“Grace happens when we act with others on behalf of our world.” ― Joanna Macy
As the personal growth industry continues to grow beyond 44 billion dollars annually, it’s worth asking whether the millions of people taking self-help programs, meditating, doing yoga, breath-work seminars, psychedelic retreats, etc. are then working to make the world a more peaceful and just place. While I used to believe the answer was a resounding “yes,” I now think a bit differently.
It seems clear that people can participate and benefit personally from such practices, and yet not necessarily gain awareness of their relatedness to other beings, or find empathy and behave ethically towards them. It’s quite possible to use personal growth and even spiritual practices to become better and more efficient at behaviors that exploit and manipulate others.
I know that for some people that’s a very radical thing to hear. We’re often told that if someone becomes less rigid, less burdened by guilt or shame, more confident, they will become kinder, more generous and act in ways that make for a better world. This is often the case. But it’s often not. This is why ancient wisdom and spiritual traditions emphasize behavior, speech, action and work as equally important as inner development. And they also emphasize the development of consciousness that does not place the personal self, a segment of humanity, or humans at the center of the universe.
Intention is the key. If one enters “personal growth” with an intention to profit for themselves, it is likely that will be the result. If the intention includes cultivating awareness and compassion towards others, (humans, animals, plants, non-organic “things,” Mother Earth), that will bring about a different result. One can focus the intention of their inner work, prayerfully, to be the embodiment of the love, goodwill and compassion that is the true nature of their Soul, or essential nature.
So here’s another pitch for my upcoming course:
The Tree of Life, drawn from Jewish mystical teachings and embraced by mystics from many lineages, offers a path towards integrating inner and outer work. Teachings and practices from the Tree of Life provide the opportunity for personal and planetary healing and gaining guidance for committing to the work in the world that brings the light of peace and harmony to all beings. Information and registration links are here.
“All theory, dear friend, is gray, but the golden tree of life springs ever green.” –Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
We are all facing the same predicament: Our attention is being called and pulled in a myriad of directions while feelings of helplessness, anger, fear and grief are rising up and swirling throughout. How do we stay centered and relate to each other and the world with courage, kindness and love? Where do we find guidance and direction?
In my over fifty years of spiritual practice, I’ve explored a range of pathways. Each has helped me to center, develop greater awareness of my essential nature and grow as a mature human being. Each has helped me to serve more effectively in whatever role I can play in the great work of making the world a more just and compassionate realm.
Several decades ago I began to explore the teachings of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. I found here more than a symbol for the human mind/body and the nature of Reality. The Tree of Life is a tool and method for experiencing and integrating directly the essential qualities that we seek in psychological and spiritual growth. I’ve been working for several years with individuals and small groups bringing these teachings forward and have found they provide answers to the questions we face in these times. I am now launching this online course that brings it all together.
Skills you will get from this course
Deepen meditation skills whether you are a beginner or seasoned meditator.
Enhance kinesthetic experience of your body and the healing energies that resolve pain and increase vitality.
Access sources within the Tree of Life for creativity, compassion, wisdom, strength and love – the divine attributes of your true nature.
Heal the conflict between the inner man and woman.
Learn to take responsibility for your state of mind – transform “negative” emotions.
Invoke your ancestors and spirit allies to assist in your life journey.
Basically, my hope and intention is that this course will deepen your multi-faceted, spiritual awareness and help you develop a disciplined daily practice that is of benefit to you and all life on Mother Earth.
We will explore and experience together
Mindfulness practices for clearing the mind chatter and moving beyond the thinking mind.
The tree as both a cross-cultural symbol for human development, and the Tree of Life as a map of divine and human powers and attributes.
Practices for navigating in consciousness. Journeying deeply into the nature of the Sephiroth and the Tree. Discerning real or imaginary creations of the mind?
Understanding experiences of unity and duality – balancing the poles of yin and yang, male and female, giving and receiving.
Processes for healing the wounds of the heart.
Walking your visions with strength and opening to the sustaining support of Mother Earth.
Why the Tree of Life
The form and meaning of the Tree of Life were originally developed by Jewish mystics and further adapted by Christian, Sufi and Western esoteric spiritual teachers. Yet, many of the studies involving the Tree remain largely abstract and intellectual. This course will focus on experiential practices using meditations, divinations and invocations that explore the Tree in a way that opens you to the deep healing energies and spiritual guidance within. My approach draws from a range of spiritual lineages that include mindfulness meditation, the light-fire teachings of Agni Yoga, shamanism, alchemy and depth psychology.
