Katie Davis Websites ~ Updated

You are invited to enjoy our new websites at www.KatieDavis.org, www.SundanceBurke.org and www.SundanceandKatie.org. All three websites offer free awakening videos with Advaita satsang videos, talks and television and radio interviews with beautiful slide shows and music.

The Friends of the Heart Newsletter with articles by Sundance and Katie on non-duality, Advaita, enlightenment, meditation and awake living is now available on all three websites.

In addition, you may enjoy published articles from magazines and newspapers, biographies for Katie Davis, author, Awake Joy and Sundance Burke, author, Free Spirit; information about scheduling a private appointment, a great photo gallery that chronicles Sundance and Katie's two month travels with Eckhart Tolle on his first Power of Now Tour and Sundance and Katie's Awake Joy and Free Spirit Tour 2008; Advaita and non-dual event testimonials, an event schedule with upcoming events in Seattle, Portland, Boulder, Ridgway, Telluride, Carlsbad and LA; and Sundance's WiseCracks for light-hearted wisdom.

At www.KatieDavis.org and www.SundanceBurke.org, you will also find information about Advaita Vedanta and Advaita Satsang and at the Store, their new hardbound books are available as well as the Heart of Life e-book by Katie Davis. There is information at Awakening Groups about who to contact locally for meditation programs, book clubs, video groups and conference and event organizers. If you have an awakening group, the listings are free. On the websites, you may also directly access Katie's blog at the www.AwakebyKatie.blogspot.com and www.SundanceandKatie.blogspot.com.

A complete list of Advaita and awakening links to teachers, artists, musicians, poets and organizations helps you access additional resources for awakening to life's purpose.

Finally, the Contact pages on each website shares how to contact Awake in order to host an event or Advaita Satsang in your area or how to schedule an appointment.

Enjoy!

Conflict or Perfect Peace by Katie Davis, Author, Awake Joy

Question:

I am looking for some type of hope or some encouraging words. As this war continues, it is depressing and disheartening. I want to be hopeful, but there is so much suffering. Do you have any advice or encouragement about how to deal with war and the related discomfort? Any message at all would help.

Katie:

From your current reference point, that of the "dreaming I," you believe that you are limited to the body/mind. From that reference point, the world is but a mirror that is reflecting the delusions of the misidentified state of consciousness. "Dreaming I" is under the assumption that it is separated from the Heart; supreme intelligence and unconditional love. Within that unattainable separation is the pain gap. It may sound radical, but nonetheless, suffering is not in the world. The suffering is within you. Therefore, the only answer for enduring world peace is the awakening and to continue that journey to Self-realization. In this, we realize that we are perfect peace. With full embodiment, we are "our beautiful world" that is pure consciousness and free of suffering. The mirror can only clear by realizing the illumined mind and still heart.

Regarding your question, pointers can help you to be more present in the life situation and with this, the possibility of awakening draws near. Whether war in the world or the everyday conflict that you experience in relationships, the cause and effect are identical. In the world-mirror, we are currently noticing massive human suffering. We are able to look directly at the insanity and madness caused by ignorance and unconsciousness. Could the mirror be pointing it out and stating it any more clearly than it is?!

When we believe that the world appearance can "make" us suffer, we are not taking responsibility and we are giving away our true power. We are then hopelessly tossed about by the waves of emotion in constant reaction to the life situation. My first pointer is to continue self-observation. Based on the past, you will find that your own conditioned thoughts and judgments about the war are the cause of your depression. Watch your thoughts and notice that when you indentify with them, you suffer. If you watch thought, it is impossible to identify with it. Without identification, the emotional reaction does not occur. I am not asking you to get involved with the thoughts and process them. I am asking you to simply watch them and stand free. Thoughts are not the problem; identification with them causes suffering.

During this self-observation, you soon meet what Eckhart Tolle, author of A New Earth and Power of Now, calls the "pain body;" the apparent void of collective suffering. As Eckhart Tolle explains, when the collective pain body rises up, it uses us and feeds on more pain and therefore gains strength. Instead of fueling it, we can allow the emotion to be as it is, while resting as stillness. In this, a natural transmutation occurs as the pain is transformed into love. However, if you find yourself spiraling deeper and deeper into the suffering, invite it in to explore. I am not suggesting that you act it out, but find out whether the pain body ultimately exists in the core of your being or whether in the end, it is an illusion. Taking this as a concept is not the remedy. This discovery must be direct and the investigation is required. Otherwise, the pain body will resurface time and again to either be fueled or freed.

