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 Cynthia Overweg
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Events,Workshops & Retreats

J. Krishnamurti's insights on choiceless awareness

Monthly Program 10:30 AM - Noon Pacific time

This new monthly series is based on Krishnamurti’s insights into that he called “choiceless awareness”, which he said is necessary  if we are to fully understand ourselves and the world we’ve co-created — if  there is to be a transformation in the individual, and thus society.


Krishnamurti suggests that in silent  self-observation (choiceless awareness) without liking or disliking,  judgment, opinion, condemnation, or praise, we can silently see the  mind’s subterfuge mirrored back to us in relationship — in all  relationships. We can see what we are and at the same time not condemn what we see in ourselves and others.  And he suggests this can  “dissolve” our conditioning.  This internal observation of the movements  of “me” quiets the mind and opens space for silence to emerge. 


Second Saturday Mornings at 10:30 AM PT; 1:30 PM ET; 19:30 PM CET  


Each 90 minute gathering is a meditative exploration of the awareness that is not bound by time  ―  the awareness that frees us from the mind-made self. Interludes of quietude and sacred music are included, as well as time for questions and discussion.  


MARCH 11:  APPROACHING “CHOICELESS AWARENESS.” 

We make dozens of choices each day, but must we always choose? What is awareness without choice? How do we approach “choiceless awareness” without getting entangled in language? 


APRIL 8:  AWARENESS AND TRANSFORMATION

It has been said that wisdom begins to blossom when we consistently question all of our assumptions and beliefs. Can our deeply rooted identification with the self, which includes image-making and the naming of everyone and everything, actually be transformed?  


MAY 13:  THE NECESSITY OF ATTENTION, ENERGY AND RELAXATION. 

Do we have the inner resources that make it possible to perceive the dynamic and creative movement of life without choosing one thing over another? Krishnamurti asked: “How is the individual to have abundant energy rightly directed so that his life will have expansive and profound significance?”


JUNE 10:  THE INNER QUEST 

What are we really seeking? Is there ever an end to the search? Krishnamurti often said that as long as there is a seeker, there is no freedom. It is in the act of seeing through the misconceptions of the conditioned mind that the search can end. Choiceless awareness is revealed, not found. 


Attend one session or the whole series. This program is open to anyone who is interested in the peace of a quiet mind.  All sessions will be on Zoom and are hosted by the Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada.


Join us for a relaxed exploration of the transformative power of being silently aware.  All Saturday sessions begin at 10:30 AM Pacific.


Hosted by THE KRISHNAMURTI EDUCATIONAL CENTRE OF CANADA, a non-profit organization.   All donations help the Krishnamurti Educational Centre.  


Learn More

This online series is on Zoom. Registration is on a donation basis per session or monthly if you plan to attend the whole series.  

Find out more

Reclaiming the Sacred Feminine: A Transforming Power

April 25, 26, 27 - 10 AM - Noon - Pacific Time

  “Every living being comes from the Mother of us all.”   ― Lao Tzu


In myth, art, music, poetry and spiritual literature, the Sacred Feminine is a transforming power that unites the mind with the compassion of the heart. While the Sacred Feminine is beyond gender and form, conceptually it is the Feminine Principle that gave birth to the matrix of all life. In this sense, she is our Cosmic Mother and the Earth is part of her manifestation. 


For centuries the transformative power of the Sacred Feminine has been suppressed, exploited, demeaned and misunderstood. Sufi mystic and author, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, put it this way: “We need to reclaim the sacred feminine both for our individual spirituality and for the well-being of the planet.”  


Our sessions together will explore the significance of the Sacred Feminine through time, in the world as it is today, and in a re-imagined world that embraces the Sacred Feminine and Sacred Masculine as primal energies and unified polarities in the mysterious dance of life. 


Hosted by THE KROTONA INSTITUTE, a non-profit organization Ojai, CA

A modest registration fee goes entirely to Krotona.

Learn More

This workshop is on site and available via Zoom.  Overnight accommodations are available. For more information or to register please click below. 

Find out more

Embracing the Empowered Feminine - WEEKEND RETREAT

APRIL 28, 29, 30 - Fri/Sat/Sun - 2023

  “We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.”   

― Malala Yousafzai 


The empowered feminine speaks authentically from inner wisdom and the truth of lived experience. We express who we are, without reservation or fear. Our voice is clear, distinct and confident. Our weekend retreat will be a relaxed meditative inquiry into the empowered feminine. What does this empowerment mean? How is it acquired? Why does it matter? 