The structure of the Tree of Life is similar to the chakra system of the East. There are centers (Sephiroth) that are sources of energy and places in consciousness that serve as emanations of attributes of your Soul and the Divine Source of all-that-is. Different than most depictions of the chakras, the Tree of Life has, in addition to the central column, axes that have centers to the right and left of the human body helping to balance the feminine and masculine, (yin and yang) aspects of your nature. The Tree also brings a focus down lower in the body to the feet with the aim of balancing transcendence with embodiment, coming to and serving the Earth.
The relationships of the different Sephiroth to each other form triangles and other patterns that express a range of states of consciousness. Each Sephira is related to elements of nature and mythological beings as well as psychological and spiritual qualities. Learning to navigate the Sephiroth and their relationships is a mind expanding and transformational process quite different from simply studying them theoretically or cognitively.
Course structure
The course will consist of twelve 90-minute, online sessions. All sessions will include experiential meditations, lecture and question and answer periods. All of the sessions will be recorded so participants will have access to them during and after the completion of the course. In addition, all participants will have access to over 10 recorded meditations that can be used for your own ongoing practice. The content and sequence of materials in the course will be flexible and proceed according to the needs of those attending.
Sessions will be online meeting every other week (except where holidays are involved).
All sessions will be recorded in case you miss a class.
Supplemental recorded meditations will be available for practice in between classes.
Sessions will be Sunday at 7 PM Eastern Time/4 PM PT and will be 90-minutes.
Fee for course including all materials is $500. Scroll down to register.
Cathy’s very multi-faceted career and continuing activities include earning a doctorate in East-West Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). At CIIS, she worked in a variety of administrative, leadership roles for 20 years and for the past six years she has worked with the CIIS Center for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies and Research. She has served as president of Kepler College, (a state-approved college of astrological studies in Washington state) and as Director of IONS’ (Institute of Noetic Sciences) EarthRise Retreat Center. As a very respected astrologer, she works in private practice, as a coach, and lectures nationally and internationally on Western and Eastern (Jyotish) astrology.
She is a devoted mother, grandmother and author of the just released book, Ralph Metzner, Explorer of Consciousness – The Life and Legacy of a Psychedelic Pioneer published by Inner Traditions. We talk about the book, which contains dozens of tributes and illuminating stories from people whose lives were touched and deeply influenced by Ralph as friends, colleagues, students and family. It reveals a good deal about his life, his wide ranging interests and contributions to the fields of psychology, shamanism, eco-psychology, mythology, Western and Eastern mysticism, and of course, psychedelics, a field in which he was a pioneer and innovator starting with his association with Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert (Ram Dass) at Harvard.
In our conversation, we talk about Cathy’s early years growing up in a conservative, small town in Missouri, her opening to astrology, her move to California and the California Institute of Integral Studies, and her in thirty year marriage with Ralph Metzner. Cathy talks with openness about what it was like living with him, working alongside him, being with him through his dying, and now communing with him in the after-life.
Cathy co-founded the Green Earth Foundation with Ralph that was a vehicle for Ralph’s teachings and books and through which Cathy continues to pass on his rich legacy (www.greenearthfound.org).
I’m sure you’re aware of the explosion of interest in what’s being called “the psychedelic renaissance.” Articles in all of the forms of media are calling attention to the many research programs for treating addictions, depression, anxiety, end-of-life issues, eating disorders, etc., Ketamine clinics are proliferating all over the country, and big-money corporations are seeking to gain control of the substances themselves. With all this, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that psychedelic substances or medicines are ancient tools for spiritual awakening, for opening perception and awareness to the true nature of Reality, aligning with one’s Soul or Spiritual essence, and for finding one’s place in serving the community of life of which we are part.
With that in mind, I’m excited to share the news that I’ve revised and republished my book, Preparation for a Sacred Psychedelic Journey. In it I’ve distilled some of the essential elements necessary to engage with plant or synthetic substances for sacred experiences. Based on my own experiences witnessing and participating with elder guides, it’s my hope it will be helpful to both experienced guides and those they work with.
It’s available on Amazon as a paperback or e-book for a low price making it easily available for teachers and students, guides and journeyers, beginners or the already very experienced. I’ve talked to many people who have used it prior to their experiential journeys and all have found it extremely helpful.
If you appreciate the book, I’d love it if you’d write a review on Amazon. That seems to be the way books get more visibility.
May those seeking a deeper connection with Spirit within themselves and in all the many dimensions of Reality find the careful and wise guidance they need on their journeys.
