“I don’t see myself as a spiritual or self-help guru, or even as a ‘teacher’, really, although some people like to call me that. I see myself rather as a loving friend, who simply reminds you of what, deep down, you have always known: that there is nothing wrong with you… and that you are loved beyond words, always, just as you are, in this moment…”
– Jeff Foster
An invitation to slow down, to rest…
Recognizing ourselves as the vast and impersonal ocean of deep acceptance radically transforms and simplifies the way we see the world – our relationships, our spiritual seeking, how we communicate, our attitude towards physical pain and depression, and how we work with addictions. Candid, thoughtful, humorous—and deeply compassionate toward those searching for a way to break through deep-rooted suffering—Jeff inspires us to stop trying to “do” acceptance… and start falling in love with “what has already been allowed.” His simple, accessible and direct teachings point us back to who we really are in this moment – already perfect, whole, and free.
A meeting of friends…
Silence, laughter, lightness, and a sense of real safety, intimacy, honesty and friendship are the hallmarks of encounters with Jeff. His meetings are very spontaneous and informal, and there are plenty of opportunities to share and ask questions, if you are so moved. And of course, if you just want to sit in silence and listen, without sharing, then that’s fine too.
Jeff usually opens the meetings with an introductory talk or guided meditation, and then for the rest of our time together there is the chance to ask any question you may have, to greet everything arising in the present moment – to meet it not as an enemy to be feared, but as a dear friend, embraced in the vast, open capacity that you are. With Jeff’s loving and gentle guidance, a real sense of intimacy and safety often develops as we sit together with no expectation, and share the truth of the moment, beyond all our second-hand conceptions of truth.
Remember, this not a ‘therapy group’ – we do not gather together to go deeper into our personal stories (although personal stories are embraced too), or to ‘fix’ ourselves, but to point back to who we really are, beyond those stories – to the place that does not need to be fixed – to the wholeness, the completeness, the healing space that’s always present, that cannot be found in time, that cannot be broken by any experience.
We do not meet to find answers, but to to rest in not-knowing, in the vast mystery of what is, which is, in fact, the Home we have always been seeking. Here, the search comes full circle.
Meetings, weekend intensives, silent and speaking retreats…
Jeff sometimes holds half- or full-day meetings. There are also weekend intensives, and longer retreats, including silent retreats, for those of you who enjoy soaking in this simple yet radical teaching of presence and love for longer periods, in a supportive and facilitative space. In the longer meetings and retreats there are more opportunities to ask questions, to experience Jeff’s guided meditations, to sit in silence, to share or not share, but to deeply meet life, meet yourself, and each other…
Some of the meetings are small and intimate, some are larger. We try to arrange a variety of events of different lengths, prices, and locations, so that everyone has a chance to attend. We also occasionally offer webcasts, so those of you who do not wish to travel, or cannot afford to, are able to join in the exploration.
The meetings are open to all. This is not a religious cult, or a gathering of the select, ‘enlightened’ few – it is open to everyone, of every background, race, sex, colour, creed, religion, education.
Jeff doesn’t mind if you’ve studied spirituality for 50 years, or if you’ve never read a spiritual book in your life – you are welcome here. He doesn’t mind if you think you are enlightened or unenlightened, if you think you have a self or no self, if you believe you are far from healing or close to it, if you are a teacher or a student, if you see yourself as a seeker or not – you are still welcome here. This freedom is everyone’s birthright.
We invite you to join us and explore the mystery!