Saturday, August 30, 2008

Friends of the Heart September Issue ~ Katie Davis, Author, Awake Joy ~ Sundance Burke, Author, Free Spirit

In This Issue ~

1. "Neither This Nor That" by Katie Davis, Author, Awake Joy

2. "Ego's Postponement Strategy" (7 min) Free Video with Katie Davis

3. "Witnessing the Dream" by Sundance Burke, Author, Free Spirit

4. "The Simple Secret" (9 min) Free Video with Sundance Burke

5. "From Heart to Heart" ~ Poems:
"The Animal" by Sonjan
"Peak Experiences" by Daniel Barre

6. "Awake Joy Book Review"

7. "Free Spirit Book Review"

8. "Being Love" (9 minute) Free Video with Sundance and Katie

Event Reminders ~ Talks, Satsangs, Advaita Satsang Intensives, Day Retreat with Katie Davis, Author, Awake Joy and Sundance Burke, Author, Free Spirit:

September 12 ~ Seattle, WA ~ Awake Right Now! Introduction
East West Bookshop

September 13 ~ Seattle, WA ~ Awake Right Now! Intensive
East West Bookshop

September 19 ~ Portland, OR ~ Awake Joy and Free Spirit
New Renaissance Books

September 20 ~ Portland, OR ~ Awake Right Now! Intensive
New Renaissance Books

September 26, 27, 28 ~ Boulder, CO ~ Advaita Satsang

October 3 ~ Ridgway, CO ~ Advaita Satsang

October 4 ~ Telluride, CO ~ Advaita Satsang

October 5 ~ Ouray, CO ~ Satsang Day Retreat

October 10 ~ Fullerton, CA ~ Awake Right Now! Talk
Host, Dr. Mark Waller, Author, Awakening and Paradox of Being Human
Sponsor, First Church of Religious Science

October 11 ~ Fullerton, CA ~ Awake Right Now! Intensive
Host, Dr. Mark Waller, Author, Awakening and Paradox of Being Human
Sponsor, First Church of Religious Science

October 15 ~ Carlsbad, CA ~ Awake Right Now! Talk
Sponsor, Center for Positive Living

October 18 ~ Carlsbad, CA ~ Awake Right Now! Intensive
Sponsor, Center for Positive Living

Go to Friends of the Heart: www.KatieDavis.org/FriendsoftheHeart.html

Event Testimonials: www.KatieDavis.org/Testimonials.html

Schedule Details: www.KatieDavis.org/Schedule.html

More information about Sundance Burke: www.SundanceBurke.org

More information about Katie Davis: www.KatieDavis.org

Free Video Library of the Teachings: www.KatieDavis.org/FreeAwakeningVideos.html

Friday, August 29, 2008

Marci Winters, Sweetwater Film Screenwater, Writer, Director and Producer Review of Awake Joy by Katie Davis in Maui Vision Magazine

Book Review by Marci Winters in Maui Vision Magazine, Your Guide to Natural Living, August 2, 2008

Marci Winters is a screenwriter/writer, director, producer whose family film, Sweetwater, has aired on PBS. Sweetwater is endorsed by Kids First!, The Coalition for Quality Children's Media. She is available for script consultations and editing and can be reached at her website www.sweetwaterfilm.com

Twenty years ago, Katie Davis was not a spiritual seeker until one day, this mother of two, spontaneously awakened from ordinary business woman/secondary school educator to Enlightened Being. Without a spiritual practice or teacher, she radically awakened to the reality and truth of who we really are.

Years later, Eckhart Tolle encouraged Davis to write Awake Joy: The Essence of Enlighenment, her thought-provoking guidebook to higher consciousness. Awake Joy is both poetic and comprehensive. The language, abstractions and metaphors are like the filling in a dense, rich, dark chocolate layered cake.

Davis believes that our conditioned intelligence is limited and most of us are essentially sleepwalking through life. We each live in a mental illusion that the mind-made self creates. Because the ego, the conceptual I, has a need to tell stories, our mental images match what we are conditioned to believe. Through self-observation, recognizing that you can be free of ego's push and pull cycles, the opportunity to awakened is unveiled.

To be liberated from the ego, Davis suggests that you accept each moment in your life situation to be as it is. This profound acceptance opens the door and lets the ego out, thus a greater connection with the oneness in life can be experienced. This allows us to become more present and to focus on the way of the Heart.