P.S. In the near future, I’ll be interviewing for my Crossing the Boundary YouTube/podcast series two folks who’ve been very involved in this field: Cathy Coleman, who was married for 30 years with the visionary, psychedelic pioneer, Ralph Metzner, and Jim Fadiman, founder of the Institute for Transpersonal Psychology and eminent researcher of micro-dosing psychedelics. Watch for them over the next couple of months.
Here are some of the endorsements I’ve received so far from people in the field:
“Impressive that here is exactly what you need to know if you are going to take a serious journey, and nothing else. It is clear, supportive, sensible, practical and sufficient.” –Jim Fadiman, author, The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide founder Institute for Transpersonal Psychology
“Preparation for a Sacred Psychedelic Journey condenses a rich body of knowledge into clear and simple instruction for any potential explorer of consciousness. Alan Levin’s years of practice as a psychotherapist and healer are made available in an offering that grounds psychedelic experience into a practical yet profound framework for personal transformation.” –Valeria McCarroll, PhD, LMFT Faculty, California Institute of Integral Studies in the Integral and Transpersonal Department
“For those seeking a deeper engagement of their essential nature through the expanded awareness offered by psychedelic molecules, Alan Levin has captured in his small book, the essential elements to pay attention to.” –Michael Ziegler, Founder “Mastering The art of Psychedelic Care: The Guiding Presence”
“Alan has prepared a sacred text of simple and powerful practical guidance to prepare for and explore within expanded consciousness. Alan’s thoughtful, heartful voice comes through every page, especially in his reverence for his teacher Ralph Metzner. Walk with him, into the journey.” –Rabbi Zac Kamenetz, Founder, Shefa, Jewish Psychedelic Support
“Alan’s book covers all the bases that need to be addressed and honored to create responsible, respectful right-relationship with the spirits of sacred psychedelic plants. Following the steps presented in this book helps open the doorway to receiving meaningful wisdom guidance and transformational healing for one’s life. It is about taking a sacred substance into a sacred container (you) to engage in a sacred dialogue cultivating the universe and letting the universe cultivate you.” –Dr. Tom Pinkson, author The Psychedelic Shaman: The Wisdom Warrior’s Path to Transformation Shamanic Mentor, Ceremonial Leader, Spiritual Medicine Teacher
“Alan Levin’s concise guidelines for a sacred psychedelic journey give great aid for the rapidly increasing number of therapists training as psychedelic guides. Alan’s half-century association with my late husband Ralph Metzner as his teacher, mentor, friend, and colleague, coupled with Alan’s own training, experience, and knowledge enabled this offering of guidelines for preparation, practice, and integration of deep intentional transformative growth work. This small volume incorporates the poetic wisdom of numerous teachers along with practical suggestions for how to do the work and navigate your evolving consciousness.” —Dr. Cathy Coleman, author, Ralph Metzner, Explorer of Consciousness: the Life and Legacy of a Psychedelic Pioneer
“Preparation for a Sacred Psychedelic Journey is an essential guide for anyone embarking on a journey of psychological and spiritual transformation through the use of entheogenic and empathogenic medicines. Levin’s extensive experience as a psychotherapist and spiritual practitioner shines through in his comprehensive approach to preparation, set and setting, intention-setting, and integration. This book is a practical resource for both novices and experienced voyagers, offering clear advice, actionable insights, and a compassionate understanding of the transformative potential of these sacred substances.
Levin delves deeply into the spiritual dimensions of psychedelic journeys, providing guidance on connecting with the divine, exploring one’s higher self, and communing with spiritual teachers and ancestors. Through detailed guidance on meditation, nature immersion, and creative expression, he skillfully equips readers to navigate their inner landscapes with wisdom and grace, facilitating spiritual awakening and growth. He also helps readers identify their connection to the natural world by enhancing the journeyer’s sense of belonging and inter-connectedness, grounding their experiences in the larger web of life.
Preparation for a Sacred Psychedelic Journey is a must-read for those seeking to deepen their journey, expand their consciousness, and cultivate a lasting change in their mind, heart, and way of living.” –Tina Trujillo, Ph.D. Faculty Director, Berkeley Psychedelic Facilitation Program University of California, Berkeley
“Alan Levin’s knowledge of the psychedelic realms is both deep and wide. The depth comes from decades of time on the mat, doing his own inner work. The breadth comes from 40+ years of studying and teaching spiritual practices. This book is a trusted guide for those entering into their own psychedelic explorations. It is both a practical and spiritual guidebook providing deep insights and prompts to help expand your psychedelic experience. Alan is a trusted resource in the psychedelic field. I highly recommend this book as a place to start your inner journey.” –Carla Detchon, Integration Coach Host of “Psychedelic Divas Podcast“
My recent conversation with John Malkin opened my eyes to a genre of music which I’d previously kept at a great distance – Punk Rock music. John, a very accomplished and recognized pianist himself, has a wide range of interests: writing, photography, non-violent communication, activism, music of several genres, and interviewing and writing about people involved with music, social justice and spirituality. Regarding music, he’s given a good deal of focus to punk rock, especially the punk music that has radical and revolutionary social and political content.
