How Meditation Improves the Management of the Innovation Process

Guest Presenter: Jarie Bolander
Sat, 18 Dec 2010, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
At: 401 Baker St, San Francisco, CA
Jarie Bolander is an engineer by training and an entrepreneur by nature. For the past fifteen years, he has focused his career on building innovative products that make peoples lives easier and safer. His first book, Frustration Free Technical Management details his philosophy on managing creative people for success. Part of that philosophy is to rely on the rhythm of innovation to creative wonderful inventions while still having a life.. He is also a community leader who is currently the President of the North Panhandle Neighborhood Association, a vibrant community in the heart of San Francisco. Through his community leadership, he has seen first hand the power of calm, caring people who transcend ego and self gain to create wonderful communities. Jarie also blogs about innovation, entrepreneurship and management at the http://www.thedailymba.com. He holds a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and a MBA in Technology Management. You can follow him on twitter @thedailymba.

Light refreshments will be served. The event is free of charge.
Interested? Click here to register (optional).

Changing the Dream of the Modern World
Guest Presenter: Jon Symes

Sat, 20 Nov 2010, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
At: 401 Baker St, San Francisco, CA
In his first career Jon set up and ran a successful business consultancy working with multi-national companies around the world, he coached senior executives and trod the boards as a professional speaker. Ultimately he left that path behind in search of a more meaningful contribution and in his 06 publication, Your Planet Needs You, he mapped the challenges we face in creating and living a new future and showed ways to overcome these. His own life now is an endeavor to walk this talk with passion and joy, and to tell the story of the many adventures this produces.

This path has taken Jon to the USA from Britain where he is now Program Director of the worldwide Awakening the Dreamer Initiative for the Pachamama Alliance. He has helped develop this message and taken it to places like China, New Zealand, Ecuador and Ireland, from where he has gathered a wealth of stories about what’s possible for the human family.

Light refreshments will be served. The event is free of charge.
Interested? Click here to register (optional).

Embracing Abundance™ your pathway to authentic prosperity

Guest Presenter: Normand René Poulin
Sat, 18 Sept 2010, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
At: 401 Baker St, San Francisco, CA

As a Sacred Space consultant, Feng Shui specialist, Spiritual Counselor and former hospice minister, Normand is an exceptional teacher and guide to living mindfully and creating authentic environments that nurture and inspire the heart & soul!

He is founder and principal of Living Consciously by Design, Inc. and the creative force behind the Embracing Abundance guided meditation audio CD series and workshops, and the Infinite Blessings product line, belongings for mindful living.

Normand is available for residential and commercial consultations, spiritual counseling and life coaching, specialized workshops, retreats and lectures related to mindful living and abundance consciousness:

∞ Thriving...in a chaotic world! ~ Embracing Soul-Full Prosperity

∞ Embracing Seasonal Prosperity

∞ Creating Sacred Space ~ personal sanctuaries for the everyday!

∞ Creating Environments that nurture, heal and empower!

∞ Hospice Retreats ~ Creating Life-Affirming Environments

∞ Spiritual Counseling and Life Coaching

∞ Sacred Space Design Projects with holistic emphasis

∞ Feng Shui specialist

∞ Customized guided meditations for special events and celebrations

∞ Facilitation of ceremony, conscious rituals and blessings for couples & groups

Light refreshments will be served. The event is free of charge.
Interested? Click here to register (optional).

How to use your Career (no matter what it is) to Assist in Humanity's Awakening

Guest Presenter: Daniel B Holeman Sat, 21 Aug 2010, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM At: 401 Baker St, San Francisco, CA Artistic talent combined with life-long exploration of consciousness and spirituality has given Daniel B. Holeman an ability to depict uplifting and profound sacred imagery. His inspirational paintings have a strong and profound impact. His Website, www.AwakenVisions.com is a special world to explore and enjoy - a Domain of Beauty, Inspiration, Insight and Spiritual Awakening. In addition to the artwork, Awaken Visions is a haven for truth seekers, consciousness explorers and all who appreciate the beauty found in living from the Heart. At a young age Daniel had a profound spiritual awakening and experienced the nature of pure consciousness from which the manifested world is created.  Since then his life has been about deepening that awareness and sharing it with others through art, lifestyle and conversation.  He is committed to bringing forth an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling, and socially just human presence on the planet as the guiding principle of our time. Daniel encourages all to join and contribute to the Earth's Awakening in whatever ways they can. Light refreshments will be served. The event is free of charge. Interested? Click here to register (optional).

Omnology: The study of everything in particular

Neal Rogin is an Emmy winning, Oscar-nominated writer, filmmaker and social observer whose work has had an impact on millions of people around the world. His latest film, “The Awakening Universe”, co-created with poet Drew Dellinger and based upon the book, The Universe Story by Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry, explores how the New Cosmology is changing the very definition of what it means to be a person. He is a member of the board of directors of The Pachamama Alliance, a non-profit partnership between people from the modern world and indigenous people in the Amazon region of Ecuador, and is part of the development team that created the Awakening the Dreamer Symposium, the purpose of which is to bring forth and environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling and socially just human presence on this planet as the guiding principle of our time. He is the co-author of three critically acclaimed books, and is a member of the Transformational Leadership Council, and the Turning Tide Coalition. He recently received the first Green Filmmaker Award at the Sedona International Film Festival.

