THE WAY OF THE MYSTIC SEMINAR

Spiritual Paths Institute
at La Casa de Maria

A Rare Weekend Program With Great Spiritual Teachers

Father Thomas Keating (Christianity)
Rabbi Rami Shapiro (Judaism ) Judith Simmer Brown (Buddhism)
Sheikh Kabir and Camille Helminski (Islam - Mevlevi Sufi Order)
Swami Sarvadevananda, (Hinduism, Ramakrishna Order)
Carol Lee Flinders (Hindu & Christian Mysticism)

September 19-21, 2003
La Casa de Maria, Santa Barbara, CA

This weekend program offers an extremely rare and important opportunity to deepen and expand your spiritual knowledge and practice through the shared inter-spiritual teachings of internationally renowned teachers. The weekend will provide experiential sessions, presentations, group discussions, a panel discussion and a multi-faith service. The seminar moderator will be Dr. Ed Bastian, President of Spiritual Paths Foundation.

The mystical experience is a non-dual or unitive awareness of the absolute or the unmistakable presence of the divine or sacred. It brings us into the direct presence of ultimate reality. This weekend provides a unique view into the nature of this awareness, the role of the mystic, and the value of direct spiritual experience in our modern lives from five of the world's wisdom traditions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.

What is the mystical experience? Is it the same for men and women? How is it achieved? How do we even begin to speak about our encounters with ultimate reality? How do we weave these into our lives? What are the roles of community, tradition, and service in relation to the mystical experience? Through talks, discussion, and practice, we explore the insights that each tradition has to offer and find support for continuing in our own path.

This program will help participants to:

* Deepen and expand spiritual knowledge and practice
* Experience the shared spiritual affinities of the world's religions
* Gain new insights into the world's major spiritual traditions

SCHEDULE

THURSDAY
7:00 - 8:30 PM Personal Journeys: Mystery Traditions in Spiritual Paths

FRIDAY
4:00 - 5:30 PM Registration
6:00 - 7:00 PM Dinner
7:00 - 8:30 PM Father Thomas Keating, (Christianity)

SATURDAY
Morning
8:30 -10:00 AM Rabbi Rami Shapiro (Jewish Mysticism)
10:30 -12:00 AM Swami Sarvadevananda (Hindu Mysticism)
12:00 - 1:00 PM Lunch

Afternoon
1:30 - 3:00 AM Judith Simmer Brown (Buddhist Mysticism)
3:30 - 5:00 AM Carol Lee Flinders (Mysticism and the Divine Feminine)

Evening
7:00 - 8:30 PM Kabir Helminsky & Camille Helminsky (Sufi Mysticism)

SUNDAY
Morning
8:30 - 10:00 AM Panel Discussion
10:30 - 12:00 Multi-faith Service
12:00 - 1:00 PM Lunch

Afternoon
1:30 - 3:00 Small group meetings with selected teachers
3:15 - 3:30 PM Closing and Benediction

PROGRAM FEES

Entire Weekend with room and food: $490
For individual days and commuter pricing, please call 805 969 5031