John’s most recent book, Punk Revolution! – An Oral History of Punk Rock, Politics and Activism, came out of over 250 interviews with punk musicians. In it, he explores in-depth, the very powerful and provocative messages and influence of the punk music scene. Coming from an older, hippie, rock and roll generation, I had pretty much bought into the disparaging view of punk as simply violent ranting (John acknowledges it has that element). But I now see it in a different light, that it took on the early anti-authoritarian role of rock-and-roll which had become pretty commercial as punk came on the scene. And embedded in the intense beat and thrashing guitars are messages related to political and social issues. I learned just how much punk is international in scope and includes Buddhist, indigenous, Hindu, vegan, even Orthodox Jewish versions. In John’s forthcoming book, Punk Spirit, he plans to focus on the spiritual aspects of punk.
Malkin has been working through radio for over 25 years. Starting with a tiny “pirate radio” station in Santa Cruz, he now has a regular program, “Transformation Highway,” on KZSC 88.1 radio through UC Santa Cruz. John’s interviewed musicians of all genres, political activists, spiritual teachers as well as community and labor organizers. The list includes, Thich Nhat Hanh, spiritual guru Amma, Noam Chomsky, John Trudell, Amy Goodman, Yolanda King (MLK’s daughter).
Malkin considers himself a student of Thich Nhat Hanh and Gandhi, and is committed to non-violence with an anarchist bent towards authoritarian powers. Our conversation includes a good look into the political questions of our time, the upcoming election, and Israel’s war on Gaza as it relates to Jewish identity.
Malkin’s interviews and writings have been published internationally in Adbusters, Punk Planet, Razorcake, Spirituality & Health, Z Magazine, Ode, In These Times, Sojourners, The Sun, Film International, Shambhala Sun, Tricycle, Friends Journal, The Santa Cruz Sentinel, The Monterey Herald and other publications. As a pianist / percussionist he has collaborated with a variety of ensembles, dancers and choreographers for 30 years including Tandy Beal, Mel Wong, Connie Kreemer, Frey Faust, Nita Little, Joe Goode, Miranda Janeschild and Rita Rivera. He’s played solo piano concerts internationally and has performed with West African Kora master Foday Musa Suso, German vocalist Christian Kesten, cellist Elaine Kreston and blues guitarist Paul Sprawl. Malkin has traveled internationally and has lived in West Berlin and Australia. He is now writing his first novel about hitchhiking across the Sahara Desert.
A very interesting man! Please watch or listen to my conversation with him and check out the information at the links below for more about John and for some his recommendations of punk music.
Please feel free to share this and other blog posts from me and subscribe to my podcast and or YouTube series, Crossing the Boundary.
May we all be the peace that brings justice to the world,
“There is a coming home. A home base. Psychedelics help you reconnect with home.” — Ann Shulgin “After centuries of patriarchal dominance, humanity has lost its innate balance. By invoking the divine feminine energies we restore equilibrium. That’s why we chose the word Divas — the Latin for goddesses or the feminine divine — to honor the highest aspect of the feminine.” –from Psychedelic Divas website
“I want to unfold. Let no place in me hold itself closed, for where I am closed, I am false.“
–Rainer Maria Rilke
It’s been noted that the discovery of LSD in 1943 by the Swiss chemist, Albert Hoffman, occurred while scientists at the Manhattan Project were developing the first atom bomb, detonated in 1945. The most powerful agent of consciousness change and the most destructive weapon mankind had ever created came to us very close in time. Is it a coincidence, or synchronicity. A similar synchronicity seems apparent in the present moment, where a wide range of intersecting destructive trends, possibly crippling or fatal to humanity and other life on Earth – the mega, meta, or polycrisis – is happening at the same time as what has been called the psychedelic renaissance.
Can psychedelics help humanity develop a more eco-conscious mindset and find the motivation and wisdom to create a just and sustainable world? It seems clear that psychedelics alone do not accomplish that. But combined with appropriate intention, proper preparation, and mindful integration, there are signs that they do support and accelerate the transformation of people’s perception, thinking and activity towards more cooperation and empathy and greater appreciation and respect for nature.
