The Enlightenment Intensive

4-Day
ORANGEVILLE, Ontario
February 12-16, 2008

Have…Do... Be

We walk, we talk, we drive, we work, we buy, we pay, we sleep, we dream… in an endless cycle of having and doing where we “have-do-be” a particular person while we’re doing what we do, to get what we want. Often the way we have to be is not the way we are, but the way the world requires us to be. So we act out the parts, play the roles and wear the masks...over and over again.

And over time, “one develops a false sense of self in order to survive... After years of acting, performing and pretending, one’s loses sense of who one really is ... One’s True Self is numbed out!” (John Bradshaw)

We wonder what the having, doing and being are all about.
We ask: “Is there more to life than this? Is this all there to us?

We search through the books, videos, philosophies, religions and seminars only to find that, just like the roles we took on, the explanations we have believed have come externally from a source other than ourselves.

We question the answers.

Perhaps you are at this stage in your life...searching, questioning, exploring, wanting to know the truth through your own experience...wanting to live more fully...more from the depth of your true self? Perhaps you are ready for one of the biggest leaps in your spiritual growth:

The Enlightenment Intensive is a remarkable process that brings you to the “direct consciousness” of your true self and the true nature of life.

The Enlightenment Intensive is a 3-½ day process that combines the eastern practice of contemplation on an age-old question such as “who am I?” with a communication structure based on modern methods of western insight psychology. Periods of sitting, walking, meals, rest and silent meditation are spaced optimally within a monastic-like rural environment so that you can take full advantage of the opportunity to focus on realizing the Truth without the usual distractions of everyday life. The process is followed by a half day of integration to bring the experience of the weekend into your life.

No religious or philosophic belief system is taught.

The workshop leader only gives instruction on the technique and guides you through any difficulties that occur as you do it.

Remarkably, the process produces spiritual realization that is similar in depth to that which is recorded in writings from many diverse spiritual traditions but without years of meditation and spiritual practice.

When enlightenment occurs you become aware of the fact of your true self, life or another. The illumination is simple, obvious and indisputable. You are enveloped in a sense of unity and completeness. A profound feeling of peace, contentment and lightness permeates your body. You feel totally embodied as if you have finally “come home” to your Self.

Benefits

Enlightenment is completely satisfying because it is fulfilling in and of itself. It gives you the ability to be more open and authentic in relationships, the persistence to accomplish personal goals, the centeredness to face life’s difficulties and a greater capacity for joy.


What people have said about this workshop:

“When I emerged from the direct experience of who I am (at the Intensive) I started to laugh. All of my worries about the future and my resentments about past hurts seemed, in that moment, very small when compared to the vastness of which I was a part. In that moment I knew that joy- real joy
that does not deny what is hard in our lives- is a choice. Joy finds us when we feel the elation that comes when we know that we belong- to another, to ourselves, to the world, to the Mystery that is larger than ourselves."

Oriah Mountain Dreamer from THE INVITATION
© 1999 published by Harper San Francisco. All rights reserved. Presented with permission of the author.

“Many thanks for the most wonderful experience of my life!  I feel different now.  Music even sounds different now.  Debussy never sounded like that before!  The biggest surprise for me was meeting and bonding w/ all those wonderful folks.  WOW.  I wish I could put them all in a lamp and then rub it and have them appear if I'm feeling lonely.  Imagine having 20 or so folks like that in the same place at the same time.
P.S.  could you figure out a way of getting all my new buddies into that lamp?"

Paul Wootten - optometrist,
Waterloo, Ontario

“Think back in your mind to being eight years old and waking up on Christmas morning, the first day of summer vacation, or your birthday. Wow! You just can't wait to greet the day and every moment seems made just for you. Now imagine that, in addition to this magical world, you've got your very own personal grownup who is your protector and your comforter in case of challenges, as well
as your teacher, organizer and your servant to make sure each new day is as wonderful as the last one. That's the happy truth that I have found from really asking who I am."

Laura Mitchell - ecologist,
Port Colborne, Ontario

“I cannot express enough how incredible the Intensive was last weekend. I have never felt so close to myself because of the experience. You and the staff showed such great love, compassion and humor throughout the process.  The experience is so real and gets to the core of who you are.
 
Not only did I have this huge boost to myself, but also I met other participants and you and the other staff members who I now can truly call my friends. I will definitely be taking another Intensive. Thanks so much."

Andrew

“I can’t tell you enough as to how thankful I am for you to have given me a chance of a Lifetime to turn my life around like this.

