OPEN HEART OPEN MIND:
A 6-month class with Jon Sapunar
January-June 2016 

 Let what comes, come.
Let what goes, go.
And find out what remains. 
               Ramana Maharshi
 

I have decided to do another six month class beginning January 2016.   My own journey continues to deepen and open to new recognitions and awakenings.   I feel a deep commitment to support others who sincerely want to wake up to their true nature.  We continually identify with and believe that our thoughts, emotions and stories are who we truly are.   This leads to resistance and struggle with life, a sense of separation, suffering and a basic core fear.  This class is about shifting our identity from thoughts, emotions and our ideas of a self to open awareness, which is our true nature.  It is not a matter of effort and seeking to make this shift, but instead a recognition of and relaxing into open awareness.  This shift allows us to sense ourselves as spacious awareness through which all our experiences pass. There is a sense of freedom, peace, and allowing of whatever we are experiencing in each moment.  In this beingness we sense a unity with all things. 

I will share many of the methods I have learned along my journey as well as some exciting new things I have recently discovered.   I will continue to emphasize present- moment experiencing, letting go of the need to know and understand, resting in awareness, opening the heart center and inhabiting our body.  I want to work with bringing open mind and open heart into our relationships and daily living.   I have been developing a new way to practice this in groups.  I am exploring and learning a new approach called Big mind - Big heart, that makes it very simple to recognize and enter different spiritual dimensions.   I look forward to sharing it with each of you.   I hope the following description of the areas and methods I use in my teaching will give those of you not familiar with my work more understanding of my approach.  

I use different breathing methods that help one to be more in the body, create energy, open the heart and other centers, and promote presence.  Two of my favorite breath methods are Heart Rhythm Breathing and Circular Breathing.   I have found breath work to be one of the most powerful ways to facilitate transformation. 

I teach Awareness techniques with an end goal to be able to accept everything as it is. This is a core part of my teaching.  We can learn to relax in awareness and follow its flow.  

Body work gives us a stronger sense of our body which makes it much easier to stay present, see our thoughts and emotions for what they are, and to not get carried away by them.   I use yoga, breathing, and bio-energetics. 

Heart centered energy work is used to open our hearts to compassion, unconditional love, present awareness and oneness.  I work with the four dimensions of the heart.

Tara Brach’s RAIN method guides us to dis-identify from beliefs and emotions by coming out of the mind and recognizing and allowing what we are experiencing right in the present moment.   We open to the flow of whatever is coming and going in our present experience.  

Self-inquiry gives us a way to investigate, explore and deepen by using open-ended questions directed at what is happening in the moment.   Self-inquiry does not seek a mental response but instead directs awareness inwards for insight.  

Some of the teachers that have most helped me in my awakening are Claudio Naranjo, Adyashanti, Dhiravamsa, Leonard Jacobson. Gangaji, Eckart Tolle, Tarthang Tuku Rimpoche, and Puran and Susanna Baer.  

A teacher once said to me, “ Don’t stop, always keep on your journey.”    I listened to her and looking back I had no way of knowing what wonderful openings and unbelievable discoveries lay ahead for me.  If what I am offering resonates with you, I hope you will take advantage of this opportunity.  There is such a wonderful feeling of love and heightened energy to wake up when a group of people come together with a shared intention and commitment for truth and growth.  If you want more information about the class and/or to register you can reach me at 937-767-8897.