April 2023 TAT Gathering
April Gathering – TAT’s 50th Anniversary. A Celebration and Deep Dive into the Teachings of Richard Rose
A TAT Foundation Retreat: Friday through Sunday, April 14-16, 2023
“The path to truth begins with the self.”
– TAT Founder, Richard Rose (https://selfdefinition.org/rose)
“I say that there are three things that have to be answered: Who you were before you were born, who you are after death, and what your relation is to the Ultimate. And any movement that does not answer all three of them doesn’t answer any of them.”
– Richard Rose (Direct Mind Experience, p. 87)
“One of the most difficult things for people on a spiritual path to get away from is cowardice–allowing things to happen to them because ‘God wants them to happen.’ And while you’re indulging in some fascination or another you’re convinced, ‘This is important, this is my destiny, this is the real me.’ But after your appetite is sated, you look up and shake your head and wonder what is [SIC] was that possessed you. Whole lives pass that way, moving from one distraction and disappointment to another, and people never wise up–until it’s too late.”
– Richard Rose (After the Absolute, Gold; ed. Marshall, p. 50)
2023 marks the TAT Foundation’s 50th Anniversary. Our April meeting focuses on the core teachings of Richard Rose and offers a deep dive in the principles behind his Albigen System. Session topics include:
Meditation
Conservation and Transmutation of Energy
Rapport
and Intuition
Presenters
Each session presenter spent significant time with Richard Rose and applied his teachings in their life.
Bob Cergol and Art Ticknor
Bob was 19 when he met Richard Rose in 1972. He lived with Rose at his house in Benwood, WV, and on Rose’s farm. Twenty years later, he moved away to pursue his life. He married and started a family, but soon gravitated back to the path. TAT group work led to a series of events that triggered a spiritual realization that brought Bob an absolute, final answer. Over the past decade, Bob has delivered a number of presentations during TAT events and has authored numerous TAT Forum essays that were ultimately published in Beyond Mind, Beyond Death, a TAT Foundation Press book. Listen to his story in a podcast interview on SpiritualTeachers.org.
Art was a student of Richard Rose beginning in 1978 and worked on the problem of his self- definition for a quarter of a century until an intense realization in 2004. He is author of the books Solid Ground of Being: A Personal Story of the Impersonal, Beyond Relativity: Transcending the Split Between Knower and Known, and Sense of Self: The Source of All Existential Suffering?, and co-author with Anima Pundeer of Always Right Behind You: Parables & Poems of Love & Completion. Art currently lives a life of la dolce far niente, leads the Gainesville Florida-based Philosophical Self-Inquiry Discussion Group, and organizes several group retreats most years. For more information, visit Self-Discovery Portal.
Mike Gegenheimer
“Between-ness opens the mind to Grace. For the seeker, rapport is an exercise in Between-ness.”
Mike met Richard Rose in Pittsburgh in the fall of 1972. A freshman science and engineering student, Mike was interested in “the unknown” and the nature of existence. He worked with Rose and other students in Pittsburgh during college and moved to the Rose farm following graduation. Rose’s teachings, insights from several rapport sessions, and a few TAT members were a lifeline during a 15 year hiatus from serious group work during which he married and had a family. Returning to TAT with renewed commitment in 2000, his search ended with an intense realization during a rapport session at the April 2019 TAT meeting. A brief description can be found at www.searchwithin.org/download.htm. Mike remains active in the TAT Foundation, and recently co-authored with Shawn Nevins, Passages: An Introduction and Commentary on Richard Rose’s Albigen System.
The registration deadline for this event is Wednesday, April 12.
Weekend Schedule
Friday, April 14, 2023
- 5:00 to 7:30 PM – Set-up and arrivals
- 7:30 to 9:00 PM – TAT Foundation members-only business meeting
- 9:00 PM to ? – Informal conversation
Saturday, April 15, 2023
- 7:30 to 8:00 AM – Optional group meditation
- 8:00 to 8:15 AM – Break
- 8:15 to 9:15 AM – Potluck continental breakfast and open discussion
- 9:15 to 9:30 AM – Welcome
- 9:30 to 10:30 AM – Session Topic: Richard Rose’s Albigen System in 10,000 Words or Less with Mike Gegenheimer
- 10:30 to 10:45 AM – Break
- 10:45 AM to 12:00 PM – Session Topic: Meditation with Bob Cergol and Art Ticknor, followed by breakout groups
- 12:00 PM to 12:30 PM – Break
- 12:30 to 1:30 PM – Potluck lunch
- 1:30 to 2:45 PM – Session Topic: Conservation and Transmutation of Energy with Bob Cergol and Art Ticknor, followed by breakout groups
- 2:45 to 5:45 PM – Open Space, Open Group Inquiry
- 6:00 to 7:15 PM – Potluck dinner
- 7:15 to 9:30 PM – Open Space, Open Group Inquiry
Sunday, April 16, 2023
- 7:30 to 8:00 AM – Optional group meditation
- 8:00 to 8:15 AM – Break
- 8:15 to 9:15 AM – Potluck continental breakfast and open discussion
- 9:15 to 10:30 AM – Session Topic: Rapport with Mike Gegenheimer, followed by breakout groups
- 10:30 to 10:45 AM – Break
- 10:45 AM to 12:00 PM – Session Topic: Intuition with Willa Holmes, followed by breakout groups
- 12:00 PM to 12:15 PM – Meeting wrap-up and feedback for future meetings
- 12:15 to 1:30 PM – Potluck lunch
- 1:30 PM to 2:00 PM – Clean up
- 2:00 PM to ? – Talk/walk/explore
Location, Facilities, and Lodging
The event is being held at the new TAT Center near Hurdle Mills, North Carolina, USA. The 5,500 square foot Center is situated on a beautiful 15-acre site. It is only 50 minutes from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU).
