic Gospels and discover that Magdalene was a central figure in the events of Christ's life. She walked with depth, immense love, and integrity.  Through the reading and study of The Gospel of Mary Magdalene she comes alive as a spiritual master.

This very special course will involve both spiritual practice and study of this Gospel. Spiritual practice includes meditation and the cultivation of self-outpouring through creative expression, that is giving all that one has to give. This practice is called Creation Meditation.

 

Expect to come close to Mary Magdalene in heart and mind to begin to integrate Her into your life.

 

This course begins each week by cultivating a certain state of mind. It is through relaxing the thinking mind, opening the body, and centering attention on the unfolding of Creation where we can begin. Once there, the heart's Intelligence becomes available. To create a soft, receptive and open state of mind, we begin each week with 25 minutes of meditation.

After meditation, we will go into the imaginal realm, the place that exists before and beyond this one. There, learn to "see" through the heart, follow the unfolding of Creation, and get in touch with a deeper layer of your life. Discover what The Gospel of Mary Magdalene has to say about the imaginal realm.

Afterwards, we will connect as a group – sharing experiences, if you feel moved to do so, and listening deeply into the hearts of others. (Each group is different and there may be a consensus to end the experience in silence, and this is fine too. We can decide on that as a group the first week.)

Finally, we will read from the Gospel to get a glimpse of the life of Mary Magdalene and her relationships with Christ and the other Apostles.

From the Gospel of Mary Magdalene:

[Jesus is speaking]

Attachment to matter gives birth to passion without an image of itself because it is drawn from that which is contrary to its higher nature. ….find contentment at the level of the heart, and if you are discouraged, take heart in the presence of the Image of your true nature.

 

As we review the Gospel of Mary Magdalene (divided into four dialogues), we will move through the following basic outline:

Week One: Turn Towards the Origin (Dialogue One)
Week Two:  Connecting with the Origin (Dialogue One)
Week Three: Anchoring in Alignment (Dialogue Two)
Week Four: Nous – A Knowing through Heart/Mind (Dialogue Three)
Week Five: Imaginal – the Landscape of the Heart (Dialogue Three)
Week Six: Reflecting on the Feminine (Dialogue Four)
Week Seven: Union (Dialogue Four)

 

Your Hosts for the Course are Adriana Attento (Creation Meditation) and Michael Watson. Adriana will facilitate the practice of Creation Meditation, silent meditation and the cultivation of self-outpouring through creative expression. Michael will share the Gnostic wisdom behind the Gospel of Mary Magdalene. Together, both spiritual practice and the wisdom of this Gospel can deeply facilitate the unfolding of your spiritual journey.

Adriana Attento, MA began to explore the imaginal realm in 2004. Her book, A Holy Nothingness, is a tribute to the imagination and includes personal and archetypal images that poured through her that year. In recent months, while reading a respected interpretation of The Gospel of Mary Magdalene and its description of Her relationship with Christ, Adriana was left speechless. It was precisely the experience she had in the imaginary realm in 2004. Now, from the Heart of Christ/Magdalene, Adriana teaches Creation Meditation as it is truly meant to be taught, grounded in the Wisdom tradition of the West with influences from Depth Psychology, Tantra, and Gnosticism.

 

We will be joined by Michael Watson each week. Michael has been on his Journey for over 40 years.  He spent time in several streams of Christianity and received his Gnostic initiation while visiting Thailand in 2005.  Since then, he has been exploring the Sacred Feminine embodied in Mary Magdalene and her relationship with her Beloved, Jesus.  At present, Michael serves as Vice President for Administration for a well-respected not-for-profit agency on the West side of the Big Island of Hawaii.

 

This course is for those who:

• would like to integrate or deepen the Mary Magdalene in them.
• already have a meditation practice
• can cultivate a sense of focus and depth within
• yearn to deepen their spiritual practice
• know the importance of the imagination on the spiritual journey and would like to know more
• feel the heart's role as central on one's journey and would like to deepen a relationship with the heart
• would like to get in touch with a deeper layer of life to access direction, clarity, and meaning
• would like to enhance creativity and imaginative seeing
• would like to deepen an experience of the heart of Christ/Magdalene

 

Then Mary arose,
embraced them all, and began to speak to her brothers:
'Do not remain in sorrow and doubt,
for his Grace will guide and comfort you.
Instead, let us praise his greatness,
for he has prepared us for this.
He is calling upon us to become fully human [Anthropos].

 

Saturdays at 9-10:30am Pacific (October 13-November 24)

Unless you are in Santa Barbara, CA, this course will take place via video conferencing. It will be a way for everyone to see each other and feel as though we are in the same room together. We will also keep the group to 7 people so that we can cultivate intimacy, depth, and safety. To participate in video conferencing for this course, you will need:

• Computer with internet access
• Skype Account
• Web Cam
• A quiet room where you can meditate and go inward for 1.5 hours on Saturday
• Notebook and writing accouterments
• A Big Heart!

 

Here's what you can expect to receive:

• an intimate community of spiritual practitioners
• touching a deeper layer of life and uncovering meaning, clarity, direction you had not seen before.
• feeling the heart of Christ/Magdalene
• entering a realm that is before and beyond this one and that contains the wisdom of your true nature.
• weekly email and phone support from Adriana
• weekly support from the group
• a copy of Creativity: Its Glory, Its Splendor and You, a 25-page colorful book on the spiritual practice of creativity.

 

"I have had an amazing week in my 'inner journey' – I don't know if it is related to this writing meditation course – I'm sure it is" – Sharni, Australia

 

"Adriana speaks passionately about her subject, presenting intelligently with a gentle and loving presence."

 

"I am so touched by your work Adriana!"

 

"Your work I can tell is so heartfelt and in integrity with all that is happening at this time."

 

 

Registration is $297.  Registration closes on 10/19.  You do not need a PayPal account to use this payment option.

 

Would it help to have a payment plan? Pay in 3 monthly installments. You will need to set up a PayPal account if you don't already have one.

 

I look forward to going on this journey together!  Namaste.