The weekend includes interludes of meditation, deep relaxation, communion with nature, sacred music, and an exploration of feminine archetypes that have an impact on women, girls and modern culture. Our aim is to create a supportive and quiet space where the empowered feminine can be fully embraced and a balanced relationship with masculine energies can be approached. 


On site accommodations are available.  Join in for a weekend of meditative inquiry, inner quietude and a relaxed, stress-free exploration of the empowered feminine in a beautiful setting. Give yourself the gift of a retreat! 


Hosted by THE KROTONA INSTITUTE, a non-profit organization Ojai, CA

A modest registration fee goes entirely to Krotona. 

Learn More

The weekend retreat begins on Friday evening at 7 PM - 8:30 PM; then continues on Saturday from 10 AM - 4 PM, and on Sunday 10 AM - Noon.  On-site accommodations are available.  Click below for more information or to register.

Find out more

Selected Summaries of Cynthia's 2022 Workshops & Retreats

selected 2022 Workshop & Retreat archives

Can the mind be quiet? June 2022

March, April May, June Monthly Sessions 2022

March, April May, June Monthly Sessions 2022

Making Peace with your Mind Finding Loving Connection


How do we wisely approach the challenges we face? One vitally important way is to make peace with our conflicted and hyper-critical mind. With a quiet mind we can recharge, relax, regenerate and inwardly see what connects us. The central question is: Can we learn to be calm and compassionate in the midst of a raging storm?   

March, April May, June Monthly Sessions 2022

March, April May, June Monthly Sessions 2022

March, April May, June Monthly Sessions 2022

The Only Revolution


The only revolution is the inner revolution that fundamentally changes a human being, and thus, the world. It is a radical transformation that frees us from the story of “me” and from the divisions that cause violence and damage the natural world.


March 12: What is meditation?

April 9: The Boundary of Time. 

May 14: Loneliness and Fear. 

June 11: The calm of a quiet mind.

April 2022 - zoom workshop 10Am - Noon

March, April May, June Monthly Sessions 2022

April 2022 - zoom workshop 10Am - Noon

One Earth, One Humanity


It's imperative that we recognize and embrace our inter-dependent relationship with the natural world and with each other.  If we are to preserve the beauty and sustainability of the Earth for our children and grandchildren, there is no other place for us to begin  than with ourselves.


This three-part series explores our relationship with the natural world  through meditative inquiry.

ONE DAY RETREAT

new year retreat Jan.8 & 9 Opening to the Unknown

April 2022 - zoom workshop 10Am - Noon

Being with the Earth 

One Day Retreat-  April 23, 2022


 This retreat is designed to help us recover and embrace our deep connection with the natural world. Our aim is to relax, de-stress and be in union with nature and with each other. Our day together includes walking mediation, meditative inquiry,  and body/mind relaxation.  

Is Inner Transformation limited by Time?

new year retreat Jan.8 & 9 Opening to the Unknown

new year retreat Jan.8 & 9 Opening to the Unknown

Time and the Timeless

April 9, 2022 -  Zoom 

11AM - 12:30 PM

Krishnamurti Educational Centre 


As we know all too well, our lives are governed by time. We waste time, save time, lose time, resist time, and try to overcome time as. What is your relationship with time?  Is inner transformation limited by time?

 "To realize what is eternal, time must stop," Krishnamurti once said. 

But can time actually stop?   

new year retreat Jan.8 & 9 Opening to the Unknown

new year retreat Jan.8 & 9 Opening to the Unknown

new year retreat Jan.8 & 9 Opening to the Unknown

A New Beginning 

Weekend Retreat - Jan. 8 -9 , 2022

Temecula, CA


Every moment is a new beginning, but we are not aware of this most of the time. Sages and saints have pointed to the silent awareness that reveals  the hidden treasure in the human heart. This retreat is an exploration into the art of deep listening and the joy it brings us.


2021 Summaries of Cynthia's Workshops & Retreats

2021 workshop & retreat summaries

Oct. 2021 - 3 DAY WORKSHOP

Oct. 2021 - 3 DAY WORKSHOP

Oct. 2021 - 3 DAY WORKSHOP

Sages and mystics throughout the world have emphasized for centuries that the highest intelligence we can encounter is the wisdom of our own heart. The great Indian mystic, Kabir Das, put it this way: “Lift the veil that obscures the heart and there you will find what you are looking for.” What are we really looking for? What is the “veil” that obscures it? How do courage, connection and compassion awaken us to an authentic relationship with our innermost being? 