Various breathing exercises, mantras and meditations are offered at the end of the book. They are extremely easy and a relaxed centered feeling washes through the mind-body after practice, creating a more conscious presence. I experienced a new appreciation for the abundance surrounding me, which felt like the Essence of Enlightenment, when I chanted the Sanskrit mantra, Om Nama Shivaya. It is a divine pleasure to taste Davis' sincere heart filled love that she shares on each page.

Marci Winters is a screenwriter/writer, director, producer whose family film, Sweetwater, has aired on PBS. Sweetwater is endorsed by Kids First!, The Coalition for Quality Children's Media. She is available for script consultations and editing and can be reached at her website www.sweetwaterfilm.com

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Intimate Relationships, Love and Emotional Reactions ~ Katie Davis

Before awakening, my intimate partner would say something really critical and I would react with anger (or sadness, guilt, etc.). I would say something in response in order to defend myself. The argument would escalate as our pain bodies would become activated and we would fight. Pretty soon we were saying things that we didn't really mean and talking about similar circumstances from our past. I blamed my partner for how I felt. He/she makes me angry, hurt, sad.

1. I ended our relationship

2. I continued to feel guilty or angry or hurt

3. I forgave the situation and stayed in relationship, but I know we will have another round of this sometime.

4. Next time, I will react stronger or perhaps not say anything at all, but hold it inside with angry thoughts and feelings and still blame my partner for how I feel.

After awakening, what have you noticed about emotional reactions when your partner says something critical?

1. When my partner is critical, since I am observing my thoughts, I am aware that my thinking about the situation is actually causing my own emotional reaction. In other words, the suffering is self-inflicted. My partner says something, I label, judge and categorize the statement as mean or hurtful. When I have such thoughts, it causes my body to emotionally react to my thinking.

2. I have realized that virtually no one has the power to alter my emotional state and if I do feel sad or angry, it is my responsibility and blame no one.

3. When I do feel angry, I no longer act it out with my partner, nor do I repress it. Instead, I take a moment to be consciously present with the emotion and feel it in my body. I also watch my thinking and how it tries to perpetuate the negative emotion or escalate it.

4. With the willingness to suffer consciously, I am noticing that negative emotion is disappearting from my life.

5. I am able to hear the criticism, but no longer take it personally.

6. I have recognized that the world is arising within me. In other words, life is only a mirror that is reflecting my inner state of consciousness. When I see criticism in the world, I now go within to see if there are ways that I am critical of others or critical with myself.

7. When I notice self-criticism, I no longer need to change anything or make it a self-improvement project. I only need to become aware of it and it changes on its own through the simple noticing of it.

8. As I am free of self-criticism, others are no longer critical. The mirror of life circumstances change on their own accord as I free myself from within. I am the key to the tranformation of my world.

9. Since I am totally free and resting within, if someone says something rude, I silently feel compassion for them. I realize that it is "their" inner work and has nothing to do with me, so I am able to compassionately and unconditionally love my partner and recognize that they are not feeling well. Furthermore, I recognize that how they are feeling is fleeting and will soon change.

10. Changing how "others" feel is no longer my responsibility. My job is to remain present and open to the unconditional love within.

11. I have recognized that the ego state of consciousness (the mind-made self, the idea of "me") is a delusion. It exists in others or within me solely through thinking, ideas, concepts and beliefs.

12. Underneath the thinking, I am blissful, unending joy that is absolutely indescructible.

To actively participate in this discussion or interact with Katie Davis and other members of the Heart community, please visit:


Katie Davis Website: www.katiedavis.org

What have your realized about compulsive thinking? ~ Katie Davis

What have you realized about compulsive thinking?

1. By observing thought, they can't use me and I am free.

2. My negative emotions are caused by my own thinking ... judgment, sense of threat, reaction based on past experience or desire based on the future, etc.

3. The first thought is the primary thought "I" (dreaming "I" or what we might call the mind-made self or the ego) ... and then all of the other thoughts follow.

4. When I am fiercely attentive to the present moment or when I am living now, I have fewer thoughts.

5. Thought is always based on some sort of lack (egoic fear) or desires of the mind-made self.

6. Free of the mind-made self, I am free of fear and desire.

7. When I silently ask the question, "Who am I?" the primary thought "I" disappears into the Heart and I experience peace and harmony.

