-:¦:- The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD
COUNSELING PROJECT q(~?~)p
The LAUGHING BUDDHA SANGHA
guided by AKASA LEVI ~ 310-450-2268
Besides the multitude of illuminating, inspiring brief readings on this site, and besides the details about your possible being here to sit meditation with us at some time - there's a lot of short, good poetry and pithy spiritual phrases in here to uplift you - and go for rides in your iPhone - and then go sit still somewhere, breathe, slow down, breathe, listen to the silence, breathe, and notice the incredible naturalness of everything, and intelligently nourish your Spirit from these Word-Spirits also…. enjoy
________________________
“And then the day came
when the risk to remain
tight in a bud
was more painful
than the risk
it took to blossom” ~ Anais Nin
________________________BUDDHIST
COUNSELING
SESSIONS and
AWARE MINDFULNESS
PRACTICE as a THERAPY
• INDIVIDUAL Therapy
•
RELATIONSHIP Counseling
akasalevizz@msn.com ~ akasalevi@gmail.com email
http://buddhistmeditationsantamonica.com good readings
"
What is accepted by the majority of people -
does
not mean it is Real." ~ The Buddha
The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT
~
an effective Buddhist-based 'Alternative' way
complementary
to contemporary psychotherapy
for
the Discomforted Mind, Wounded Spirit or
Disheartened,
Despairing Relationship ~
all
in the midst of our very edgy,
over-driven,
survival-stressed
Uncertain
Times
______________
" I’m a ONE MAN SHOP ~
I’m a ONE MAN SHOW
Always have been.
I'm at the Beach.
So relax and breathe"
I’m a ONE MAN SHOW
Always have been.
I'm at the Beach.
So relax and breathe"
Counsel for both Adult Women and Men
In One-to-One Individual Therapy sessions
In One-to-One Individual Therapy sessions
Buddhist
Counseling sessions using
Mindfulness
Practice as a Therapy
Buddhist
Dharma Life-Coaching
• Individual
1-on-1 Therapy
• Relationship Counseling for
Couples,
Partnering issues,
and Self-Identity issues
Verbal,
inter-active, face to face,
very
personal, kind and caring
as
well as ‘tough-love’ - and
appropriate
directive ‘tasks’
and
even homework - in clear,
hopefully
effective sessions.
“Relationships”
certainly
can be difficult. Period.
Everyone knows that."
My Lama said--
" Teach
BIG LOVE ! "
__________________can be difficult. Period.
Everyone knows that."
My Lama said--
" Teach
BIG LOVE ! "
Brief Profiles: Mindfulness Meditation
-:¦:-
The LAUGHING
BUDDHA SANGHA - guided by AKASA LEVI, a former ordained American Buddhist
forest monk who lived many years in rural Asia. Akasa guides a small,
salon-sized Satsang sitting group for Buddhist Mindfulness meditation with
practice discussion and Dharma theory study. Now a feisty 76, this eccentric,
really funny ole' Dharma-mentor teaches at his little meditation shrine room
filled with rare books and statues of the Buddha. He invites anyone actively practicing an
'awareness meditation' to come sit. Newcomers very welcome.
Brief Profiles: Teacher
-:¦:-
The SEASONED WISDOM SANGHA
The
LAUGHING BUDDHA SANGHA ♦ guided by
AKASA LEVI - a U.S.military Vet and former ordained American Buddhist forest
monk • who lived many years in rural Asia - to be with the LAST LIVING BUDDHIST
TEACHERS of the PRE-GLOBAL ERA, most passed on now • Akasa is a feisty 76 - an
adorable authentic genuine curmudgeon • Odd, a really funny, eccentric old man
of the Dharma, a respected BuJu tribal elder • Advaita yogi, rogue
mentor into nourishing a maverick, iconoclast intelligence in the people he
treats, teaches, counsels or coaches at his little meditation shrine oom filled with statues of the ancient Buddha, he also practices in
the scientific secular spirit of contemporary Mindfulness meditation as well •
Truly an acquired taste like Thai shrimp paste, Akasa is known for his
spontaneity, ready warmth, and wry unpredictable humor
• Please VISIT the Expanded BIG BIO PROFILE
• Please VISIT the Expanded BIG BIO PROFILE
Brief Profiles: Counseling
/ Therapy
-:¦:-
The Spiritual Adulthood Counseling Project ~ is
where I can offer Buddhist based 'Alternative' approaches to relating with Your
True Core Self • One-to-One Individual therapy • Relationship and Partnering
issues • Difficult to communicate feelings • Disheartened anxious insecure
Wounded Spirit • Therapy for "Non-Ordinary", "Uncommon
People" • 'Rebels' 'Creatives' 'Sensitives' cerebral verbal artistic
gifted ~ and Unhappy people • "Mindfulness" really works to cultivate a calm, kind, wise, spacious, fearless
"Big Good-Hearted Mind" -- Teach BIG LOVE.
________________________________
About Uncertain Times ?
" It was the
Best of times,
Best of times,
It was the
Worst of times,
Worst of times,
It was the age of
wisdom,
It was the age of
foolishness,
It was the epoch of
belief,
It was the epoch of
incredulity,
It was the season
of Light,
It was the season
of Darkness,
It was the spring
of hope,
It was the winter
of despair,
We had everything
before us,
We had nothing
before us,
We were all going
direct to Heaven,
We were all going
direct the other way -
In short, that
period was so far -:¦:-
just like the
present period.
~ Sir Charles
Dickens ~
A Tale of Two
Cities (1859)
_______________________
Maybe you're an Non-Ordinary
UNCOMMON PERSON
in these Uncertain Times....
UNCOMMON PERSON
in these Uncertain Times....
" The 'Uncommon Person' / 'The
Non-Ordinary Person'
Already Feels Different -- in a
Very Non-Assimilate-able Way.
Many
people really do, but for the truly 'uncommon one'
it's
sort of a double-whammy to carry!"
~ Abram Wolsam 1947
•
So you’d probably need an authentic 'Non-traditional
Therapist' who authentically understands “non-mainstream”, non-Matrix lifestyles -- and who
is deeply empathic and genuinely understands ‘uncommon' and ‘unusual’ or
‘non-ordinary’ people - who are quite uniquely gifted --yet unhappy
people.
• INDIVIDUALISM:
The 'Individualistic' Person --do you remember those old fashion words ? -- a blissful spiritual oriented introvert contemplating their navel. You may be an 'individualistic' person, turned inward, a naturally 'introverted' person who feels very naturally, most of the time, "introspective" anyway... You're also struggling to give n' get some lasting 'mindful' balance to domestic ‘worldly’ problems, family dramas, and all sorts of seemingly 'unresolvable' emotional issues handled skillfully and realistically --a refined personal practice with noble good integrity as well -- yet without you having to commit to any overly prescribed program or artificial spiritual path that just doesn't feel right to you somehow.
Surprising to me, in my early days of "Buddhist" meditation practice --what I found conflicting, yet so remarkably interesting-- is that one could do a whole life's worth of serious Buddhist practice without ever mentioning the Buddha's name at all. Buddha is just not necessary to do a contemporary Buddhist practice. As a major world religion that's quite odd --- and very refreshing !
"What the monks say
about meditation practice--
You're independently
on your own, if you prefer
-- or come sit regularly with
a frequent practice group,
or an established center,
if you wish, whatever you like,
Group sitting or solo practice
quietly home alone, either way
can be quietly consistent, good
and strongly supportive..."
The 'Individualistic' Person --do you remember those old fashion words ? -- a blissful spiritual oriented introvert contemplating their navel. You may be an 'individualistic' person, turned inward, a naturally 'introverted' person who feels very naturally, most of the time, "introspective" anyway... You're also struggling to give n' get some lasting 'mindful' balance to domestic ‘worldly’ problems, family dramas, and all sorts of seemingly 'unresolvable' emotional issues handled skillfully and realistically --a refined personal practice with noble good integrity as well -- yet without you having to commit to any overly prescribed program or artificial spiritual path that just doesn't feel right to you somehow.
Surprising to me, in my early days of "Buddhist" meditation practice --what I found conflicting, yet so remarkably interesting-- is that one could do a whole life's worth of serious Buddhist practice without ever mentioning the Buddha's name at all. Buddha is just not necessary to do a contemporary Buddhist practice. As a major world religion that's quite odd --- and very refreshing !
"What the monks say
about meditation practice--
You're independently
on your own, if you prefer
-- or come sit regularly with
a frequent practice group,
or an established center,
if you wish, whatever you like,
Group sitting or solo practice
quietly home alone, either way
can be quietly consistent, good
and strongly supportive..."
•
As one Navajo, a contemporary Person Healer teaches--- I support the skillful retrieval and 'Healing' of the unsure Mind and of the broken Defeated Heart inside of us weeping. And I offer NO promises or religious
prescriptions - not even some sort of Millennial New Age born again ( not the Rez again ) bourgeois dogma drama. I offer ‘Nothing’ to ‘Believe’ in. That’s
a Indian-Buddhist pun. I only offer the opportunity to seek and explore that which "Isn't" -- but is so craved for anyway, so taken up with, and so attached to -- as if it actually "IS". How to take Action in a Mind-space of 'Nothingness'. 'Emptiness'. ‘Nothing’ - That in itself is Lberation ! "Freedom from the Known" !
The Act itself of Investigating a paradoxical conundrum that offers the possibility that it can offset anxiety and a self-created sense of lack and emotional pain. Using a Paradox to climb and surmount a Barrier or a Bewilderment that already knows within itself that there is nothing there to begin with if you just bump it up a notch. - to freely allow the unhindered emergence of your own individual ‘true knowing’ and personal excellence. I would like the opportunity to assist you in discovering a 'natural unfolding' of unshakable balance, boundless wisdom and joy. And get back your innate good humor - Liberating a new sense of caring and connectedness with yourself, other people and the universe. An expanded inner acceptance and outer effectiveness.
The Act itself of Investigating a paradoxical conundrum that offers the possibility that it can offset anxiety and a self-created sense of lack and emotional pain. Using a Paradox to climb and surmount a Barrier or a Bewilderment that already knows within itself that there is nothing there to begin with if you just bump it up a notch. - to freely allow the unhindered emergence of your own individual ‘true knowing’ and personal excellence. I would like the opportunity to assist you in discovering a 'natural unfolding' of unshakable balance, boundless wisdom and joy. And get back your innate good humor - Liberating a new sense of caring and connectedness with yourself, other people and the universe. An expanded inner acceptance and outer effectiveness.
‘RAW QUALITIES OF GOOD BEING’ That We All Have !
•
Yet still, us Unhappy 'Uncommon' folk --we hold a small but rapidly growing niche
market in the “Developing Consciousness” industry - so we're not exactly the
ordinary 'Retail' majority. In all kindness to Target shoppers-- the consuming masses are still
buying into it -- by buying it, and now bought-in, are still living on the bought on credit swipe it it's yours larger grid - what the Dalai Lama calls The Ever Suffering Consumer - "Consumers"
- people strongly subject to the lures and addictive pulls of Desire, Craving and
Attachment, by indulgence or necessity. Capitalism totally depends on those consumers to function. “Mindfulness teaches us to teach ourselves through meditation at a deeper than usual learning-level to have the consistent 'experience' of Letting ( It ) Go. Whatever IT is -- Let go and stress less. See better, hear better, think better, feel better--understand better, choose better, act better. Be better. Good, Huh !Notice how many Zen
Zafu meditation cushions and Yoga mats are being sold lately....
ZaFu
•
You, by the way, are innately blessed with the precious ‘raw qualities of good being’ that you may unknowingly DO possess
and host. And probably don’t know it or the depths of it. That is a way under-developed area of repair work we
will be actively working on. Fortunately, the whole world wide web really is watching (
and that's a huge add+on form of Humanity also now in 'participation' with us, please don't discount it ) There’s
good people out there. There is a genuine cultural Waking-Up happening. More much sooner
than ever. Please be patient. ~ PreemieZaFu
...a 'thing' in itself.
EVERYONE HAS A SMARTPHONE: ( everyone ) has an unbelievable entry level of access to 'information' that can potentially change and evolve you way beyond individual considerations. Now we are all so globally touched by it. Omniscient See / Omniscient Feel / Experience / 'Compassion' energy as a 'thing' in itself. The social media is perpetually re-birthing newly minted curious cyber babies into what is hopefully an ever-constant, continuing, community ‘conversation’ that is now visibly, audibly out of the Dark and on a wobbling bobbling enlightenment course, fumbling into the Light -- and you and me with it, on some level or other. "Hey, the first Christmas batch of yoga mats just came ..."
• Today, the young boirsuiosie oswar Millennials are an obsession-prone, precarious, precious pool of self-serious, fresh human resource for training and cultivating sincerely talented, novice Bodhisattva's available. Compassion-energy, ready for downloading and absorbing some of the planet’s most ancient wisdom-ways towards fulfilling non-conditional ( unconditional ) happiness. The fading Boomers are busy remodeling for the Gen X improvements on the future's past,,,and my father’s Depression are impressions anything earlier than 1950 is, as they say, History. Americans are culturally / historically illiterate anyway, and the Millennials have no practical motivation to make any reference to what came before them anyway. That leaves me at the Beginning of the End of it All. I’m Old. My students are 27, I’m 75. The first to go. That leaves me at the End of it All. I’m next to go.
settled in, Millennials,
some of them are filled with such compassionate energy, idealistic intensity,
and a grounded integrity focused on their 'Causes'. Their sincerity
is adding to the cyber technology with their own Loving-kindness potential. “Good
goods, these kids got…” my Uncle Max would say
• Bless ALL The Arts and it's myriad Lovers -- yes,
we're still here as Angelic Trouble-makers - the Activists, Radicals,
Progressives, the Lefties and the Movement people. They 'usta call us Avant
Garde, and that's a heavy mantle to carry - seriously - without a clearly
defined, yet natural "identity" in hand that's authentically Real at
the same time. One major difficulty is if I'm psychologically disfigured,
disoriented in some way, I can't really see the deeper happiness potential
right there in myself and others, especially if the damage is still semi
suppressed and not well Life-managed or Self-regulated -- or Happy.
"
You need to find out What, Why and Who you are. And are not. And then put that all
aside." said Dr. Jung _________________________________
“NOTHING” -
Even
tho’, as a contemporary Healer of sorts -
of
the unsure Mind and of the broken Heart -
Yet I offer NO promises or
religious prescriptions -
‘Nothing’ - I offer
‘Nothing’ to ‘Believe’ in.
That’s a Buddhist pun - that
opens a whole
other discussion doorway. ‘Nothing’ -
just the emergence of your own individual
‘true
knowing’ and personal excellence.
__________________________________
" THE GREATEST RISK IS NOT TAKING ONE! "
SOME IMPORTANT Preliminary
DETAILS ~
or just skip 'em and Keep Reading . . .
• I’m a ONE MAN SHOP ~
Always have been.
I
Counsel both Adult Women and Men In
One-to-One Individual
Therapy sessions
Buddhist
Counseling sessions and
Mindfulness
Practice as a Therapy
Buddhist
Dharma Life-Coaching
• Individual Personal
Therapy
• Relationship Counseling for
Couples,
Partnering issues,
Gender
and Identity issues.
Verbal,
inter-active, face to face,
very
personal, kind and caring
as
well as ‘tough-love’ - and
appropriate
directive ‘tasks’
and
even homework - in clear,
hopefully
effective sessions.
“Relationships”
can be difficult.
Period.
Everyone knows that.
What’s In The Box ?
•
These counseling and therapy sessions have a strong Buddhist informed theoretical base, as well as good Western
modalities like psycho-dynamic analysis and CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy )
spinoffs. I use “Mindfulness” approaches to approach the highly dissatisfied
mind, discomforted feelings, and disruptive emotions while they’re in
’process’. Later on you’re most welcome to move on to group meditation and
sharing sessions if you wish, as your tolerances’ get more fit.
•
At “Spiritual Adulthood” we offer a uniquely combined counseling an innovative,
holistic, Asian-based ‘spiritual variation' of therapy grounded in pragmatic,
practical Buddhist psychology. Created for intelligent people - sensitive
people - creative people - odd, uncommon unhappy people…
“NOTHING” -
Even
tho’, as a contemporary Healer of sorts -
of
the unsure Mind and of the broken Heart -
Yet I offer NO promises or
religious prescriptions -
‘Nothing’ - I offer
‘Nothing’ to ‘Believe’ in.
That’s a Buddhist pun - that
opens a whole
other discussion doorway. ‘Nothing’ -
just the emergence of your own individual
‘true
knowing’ and personal excellence.
______________________________
I practice as a Buddhist minister / pastoral counselor, not as a licensed MFT or
PhD clinical psychologist. I take in a much broader cultural scope than just
the psychological. I have to address the sociology / anthropology of it all - What got it to be this way ? The cultivation of a very contemporary
metaphysical Spirit in this difficult modern media-driven society we live in,
is a necessity. What will that look like
?
