Dear Friends,
Last week I was on the radio in Fairfield, Iowa. You can listen to the interview by going to www.kruufm.com The show is archived under Archives>Writers Voice. I'll be returning to the studio on Friday, June 5th at 1:30pm. Please mark your calendars and be sure to tune in live.
In June, I'll be traveling to Iowa as I continue on my book tour. I'll be doing a program in Des Moines for the Iowa Chops AHL Hockey Team Front Office Staff and then I'm off to Fairfield where I'll sign books at two stores and give a meditation workshop on Sunday, June 7th at the Mainstay Inn. Fairfield is an amazing city and I encourage you to come and visit. I'll be there during Art Walk...the theme this year is "All Things Italian."
Also, I recently created my first cd called Maximum Freedom: A Guide to Meditation. The response has been incredible and people of all varying degrees of experience have found it useful in taking their personal meditation practice to deeper levels. Earlier this month I played a portion of this cd during a program that I gave at Hendrick Hudson High School and the feedback from the students (boys in 11th & 12 grade) was extraordinary! To order please visit www.amazon.com
Finally, it is with humility and excitement that I share with you some very good news. I was recently contacted by the National Council on Crime and Delinquency that my book is a recipient of the 2008 PASS Award (Prevention for a Safer Society.)
This annual PASS Award is national media recognition awards program that honors the media for responsible coverage of the criminal and juvenile justice systems and child welfare.
Once again, thank you again for your love and support. I wish you great happines and joy.
Love & Blessings,
Alan Gompers
Author, Maximum Security: The True Meaning of Freedom
www.alangompers.com
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Invoking Change
WEEKLY CONTEMPLATION
This week during your daily meditation, contemplate the following:
"In order to experience that which never changes, we must invoke change."
Dear Friends,
Is this simply an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms? Or, is there something in this teaching that we are being asked to look at more deeply? At first glance, we may think we understand it, and then carry that understanding out into our lives with great conviction.
But later, after more contemplation, we realize that what appeared at first to be a contradiction was in fact a profound Truth?
We all search for that ultimate experience of fulfillment, satisfaction and contentment. Don't we all want happiness and love in our lives and don't we want it to be consistent and lasting? When we finally experience a moment of real love in our lives, don't we utter a sigh of gratitude and fervently wish it would never end?
Happiness, love, contentment-forever! What a concept. Yet, underlying our most profound hopes and dreams, we tacitly pray for a state of bliss, joy and love that will never end. Heaven, Nirvana, Shangri-La, immortality-the list goes on.
The question arises: Is it possible to even consider a state that never changes in a world that is forever changing?
The Great masters tell us that not only does this state exist but it is the only state there is, that all else is an illusion created by faulty perception and wrong understanding.
The fascinating part of this whole drama called life is that we will never know the real Truth until we begin to see through it all. And what is the prescription for discovering this Truth???? Change itself!
I have looked back on my life so much after a profound, life altering experience with meditation almost 30 years ago and have come to realize that all my frustration, broken dreams, unhappiness and fear was the result of trying to get something grounded and lasting in a world that was incapable of giving it to me. Everything I ever did in my life previously was with the intention of finally capturing something or someone that would end my search and finally give me the contentment and love that kept alluding me.
But it wasn't until I came across a passage in one of my Meditation teacher's books, where he simply stated that all frustration and fear is created by trying to find something lasting in world that is transient and forever changing. "While you hold in your hands all of your accomplishments," he said: "your money, your fame and fortune, your children and family, even your body and your very life, they are all dissolving right before your eyes, and in the end the world will betray you."
He then went on to say that there is a part of us that knows no fear, that is never lonely or afraid, that is eternally happy and full of love and never changes-this is your True Self and all that is real. "Why would we ever want to seek this great state," he said, "if we felt content and happy as we were?" Enter the magic ingredient-Change!
It is now my understanding that the universe is totally benevolent, compassionate and filled only with love, for I have come to realize that it is out of this futility, this continuous frustration of trying to find something lasting in a world that is incapable of giving it to me, that a longing deep inside me was created. I became a seeker of peace, real peace. A seeker of contentment, real contentment. A seeker of Freedom, real Freedom.
