"As I see it... awakening has to do...with our Identity, our True Identity. First know that, that's what it's about. It's not about how your consciousness expanded, how you feel, what you experienced, if you see lights or angels or visions. It's all about moving your base point of Identity." ~ Adyashanti
We hope this TAT meeting will be an intimate gathering where seekers as well as finders will join together to help each other, while sharing their stories, their successes, their struggles. We aim to foster an environment where bonds of friendship will be formed, and renewed.
"The history of the most eminent sages is one of men who never stopped working, if for no other reason than to amplify their vector by helping others." ~ Richard Rose, The Albigen Papers.
The registration deadline for the Fall Gathering is Monday, August 31st.
Weekend Schedule Friday, September 4, 2015
Sketch of the historic Claymont Society Mansion
5:00 to 7:30 PM - Set-up and arrivals. 7:30 to 9:00 PM - Welcome, Ice Breaker Session. 9:00 PM to ? - Free time; open discussion. Saturday, September 5, 2015 7:30 to 8:00 AM - Optional meditation session. 8:00 to 8:30 AM - Break. 8:30 to 9:45 AM - Arrivals and potluck continental breakfast. 9:45 to 10:00 AM - Welcome. 10:00 to 11:00 AM - Softening Our Attachments and Becoming What Is by Paul Constant. How do we move our attention away from the self and into Reality? In this session, Paul will home in on the approaches offered by "ordinary" teachers—including Richard Rose, Linda Clair, Adyashanti, Gary Weber, and others—that break our attachments to the false identity and help us become what is. 11:00 to 11:15 AM - Break. 11:15 to 12:00 PM - Sharing What's Worked. In this session, several seekers will share what methods they've been working with, and which one's they've found beneficial. This not only helps fellow seekers share valuable information, but it also opens the speakers up to valuable feedback from others. 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM - Pot luck lunch and open discussion. 1:30 to 2:15 PM - Sharing What's Worked (continued). 2:15 to 2:30 PM - Break. 2:30 to 3:30 PM - Sharing Stumbling Blocks. This session provides an opportunity to share what you feel stops you from finding what you are searching for. This, in a way, is the opposite of sharing what has worked for us—but having lots of techniques in your arsenal only goes so far if something else is sabotaging your openness to Truth. 3:30 to 4:30 PM - Break or optional meditative walk, Yoga or Tai chi. 4:30 to 6:00 PM - Group Inquiry Sessions. 6:00 to 7:30 PM - Potluck dinner and open discussion. 7:30 to 9:00 PM - Direct Experience Techniques. Facilitated by Paul Constant. We'll build on Paul's morning session by getting a direct taste of approaches that move our attention away from the self. Participants will break into two groups, with each group concurrently practicing one of the techniques that personally appeals to them. We'll reconvene as a full group to discuss results and first impressions. 9:00 PM to ? - Free time; open discussion. Sunday, September 6, 2015 7:30 to 8:00 AM - Optional meditation session. 8:00 to 9:00 AM - Potluck continental breakfast and open discussion. 9:00 to 10:00 AM - Working Together after the Retreat. Working with others helps keep you grounded and can also provide inspiration and timely feedback. For those who are inclined to help others and themselves through group work, this session will involve an unstructured planning of how you'd like to move ahead with group work in the coming months. This could include planning on how to start a local self-inquiry group, finding a group that meets regularly, or joining an online group. How far you take this is up to you! 10:00 to 10:30 AM - Break. 10:30 to 11:30 PM - Rapport Sitting. 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM - Pot luck lunch and open discussion. 1:30 to 3:30 PM - Feedback to participants. Others can often see us more clearly than we see ourselves. Sharing impressions that we've gotten of each other can be confronting, surprising, and often quite insight-provoking. 3:30 to 4:30 PM - Silent time. An hour of silence to process the weekend. 4.30 to 5:30 PM - Free time. Spontaneous sessions may develop. 5:50 to 7:30 PM - Potluck dinner and open discussion. 