•
Re-educating your Spirit
also, gives your Spirits a chance to be a wider, stronger, well informed
inner-platform and inner-space to work with. ‘Realistically’ or
‘Meta-physically’. Both are the supreme, indigenous creations of cultures based
in one local regional area or another to work on their Healing Arts organically
and renovate YOU with many millennia worth of Spirit-treasure - on indigenously
-undisturbed in a limited cultural isolation. Hey traded for medicinals and
leaves for tools and textiles in small hamlets if there was a road in… only
symbolic. Good spiritual TV.
•
At “Spiritual Adulthood” we offer a uniquely combined counseling an innovative,
holistic, Asian-based ‘spiritual variation' of therapy grounded in pragmatic,
practical Buddhist psychology. Created for intelligent people - sensitive
people - creative people - odd, uncommon unhappy people…
You may want to talk with someone - like me - someone
who has training in both worlds: psychology AND spirituality.
• This is not a traditional
Western licensed clinical psychotherapy --
nor is it 'Religious'. ‘Religious’ suggests it’s
being done on their clock, on their time. ‘Spiritual’ suggests it is happening
on your time internally, individually, it’s all about you -- It is 'Spiritual',
which takes in everything ‘sacred’ human culture and benevolent well
intentioned thought has ever created.
• What is it ? This form of counseling therapy can be called
many things --
Spiritual-based
Counseling • Psycho/Spiritual Therapy • Spiritual Direction •
Spiritual-oriented Life Coaching • Medicine men and women • Tribal Shaman’s
work and practitioners in the Healing Arts the world over. The Good Ones doing
good healing practices • It's been going on effectively for 1000's of years ...
•
‘True’ Happiness is totally ( well, almost totally ) taught as being independent
and free of the unavoidable effects of ‘everyday’ circumstances, conditions and
compromises - really 'true liberated freedom' as they've spoken about in Asian
teachings for millennia. ‘Un-True’ Happiness isn’t a Freedom inside us, it’s
bound to erroneous stuff by shackled conditions. And we obsessively worry it
all the time.
Talk with someone who has training in
both worlds: psychology AND spirituality !
" THE GREATEST RISK IS NOT TAKING ONE! "
SOME IMPORTANT Preliminary
DETAILS ~
or just skip 'em and Keep Reading . . .
• I’m a ONE MAN SHOP ~
Always have been.
I
Counsel both Adult Women and Men in
One-on-One Individual Therapy sessions
Buddhist
Counseling sessions and
Mindfulness
Practice as a Therapy
Buddhist
Dharma Life-Coaching
• Individual Personal
Therapy
• Relationship Counseling for
Couples,
Partnering issues,
Gender
and Identity issues.
Verbal,
inter-active, face to face,
very
personal, kind and caring
as
well as ‘tough-love’ - and
appropriate
directive ‘tasks’
and
even homework - in clear,
hopefully
effective sessions.
“Relationships”
can be difficult.
Period.
Everyone knows that.
These
are counseling and therapy sessions with a strong Buddhist informed theoretical
base, as well as good Western modalities like psycho-dynamic analysis and CBT (
cognitive-behavioral therapy ) spinoffs. I use “Mindfulness” approaches to
approach the highly dissatisfied mind, discomforted feelings, and disruptive
emotions right in their ’process’. Later on you’re most welcome to move on to
group meditation and sharing sessions if you wish, as your ‘tolerances’ get
more fit.
________________________
PLEASE NOTE ~
A Few House Responsibilities
- Here’s the Deal…
Dear
Gals or Guys ~ Glad You’re Here !
And I gotta’ be sorta
strict-ish about your own life-plan arrangements affecting your even being
here, work
time and drive time kvetching, money issues, and other important ‘engine
maintenance’ responsibilities - all so we have the way more clear - we have the
freedom to actually ‘Work’ the session - and not get too caught up and fuss
around with the logistics of Details -- unless of course this is a part of the
way you roll…
•
ALL counseling sessions are all 'Live' counseling visits at my little ‘Shrine’.
I don’t do house calls. No Skype. My steady counseling clients are limited to
our immediate local area - so you can be on time and I can run a tight little old
guy’s ship. Thank you for hearing this ~ really.
• PHONE COUNSELING-sessions will probably happen later
on, here and there - but only when
necessary for 'established clients' with me.
• I can gladly offer you a
First-Time FREE phone consultation to local Los Angeles area inquirers. 1-310-450-2268. I will certainly need
to talk with you on the phone first. There is no first free session. It's all
about developing a solid, sound 'ground' of genuine communication -- and what
it is to be a responsible client.
• Please ASK ME PLENTY of
QUESTIONS, Difficult
Questions, and really feel into if "Spiritual Adulthood" sessions
might be helpful for you --
• FEE: Ongoing regular
steady sessions are by a mutually arranged fee, date and time by appointment only.
• I can offer AFFORDABLE NEGOTIABLE sliding
scale lower fee sessions for those who
really need it. I am not greedy. I do not take insurance coverage,
health plans or Medicare, Obama Care, HMOs etc. I do not accept any electronic
plastic as a payment means - only cash of check. I must charge full going fee
For A First Time Visit. I can discuss sliding scales after that.
• I usually offer a much
more generous EXTENDED SESSION-TIME than is usual... Most sessions are given much more than the
standard therapy-hour's time (:55 min ). We offer you sessions usually about
one hour+20 min (:80 min) to allow plenty of time to go really deep as you need
to during your session that particular day... without feeling cut off or
hurried out the door..
• A FIRST-TIME PHONE INQUIRY
( FREE ) is
always good to have with you - and much more immediate for me to respond to you, if you briefly
write down your issues and some feelings before you call me. Please do not
email instead, the live voice is so important to hear --- ( ambivalent emails
back and forth really does not work well at all ) Please simply PHONE ME - and that may take courage on your part,
but ‘courage’ is what we will also be working on… we'd need to talk 'Live'
first - if you sincerely wish to inquire further.
• BEST PHONE TIMES for
reaching me on any particular day:
NOON to 6 PM weekdays --
usually Tuesday thru Thursday.
Usually
6:00 pm being the last client of the day.
Friday
as a reschedule day or as a spill-over day.
These
are the best guidelines to try’n reach me --
1-310-450-2268.
Then again, TRY 10 minutes
before the hour.
•
And I just may be in session when you call.
LEAVE A MESSAGE + phone number + email.
When
can you best be reached.
That’s
what this is basically about at core -
Becoming Reachable.
‘How can I reach you ?’ --
and
please speak very slowly and clearly.
It
is important that you’re going try your best
to
make yourself ‘accessible’ -- so I can reach you
--
and you can reach us -- and best, you can 'reach' yourself.
Buddha
Learned
How
to Become
an
Easy to Reach Person.
No
barriers, No protection.
Nothing
to protect.
Actually,
there was no Buddha.
•
We can possibly refer you to
qualified Buddhist counselors
or
therapists in your own local or regional area if you email me.
Again… "The Greatest Risk Is Not Taking One"
____________________________________________
WHAT
CONTINUES to FOLLOW is going to take some more reading time - and
some more patience on your part to read and
sort yourself thru.
You do not have to read it all at once - Read
at your leisure.
TAKE IT IN SMALL BITES, GRAZE, SCROLL and SKIP
AROUND IN IT --
YOU'LL
CERTAINLY KNOW A LOT MORE about what you need
when you're done reading some/all of this ...
hang in there
______________________________________
BE
COURAGEOUS !
"
As human beings, our greatness lies
not so much in being able to remake the
world...
as a being able to remake ourselves.
WE must become the changes
we want to see in the world " ~ Gandhi
" You began as a Creation, now become a
Creator.
Never wait at a barrier " ~ Rumi
" The limits of the possible can only be
defined
by going beyond them into the
impossible." ~ Arthur C. Clarke
“
Good, but impossible resolutions, are simply checks
that men draw on a bank where they have no
account.
Start with the eminently 'possible'. ~ Oscar
Wilde
" While one person hesitates
because they feel insecure and inferior,
the other is busy making mistakes aplenty
and becoming quite superior." ~ The Tao
“DESTINY”
is every step we’re taking
and going thru right now to get there.”
~
Grandfather Bearheart, Creek elder
"
There is no such thing as a 'problem'
without a 'gift' for you in its hands.
Sometimes you have problems
because you need their gifts.
It is through gifts that you grow." ~
Richard Bach
THE
‘PROBLEM’
“ BRING YOU LIFE BACK
FROM THE 'EXILE' OF YOUR SPIRIT
and INTO A SACRED BALANCE AGAIN ! “ ~ Poet
Laureate Robert Bly
•
WHATEVER IT IS, YOU'RE "A-NOT-SO-HAPPY-PERSON"
Many, many folks aren’t. We're in very
agitated, anxious, turbulent, uncertain times right now.
Career & Life-Purpose Despair,
Emotional Stuff, Mid-Life Changes or Painful Relationship
Dilemmas personally don't make it easier. So
please, go 'see' somebody & really start
working it out. 'You' - really being heard
from way deep inside and coached forward &
through by a counseling therapist who can
deeply understand you – human to human.
So get out of your own 'protective'
self-imposed isolation: “I can do it by myself” mantra -
reinforced
by ego-pride-shame-hurt-loss-fear-cycles & just put yourself into
counseling sessions for awhile. It'll be good for you - you'll get some relief,
some resolution and even some joy and laughter.
This is where you can work
on your Stuff and your Soul
on a 'frequent enough' basis
to make a really significant,
noticeable difference.
There is no obligation to have
a free phone-consultation with us
to see if this could feel good
and workable for you...
ARE YOU FEELING ‘DISSED’? ~
DISAPPOINTED
DISCOURAGED DISTRESSED Disagreeable Discomforted Disconnected Disconcerted
Discontent Disdainful Disgruntled Disgusted Disharmonious and Disheartened --
Disillusioned Disintegrated Distressed Dismayed Dismal Disorganized Disoriented
Disregarded Dissatisfied Distant Distraught Distrustful and very Disturbed
About It All --
This
whole ‘Dis’ this or ‘Dis’ that thing - about your life. You CAN change it! We
can help support and assist you. 'Therapy' is a huge personal challenge - but
YOU DO have to show up for yourself to make it happen.
"Eighty percent of success is just
showing up" ~ Woody Allen
Please,
Get some quality counseling therapy -
somewhere, anywhere -
that may be a place for you to start.
Be very welcome to inquire about us.
Again, maybe you are
a very UNCOMMON PERSON ....
_________________________________
" Every community needs
a group of angelic troublemakers "
~ Bayard Rustin, black activist social
reformer
"Our constant 'Inner-Inquiry' is our
Passion
and our Passion is our Life-task. All the rest
is the wonderful madness of art." ~ Henry
James
"Be daring, be different, be impractical,
be anything!
Anything that will assert Integrity of Purpose
and imaginative vision against the
play-it-safers,
the creatures of the commonplace,
the slaves of the ordinary." ~ Sir Cecil
Beaton
"Be not afraid of absurdity - do not
shrink from the fantastic!
Within a dilemma - choose the most unheard-of,
the most audacious solution!
De l'audace! De l'audace!
Et encore de l'audace! Be audacious!" ~
Karen Blixen
__________
___________
____________
WHAT CONTINUES to FOLLOW is going to take some
more reading time - and
some more patience on your part to read and
sort yourself thru.
You do not have to read it all at once - Read
at your leisure.
TAKE IT IN SMALL BITES, GRAZE, SCROLL and SKIP
AROUND IN IT --
YOU'LL CERTAINLY KNOW A LOT MORE about what
you need
when you're done reading some/all of this ...
hang in there
______________________________________
Another
Basic Problem:
Emotions get to overrun and run thinking.
Thoughts get so embedded in feelings ~
Confusion, hopeless, numb... angry and sad
MAYBE YOU'VE BECOME SO OVERWHELMINGLY
‘IDENTIFIED’
and
OVER-INVOLVED IN YOUR OWN DIFFICULT 'LIFE-STORY'
That You Can’t See The Forest Because of All
The Trees!
Your 'Story' of being such a driven 'Winner'
or a victimized 'Loser' - or just a plain Nobody ’out there’ - you're just so
overwhelmed, you’ve become under-whelming - feeling so isolated - that you just
plain 'hurt'. Maybe you’ve lost the path, or forgotten the way, or just feel so
ineffective in your 'deeper' inner-search. Or you’ve just never yet really
sought out Who ‘You’ really, really are - ‘in here’. Inside.
RE-DISCOVERING and DEFINING
"Yourself" - totally defined in/on your OWN TERMS ! ( not society’s
term’s or religion's terms or family’s terms ). YOUR Own Terms is what 'Therapy
of the Spirit' is largely about ! Therapy of the 'True' Spirit is really where
ALL mind / spirit / soul-healing MUST start. True therapy has to start and end
with the Heart ! It’s been that way in every culture all through time! It's
just only that until very recently, the 'choices' of that kind of healings have
always been so few and restricted in availability to either doctors or shamans
or the church. No longer. Every approach world-wide is now available to you!
It's from this very Big Approach that you can truly find yourself and then
truly give back to others in a valuable, clear, easy-going and natural way ...
true 'Goodness'. Faith in ourselves simply as Humans-restored. And it can be
'Spiritual' AND YET totally NON-RELIGIOUS.. Please consider that!
____________________________________________________
“The
SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT” is a Buddhist-based Psycho/Spiritual oriented
Counseling and Alternative Therapy. The world renown and respected ancient
tradition of Buddhist Mindfulness Psychology is a path of cultivating a
'transcendent' - a 'higher sanity' - a very clear-seeing ability for yourself.
By developing this wisdom understanding, you are now available to generate a
much more all-inclusive compassion - which leads to an authentic peace in
ourselves, which we can then extend out to our family, friends and the world.
Learning and using a 2500 year-old tested self-development approaches and
techniques towards a clear, wholesome, peaceful, joyful mind. Traditional
Buddhism is absolutely NOT a ‘religious path’ but more of a practical,
pragmatic, highly intelligent ‘Humanism’ - There are NO gods and NO worship and
NO religious superstitions involved in anything we offer in any way whatsoever.
Unless you do want to hear it. Working archetype-forms that are really just
good stories…. Or not. The Buddha ( 528 BC ) himself was an atheist. There are
some challenging bewilderments in Buddhism for the mind. Zen is founded on it….
Just discovering and uncovering the essence of a sane, wise, peaceful, pure
spirit that is YOU.
_______________________________________
“And
then the day came
when the risk to
remain tight in a bud
was more than the risk
it took to blossom” ~ Anais Nin
_____________________________
" FORGIVENESS Is Giving Up
All Hope For A Better Past! " ~ Aba Gayle
“It
is still up to you to choose
to join with ‘truth’ or with ‘illusion’.
But
remember that to choose one
is to let go of the other.” ~ A Course In
Miracles
“
If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes !
When the Way comes to an end, then change -
having changed, you pass through." ~ I
Ching
ABOUT WHO WE ARE and HOW WE THINK:
A JOYFUL DISCLAIMER and A Statement of
Philosophy ...
Who We Are In Our Hearts and In Our Heads
as a 'Spiritually-Based' Counseling Service ~
that too is certainly going to affect you !
The Buddhist’s Theory of Everything.
We are truly 'non-denominational' and
'non-religious' and welcome all journeyers of all Ways,
or especially even those of no way.
'Spiritual' doesn't mean 'Religion'. Actually, you can't even become a
'Buddhist', as that too is just another 'label'. The ONE Web of existence, life
& consciousness has many 'Names' in many different world cultures. The
ONE Web 'itself', really has NO name at all. All cultures on the planet call it
‘The One’ ( 1. ) So we just simply call it "EVERYTHING". All of
'creation' itself. ‘Creator’ & ‘Creation’ is all the same thing, the
same One. We simply leave it at that. One is One and there is nothing outside
of it. It's All ONE. You gotta’ love it all. We try to love it All. Most of the
time, piece by piece in peace.
" There is no such thing as a strictly
'secular' therapy - or that a therapy is 'non-spiritual' .. That’s where
establishment psychological sciences are poetically naïve. EVERY 'therapy' is
spiritual if it deals with matters of the heart and emotions and feelings.
Buddhist approaches in particular, are 'spiritual' BUT non-religious. The
historical Buddha was a Humanist & a Pragmatist. There's a freedom of
intelligence & openness to that - a big difference. " ~ Abraham
Maslow
•
WHY of ALL Possible Things - are we Buddhist-based ???
We particularly use the Buddhist branding
name, because those Asian cultures have got some of the most skillfully mature,
very grounded, least misleading, most inclusive and the very best of the
mind-healing techniques available so far - so far as we've come across. So we
use 'em. And we're still strongly very eclectic: we use many diverse approaches
- so we'll use what YOU need, not what 'we' like best or 'believe in'. We're on
your side! We practice as Buddhist ministers not as licensed MFT or clinical
psychologists.