In the end, it is an invocation to change the way we have always lived our lives, carefully and very beautifully orchestrated by this incredible universe of ours that ultimately puts an end to our suffering and fear and reveals to us the only Truth there is: We are all already free. We are all eternal beings, longing to experience that truth for ourselves. There never was anything else.
Meditation is the key to unlocking that experience. Meditate, Great Ones.
Love and blessings,
Alan
This week during your daily meditation, contemplate the following:
"In order to experience that which never changes, we must invoke change."
Dear Friends,
Is this simply an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms? Or, is there something in this teaching that we are being asked to look at more deeply? At first glance, we may think we understand it, and then carry that understanding out into our lives with great conviction.
But later, after more contemplation, we realize that what appeared at first to be a contradiction was in fact a profound Truth?
We all search for that ultimate experience of fulfillment, satisfaction and contentment. Don't we all want happiness and love in our lives and don't we want it to be consistent and lasting? When we finally experience a moment of real love in our lives, don't we utter a sigh of gratitude and fervently wish it would never end?
Happiness, love, contentment-forever! What a concept. Yet, underlying our most profound hopes and dreams, we tacitly pray for a state of bliss, joy and love that will never end. Heaven, Nirvana, Shangri-La, immortality-the list goes on.
The question arises: Is it possible to even consider a state that never changes in a world that is forever changing?
The Great masters tell us that not only does this state exist but it is the only state there is, that all else is an illusion created by faulty perception and wrong understanding.
The fascinating part of this whole drama called life is that we will never know the real Truth until we begin to see through it all. And what is the prescription for discovering this Truth???? Change itself!
I have looked back on my life so much after a profound, life altering experience with meditation almost 30 years ago and have come to realize that all my frustration, broken dreams, unhappiness and fear was the result of trying to get something grounded and lasting in a world that was incapable of giving it to me. Everything I ever did in my life previously was with the intention of finally capturing something or someone that would end my search and finally give me the contentment and love that kept alluding me.
But it wasn't until I came across a passage in one of my Meditation teacher's books, where he simply stated that all frustration and fear is created by trying to find something lasting in world that is transient and forever changing. "While you hold in your hands all of your accomplishments," he said: "your money, your fame and fortune, your children and family, even your body and your very life, they are all dissolving right before your eyes, and in the end the world will betray you."
He then went on to say that there is a part of us that knows no fear, that is never lonely or afraid, that is eternally happy and full of love and never changes-this is your True Self and all that is real. "Why would we ever want to seek this great state," he said, "if we felt content and happy as we were?" Enter the magic ingredient-Change!
It is now my understanding that the universe is totally benevolent, compassionate and filled only with love, for I have come to realize that it is out of this futility, this continuous frustration of trying to find something lasting in a world that is incapable of giving it to me, that a longing deep inside me was created. I became a seeker of peace, real peace. A seeker of contentment, real contentment. A seeker of Freedom, real Freedom.
In the end, it is an invocation to change the way we have always lived our lives, carefully and very beautifully orchestrated by this incredible universe of ours that ultimately puts an end to our suffering and fear and reveals to us the only Truth there is: We are all already free. We are all eternal beings, longing to experience that truth for ourselves. There never was anything else.
Meditation is the key to unlocking that experience. Meditate, Great Ones.
Love and blessings,
Alan
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Nyack Workshop
Please join us for an extraordinary full-day meditation workshop with Alan Gompers on Saturday, Oct. 25, in Nyack, NY 1-8pm
Note: As a special bonus feature added to the workshop Edward Agolia -Yoga for Life founder, will be offering an opportunity to experience the amazing HEALTH AND HEALING BENEFITS of the "Energizer Elite Chi Technology" and Integrative Energy Bodywork on the Bio Matt.
This service will be available from NOON to 1PM and during the breaks.
Meditation, hatha yoga, and more.
Experience the ancient practice of
"contemplation" with interactive small and large group dynamics.