These are some questions we’ll explore together. 


Each session will include meditative inquiry, body/mind relaxation, intervals of silence, sacred music and insights from the great teachings of East and West. Join us for an exploration of the inner awareness that unites the mind with the wisdom of the heart.

June 2021 - 3 DAY WORKSHOP

Oct. 2021 - 3 DAY WORKSHOP

Oct. 2021 - 3 DAY WORKSHOP

Seeing with the inner perception that transcends the ordinary mind is not common for most of us, but neither is it the exclusive domain of the few. To see without the filter of thought happens of its own accord ― it’s not something that we can do. But there is something we can give: our attention. The quality of our attention determines the quality of our seeing. In order to “see” we need to get out of our own way. 

At the same time, when the mind is completely silent, no-one is there, just the seeing.

The aim of our workshop is to relax into inner quietude and explore what prevents us from being in communion with the seeing awareness that is transformative and timeless. Each of our three sessions includes a presentation, intervals of body relaxation, sacred music, and the inner quietude we need to delve into the art of seeing as directly as we can.

2021 more event summaries

December 2021 - A New Mind and Heart - Living & Dying

December 2021 - A New Mind and Heart - Living & Dying

December 2021 - A New Mind and Heart - Living & Dying

 Inner Freedom & Compassion


 A more harmonious and compassionate world is something we all long for, but what is required of us?  We know the answer intellectually — we need a radical inner transformation. But the intellect is not going to transform us. This monthly series explores what a new mind and heart point to.  Attend one session or all of them. 

Each session is unique. Join us!  


December 18:   Living and Dying:

November 20: Beauty and the Sacred  

October 16:  Compassion & Indifference 

September 18:  The Mirror of Relationship: 

August 21:  Beyond Violence: 


April 2021 - Silent Awareness - 4 Day Workshop

December 2021 - A New Mind and Heart - Living & Dying

December 2021 - A New Mind and Heart - Living & Dying

Silent Awareness 


"There is a silence which predates time. It was there before we were born and will be there when we die. The Buddha called it “empty space, the home of the awakened mind.” 


"This powerful and healing Presence has always been within us and around us, yet  with rare exceptions, it goes unnoticed. Why? What stands in the way?" 


This online series is based on the book 

Silent Awareness: The Revelation That Changes Everything


Selected 2021 & 2020 Summaries of Cynthia's Workshops & Retreats

2021 and 2020 Archived Summaries of Talks & Retreats

Nov 20, 2021 - Beauty and the Sacred

2021- Feb, Mar, April, May - monthly sessions

Oct 30, 2021 Online Retreat - GRATITUDE

  Beauty and the Sacred 


Without the sensitivity to perceive beauty, self-transformation is only an idea. What is the relationship between beauty and the Sacred?

Oct 30, 2021 Online Retreat - GRATITUDE

2021- Feb, Mar, April, May - monthly sessions

Oct 30, 2021 Online Retreat - GRATITUDE

  A Morning of Renewal & Healing


Can we re-imagine our life’s journey with a new perspective that empowers us? In this meditative inquiry, we will explore how the power of gratitude can bring healing and renewal into our lives.

2021- Feb, Mar, April, May - monthly sessions

2021- Feb, Mar, April, May - monthly sessions

2021- Feb, Mar, April, May - monthly sessions

 The Intimacy of Life 

 

 A compassionate world is something we all long for, but what is required of us?  In these 4 sessions, we'll engage with the art of self-transformation.


Nov 20 -22, 2020 Beauty & Sensitivity

Nov 20 -22, 2020 Beauty & Sensitivity

2021- Feb, Mar, April, May - monthly sessions

When Krishnamurti spoke of beauty, he linked it to a heightened level of sensitivity, and to a quality of seeing that transcends the conditioned mind.  In our highly polarized world, burdened by multiple crises on a scale we’ve not seen before, how do we approach living with sensitivity? Can we have an authentic relationship with beauty in such a world?   

