Private Sessions—with a Guide


The fundamental practice of ALI is open and open-ended inquiry into our personal experience as it arises moment to moment. Courageously practicing inquiry will bring us to the conscious awareness of the debilitating manifestations of ego/personality and open us to the direct experience of essence in all its expressions; compassion, love, strength, will, clarity, etc.
In the private session the guide works with the student to build certain capabilities that enhance the power of their inquiry.

  • The most important is the discipline to keep one’s attention focused in the ‘now’ and how to return gracefully from the mind’s distractions of past and future.

  • Skill to recognize and quiet the critical inner voice or super ego must be developed.

  • There is also a need to become skillful at coming into the body; to develop the sensitivity to be aware of how the body is responding to the inquiry, emotionally and physically. This is important because all ego experience has a mental, emotional, and physical expression. Using all three greatly facilitates the complete understanding of ego and its effects.

  • Useful support and guidance come from a sensitivity to the unique needs of the student and the guide’s ability to recognize where they are in terms of their unfoldment. In this way the facilitation can serve to deepen and expand the student’s experience to reveal the hidden potential that awaits discovery.
Two types of experience arise as a result of inquiry and the private session serves to support you so that your process proceeds smoothly and productively. One the one hand you uncover the mental content and structures associated with the ego or personality – the ‘mind-made self’. It becomes obvious that ego identification not only creates frustration and suffering, but more importantly it blocks connection to your true self and the realm of essence. The process of inquiry and unfolding awareness is often interrupted and blocked by all sorts of resistance. Resistance can be very subtle, ‘reasonable’ and seductive. Transformation involves the letting go of outworn ideas, beliefs, and self images. The personality can view transformation as terrifying and annihilatory. In the private session you are provided with guidance and skillful means to understand the resistance and be released from its effect, so your inquiry can proceed.

On the other hand inquiry will inevitably lead you to the direct experience of the essential realm with its various qualities and dimensions. Almaas said, “There is no such thing as a psychological solution to a psychological problem. It is always a spiritual solution.” Essence returns to your conscious awareness and its presence and intelligence further frees you to continue your maturation and growth. The private session is a place where the guide helps you recognize, value, and integrate the essential aspects. It may seem counter-intuitive but there is often resistance to acknowledging and experiencing the beautiful nature of essence, so the guide provides clarity and support to allow the resistance to relax and resolve.

The session is conducted with a keen appreciation for the integral connection between body, emotions, mind, and our essential nature. The work is mostly done on a mat where various breathing techniques are used to deepen one's capacity to perceive subtle changes occuring in the body, and to increase awareness of emotions that arise during the inquiry. At times physical movement is employed to deepen and/or release emotion and tension. In time the body becomes the doorway to reconnect with the various qualities of essense. Essential qualities are felt and integrated as a presence in the body, e.g. love in the heart, will in the solar plexus, and brilliancy in the head.

For more information about Private Sessions, Couple Sessions and ALInow events, please go to our contact page by following the link: