Sacred Service at Aslan Institute

Pilgrimage Retreat to Avila, Spain

April 10th – 23rd, 2019

Christ has no body but yours,No hands, no feet on earth but yours,Yours are the eyes with which he looksCompassion on this world,Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,Yours are the eyes, you are his body.Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

~St. Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)

The purpose of this pilgrimage retreat:

To deeply understand the above quote and deepen your spiritual practices so as to live more fully in alignment with the purpose of your life. The quote speaks to the practice of compassion and wisdom and embodying these qualities to be of service in the world - the practice of Tonglen in Buddhism, or The Way of the Cross in Christianity. To understand the spiritual practices fully with the humility required in understanding your limitations.

To work with someone that has fully embodied the truth and the love of this quote, namely Charisse Lyons. You will be facilitated in doing your own inner work through her work and Lyndall’s, with you.

To increase your capacity for the inner journey through daily dharma talks on living mindfully and daily practice in meditation and Kundalini yoga.

To spend as much time a day as you need for meditation, journaling and quiet reflection on your experience of this work. Charisse and Lyndall, as well as Bussho and Christina, will be available for follow up guidance, teaching or counseling at any time.

To be in community with people with the same vision, purpose and goals who will be in relationship with you in the deeply, soulful, intimate way required for growth.

To explore the ancient city of Avila and the holy sites of Theresa of Avila in a deeply contemplative way, using photography, journaling and even meals as exercises in mindful living.

To study the works and life of Teresa of Avila in the cultural context of her time and study the painting by Hieronymus Bosch in the Prado in Madrid.

To awaken more fully to your Self in every way, through full acceptance and awareness of your own personal hidden suffering, the suffering of your ancestors and the impact on future generations, so that you might discover more of the power, beauty and love that you are.

To understand the meaning of the Stations of the Cross, death on the cross, resurrection and ascension, from the lens of the 4th quadrant.

"Every day we slaughter our finest impulses. That is why we get a heartache when we read those lines written by the hand of a master and recognize them as our own, as the tender shoots which we stifled because we lacked the faith to believe in our own powers, our own criterion of truth and beauty. Every

man, when he gets quiet, when he becomes desperately honest with himself, is capable of uttering profound truths. We all derive from the same source. There is no mystery about the origin of things. We are all part of creation, all kings, all poets, all musicians; we have only to open up, only to discover what is already there.” ~ Henry Miller

Accommodation: We will be staying two nights in Madrid in order to visit the Prado Museum of art and study Hieronymus Bosch’s Triptych that hung in the bedroom of Phillip II of Spain during the time of the inquisition. We will spend one day in Toledo and then stay at the Convent of Casa Natal de Santa Teresa de Jesus, in Avila. The Convent is built on the site of Teresa’s birthplace and her remains are in the crypt of the church there. http://www.teresadejesus.com/casa.php?sub=2

“When asked which sacred sites influenced me most strongly during my long pilgrimage travels, I always include

One small scene from Bosch’s Triptych painting

the cathedral of Avila in my response. There is a wonderful presence or energy inside the cathedral, especially focused at two locations, which stimulated in me the most sublime and passionate feelings of spiritual love. It is often my habit, within the various temples, mosques and churches that I visit, to utilize different dowsing techniques in order to locate what I call energy beam points. These places are particular locations within the larger area of a sacred structure where it seems that the energy, spirit or power of the site is most highly charged. In Avila, I located three of these energy beam points, two of which it was possible to stand directly upon. During a four-day exploration of Avila I spent many hours each day sitting or standing at these two places. My experience at them was of a presence that surrounded and infused my being with the most intoxicating compassion. I was frequently so overwhelmed while standing at these sites that I would softly cry with intense joy for minutes on end. The tourists visiting the church found my behaviour a bit odd, but the old priests seemed to well understand.”

~Martin Gray’s experience in Avila.

After our visit to Madrid and Toledo you will be spending your days in the small walled city of Avila on a contemplative inner journey of days spent in meditation and mindfulness practice with Bussho, doing Kundalini yoga with Christina, long walks of self exploration and visiting sacred sites, individual soul work, group processing and follow up counseling and spiritual direction, for which we will all be available. We will do a tour of the sites of St. Teresa as well as tours to the University town of Salamanca and the ancient walled city of Segovia.

A detailed itinerary will be available closer to departure.

“A great treasure is gained by traveling this road; no wonder we have to pay what seems to us a high price. The time will come when you will understand how trifling everything is next to so precious a

reward. Now returning to those who want to journey on this road and continue until they reach the end, which is to drink from this water of life, I say that how they are to begin is very important--in fact, all

important. They must have a great and very resolute determination to persevere until reaching the end, come what may, happen what may, whatever work is involved, whatever criticism arises, whether they

arrive or whether they die on the road, or even if they don’t have courage for the trials that are met, or if the whole world collapses.”