One of the oldest and key features of the old paradigm is male domination, patriarchy. It’s fair to ask whether this way of being itself is a primary cause of our crises, subjugating the nurturing, holding and being qualities of the feminine and women, to the assertive, active, goal-oriented male energies, and men.
As we try to emerge from millennia of patriarchy, we can draw from the many wisdom and spiritual traditions of the world which contain teachings that can help free of us from the mindsets of male dominance. We can learn that giving attention to the Divine Feminine, the Goddess and Goddesses of old, and to Nature and Mother Earth is essential for both men and women. We can face the deeply ingrained destructive bias that places male attributes and energy, and men, above and more important than the feminine and women.
There are many ways to unlearn the conditioned patterns of male dominance and expand our consciousness to embrace the fuller realizations of the feminine. One way is the carefully guided, ceremonial use of plant medicines, entheogens, psychedelics. On such journeys, it’s possible to heal the wounded aspects of one’s inner woman (what Carl Jung called the anima) and open to the divine feminine available to both men and women. Carla Detchon has been exploring this for nearly forty years and recently launched “Psychedelic Divas”, a podcast devoted to this subject. I interviewed Carla for my Crossing the Boundary podcast. I hope you can take the time to listen to our conversation.
Carla and I were in ceremonial spaces together many times with the masterful guide, Ralph Metzner. Metzner’s approach to psychedelic ceremonies included what he called “divinations,” purposeful inner journeys for opening to divine guidance and healing. He would take us through mythic realms and lead us through spiritual practices, some of which aimed to heal wounded parts of ourselves and explore our relationship to the physical, psychological and spiritual aspects of male and female consciousness.
Through her work as an integrative coach and through her podcast series, Carla supports people in the preparation and integration of psychedelic journeys. She is passing along the legacy of Metzner’s wisdom teachings. Her emphasis, as the podcast name makes clear, is on the feminine. While ultimately, we all need to balance the male/female within, the long suppression of the feminine in humanity calls for us to highlight that aspect of our nature. We need an affirmative action focus of our attention on HER for our personal benefit, and for the much needed transformation of the collective human consciousness.
As it says on the Psychedelic Divas website:
“We are calling on people of all genders to lean into their natural divine feminine traits—intuition, receptivity, creativity, compassion, healing, communal connection, softness, nurturing, and flow—in order to help bring balance back to our individual selves as well as the world.“
At a very practical level, Carla offers a free guide on her website and podcast site called: “PSYCHEDELIC SAFETY TIPS INCLUDING WHAT TO DO WHEN THINGS GO WRONG”
Eva was born in Israel in a Muslim family and as a child, learned to think of herself as an Arab-Israeli. She moved to France to study and received a double Masters degree in International Relations and International Administration from the Sorbonne. Her skills, and the fact that she speaks five languages fluently, led her to Brussels to work with an NGO and also as a consultant to the European Union. Living there for 10 years, she took on Belgian nationality. Her work included extensive conflict resolution projects in Africa and later New York.
Eventually, she came to the U.S. and began looking more deeply into the psychological and spiritual roots of conflict and realized she needed to do the work within herself before she could help others. She now likes to use the term “peace activator” to describe what she does, rather than peace activist, noting that it is the peace within that needs to be activated and brought out into the world.
Her self exploration and truth seeking led her to embrace her identity as a Palestinian. Especially now, she devotes herself to working with both Jewish Israelis and Palestinians. In her work with them as individuals and in groups, people find the common humanity they share with the people they had come to see as “others.” She sees this as getting to the roots of the conflict and a necessary part of finding solutions that will bring about justice and peace.
I found the work she does through PeaceActivation of great interest. As well, her life journey, crossing boundaries of different national or ethnic identities, seems to give her a clear vision of the role identity plays in all of us. I have found that when we recognize and accept our personal and collective identifications, we can more genuinely transcend the separative aspects of those identities and experience ourselves as fundamentally spiritual beings living in a human family. Eva Dalak seems to me to be someone who has done the work and is helping others find the way.
Eva and her partner live in Costa Rica and have a healing retreat center where they have “PeaceActivation” workshops and trainings.
Please see the links below to find out more about her work and ways to take part:
Facing the reality of our time, the mega-crisis or meta-crisis, many of us find ourselves asking, “What is my role in all this? What can I do or what am I called to do?” I’d like to reflect here at two aspects of myself that get my attention and move me in different ways. I think of these as distinct identities, two parts of myself that have their own sensibility and ways of being and acting. They come from different sources of my own development and ancestral inheritances. They sometimes collaborate and sometimes appear to conflict.