Dec 15, 2020 Equanimity in Crisis

Nov 20 -22, 2020 Beauty & Sensitivity

May 2020 Togetherness in Meditation

  As this tumultuous year draws to a close, we are now at the threshold of a great reckoning and a great awakening. This is an extraordinary time. While everything seems to be falling apart, there is also a growing awareness of the urgency for transformational change.  Join us for a sensitive exploration into sacred wholeness at a time of uncertainty and possibility.

May 2020 Togetherness in Meditation

Nov 20 -22, 2020 Beauty & Sensitivity

May 2020 Togetherness in Meditation

  The Stillness beyond Fear


“What does it mean to live with something which you don’t know?”

J. Krishnamurti


Join me in a breath meditation that relaxes body and mind. There is a stillness that is always available because it resides within you.

Cynthia's Archived Retreats & Workshops 2020 and 2019

2020 & 2019 Archived Summaries of Retreats & Workshops

May 2020 - Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada.

May 2020 - Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada.

May 2020 - Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada.

An exploration into interior silence, and what it teaches us about ourselves, our relationships with others, and the natural world. Our retreat includes a mixture of speech, deep listening, sacred music,  body relaxation, communion with nature, and periods of group  silence.

"It is only in alert silence that truth can be."  J .Krishnamurti

April 2020 - INNER SILENCE: Our Wisdom Teacher

May 2020 - Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada.

May 2020 - Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada.

 What is our relationship with silence? Can we approach silence as a great work of art that brings us closer to what the Buddha called “the other shore,” and what the Christ referred to as the “kingdom of heaven?”  Join for  a deep dive into the awareness that is timeless.
 

"We need silence just as much as we need air."  Thich Nhat Hanh  

Weekend Retreat at Krotona in Ojai, CA - Oct. 2019

May 2020 - Krishnamurti Educational Centre of Canada.

Weekend Retreat at Krotona in Ojai, CA - Oct. 2019

In stillness we are free of conflict and confusion. When we become still, new possibilities appear that reduce stress and strengthen us from within. This retreat is an entry point into the way of stillness. Join us for a day of relaxation and quietude in a beautiful natural setting at Krotona in Ojai.

BREAKING FREE - FOUR DAY WORKSHOP - Oct. 2019

Four Winds Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA. May 2019

Weekend Retreat at Krotona in Ojai, CA - Oct. 2019

 The great wisdom teachings of the world share one fundamental principle – the call to awaken to inner freedom. While this “waking-up” can happen in a timeless flash of insight, it seldom lasts long.
Awakening is both instantaneous and at the same time a process.  This workshop and retreat explores a deeper dimension of being.


Krotona Institute - 4 Sessions

Four Winds Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA. May 2019

Four Winds Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA. May 2019

Four Winds Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA. May 2019

 This program will explore the existential question: Who Am I?  It the most fundamental of all questions -- it is central to understanding of our purpose in life. Our exploration will include the views of Ramana Maharshi,  J. Krishnamurti and GI Gurdjieff. 


Four Winds Gallery, Santa Barbara 

Seating is limited.  

RENEWAL: Weekend Retreat April 2019

Four Winds Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA. May 2019

Four Winds Gallery, Santa Barbara, CA. May 2019

 Spring is a time of renewal. Flowers bloom with vibrant color, birdsong fills the air, and all of nature is alive with new energy and beauty. But does this renewal happen within us? Are we renewing our energy, vitality, and creativity?   Join us in a supportive and quiet atmosphere where inner tranquility is lovingly welcomed like an old friend.    

Krotona Institute. Lunch is provided.

ARCHIVED WORKSHOPS & RETREATS 2017 - 2018

2018 and 2017 Archived Summaries of Workshops & Retreats

Inner Silence & Freedom Workshop

The Ocean of Stillness One Day Silent Retreat

Krishnamurti on Nature 4 Morning Workshop

What is inner freedom? Why is it so elusive? How does a silent mind bring us closer to what is beautiful and true?


Our aim is to encounter the inner silence which ends conflict and opens us to wonder. 


October 23 - 26, 2018


Krishnamurti on Nature 4 Morning Workshop

The Ocean of Stillness One Day Silent Retreat

Krishnamurti on Nature 4 Morning Workshop

Krishnamurti wrote with great sensitivity about the  beauty and wonders of nature. His observations of the natural world convey, perhaps better than anything  else, his teaching about attention, inner freedom and the art of living. This program explores Krishnamurti’s profound kinship with nature, and what we can learn from his insights. 