When you are ready to explore the absolute Truth that is prior to thought, emotion and form, we begin the exploration of what is prior to the "dreaming I" and its objects. We shift beyond awakening and enter the adventure of Self-realization. Through direct Self-inquiry, we realize who this "dreaming I" truly is. My new book, Awake Joy, guides beyond ego to the awakening, but it also completes the journey, as does Sundance's new book, Free Spirit. An Advaita expert and scholar of Advaita scriptures, Dennis Waite, shared that Sundance's presentation of Self-inquiry is the clearest and most complete guide that he has ever read.

In closing, you are not separate from that which is occurring. You are That within which the act of war or no war is occurring. By focusing on who you are, instead of taking sides, you are conscious freedom. Taking sides is part of the war. The concept of conditional peace is opposing the concept of war. In other words, hating war is the same hatred that is being acted out in the violence on the battlefield. Hate begets hate. We do not identify with either polarity. Perfect peace is transcendent of war and transcendent of relative peace. Resistance does not bring about change. Resistance perpetuates whatever you are resisting. Surrender is key.

You mentioned that you wanted to be hopeful. Honestly, hope is not required and this is the truth. Hope is a future endeavor; a better tomorrow. You do not need more time to be the perfect peace that you are right now. We have only to become conscious of what is within us now, but buried beyond all of the false ideas of the intellect. ~ Katie Davis, Author, Awake Joy

Passion for the Sacred ~ Sonjan

Beloved Sonjan ... Passion for the Sacred ... the Heart is singing this poetry ... soaring ... in its stillness. I am grateful for this poem, lovely music and imagery. Thank you for this lovely video!

Sonjan is author of Delicious Silence and other ecstatic poetry books. In-Joy!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=8DjOMQ8E0c8

Katie Davis, www.KatieDavis.org

Who Is Weary? I Am. Who am I? ~ Dialogues with Katie Davis

Question:

I am calling because I feel tired and weary. I just don't think that I am ever going to get it! I keep getting carried away by these emotional dramas and it is exhausting. I have been on this path a long time and I am totally frustrated!

Katie:

I suppose that we could begin by being Quiet …

I would like you to take a moment and just close your eyes. No effort, just relaxing, just simply being. Observe how delicate the air feels as it effortlessly and naturally comes and goes through your nose ...

Notice the aliveness within the body. Go ahead, could you notice that now?

(silence)

Now, take a look around the room you are sitting in ...

Are you noticing the space in the room, listening to the space ... the silence. Listen with every cell of your body.

(long pause)

While I am speaking, I would like you to simply be aware of your breathing. Is it possible to just be the silence and spaciousness through which these words flow? Being silence, can we allow these live words to rise and simply welcome them back to the silence ... dropping back into who we are. In other words, we honor the Quiet, the stillness, that we are. We have no identification or attachment with our thoughts or concepts. Do you see?

Question:

This is like a meditation ... except you are speaking ...

Katie:

Yes, we are in meditation; listening and noticing; just allowing the movenment of words while remaining quiet and still ...

There are many, many pathways that ascend this mountain to spiritual realization, but we are all traversing the same mountain. At the summit, we are left with one remaining essential question, “Who am I?”

(silence)

When you first called, you said, "I am tired and weary." Who is that? Who are you when you say that? Remember, you are just breathing and conscious now of the words as you speak ... still a meditation.

Question:

... well, that was the ego ... I see that now ... and it is the body that is tired ...

Katie:

So the way that you are saying that, you are aware that you are not the body? I noticed that you did not say "my" body.

Question:

Right now, I am totally aware that I am not the body. I am ...

Katie:

When you say "I am," who is that? Will you ask this question, "Who am I?" You are still aware of your breathing and just ask this question. We are not looking for a mental reply, meaning another thought in replay ... such as the word "I." Relaxed and just noticing, watching, breathing, ask "Who am I?"

(long silence) ... and then barely audible, "calm peace."

Katie:

This calm peace is consistently everywhere that you are. In fact, you are this perfect peace. When we get lost in "doing" we tend to fall unconscious of thought. In this, we identify with thoughts without being conscious of the fact and suddenly, we find the body tired and weary. This weariness is from identification with thought, not the circumstances in the life situation. Do you see this? Misidentification with compulsive thought is tiresome and it makes the body feel weary.