_______________________________________________
Psychological Inflexibility: an A.C.T View of
Suffering
The core conception of ACT is that
psychological suffering is usually caused by the interface between human
language and cognition, and the control of human behavior by previous direct
experience. And failure. ‘Psychological inflexibility’ is then to emerge from
experiential avoidance, cognitive entanglement, attachment of a conceptualized
‘self’, loss of contact with the present, and the resulting failure to take
needed behavioral steps in accord with core values. An extensive research
program on a theory of convoluted language and cognition, contemporary
Relational Frame Theory (RFT / ACT ) takes the view that trying to change difficult
thoughts and feelings as a means of coping can be counter productive, but new,
powerful alternatives are available - including ACT: acceptance, mindfulness,
cognitive defusion, values, and committed action therapies..
Cognitive fusion -- the domination of stimulus
functions based on literal language even when that process is a harmful,
experiential avoidance -- the phenomenon that occurs when a person is unwilling
to remain in contact with particular private experiences and takes steps to
alter the form or frequency of these events and the contexts that occasion
them, even when doing so causes psychological harm the domination of a
conceptualized self over the "self as context" that emerges from
perspective taking and relational frames lack of values, confusion of goals
with values, and other values problems that can underlie the failure to build
broad and flexible repertoires and an inability to build a larger unit of
behavior through commitment to behavior that moves in the direction of chosen
values
_________________________________________________
We'll gladly give you a FREELY offered Local
Phone Consultation –
No
Obligation ! - or call to set up an actual appointment • 310-450-2268
The phone is much more personal - and some
quality 'personal attention'
is probably what you need for yourself right
now -- more 'closeness'
rather than distance... We do know that when
you're feeling vulnerable, skittish or just plain bad and sad -- sometimes
'reaching out' is hard -- please, do take up the challenge!
"Take the first step in faith.
You don't have to see the whole staircase
-- just take the first step." ~ Martin
Luther King
_______________________________
we also offer to the community ~
•
Prior to Akasa Levi’s partial retirement from group meditation teaching in 2014
with a Parkinson’ diagnosis - he Creatively-minded Corporate/Business
Consultation: Human Resource Resolution
and 'Spirit In The Workplace' development.
Very way out of the box stuff. We also consult
on the American 'spiritual mind-set', 'The
Crisis In Faith', 'Loss of Classical Mythologies
to Technology', 'What's Wrong With Our Minds
and Culture?' and current 'religious trends'
(trends that are quite unconscious, un
self-identified & dreadfully naive within the
contemporary American/Western cultural
praadigm as a whole.
•
We Counsel all manifestations of alternative & emerging life-styles:
mixed racial/religious
partnerings & marriages; gay &
bi curious, str8 still exploring. It's the 21st Century:
It's a big wide open world out there now... We
offer bridge-building between communities:
people of all colors, religions, diverse
cultures & ethnic origins. A pluralistic society brings
so many awesome enrichments as well as
struggles of balance & new found respect ...
"If you do not see God
in the next person you meet,
you need look no further." ~ Gandhi
__________________________________________
“La
vraie générosité envers l'avenir consiste à tout donner au présent.”
“True generosity towards the future is to give
everything to the present.” ~ Albert Camus
" THE GREATEST RISK IS NOT TAKING ONE!
"
___________________________________
QUOTES ~ The Gift of Wise Words
To measure you by your smallest deed
is to judge the ocean by the frailty of it's
foam.
To judge you by your failures is to cast blame
upon the seasons for their
inconsistencies ~ Kahlil Gibran
What good you do is of little significance,
But it is very important that you do it.
WE must be the change you want
to see in the world " ~ Mahatma Gandhi
"If
we have no peace,
it is because we have forgotten
that we belong to each other." ~ Mother Teresa
"You yourself,
as much as anyone in the entire Universe,
deserves your OWN affection, care and love.
You can explore the whole universe looking
for someone who is more deserving of your
love and affection than you are yourself...
and you will not find that person anywhere.
To be maximum effective -
the Practice of Loving-Kindness
must absolutely begin with
yourself!" ~ The Buddha
________________________________________
“Who was born first, 'You' or 'The World'?
As long as you give first place to ‘The World’
--
you are bound by it.
Once you realize, beyond all trace of doubt,
that the ‘world’ is in you --
-- and not 'you' in the world,
right then and there, you are out of it.
Of course, your body remains in the world
and 'of' the world,
but YOU are not d-e-l-u-d-e-d by it.”
~ Nisargadatta Maharaj
They drew a circle that shut me out --
Calling me a heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win --
We drew a circle that took them in.
~ Edwin Markham "Outwitted"
"Do not look back in Anger,
or forward in Fear,
but around in Awareness" ~ James Thurber
"At night make me fearlessly one
with the Darkness ~
In the morning make me
optimistically one with the Light" ~
Wendell Berry
You may want to hi-lite, copy and send
the quote below to people you know...
some of the wisest guidance you will
ever read, put to personal use or offer.
Here it is ~
"Be patient toward all that is unsolved
in your heart.
Try to love the 'Questions' themselves - like
locked rooms
and like books that are written in a foreign
language.
Do not, just right now, seek for the Answers.
The 'Answers' which cannot now be given to you
-
because you would not be able to actually
‘live’ them.
And the point is to ‘live’ everything -
experiencing
everything.
At present, you need to live the Questions
themselves.
Perhaps you will then gradually, without even
noticing it,
live along some day into the true Answer. Your
answer."
~ Rilke's "Letters to a Young Poet"
(1903-1908)
__________________________________________
We are non-denominational and definitely
non-religious and
welcome all journeyers of all Ways or even
none.
-:¦:- The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT •
buddhistcounselingmindfulnesstherapy.blogspot.com • Buddhist-based
'alternative' approaches to relating with Your True Core Self • One-to-One
individual therapy • Relationship counseling • Partnering issues • Difficult to
communicate feelings • Disheartened anxious insecure Wounded Spirit • Counsel
for 'Uncommon People' 'Rebels' 'Creatives' 'Sensitives' cerebral verbal
artistic gifted ~ yet really Unhappy. "Mindfulness Insight" cultivates
a calm, kind, wise, deep liberation with a "Big Good-Hearted Mind"
The
SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT is a Member of S.E.N. (Spiritual Emergency Network
at Esalen Institute in Big Sur). We are an
outreach-project of “The Laughing Buddha Sangha”
in
Santa Monica, CA 90405 - and utilize the practice-approaches offered by Spirit
Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre/Santa Rosa, CA. Our favorite meditation
center here in town is InsightLA.org in Santa Monica about 5 blocks away right
up the street.
♦
The LAUGHING BUDDHA SANGHA - guided by AKASA LEVI, a former ordained American
Buddhist forest monk who lived many years in rural Asia. Akasa coaches a small,
salon-sized Satsang sitting group for Buddhist Mindfulness Meditation with
practice discussion and Dharma theory study. Now a feisty 75, this eccentric,
really funny ole' Dharma-mentor teaches in his little meditation shrine room
filled with statues of the Buddha. He invites anyone - beginners welcome -
practicing an 'awareness meditation' to come sit.
16
point
PAGES TO GET DOWN INTO. . . MARCH 2016 /
A New York Jewish Therapist
Living In California
Is What I Always Wanted To Be,
What I Always Wanted To Do --
But ‘Reasons’ Intervened,
So Since I Didn’t,
Since I Couldn’t ~
I Became This !
Which One ?
A New York Jewish Therapist:
What I Always Wanted To Be,
But Since I Didn’t, I Became This !
The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT
~ a truly effective Buddhist-based 'Alternative' way
complementary to contemporary psychotherapy
for the Discomforted Mind, Wounded Spirit or
Disheartened, Despairing Relationship ~
all in the midst of our very edgy,
over-driven, survival-stressed
Uncertain Times
______________
• I’m a ONE MAN SHOP ~ Always have been.
I Counsel both Adult Women and Puer Men In
One-to-One Individual Therapy sessions
Buddhist Counseling sessions and
Mindfulness Practice as a Therapy
Buddhist Dharma Life-Coaching
• Individual Personal Therapy
• Relationship Counseling for
Couples, Partnering issues,
and Self-Identity issues.
Verbal, inter-active, face to face,
very personal, kind and caring
as well as ‘tough-love’ - and
appropriate directive ‘tasks’
and even homework - in clear,
hopefully effective sessions.
“Relationships” can be difficult.
Period. Everyone knows that.
________________________
Brief Profiles: Meditation
-:¦:- The LAUGHING BUDDHA SANGHA - guided by AKASA LEVI, a former ordained American Buddhist forest monk who lived many years in rural Asia. Akasa coaches a small, salon-sized Satsang sitting group for Buddhist Mindfulness meditation with practice discussion and Dharma theory study. Now a feisty 75, this eccentric, really funny ole' Dharma-mentor teaches at his little meditation shrine room filled with statues of the Buddha. He invites anyone actively practicing an 'awareness meditation' to come sit. Beginners very welcome.
Brief Profiles: Teacher
-:¦:- The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT ♦
The LAUGHING BUDDHA SANGHA ♦ guided by AKASA LEVI - a U.S.military Vet and former ordained American Buddhist forest monk • who lived many years in rural Asia - to be with the LAST LIVING BUDDHIST TEACHERS of the PRE-GLOBAL ERA, most passed on now • Akasa is a feisty 75 - an adorable authentic genuine curmudgeon • Odd, a really funny, eccentric old man of the Dharma, a respected BuJu Tribal Elder • Advaita yogi, rogue academic mentor into nourishing a maverick, iconoclast intelligence in the people he treats, teaches, counsels or coaches at his little meditation shrine room in his garage • Filled with statues of the ancient Buddha, he also practices in the scientific secular spirit of contemporary Mindfulness meditation as well • Truly an acquired taste like Thai shrimp paste, Akasa is known for his spontaneity, ready warmth, and wry unpredictable humor • Please VISIT the Expanded BIG BIO PROFILE at the TABLE of CONTENTS. Read Part One of The Making Of . . .
Brief Profiles: Counseling Therapy
-:¦:- The Spiritual Adulthood Project ~ is where I can offer Buddhist based 'Alternative' approaches to relating with Your True Core Self • One-to-One Individual therapy • Relationship and Partnering issues • Difficult to communicate feelings • Disheartened anxious insecure Wounded Spirit • Therapy for "Non-Ordinary", "Uncommon People" • 'Rebels' 'Creatives' 'Sensitives' cerebral verbal artistic gifted ~ and Unhappy people • "Mindfulness" really works to cultivate a calm, kind, wise, spacious, fearless "Big Good-Hearted Mind".
__________________________________
What About Uncertain Times ?
" It was the best of times,
It was the worst of times,
It was the age of wisdom,
It was the age of foolishness,
It was the epoch of belief,
It was the epoch of incredulity,
It was the season of Light,
It was the season of Darkness,
It was the spring of hope,
It was the winter of despair,
We had everything before us,
We had nothing before us,
We were all going direct to Heaven,
We were all going direct the other way -
In short, the period was so far -:¦:-
just like the present period.
~ Sir Charles Dickens ~
A Tale of Two Cities (1859)
___________________
Hi ~ I’M JUST GETTING STARTED
by filling my plastic water bottle and
sitting in one of my favorite places.
__________________________
INSTRUCTIONS # 5 Reading Out Loud
If you graze these pages and scroll n' roll around in this site -
follow some of it along - ponder a bit down a very articulate path -
then some words catch your eye - an image of a feeling from
a different time from now - as you breathe and sit immobile,
your body a pleasant mass of soft meditative sensation -
you space out to go in, as you invite a sweet mild trance
to embrace you - remembering your ‘mindfulness’ by
wiggling your toes that invoke flocks of feeling images
within you flow, breathe the silence, settle down gently
into open space way out in between the words - the
sounds of silence, the sensations of feeling, observe
the images but don’t touch, just watch reflect ponder
contemplate but don’t stay to long as Knowing
appears all by itself . . .
What is the True Nature of Life ?
“Never gave it a thought”
Sure you have….
________________
Besides the illuminating inspiring little readings on this site, and besides the details in this site pertaining to your possible being here at some time - there's a lot of short snippets of good poetry and pithy phrases in here to inspire and uplift you - and go for rides in your iPhone - so please go sit still somewhere, breathe, slow down, breathe, listen to the silence, breathe, notice the incredible naturalness of everything, and intelligently nourish your Spirit also….
________________________
“And then the day came
when the risk to remain
tight in a bud
was more painful
than the risk
it took to blossom” ~ Anais Nin
_______________________________
Maybe you're an UNCOMMON PERSON ....
The “Uncommon Person” / “The Non-Ordinary Person”
Already Feels Different -- in a Very Non-Assimilate-able Way.
Many people really do, but for the truly 'uncommon one'
it's sort of a double-whammy to carry!" ~ Abraham Maslow
• UNHAPPY 'UNCOMMON' PEOPLE are by their nature sensitive, creative, genius, silent, smart, goofy, individualistic, righteously impatient yet newly empathic, higher-consciousness oriented people gaining ground with sacred Grace - artistic, intellectual, autistically techy, stylishly awkward, mystical, musical, poetic, and certainly can be real spiritual or real ugly like the rest of us can be.
• So you’d probably need an authentic 'Non-traditional Therapist' who understands “non-mainstream”, non-Matrix lifestyles -- and who is deeply empathic and genuinely understands ‘uncommon' and ‘unusual’ or ‘non-ordinary’ people - who are quite unique or gifted, yet unhappy people.
• You may be a very 'individual' person who feels very naturally inward, spiritual oriented - and yet you're struggling to get ‘worldly’ problems/emotional issues handled realistically and with integrity as well -- yet without you having to commit to any spiritual path whatsoever.
• As a contemporary Healer of sorts - of the unsure Mind and of the broken Heart. Yet I offer NO promises or religious prescriptions - not even some evangelical dogma drama. I offer ‘Nothing’ to ‘Believe’ in. That’s a Buddhist pun. ‘Nothing’ - just the emergence of your own individual ‘true knowing’ and personal excellence. I want to assist you in discovering a 'natural unfolding' of unshakable balance, boundless wisdom and joy. And your innate good humor - Liberating a new sense of caring and connectedness with yourself, other people and the universe. An expanded inner acceptance and outer effectiveness.
‘RAW QUALITIES OF GOOD BEING’ We All Have
• Yet still, us Unhappy 'Uncommon' folk hold a small but rapidly growing niche market in the “developing consciousness” industry - so we're not exactly the ordinary 'Retail' majority. In all kindness to Target shoppers, the masses are still buying into it, buying it, bought-in, still living on the bought on credit larger grid - what the Dalai Lama calls The Suffering Consumer - "Consumers" - people strongly subject to the lures and addictive pulls of Desire and Attachment, by indulgence or necessity. Capitalism totally depends on them. “Mindfulness teaches us to let them go and stress less. Notice how many Zen Zafu meditation cushions and Yoga mats are being sold lately. . .
• You, by the way, are innately blessed with the precious ‘raw qualities of good being’ that you may unknowingly DO possess and host. And probably don’t know it or the depths of it. That is an under-developed area of repair work we will be actively working on. Fortunately, the whole world really is watching ( and that's a huge form of 'participation' also, please don't discount it ) There’s good people out there. There is a genuine Waking-up happening. More so soon than ever. Now we are all globally touched by it. The social media is re-birthing newly minted curious cyber babies into what is hopefully an ever-constant, continuing, community ‘conversation’ that is now visibly, audibly out of the Dark and on a wobbling enlightenment course, fumbling into the Light -- and you and me with it, on some level or other.
• Today,the young beouiois swar Millennials are an obsession-prone, precarious, precious pool of new human resource for training and cultivating sincerely talented, novice ’Bodhisattva’ compassion-energy, ready for downloading and absorbing some of the planet’s most ancient wisdom ways towards fulfilling non-conditional ( unconditional ) happiness. The Boomers are busy modeling for the Gen X ,,,and my father’s Depression and anything earlier than 1950 is as they say, History. Americans are historically illiterate anyway, and the Millennials have no practical motivation to reference what came before them. That leaves me at the beginning of the end of it all. I’m old. My students are 27, I’m 75. The first to go. leaves me at te end of it all. I’m next to go.
settled in, Millennials, some of them are filled with such compassionate energy, idealistic intensity, and a grounded integrity focused on their 'Causes'. Their sincerity is adding to the cyber technology with their own Loving-kindness potential. “Good goods, these kids got…” my Uncle Max would say
• Bless ALL The Arts and it's myriad Lovers -- yes, we're still here as Angelic Trouble-makers - the Activists, Radicals, Progressives, the Lefties and the Movement people. They 'usta call us Avant Garde, and that's a heavy mantle to carry - seriously - without a clearly defined, yet natural "identity" in hand that's authentically Real at the same time. One major difficulty is if I'm psychologically disfigured, disoriented in some way, I can't really see the deeper happiness potential right there in myself and others, especially if the damage is still semi suppressed and not well Life-managed or Self-regulated -- or Happy.
" You need to find out What, Why and Who you are. And are not. And then put that all aside." said Dr. Jung _________________________________
“NOTHING” -
Even tho’, as a contemporary Healer of sorts -
of the unsure Mind and of the broken Heart -
Yet I offer NO promises or religious prescriptions -
‘Nothing’ - I offer ‘Nothing’ to ‘Believe’ in.