I’m especially drawn to examine how these two parts of myself, and I suspect many others, relate to the crises we are currently dealing with, the overlapping and intersecting issues of: climate change, militarism, poverty, mass migrations, authoritarian governments, patriarchy and racism, economic insecurity for the many and super-abundant wealth and power for a select few and paralyzing political polarization. Given the horrific events unfolding in Gaza right now, I want to pay specific attention there.
Where there is conflict, the healer in me will focus on the repairing of relationships, building bridges of understanding and empathy, and helping people move towards more cooperation and community. Where there is violence or war, the healer seeks to have the two sides dialogue and learn to empathize with each other. In the case of our ecological crises, the healer works towards repairing damaged areas of the Earth and restoring species in danger of extinction. In group conflicts and wars, the healer aims for diplomacy, seeing the other sides point of view and compromise to avoid violence. The healer may also work with people to awaken to a healthy relationship with non-human life, to care for and be respectful with the animal and plant realm, the rivers and oceans. In his book The Six Pathways of Destiny, Ralph Metzner says, “the core value of the healer, whether at the level of the individual, the family, community or society is wholeness and harmony.”
An alternate approach is that of the warrior. In the world, the warrior gets engaged in the struggle to protect and defend oppressed and abused human beings, animals, ecosystems and the whole of Mother Earth. The warrior will fight to change systems of injustice, challenge prejudice and combat authoritarianism. While the word warrior is often associated with violence, there is increasing awareness that it is an archetypal aspect of all humans. Warriors can function non-violently and with compassion even for those they oppose in the struggle. My Agni Yoga teacher, Russell Schofield, taught that the immune system of our body is a manifestation of the warrior energy and consciousness in that it defends and protects our physical organism at the cellular level.
In the present moment, many of us have turned our attention to the war raging in the Middle East, especially between Israel and the Palestinians. Several decades ago, I was involved in dialogue groups that included Israeli and American Jews, and Palestinian and other Muslim Arabs. Our time together helped all of us feel friendlier and understand each other with greater empathy. But it did nothing to change the ongoing drastic imbalance of power and the military Occupation of the West Bank and Gaza which we all agreed needed to be ended. Today, there are continued efforts at dialogue and interpersonal healing both in the U.S. and Israel/Palestine. (See Roots https://b8ofhope.org/roots/ for example). There are even communities of Jews and Palestinians living and working together in the hope of spreading the message that people do not need to fear or hate each other and can genuinely get along. (See Oasis of Peace: https://www.oasisofpeace.org/, for example).
I strongly support the healers working as individuals and groups committed to this work even through extremely challenging times. However, it seems to me that there is a need for the warrior spirit as well. As I write this and as you are reading this, I am quite certain more than one Palestinian has been killed by Israeli forces (currently approximately 100/day). The devastation in Gaza is almost beyond comprehension and the violence against Palestinians in the West Bank and the seizure of yet more land continues unabated. At times like this, it feels important to make a choice to defend and support those being overwhelmed by violent aggression. It’s for this reason that I support non-violent resistance to Israel’s armed invasion of Gaza and the decades-long Occupation. For me, this includes the support of the ceasefire movement and the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement: https://bdsmovement.net/.
It is important to say that the healer and warrior can work simultaneously and collaboratively. They can be embodied in one person. In many ways, both Ghandi and King were both healers and warriors. Another contemporary example is Dr. Gabor Maté, best known for his work with healing trauma, especially in treating addictions. He is a Holocaust survivor and was raised as a strong believer in Zionism. Yet he speaks out strongly against the Israeli Occupation and the role of Zionism. Here is an interview in which he speaks movingly of “Trauma and the Israel-Palestine Conflict.” https://scienceandnonduality.com/videos/a-call-for-healing/
When we look more deeply at the causes of abuse, domination and violence, we see that perpetrators are often themselves conditioned by experiences of abuse and trauma. They are themselves in need of healing. Compassionate dialogue with them can sometimes lead to changes in their orientation and behavior. At the same time, the warrior is needed to stand against the violence and injustice and challenge the belief systems that support destructive and abusive behaviors. The two kinds of activity working together bring hope that peace with justice can be achieved on Earth.
However horrible the events are in Israel/Palestine, there are dozens of other places and significant issues in the world that need attention. The healer and the warrior are necessary, but not the only paths or identities for people who want to help. Various authors have pointed to the role of the artist, scientist or organizer for addressing problem areas. I hope these reflections are helpful to you in finding your path to creatively and actively being part of making our world more healthy and just.
What am I? How many of us take time to ask that question in a serious vein and take time, lots of time, to investigate what we experience when we ask that question of ourselves?
