♦ MINDFULNESS Meditation with Buddhist Insight, Changes Our Whole Relationship to "Reality" Itself

♦ A Therapy for Maverick Minds - offers compassionate relief thru "Mindfulness" as an alternative • One-to-one Individual Counseling for Non-Ordinary Gifted people • Rebels, Artists, Activists, Atheists, Intuitives, Fugitives, Creatives • smart, savvy, cerebral, verbal, quiet, funny, sincere people --yet so Unhappy • Difficult to Communicate Feelings • Stress Wounded Spirit • "Mindfulness" cultivates a cure-able, stable, calm, kind, kewl, loving, fearless, insightful Big Good-Hearted Mind

GOOD NO SPACE total C:\Users\Levi\Desktop\BLOG.AS.IS.COUNSELING.October2015 1.09.doc BLOG

C:\Users\Levi\Desktop\BLOG.AS.IS.COUNSELING.October2015 1.09.doc BLOG . COUNSELING 1.09

https://support.google.com/blogger/answer/42231

Posted by Akasa Levi at 7:00 PM Labels: ( 1 ) INTRODUCTION ♦ START HERE + plus see Table of Contents Here Below ▼ SUNDAY, AUGUST 24, 2008 ABOUT YOU • • • What's Going On WITHIN You ? — "The Problem" ____________________________________________ __________________________________________ ♦.