The New Age Center
One South Broadway
Nyack, NY 10960
Call 1-888-558-GOMP (4667) or click here to register online at www.alangompers.com
Experience for yourself the power of meditation:
• The exquisite wonder of a quiet mind.
• The ancient wisdom of contemplation
• Discover your own power
• Remove stress & anxiety from your life
• Connect deeply with yourself and others
Experience the ancient practice of
"contemplation" with interactive small and large group dynamics.
The New Age Center
One South Broadway
Nyack, NY 10960
Call 1-888-558-GOMP (4667) or click here to register online at www.alangompers.com
Experience for yourself the power of meditation:
• The exquisite wonder of a quiet mind.
• The ancient wisdom of contemplation
• Discover your own power
• Remove stress & anxiety from your life
• Connect deeply with yourself and others
Note: As a special bonus feature added to the workshop Edward Agolia -Yoga for Life founder, will be offering an opportunity to experience the amazing HEALTH AND HEALING BENEFITS of the "Energizer Elite Chi Technology" and Integrative Energy Bodywork on the Bio Matt.
This service will be available from NOON to 1PM and during the breaks.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Contemplation: Divine Experience of the Inner Heart
WEEKLY CONTEMPLATION
This week during your daily meditation, contemplate the following:
"What are the things you can do to experience the Divine presence in your own heart?"
Dear Friends,
I recently visited a friend who shared a very inspiring and beautiful story with me. It involved a time in his young life when he stood at a crossroad, searching his heart for the guidance that would ultimately lead him to fulfilling his destiny.
One of his choices seemed obvious and easy. His life would be all laid out for him, and it promised great fame, success, recognition and total security. He received constant pressure from his greatest teacher, his family and dear friends, to pursue this path. To make his decision even more confusing, it was a vocation that he embraced with all his heart, one that had brought him an inordinate amount of success in the past, as well as a great sense of fulfillment deep within.
But the other choice was equally compelling. He felt torn inside, completely unable to get clarity. The first choice would be easy, he thought. He had everyone behind him and it was something he had already done with great success. The other choice was much different. It was an unknown and there were no guarantees. It was shrouded in uncertainty.
What he decided to do was put his life on hold for a few weeks and go off by himself to contemplate. He set out with his back pack and went climbing in the nearby mountains. When he found an appropriate campsite, he set up his tent and made an intention to meditate until he received an answer from within. He let go of any expectations with regard to time.
Days went by, yet nothing came to him. He continued to meditate. On the third day, he found himself sitting on a big, flat rock, immersed in dazzling sunlight. In that moment, he glanced down and noticed that there were some tiny yellow flowers growing right out of a little crevice in the rock. Instantly, his attention was drawn to this almost surreal vision.
As he sat looking at the flowers, a gentle breeze began to pass over him, and as it did, he noticed that the little flowers began to sway in rhythm with the breeze--bending, yielding, without resisting, and remaining unharmed. Suddenly, in that moment, it all became clear; he knew the answer. It came spontaneously and with complete certainty.
As I drove home that day, I reflected on the story he had shared with me and was reminded of a similar experience I had in a maximum security prison, while meditating for the first time in my life out in the yard. When I first opened my eyes, I sat staring at the wall surrounding the prison compound: cold, stark and unyielding. Yet, from a crack a few feet long, toward the bottom of the wall, a few blades of green grass had somehow managed to take root and break through the seeming impenetrable concrete façade.
As I sat there mesmerized by this apparent dichotomy, I became immediately aware that this scene was a perfect metaphor for Shaktipat, spiritual awakening. I realized that the Divine nectar within me, like the seemingly fragile and delicate blades of grass, had been endowed with enormous power and strength, a strength and power that went far beyond my logical mind, enabling it to crack the hardened, unyielding wall enclosing my heart, then breaking through, revealing the beauty, power and love it contained, transforming my whole life.
Contemplation: Beyond all the distractions, turbulence and difficulties we face in the world, there is an eternal essence, a Divine experience of Freedom and Love that cannot be held back or contained by anything in this physical universe.