Zen practitioners will sit quietly for hours and days and weeks doing just that. According to Zen Master Bon Soeng, they do that to be ALIVE in the fullest sense of what that means, vibrantly awake to the present moment. “What am I?” is not the only question, but it is at the core of many questions that have no rational answer that foster deep shifts in consciousness through meditation.
Born into a Jewish family, Jeff Kitzes, found himself alienated from the culture in which he grew up and was drawn to meditation at an early age. On a journey in search of Don Juan (the hero of the fiction/non-fiction books of Carlos Castaneda), he found himself at a zen monastery in Mendocino, California and then at a retreat with Korean Zen Master, Seung Sahn of the Kwan Um school of Zen. He says that when he first saw Seung Sahn, he saw someone alive in a way he had never experienced; he became his student for life.
After years of practice, Jeff was initiated as a Zen Master and given the name Bon Soeng. He has been the leader and primary teacher of Empty Gate Zen Center. Empty Gate has a home in Berkeley, CA, a center in Boise, ID and offers teachings online. See https://www.emptygatezen.com/. Many of Bon Soeng’s dharma talks (Buddhist teachings) are posted on YouTube and can be found through Empty Gate website.
In my conversation with Bon Soeng, he reveals a very open attitude as to the activities of his students. Aware that many spiritual teachers have abused their power, he is very much committed to individuals having free choice over their own lives,. This includes the use of psychedelics and cannabis which he feels is an individual choice and, in fact, may be of benefit to their lives and Zen practice.
Bon Soeng says that his lineage is committed to the Bodhisattva path, committing ones life to the benefit of all sentient beings. His students find their own way of understanding that and taking actions as they find themselves directed from within through their practice.
I just posted my YouTube and Podcast conversation with Bon Soeng. Please check either out here to hear the inspiring journey to the Zen path of awakening.
After our zoom conversation, it occurred to me that I hadn’t asked a very important question. Essentially it is “how does meditating, Zen or otherwise, develop a person who behaves ethically?” Do we just assume that “being more alive or awake” would lead people to behave with each other and the Earth in a healthy or “good” way?
I ran the question by Bon Soeng and this was his response. Being that we are friends, this will lead to many more conversations.
“Interesting questions.
Ethics have obviously changed over the Millenia. Zen arose in China between 500-700 AD. Indian meditation was practiced well before the Buddha ever appeared and Taoist meditation predates Buddhism in China. The ethics of those places in those times were very different than ours. One of Trump’s main nuclear arms advisors was a Buddhist chaplain. During WWII the Japanese Zen establishment sided with the government in their war effort. Many monks in Burma rose up to exile the Rohingya from their territory. And, many monks in Burma rose up to join the democracy movement.
So, I can’t really say that meditation and practice will lead to a particular standard of ethics. Rather, I think culture drives the particular standard of ethics for a society. In modern America it is mostly white left wing types who seem to be drawn to Buddhism and Zen. I suspect the “left-wing” values are more important in the creation of modern American Buddhist convert sanghas than the ethics espoused by Buddha more than 2500 years ago. We have found voice in Buddhism to values we hold dearly. Care for others, compassion, lovingkindness, equanimity, service, and non-materialism are parts of Buddhist teachings. They resonate for us, so we like it. Just like any pick and choose practitioner of religion, most of us ignore the parts of the teachings that we don’t relate to or agree with, like the confucian views of hierarchy and fidelity to family and country (which my teacher espoused).
My Zen tradition is based on the Bodhisattva way. That way is service to all beings. Zen Master Seung Sahn said: “For me, suffering appears. For all beings, no suffering.” To focus on the welfare of others is the practice of uprooting self-centeredness. Self-centeredness is the great mistake. When “I” becomes the most important thing, we all suffer. To live the Bodhisattva way is to practice. It is the playing field of our life. If we truly take up this vow, we dedicate our lives to the healing and growth of the whole in each and every moment of our life. A life lived from this vow can become a life which benefits all sentient and non-sentient things. This is meditation in action in our daily life.
One more point. When we practice a meditation which focuses on What am I?we learn about ourselves and become more aware of our actions and the conditions that lead to those actions. This awareness can grow into wisdom, which allows us to act in less unconscious and hurtful ways. We act out of our psychological blindness less and in that way bring healing to the world. So, our practice directly impacts the wellbeing of others. Whether that extends to systemic issues is less clear to me.
I hope these thoughts help. I am very interested in the questions that have arisen for you and look forward to the challenging conversation we could have in looking in to those questions.”
I’ve compiled some resources here that I hope will be helpful to you regarding the raging horror taking place in Israel/Palestine. Please save this and explore them when you have time. Feel free to share.
