Greetings beautiful people of the Sacred Path Community,
"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths.
These persons have an appreciation, sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
We are a little under 3 weeks away from the kickoff of the 24th Annual Fall Sacred Path Men’s Retreat. There are some exciting updates to mention that assure that this retreat will be another extraordinary event.
Last month I announced that we were bringing Grandfather Soldier Bear back from the Lakota Reservation in South Dakota. He attended last year and shared the wisdom of the tribal elders. We plan to welcome the men that are 55 and older into the Elder Clan, and Grandfather will officiate that initiatory blessing. We also intend to honor the young men and those in the middle of their life spans who will be with us.
Andrew will be pouring water for our Inipi (sweat lodge) ceremonies and introducing the teachings of the Medicine Wheel. It’s my understanding that Andrew’s cousin, Thomas, will be with us again to pour water and, along with Andrew, offer traditional Lakota doctoring of the men. If you have a health issue (mental, physical or emotional) that has been plaguing you this is a good opportunity to gain some relief and healing.
I’ve also invited my friend, Dr. Ron Holman, to participate. Ron is another remarkable man. He has recently returned from a month-long journey through parts of India visiting teachers and Holy men that are remarkable in their own unique ways. Ron will offer a presentation on Friday night at the retreat chronicling his travels and sharing the intriguing experiences he had along the way. He is also bringing a gift to us that I can attest as being quite powerful. Read in this newsletter about Ron and his last trip to India.
Master drummers Christo and Grant will be maintaining the beat and enlivening the energy. We had one of the most extraordinary drum circles surrounding the fire and fire walk activity last October. We are planning to create a fire ceremony on Friday night that will incorporate elements of traditional Puja ceremonies held in other cultures.
Steve Branker will facilitate the “Love Letter” process to clear 5 areas of emotional congestion. This is especially helpful in getting unstuck, attaining clarity and moving from anger and resentment to forgiveness and loving compassion.
John Mafrici will facilitate the Sacred Breathing (aka Rebirthing) process to offer men an opportunity to move through grief and clean and balance their energy bodies as you release emotional energy pollution and attain a level of bliss. We’re all prone to have to deal with stressful situations these days so it’s great to be able to de-stress and attain a deep state of relaxation and rest.
You will be able to practice Yoga, Mindfulness Meditation and Martial Arts. We will be working with spiritual purification practices featuring the elements of earth, air, water and fire. I believe Herb Rubinstein will be on board once again with his remote controlled planes. Several men have experienced the fun of learning to fly the planes during past retreats. There’s nothing like being able to be a kid again. And, of course, the best part of the retreat is the collection of men that gather together for the purpose of bringing out the best in themselves and each other. There will be men flying in from several areas of the country.
This is just a sampling of what you’ll experience when you join us on retreat commencing October 20th through the 23rd. I hope you’ll favorably consider participating and if you are planning to attend please register now. I know that it’s tempting to wait until the last minute but it does create a lot more work for Annette when we get a flurry of enrollments during the week before the retreat. We have information to get back to you so please send in your registrations now.
On another note, mark your calendar for February 18 and 19. It appears that we’ll be presenting an event for men and women at Holy Spirit Retreat Center. As we work out the details we’ll let you know more. Also, mark your calendar for June 9 and 10. Leonard Orr will be returning to facilitate a day of training for those wanting to become more proficient in Rebirthing others and a day for those that want to experience the Rebirthing process. We will have a public evening on Friday the 8th in which Leonard will present on Spiritual Purification. All of us that participated last June and have altered our lifestyles to incorporate the practices that Leonard advised will have a chance to share what we’ve experienced over the year between his events.
In the spirit of brotherhood I wish you my best,
Stephen
To download the flyer for the Fall 2011 Sacred Path Retreat, click HERE
To download the fill-in application for the Fall 2011 Sacred Path Retreat, click HERE
Monday, October 3, 2011
No Man Left Behind
In the Spirit of No Man Left Behind, I am requesting that you consider making a donation to our scholarship fund. The Conrad Burke Memorial Scholarship Fund was established by one of our men, Mathew Burke, and his family to honor the legacy of their father, Conrad, who had attended a number of our retreats. Conrad graciously and generously supported all of the men in our community through his open and loving participation on retreat. He had become a central father figure and Mathew and the family had donated to us in his memory. Our coffers are now bare and we do have men that would like to attend the retreat but are at low ebb financially. If you will consider giving a minimum of $25, each donation of $25 or more will go directly to supporting a brother in need of financial support making it possible for them to join us. You can make your check out to Sacred Path Scholarship Fund and mail it to: Men’s Center of Los Angeles, Suite 214, 21243 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, CA 91364. If you wish to use your credit card, send us an email message or give us a call at 818-348-9302 and we’ll assist you. I’m including this story below from Daily Om. I think it expresses what we need to consider at this time when resources are scarce for many. Thank you for your generosity.
Stephen
Imagine a world in which we all shared our gifts and bounty with each other rather than focusing on self-preservation.