What are the obstacles in your life that prevent you from experiencing this Divine presence that is always there? How can you prioritize your life in a way that will enable you to move beyond these obstacles and live in this incredible state of Freedom and joy forever?
Please contemplate this deeply, keeping a journal of your experiences.
We have all been given so much.
Love and blessings,
Alan
This week during your daily meditation, contemplate the following:
"What are the things you can do to experience the Divine presence in your own heart?"
Dear Friends,
I recently visited a friend who shared a very inspiring and beautiful story with me. It involved a time in his young life when he stood at a crossroad, searching his heart for the guidance that would ultimately lead him to fulfilling his destiny.
One of his choices seemed obvious and easy. His life would be all laid out for him, and it promised great fame, success, recognition and total security. He received constant pressure from his greatest teacher, his family and dear friends, to pursue this path. To make his decision even more confusing, it was a vocation that he embraced with all his heart, one that had brought him an inordinate amount of success in the past, as well as a great sense of fulfillment deep within.
But the other choice was equally compelling. He felt torn inside, completely unable to get clarity. The first choice would be easy, he thought. He had everyone behind him and it was something he had already done with great success. The other choice was much different. It was an unknown and there were no guarantees. It was shrouded in uncertainty.
What he decided to do was put his life on hold for a few weeks and go off by himself to contemplate. He set out with his back pack and went climbing in the nearby mountains. When he found an appropriate campsite, he set up his tent and made an intention to meditate until he received an answer from within. He let go of any expectations with regard to time.
Days went by, yet nothing came to him. He continued to meditate. On the third day, he found himself sitting on a big, flat rock, immersed in dazzling sunlight. In that moment, he glanced down and noticed that there were some tiny yellow flowers growing right out of a little crevice in the rock. Instantly, his attention was drawn to this almost surreal vision.
As he sat looking at the flowers, a gentle breeze began to pass over him, and as it did, he noticed that the little flowers began to sway in rhythm with the breeze--bending, yielding, without resisting, and remaining unharmed. Suddenly, in that moment, it all became clear; he knew the answer. It came spontaneously and with complete certainty.
As I drove home that day, I reflected on the story he had shared with me and was reminded of a similar experience I had in a maximum security prison, while meditating for the first time in my life out in the yard. When I first opened my eyes, I sat staring at the wall surrounding the prison compound: cold, stark and unyielding. Yet, from a crack a few feet long, toward the bottom of the wall, a few blades of green grass had somehow managed to take root and break through the seeming impenetrable concrete façade.
As I sat there mesmerized by this apparent dichotomy, I became immediately aware that this scene was a perfect metaphor for Shaktipat, spiritual awakening. I realized that the Divine nectar within me, like the seemingly fragile and delicate blades of grass, had been endowed with enormous power and strength, a strength and power that went far beyond my logical mind, enabling it to crack the hardened, unyielding wall enclosing my heart, then breaking through, revealing the beauty, power and love it contained, transforming my whole life.
Contemplation: Beyond all the distractions, turbulence and difficulties we face in the world, there is an eternal essence, a Divine experience of Freedom and Love that cannot be held back or contained by anything in this physical universe.
What are the obstacles in your life that prevent you from experiencing this Divine presence that is always there? How can you prioritize your life in a way that will enable you to move beyond these obstacles and live in this incredible state of Freedom and joy forever?
Please contemplate this deeply, keeping a journal of your experiences.
We have all been given so much.
Love and blessings,
Alan
Friday, September 12, 2008
Serving Those Who Serve (STWS)
Dear Friends,
Yesterday marked the seventh anniversary of 9/11. I was two blocks from the ground zero, meeting with my editor that day. We watched in shock as people held hands and jumped from the twin towers. Within minutes, both buildings were reduced to ashes. (To view a news release on my experience posted on NewsReleaseWire, please click here.)
In response to this event, my dear friend Jose Mestre was one of four people who founded Serving Those Who Serve (STWS), a nonprofit organization that provides holistic Ayurvedic herbal formulas free of charge to the rescue and recovery workers whose health was compromised by exposure to toxins present at Ground Zero on Sept. 11th and it's aftermath.
