Next Course begins in Norwich on May 17th 2012
It will take place at St Luke's Church Centre, 61 Aylaham Road, Norwich NR3 2HF. There is car parking at the centre. The course is free of charge.
Dates and times of the next course
Thursdays
May 17th June 14th
May 24th June 21st
May 31st June 28th
June 7th July 5th
all 7.00 - 8.30pm followed by refreshments
Want to try it our without committing to the course?
Try the 'Taster Event' on Thursday April 26th 7.00pm
'It's not what you think,
it's the way that you think it'
To book a place on the course, call Nicholas on 01603 416973
Outline of the course
The Course is an introduction to spirituality from a mystical perspective. This eight-week course is presented by Nicholas Vesey, vicar of St Luke's with St Augustine's.
Drawing on modern consciousness-raising techniques, as well as the wisdom of the Christian mystics and others, the course aims to facilitate a shared experience that everyone can contribute to and draw knowledge from.
Purpose of the Course
The Course was devised as a way of exploring the conventional ‘enlightenment’ experience in a simple way. It was also devised to enable participants to experience Christianity as an eastern religion with mystical truth at the very centre of Jesus’ teachings.
The ‘Arc’ of the course
The course takes people on an experiential journey through their consciousness.
It begins with the five senses (which we seem to take for granted), and the nature of reality (Reality is that which continues to exist after we have stopped believing in it – Philip K Dick). Then it looks at the mind and the way it shapes our reality. We then look at the fact that we are not our minds, and from that the question ‘Who are we?’ naturally arises.
The third session looks at spirituality (using Rowan Williams' definition that ‘Spirituality is the cultivation of a sensitive and rewarding relationship with eternal truth and love’). And that naturally leads on to concepts of non-dual consciousness.
The fourth session looks at ways in which non-dual consciousness has arisen through the ages in different cultures, and consolidates the understanding of the previous session.
Session five is on the nature of personal transformation (acceptance).
Session six is on spiritual practice.
Session seven is on meditation, and session eight consolidates the learning.
The Methodology
The course takes people on a shared experience through the material.
The ideal number of people is 12-30.
Some material is delivered from the front, as is the sharing of key experiences (eg peak experiences).
There are also group exercises using, among other things, cards, drawing, self-reflection, observation and guided meditation.
We use quotations from the Bible, Tao Te Ching, Dalai Lama, Einstein, Aldous Huxley, Thomas Merton, Anthony de Mello and others.
There are times of silence and meditation.
There is also sharing in the main group, including ‘learning dialogue’, as well as in small groups. The course runs under the principal of ‘con-scios’ – learning together.
The course is run over eight weeks one and a half hours per session, but it has also been run as a one-day or two-day workshop.
The Book
'Developing Consciousness - A Roadmap of the Journey to Enlightenment' by Nicholas Vesey is published by O Books.
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