Blessings for peace and justice,
Alan
“No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” –Albert Einstein
The recent events in Israel/Palestine tear at my heart and I struggle to find words that will not add to the pain. Fortunately, there are a good number of people who, even in the midst of the worst suffering, have found the wisdom and compassion to build bridges of understanding between the two sides. As I searched, I found many groups of Israelis and Palestinians, Jews and Arabs, who are working together for a real peace. Below are just a few. Please take some time to check them out. I hope that they will be helpful to you, as they have been for me, in facing the horror and being able to communicate with friends or family with whom you may disagree.
Following these few links I offer some of my own thoughts.
For a more in-depth view, register for this free event on 12/8 (which will hopefully be recorded): Two of the speakers, Avi and Ahmed, will share how they have been intimately impacted by the violence. Avi is CEO of Rabbis for Human Rights and a survivor of the massacre at Kibbutz Nirim in the Negev. Ahmed is a former Hamas member, second generation refugee, and long-term CfP member. Ahmed has lost over 51 loved ones in Gaza.
Parents Circle Family Forum: Members of this group have all lost members of their family to violence from the other side. They have chosen to be with each other’s grief and share in developing solutions with goodwill and respect. https://www.theparentscircle.org/en/pcff-home-page-en/
Abrahamic Reunion: Composed of religious and spiritual leaders who are Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Druze who focus on the the common ground of their faiths seeking peace. Here is a good 5 minute video summarizing their work: https://www.abrahamicreunion.org/
Roots: Jews and Palestinians fostering a grassroots movement of understanding, non-violence, and understanding among Israelis and Palestinians. Roots/Shorashim/Judur has created and operates the only joint Israeli-Palestinian community center in the entire West Bank. This safe, holy space hosts social, religious, and educational activities, bringing together hundreds of Palestinians and Israelis who begin to realize that there are two truths, two stories – not one – in this land, and the only way forward is to cherish both. 7 minute video https://www.friendsofroots.net/
The Wall Between – Here is one of the best dialogues I’ve listened to on the conflict. Raja Khouri and Jeffrey Wilkinson, a Palestinian and a Jew, wrote the book The Wall Between – What Jews and Palestinians Don’t Want to Know About Each Other. Excellent insights and thoughtful sharing in their discussion:
My thoughts/feelings: While I have plenty of opinions about what is going on, the rights and the wrongs and possible solutions, this message is about the subjective aspects of the conflict and how we transform our fear and rage into understanding and empathy and the will to act for peace and justice.
Although I am Jewish, my life has been blessed to not feel very much of the sting of antisemitism. Yet I know it is very real and that it has taken some of the most horrid forms imaginable. I know the pain and fear that our people carry from across the centuries through the Holocaust. I understand the hope that Israel would provide, finally, a safe home for the Jewish people. I have watched as suicide bombers and knife wielding terrorists have killed brothers and sisters. I understand how fear makes building walls and shutting people out seem reasonable. And now, the horrific, brutal assault on October 7th has brought about boiling rage and crystalized the thought, “Jews cannot have peace with the people who want to destroy them and their nation.” It’s hard to resist the feeling of wanting to drive Palestinians further away or have them killed, to kill or be killed.
I have not experienced anything close to the suffering of the Palestinian people. I am merely a pained witness to the taking of their land and the presence of an occupying army on the little land left for them – an army watching and controlling all their movements, attempting to turn neighbors against each other by paying and pressuring them to spy on each other. The restrictions, the checkpoints, the raids and home demolitions seem endless. There are also the countless humiliations from aggressive Israeli settlers who continue to take more land, harass people and uproot olive groves with the support of armed soldiers. Many Palestinians have been killed or wounded in raids on their communities by the Israeli army or settlers. It is hard for me to imagine how all this, how all of these things and more, must tear at the heart and soul. It’s hard to imagine not sinking into despair or feeling a boiling hot rage and wanting to drive Israelis out or have them killed, to kill or be killed.
All of the darkest feelings any human can have are understandable in light of all this. Yet all wisdom and spiritual traditions tell us that we are not compelled to act from our emotional reactions no matter how seemingly natural or understandable. As humans, we have the ability to open to a higher vision, to find understanding and empathy for ourselves and those who have been our “enemies.”
Who am I to say what is possible for anyone else? I sit in the safety and comfort of my home in New York. But I am heartened to see that there are Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians, who have felt the deepest wounds possible and are in the midst of it, who have passed through their own rage and hate, and yet now reach out and embrace those they have been taught to hate and fear. They are teachers for all of us in our personal and collective conflicts.
May we all find some peace in knowing they are here and give them our support.
