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- Bio / My Personal Experience -
Through my personal life experience, and working professionally with individuals and groups, I have been developing the work of Psychospiritual Integrative Awakening for almost 30 years. The facilitation I offer to support people on the Path of Awakening is a revolutionary and creative synthesis of Buddhist Dharma, Hindu advaita (nondual) teachings, the body-centered emotional support of Somatic Psychology, Jungian Psychology, the esoteric psychology of Soul Integration, mutual Heart Presence, and the power of direct personal experience.
The Beginning
At the age of 21, I had a profound awakening experience. Following this experience, I radically changed my diet, started a consistent meditation practice, and began an intensive study of world scriptures and esoteric wisdom teachings. Since the age of 21, I have had an unceasing desire to fully understand the inner psychological and spiritual dynamics of the human condition and the potential for transformation and awakening.
In the years following, I engaged in extremely long and radical periods of fasting, accompanied by dietary changes so as to purify the body and mind. Along with this, I continued to cultivate the practice of meditation, which has been consistent for the last 28 years. I have used the meditation techniques of Shamatha (Meditative Quiesence / Calm Abiding) and Vipassana (Insight), as well as the SourcePoint Meditation System I developed after many years of practice and sensing the deep needs of the human condition. I have done numerous solitary meditation retreats, going deep into the subtle realms of the body, psyche and spirit, alone in nature and periodically at retreat centers.
Journeys Into the Underworld
I have spent many years studying Western, Somatic, Transpersonal and Jungian psychology, as well as the subject most dear to my heart, the Esoteric Psychology of Soul Integration. In addition, in ways similar to how a shaman is trained, I have used 'plant medicines' specifically for journeying into and understanding the unconscious depths of the psyche.
Many of these journeys, in the forest, desert, or alone in a dark room in my house, were rich, challenging and at times extremely uncomfortable emotionally. I learned to open my body so as to experience the feminine underworld of the unconscious psyche, as well as learning how to open to the energetic force of the awakening kundalini (life-force). I have learned to travel into and experience certain territories of the psyche that most people would rather not encounter, feel or acknowledge. These experiences have given me some of the priceless training and integration I needed so as to be rather fearless, intuitive, compassionate and emotionally stable when facilitating others in their own challenging "journeys" into uncharted psychological and spiritual territory.
Another Awakening Experience
While living in the quiet and pristine high desert near Mount Shasta, California, I began a very intensive meditation practice. I engaged in practice for 4 to 5 hours a day for a period of 30 days consistently. After about 30 days, using the SourcePoint Meditation System I developed, gently relaxing my feeling awareness deep into the heart, I had another very powerful awakening experience. In a single instant of timelessness, I entered the Silence in the Center of the Heart. This experience revealed many of the inner secrets of the Heart and of human psychology that I would be sharing with others through the Integrative Awakening work for years to follow.
Through this experience, I gained direct, body-centered, feeling-insight into the unconscious psychodynamics that keep most of humanity imprisoned in confusion, fear of loss, anxiety and pain. In the years following this experience I have worked diligently to integrate and practice applying these insights in my own life, and I have been sharing them with others in my professional work and through the book I wrote, The Voice of Heart: An Intimate Invitation.
The True Teacher In the Heart
After this awakening experience, I knew and felt beyond all doubt the truth which has been stated by the world's spiritual traditions and esoteric teachings...that God or the True Self (Soul) was indeed located in the Central Reality of the Heart. The Guru, the Teacher, the Soul is indeed located conveniently within our very own Heart!
Based upon my studies and experience, I have designed a rather revolutionary style of assisting people in their psychological and spiritual development. Combining Western Psychology, Soul and Body-Centered Psychology with the Eastern wisdom teachings of non duality, and adding a strong dose of heart transmission, I have been guiding people into their own direct experience of psycho-spiritual awakening for many years.
The Work Continues
I have shared the work of Psychospiritual Integrative Awakening with hundreds of people through the years, offering individual and group sessions. I am always deeply touched and grateful for the guiding power of the Heart when 'two or more are gathered together' in dedication to exploring the potential for awakening the body, mind and heart into deeper intimacy.
• Certified Meditation Teacher
(Ananda Sangha / Lineage of Paramahansa Yogananda)
• Certified Practitioner of Biodynamic Cranial Touch
(Charles Ridley / www.dynamicstillness.com)
• Certified Teacher of Eight Treasures Qigong / Ba Duan Jin
(Tai Chi Healthways / Master Jesse Tsao)
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• More About Integrative Awakening
• Living Dharma Satsang
• Direct Experience, Not More Conceptual Information!
• The Bodily Location of
Awakening
• Secrets of Somatic, Body-Centered Navigation
• The Esoteric Significance of
This Work
• Conscious Relationship
• The Voice of Heart
• The Treading of the Way: Guidance and Inspiration for
Those Who Serve
• Quotes from the Heart
• Links / Resources
"Neil is a dear friend and
an extraordinarily intuitive
and compassionate teacher.
He has a very deep
understanding of the
mapping of our personal
and collective human
conditioning and the loving
essence of the One Heart
that beats beneath. Neil is
masterful at gently
uncovering repetitive issues
and supporting you in
clarifying your understanding
so that embodying the
deepest Truth of Being
becomes a natural way
of living."
- Shantam Lanz, Watsu,
Water Dance Teacher.
Founder of Liquid Body
Works and Presence
of Being.
"I have done personal work
with Neil and have attended
his training group for
professionals. I highly
recommend his Integrative
Awakening work; it is deep
and authentic. I learned
profound skills for integrating
the body and mind that I was
never taught in traditional
graduate school. In addition,
this work has helped me
awaken to the deeper
truth of my being in a much
more fearless way. This
wonderful, gentle work has
affected my life, my
relationships, and my
professional work with others
in such profound ways. Neil
gives us a ‘map' for
navigating the psychological
and spiritual paradigm
shift that we are collectively
experiencing at this time."
- Pat Gurnick CLC, CAC
Psychotherapist |
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