8. I am noticing that thought does not even belong to me unless I identify with them. They just freely float by while I remain still and free.

If I am not the thinker, then who am I? Where are these thoughts arising from within me? From whence do they arise?

Katie Davis Website: www.katiedavis.org

Papaji - The Door to Your Self

Papaji - The Door to Your Self



Katie Davis Website: www.katiedavis.org

Misconceptions About Awakening ~ Katie Davis

Which of the following misconceptions have you encountered in your awakening or recognized in others (so to speak)?

If within you, how was it resolved? Or is this still your true perception (which is also perfect)?

If in others, did you try to change their perception or allow it to be? What did you notice by making that apparent choice?

1. Just another spiritual experience.

2. This is something one can do or accomplish.

3. This is an attainment of the mind-made self.

4. Awakening is a self-improvement project.

5. Can only occur through a long, gradual path of practice and purification.

6. Awakening is really psychosis or a sign mental instability.

7. I will not be able to function in the world.

8. How can I be still when I must move about all day.

9. I can't just sit and meditate all day long.


Katie Davis Website: www.katiedavis.org

Practices are for the Mind and Not for Enlightenment ~ Katie Davis

There are three universal life forces that are constantly acting upon the physical human being. In the East they call them "gunas." I just call them life forces. The first is "active" (rajas), the second is "dull, with a certain lassitude" (tamas), and "harmony" (sattvic).

Today while you are taking a walk or simply driving your car or whatever, notice these life forces in action. Wind blowing madly through the trees is active. A lazy calm flowing river is lassitude. Perhaps a beautiful sunset might be labeled harmony. You are able to observe the forces acting in all living creatures. Enter a restaurant and notice which is the predominant force that is present. Of course, since they are always in movement, they are always in constant change as well.

Now, begin observing "your" thoughts. Are they active (compulsive thinking)? Do they have a certain laziness about them? Or does the mind seem in harmony.

This is where practices are handy. Through attending breath or through meditation, thoughts will shift from active or dull and eventually rest in harmony. It is the sattvic or mind in harmony that is nearing enlightenment.

To be clear here, it is not that a harmonious mind "causes" enlightenment. Practices can help the transformation of our thinking in a manner that is harmonious to realizing who you really are. Awakening and enlightenment is totally beyond causality ... call it Grace.

However as soon as the active or dull thinking mind is in harmony, the practitioner then becomes an obscuration. The practitioner itself must be surrender one the mind is concentrated and in harmony. Who is the practitioner? "I am." Ask this question everytime ... "Who am I?"

For discussion, maybe we could share what we observed in watching the life forces throughout the day or watching the three forces within our thinking. What did you notice?

What practices have been tried? The result? Have you ever asked the ONLY essential question ... "who am I?"

Katie Davis Website: www.katiedavis.org

Upon living NOW, which of the following has had the greatest impact? ~ Katie Davis

Upon living NOW, which of the following has had the greatest impact?

After choosing the most impactful, could you share a specific example?
1. Less fear in general
2. Less critical of myself
3. Less attachment to objects
4. Less negative emotion
5. Less stress and anxiety
6. Less critical of others
7. Less resistance to life and more accepting of inner and outer experience
8. Less identification with the mind-made self
9. Less concern with personality
10. Less identification with the body


Katie Davis Website: www.katiedavis.org

Freedom from the Qualities of the Mind-Made Self ~ Katie Davis

Even though the ego is itself an altered state of consciousness, which of these qualities keep resurfacing to realize freedom? If you have already realized freedom from these qualities, which of them has been most transformative?
1. I am limited to my physical body.
2. I predominantly live in my head.
3. I resist 'outer' and 'inner' experience.
4. I still have a mental image of who I am even though I realize it as fabrication.
5. I react so that I can protect myself from being hurt.
6. I experience the world as threatening.
7. This is not enough.
8. I am separate from you and everything that I see.
9. Even though I understand oneness with Life, I still sense I am separate from the Heart.
10. Socially, I sometimes feel alienated.
11. I experience everyone operating on pretense.
12. I am absorbed by the 'inner' activity of my mind.
13. My emotions are caused by my thoughts.
14. My experience in the world is based on my beliefs and past conditioning.
15. Thinking is still running the show.