There are many variations on the story of stone soup, but they all involve a traveler coming into a town beset by famine. The inhabitants try to discourage the traveler from staying, fearing he wants them to give him food. They tell him in no uncertain terms that there's no food anywhere to be found. The traveler explains that he doesn't need any food and that, in fact, he was planning to make a soup to share with all of them. The villagers watch suspiciously as he builds a fire and fills a cauldron with water. With great ceremony, he pulls a stone from a bag, dropping the stone into the pot of water. He sniffs the brew extravagantly and exclaims how delicious stone soup is. As the villagers begin to show interest, he mentions how good the soup would be with just a little cabbage in it. A villager brings out a cabbage to share. This episode repeats itself until the soup has cabbage, carrots, onions, and beets; indeed a substantial soup that feeds everyone in the village.
This story addresses the human tendency to hoard in times of deprivation. When resources are scarce, we pull back and put all of our energy into self-preservation. We isolate ourselves and shut out others. As the story of stone soup reveals, in doing so, we often deprive ourselves and everyone else of a feast. This metaphor plays out beyond the realm of food. We hoard ideas, love, and energy, thinking we will be richer if we keep to them to ourselves, when in truth we make the world, and ourselves, poorer whenever we greedily stockpile our reserves. The traveler was able to see that the villagers were holding back, and he had the genius to draw them out and inspire them to give, thus creating a spread that none of them could have created alone.
Are you like one of the villagers, holding back? If you come forward and share your gifts, you will inspire others to do the same. The reward is a banquet that can nourish many.
Stephen
The Wisdom of Sharing
Stone Soup
Stone Soup
Imagine a world in which we all shared our gifts and bounty with each other rather than focusing on self-preservation.
There are many variations on the story of stone soup, but they all involve a traveler coming into a town beset by famine. The inhabitants try to discourage the traveler from staying, fearing he wants them to give him food. They tell him in no uncertain terms that there's no food anywhere to be found. The traveler explains that he doesn't need any food and that, in fact, he was planning to make a soup to share with all of them. The villagers watch suspiciously as he builds a fire and fills a cauldron with water. With great ceremony, he pulls a stone from a bag, dropping the stone into the pot of water. He sniffs the brew extravagantly and exclaims how delicious stone soup is. As the villagers begin to show interest, he mentions how good the soup would be with just a little cabbage in it. A villager brings out a cabbage to share. This episode repeats itself until the soup has cabbage, carrots, onions, and beets; indeed a substantial soup that feeds everyone in the village.
This story addresses the human tendency to hoard in times of deprivation. When resources are scarce, we pull back and put all of our energy into self-preservation. We isolate ourselves and shut out others. As the story of stone soup reveals, in doing so, we often deprive ourselves and everyone else of a feast. This metaphor plays out beyond the realm of food. We hoard ideas, love, and energy, thinking we will be richer if we keep to them to ourselves, when in truth we make the world, and ourselves, poorer whenever we greedily stockpile our reserves. The traveler was able to see that the villagers were holding back, and he had the genius to draw them out and inspire them to give, thus creating a spread that none of them could have created alone.
Are you like one of the villagers, holding back? If you come forward and share your gifts, you will inspire others to do the same. The reward is a banquet that can nourish many.
Daily Om: We Don't Need to Suffer
We do not need to suffer or live in poverty to be a spiritual person.
The idea that we have to suffer or live in poverty in order to be spiritual is an old one and can be found in the belief systems of many philosophies. Most of us carry this idea around subconsciously, and we may be holding ourselves back from financial or emotional well-being, believing that this is what we must do in order to be virtuous, spiritually awake, or feel less guilty for the suffering of others.
While it’s true that there can be a spiritual purpose to experiencing a lack of material well-being, it is rarely intended to be a permanent or lifelong experience. What we are meant to find when material or emotional resources are in short supply is that there is more to our lives than the physical realm. Intense relationships and material abundance can distract us from the subtler realm of the spirit, so a time of deficiency can be spiritually awakening. However, once we recognize the realm of spirit, and remember to hold it at the center of our lives, there is no reason to dwell in poverty or emotional isolation. In fact, once our connection to spirit is fully intact, we feel so compelled to share our abundance that lack becomes a thing of the past.
If you find that you are experiencing suffering in some area of your physical life, perhaps your spirit is asking you to look deeper in your search for what you want. For example, if you want money so that you can experience the feeling of security but money keeps eluding you, your spirit may be asking you to understand that security is not to be found through money. Security comes from an unshakable connection to your soul. Once you make that connection, money will probably flow more easily into your life. If relationships elude you, your spirit may be calling you to recognize that the love you seek is not to be found in another person. And yet, ironically, once you find the love, your true love may very well appear. If you feel stuck in suffering to live a spiritual life, try to spend some time writing about it. The root of the problem will appear and it may not be what you expected. Remember, the Universe wants you to be happy.
Dr. Ron Holman, Speaker at the Fall 2011 Retreat
Dr. Ron Holman, President and CEO of the Holman Group, which provides mental health and human resource services to some 1500 organizations, has endured an arduous physical and spiritual journey to arrive at his present position in life.