April 17 - 20, 2018

The Ocean of Stillness One Day Silent Retreat

The Ocean of Stillness One Day Silent Retreat

The Ocean of Stillness One Day Silent Retreat

Inner silence is often imagined as an ocean; vast, deep, powerful and  unknown. When the mind is silent, life has exquisite beauty, balance and  equilibrium.  


In the ocean of silence, there are  no deadlines and no stress. To still the mind and relax in a supportive environment is the aim of this retreat. 


Saturday, October 29, 2018 

Freedom & The Search for Meaning Workshop

Loving the Earth - An Evening of Listening

The Ocean of Stillness One Day Silent Retreat

The quest for meaning and a longing for freedom are fundamental questions  of human existence. What  does it mean to be free? Is it possible to be free of seeking?  Our intention will be to delve deeply into these perennial questions. 


Workshops &  Retreats

Inner Peace Weekend Retreat

Loving the Earth - An Evening of Listening

Loving the Earth - An Evening of Listening

 Sages from every tradition tell us that peace has to come from within before  it can flourish in our lives and in the world. With stillness, deep  listening and communion with nature,  we'll relax and explore the stability and comfort of inner peace. 


Workshops & Retreats

Loving the Earth - An Evening of Listening

Loving the Earth - An Evening of Listening

Loving the Earth - An Evening of Listening

Join us for a tribute to the Earth. We’ll explore explore the beauty of the Earth; its sacred places, and discuss how a loving response to the natural world contributes to our well-being, and bring us closes to wholeness and  peace.

2015 - 2017 Archived Summaries of Workshops & Retreats

Hearts of Fire - Workshop 4 Mornings

A Poet, a Nun and a Yogi. 4 Day Workshop

The Power of Gratitude Weekend Retreat

 Three remarkable women; three remarkable stories about the search for the meaning of existence.  Mary Magdalene,  “the Apostle to the Apostles;" Sufi  mystic, Rabi’a al-Adawiyya, and Yeshe Tsogyal, a Tibetan yogini who  helped bring Buddhism to Tibet.  They  left a spiritual legacy which helps illuminate  our own search for inner freedom. spiritual awakening

The Power of Gratitude Weekend Retreat

A Poet, a Nun and a Yogi. 4 Day Workshop

The Power of Gratitude Weekend Retreat

The Power of Gratitude Retreat

Feeling and expressing Gratitude is powerful and life-affirming. Gratitude widens our horizons and lifts of our spirits. 


What  might our lives be like if we lived every day as a “thank-you?” 


Workshops & Retreats

A Poet, a Nun and a Yogi. 4 Day Workshop

A Poet, a Nun and a Yogi. 4 Day Workshop

A Poet, a Nun and a Yogi. 4 Day Workshop

What can the lives and work of three famous seekers of wisdom tell us about ourselves?

Dante Alighieri, Teresa of Avila, and the Tibetan saint Milarepa each had a deep connection with a larger vision of life. 


Workshops & Retreats

Warriors of Light Workshop - 4 Mornings

Warriors of Light Workshop - 4 Mornings

A Poet, a Nun and a Yogi. 4 Day Workshop

Hildegard  of Bingen and Julian of Norwich were spiritual visionaries. They offered wisdom to a fragmented and  chaotic world that was quite similar to our own. They spoke of a  divine unity that connects us to one another and to all of creation.  We’ll explore what these two women can teach us, and how we can benefit from listening to  them. 


Workshops & Retreats

Can War Ever End? An Evening Gathering

Warriors of Light Workshop - 4 Mornings

Can War Ever End? An Evening Gathering

Can the cycle of war ever come to an end?  Why is there perpetual conflict throughout the world?
 Join us for a discussion about the causes of conflict that lead to war, and what, if anything, can be done to prevent it.


Proceeds will be donated to 

Save the Children.


At the Ojai Retreat

 Ojai, CA workshops & retreats

A Still Mind - One Day Retreat

Warriors of Light Workshop - 4 Mornings

Can War Ever End? An Evening Gathering

The  stress and turbulence of daily life can be overwhelming. We long for a  place to retreat and feel refreshed by a sense of beauty and inner quiet. But  where is that quiet  space we need?  


We'll explore a practice of quietude inspired by the wisdom of Ramana Maharshi and J.  Krishnamurti. 


Workshops & Retreats


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