Conference “Knowledge and Devotion” | with OM C. Parkin, Mary Angelon Young und Jacques Vigne
The Ascending and Descending Spiritual Paths
The path of knowledge and the path of devotion – how can these two polar spiritual paths come together in the consciousness of a human being?
For a real encounter, perhaps even a union of two seemingly opposing inner forces to occur, discernment is needed first. What does the “path of knowledge” mean? What misunderstandings exist about it in the mind of an (inner) person? On the other hand, what does it mean to walk a “path of devotion”? Through the physical form of a spiritual teacher, the emphasis on one path or the other naturally appears, but a separation of the two arises solely in the thinking mind.
This conference opens up the encounter with the path of knowledge and the path of devotion, embodied by the present teachers who will share their insights and practices. As different as the traditions may be from which the teachers work, it remains open where the path really leads.
The spiritual teacher and close disciple of Master Lee Lozowick, Mary Angelon Young, the psychiatrist and spiritual teacher Dr. Jacques Vigne and the wisdom teacher and philosopher OM C. Parkin accompany the participants on an inner journey of discernment and incipient union.
Through God’s left hand, the female path of descent leads into love and death, and through the right hand, the male path of ascent leads into truth and life. But love without truth is worthless – and truth without love is worthless.
OM C. Parkin
Speakers
OM C. Parkin
OM C. Parkin is a spiritual master, mystic, philosopher and book author. He is the initiator of the OM Foundation Inner Science, director of the Mystery School Enneallionce – School of the Fourth Way and founder of the modern Monastery Gut Saunstorf – Place of Stillness.
The teaching of the silent tradition, which he also calles Inner Science, is based on the one hand on the Eastern advaita tradition (teaching of non-duality, best known representative in the West is Ramana Maharshi), as well as on the teachings of the Integral Yoga of the Indian sage Aurobindo Ghose, and on the other hand on Western paths of experience (e.g. Christian mysticism, Georges I. Gurdjieff: The Fourth Way).
The Highest Path – a Talk with OM C. Parkin
OM C. Parkin gives an orientation in the totality of all possible paths of liberation that exist for human beings. He explains their limitations as well as their preciousness. While it is true that “all roads lead to Rome” in the end, there are detours, wrong paths and dead ends into which inner seekers may stumble. OM describes the highest path, the paradoxical path, that path of integral teaching, in which all seemingly divergent paths of knowledge and devotion have reached union.
For those interested in delving deeper before the conference, we recommend the textbook by OM C. Parkin, “Intelligence of Awakening – Navigating the Wisdom Path “, published by Gateways Books & Tapes.
Mary Angelon Young
Mary Angelon Young’s commitment to the path of transformation began at the age of eighteen. Since 1987, she has been practicing and studying a synthesis of Bhakti and Tantra – associated with the wandering, radical mystics of Bengal, the Bauls – under the guidance of her American teacher Lee Lozowick (1943-2010) in the lineage of his Indian master Yogi Ramsuratkumar (1918-2001).
As a close companion of her teacher, Mary traveled for many years on pilgrimages through India, Europe and North America and lived in her teacher’s Triveni Ashram. She has published numerous books, including spiritual memoirs, Dharma, biographies (one on Yogi Ramsuratkumar), novels and countless articles and essays. She is a writing mentor and editor of several ashram journals.
Through her passion for esoteric studies, mythology and creativity, she opens doors into the direct experience of inner wisdom, self-knowledge and transformation. She is a mother and grandmother and lives with her husband at Triveni Ashram in the high desert mountains of Arizona.
The Female Path to God
By treading female paths to transformation and invoking God with stories, songs and teachings from her guru, Mary Angelon Young will share her experiences and insights gained from practicing Tantra and Bhakti over many years on the path. She will show us how to explore deeply our heart through chanting, kirtan, writing and rituals, and introduce the practice of bhakti. This is an effective way to bring humility into everything we do. The more humility we experience, the more the sacred world around us reveals its true nature.
When we dive deeply into the female dimension of our being, we gain the self-knowledge necessary to digest, transform and integrate experiences. In this process of embodiment, a precious alchemy takes place that leads us to an inner wedding of soul and mind, mind and body, masculine and feminine. Working with the interaction of these apparent opposites – the experience of non-dual unity, which is possible here and now – spirals the path into infinite landscapes of creation. In our depths, the divine Shakti flows through our consciousness to guide us through the complex challenges of the world.
Mary Angelon Young has written an article about this: Starlink – Reflections on the Divine Feminine.