Katie Davis Website: www.katiedavis.org

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Carlsbad Satsang, AWAKE Right NOW! Talk and Intensive, October 15, 18 ~ Katie Davis, Author, Awake Joy, Sundance Burke, Author, Free Spirit

The Fall 2008 Schedule for Katie Davis, author, Awake Joy and Sundance Burke, author, Free Spirit includes four California events: October 10, 11 in Fullerton and October 15, 18 in Carlsbad, CA.

Wednesday, October 15, AWAKE Right NOW! Talk in Satsang, 7:00-9:00 pm, $10 at the door.

Saturday, October 18, AWAKE Right NOW! Intensive, 11:00-5:00 pm, Register $75

Sponsor: Carlsbad Center for Positive Living, 390 H Oak Avenue in Carlsbad, Reverend Debby O'Donnell and Founder and Reverend Dr. Jane Claypool, (760) 434-9579. www.carlsbadcenterforpositiveliving.com.

Please register at the church office.

Event and Satsang Testimonials: www.KatieDavis.org/Events.html

Free videos of the teachings and more information about Katie Davis and Sundance Burke at www.KatieDavis.org and www.SundanceBurke.org.

Contact Sundance and Katie at awake@KatieDavis.org.

LA Satsang in Fullerton, AWAKE Right NOW! Talk and Intensive, October 10, 11 ~ Katie Davis, Author, Awake Joy, Sundance Burke, Author, Free Spirit

The Fall 2008 Tour for Katie Davis, author, Awake Joy, and Sundance Burke, author, Free Spirit includes four California Events in Satsang in Fullerton, CA, October 10, 11 and in Carlsbad, CA, October 15, 18.

Friday, October 10, AWAKE Right NOW! Talk, 7:00-9:00 pm, At the Door $10

Saturday, October 11, AWAKE Right NOW! Intensive, 10:00 am-4:00 pm, Register $75 at the church office.

Venue and Sponsor: First Church of Religious Science Church, 117 N. Pomona Ave, Fullerton, Reverend Annette Drake,(714) 525-1126

Host: Dr. Mark Waller, author, Awakening, The Paradox of Being Human, The Dance of the Lion and the Unicorn. Contact Mark: (888) 401-6275. www.MarkWaller.com

You may register for the intensive at the church office or if you would rather register by credit card go to: www.MarkWaller.com/AwakeRightNow.htm

Event and Satsang Testimonials at: www.KatieDavis.org/Events.html

Free videos of the teachings and more information at:

www.KatieDavis.org and www.SundanceBurke.org

Contact Sundance and Katie at awake@KatieDavis.org

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Boulder Advaita Satsang, Rigway Satsang, Telluride Satsang, Ouray Satsang Day Retreat - Katie Davis, Sundance Burke

Seven Colorado events including a Day Retreat in Ouray and you are invited to join us ~ Katie Davis and Sundance Burke, www.KatieDavis.org, www.SundanceBurke.org Katie is author of "Awake Joy" and Sundance is author of "Free Spirit"

Sundance and Katie begin sitting 15 minutes early and you are welcome to join them. Please enter in silence.

Satsang Testimonials: www.KatieDavis.org/Events.html

Free Videos at www.KatieDavis.org

Friday, September 26, 7:00-9:00 pm, Boulder Advaita Satsang
Saturday, September 27, 6:00-8:00 pm, Boulder Advaita Satsang
Community United Church of Christ
2650 Table Mesa Dr., Boulder
Optional Donation at the Door $20
Contact Pat Dorsey (303) 817-3472 or louisvillemt@msn.com

Sunday, September 28, 4:00-6:00 pm, Boulder Advaita Satsang
Attila Kassa, 7257 Siena Way, Boulder
Optional Donation at the Door $20
Contact Attila, (720) 480-9646 or attila.kassa@comcast.net

Friday, October 3, 7:00-9:00 pm, Ridgway Advaita Satsang
Ridgway Community Center (Adjacent to the City Park)
Donation at the Door $15-$20
Contact Travis Norris (970) 209-1868 or wireless_limited@msn.com

Saturday, October 4, 4:00-6:00 pm, Telluride Advaita Satsang
Telluride Yoga Center,
Donation at the Door $15-$20
Contact Travis Norris (970) 209-1868 or wireless_limited@msn.com

Sunday, October 5, 11:00 am-5:00 p0m (lunch break), Satsang Day Retreat
Travis Norris, 44 Whispering Pines Dr., Ouray (2 miles north of Ouray)
Contact Travis to Register: $50-$75, ((970) 209-1868 or wireless_limited@msn.com