That’s a Buddhist pun - that opens a whole
other discussion doorway. ‘Nothing’ -
just the emergence of your own individual
‘true knowing’ and personal excellence.
__________________________________
" THE GREATEST RISK IS NOT TAKING ONE! "
SOME IMPORTANT Preliminary DETAILS ~
or just skip 'em and Keep Reading . . .
• I’m a ONE MAN SHOP ~ Always have been.
I Counsel both Adult Women and Men In
One-to-One Individual Therapy sessions
Buddhist Counseling sessions and
Mindfulness Practice as a Therapy
Buddhist Dharma Life-Coaching
• Individual Personal Therapy
• Relationship Counseling for
Couples, Partnering issues,
Gender and Identity issues.
Verbal, inter-active, face to face,
very personal, kind and caring
as well as ‘tough-love’ - and
appropriate directive ‘tasks’
and even homework - in clear,
hopefully effective sessions.
“Relationships” can be difficult.
Period. Everyone knows that.
What’s In The Box ?
• These counseling and therapy sessions have a strong Buddhist informed theoretical base, as well as good Western modalities like psycho-dynamic analysis and CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy ) spinoffs. I use “Mindfulness” approaches to approach the highly dissatisfied mind, discomforted feelings, and disruptive emotions while they’re in ’process’. Later on you’re most welcome to move on to group meditation and sharing sessions if you wish, as your tolerances’ get more fit.
• At “Spiritual Adulthood” we offer a uniquely combined counseling an innovative, holistic, Asian-based ‘spiritual variation' of therapy grounded in pragmatic, practical Buddhist psychology. Created for intelligent people - sensitive people - creative people - odd, uncommon unhappy people…
“NOTHING” -
Even tho’, as a contemporary Healer of sorts -
of the unsure Mind and of the broken Heart -
Yet I offer NO promises or religious prescriptions -
‘Nothing’ - I offer ‘Nothing’ to ‘Believe’ in.
That’s a Buddhist pun - that opens a whole
other discussion doorway. ‘Nothing’ -
just the emergence of your own individual
‘true knowing’ and personal excellence.
______________________________
I practice as a Buddhist minister / pastoral counselor, not as a licensed MFT or PhD clinical psychologist. I take in a much broader cultural scope than just the psychological. I have to address the sociology / anthropology of it all - What got it to be this way ? The cultivation of a very contemporary metaphysical Spirit in this difficult modern media-driven society we live in, is a necessity. What will that look like ?
• Re-educating your Spirit also, gives your Spirits a chance to be a wider, stronger, well informed inner-platform and inner-space to work with. ‘Realistically’ or ‘Meta-physically’. Both are the supreme, indigenous creations of cultures based in one local regional area or another to work on their Healing Arts organically and renovate YOU with many millennia worth of Spirit-treasure - on indigenously -undisturbed in a limited cultural isolation. Hey traded for medicinals and leaves for tools and textiles in small hamlets if there was a road in… only symbolic. Good spiritual TV.
• At “Spiritual Adulthood” we offer a uniquely combined counseling an innovative, holistic, Asian-based ‘spiritual variation' of therapy grounded in pragmatic, practical Buddhist psychology. Created for intelligent people - sensitive people - creative people - odd, uncommon unhappy people…
You may want to talk with someone - like me - someone who has training in both worlds: psychology AND spirituality.
• This is not a traditional Western licensed clinical psychotherapy --
nor is it 'Religious'. ‘Religious’ suggests it’s being done on their clock, on their time. ‘Spiritual’ suggests it is happening on your time internally, individually, it’s all about you -- It is 'Spiritual', which takes in everything ‘sacred’ human culture and benevolent well intentioned thought has ever created.
• What is it ? This form of counseling therapy can be called many things --
Spiritual-based Counseling • Psycho/Spiritual Therapy • Spiritual Direction • Spiritual-oriented Life Coaching • Medicine men and women • Tribal Shaman’s work and practitioners in the Healing Arts the world over. The Good Ones doing good healing practices • It's been going on effectively for 1000's of years ...
• ‘True’ Happiness is totally ( well, almost totally ) taught as being independent and free of the unavoidable effects of ‘everyday’ circumstances, conditions and compromises - really 'true liberated freedom' as they've spoken about in Asian teachings for millennia. ‘Un-True’ Happiness isn’t a Freedom inside us, it’s bound to erroneous stuff by shackled conditions. And we obsessively worry it all the time.
Talk with someone who has training in both worlds: psychology AND spirituality !
" THE GREATEST RISK IS NOT TAKING ONE! "
SOME IMPORTANT Preliminary DETAILS ~
or just skip 'em and Keep Reading . . .
• I’m a ONE MAN SHOP ~ Always have been.
I Counsel both Adult Women and Men in
One-on-One Individual Therapy sessions
Buddhist Counseling sessions and
Mindfulness Practice as a Therapy
Buddhist Dharma Life-Coaching
• Individual Personal Therapy
• Relationship Counseling for
Couples, Partnering issues,
Gender and Identity issues.
Verbal, inter-active, face to face,
very personal, kind and caring
as well as ‘tough-love’ - and
appropriate directive ‘tasks’
and even homework - in clear,
hopefully effective sessions.
“Relationships” can be difficult.
Period. Everyone knows that.
These are counseling and therapy sessions with a strong Buddhist informed theoretical base, as well as good Western modalities like psycho-dynamic analysis and CBT ( cognitive-behavioral therapy ) spinoffs. I use “Mindfulness” approaches to approach the highly dissatisfied mind, discomforted feelings, and disruptive emotions right in their ’process’. Later on you’re most welcome to move on to group meditation and sharing sessions if you wish, as your ‘tolerances’ get more fit.
________________________
PLEASE NOTE ~
A Few House Responsibilities - Here’s the Deal…
Dear Gals or Guys ~ Glad You’re Here !
And I gotta’ be sorta strict-ish about your own life-plan arrangements affecting your even being here, work time and drive time kvetching, money issues, and other important ‘engine maintenance’ responsibilities - all so we have the way more clear - we have the freedom to actually ‘Work’ the session - and not get too caught up and fuss around with the logistics of Details -- unless of course this is a part of the way you roll…
• ALL counseling sessions are all 'Live' counseling visits at my little ‘Shrine’. I don’t do house calls. No Skype. My steady counseling clients are limited to our immediate local area - so you can be on time and I can run a tight little old guy’s ship. Thank you for hearing this ~ really.
• PHONE COUNSELING-sessions will probably happen later on, here and there - but only when necessary for 'established clients' with me.
• I can gladly offer you a First-Time FREE phone consultation to local Los Angeles area inquirers. 1-310-450-2268. I will certainly need to talk with you on the phone first. There is no first free session. It's all about developing a solid, sound 'ground' of genuine communication -- and what it is to be a responsible client.
• Please ASK ME PLENTY of QUESTIONS, Difficult Questions, and really feel into if "Spiritual Adulthood" sessions might be helpful for you --
• FEE: Ongoing regular steady sessions are by a mutually arranged fee, date and time by appointment only.
• I can offer AFFORDABLE NEGOTIABLE sliding scale lower fee sessions for those who really need it. I am not greedy. I do not take insurance coverage, health plans or Medicare, Obama Care, HMOs etc. I do not accept any electronic plastic as a payment means - only cash of check. I must charge full going fee For A First Time Visit. I can discuss sliding scales after that.
• I usually offer a much more generous EXTENDED SESSION-TIME than is usual... Most sessions are given much more than the standard therapy-hour's time (:55 min ). We offer you sessions usually about one hour+20 min (:80 min) to allow plenty of time to go really deep as you need to during your session that particular day... without feeling cut off or hurried out the door..
• A FIRST-TIME PHONE INQUIRY ( FREE ) is always good to have with you - and much more immediate for me to respond to you, if you briefly write down your issues and some feelings before you call me. Please do not email instead, the live voice is so important to hear --- ( ambivalent emails back and forth really does not work well at all ) Please simply PHONE ME - and that may take courage on your part, but ‘courage’ is what we will also be working on… we'd need to talk 'Live' first - if you sincerely wish to inquire further.
• BEST PHONE TIMES for reaching me on any particular day:
NOON to 6 PM weekdays -- usually Tuesday thru Thursday.
Usually 6:00 pm being the last client of the day.
Friday as a reschedule day or as a spill-over day.
These are the best guidelines to try’n reach me --
1-310-450-2268.
Then again, TRY 10 minutes before the hour.
• And I just may be in session when you call.
LEAVE A MESSAGE + phone number + email.
When can you best be reached.
That’s what this is basically about at core -
Becoming Reachable.
‘How can I reach you ?’ --
and please speak very slowly and clearly.
It is important that you’re going try your best
to make yourself ‘accessible’ -- so I can reach you
-- and you can reach us -- and best, you can 'reach' yourself.
Buddha Learned
How to Become
an Easy to Reach Person.
No barriers, No protection.
Nothing to protect.
Actually, there was no Buddha.
• We can possibly refer you to qualified Buddhist counselors
or therapists in your own local or regional area if you email me.
Again… "The Greatest Risk Is Not Taking One"
____________________________________________
WHAT CONTINUES to FOLLOW is going to take some more reading time - and
some more patience on your part to read and sort yourself thru.
You do not have to read it all at once - Read at your leisure.
TAKE IT IN SMALL BITES, GRAZE, SCROLL and SKIP AROUND IN IT --
YOU'LL CERTAINLY KNOW A LOT MORE about what you need
when you're done reading some/all of this ... hang in there
______________________________________
BE COURAGEOUS !
" As human beings, our greatness lies
not so much in being able to remake the world...
as a being able to remake ourselves.
WE must become the changes
we want to see in the world " ~ Gandhi
" You began as a Creation, now become a Creator.
Never wait at a barrier " ~ Rumi
" The limits of the possible can only be defined
by going beyond them into the impossible." ~ Arthur C. Clarke
“ Good, but impossible resolutions, are simply checks
that men draw on a bank where they have no account.
Start with the eminently 'possible'. ~ Oscar Wilde
" While one person hesitates
because they feel insecure and inferior,
the other is busy making mistakes aplenty
and becoming quite superior." ~ The Tao
“DESTINY” is every step we’re taking
and going thru right now to get there.”
~ Grandfather Bearheart, Creek elder
" There is no such thing as a 'problem'
without a 'gift' for you in its hands.
Sometimes you have problems
because you need their gifts.
It is through gifts that you grow." ~ Richard Bach
THE ‘PROBLEM’
“ BRING YOU LIFE BACK
FROM THE 'EXILE' OF YOUR SPIRIT
and INTO A SACRED BALANCE AGAIN ! “ ~ Poet Laureate Robert Bly
• WHATEVER IT IS, YOU'RE "A-NOT-SO-HAPPY-PERSON"
Many, many folks aren’t. We're in very agitated, anxious, turbulent, uncertain times right now.
Career & Life-Purpose Despair, Emotional Stuff, Mid-Life Changes or Painful Relationship
Dilemmas personally don't make it easier. So please, go 'see' somebody & really start
working it out. 'You' - really being heard from way deep inside and coached forward &
through by a counseling therapist who can deeply understand you – human to human.
So get out of your own 'protective' self-imposed isolation: “I can do it by myself” mantra -
reinforced by ego-pride-shame-hurt-loss-fear-cycles& amp; just put yourself into counseling sessions for awhile. It'll be good for you - you'll get some relief, some resolution and even some joy and laughter.
This is where you can work
on your Stuff and your Soul
on a 'frequent enough' basis
to make a really significant,
noticeable difference.
There is no obligation to have
a free phone-consultation with us
to see if this could feel good
and workable for you...
ARE YOU FEELING ‘DISSED’? ~
DISAPPOINTED DISCOURAGED DISTRESSED Disagreeable Discomforted Disconnected Disconcerted Discontent Disdainful Disgruntled Disgusted Disharmonious and Disheartened -- Disillusioned Disintegrated Distressed Dismayed Dismal Disorganized Disoriented Disregarded Dissatisfied Distant Distraught Distrustful and very Disturbed About It All --
This whole ‘Dis’ this or ‘Dis’ that thing - about your life. You CAN change it! We can help support and assist you. 'Therapy' is a huge personal challenge - but YOU DO have to show up for yourself to make it happen.
"Eighty percent of success is just showing up" ~ Woody Allen
Please,
Get some quality counseling therapy -
somewhere, anywhere -
that may be a place for you to start.
Be very welcome to inquire about us.
Again, maybe you are
a very UNCOMMON PERSON ....
_________________________________
" Every community needs
a group of angelic troublemakers "
~ Bayard Rustin, black activist social reformer
"Our constant 'Inner-Inquiry' is our Passion
and our Passion is our Life-task. All the rest
is the wonderful madness of art." ~ Henry James
"Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything!
Anything that will assert Integrity of Purpose
and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers,
the creatures of the commonplace,
the slaves of the ordinary." ~ Sir Cecil Beaton
"Be not afraid of absurdity - do not shrink from the fantastic!
Within a dilemma - choose the most unheard-of,
the most audacious solution!
De l'audace! De l'audace!
Et encore de l'audace! Be audacious!" ~ Karen Blixen
__________
___________
____________
WHAT CONTINUES to FOLLOW is going to take some more reading time - and
some more patience on your part to read and sort yourself thru.
You do not have to read it all at once - Read at your leisure.
TAKE IT IN SMALL BITES, GRAZE, SCROLL and SKIP AROUND IN IT --
YOU'LL CERTAINLY KNOW A LOT MORE about what you need
when you're done reading some/all of this ... hang in there
______________________________________
Another Basic Problem:
Emotions get to overrun and run thinking.
Thoughts get so embedded in feelings ~
Confusion, hopeless, numb... angry and sad
MAYBE YOU'VE BECOME SO OVERWHELMINGLY ‘IDENTIFIED’
and OVER-INVOLVED IN YOUR OWN DIFFICULT 'LIFE-STORY'
That You Can’t See The Forest Because of All The Trees!
Your 'Story' of being such a driven 'Winner' or a victimized 'Loser' - or just a plain Nobody ’out there’ - you're just so overwhelmed, you’ve become under-whelming - feeling so isolated - that you just plain 'hurt'. Maybe you’ve lost the path, or forgotten the way, or just feel so ineffective in your 'deeper' inner-search. Or you’ve just never yet really sought out Who ‘You’ really, really are - ‘in here’. Inside.
RE-DISCOVERING and DEFINING "Yourself" - totally defined in/on your OWN TERMS ! ( not society’s term’s or religion's terms or family’s terms ). YOUR Own Terms is what 'Therapy of the Spirit' is largely about ! Therapy of the 'True' Spirit is really where ALL mind / spirit / soul-healing MUST start. True therapy has to start and end with the Heart ! It’s been that way in every culture all through time! It's just only that until very recently, the 'choices' of that kind of healings have always been so few and restricted in availability to either doctors or shamans or the church. No longer. Every approach world-wide is now available to you! It's from this very Big Approach that you can truly find yourself and then truly give back to others in a valuable, clear, easy-going and natural way ... true 'Goodness'. Faith in ourselves simply as Humans-restored. And it can be 'Spiritual' AND YET totally NON-RELIGIOUS.. Please consider that!
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“The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT” is a Buddhist-based Psycho/Spiritual oriented Counseling and Alternative Therapy. The world renown and respected ancient tradition of Buddhist Mindfulness Psychology is a path of cultivating a 'transcendent' - a 'higher sanity' - a very clear-seeing ability for yourself. By developing this wisdom understanding, you are now available to generate a much more all-inclusive compassion - which leads to an authentic peace in ourselves, which we can then extend out to our family, friends and the world. Learning and using a 2500 year-old tested self-development approaches and techniques towards a clear, wholesome, peaceful, joyful mind. Traditional Buddhism is absolutely NOT a ‘religious path’ but more of a practical, pragmatic, highly intelligent ‘Humanism’ - There are NO gods and NO worship and NO religious superstitions involved in anything we offer in any way whatsoever. Unless you do want to hear it. Working archetype-forms that are really just good stories…. Or not. The Buddha ( 528 BC ) himself was an atheist. There are some challenging bewilderments in Buddhism for the mind. Zen is founded on it…. Just discovering and uncovering the essence of a sane, wise, peaceful, pure spirit that is YOU.
_______________________________________
“And then the day came
when the risk to
remain tight in a bud
was more than the risk
it took to blossom” ~ Anais Nin
_____________________________
" FORGIVENESS Is Giving Up
All Hope For A Better Past! " ~ Aba Gayle
“It is still up to you to choose
to join with ‘truth’ or with ‘illusion’.
But remember that to choose one
is to let go of the other.” ~ A Course In Miracles
“ If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes !
When the Way comes to an end, then change -
having changed, you pass through." ~ I Ching
ABOUT WHO WE ARE and HOW WE THINK:
A JOYFUL DISCLAIMER and A Statement of Philosophy ...