~The Way of Perfection, Chapter 21:1, 2, The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila

Book List

Leap by Terry Tempest Williams

The Interior Castle by Teresa of Avila

Entering the Castle by Carolyn Myss

The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain by Maria Rosa Menocal

Movie List

Teresa de Jesus

The Fountain Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz

Juana La Loca Vicente Aranda 2001

Goya’s Ghosts Miloš Forman 2006

TV Series on St. Teresa of Avila Available in Spanish with English subtitles at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9xJe_aabaI

“May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing you are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.”

~St. Teresa of Avila

Your Guides:

Lyndall Johnson M.A.,L.P. is the president and founder of the Aslan Institute and Sacred Service at Aslan Institute which is a non profit organization promoting the evolution of consciousness and helping people accelerate their own evolution through the work of Tonglen therapy. She is a licensed psychologist, a writer, speaker and facilitator. She has degrees in psychology and sociology from the University of South Africa and a Masters degree in Psychology from the University of Pepperdine in California. She has worked with ethnically and culturally diverse communities in creating dialogue, reconciliation and collaboration. She has worked in Africa doing grass roots community development in the areas of physical, social, political and

economic development. Lyndall has extensive experience teaching and facilitating spirituality and the evolution of consciousness around the world. She has led many spiritual pilgrimages and retreats, both domestic and abroad.

Charisse Lyons is a retired speech/language therapist and co-founder and vice president of Sacred Service at Aslan Institute. After a rewarding thirty-year career in the school system, she became aware that her life's purpose was waiting for her. Retirement has allowed her the ability to pursue this purpose and she has never looked back. Charisse experiences an awe of the human spirit. She has witnessed limitless strength and resolve in facing the deepest pain and how that leads to the core of one's being, the truth of who we are. Charisse has been on a spiritual path since childhood. Throughout her life she has had an awareness of the power and healing this has brought to her, and others, especially in times of sorrow and suffering. Charisse's work can best be described as a soul worker. She works in transpersonal

realms with others, in building an awareness of unresolved suffering within themselves. In combination with her client, she enters into the suffering and gives it the light needed to work towards healing. This is done in a setting that is comforting and compassionate. Many of her clients experience an acceleration in their healing after completing this work. She is honored and grateful for the opportunity to bring this healing to others. She recognizes this work as sacred, and considers all who participate in it to be answering the highest of spiritual callings.

Christina Hughes received her BA in Theatre and Creative writing at New York University with a focus on Growtowksi’s Physical Theatre Training Methods. Since then, she has worked in various parts of the country devising original theatre pieces in addition to training with Leeny Sak from the Wooster Group, Meredith Monk, Wendell Beavers from the Naropa Institute, Suzuki, Judith Malina of the Living Theatre and Ann Bogart’s SITI company.During her years in the theatre, she practiced various traditions of Yoga until the day she entered a Kundalini Yoga and Meditation Class at Yoga West in Los Angeles. She became a certified Kundalini Yoga and Meditation Teacher in 2010 at Yoga Soul in Eagan Minnesota and taught at various Yoga studios

including the Women’s Correctional Facility in Shakopee during the years that she resided in the Twin Cities.Currently, Christina resides with her family in London where she completed her Master’s Degree in the Applied Theatre Arts at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, London University. She has facilitated theatre and creative arts workshops with women in Shelters for Domestic Violence, Youth groups and the Elderly.Her passions in Yoga and the Arts are symbiotic and have nurtured each other throughout the years. She loves facilitating, directing, devising and exploring the multi-faceted and infinitely layered story that is the human condition in diverse communities to create and elevate self-awareness, vitality, self-empowerment and wholeness.Christina is Half Spanish from Alicante, Spain and Half American from Johnson City, Tennessee.

“The body is the vehicle, the container, the sensory and molecular memory of the unconscious internal

self. When we move the body, we open the gateways to our own life force, to our hearts, to our psyche, to

our most authentic selves where an infinite well of love abides, waiting, beckoning for our attention,

for the blissful moment of recognition and resurrection.”

~Christina Hughes. 2015

PILGRIMAGE RETREAT 2019 SPAIN

Registration Form

Name:

Address:

email:

fax:

Tel # cell

Tel # home

Tel # work

Person to contact in case of emergency:

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Any dietary restrictions (we do not guarantee we can accommodate dietary requests but will try)

Amount enclosed for payment:

PLEASE INDICATE IF YOU WISH TO SIGN UP FOR 1 TWO-HOUR TONGLEN SESSION WITH CHARISSE AND

LYNDALL DURING THE PILGRIMAGE SO THAT WE CAN SCHEDULE AROUND THESE SESSIONS:

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PILGRIMAGE RETREAT to AVILA, SPAIN

10th – 23rdApril, 2019

INDEMNITY FORM

FULL NAME: ______________________________________________________________________

POSTAL ADDRESS: _________________________________________________________________

EMAIL ADDRESS: __________________________________________________________________

HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER: ________________________________________________________

CELL TELEPHONE NUMBER: _________________________________________________________

Sacred Service, Aslan Institute P.A., and its retreat leaders, Lyndall Johnson, Charisse Lyons, Bussho Lahn and Christina Hughes (hereinafter collectively referred to as ‘the Parties Indemnified’) will not be liable for any accident, injury, illness, trauma, death or loss or damage to person or property, of any nature whatsoever that may arise while on a tour/retreat on any mode of transport, or by default or error on the part of any of the Parties Indemnified.