The thought itself is not problematic. It is just another powerless thought ... a meditation. However, when we are not present, when we forget that we are always in meditation, then we suffer.

Even that is not problematic. Sooner or later, you notice the unease. Then, it is time to do the work. How difficult is it to just ask the question, "Who is weary?" The answer will always be the "I" that thinks that it is the ego-body. The correct answer then is "I am." Then, one step further, doing the work, you ask, "Who am I?" ... and you are back as perfect peace.

Instead, many times, we fall into storyline. Instead of doing the work, the "ego" judges and thinks, "I am never going to get it!"

Who? ... Then, Who am I?

Writings, dialogues, free awakening videos and Katie's Blog (Awake by Katie) accessible at:

www.KatieDavis.org

Vancouver Satsang, British Columbia Satsang ~ Vancouver BC Heart Family Photo Gallery ~ Organizer Lynda Cole

Vancouver Satsang and British Columbia Satsang ~ Vancouver Heart Family Photos from Katie Davis and Sundance Burke ~ Organizer Lynda Cole of Embracing the Now.

Turn your speakers on! The photo gallery is accompanied by beautiful music by Kirtana from her A Deeper Surrender CD,

These photos were taken after satsangs and a satsang intensive by Katie Davis and Sundance Burke that was organized by Lynda Cole of Embracing the Now. The gallery also chronicles Sundance and Katie's travels with Eckhart Tolle. They became friends with him before the Power of Now published. When it published, they were invited to travel with him for two months on his first Power of Now tour. In fact, in 2004, it was Eckhart who encouraged Sundance and Katie to write their books Awake Joy and Free Spirit.

Other Heart friends are from Seattle, Mount Rainier, Dallas, Plano, Flagstaff, Tempe, Chandler, Chicago, Highland Park and Toronto.

More information at www.KatieDavis.org and www.SundanceBurke.org.

In-joy!! by clicking: www.KatieDavis.org/PhotoGallery.html

Toronto Satsang, Ontario Satsang ~ Heart Family Photos ~ Organizers Paul Evans, Bharangi, Rising Sun

Ontario Satsang and Toronto Satsang ~ Heart Family Photo Gallery from Katie Davis and Sundance Burke ~ Organizer Paul Evans of Toronto Nonduality Group and Bharangi of The Rising Sun.

Turn your speakers on! The photo gallery is accompanied by beautiful music by Kirtana from her A Deeper Surrender CD

Paul Evans planned a wonderful and fun day trip for us after our satsangs and satsang intensives and a few Heart friends joined us. The gallery has lovely photos of Niagra Falls with a full arch rainbow and a stop at the Butterfly Emporium was a highlight.

Also included are photos of Sundance and Katie's two month travels with Eckhart Tolle. They became friends before the Power of Now published. When the book published, they were invited to help of his first Power of Now Tour. In fact, in 2004, it was Eckhart who encouraged them to write Awake Joy and Free Spirit. The books just published.

Also chronicled are photos of our Hear friends in Seattle, Mount Rainier, Dallas, Flagstaff, Chicago and Vancouver BC.

In-joy!! by clicking: www.KatieDavis.org/PhotoGallery.html

More information at www.KatieDavis.org and www.SundanceBurke.org.

Chicago Satsang, Midwest Satsang ~ Illinois Heart Family Photos ~ Organizer Maggie, Charlie Wilkins, One Heart

Chicago Satsang and Midwest Satsang ~ Illinois Heart Family Photo Gallery by Katie Davis and Sundance Burke ~ Organizers, Maggie and Charlie Wilkins of One Heart Teachings.

Turn you speakers on! The photo gallery is accompanied with beautiful music by Kirtana from her A Deeper Surrender Cd.

The gallery also chronicles Sundance and Katie's travels with Eckhart Tolle. They became friends with Eckhart before Power of Now was published and traveled with him on his first Power of Now tour. In fact, it was Eckhart Tolle who encouraged them to write Awake Joy and Free Spirit which just published. Also included are photos of the Heart Family in Dallas, Flagstaff, Sedona, Dallas, Tempe, Chandler, Toronto, Seattle and Vancouver BC.

In-joy! by clicking: www.KatieDavis.org/PhotoGallery.html