Who We Are In Our Hearts and In Our Heads
as a 'Spiritually-Based' Counseling Service ~
that too is certainly going to affect you !
The Buddhist’s Theory of Everything.
We are truly 'non-denominational' and 'non-religious' and welcome all journeyers of all Ways,
or especially even those of no way. 'Spiritual' doesn't mean 'Religion'. Actually, you can't even become a 'Buddhist', as that too is just another 'label'. The ONE Web of existence, life& amp; consciousness has many 'Names' in many different world cultures. The ONE Web 'itself', really has NO name at all. All cultures on the planet call it ‘The One’ ( 1. ) So we just simply call it "EVERYTHING". All of 'creation' itself. ‘Creator’ & ‘Creation’ is all the same thing, the same One. We simply leave it at that. One is One and there is nothing outside of it. It's All ONE. You gotta’ love it all. We try to love it All. Most of the time, piece by piece in peace.
" There is no such thing as a strictly 'secular' therapy - or that a therapy is 'non-spiritual' .. That’s where establishment psychological sciences are poetically naïve. EVERY 'therapy' is spiritual if it deals with matters of the heart and emotions and feelings. Buddhist approaches in particular, are 'spiritual' BUT non-religious. The historical Buddha was a Humanist & a Pragmatist. There's a freedom of intelligence & openness to that - a big difference. " ~ Abraham Maslow
• WHY of ALL Possible Things - are we Buddhist-based ???
We particularly use the Buddhist branding name, because those Asian cultures have got some of the most skillfully mature, very grounded, least misleading, most inclusive and the very best of the mind-healing techniques available so far - so far as we've come across. So we use 'em. And we're still strongly very eclectic: we use many diverse approaches - so we'll use what YOU need, not what 'we' like best or 'believe in'. We're on your side! We practice as Buddhist ministers not as licensed MFT or clinical psychologists.
_______________________________________________
Psychological Inflexibility: an A.C.T View of Suffering
The core conception of ACT is that psychological suffering is usually caused by the interface between human language and cognition, and the control of human behavior by previous direct experience. And failure. ‘Psychological inflexibility’ is then to emerge from experiential avoidance, cognitive entanglement, attachment of a conceptualized ‘self’, loss of contact with the present, and the resulting failure to take needed behavioral steps in accord with core values. An extensive research program on a theory of convoluted language and cognition, contemporary Relational Frame Theory (RFT / ACT ) takes the view that trying to change difficult thoughts and feelings as a means of coping can be counter productive, but new, powerful alternatives are available - including ACT: acceptance, mindfulness, cognitive defusion, values, and committed action therapies..
Cognitive fusion -- the domination of stimulus functions based on literal language even when that process is a harmful, experiential avoidance -- the phenomenon that occurs when a person is unwilling to remain in contact with particular private experiences and takes steps to alter the form or frequency of these events and the contexts that occasion them, even when doing so causes psychological harm the domination of a conceptualized self over the "self as context" that emerges from perspective taking and relational frames lack of values, confusion of goals with values, and other values problems that can underlie the failure to build broad and flexible repertoires and an inability to build a larger unit of behavior through commitment to behavior that moves in the direction of chosen values
_________________________________________________
We'll gladly give you a FREELY offered Local Phone Consultation –
No Obligation ! - or call to set up an actual appointment • 310-450-2268
The phone is much more personal - and some quality 'personal attention'
is probably what you need for yourself right now -- more 'closeness'
rather than distance... We do know that when you're feeling vulnerable, skittish or just plain bad and sad -- sometimes 'reaching out' is hard -- please, do take up the challenge!
"Take the first step in faith.
You don't have to see the whole staircase
-- just take the first step." ~ Martin Luther King
_______________________________
we also offer to the community ~
• Prior to Akasa Levi’s partial retirement from group meditation teaching in 2014 with a Parkinson’ diagnosis - he Creatively-minded Corporate/Business Consultation: Human Resource Resolution
and 'Spirit In The Workplace' development. Very way out of the box stuff. We also consult
on the American 'spiritual mind-set', 'The Crisis In Faith', 'Loss of Classical Mythologies
to Technology', 'What's Wrong With Our Minds and Culture?' and current 'religious trends'
(trends that are quite unconscious, un self-identified & dreadfully naive within the
contemporary American/Western cultural praadigm as a whole.
• We Counsel all manifestations of alternative & emerging life-styles: mixed racial/religious
partnerings & marriages; gay & bi curious, str8 still exploring. It's the 21st Century:
It's a big wide open world out there now... We offer bridge-building between communities:
people of all colors, religions, diverse cultures & ethnic origins. A pluralistic society brings
so many awesome enrichments as well as struggles of balance & new found respect ...
"If you do not see God
in the next person you meet,
you need look no further." ~ Gandhi
__________________________________________
“La vraie générosité envers l'avenir consiste à tout donner au présent.”
“True generosity towards the future is to give everything to the present.” ~ Albert Camus
" THE GREATEST RISK IS NOT TAKING ONE! "
___________________________________
QUOTES ~ The Gift of Wise Words
To measure you by your smallest deed
is to judge the ocean by the frailty of it's foam.
To judge you by your failures is to cast blame
upon the seasons for their inconsistencies ~ Kahlil Gibran
What good you do is of little significance,
But it is very important that you do it.
WE must be the change you want
to see in the world " ~ Mahatma Gandhi
"If we have no peace,
it is because we have forgotten
that we belong to each other." ~ Mother Teresa
"You yourself,
as much as anyone in the entire Universe,
deserves your OWN affection, care and love.
You can explore the whole universe looking
for someone who is more deserving of your
love and affection than you are yourself...
and you will not find that person anywhere.
To be maximum effective -
the Practice of Loving-Kindness
must absolutely begin with yourself!" ~ The Buddha
________________________________________
“Who was born first, 'You' or 'The World'?
As long as you give first place to ‘The World’
-- you are bound by it.
Once you realize, beyond all trace of doubt,
that the ‘world’ is in you --
-- and not 'you' in the world,
right then and there, you are out of it.
Of course, your body remains in the world
and 'of' the world,
but YOU are not d-e-l-u-d-e-d by it.”
~ Nisargadatta Maharaj
They drew a circle that shut me out --
Calling me a heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win --
We drew a circle that took them in.
~ Edwin Markham "Outwitted"
"Do not look back in Anger,
or forward in Fear,
but around in Awareness" ~ James Thurber
"At night make me fearlessly one
with the Darkness ~
In the morning make me
optimistically one with the Light" ~ Wendell Berry
You may want to hi-lite, copy and send
the quote below to people you know...
some of the wisest guidance you will
ever read, put to personal use or offer.
Here it is ~
"Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart.
Try to love the 'Questions' themselves - like locked rooms
and like books that are written in a foreign language.
Do not, just right now, seek for the Answers.
The 'Answers' which cannot now be given to you -
because you would not be able to actually ‘live’ them.
And the point is to ‘live’ everything -
experiencing everything.
At present, you need to live the Questions themselves.
Perhaps you will then gradually, without even noticing it,
live along some day into the true Answer. Your answer."
~ Rilke's "Letters to a Young Poet" (1903-1908)
__________________________________________
We are non-denominational and definitely non-religious and
welcome all journeyers of all Ways or even none.
-:¦:- The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT • buddhistcounselingmindfulnesstherapy.blogspot.com • Buddhist-based 'alternative' approaches to relating with Your True Core Self • One-to-One individual therapy • Relationship counseling • Partnering issues • Difficult to communicate feelings • Disheartened anxious insecure Wounded Spirit • Counsel for 'Uncommon People' 'Rebels' 'Creatives' 'Sensitives' cerebral verbal artistic gifted ~ yet really Unhappy. "Mindfulness Insight" cultivates a calm, kind, wise, deep liberation with a "Big Good-Hearted Mind"
The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT is a Member of S.E.N. (Spiritual Emergency Network
at Esalen Institute in Big Sur). We are an outreach-project of “The Laughing Buddha Sangha”
in Santa Monica, CA 90405 - and utilize the practice-approaches offered by Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre/Santa Rosa, CA. Our favorite meditation center here in town is InsightLA.org in Santa Monica about 5 blocks away right up the street.
♦ The LAUGHING BUDDHA SANGHA - guided by AKASA LEVI, a former ordained American Buddhist forest monk who lived many years in rural Asia. Akasa coaches a small, salon-sized Satsang sitting group for Buddhist Mindfulness Meditation with practice discussion and Dharma theory study. Now a feisty 75, this eccentric, really funny ole' Dharma-mentor teaches in his little meditation shrine room filled with statues of the Buddha. He invites anyone - beginners welcome - practicing an 'awareness meditation' to come sit.
16 point regular
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Counseling.1.SoSoBEST.SoSoWORST.docx
16 point
PAGES TO GET DOWN INTO. . . MARCH 2016 /
-:¦:- The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT
The LAUGHING BUDDHA SANGHA q(~?~)p
guided by AKASA LEVI ~ 310-450-2268
BUDDHIST COUNSELING SESSIONS and
MINDFULNESS PRACTICE as a THERAPY
• INDIVIDUAL PERSONAL Therapy
• RELATIONSHIP Counseling
Santa Monica CA 90405 ~ 310-450-2268
See CONTACT Details at Table of Contents
http://buddhistmeditationsantamonica.com just good reading
http://buddhistcounselingmindfulnesstherapy.blogspot.com we’re remodeling
" What is accepted by the majority of people -
does not mean it is Real." ~ The Buddha
A New York Jewish Therapist
Living In California
Is What I Always Wanted To Be,
What I Always Wanted To Do --
But ‘Reasons’ Intervened,
So Since I Didn’t,
Since I Couldn’t ~
I Became This !
Which One ?
A New York Jewish Therapist:
What I Always Wanted To Be,
But Since I Didn’t, I Became This !
The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT
~ a truly effective Buddhist-based 'Alternative' way
complementary to contemporary psychotherapy
for the Discomforted Mind, Wounded Spirit or
Disheartened, Despairing Relationship ~
all in the midst of our very edgy,
over-driven, survival-stressed
Uncertain Times
______________
• I’m a ONE MAN SHOP ~ Always have been.
I Counsel both Adult Women and Puer Men In
One-to-One Individual Therapy sessions
Buddhist Counseling sessions and
Mindfulness Practice as a Therapy
Buddhist Dharma Life-Coaching
• Individual Personal Therapy
• Relationship Counseling for
Couples, Partnering issues,
and Self-Identity issues.
Verbal, inter-active, face to face,
very personal, kind and caring
as well as ‘tough-love’ - and
appropriate directive ‘tasks’
and even homework - in clear,
hopefully effective sessions.
“Relationships” can be difficult.
Period. Everyone knows that.
________________________
Brief Profiles: Meditation
-:¦:- The LAUGHING BUDDHA SANGHA - guided by AKASA LEVI, a former ordained American Buddhist forest monk who lived many years in rural Asia. Akasa coaches a small, salon-sized Satsang sitting group for Buddhist Mindfulness meditation with practice discussion and Dharma theory study. Now a feisty 75, this eccentric, really funny ole' Dharma-mentor teaches at his little meditation shrine room filled with statues of the Buddha. He invites anyone actively practicing an 'awareness meditation' to come sit. Beginners very welcome.
Brief Profiles: Teacher
-:¦:- The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT ♦
The LAUGHING BUDDHA SANGHA ♦ guided by AKASA LEVI - a U.S.military Vet and former ordained American Buddhist forest monk • who lived many years in rural Asia - to be with the LAST LIVING BUDDHIST TEACHERS of the PRE-GLOBAL ERA, most passed on now • Akasa is a feisty 75 - an adorable authentic genuine curmudgeon • Odd, a really funny, eccentric old man of the Dharma, a respected BuJu Tribal Elder • Advaita yogi, rogue academic mentor into nourishing a maverick, iconoclast intelligence in the people he treats, teaches, counsels or coaches at his little meditation shrine room in his garage • Filled with statues of the ancient Buddha, he also practices in the scientific secular spirit of contemporary Mindfulness meditation as well • Truly an acquired taste like Thai shrimp paste, Akasa is known for his spontaneity, ready warmth, and wry unpredictable humor • Please VISIT the Expanded BIG BIO PROFILE at the TABLE of CONTENTS. Read Part One of The Making Of . . .
Brief Profiles: Counseling Therapy
-:¦:- The Spiritual Adulthood Project ~ is where I can offer Buddhist based 'Alternative' approaches to relating with Your True Core Self • One-to-One Individual therapy • Relationship and Partnering issues • Difficult to communicate feelings • Disheartened anxious insecure Wounded Spirit • Therapy for "Non-Ordinary", "Uncommon People" • 'Rebels' 'Creatives' 'Sensitives' cerebral verbal artistic gifted ~ and Unhappy people • "Mindfulness" really works to cultivate a calm, kind, wise, spacious, fearless "Big Good-Hearted Mind".
__________________________________
What About Uncertain Times ?
" It was the best of times,
It was the worst of times,
It was the age of wisdom,
It was the age of foolishness,
It was the epoch of belief,
It was the epoch of incredulity,
It was the season of Light,
It was the season of Darkness,
It was the spring of hope,
It was the winter of despair,
We had everything before us,
We had nothing before us,
We were all going direct to Heaven,
We were all going direct the other way -
In short, the period was so far -:¦:-
just like the present period.
~ Sir Charles Dickens ~
A Tale of Two Cities (1859)
___________________
Hi ~ I’M JUST GETTING STARTED
by filling my plastic water bottle and
sitting in one of my favorite places.
__________________________
INSTRUCTIONS # 5 Reading Out Loud
If you graze these pages and scroll n' roll around in this site -
follow some of it along - ponder a bit down a very articulate path -
then some words catch your eye - an image of a feeling from
a different time from now - as you breathe and sit immobile,
your body a pleasant mass of soft meditative sensation -
you space out to go in, as you invite a sweet mild trance
to embrace you - remembering your ‘mindfulness’ by
wiggling your toes that invoke flocks of feeling images
within you flow, breathe the silence, settle down gently
into open space way out in between the words - the
sounds of silence, the sensations of feeling, observe
the images but don’t touch, just watch reflect ponder
contemplate but don’t stay to long as Knowing
appears all by itself . . .
What is the True Nature of Life ?
“Never gave it a thought”
Sure you have….
________________
Besides the illuminating inspiring little readings on this site, and besides the details in this site pertaining to your possible being here at some time - there's a lot of short snippets of good poetry and pithy phrases in here to inspire and uplift you - and go for rides in your iPhone - so please go sit still somewhere, breathe, slow down, breathe, listen to the silence, breathe, notice the incredible naturalness of everything, and intelligently nourish your Spirit also….
________________________
“And then the day came
when the risk to remain
tight in a bud
was more painful
than the risk
it took to blossom” ~ Anais Nin
_______________________________
Maybe you're an UNCOMMON PERSON ....
The “Uncommon Person” / “The Non-Ordinary Person”
Already Feels Different -- in a Very Non-Assimilate-able Way.
Many people really do, but for the truly 'uncommon one'
it's sort of a double-whammy to carry!" ~ Abraham Maslow
• UNHAPPY 'UNCOMMON' PEOPLE are by their nature sensitive, creative, genius, silent, smart, goofy, individualistic, righteously impatient yet newly empathic, higher-consciousness oriented people gaining ground with sacred Grace - artistic, intellectual, autistically techy, stylishly awkward, mystical, musical, poetic, and certainly can be real spiritual or real ugly like the rest of us can be.
• So you’d probably need an authentic 'Non-traditional Therapist' who understands “non-mainstream”, non-Matrix lifestyles -- and who is deeply empathic and genuinely understands ‘uncommon' and ‘unusual’ or ‘non-ordinary’ people - who are quite unique or gifted, yet unhappy people.
• You may be a very 'individual' person who feels very naturally inward, spiritual oriented - and yet you're struggling to get ‘worldly’ problems/emotional issues handled realistically and with integrity as well -- yet without you having to commit to any spiritual path whatsoever.
• As a contemporary Healer of sorts - of the unsure Mind and of the broken Heart. Yet I offer NO promises or religious prescriptions - not even some evangelical dogma drama. I offer ‘Nothing’ to ‘Believe’ in. That’s a Buddhist pun. ‘Nothing’ - just the emergence of your own individual ‘true knowing’ and personal excellence. I want to assist you in discovering a 'natural unfolding' of unshakable balance, boundless wisdom and joy. And your innate good humor - Liberating a new sense of caring and connectedness with yourself, other people and the universe. An expanded inner acceptance and outer effectiveness.
‘RAW QUALITIES OF GOOD BEING’ We All Have
• Yet still, us Unhappy 'Uncommon' folk hold a small but rapidly growing niche market in the “developing consciousness” industry - so we're not exactly the ordinary 'Retail' majority. In all kindness to Target shoppers, the masses are still buying into it, buying it, bought-in, still living on the bought on credit larger grid - what the Dalai Lama calls The Suffering Consumer - "Consumers" - people strongly subject to the lures and addictive pulls of Desire and Attachment, by indulgence or necessity. Capitalism totally depends on them. “Mindfulness teaches us to let them go and stress less. Notice how many Zen Zafu meditation cushions and Yoga mats are being sold lately. . .