I hold harmless and indemnify the Parties Indemnified as stipulated above and against any consequences of not having/having inadequate travel insurance or due to any travel arrangements having to be changed or amended.

Aslan Institute and service providers – i.e. Parties Indemnified, will not be liable for any consequential loss or damage of whatever nature how so ever arising or for any loss or damage arising from events beyond their control.

Name: _____________________________________________________________________________

Signature: ___________________________________________________________________________

Date: _______________________________________________________________________________

Costs:

The cost of this pilgrimage is $4,495.00, broken down into three payments. Included in this cost are the following:

6 months of weekly teachings ahead of start date Evolution of Consciousness I & II workshops offered by Lyndall Johnson at cost ($600 value). Cost

of food and handouts per workshop is $40. All accommodations, taxes, tips and surcharges All transportation Breakfast and dinner Cultural visits as indicated Individual and group soul work All handouts and publications for the trip 1 Tonglen session to be done before or during the trip Not included: Lunches and airfare to Madrid Not included: Extra Individual Tonglen sessions or therapy sessions during the time in Avila. The

Cost for an additional Tonglen session is $570.00 and individual sessions are $100.00 per hour.

First Payment: A non-refundable deposit of $1,500.00 is due by June 30, 2018

Second Payment: A second payment of $1,500.00 is due by September 31, 2018

Third Payment: The final payment of $1,495.00 is due by December 31, 2018

Refund Policy If a written notice is received 130 days prior to the scheduled start date 75% of the total- less the deposit- will be refunded. If written notice is received 129-31 days prior to the scheduled start date, 50% of the total- less the deposit- will be refunded. If notice is given 30 days or less before the scheduled start date, 25% of the total- less the deposit- will be refunded. For more information, please visit the Aslan Institute Website (www.aslaninst.com) and click on the Spain retreat tab. Here you’ll find the itinerary details as they become known, and subject to change, your recommended reading list to prepare you that may periodically be updated and more relevant details.

For more details and registration information, please contact Bussho Lahn at:bussholahn@gmail.com

Please note: This offering is non-denominational and non-doctrinal, and is open to those of any faith

or none at all even though we will be exploring spirituality through the cultural lens of Catholicism and

the mystic Saint Teresa of Avila

SPONSORED BY:

Testimonials

“Avila was a profoundly transformational experience for me! With the guidance and support of Lyndall and Charisse, Bussho and Christina, I made a breakthrough that I Know would not, could not, have

happened without the deeply immersive experience, and surrounded by others equally committed to doing their work. I am absolutely certain that I did the equivalent of 10 years of psychotherapy in a

matter of days. It is, and I expect, will remain the profoundest experience of my life.” ~Eric J

“It’s difficult to isolate the one most meaningful experience or insight from this pilgrimage because, for me, it was an integration of the elements, which knitted a fabric that held us in a safe and

supportive space for personal challenge and growth. Beginning each day with Kundalini yoga got my energy flowing. Daily teaching and meditation was a pause for reflection. Personal time with Lyndall

and Charisse mined my deeper self. Group processing created profound connections with others, which encouraged deep sharing in a space where I knew that I was far from alone and would not be judged. All set in a sacred location, a convent in an old walled city far from the noise of the world …I came face-to-face with my Soul, a relationship that I now better understand and can no longer

abandon. That connection will sustain me through lifelong personal growth. “ ~Carol W.

"The pilgrimage to Spain was life-changing - it took my inner work to profoundly deep levels. I now have a much more honest and comprehensive understanding of the ways I am both victim and perpetrator in my own life. I understand how the codependency in my life was generated. And, most importantly, I am able to descend into previously blocked memories and pain in myself and give myself the support and Truth I didn’t receive at the time of the original trauma. I emerged with these new insights and skills through a powerful combination of: - the initial Tonglen sessions I had - study and guidance through six months of weekly lessons provided before the pilgrimage - the generous amount of time scheduled for personal work on my own in Spain - the expert support and help Lyndall and Charisse provided in group sessions - the rich mirror provided by the others in my group This pilgrimage was the best gift I could ever give myself." ~Catherine Wilson

“The work I was blessed to do with Charisse and Lyndall was profound and deeply sacred. So much so that I have a difficult time putting words to it. Through my felt mental, emotional, and physical

experience, it was clear to me that not only were huge karmic events being transformed and healed, but that ‘sacred’ is indeed the correct word to describe the size and nature of the work that was

done. My experiences went far past what I think of as therapy, spiritual direction, or even deep soul conversation. They connected me to an archetypal, collective realm of experience where the loving ripples that spread out from our work touched more than just my personal psyche or family system

and went to a vital and living part of humanity's soul itself. ‘Highly Recommended’ falls far short. If you have an opportunity to do this work, do it. ~B

.