Many workers are still experiencing respiratory problems, as well as memory loss, fatigue and depression because of exposure to metal toxicity at Ground Zero. For many of them, the consequences of their selfless service has affected their health, families, lifestyle and future.
I would like to extend my support to Jose and his wonderful organization by offering 20% of every book ordered from my website through Sept. 30th. To support STWS, please visit my website at www.alangompers.com. When placing your order, please include STWS in the box that says "Inscription" (optional)
This donation includes all regular priced books ($24.95) and all special edition books ($99 and $139.) If you purchase the $139 version, 20% plus the additional $40 will go to Serving Those Who Serve (STWS).
This is the perfect time to order books for yourself, for others, and for upcoming holiday gifts. Consider ordering extra copies to be donated to inmates currently in prison.
Please help me help those who continue to serve those who served through this wonderful organization Serving Those Who Served (STWS).
For more information, please call my office at 1-888-558-4667 or visit www.stws.org.
Love & Blessings,
Alan Gompers
Yesterday marked the seventh anniversary of 9/11. I was two blocks from the ground zero, meeting with my editor that day. We watched in shock as people held hands and jumped from the twin towers. Within minutes, both buildings were reduced to ashes. (To view a news release on my experience posted on NewsReleaseWire, please click here.)
In response to this event, my dear friend Jose Mestre was one of four people who founded Serving Those Who Serve (STWS), a nonprofit organization that provides holistic Ayurvedic herbal formulas free of charge to the rescue and recovery workers whose health was compromised by exposure to toxins present at Ground Zero on Sept. 11th and it's aftermath.
Many workers are still experiencing respiratory problems, as well as memory loss, fatigue and depression because of exposure to metal toxicity at Ground Zero. For many of them, the consequences of their selfless service has affected their health, families, lifestyle and future.
I would like to extend my support to Jose and his wonderful organization by offering 20% of every book ordered from my website through Sept. 30th. To support STWS, please visit my website at www.alangompers.com. When placing your order, please include STWS in the box that says "Inscription" (optional)
This donation includes all regular priced books ($24.95) and all special edition books ($99 and $139.) If you purchase the $139 version, 20% plus the additional $40 will go to Serving Those Who Serve (STWS).
This is the perfect time to order books for yourself, for others, and for upcoming holiday gifts. Consider ordering extra copies to be donated to inmates currently in prison.
Please help me help those who continue to serve those who served through this wonderful organization Serving Those Who Served (STWS).
For more information, please call my office at 1-888-558-4667 or visit www.stws.org.
Love & Blessings,
Alan Gompers
Thursday, September 4, 2008
OOPS! Ann Arbor Correction
Dear Friends,
OOPS! Please note that we sent out the wrong time for the book signing event on Saturday at Susan Morales' house. Please note the correct time is 3:30pm! Please let us know if you have any additional questions, 1-888-558-GOMP.
-Alan Gompers
CORRECTED SCHEDULE:
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, Sept. 6-7th
Saturday, Sept. 6th, 3:30pm, Book Signing Event
Hostess: Susan Morales (Ann Arbor, MI)
Sunday, Sept. 7th, 1pm, Book Signing Event
Crazy Wisdom Bookstore (114 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI 48104)
visit www.crazywisdom.net
Sunday, Sept. 7th, 6-9pm Meditation Workshop, $49 per person
Elmo's Hideaway (220 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI 48104)
OOPS! Please note that we sent out the wrong time for the book signing event on Saturday at Susan Morales' house. Please note the correct time is 3:30pm! Please let us know if you have any additional questions, 1-888-558-GOMP.
-Alan Gompers
CORRECTED SCHEDULE:
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, Sept. 6-7th
Saturday, Sept. 6th, 3:30pm, Book Signing Event
Hostess: Susan Morales (Ann Arbor, MI)
Sunday, Sept. 7th, 1pm, Book Signing Event
Crazy Wisdom Bookstore (114 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI 48104)
visit www.crazywisdom.net
Sunday, Sept. 7th, 6-9pm Meditation Workshop, $49 per person
Elmo's Hideaway (220 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI 48104)
Ann Arbor & Kansas City
Dear Friends,
A huge thank you to our wonderful hosts in Seattle (The Harschfeld Family) and in San Diego (Reva Bernstein & Michelle Sharkey.) Also, thank you to 3rd Place Books & Unity of Kent for their hospitality. We sold a ton of books and met some wonderful folks at our meditation workshops!
