an opportunity to see comparative religion and philosophy in action today
About the Presentation
This talk will explore the great lila or divine play of consciousness, that of losing and finding, hiding and seeking, as expressed in the great traditions, including Christian and Zen. ‘The Great Return Home’, consciousness in human form turning inward, follows first the exoteric, then the esoteric path, from outer to inner human consciousness, the joy and bliss of which is beautifully expressed in Jesus’s parables of ‘The Prodigal Son’, The Lost Sheep’ and ‘The Widow’s Mite’.
The role of suffering, unconscious and conscious, in the adoption of a spiritual path will be examined. Reference will be made to various esoteric paths, including Christian (Mystical), Buddhist (Zen), Hindu (Advaita) and Muslim (Sufi), all of which require surrender to path, practice and life.
About the Presenter
Peter Thompson has studied with many famous spiritual teachers in India, USA, Japan and Australia, the first of whom to influence and guide him were J. Krishnamurti and Vimala Thakar. He first sat Zen Meditation in 1975 as a founding member of Sydney Zen Centre, and has studied and practised with many famous Zen teachers since. In addition, Peter has been greatly inspired by the Advaita Vedanta path, having met and studied with a number of its famous exponents. His interest lies in helping the integration of Zen and Advaita into his native Christian/Western cultural context. He has a deep commitment to helping to address major modern issues such as the climate change crisis and eco-sustainability, to realign spirituality with the natural world. To this end he has recently initiated the Dharma Gaia Fellowship and AFCAN (Artists for Climate Action Now).
Peter holds an Arts Degree from ANU, majoring in Political Science (Hons) and Law, a Research Masters Degree in Community Counseling (UCAN) and a Diploma of Education. He taught high school for 24 years and is also a qualified professional tennis coach.
