TAT 2011 November Gathering

Friday through Sunday, November 18-20
Casting Off Illusion

We try to fill the abyss of wanting—the feeling of loneliness, emptiness, meaninglessness, incompleteness, and so on—that calls to us throughout our life until we come to the conclusion that no attainments or acquisitions will be sufficient. And then we may intuit that finding what we're looking for may be a subtractive process. But what do we cast off or back away from: possessions ... companions ... responsibilities?

As wise predecessors through the ages have testified, knowing the self ends our existential suffering. And knowing the self doesn't involve attaining a higher selfhood but seeing beyond the faulty beliefs that obscure what we truly are now and always have been. The Indian guru Nisargadatta Maharaj stated his conviction about that as follows:

There is no second, or higher self to search for.
You are the highest self, only give up the false ideas you have about your self.

The November Gathering provides a wonderful opportunity for expanding a vector toward self-realization and building momentum to carry us through thick and thin times.

The registration deadline for the November Gathering is Friday, November 11th.

 

Location and Facilities

T he event is being held at Penn Scenic View in southwestern Pennsylvania. The facility includes a conference room in Stable Lodge, which has an upstairs bunkhouse room and several dormitory rooms for overnight lodging. Additionally, the Red Oak and Green Hemlock cabins are available for lodging and break-out meeting locations. Penn Scenic provides bed linens, pillows, and bath towels for overnight guests. During the registration process, we will do our best to accommodate room preferences, but all guests should expect to share sleeping quarters and bathrooms with other participants. On-site camping is available in the lawn area near Stable Lodge.

Penn Scenic View, at 118 Scenic View Lane, Rockwood, PA 15557, is one and a half hours from the Pittsburgh International Airport.

 

Costs

The November Gathering fees per person for TAT members are as follows:

• $60 for members, which includes meeting registration and overnight lodging on Friday and Saturday in the Stable Lodge, or
• $45 for members who arrange alternative lodging; this includes meeting registration and on-site camping if desired. Camping is informal; restrooms are located in another building.

The non-member fees per person are:

• $100 for non-members, which includes meeting registration and overnight lodging on Friday and Saturday in the Stable Lodge, or
• $80 for non-members who arrange alternative lodging; this includes meeting registration and on-site camping if desired. Camping is informal; restrooms are located in another building.

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 Friday, November 11th. 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 Friday, November 11th and receive a refund, minus a $5 handling fee. Cancellations after November 11th will not be refunded. Because ADA-compliant facilities are limited in the Stable Lodge, 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 8 people (about $10). 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 located near Penn Scenic View:

• Americas Best Value Inn, 165 Waterworks Road, Somerset, PA (814) 445-3996
• Budget Host, 799 North Center Avenue, Somerset, PA (814) 445-7988
• Comfort Inn, 202 Harmon Street, Somerset, PA (814) 445-9611
• Days Inn Somerset, 220 Waterworks Rd, Somerset, PA (814) 445-9200
• Hampton Inn, 324 Laurel Crest Road, Somerset, PA (814) 445-9161
• Log Haven Bed & Breakfast, 1322 Trent Road, Rockwood, PA (814) 352-8971
• Quality Inn & Conference Center Somerset, 215 Ramada Road, Somerset, PA (814) 443-4646
• Rockwood Trail House, 131 Rockdale Road, Rockwood, PA (814) 926-4778
• Somerset Country Inn, 329 North Center Avenue, Somerset, PA, (814) 443-1005
• Somerset Plaza Hotel, 147 Gateway Road, Somerset, PA (814) 445-8933
• Super 8 Somerset, 125 Lewis Dr, Somerset, PA (814) 445-8788
• The Gingerbread House B&B, 156 Rockdale Road, Rockwood, PA (814) 926-2542

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 folks 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.