THE POWER OF CARTOONS - Peace Through Applied Silliness

Brian Narelle is a cartoonist, screenwriter, teacher, animator, actor, pilot, and writer. He has written and animated for Sesame Street, is a puppeteer, and teaches cartooning to children at the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, CA. He has been an animator and actor in feature films, flown missions for Angel Flight--a service that provides transportation for people in need of medical care, and written a book about a donkey he once knew. While most of his adult life has focused on the arts, Brian initially went to school to study marine biology. But after bumping into "the realities of biochemistry," he changed course. "Cartooning and screenwriting became my vehicles for uncovering and expressing the truth," he said. "I left the test tubes behind." One of Brian’s cartoons received an honorable mention in last year’s contest and appeared as a bonus cartoon in the 2008 Scientific Integrity Calendar.

Living as a Peaceful Warrior

Dan Millman, a former world-champion gymnast, martial arts instructor and college professor, is author of the international classic, Way of the Peaceful Warrior (adapted to film in 2006 and graphic novel in 2010). His other books, including No Ordinary Moments, The Life You Were Born to Live, The Laws of Spirit, Everyday Enlightenment, and The Journeys of Socrates, have touched the lives of millions of readers in more than 30 languages. Dan speaks worldwide, presenting realistic ways to live with courage, clarity and compassion, here and now - with a peaceful heart and a warrior spirit. Dan's work has influenced men and women from all walks of life, including leaders in the fields of health, psychology, education, business, politics, sports, entertainment and the arts.
For details: www.peacefulwarrior.com

Over the Rainbow: A Spiritual Story

Americ Azevedo teaches at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a life-long meditator and philosopher of everyday life. In addition to his background in philosophy and world religions, he has taught and worked in computer technology, where he was a pioneer in online education and virtual communities; and in business, as a consultant specializing in company reorganizations. He has conducted "Philosopher's Forums" in the community, as well as leading meditation retreats. He currently teaches Nonviolence, Engineering Ethics, and Meditation.

The Way of the Foo Ling Master: Initiation Into Laughter

Steve Bhaerman is an internationally known author, humorist, and workshop leader. For the past 22 years, he has written and performed as Swami Beyondananda, the "Cosmic Comic." Swami's comedy has been described both as "comedy disguised as wisdom" and "wisdom disguised as comedy."

As Swami, Steve has written four books, including Swami for Precedent: A 7-Step Plan to Heal the Body Politic and Cure Electile Dysfunction.

In his "past life" (before Swami), Steve started an alternative high school in Washington, D.C., taught history to autoworkers at Wayne State University, and co-founded Pathways Magazine in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

His latest book, written with cellular biologist Bruce H. Lipton, PhD is Spontaneous Evolution: Our Positive Future and a Way to Get There From Here (Hay House, 2009). Steve is active in transpartisan politics and the practical application of Spontaneous Evolution. He can be found online at http://www.wakeuplaughing.com/

Spirituality 2.0

Maurizio Benazzo Maurizio Benazzo grew up in Genova, Italy, where he spent the early part of his adult life working in an endless list of jobs . In 1985 Maurizio set out to cross the Atlantic Ocean to reach the United States on a 98 years old Lateen sailboat. The journey landed Maurizio in New York City where he remained for 17 years, pursuing a career in television and motion picture production both in front of and behind the camera.

In 2001 he directed and produced, with Nick Day, the documentary Short Cut to Nirvana, a movie about the Maha Kumbha Mela, the biggest gathering in the history of humanity. The film was released theatrically in the USA and Germany receiving high praises and awards.

In 2004 he founded Neti Neti Media producing several DVDs mostly on Nisargadatta Maharaj (the author of the book "I Am That") and in 2009 he started, with his companion Zaya, the groundbreaking conference Science And Nonduality.

Let's meet beyond the I, beyond ideas, beyond our perceived truth. In that space beyond agreement and disagreement, In that space where there is " .....". - M. Benazzo

Strengthening Interpersonal Relationships Through Interfaith Dialogue

Meditation Center Michael G. Pappas was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. He graduated from Dickinson College (Carlisle, PA) in 1983, after which he successively worked as a lobbyist, Regional Field Director for a presidential campaign and investment banker for the oldest municipal bond firm in New Jersey.

In 1987, he left the world of politics & finance and enrolled at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, attaining an M.Div. with honors in the class of 1992. An ordained priest of the Greek Orthodox Church, Michael served parishes in Palos Hills, IL, Stockton, CA and San Francisco, CA.

During his sixteen-year ministry, he was a prolific writer, contributing articles to numerous religious and secular periodicals. As well, he devoted energy to work with the homeless and furthering ecumenical/interfaith relationships. After stepping down from parish ministry in 2007, he was selected by the San Francisco Interfaith Council to the newly created administrative position of Executive Director.

Michael is the father of two sons, George and Paul, and one daughter, Julia.