I’ve never in my entire 50 yrs have been so happy and positive about My Life. It’s a total different happiness than the one used to know. It bubbles up from deep within and explodes through every cell of my body. It’s totally awesome. I also, for the very first time in my life, don’t worry about the constant approval of others about me. I KNOW WHO I AM and no matter what they say, this is ME and I’m totally happy with myself and who I am! This is such a break through for me. I’ve had my ‘downs’ as well since I left the Intensive but the ‘downs’ don’t even come close to the highs that I used to have. I have a total new life! I’m totally out of the dark and dingy prison that I lived throughout all my life. I’ve broken the shackles that I created and I feel totally free! Love and Compassion have a total different meaning and feeling to me. I truly feel that I’ve got a second chance in Life, and it couldn’t be any greater and better. I feel so excited that I could burst!"

Eliane Priese - accounting,
Holland Centre, Ontario

“Words are so inadequate when I try to describe the immense gratitude I feel … I am astonished at the power of the Enlightenment Intensives; and I have deep respect for all (the staff) and for this very important work you are doing. I am now moving through my life with new eyes, new ears, and a new voice; and feeling so much more peaceful, alive, and present in this world."

Sekoiaa Lake - Artist
Millbrooke

“The Enlightenment Intensive is the best thing I have ever done in my life. It permanently changed how I see the world and myself in a way I have only ever read about in books. I am forever grateful that I found my way to Russell and the True Source Intensive."

Kathyn Jefferies - professor,
Orillia, Ontario

“I took my first E.I. in the early 80s, over 20 years ago and I am still reaping the rewards from that experience. I could not be the person I am today without it. So much so that I encouraged my partner to take last weekends intensive and although doubtful, she is now also amazed, and is has started blossoming like a brand new flower. I can’t say enough about this system of reaching and discovering for the first time your own inner truths and discovering, truly what a wondrous being you truly are. Your whole world will change before your eyes. So don’t hesitate, GO for it. What you will get will be the real you, and you will love it."

Rudi Colme - Artist/Designer, Past Life Regression, NLP and Time Line therapist,
Holland Centre, Ontario

“I have taken half dozen enlightenment intensives, which, for me, could well be described as years of therapy. I saw myself as an onion slowly removing layers of who I thought I was - until I got to the truth of that matter. Once you have a "direct experience" of who you are (or of anything else), you never forget it - it stays with you like a reassuring comfort blanket that lets you walk in the world with trust. "

Frances Raymond
Toronto, Ontario

“Our shared experience a few weeks back was something I will forever remember. I cannot stress how much you all challenged, shook and humbled me in your own special ways (to my very core). Some moments were indescribable. The intimate oneness I often felt, the smiles of knowing, the beatific breakthroughs, and, most of all, the LAUGHTER!

I felt love for you all, and still do. My heart has been opened. Kahlil Gibran, the Persian avatar says "Love is a trembling happiness." I smile when I remember everything. The intensive was, indubitably, 4 of the most profound few days of life."

Will MacDonald-Kramer,
student, Newmarket

“Since the intensive, I now know that there is no obstacle of any kind that I will not find some way of overcoming"

John Penturn,
recruiting rep.

“The intensive was the highest spiritual experience of my life"

Peter Max,
Artist (album cover art for the Beatles)

“This may sound simple- minded but I discovered that I am already happy. Happiness just is. I don’t need anything to make me happy. Its in me and I just need to choose it"

Dorothy Bidnell,
Gardener, Thunder Bay

“It happened just like Russell said, I was eating breakfast on Saturday morning, and like the snap of the finger, I was awake, the light came on, I knew who I was. Every thing was new, like I had never seen it before, and it was exquisite. I was born again, free to experience life with the knowing that I would never die. The body might go but I would live on."

Roger Groulx,
Procurement Officer for DND, Ottawa

“I've finally got a chance to write about the two direct experiences I had on the enlightenment intensive this past weekend.

The first one came to me before breakfast on the second day while I was in a dyad with another...I am not sure what she said, but all of a sudden it came to me that I am love.

I had this feeling in my chest - my chest was very big and spacious and wide and open. Everyone and everything was beautiful. It was a wonderful feeling, and I felt so me, like I was residing in my own groove, that I was home, and that everything was just as it was supposed to be, comfortable, warm, safe… I started to realize that my whole life, I had been love, and that love is what I like and want to do. I heard once that love is what is left when you get rid of everything you do not need. I guess I had had the opportunity to get rid of a lot of what I did not need in the first day, and this truth had the chance to reveal itself. I love loving. I love caring for others. I love giving. I love being loved. I love nature. I love sights and smells and textures and tastes. I love thinking. I love loving. I'm very glad to know that I am love.