Just a quick reminder that I'll be heading to Ann Arbor, Michigan this weekend and then on to Kansas City.
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, Sept. 6-7th
Saturday, Sept. 6th, 6pm, Book Signing Event
Hostess: Susan Morales (Ann Arbor, MI)
Click here for more info.
Sunday, Sept. 7th, 1pm, Book Signing Event
Crazy Wisdom Bookstore (114 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI 48104)
Click here to view flyer or visit www.crazywisdom.net
Sunday, Sept. 7th, 6-9pm Meditation Workshop, $49 per person
Elmo's Hideaway (220 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI 48104)
Click here to view flyer. Click here to register.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, Sept. 9-17th
Friday, Sept. 12th, 7pm Book Signing Event
Hostess: Tonya Whitman (8117 Parkview Drive, Parkville, MO)
(816) 769-2400 Click here for more info.
Monday, Sept. 15, 6-9pm Meditation Workshop, Cost: $49 pp
Hostess: Tonya Whitman (117 Parkview Drive, Parkville, MO)
(816) 769-2400 Click here for more info. Click here to register.
WEBSITE UPDATES & BOOK REVIEWS
Please visit my website and listen to my recent radio interview with Darryl Neher on AM 1370 WGCL in Bloomington, IN. www.alangompers.com
Also, the book has received some wonderful reviews lately. We've posted them on my website at www.alangompers.com.
The Iowa Source recently wrote "If you were to read only one spiritual memoir this year, this is the one."
If you have read the book and would like to write a review for amazon.com or borders.com, please visit those websites and leave your comments. We could especially use some reviews on Borders.com.
Love & Blessings,
Alan Gompers
A huge thank you to our wonderful hosts in Seattle (The Harschfeld Family) and in San Diego (Reva Bernstein & Michelle Sharkey.) Also, thank you to 3rd Place Books & Unity of Kent for their hospitality. We sold a ton of books and met some wonderful folks at our meditation workshops!
Just a quick reminder that I'll be heading to Ann Arbor, Michigan this weekend and then on to Kansas City.
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, Sept. 6-7th
Saturday, Sept. 6th, 6pm, Book Signing Event
Hostess: Susan Morales (Ann Arbor, MI)
Click here for more info.
Sunday, Sept. 7th, 1pm, Book Signing Event
Crazy Wisdom Bookstore (114 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI 48104)
Click here to view flyer or visit www.crazywisdom.net
Sunday, Sept. 7th, 6-9pm Meditation Workshop, $49 per person
Elmo's Hideaway (220 S. Main, Ann Arbor, MI 48104)
Click here to view flyer. Click here to register.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, Sept. 9-17th
Friday, Sept. 12th, 7pm Book Signing Event
Hostess: Tonya Whitman (8117 Parkview Drive, Parkville, MO)
(816) 769-2400 Click here for more info.
Monday, Sept. 15, 6-9pm Meditation Workshop, Cost: $49 pp
Hostess: Tonya Whitman (117 Parkview Drive, Parkville, MO)
(816) 769-2400 Click here for more info. Click here to register.
WEBSITE UPDATES & BOOK REVIEWS
Please visit my website and listen to my recent radio interview with Darryl Neher on AM 1370 WGCL in Bloomington, IN. www.alangompers.com
Also, the book has received some wonderful reviews lately. We've posted them on my website at www.alangompers.com.
The Iowa Source recently wrote "If you were to read only one spiritual memoir this year, this is the one."
If you have read the book and would like to write a review for amazon.com or borders.com, please visit those websites and leave your comments. We could especially use some reviews on Borders.com.
Love & Blessings,
Alan Gompers
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