• You, by the way, are innately blessed with the precious ‘raw qualities of good being’ that you may unknowingly DO possess and host. And probably don’t know it or the depths of it. That is an under-developed area of repair work we will be actively working on. Fortunately, the whole world really is watching ( and that's a huge form of 'participation' also, please don't discount it ) There’s good people out there. There is a genuine Waking-up happening. More so soon than ever. Now we are all globally touched by it. The social media is re-birthing newly minted curious cyber babies into what is hopefully an ever-constant, continuing, community ‘conversation’ that is now visibly, audibly out of the Dark and on a wobbling enlightenment course, fumbling into the Light -- and you and me with it, on some level or other.
• Today,the young beouiois swar Millennials are an obsession-prone, precarious, precious pool of new human resource for training and cultivating sincerely talented, novice ’Bodhisattva’ compassion-energy, ready for downloading and absorbing some of the planet’s most ancient wisdom ways towards fulfilling non-conditional ( unconditional ) happiness. The Boomers are busy modeling for the Gen X ,,,and my father’s Depression and anything earlier than 1950 is as they say, History. Americans are historically illiterate anyway, and the Millennials have no practical motivation to reference what came before them. That leaves me at the beginning of the end of it all. I’m old. My students are 27, I’m 75. The first to go. leaves me at te end of it all. I’m next to go.
settled in, Millennials, some of them are filled with such compassionate energy, idealistic intensity, and a grounded integrity focused on their 'Causes'. Their sincerity is adding to the cyber technology with their own Loving-kindness potential. “Good goods, these kids got…” my Uncle Max would say
• Bless ALL The Arts and it's myriad Lovers -- yes, we're still here as Angelic Trouble-makers - the Activists, Radicals, Progressives, the Lefties and the Movement people. They 'usta call us Avant Garde, and that's a heavy mantle to carry - seriously - without a clearly defined, yet natural "identity" in hand that's authentically Real at the same time. One major difficulty is if I'm psychologically disfigured, disoriented in some way, I can't really see the deeper happiness potential right there in myself and others, especially if the damage is still semi suppressed and not well Life-managed or Self-regulated -- or Happy.
" You need to find out What, Why and Who you are. And are not. And then put that all aside." said Dr. Jung _________________________________
“NOTHING” -
Even tho’, as a contemporary Healer of sorts -
of the unsure Mind and of the broken Heart -
Yet I offer NO promises or religious prescriptions -
‘Nothing’ - I offer ‘Nothing’ to ‘Believe’ in.
That’s a Buddhist pun - that opens a whole
other discussion doorway. ‘Nothing’ -
just the emergence of your own individual
‘true knowing’ and personal excellence.
__________________________________
" THE GREATEST RISK IS NOT TAKING ONE! "
SOME IMPORTANT Preliminary DETAILS ~
or just skip 'em and Keep Reading . . .
• I’m a ONE MAN SHOP ~ Always have been.
I Counsel both Adult Women and Men In
One-to-One Individual Therapy sessions
Buddhist Counseling sessions and
Mindfulness Practice as a Therapy
Buddhist Dharma Life-Coaching
• Individual Personal Therapy
• Relationship Counseling for
Couples, Partnering issues,
Gender and Identity issues.
Verbal, inter-active, face to face,
very personal, kind and caring
as well as ‘tough-love’ - and
appropriate directive ‘tasks’
and even homework - in clear,
hopefully effective sessions.
“Relationships” can be difficult.
Period. Everyone knows that.
What’s In The Box ?
• These counseling and therapy sessions have a strong Buddhist informed theoretical base, as well as good Western modalities like psycho-dynamic analysis and CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy ) spinoffs. I use “Mindfulness” approaches to approach the highly dissatisfied mind, discomforted feelings, and disruptive emotions while they’re in ’process’. Later on you’re most welcome to move on to group meditation and sharing sessions if you wish, as your tolerances’ get more fit.
• At “Spiritual Adulthood” we offer a uniquely combined counseling an innovative, holistic, Asian-based ‘spiritual variation' of therapy grounded in pragmatic, practical Buddhist psychology. Created for intelligent people - sensitive people - creative people - odd, uncommon unhappy people…
“NOTHING” -
Even tho’, as a contemporary Healer of sorts -
of the unsure Mind and of the broken Heart -
Yet I offer NO promises or religious prescriptions -
‘Nothing’ - I offer ‘Nothing’ to ‘Believe’ in.
That’s a Buddhist pun - that opens a whole
other discussion doorway. ‘Nothing’ -
just the emergence of your own individual
‘true knowing’ and personal excellence.
______________________________
I practice as a Buddhist minister / pastoral counselor, not as a licensed MFT or PhD clinical psychologist. I take in a much broader cultural scope than just the psychological. I have to address the sociology / anthropology of it all - What got it to be this way ? The cultivation of a very contemporary metaphysical Spirit in this difficult modern media-driven society we live in, is a necessity. What will that look like ?
• Re-educating your Spirit also, gives your Spirits a chance to be a wider, stronger, well informed inner-platform and inner-space to work with. ‘Realistically’ or ‘Meta-physically’. Both are the supreme, indigenous creations of cultures based in one local regional area or another to work on their Healing Arts organically and renovate YOU with many millennia worth of Spirit-treasure - on indigenously -undisturbed in a limited cultural isolation. Hey traded for medicinals and leaves for tools and textiles in small hamlets if there was a road in… only symbolic. Good spiritual TV.
• At “Spiritual Adulthood” we offer a uniquely combined counseling an innovative, holistic, Asian-based ‘spiritual variation' of therapy grounded in pragmatic, practical Buddhist psychology. Created for intelligent people - sensitive people - creative people - odd, uncommon unhappy people…
You may want to talk with someone - like me - someone who has training in both worlds: psychology AND spirituality.
• This is not a traditional Western licensed clinical psychotherapy --
nor is it 'Religious'. ‘Religious’ suggests it’s being done on their clock, on their time. ‘Spiritual’ suggests it is happening on your time internally, individually, it’s all about you -- It is 'Spiritual', which takes in everything ‘sacred’ human culture and benevolent well intentioned thought has ever created.
• What is it ? This form of counseling therapy can be called many things --
Spiritual-based Counseling • Psycho/Spiritual Therapy • Spiritual Direction • Spiritual-oriented Life Coaching • Medicine men and women • Tribal Shaman’s work and practitioners in the Healing Arts the world over. The Good Ones doing good healing practices • It's been going on effectively for 1000's of years ...
• ‘True’ Happiness is totally ( well, almost totally ) taught as being independent and free of the unavoidable effects of ‘everyday’ circumstances, conditions and compromises - really 'true liberated freedom' as they've spoken about in Asian teachings for millennia. ‘Un-True’ Happiness isn’t a Freedom inside us, it’s bound to erroneous stuff by shackled conditions. And we obsessively worry it all the time.
Talk with someone who has training in both worlds: psychology AND spirituality !
" THE GREATEST RISK IS NOT TAKING ONE! "
SOME IMPORTANT Preliminary DETAILS ~
or just skip 'em and Keep Reading . . .
• I’m a ONE MAN SHOP ~ Always have been.
I Counsel both Adult Women and Men in
One-on-One Individual Therapy sessions
Buddhist Counseling sessions and
Mindfulness Practice as a Therapy
Buddhist Dharma Life-Coaching
• Individual Personal Therapy
• Relationship Counseling for
Couples, Partnering issues,
Gender and Identity issues.
Verbal, inter-active, face to face,
very personal, kind and caring
as well as ‘tough-love’ - and
appropriate directive ‘tasks’
and even homework - in clear,
hopefully effective sessions.
“Relationships” can be difficult.
Period. Everyone knows that.
These are counseling and therapy sessions with a strong Buddhist informed theoretical base, as well as good Western modalities like psycho-dynamic analysis and CBT ( cognitive-behavioral therapy ) spinoffs. I use “Mindfulness” approaches to approach the highly dissatisfied mind, discomforted feelings, and disruptive emotions right in their ’process’. Later on you’re most welcome to move on to group meditation and sharing sessions if you wish, as your ‘tolerances’ get more fit.
________________________
PLEASE NOTE ~
A Few House Responsibilities - Here’s the Deal…
Dear Gals or Guys ~ Glad You’re Here !
And I gotta’ be sorta strict-ish about your own life-plan arrangements affecting your even being here, work time and drive time kvetching, money issues, and other important ‘engine maintenance’ responsibilities - all so we have the way more clear - we have the freedom to actually ‘Work’ the session - and not get too caught up and fuss around with the logistics of Details -- unless of course this is a part of the way you roll…
• ALL counseling sessions are all 'Live' counseling visits at my little ‘Shrine’. I don’t do house calls. No Skype. My steady counseling clients are limited to our immediate local area - so you can be on time and I can run a tight little old guy’s ship. Thank you for hearing this ~ really.
• PHONE COUNSELING-sessions will probably happen later on, here and there - but only when necessary for 'established clients' with me.
• I can gladly offer you a First-Time FREE phone consultation to local Los Angeles area inquirers. 1-310-450-2268. I will certainly need to talk with you on the phone first. There is no first free session. It's all about developing a solid, sound 'ground' of genuine communication -- and what it is to be a responsible client.
• Please ASK ME PLENTY of QUESTIONS, Difficult Questions, and really feel into if "Spiritual Adulthood" sessions might be helpful for you --
• FEE: Ongoing regular steady sessions are by a mutually arranged fee, date and time by appointment only.
• I can offer AFFORDABLE NEGOTIABLE sliding scale lower fee sessions for those who really need it. I am not greedy. I do not take insurance coverage, health plans or Medicare, Obama Care, HMOs etc. I do not accept any electronic plastic as a payment means - only cash of check. I must charge full going fee For A First Time Visit. I can discuss sliding scales after that.
• I usually offer a much more generous EXTENDED SESSION-TIME than is usual... Most sessions are given much more than the standard therapy-hour's time (:55 min ). We offer you sessions usually about one hour+20 min (:80 min) to allow plenty of time to go really deep as you need to during your session that particular day... without feeling cut off or hurried out the door..
• A FIRST-TIME PHONE INQUIRY ( FREE ) is always good to have with you - and much more immediate for me to respond to you, if you briefly write down your issues and some feelings before you call me. Please do not email instead, the live voice is so important to hear --- ( ambivalent emails back and forth really does not work well at all ) Please simply PHONE ME - and that may take courage on your part, but ‘courage’ is what we will also be working on… we'd need to talk 'Live' first - if you sincerely wish to inquire further.
• BEST PHONE TIMES for reaching me on any particular day:
NOON to 6 PM weekdays -- usually Tuesday thru Thursday.
Usually 6:00 pm being the last client of the day.
Friday as a reschedule day or as a spill-over day.
These are the best guidelines to try’n reach me --
1-310-450-2268.
Then again, TRY 10 minutes before the hour.
• And I just may be in session when you call.
LEAVE A MESSAGE + phone number + email.
When can you best be reached.
That’s what this is basically about at core -
Becoming Reachable.
‘How can I reach you ?’ --
and please speak very slowly and clearly.
It is important that you’re going try your best
to make yourself ‘accessible’ -- so I can reach you
-- and you can reach us -- and best, you can 'reach' yourself.
Buddha Learned
How to Become
an Easy to Reach Person.
No barriers, No protection.
Nothing to protect.
Actually, there was no Buddha.
• We can possibly refer you to qualified Buddhist counselors
or therapists in your own local or regional area if you email me.
Again… "The Greatest Risk Is Not Taking One"
____________________________________________
WHAT CONTINUES to FOLLOW is going to take some more reading time - and
some more patience on your part to read and sort yourself thru.
You do not have to read it all at once - Read at your leisure.
TAKE IT IN SMALL BITES, GRAZE, SCROLL and SKIP AROUND IN IT --
YOU'LL CERTAINLY KNOW A LOT MORE about what you need
when you're done reading some/all of this ... hang in there
______________________________________
BE COURAGEOUS !
" As human beings, our greatness lies
not so much in being able to remake the world...
as a being able to remake ourselves.
WE must become the changes
we want to see in the world " ~ Gandhi
" You began as a Creation, now become a Creator.
Never wait at a barrier " ~ Rumi
" The limits of the possible can only be defined
by going beyond them into the impossible." ~ Arthur C. Clarke
“ Good, but impossible resolutions, are simply checks
that men draw on a bank where they have no account.
Start with the eminently 'possible'. ~ Oscar Wilde
" While one person hesitates
because they feel insecure and inferior,
the other is busy making mistakes aplenty
and becoming quite superior." ~ The Tao
“DESTINY” is every step we’re taking
and going thru right now to get there.”
~ Grandfather Bearheart, Creek elder
" There is no such thing as a 'problem'
without a 'gift' for you in its hands.
Sometimes you have problems
because you need their gifts.
It is through gifts that you grow." ~ Richard Bach
THE ‘PROBLEM’
“ BRING YOU LIFE BACK
FROM THE 'EXILE' OF YOUR SPIRIT
and INTO A SACRED BALANCE AGAIN ! “ ~ Poet Laureate Robert Bly
• WHATEVER IT IS, YOU'RE "A-NOT-SO-HAPPY-PERSON"
Many, many folks aren’t. We're in very agitated, anxious, turbulent, uncertain times right now.
Career& amp; Life-Purpose Despair, Emotional Stuff, Mid-Life Changes or Painful Relationship
Dilemmas personally don't make it easier. So please, go 'see' somebody & really start
working it out. 'You' - really being heard from way deep inside and coached forward &
through by a counseling therapist who can deeply understand you – human to human.
So get out of your own 'protective' self-imposed isolation: “I can do it by myself” mantra -
reinforced by ego-pride-shame-hurt-loss-fear-cycles& amp; just put yourself into counseling sessions for awhile. It'll be good for you - you'll get some relief, some resolution and even some joy and laughter.
This is where you can work
on your Stuff and your Soul
on a 'frequent enough' basis
to make a really significant,
noticeable difference.
There is no obligation to have
a free phone-consultation with us
to see if this could feel good
and workable for you...
ARE YOU FEELING ‘DISSED’? ~
DISAPPOINTED DISCOURAGED DISTRESSED Disagreeable Discomforted Disconnected Disconcerted Discontent Disdainful Disgruntled Disgusted Disharmonious and Disheartened -- Disillusioned Disintegrated Distressed Dismayed Dismal Disorganized Disoriented Disregarded Dissatisfied Distant Distraught Distrustful and very Disturbed About It All --
This whole ‘Dis’ this or ‘Dis’ that thing - about your life. You CAN change it! We can help support and assist you. 'Therapy' is a huge personal challenge - but YOU DO have to show up for yourself to make it happen.
"Eighty percent of success is just showing up" ~ Woody Allen
Please,
Get some quality counseling therapy -
somewhere, anywhere -
that may be a place for you to start.
Be very welcome to inquire about us.
Again, maybe you are
a very UNCOMMON PERSON ....
_________________________________
" Every community needs
a group of angelic troublemakers "
~ Bayard Rustin, black activist social reformer
"Our constant 'Inner-Inquiry' is our Passion
and our Passion is our Life-task. All the rest
is the wonderful madness of art." ~ Henry James
"Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything!
Anything that will assert Integrity of Purpose
and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers,
the creatures of the commonplace,
the slaves of the ordinary." ~ Sir Cecil Beaton
"Be not afraid of absurdity - do not shrink from the fantastic!
Within a dilemma - choose the most unheard-of,
the most audacious solution!
De l'audace! De l'audace!
Et encore de l'audace! Be audacious!" ~ Karen Blixen
__________
___________
____________
WHAT CONTINUES to FOLLOW is going to take some more reading time - and
some more patience on your part to read and sort yourself thru.
You do not have to read it all at once - Read at your leisure.
TAKE IT IN SMALL BITES, GRAZE, SCROLL and SKIP AROUND IN IT --
YOU'LL CERTAINLY KNOW A LOT MORE about what you need
when you're done reading some/all of this ... hang in there
______________________________________
Another Basic Problem:
Emotions get to overrun and run thinking.
Thoughts get so embedded in feelings ~
Confusion, hopeless, numb... angry and sad
MAYBE YOU'VE BECOME SO OVERWHELMINGLY ‘IDENTIFIED’
and OVER-INVOLVED IN YOUR OWN DIFFICULT 'LIFE-STORY'
That You Can’t See The Forest Because of All The Trees!
Your 'Story' of being such a driven 'Winner' or a victimized 'Loser' - or just a plain Nobody ’out there’ - you're just so overwhelmed, you’ve become under-whelming - feeling so isolated - that you just plain 'hurt'. Maybe you’ve lost the path, or forgotten the way, or just feel so ineffective in your 'deeper' inner-search. Or you’ve just never yet really sought out Who ‘You’ really, really are - ‘in here’. Inside.