Dr. Jacques Vigne
Dr. Jacques Vigne is a French psychatrist. After his studies, he went to India. There he studied yoga and traditional Indian philosophy at the University in Varanasi. Then he lived for a decade with his master Swami Vijayânanda, a French doctor and close Western disciple of the sage Mâ Anandamayî.
He spent much of his life, over a period of 12 years, as a hermit. Since 2010, he has been close to Tenzin Palmo, the oldest Western woman to become a Tibetan nun. Jacques has written 17 books, the main theme of which is the connection between spiritual psychology and meditation. He has translated many of his writings into various languages. He has also supported humanitarian projects in India for over 30 years.
The Inner Wedding
The inner wedding is an ancient theme of the mysticism that can be found in many traditions. In meditative yoga, it corresponds to the union of the female and male energy channels, Ida and Pingala, usually in the heart or in the center of the forehead. The most significant corresponding gesture is the jointing of the two thumbs, either physically in the meditation posture or more subtly in visualisation. This union has the power to quickly calm the mind and is therefore extremely valuable.
Jacques has written a comprehensive book on this subject, detailing the various forms of this mystical connection in different traditions. Thanks to his background as a psychiatrist, he will also approach this topic from the perspective of modern psychology and neuroscience. His contribution to the conference, which will include the philosophical background as well as practical elements, will basically be very simple: the experience of uniting the left and right energy channels in the center, which leads to a specific and felt sense of non-duality.
Time schedule
Friday, 6 September
06:00 pm Dinner
07:30 pm Welcome & Introduction
8:00 pm Mary Angelon Young
The Feminine – The only Gateway to God: Bhakti, Jnana, and the Middle Path of Tantra
Saturday, 7 September
08:00 am Silent Meditation
08:30 am Breakfast
10:00 am Mary Angelon Young
Living with Reality, Cultivating Rasa: A Talk with Chanting and Questions
13:00 pm Lunch
01:30 pm Coffee & Cake
03:30 pm Jacques Vigne
The Inner Wedding in Hinduism and Buddhism: Tradition and some Correlations with Neuroscience
06:00 pm Dinner
08:00 pm Jacques Vigne
Bridal Mysticism in Christianity: When Devotion Opens to Non-Duality
Sunday, 8 September
08:00 am Silent Meditation
08:30 am Breakfast
10:00 am Talks with OM C. Parkin
The Highest Path
11:00 am Drinking Tea – Conversation between OM C. Parkin and Jacques Vigne
01:00 pm Lunch
the program may be subject to change.
The touch was already there before the conference, the topic attracted me. I have never looked for a spiritual path, never looked for a spiritual teacher. The different paths (Zen, Bhakti, Integral Yoga) appealed to me and the conference was rich and intense for me. I wanted to hear what Zen is and what Bhakti is, and being able to experience them in short sequences nourished me deeply. What touched me deeply was the inner journey that I encountered in my youth. During these days, I also felt a growing appreciation of being with OM and the Sangha. Walking the path with OM is my path. This became very clear to me at this conference. I feel blessed and nourished by it. The call of the soul is getting louder and I want to follow it.
Quote from Hanna W. about the 2023 conference
Practical information
Times
Day of arrival Fri, September 6th
Check in for board & lodging: 3:00 – 5:00 pm
Check in for the event: 4:00 – 5:30 pm
Start with the common dinner: 6 pm
You can plan your departure on Sunday around 2.00 pm, after lunch together.
This event is bilingual (German/English). Translation is possible on request.
Event contribution
€ 240,-
At this event, the ticket price is supported by the Foundation.
You will receive more detailed information on payment with your registration confirmation.
Board & Lodging
Your board and lodging at Gut Saunstorf Monastery must be booked separately using the following booking form, which you will also receive with your registration confirmation by e-mail.
Venue
Gut Saunstorf Monastery - Place of Stillness
Am Gutspark
D-23996 Saunstorf
www.monastery-saunstorf.com
The modern Monastery Gut Saunstorf - Place of Stillness, located near the German city of Schwerin, is dedicated to retreat and contemplation. It invites seekers of every confession and tradition to rediscover their own inner stillness in meetings with OM C. Parkin, at events or simply in a time of introspection and meditation.
Three Questions for the Conference Speakers
In advance, we asked the speakers three questions concerning, among other things, the distinction and unification of the two paths on the inner journey.
Additional Information
In May this year, Mary Angelon Young was a guest in our online programme “Meeting with Teachers – Navigating the Wisdom Path”.
