A Mountain Sanctuary located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire

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My Spiritual Journey

I began a search for wisdom and truth around the age of twenty. In my early adult years, I investigated philosophy, psychology and spirituality through academic study, various books, personal growth seminars, living in an ashram, trips to India, and commitment on spiritual paths with Indian gurus. 

In 1999, I had the good fortune to meet my first non-dual spiritual teacher, Adyashanti, and began my study with him. It was a powerful time of meditation and inquiry. In the process of life itself, I saw thoughts losing their power to dictate identification with fear, emotional pain, and anger. I awakened to the living experience that the truth and essence of my being was found not in any thoughts, but in the awakened presence of my heart.  In 2003, I received Adyshanti’s blessing to teach and share wisdom and insights from the source of the joy that lives within me. Inspired by Adyashanti and the nondual traditions of Zen and Advaita, I offered Satsang, which I found to be a gift—a deepening of my inquiry into truth as well as the blossoming of a heart-centered spiritual community. From 2004 -2024, I offered Satsang gatherings which included silent meditation, dharma talks and inquiry.  

In late May of 2019, I had a stroke, leaving the right side of my body greatly weakened and reducing my cognitive ability. For a time, I even lost my ability to meditate effectively. This was the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I was blessed by the discovery of Neelakantha Meditation and my return to strong re-engagement in my exploration of consciousness. In August 2019, I received formal initiation into the practice of Neelakantha Meditation and the teachings of Paul Muller-Ortega. From the very beginning, my meditation ability was restored with glimpses of great beauty and bliss. 

A Deeper Awakening

In early 2024 while in deep meditation, I experienced a profound knowing of my divine essence, my true nature. It was clear that in the essence of my being, I am totally well and content. In profound peace my spirit can dance in joy and celebration. I know I am eternal and nothing can harm me and I am not separate from all existence. I need nothing more to complete me. These truths were absolutely clear to me. We are all this same divine essence.

Much to my surprise when I came back to my body and my life, I was still subject to the human conditioning of fear and reactivity. I would watch in puzzlement as emotions of suffering could still surge within me. It is clear to me that all emotional suffering arising from our past conditioning is a misperception of reality.  Society, culture and family all contribute to confusion, illusion and delusion the world is suffering from. Knowing that my pain and suffering is not based on reality, I watch from a still place of peace each time it reappears, knowing it is illusion. By not trying to make it go way, not denying the experience and not attaching to it, I sit with it until the fog disappears and the truth of the heart is seen clearly again.

As time has passed, misperception of reality moves through more quickly. What used to take 20 minutes to clear has been reduced to even at times just a few minutes and also comes much less often. 

For over 20 years I have lived with a longstanding heart condition. In February 2025, I had a significant heart attack and was in the hospital for 6 days. While my wife Cynthia had great concern, I found that I experienced no distress at all. Instead, I enjoyed all the love, care and attention I received as a patient.
I am aware and have accepted that I have limited time on this earth. Fear is gone. I choose to live my life embracing joy and love and the next chapter when it arrives.

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Current Offerings

                                                 

                                               

                   

Meditation Guidance 
& Wisdom Teachings

with Norman Scrimshaw

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Monthly on Saturdays @ 10am

(see calendar or meditation page for upcoming dates)

All are Welcome!   ~  This is a free offering

drop in - no need to register

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Meditation:

In my experience, these are the possibilities available
to those who commit to a path of deep meditation:

• An exploration into the depths of consciousness.
  
  
• A letting go of all effort, struggle and ambition in profound trust,
  allowing a soft freefall into deep relaxation.
  
  
• With the perspective of an Eagle soaring high in the sky seeing  landscape for miles — floating in stillness of consciousness, viewing the turbulence of thoughts, emotions and stories moving on the surface below.
  
  

For those who are called to go deeper:

• Touching the heavens of our divine essence in a dance of Joy, Bliss,
  Pure Contentment and Peace.
  
  
• Deep meditation reveals we are the source of ONENESS with all, WISDOM and LOVE.

          

         

Explore meditation as a journey in the silence of remembrance.

Let go of layers that obscure truth.

Return to the brilliance & beauty of our divine nature & oneness with all that is.

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• Heart-Centered Open Sangha
  
  
  
• Various spiritual backgrounds & traditions are welcome
  
  
  
• Group Meditation Practice
  
  
  
• We begin with a check-in , sharing of wisdom, spiritual reading and devotional music.
  
  
  
• 30-minute Silent Meditation,
  followed by group sharing & discussion
  
  
  
• Led by Norman & Cynthia Scrimshaw