He was caught up in the addictive lifestyle of the ‘60’s, finally breaking away and entering inpatient treatment for his addiction. During his 6 months of inpatient treatment, he realized that his life’s work was to help others who were on the same path of addiction turn their lives around. He joined AA, and after 15 years of sobriety, began a voyage of self-discovery. He received his PhD in psychology in 1983, and is a licensed MFT who has maintained his sobriety for over 35 years.
Ron began his worldwide search for knowledge as a result of his wife Linda’s illness; she had been diagnosed with stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver. During their wait for a liver transplant, they decided that Ron should begin a journey to obtain information from healers around the planet - medicine men and women, shamans, teachers, gurus, magicians and others – anyone who might be able to help him cure his wife, and due to his ministrations, his wife has remained stable for over 15 years.
Dr. Holman has studied Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist mysticism, and has found that they all lead to the same center, like spokes on a wheel leading to the hub. He has recently returned from a pilgrimage to India and has had many fascinating experiences to share.
To read Dr. Ron's article about his recent trip to India, click HERE
He was caught up in the addictive lifestyle of the ‘60’s, finally breaking away and entering inpatient treatment for his addiction. During his 6 months of inpatient treatment, he realized that his life’s work was to help others who were on the same path of addiction turn their lives around. He joined AA, and after 15 years of sobriety, began a voyage of self-discovery. He received his PhD in psychology in 1983, and is a licensed MFT who has maintained his sobriety for over 35 years.
Ron began his worldwide search for knowledge as a result of his wife Linda’s illness; she had been diagnosed with stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver. During their wait for a liver transplant, they decided that Ron should begin a journey to obtain information from healers around the planet - medicine men and women, shamans, teachers, gurus, magicians and others – anyone who might be able to help him cure his wife, and due to his ministrations, his wife has remained stable for over 15 years.
Dr. Holman has studied Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist mysticism, and has found that they all lead to the same center, like spokes on a wheel leading to the hub. He has recently returned from a pilgrimage to India and has had many fascinating experiences to share.
To read Dr. Ron's article about his recent trip to India, click HERE
Book Review: Following Ezra
From the Gurian Institute Website
When Tom Fields-Meyer’s son Ezra was a toddler and showing early signs of autism, a therapist suggested that the father allow himself time to mourn. “For what?” he asked. The answer: “For the child he didn’t turn out to be.”
That moment helped strengthen the author’s resolve to do just the opposite: to celebrate the child Ezra was becoming, a singular boy with a fascinating and complex mind. Full of unexpected laughs, poignant moments and remarkable insights, Following Ezra is the riveting story of a father and son on a ten-year adventure, from Ezra’s diagnosis to the dawn of his adolescence. An engaging account of a father gradually uncovering layers of a puzzle, it rejoices in each new discovery and exults in the boy’s evolution from a remote toddler to an extraordinary young man, connected to the world in his own astounding ways.
Starting with the earliest indications that his son’s mind worked in unique and fascinating ways, the father describes in detail the challenges of autism, as well as his son’s often astonishing traits: his astounding memory, his deep connection with dogs and other animals, his obsessions with animated movies and breakfast cereals. He also reveals, with sensitivity and heart, the complexities of raising such a child within a family.
Unlike other parenting memoirs, Following Ezra isn’t about a battle against a disease, nor is it a clinical account of searching for doctors, therapies or miracle diets. Instead, Fields-Meyer describes—with humor and tenderness—the wondrous, textured, and often surprising life one experiences in raising a unique child. It’s a worthwhile and poignant read that will inspire parents to listen to, follow and celebrate their own children.
To link to the Gurian Institute website, click HERE
For more information about the book, click HERE
When Tom Fields-Meyer’s son Ezra was a toddler and showing early signs of autism, a therapist suggested that the father allow himself time to mourn. “For what?” he asked. The answer: “For the child he didn’t turn out to be.”
That moment helped strengthen the author’s resolve to do just the opposite: to celebrate the child Ezra was becoming, a singular boy with a fascinating and complex mind. Full of unexpected laughs, poignant moments and remarkable insights, Following Ezra is the riveting story of a father and son on a ten-year adventure, from Ezra’s diagnosis to the dawn of his adolescence. An engaging account of a father gradually uncovering layers of a puzzle, it rejoices in each new discovery and exults in the boy’s evolution from a remote toddler to an extraordinary young man, connected to the world in his own astounding ways.
Starting with the earliest indications that his son’s mind worked in unique and fascinating ways, the father describes in detail the challenges of autism, as well as his son’s often astonishing traits: his astounding memory, his deep connection with dogs and other animals, his obsessions with animated movies and breakfast cereals. He also reveals, with sensitivity and heart, the complexities of raising such a child within a family.
Unlike other parenting memoirs, Following Ezra isn’t about a battle against a disease, nor is it a clinical account of searching for doctors, therapies or miracle diets. Instead, Fields-Meyer describes—with humor and tenderness—the wondrous, textured, and often surprising life one experiences in raising a unique child. It’s a worthwhile and poignant read that will inspire parents to listen to, follow and celebrate their own children.
To link to the Gurian Institute website, click HERE
For more information about the book, click HERE
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