Western Mindfulness

Introducing Russell Sturgess

From his teens, Russell demonstrated an understanding of agape (unconditional 'God' love) that defied his age. His upbringing saw him channel his passion into complementary health and religion. By age 32 he was married with four children, serving as a lay minister, and running a highly successful rural natural-therapies practice. Fifteen years later he was divorced, very over weight, had walked away from his successful practice, as well as the church of his upbringing. His world had well and truly fallen apart. 

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Despite all of this, providence continued to expand Russell's understanding of agape, it was just that his ego was hell-bent on being aligned with wealth, power, love, and success. By age 50 Russell was finally meek enough to 'inherit the earth' (humus which inspired the word humility). When the student is ready, the teacher appears. There was a gift in all that Russell had been through, and it was being coalesced into knowledge, understanding and wisdom that inspired him to create the Enhances Awareness Program and more recently Agape, a dialogue with Russell Sturgess.

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Russell's New Book

Now in his 60's, Russell's third book, The Spiritual Roots of the Tarot has been published and released by Vermont publishing house InnerTraditions. His book explores the 'theology of love (agape)' of a medieval group of Gnostic/Christians who were referred to as the Good Christians, later referred to as the Cathars. Perceived as a threat and called a heresy, they were successfully eliminated from Western Europe by the Catholic Church by about 1350. Their love centred theology was inspired by the Sermon on the Mount, in particular the Beatitudes, which saw them devoted to living life in 'Christ's Spirit, the Spirit of the Beatitudes'.

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In addition to researching and writing about this theology, Russell went onto adopt the essence of this medieval wisdom tradition as the foundation to his approach for living. But life as it does continues to present him with all of the challenges that are a part of the human condition. That said, with the knowledge and understanding of how to live life with this love-centred awareness inspired by the Spirit of the Beatitudes, Russell's world is now typically filled with peace, joy, love, and fulfilment. So now, in addition to helping people live life more mindfully through EAP, he also helps people to become 'men and women of the Beatitudes' through the work he calls, Agape, a dialogue with Russell Sturgess.  

The Spirit of the Beatitudes

"...a life lived in Christ's Spirit, the spirit of the Beatitudes, is "blessed", and that only the person who becomes a "man or woman of the Beatitudes" can succeed in communicating love and peace to others."

Pope Saint John Paul II - May 20, 1990