The second enlightenment came on the third day just at the beginning of the silent contemplation period. Russell had just given his afternoon talk - encouraging us all to continue to pursue the truth, and to accept what ever was arising. To begin the contemplation, he said "take a deep breath, and hold your breath for a moment, then when you feel ready, exhale slowly". As I exhaled, and held my question, (what am I?) in my awareness, I had another direct experience. I knew and felt the answer I am life. With this came an understanding that I am growth and decay. I am birth and death. In every moment I am being born and am dying (and of course there is the big birth and death of this particular Beth, this time around). I know that I will always be life, no matter how many times I am born and die. I am constructive and destructive. I am expansion and contraction. Life is in me and around me and is totally me and I am totally it. In this I feel totally safe because there is no where to go, nothing can happen to me, no matter what, I am and always will be life. Within this life I have choices that I can make to be as comfortable as possible, but there will always be pain and pleasure. If I resist that pain and pleasure exist, I will intensify my discomfort or not fully experience my pleasure.

I had so much compassion and love and understanding for others and their ignorance and their struggles. I got a small glimpse into the deep and infinite patience and compassion of Christ or the Buddha or mother Theresa or Nelson Mandela or Gandhi - they rarely stopped understanding and seeing that it is only ignorance that keeps people from knowing their true nature, from knowing how truly precious they are.

Then I felt overwhelmed by the preciousness of life and of everything thing in it - from the huge cosmos to the tiniest atom or what ever is smaller than an atom. I felt this deep respect and this deep longing and responsibility to treat everyone and everything and every non-thing with reverence. I understood that people harm one another because they do not know how precious they are or how precious others are. Many people have not yet woken up –and know that everyone is doing the best that they can and that everyone is trying to wake up in their own way and that they will wake up when they are ready to.

I am life
I am life

Well - that's all for now
Thanks for reading, my precious friends”

Beth Clark - yoga/meditation instructor,
Kingston, Ontario

“It (the E.I.) is truly a powerful technique... My, my, my - how does one find the words?
The full realization of it (my enlightenment) did not come until the second to the last dyad on the third day. My question was... What Is Life? … Well...as I try to type the words, to share the experience, I feel myself holding back the words because no words can convey the Sacredness of it...

LIFE IS THE FACE OF GOD ...

These words have been parroted a million times by a million tongues but the truth is ... And this is no metaphor ... LIFE IS THE FACE OF GOD and I have seen it. It is the very face which I have been searching for my whole life and it is all pervading, everywhere and ALL There IS... There is nowhere I can be and nothing that I can "do," that is not BEING in the arms of The Beloved. This very life that I am, is that. To experience this, is the Divine Union Of The Lover and The Beloved, which I have longed for, my whole life, to experience. I did not know ... I do not know... whether I am Loving or Being Loved... That was/is the predominate feeling coursing through me...LIFE IS THE BELOVED, BEING and the UNION OF IT is WHO I AM and it is so powerful.

At the moment of realization ... the words of Rumi shouted in my head. "From the beginning of my life I have been looking for your face but today I have seen it.

With Blessings and Endless Love... "

Kamakshi - Massage Therapist
Michigan

“This was my first time doing an E.I. and found the experience to be unlike any I have ever had. I know that this experience will change my life in ways that are obvious now and in ways that I have yet to discover. Russell and the staff were so supportive and were absolutely sure that a direct experience with the truth was possible for each of us. Knowing that they were available whenever I needed them really helped see me through. I cannot say enough about how vital this love and support was. I was very fortunate to have a partner that assisted me in getting to my direct experience through her absolutely non-judgmental focus on me. I feel that the comfort I already felt with her, and her powerful energy assisted in getting me to that place…it reminds me of how encouraging it is to feel safe, accepted and understood. My first direct experience was a complete and utter knowing of the truth. I saw myself as being exactly as I am. The beauty of it was beyond anything I could describe. As I write this now, there is a warm slow “burn” in my stomach and chest (each time I speak of the direct experience this happens). The physical manifestation of this “knowing” is very intense. The evening of my first direct experience, I felt that every single thing I did was being done for the first time: food was unbelievable, my reflection in the mirror was beautiful and hilarious, my belly – which I typically have a negative relationship with – felt bountiful, solid and exactly the way it should be. I wanted absolutely everyone in the world to experience what I had experienced!

My experience at the EI certainly was profound and came at a huge turning point in my life. I can’t property express how blessed I feel. All I know is that it (enlightenment) is more real than anything…this sense of deep meaning and connection helps me trust that the human spirit has limitless possibility."

Brenda McMorrow - singer/songwriter,
London, Ontario

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