RE-DISCOVERING and DEFINING "Yourself" - totally defined in/on your OWN TERMS ! ( not society’s term’s or religion's terms or family’s terms ). YOUR Own Terms is what 'Therapy of the Spirit' is largely about ! Therapy of the 'True' Spirit is really where ALL mind / spirit / soul-healing MUST start. True therapy has to start and end with the Heart ! It’s been that way in every culture all through time! It's just only that until very recently, the 'choices' of that kind of healings have always been so few and restricted in availability to either doctors or shamans or the church. No longer. Every approach world-wide is now available to you! It's from this very Big Approach that you can truly find yourself and then truly give back to others in a valuable, clear, easy-going and natural way ... true 'Goodness'. Faith in ourselves simply as Humans-restored. And it can be 'Spiritual' AND YET totally NON-RELIGIOUS.. Please consider that!
____________________________________________________
“The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT” is a Buddhist-based Psycho/Spiritual oriented Counseling and Alternative Therapy. The world renown and respected ancient tradition of Buddhist Mindfulness Psychology is a path of cultivating a 'transcendent' - a 'higher sanity' - a very clear-seeing ability for yourself. By developing this wisdom understanding, you are now available to generate a much more all-inclusive compassion - which leads to an authentic peace in ourselves, which we can then extend out to our family, friends and the world. Learning and using a 2500 year-old tested self-development approaches and techniques towards a clear, wholesome, peaceful, joyful mind. Traditional Buddhism is absolutely NOT a ‘religious path’ but more of a practical, pragmatic, highly intelligent ‘Humanism’ - There are NO gods and NO worship and NO religious superstitions involved in anything we offer in any way whatsoever. Unless you do want to hear it. Working archetype-forms that are really just good stories…. Or not. The Buddha ( 528 BC ) himself was an atheist. There are some challenging bewilderments in Buddhism for the mind. Zen is founded on it…. Just discovering and uncovering the essence of a sane, wise, peaceful, pure spirit that is YOU.
_______________________________________
“And then the day came
when the risk to
remain tight in a bud
was more than the risk
it took to blossom” ~ Anais Nin
_____________________________
" FORGIVENESS Is Giving Up
All Hope For A Better Past! " ~ Aba Gayle
“It is still up to you to choose
to join with ‘truth’ or with ‘illusion’.
But remember that to choose one
is to let go of the other.” ~ A Course In Miracles
“ If Nothing Changes, Nothing Changes !
When the Way comes to an end, then change -
having changed, you pass through." ~ I Ching
ABOUT WHO WE ARE and HOW WE THINK:
A JOYFUL DISCLAIMER and A Statement of Philosophy ...
Who We Are In Our Hearts and In Our Heads
as a 'Spiritually-Based' Counseling Service ~
that too is certainly going to affect you !
The Buddhist’s Theory of Everything.
We are truly 'non-denominational' and 'non-religious' and welcome all journeyers of all Ways,
or especially even those of no way. 'Spiritual' doesn't mean 'Religion'. Actually, you can't even become a 'Buddhist', as that too is just another 'label'. The ONE Web of existence, life & consciousness has many 'Names' in many different world cultures. The ONE Web 'itself', really has NO name at all. All cultures on the planet call it ‘The One’ ( 1. ) So we just simply call it "EVERYTHING". All of 'creation' itself. ‘Creator’ & ‘Creation’ is all the same thing, the same One. We simply leave it at that. One is One and there is nothing outside of it. It's All ONE. You gotta’ love it all. We try to love it All. Most of the time, piece by piece in peace.
" There is no such thing as a strictly 'secular' therapy - or that a therapy is 'non-spiritual' .. That’s where establishment psychological sciences are poetically naïve. EVERY 'therapy' is spiritual if it deals with matters of the heart and emotions and feelings. Buddhist approaches in particular, are 'spiritual' BUT non-religious. The historical Buddha was a Humanist & a Pragmatist. There's a freedom of intelligence & openness to that - a big difference. " ~ Abraham Maslow
• WHY of ALL Possible Things - are we Buddhist-based ???
We particularly use the Buddhist branding name, because those Asian cultures have got some of the most skillfully mature, very grounded, least misleading, most inclusive and the very best of the mind-healing techniques available so far - so far as we've come across. So we use 'em. And we're still strongly very eclectic: we use many diverse approaches - so we'll use what YOU need, not what 'we' like best or 'believe in'. We're on your side! We practice as Buddhist ministers not as licensed MFT or clinical psychologists.
_______________________________________________
Psychological Inflexibility: an A.C.T View of Suffering
The core conception of ACT is that psychological suffering is usually caused by the interface between human language and cognition, and the control of human behavior by previous direct experience. And failure. ‘Psychological inflexibility’ is then to emerge from experiential avoidance, cognitive entanglement, attachment of a conceptualized ‘self’, loss of contact with the present, and the resulting failure to take needed behavioral steps in accord with core values. An extensive research program on a theory of convoluted language and cognition, contemporary Relational Frame Theory (RFT / ACT ) takes the view that trying to change difficult thoughts and feelings as a means of coping can be counter productive, but new, powerful alternatives are available - including ACT: acceptance, mindfulness, cognitive defusion, values, and committed action therapies..
Cognitive fusion -- the domination of stimulus functions based on literal language even when that process is a harmful, experiential avoidance -- the phenomenon that occurs when a person is unwilling to remain in contact with particular private experiences and takes steps to alter the form or frequency of these events and the contexts that occasion them, even when doing so causes psychological harm the domination of a conceptualized self over the "self as context" that emerges from perspective taking and relational frames lack of values, confusion of goals with values, and other values problems that can underlie the failure to build broad and flexible repertoires and an inability to build a larger unit of behavior through commitment to behavior that moves in the direction of chosen values
_________________________________________________
We'll gladly give you a FREELY offered Local Phone Consultation –
No Obligation ! - or call to set up an actual appointment • 310-450-2268
The phone is much more personal - and some quality 'personal attention'
is probably what you need for yourself right now -- more 'closeness'
rather than distance... We do know that when you're feeling vulnerable, skittish or just plain bad and sad -- sometimes 'reaching out' is hard -- please, do take up the challenge!
"Take the first step in faith.
You don't have to see the whole staircase
-- just take the first step." ~ Martin Luther King
_______________________________
we also offer to the community ~
• Prior to Akasa Levi’s partial retirement from group meditation teaching in 2014 with a Parkinson’ diagnosis - he Creatively-minded Corporate/Business Consultation: Human Resource Resolution
and 'Spirit In The Workplace' development. Very way out of the box stuff. We also consult
on the American 'spiritual mind-set', 'The Crisis In Faith', 'Loss of Classical Mythologies
to Technology', 'What's Wrong With Our Minds and Culture?' and current 'religious trends'
(trends that are quite unconscious, un self-identified & dreadfully naive within the
contemporary American/Western cultural praadigm as a whole.
• We Counsel all manifestations of alternative& amp; emerging life-styles: mixed racial/religious
partnerings& amp; marriages; gay & bi curious, str8 still exploring. It's the 21st Century:
It's a big wide open world out there now... We offer bridge-building between communities:
people of all colors, religions, diverse cultures & ethnic origins. A pluralistic society brings
so many awesome enrichments as well as struggles of balance & new found respect ...
"If you do not see God
in the next person you meet,
you need look no further." ~ Gandhi
__________________________________________
“La vraie générosité envers l'avenir consiste à tout donner au présent.”
“True generosity towards the future is to give everything to the present.” ~ Albert Camus
" THE GREATEST RISK IS NOT TAKING ONE! "
___________________________________
QUOTES ~ The Gift of Wise Words
To measure you by your smallest deed
is to judge the ocean by the frailty of it's foam.
To judge you by your failures is to cast blame
upon the seasons for their inconsistencies ~ Kahlil Gibran
What good you do is of little significance,
But it is very important that you do it.
WE must be the change you want
to see in the world " ~ Mahatma Gandhi
"If we have no peace,
it is because we have forgotten
that we belong to each other." ~ Mother Teresa
"You yourself,
as much as anyone in the entire Universe,
deserves your OWN affection, care and love.
You can explore the whole universe looking
for someone who is more deserving of your
love and affection than you are yourself...
and you will not find that person anywhere.
To be maximum effective -
the Practice of Loving-Kindness
must absolutely begin with yourself!" ~ The Buddha
________________________________________
“Who was born first, 'You' or 'The World'?
As long as you give first place to ‘The World’
-- you are bound by it.
Once you realize, beyond all trace of doubt,
that the ‘world’ is in you --
-- and not 'you' in the world,
right then and there, you are out of it.
Of course, your body remains in the world
and 'of' the world,
but YOU are not d-e-l-u-d-e-d by it.”
~ Nisargadatta Maharaj
They drew a circle that shut me out --
Calling me a heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win --
We drew a circle that took them in.
~ Edwin Markham "Outwitted"
"Do not look back in Anger,
or forward in Fear,
but around in Awareness" ~ James Thurber
"At night make me fearlessly one
with the Darkness ~
In the morning make me
optimistically one with the Light" ~ Wendell Berry
You may want to hi-lite, copy and send
the quote below to people you know...
some of the wisest guidance you will
ever read, put to personal use or offer.
Here it is ~
"Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart.
Try to love the 'Questions' themselves - like locked rooms
and like books that are written in a foreign language.
Do not, just right now, seek for the Answers.
The 'Answers' which cannot now be given to you -
because you would not be able to actually ‘live’ them.
And the point is to ‘live’ everything -
experiencing everything.
At present, you need to live the Questions themselves.
Perhaps you will then gradually, without even noticing it,
live along some day into the true Answer. Your answer."
~ Rilke's "Letters to a Young Poet" (1903-1908)
__________________________________________
We are non-denominational and definitely non-religious and
welcome all journeyers of all Ways or even none.
-:¦:- The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT • buddhistcounselingmindfulnesstherapy.blogspot.com • Buddhist-based 'alternative' approaches to relating with Your True Core Self • One-to-One individual therapy • Relationship counseling • Partnering issues • Difficult to communicate feelings • Disheartened anxious insecure Wounded Spirit • Counsel for 'Uncommon People' 'Rebels' 'Creatives' 'Sensitives' cerebral verbal artistic gifted ~ yet really Unhappy. "Mindfulness Insight" cultivates a calm, kind, wise, deep liberation with a "Big Good-Hearted Mind"
The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT is a Member of S.E.N. (Spiritual Emergency Network
at Esalen Institute in Big Sur). We are an outreach-project of “The Laughing Buddha Sangha”
in Santa Monica, CA 90405 - and utilize the practice-approaches offered by Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre/Santa Rosa, CA. Our favorite meditation center here in town is InsightLA.org in Santa Monica about 5 blocks away right up the street.
♦ The LAUGHING BUDDHA SANGHA - guided by AKASA LEVI, a former ordained American Buddhist forest monk who lived many years in rural Asia. Akasa coaches a small, salon-sized Satsang sitting group for Buddhist Mindfulness Meditation with practice discussion and Dharma theory study. Now a feisty 75, this eccentric, really funny ole' Dharma-mentor teaches in his little meditation shrine room filled with statues of the Buddha. He invites anyone - beginners welcome - practicing an 'awareness meditation' to come sit.
16 point
Hi ~ I’M JUST GETTING STARTED
by filling my plastic water bottle and
sitting in one of my favorite places.
__________________________
INSTRUCTIONS # 5 Reading Out Loud
If you graze these pages and scroll n' roll around in this site -
follow some of it along - ponder a bit down a very articulate path -
then some words catch your eye - an image of a feeling from
a different time from now - as you breathe and sit immobile,
your body a pleasant mass of soft meditative sensation -
you space out to go in, as you invite a sweet mild trance
to embrace you - remembering your ‘mindfulness’ by
wiggling your toes that invoke flocks of feeling images
within you flow, breathe the silence, settle down gently
into open space way out in between the words - the
sounds of silence, the sensations of feeling, observe
the images but don’t touch, just watch reflect ponder
contemplate but don’t stay to long as Knowing
appears all by itself . . .
What is the True Nature of Life ?
“Never gave it a thought”
Sure you have….
" What is accepted by the majority of people -
does not mean it is Real." ~ The Buddha
_/I\_
What's
“The Big To-Do” ?
A Mystical Song and
The Sophomoric Saga of
A New York Reform
Jewish Therapist“
------------------------
Actually, for an
Ex-New Yorker,
He’s Quite a Boring
NY Jewish Therapist.
He’s Living in The City,
Manhattan or Close-In.
Singing “Eastside Westside
All Around The Town --
The Kids Play Ring-A-Rosy,
London Bridge is Falling Down.
Boys and Girls Together
Walking Down the Street
Are New Friends to Meet
Walking Hand in Hand
We Trip The Light Fantastic
On The Sidewalks Of New York.”
Maybe Upper Westside off Columbus -Not
Upper East, Near the Museums ---No Way.
My Family’s Unrealistic Grande Idea of
The Snazzy Spiffy Way It Could Be For Me.
You See-- You Have Your Mother
To Thank Once Again !
----------------------------------------------
Now What I Really Wanted--
‘Existentially’ -This is where
the Real Trouble started.
---------------------------------
Now,
What I Really Really Wanted
Was To Be Living in Warm
Sunny Southern California
in Malibu or another Beach Town.
That’s How I Always Wanted It To Be.
That’s What I Always Wanted To Do.
Come In to LA - Work Three Days a Week.
I’ll See Clients at my Pied-a’-Terre Condo.
That’s All I Ever Always Wanted To Do--
Be a Hip Jazzy Jewish Shrink,
maybe in Manhattan Beach
—Do Be Do Be Doo—
-----------------------------------------------------
" To BE is to DO" — "To DO is to BE "
To Be or Not to Be ?
William Shakespeare's Hamlet
To Be is to Do —Jean-Paul Sartre
To Be is to Do —Socrates 1.
To Do is to Be —Socrates 2.
To Do is to Be —Plato
Do-Be Do-Be Doo —Sinatra
“ What does
"Do-Be Do-Be Doo” mean ?
Well, What's The Big To-Do
ever do to you ? “
Anything I Ever Wanted It To Be
Anything I Ever Wanted It To Do
That’s How I Always Wanted It To Be
That’s What I Always Wanted It To Do
Do-Be Do-Be Doo Scooby Doo
All I Ever Wanted To Be Was To Be
“A New York Jewish Therapist”
Living at the Beach In
Santa Monica California.
Now What I Really Wanted--
‘Existentially’ -This is where
the Real Trouble started.
----------------------------------
But ‘Reasons’ Intervened
With What I Wanted It To Be
With What I Wanted It To Do.
So, What I Wanted To Be
With What I Wanted To Do -
Well, as they say:
"To BE is to DO"
"To DO is to BE "
“To Be or Not to Be”
Do-Be Do-Be Doo
Since I Didn’t Get To BE
What I Wanted to Be,
Since I Didn’t Get To DO
What I Wanted to Do
Scooby Do-Be Doo -
Do-Be Doo, Do-Be Doo
So Since I Didn’t,
Since I Couldn’t ~
Since I Couldn’t ~
and Since I Didn’t,
I Became This !
----------------------------
Which One ? Tell me !
------------------------------
I Became a New York
Jewish Therapist
Living at The Beach.
It’s What I Always Wanted To Be,
But Since I Didn’t -- I Became This ! “
And I Found a Place at the Beach !
----------------------------------------------------------
So… and don’t you feel totally absolutely embarrassed by reading this whole stupid story, with nothing intelligent to say - Like I who am completely in charge of your weak mind, actually made you read this foolishness to the very end like there’s a punch-line in here or something ---putz !
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Play "Sidewalks of N…"
Powered by Stream-it.online
Down in front of Casey's old brown wooden stoop
On a summer's evening we formed a merry group
Boys and girls together we would sing and waltz
While Tony played the organ on the sidewalks of New York
East Side, West Side, all around the town
The tots sang "ring-a-rosie," "London Bridge is falling down"
Boys and girls together, me and Mamie O'Rourke
Tripped the light fantastic on the sidewalks of New York
That's where Johnny Casey, little Jimmy Crowe
Jakey Krause, the baker, who always had the dough
Pretty Nellie Shannon with a dude as light as cork
She first picked up the waltz step on the sidewalks of New York
Things have changed since those times, some are up in "G"
Others they are wand'rers but they all feel just like me
They'd part with all they've got, could they once more walk
With their best girl and have a twirl on the sidewalks of New York
Let's go boom boom in the zoom zoom
Albums:
Trip the Light Fantastic (Ladybug Mecca) · Trip the Light Fantastic (Sophie Ellis-Bextor) · Trip the Light Fantastic [Bonus Track] (Sophie Ellis-Bextor) · Trip the Light Fantastic (Sophie Ellis-Bextor) · Trip the Light Fantastic [UK Bonus Tracks] (Sophie Ellis-Bextor) · The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark [Fantastic Expedition Plus] (Gene Clark) · The Golden Age of Light Music: Travellin' Light - Great American Light Orchestras, Vol. 2 (Hutchinson, Hutch) · The Light Fantastic, Act II (The Shanklin Freak Show) · Trippin' the Light Fantastic (London Starlight Orchestra) · Tripping the Light Fantastic (Lit) – and 90 other albums »
Groove a Little
T. Rex
Dandy in the Underworld
T. Rex
1977
the light fantastic
Become a space grotesque
You can fossilize your thought dreams
Behind a rusty desk
* Repeat
You might know what you want
But
Rite of Man
Mike Oldfield
Moonlight Shadow [2 Tracks]
Mike Oldfield
1983
So now we went our merry, merry way
To break the life monastic.