We ask that attendees respect the health of other attendees. If you think you’ve got something contagious, whether that be a cold, flu, or whatever, please use your common sense, think of others, and stay home. Refunds will be issued on request. Masks will be available at the TAT Center if needed.
There are a few (less than 15) on-site beds available. Sleeping accommodations include new, comfortable twin-size beds, linens, pillows, and blankets in bedrooms shared with 1 or 2 people. All bathrooms are shared and towels are provided. The capacity of the water system is suitable for the meeting and as there are three showers available during the weekend, we will schedule time slots for those at the TAT Center as you arrive.
If you are interested in on-site lodging, please click “Add to Cart” under the Room reservation section below.
Lodging is an additional $50 for the weekend. Note that we will do our best to accommodate room preferences, but all guests should expect to share sleeping quarters and bathrooms with at least one other participant.
Costs
The fees per person for TAT members are as follows:
$90 for members who arrange alternative lodging; this includes meeting registration and on-site camping if desired. Camping is informal—no hook-ups or restrooms.
The non-member fees per person are:
$130 for non-members who arrange alternative lodging; this includes meeting registration and on-site camping if desired. Camping is informal—no hook-ups or restrooms.
Full-time students should contact TAT Foundation events for information on discounted registration fees.
If cost is a serious issue that will make or break your attendance, please let us know. We do not want someone to refrain from attending for reasons of cost.
Event registration closes on Wednesday April 12, 2023. To Register:
A. To register for the event only, please enter your name, email address, and meal preference. Registration fees depend on membership status. Check the drop-down list below. If you are interested in on-site lodging, please click “Add to Cart” under the Room reservation in section B. If you want to become a member or renew an annual membership in the same transaction, please see the drop-down list in section D.
B. Room Reservations are $50. Add to Cart if required. Please note these are sold on a first come, first served basis. No rooms are available.
C. The TAT Foundation currently has three categories of membership:
- Annual (calendar year): $40
- Sustaining: $10 per month
- Lifetime: $500
Please note that while one membership covers both spouses, two participation fees are required if both spouses participate in the event. You can pay for a $40 Annual membership in section D below, or visit our membership page for the Sustaining and Lifetime options.
D. Become an annual member/renew membership AND register for the event:
The deadline for registration is Wednesday, April 12th. Upon receipt of your registration, you will receive a confirmation email with information on the venue’s address, facilities, and meals. You may cancel your registration on or before April 12th and receive a refund, minus the PayPal transaction fee. Cancellations after April 12th will not be refunded. Because ADA-compliant facilities are limited, persons with a disability should contact TAT Foundation events before registering.
Meals
Meals are potluck style for Saturday and Sunday continental breakfasts, Saturday and Sunday lunches, and Saturday dinner. All meals are included for non-members. We ask that each TAT member bring 2 items, totaling about $20. A good rule of thumb is to bring enough food to serve 7 people with each item. Sorry, we cannot reduce fees for those who prefer to bring their own food. TAT will provide coffee and tea.
Off-Site Lodging
For those who register using the alternative (off-site) lodging option, the following overnight accommodations are a 20-to-30 minute drive from the TAT Center:
- Americas Best Value Inn Roxboro, 1006 N Madison Blvd, Roxboro, NC 27573 (336) 599-9276
- Budget Inn Roxboro, 1033 N Madison Blvd, Roxboro, NC 27573 (336) 599-3151
- Hampton Inn Roxboro, 920 Durham Road Roxboro, NC 27573 (336) 599-8800
- Holiday Inn Express Hillsborough, 202 Cardinal Drive , Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278 (919) 644-7997
- Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Hillsborough, 120 Old Dogwood Street Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278 (919) 245-3102
- Quality Inn Roxboro, 906 Durham Rd, Roxboro, NC 27573 (336) 599-3800
You may also try searching Airbnb or VRBO for accommodations in the Roxboro, Hillsborough, or Hurdle Mills areas.