7:30 PM to ? - Free time. Spontaneous sessions may develop. Day of Silent Meditation, Rapport and Friendship with Paul Constant. Each silent "sitting—walking—sitting" session involves 30 minutes of group sitting, an optional 10-minute period of slow walking, and another 30 minutes of sitting. The facilitated discussion periods provide an opportunity to share experiences. You may want to bring your own zafu and zabuton if this is more comfortable for you than sitting on a chair. Read about the practical and powerful aspects of spiritual friendship in Paul's essay in the April 2015 TAT Forum. Monday, September 7, 2015 7:00 to 8:00 AM - Potluck continental breakfast. 8:00 to 8:30 AM - Introduction and settling in. 8:30 to 9:40 AM - Sitting—walking—sitting. 9:40 to 10:10 AM - Silent break with coffee or tea. 10:10 to 11:20 AM - Sitting—walking—sitting. 11:20 AM to 12:00 PM - Discussion. 12:00 to 1:30 PM - Silent lunch (potluck), free time. 1:30 to 2:40 PM - Sitting—walking—sitting. 2:40 to 3:10 PM - Silent break with coffee or tea. 3:10 to 4:20 PM - Sitting—walking—sitting. 4:20 to 5:00 PM - Discussion. 5:00 PM - Adjourn. |
Location and Facilities
The event is being held at the Claymont Society Mansion near Charles Town in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia. The mansion's historical ambience mixes perfectly with 350 private acres of forests and farmland. Sleeping accommodations include a mixture of single and double beds in 12 rooms and 6 shared bathrooms. Claymont provides towels and bed linens for overnight guests (guests make and strip their own beds). During the registration process, we will do our best to accommodate room preferences, but all mansion guests should expect to share sleeping quarters and bathrooms with other participants. On-site camping is available in the lawn area near the mansion.
The Claymont Society is located near 667 Huyett Road, Charles Town, WV 25414 [GPS coordinates: N39.26740, W77.90390]. Claymont is 50 miles/60 minutes from the Dulles International Airport near Washington D.C. Travel directions to Claymont Mansion.
Costs
The Fall Gathering fees per person for TAT members are as follows:
The non-member fees per person are:
Full-time students should contact for information on discounted registration fees.
Use PayPal to pay with these credit cards (PayPal account not necessary). PayPal is "fast, free and secure" and allows payment by credit card or electronic withdrawal from a bank account. Checks (in U.S. dollars, drawn on a U.S. bank) or money orders (domestic only) made payable to the TAT Foundation are also accepted if received by the registration deadline.
* The TAT Foundation hosts four public events each year. Registration fees vary depending on the event location. Because we are an all-volunteer organization, please allow up to 5 business days before receiving confirmation of your payment. See our membership overview or email if you have questions about registration fees.
Space is limited, so registration is required. The deadline for registration is Monday, August 31st. Upon receipt of your registration, a packet containing information on lodging and driving directions will be sent to you. You may cancel your registration on or before Monday, August 31st and receive a refund, minus a $5 handling fee. Cancellations after August 31st will not be refunded. Because ADA-compliant facilities are limited in the mansion, persons with a disability should contact before registering.
Meals
Meals are potluck style for Saturday and Sunday continental breakfasts, Saturday and Sunday lunches, and Saturday dinner. As a good rule-of-thumb, we ask that each event participant bring enough food to feed 6 people (about $10). All meals are included for non-members. Sorry, we cannot reduce fees for those who prefer to bring their own food. TAT will provide coffee and tea.
Lodging
For those who register using the alternative (off-site) lodging option, the following overnight accommodations are located near the Claymont Society Mansion:
What is the TAT Foundation?
A group encouraging people to think rather than believe. A group determined to help people find ways and means to answer their deepest philosophical questions. A gathering of friends who are not afraid to be honest with one another. An island of hope and sanity (or at least the hope for sanity!). Last, but not least, TAT is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization chartered in 1973.