There's one two words I'd like to say
As we trip the light fantastic.
To hold
Walking in the Rain
Grace Jones
A One Man Show
Grace Jones
1978
all you fools.
Sit down "no-no", old girl fools.
Trip the light fantastic, dance the spiral hips
Coming conclusion, gotten off your lips.
Come Back Tomorrow
Salad
Singles Bar
Salad
1995
Come on baby - I want your milt
Come back tomorrow, I won't be getting home till then
Come back tomorrow, we'll trip the light fantastic in my bed
Boom Boom in the Zoom Zoom Room [DVD Video]
Blondie
Blondie Live [DVD]
Blondie
2004
champion
Your scarlet companion and won't it be fine?
Keeping my head above water
I'm no farmer's daughter, no clinging vine
When we trip the light
Straight and Narrow
Richard Thompson
Electric
Richard Thompson
2013
A man's a fool to need her
A man's a fool to yearn
Giving up everything for maybe
Nothing in return
She trips the light fantastic
But she dances all
Psycho
Metal Church
The Dark
Metal Church
1986
to find a way
To get the thrill of your life
Trip the light
Trip the light fantastic
Party and you'll die
Someday you will die
3am you feel that
Dancing with a Stranger
Cyndi Lauper
A Night to Remember
Cyndi Lauper
1989
feet
When I hear that music play
I trip the light fantastic
I touch the sky and it feels like magic
I started dancing with a stranger
Moving
New-Fangled Tango
Lena Horne
At the Waldorf Astoria
Lena Horne
1957
Everybody's mambo crazy
Cha-cha happy, but I'm lazy
I don't dig that frantic turpsichord
When I trip the light fantastic
I don't wanna be
New-Fangled Tango
Dinah Shore, Hugo Winterhalter & His Orchestra
Love and Kisses, Dinah
Dinah Shore
1992
Everybody's mambo crazy
Cha-cha happy, but I'm lazy
I don't dig that frantic turpsichord
When I trip the light fantastic
I don't wanna be
Boom Boom in the Zoom Zoom Room
Blondie
No Exit
Blondie
1999
vine.
When we trip the light fantastic, a feeling so rare,
it will follow your features aligned by the glare...
Let's go boom boom in the zoom zoom
Holly
Republica
Republica
Republica
1996
the light fantastic
In Hollywood
Who cares anyway? Who really cares anyway?
Who cares anyway? Who really cares anyway?
In the Hollywood bowl of serial
Tumult
Stone Sour
Stone Sour
Stone Sour
2002
back, but I know better, boy
Trip my light fantastic
Rub me in your wound
I'm not broken, I'm not plastic
I'm no whore
Used against me, use me up
Tumult
Stone Sour
Stone Sour [Clean]
Stone Sour
2002
back, but I know better, boy
Trip my light fantastic
Rub me in your wound
I'm not broken, I'm not plastic
I'm no whore...
Used against me - use me
Where Did We Go Right?
Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick
The Producers [Original Broadway Cast Recording]
Matthew Broderick
2001
And to trip the light fantastic
We picked dancers who were spastic
If anyone jetted, we jetted them out the door
They shouted hooray for that sausage
Floatin' Through the Cosmos
MC Breed
Flatline
MC Breed
1997
the light fantastic with me
And when I shoot through your city
Blaze up a fat-o, and let's go get busy
Breed do it to you everytime, hit you with
Who Do We Think We Are?
John Legend, Rick Ross
Love in the Future
John Legend
2013
Who do we think we are?
Baby, tell me, who do we think we are?
We can't run out of magic
It's the only way we know
Let's trip the night fantastic
Fantastic, That's You
Benny Carter & His Orchestra
Further Definitions
Benny Carter
1961
yes
You whisper darlin' and before my eyes
A blaze of fireworks light up the skies
My heart grows wings then away it flies
Fantastic, fantastic
Loco
311
311
311
1995
A spot like this becomes serene
I'm glad you're here, I have no fear
[Chorus]
We trip the shrooms fantastic and shit gets drastic
Elbow pull and kick
Kiss Distincltly American
Q and Not U
No Kill No Beep Beep
Q and Not U
2000
we kiss goodnight with a firm handshake
and it's lights out for catholic computers.
this is fantastic for you.
i've been up at nights to paint
(You Can Put Your) Shoes Under My Bed
Paul Kelly
Comedy
Paul Kelly
1992
can put your shoes under my bed
Trip the light
And who of us can tell what's real
And what's fantastic
You do it right
No-one else could have such grace
Sexomatic
Bar-Kays
Dangerous
Bar-Kays
1984
1, 2, 3, 4
Yeah, ooh
Oh, girl
Yeah
You're such a motivating
Tantalizing picture of desire
I'd like to take you home
And tenderly light your lovin'
Cosmic Trip
Air
Le Voyage Dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon)
Air
2012
Enormous mushrooms
Volcanic explosions
All of you will be back home safely
So don't hesitate, join us with no fear
On our fantastic trip to the moon
Darts of Pleasure
Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
2004
You are the latest contender
You are the one to remember
You are the villain who sends her
Light or dark, fantastic passion
I know that you will
Darts of Pleasure
Franz Ferdinand
Darts of Pleasure [EP]
Franz Ferdinand
2003
You are the latest contender
You are the one to remember
You are the villain who sends her
Light or dark, fantastic passion
I know that you will
-----------------------------------------------------
Trip to Your Heart
Britney Spears
Femme Fatale
Britney Spears
2011
For tonight
It's just the two of us
Turn the light low
Just the two of us
Like how you role whisper in my ear
Your breath like ghost that
Having My Picture Taken
The Boomtown Rats
The Fine Art of Surfacing [Bonus Tracks]
The Boomtown Rats
1979
Catch the light and let me freeze your frame
Synchronize machine and brain
Hey, don't mind me, I'm having my picture taken
(Having it taken)
I can choose
Sing a Song of Sunbeams
Bing Crosby
On the Sentimental Side [ASV/Living Era]
Bing Crosby
1992
Sing a song of sunbeams,
Let the notes fall where they may;
Sing a song of sunbeams
In a light fantastic way.
Show the blues that you're busy
Life Fantastic
Man Man
Life Fantastic
Man Man
2011
breathe (breathe)
Life,
Fantastic
Life,
So tragic
Life,
Fantastic
And I'll trip a lie fandango
I'll dangle from your elbow
It's how you
Sunshine on a Rainy Day
Zoe
Absolute Hits: Dance
Various Artists
2008
I see you in the darkness
I see you in light
I see your light shining in through the night
Make me feel make me feel
Like I belong
Don't leave
Sunshine On A Rainy Day
Zoe, Zoe
100 Hits: Dance Anthems
Various Artists
2008
I see you in the darkness
I see you in light
I see your light shining in through the night
Make me feel make me feel
Like I belong
Don't leave
Hustle
Seals & Crofts
One on One [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
Seals & Crofts
1977
to fathom, so don't try
I feel like tripping the light fantastic. I've never been more enthusiastic
My mind...
I'm a stone gladiator on a mood elevator. In
A Funky Space Reincarnation
Marvin Gaye
Here, My Dear
Marvin Gaye
1978
put our hearts into the real machine . say YEAH say Yes......STOP........well its been a fantastic trip ( y'all cut it out) Come back next week player
A Funky Space Reincarnation
Marvin Gaye
The Complete Collection
Marvin Gaye
2008
put our hearts into the real machine . say YEAH say Yes......STOP........well its been a fantastic trip ( y'all cut it out) Come back next week player
Two Months Off
Underworld
A Hundred Days Off
Underworld
2002
himself be drawn in.
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring
Take a Little Trip
Alabama
American Pride
Alabama
1992
, me and you out of sight
Pull down the shades
Turn out the lights
Take a little trip up to heaven tonight
We can go downtown to a night club
Twomonthsoff
Underworld
Two Months Off
Underworld
2002
himself be drawn in.
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring
Funky Space Reincarnation [DVD]
Marvin Gaye
Live in Montreux 1980 [DVD & CD]
Marvin Gaye
2003
our hearts into the real machine
Say yeah say yes
Stop
Well its been a fantastic trip (y'all cut it out)
Come back next week player its funkyful
A Funky Space Reincarnation
Marvin Gaye
At His Best Live [DVD]
Marvin Gaye
2008
put our hearts into the real machine . say YEAH say Yes......STOP........well its been a fantastic trip ( y'all cut it out) Come back next week player
Crystal Heaven
Golden Earring
Miracle Mirror
Golden Earring
1968
The fantastic story 'round your figure,
Is rolling now, through my mind.
I've never heard such lovely stories,
Since I came here to find your
Groove Is On
Groove Armada
Lovebox
Groove Armada
2003
to me
Close to me now
Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah, as if the groove is on, I'm a-spit my flow
Tripping lights fantastic, disco show
Get the mofo back
Sidewalks of New York
Grateful Dead
Dick's Picks Vol. 30: Live at Academy of Music, New York, NY
Grateful Dead
2003
falling down"
Boys and girls together, me and Mamie O'Rourke
Tripped the light fantastic on the sidewalks of New York
That's where Johnny Casey, little
Remains to Be Seen
Skid Row
Subhuman Race
Skid Row
1995
me, Dive head-on into me
Dive head-on into me, Dive head-on into me
Meet my neighbor's widow, a black and
Bluedoe, she's up a tree
Trip
Aphrodisiac Jacket
The Cult
Electric
The Cult
1987
Ow, ow, ow
Sittin' on a mountain, looking at the sun
Plastic fantastic lobster telephone
Drive on baby, through the electric night
All
I Did Something Weird Last Night
Jeff Rosenstock
Worry.
Jeff Rosenstock
2016
I arrived drenched in morning light
And it churned my guts unless I closed my eyes
Made it up the stairs to the bed inside
Without puking up
New York Was Great
The Raveonettes
The Chain Gang of Love
The Raveonettes
2003
What a shame
What a shame
The nighttime was painted black with fun
The nighttime was painted black with fun
But all the time the light shone it
Fantastic Voyage
Lakeside
Solar Mix: By DJ Bronco
Bronco
2002
just sail on
Now this groove's so funky, hey, what to you think
What is it called, let's call it Lakeside stank
Come along and ride on a fantastic
Heavy Duty
Spinal Tap
This Is Spinal Tap [Video/DVD]
Spinal Tap
1984
No light fantastic ever crosses my mind
That meditation stuff can make you go blind
Just crank that volume to the point of pain
Why waste good
Little Lights
Punch Brothers
The Phosphorescent Blues
Punch Brothers
2015
Look at us we're glowing
Tripping the dark fantastic
Singing the phosphorescent pinks and blues
To beloved tunes in beloved rooms
I can love it
The Future Is a Mesh Stallion
Neon Blonde
Chandeliers in the Savannah
Neon Blonde
2005
celebration.
Paradise celebration.
Fantastic celebration.
Sparkling celebration.
I see the kids wrapped in Christmas lights
Dancing in the living room in bare
--------------------------------------------
Trip to Your Heart
Britney Spears
Femme Fatale
Britney Spears
2011
For tonight
It's just the two of us
Turn the light low
Just the two of us
Like how you role whisper in my ear
Your breath like ghost that
Having My Picture Taken
The Boomtown Rats
The Fine Art of Surfacing [Bonus Tracks]
The Boomtown Rats
1979
Catch the light and let me freeze your frame
Synchronize machine and brain
Hey, don't mind me, I'm having my picture taken
(Having it taken)
I can choose
Sing a Song of Sunbeams
Bing Crosby
On the Sentimental Side [ASV/Living Era]
Bing Crosby
1992
Sing a song of sunbeams,
Let the notes fall where they may;
Sing a song of sunbeams
In a light fantastic way.
Show the blues that you're busy
Life Fantastic
Man Man
Life Fantastic
Man Man
2011
breathe (breathe)
Life,
Fantastic
Life,
So tragic
Life,
Fantastic
And I'll trip a lie fandango
I'll dangle from your elbow
It's how you
Sunshine on a Rainy Day
Zoe
Absolute Hits: Dance
Various Artists
2008
I see you in the darkness
I see you in light
I see your light shining in through the night
Make me feel make me feel
Like I belong
Don't leave
Sunshine On A Rainy Day
Zoe, Zoe
100 Hits: Dance Anthems
Various Artists
2008
I see you in the darkness
I see you in light
I see your light shining in through the night
Make me feel make me feel
Like I belong
Don't leave
Hustle
Seals & Crofts
One on One [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]
Seals & Crofts
1977
to fathom, so don't try
I feel like tripping the light fantastic. I've never been more enthusiastic
My mind...
I'm a stone gladiator on a mood elevator. In
A Funky Space Reincarnation
Marvin Gaye
Here, My Dear
Marvin Gaye
1978
put our hearts into the real machine . say YEAH say Yes......STOP........well its been a fantastic trip ( y'all cut it out) Come back next week player
A Funky Space Reincarnation
Marvin Gaye
The Complete Collection
Marvin Gaye
2008
put our hearts into the real machine . say YEAH say Yes......STOP........well its been a fantastic trip ( y'all cut it out) Come back next week player
Two Months Off
Underworld
A Hundred Days Off
Underworld
2002
himself be drawn in.
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring
Take a Little Trip
Alabama
American Pride
Alabama
1992
, me and you out of sight
Pull down the shades
Turn out the lights
Take a little trip up to heaven tonight
We can go downtown to a night club
Twomonthsoff
Underworld
Two Months Off
Underworld
2002
himself be drawn in.
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring light in
You bring
Funky Space Reincarnation [DVD]
Marvin Gaye
Live in Montreux 1980 [DVD & CD]
Marvin Gaye
2003
our hearts into the real machine
Say yeah say yes
Stop
Well its been a fantastic trip (y'all cut it out)
Come back next week player its funkyful
A Funky Space Reincarnation
Marvin Gaye
At His Best Live [DVD]
Marvin Gaye
2008
put our hearts into the real machine . say YEAH say Yes......STOP........well its been a fantastic trip ( y'all cut it out) Come back next week player
Crystal Heaven
Golden Earring
Miracle Mirror
Golden Earring
1968
The fantastic story 'round your figure,
Is rolling now, through my mind.
I've never heard such lovely stories,
Since I came here to find your
Groove Is On
Groove Armada
Lovebox
Groove Armada
2003
to me
Close to me now
Yeah yeah yeah
Yeah, as if the groove is on, I'm a-spit my flow
Tripping lights fantastic, disco show
Get the mofo back
Sidewalks of New York
Grateful Dead
Dick's Picks Vol. 30: Live at Academy of Music, New York, NY
Grateful Dead
2003
falling down"
Boys and girls together, me and Mamie O'Rourke
Tripped the light fantastic on the sidewalks of New York
That's where Johnny Casey, little
Remains to Be Seen
Skid Row
Subhuman Race
Skid Row
1995
me, Dive head-on into me
Dive head-on into me, Dive head-on into me
Meet my neighbor's widow, a black and
Bluedoe, she's up a tree
Trip
Aphrodisiac Jacket
The Cult
Electric
The Cult
1987
Ow, ow, ow
Sittin' on a mountain, looking at the sun
Plastic fantastic lobster telephone
Drive on baby, through the electric night
All
I Did Something Weird Last Night
Jeff Rosenstock
Worry.
Jeff Rosenstock
2016
I arrived drenched in morning light
And it churned my guts unless I closed my eyes
Made it up the stairs to the bed inside
Without puking up
New York Was Great
The Raveonettes
The Chain Gang of Love
The Raveonettes
2003
What a shame
What a shame
The nighttime was painted black with fun
The nighttime was painted black with fun
But all the time the light shone it
Fantastic Voyage
Lakeside
Solar Mix: By DJ Bronco
Bronco
2002
just sail on
Now this groove's so funky, hey, what to you think
What is it called, let's call it Lakeside stank
Come along and ride on a fantastic
Heavy Duty
Spinal Tap
This Is Spinal Tap [Video/DVD]
Spinal Tap
1984
No light fantastic ever crosses my mind
That meditation stuff can make you go blind
Just crank that volume to the point of pain
Why waste good
Little Lights
Punch Brothers
The Phosphorescent Blues
Punch Brothers
2015
Look at us we're glowing
Tripping the dark fantastic
Singing the phosphorescent pinks and blues
To beloved tunes in beloved rooms
I can love it
The Future Is a Mesh Stallion
Neon Blonde
Chandeliers in the Savannah
Neon Blonde
2005
celebration.
Paradise celebration.
Fantastic celebration.
Sparkling celebration.
I see the kids wrapped in Christmas lights
Dancing in the living room in bare