Monday, October 6, All Day and Evening, Private Satsang with Katie Davis or Sundance Burke, $80. To schedule a one hour session, contact Travis Norris (970) 209-1868 or wireless_limited@msn.com

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Katie Davis - Ego's Postponement Strategy - Free Video (7 minutes)

Katie Davis, author, Awake Joy: The Essence of Enlightenment, points to Ego's Postponement Strategy that denies spiritual awakening and enlightenment. Enjoy the entire Free Videos Library with videos, television and radio shows on spiritual awakening, enlightenment, non-duality, meditation, Advaita and spirituality at www.KatieDavis.org.

Friday, August 8, 2008

Sundance Burke - Something We May Be Ignoring - Free Video (9 minutes)

Sundance Burke, author, Free Spirit, points out that there is Something We May Be Ignoring for spiritual awakening and enlightenment on the Never Not Here Show. Enjoy the entire Free Videos Library with vides, television and radio shows on spiritual awakening, satsang, advaita, nonduality, meditation and spirituality at www.SundanceBurke.org.

Friends of the Heart August 2008 Issue - Katie Davis, Author, Awake Joy

Friends of the Heart August 2008 issue is now available at the Katie Davis Website with articles on spiritual awakening, enlightenment, advaita, non-duality and being now.

In This Issue:

"Why the Sufis Whirl - A Discourse on Advaita"
by Katie Davis, Author, Awake Joy

"So You Think You Can Dance" by Sundance Burke, Author, Free Spirit

"All You Have is Now" by Gina Lake, Author, Radical Happiness

Three New Free Videos on Awakening and Advaita:

"The Only Essential Question" by Katie Davis

"Wholeness" by Sundance Burke

"No Dilemma" by Sundance and Katie

Visit www.KatieDavis.org/FriendsoftheHeart.html


Sundance and Katie Fall 2008 Tour Schedule:

Talks, Advaita Satsang, Satsang Intensives, Satsang Day Retreat, Book Signings

Seattle, Washington

Portland, Oregon

Boulder, Ridgway, Telluride, Ouray, Colorado

Los Angeles, California

Carlsbad, California

Details at www.KatieDavis.org/Schedule.html

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Sundance Burke - Feeling of Being Alive

Sundance Burke, author, Free Spirit, speaks of the Feeling of Being Alive that is associated with spiritual awakening and enlightenment on the Never Now Here television show. Enjoy the entire Free Awakening Videos Library on spiritual awakening, enlightenment, advaita, nonduality, meditation and spirituality at www.SundanceBurke.org.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Sundance and Katie - No Dilemma - Authors, Free Spirit, Awake Joy (9 minute video)

Sundance Burke, author, Free Spirit: A Guide to Enlightened Being and Katie Davis, author, Awake Joy: The Essence of Enlightenment point to the fact that there is No Dilemma in spiritual awakening and enlightenment. Enjoy the entire Free Videos Library with videos, television and radio shows on spiritual awakening, enlightenment, nonduality, advaita, meditation and spirituality at www.KatieDavis.org.

Sundance and Katie's Fall 2008 Satsang Schedule with Talks, Satsang, Satsang Intensives and Satsang Retreat: Seattle, Portland, Boulder, Ridgway, Telluride, Ouray, Los Angeles, Carlsbad and tentatively Sebastopol. For Event Testimonials and their Schedule Details, please visit www.KatieDavis.org/Events.html.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Sundance Burke - Simple Secret - Author, Free Spirit (9 minute video)

Sundance Burke, author, Free Spirit: A Guide to Enlightened Being, points to the Simple Secret to spiritual awakening and enlightenment.

Enjoy the entire Free Videos Library with videos, television and radio shows on awakening, enlightenment, nonduality, meditation, advaita and spirituality at the Katie Davis Website at www.KatieDavis.org.

Friday, August 1, 2008

Katie Davis "A Call to Surrender Hesitation" - Free Video, Katie Davis, Author, Awake Joy (7 minutes)

Katie Davis, author, Awake Joy: The Essence of Enlightenment asks,"who is hesitating?" "Is there a certain hesitation?" on the Never Not Here television show by ClearSightTV on Advaita, awakening, meditation, non-duality, enlightenment and Self-realization. Enjoy the entire Free Awakening Videos Library at www.KatieDavis.org.