Liberating Your Life

“There isn’t really freedom as long as we live in the shadow and tyranny of the superego.”

— A. H. Almaas

Much of the pain and suffering in our lives comes from trying to be the person who we believe we should be.  We lose the freedom and joy of simply being authentically who we are.

As children we learned, through disapproval and punishment, as well as approval and reward, what to strive for and what to suppress. Over time, we formed an ideal self that shapes our life in so many ways: it determines what we go for, what we reject, how we behave, and what we give ourselves a hard time about.  

The heartbreaking thing about this is that this ideal image is the result of sometimes random circumstances and conditions; it doesn’t match the true wish of our hearts, or who we really are. Yet we believe it is who we should be.

And our superego—our inner critic or judge— works to keep us in line with this image by evaluating, criticizing, shaming, cajoling and manipulating us.  It generates a constant stream of attacks on our bodies, hearts and minds that block out the truth of who we are here and now. Even our spiritual ideals become standards with which we compare and judge ourselves.

We can learn to get space from this inner voice!

This retreat will go deeply into how to effectively disengage from it.  Our being can then be spontaneous and free, no longer held captive by the demands of our past.

In this retreat you will discover:

·       Your ego ideal and how it is a self-rejection that prevents you from living in the present.

·       How the superego restricts the attention and awareness needed to challenge our limiting beliefs about who and what we are.

·       How different qualities of your essential nature can help you to truly disengage from the superego  -  clear awareness, expansive strength, kindness and compassion, and more.

·       How to tell if your disengagement from the superego is effective.

Who is this for?

Throughout our inner journey there is a pervasive and often unconscious pull to evaluate ourselves and try to direct our growth. Whether you are new to spiritual work or have been on the path for years, you’re welcome. Come join us at this retreat and liberate the fresh dynamic aliveness at the heart of your life.

Taught by: Brian Leahy, Vivienne Leahy and Grant Trewenack.

On the Diamond Approach and the New Aotearoa Group

Every spiritual path deals with our common human situation, and each path deals with it differently. The Diamond Approach is a relatively new path, for people living a full human life in the world, who want to know who and what they are beyond their usual stories and ideas about themselves.

It uses a range of powerful practices, as well as modern psychological knowledge, to help each person to explore their own experience in ways that bring deeper understanding, as well as the gradual revelation of our spiritual nature, in its vast rainbow of qualities and dimensions.

The Diamond Approach has been taught in New Zealand for over 18 years. A large ongoing group, DANZ 1, has developed over that time. Diamond Approach New Zealand is now in the process of forming a new group, DANZ 2, for those with a sincere interest in inner work and spiritual discovery.

Currently the DANZ 2 program offers 2 in-person retreats (autumn and late spring) and an online retreat (winter) each year.

Retreats normally involve meditation, a teaching, experiential exercises in pairs, threes, or small groups, and opportunities to ask questions, share experiences and inquire further with a teacher. 

These retreats are open to the public and new people can join the group for the next few years. If you have questions and would like more information about the Diamond Approach and DANZ 2, please contact Vivienne Leahy at vleahynz@gmail.com

November Retreat Schedule: 

Friday November 6,  6.30 - 9.30pm  

Saturday November 7,  9.00am -12.00pm and 2.00 - 5.00pm

Sunday November 8, 9.00am - 12.00pm and 1.30 - 4.30pm

Included in the cost of this retreat are three follow-up teaching sessions:

• Small Group Meeting:  Wednesday November 11, 6.30 - 9pm, or Saturday November 14, 9.30am - 12pm (choose one that fits with your schedule)

• Interim Teaching 1: December, date and time TBA, (3 hour meeting)

• Interim Teaching 2: January, date and time TBA, (3 hour meeting)

Cost: $495

Current ongoing DANZ1 students repeating material pay $195. 

Accommodation:

Simple and comfortable accommodation is available at the venue. You can choose a room for one or two people for $110 per person with meals, or $80 per person with breakfast only. Most rooms have their own bathrooms, some have shared bathrooms. Groupings of up to 8 rooms share a kitchen/dining area with stove, microwave etc for those preferring to prepare their own food.

The venue doesn't accommodate specific dietary requirements. Meals are simple, usually non vegetarian. Lunch is called dinner and is the main meal. The evening meal is a crockpot, quiche, or similar. Lunch is available for commuters ($25).