.SO … WHAT IS GOING ON INSIDE YOU ? ________________________________ “There is no such thing as a "Problem" without somehow 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 ____________________________ . . In the really Big Picture for Everyone . ...:: THE PROBLEM ::. “BRING YOU LIFE BACK .FROM THE ‘EXILE’ OF YOUR SPIRIT .and INTO A SACRED BALANCE AGAIN!” ~ American 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, Mood Swings, Mid-Life Changes, Painful Family Issues or Partner Relationship Dilemmas or Deep Unhappiness or Loneliness don’t make it any easier. Life can ride so rough on ya' – hopelessness sets in... • So please, go ’see’ somebody - here or elsewhere - but Do GO and really settle in & start working it out. ‘You’ - really being heard from way deep inside, and coached forward & thru by a counseling therapist who can deeply understand you – very human to human. So get up out of your own ‘protective’ self-imposed isolation – blaming, excusing or rationalizing: it's such a narrow limiting – that “I can do this by myself” mantra – reinforced by those ego-pride-shame-hurt-loss-fear-cycles. Just put yourself into a series of counseling sessions for awhile. Open it all up ! In a place of safety & trust. • It’ll be good for you - you’ll be on an accompanied path to get some relief and resolution, and even some joy and laughter. This is where you can work on your stuff, and work on your Soul on a ‘frequent enough’ basis to make a really Noticeable Difference. • At least phone us. There is NO obligation to having a FREE phone-consultation with us, so we both can see if this could feel right & be workable for you... . _____________________________________ Hidden STRESS WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU ? OVERWHELM: Another Very Basic Problem " There's no room anymore for my Intelligence to simply, sanely, sort & separate out anything. Emotions get to so totally run thinking. So What IS true ? Emotions get to be so totally run BY thinking. Which IS true ? Thoughts get so enmeshed and mixed with yukky feelings and old embedded war 'stories' of wounds & betrayals. Feelings so overwhelm and flood thinking. Flooding is all that's happening sometimes. Emotions run thinking – s t r e s s Thinking runs Emotions – s t r e s s Painful memory 'thought-illusions' have the 'appearance' of Reality - and are not. Overwhelm, confusion, hopeless, numb... Angry & Sad – bad sleep, stress, stuck. Sick & Tired of being sick & tired. Shit ! " ~ J.K. _____________________________ ♦ Just Maybe You’re a Very ‘U N CO M M O N’ PERSON ~ “An Unusual ‘Uncommon Person’ Already, Always Feels Different — in a Very Non-Assimilate-able Way — just not ‘fitting in’… sadly, that's most people. But for the odd, gifted, truly ‘uncommon one’ — it’s sort of a double-whammy to carry!” ~ Humanistic psychology creator Abraham Maslow (1947) UNHAPPY UNUSUAL ‘UNCOMMON’ PEOPLE are sensitive, smart, creative, intelligent, individualistic, higher-consciousness people - artistic, intellectual, mystical, musical, magical, poetic & spiritual. • So you probably also need a ‘Non-traditional Therapist’ who 'gets' it ~ a therapist who truly understands “non-mainstream” life-styles, spirituality, or the creative Arts - a seasoned therapist who is deeply empathic - and who genuinely understands ‘uncommon’ and ‘unusual’ or ‘non-ordinary’ people that are quite unique or gifted, but yet still quite unhappy — People who are carrying the twin burden of 'specialness' and yet self-loathing - all covered up as it may be. • You may be a very ‘Individual’ Person who normally feels very naturally directed inward, 'spiritual-oriented' - and yet you’re struggling to get ‘worldly’ problems and emotional issues handled realistically and with integrity as well – yet without you having to commit to any sort of religious path whatsoever! We DON'T DO any ‘religious’ preaching or dogma - No special jargon. Nothing to 'buy into' or be persuaded to ‘believe’ in. Just the daily emergence of your own individual true 'Knowing' - and personal excellence! • We assist you in self-discovering a ‘natural unfolding’ of unshakable balance, boundless wisdom and joy! And your innate good humor! • Liberating a new sense of caring & connectedness with yourself, other people and your widening universe – an embracing and expanded "Inner-Acceptance and Outer Effectiveness". A ‘True’ happiness independent & much, much more non-reactive to the constant, unavoidable effects of ‘everyday’ circumstances & conditions ! Really, a responsible, authentic ‘true freedom’ as they’ve spoken about for millennia in those profound Ancient Wisdom-teachings. "Maybe Buddhist Therapy is the new Acupuncture" ........ remember when when 'acupuncture' started .........to be around .... and as the new treatment, .........it was found to be surprisingly quite effective. ______________________________________ . ♦ Buddhist-based Wisdom Therapy .....offers highly effective, compassionate ....... yet realistic 'Alternative Approaches' .........to Relating with Your 'Self' ...........and All Other Living Beings . . Some Very HAPPY UNCOMMON PEOPLE Have Said . . . "You began as a creation. Now become a Creator. Never, never wait at a barrier." ~ Rumi . . "Our 'constant inquiry' is our passion – and our passion itself is our daily task. 'Inquiry' is our passion. From there – the rest is the marvelous madness of art." ~ Henry James, "The Middle Years" . . "Be daring, be different, be impractical, .....................be anything that will assert 'Integrity of Purpose' and Imaginative Vision – in contrast to the play-it-safers, the sad self-limiting creatures of the commonplace, the sleeping slaves of the unconscious mundane." ~ Sir Cecil Beaton 1904-1980) English portrait ..photographer, film & stage designer. _______________________________ . . Buddhist Counseling & Therapy: It’s been done very effectively for 1000’s of years … ” THE GREATEST RISK ...IS NOT TAKING ONE ! ” ____________________________ ______________________________ " The Journey Itself IS the Destination! " Guys, it's going to become clear, cool & calmed down fairly soon – It's also going to open up to .... "That it's OK - that it's not OK" - That's the 'What Is' of it – and let's do the inner-'work' from there – It's simply a fact: Beyond the grip of denial, you're hurting & you've got some problems. Together, we've gotta go in 'there' – a sort of inner-Questing together. "Therapy" is not found in even the best of books, CDs, or on the radio. It's a 'Live' Interactive Relating-Process between client & counselor - it always has been. Two people sit down and together empathically 'Work' on one of them. "Spiritual Adulthood" is a much more 'radical' form of Counseling – geared to intelligent people in the contemporary Creative Arts and New-Thought-minded sensibilities. The people who do eventually come to us - are usually more explorative, curious, have a more active intellect, and are intensely inquisitive people just by their nature. The 'Inner-Searchers of Comprehension' are people who relish the 'safari' of it – the 'search', the 'inquiry', the 'quest' of it - hurting or not - rather than having ideas & prescriptions just 'served-up' ready to eat. "Enlightened Freedom" is certainly .not a home-deliverable product. Never was . . . For each of us - for all of us, Freedom is all a life-long psychological Pilgrimage experienced thru a Spiritualized Heart . . . ------------------------------------------ Thank you for reading all this! Hopefully you'll learn to Enjoy a Rugged Journey – It is – for " The Journey Itself IS the Destination !" Be Brave, Courageous & Stay the Course ! Keep The Faith ! Question: " Grandfather - What is Destiny? " “ DESTINY is every step we’re taking and going thru right now - to get there ” ~ Grandfather Bearheart, contemporary Creek Elder ------------------------------------------------------------- "You Really Must Consciously Choose to Make & Re-Make the Choice to Re-Choose again & again - to Openly Talk with Someone… and keep it up – Talking It Out – to Openly keep Talking with Someone. Trust in gradually letting the deep clear water rise up from down the old well - flow, flush & unfold – Messy or tidy, neat or controlled - we all have these feelings." ~ Bhante Sudu Hom'Dru "Eighty percent of success is just showing up" ..~ Woody Allen Go ahead and please get into some quality counseling-therapy – you, really being heard – here or somewhere. That they will really take deep caring to listen to YOU – really, really hear you. That’s a very courageous move on your part – it just may be the right place for you to start. Be very welcome to inquire more about us, as you search out where to do this inner-work. Maimonides, more than 800 years ago said: "a single deed, a single word, a single action, even just one single thought, has the power to TIP the scales and bring redemption to your world. no matter how dark that world may seem or feel ~ light is just a single action away." "There is now a rapidly growing number of bright American people who basically need a whole other level, a much higher level, an intelligent, deeper level of assistance for their Inner-Unfolding of Spirit" ~ 'The Culture Creatives' (2001) . – and we wish to assist you as you bring yourself to this new level of a natural, highly conscious, sensitive awareness – and fearless unfolding... _______________________ _____________________

Posted by Akasa Levi at 9:10 PM Labels:

( 2 ) ABOUT YOU • • • What's Going On WITHIN You ? — "The Problem"

Buddhist Meditation • Mindfulness Therapy
Buddhist Life-Coaching: A Message from Akasa Levi ~
I'm currently on an extended medical leave from teaching due to a Parkinson's diagnosis - what Michael J. Fox has, and Robin Williams had. Sad huh... well, go back and sit some more !
Possibly in the Spring or Summer I may be open to a simple, small mindfulness meditation sitting group. At present, I'm seeing a few highly motivated individuals for Buddhist-based 1-on-1 counseling, and longer term practice-mentoring. Be very welcome to inquire further. Please make first contact by email.

____________________________

May the Many Many Buddha-Blessings of Wisdom-Kindness Radiate from within You All ~A~ " WE Must Be The Change We Wish To See In The World " ~ Gandhi. C:\Users\Levi\Desktop\BLOG.AS.IS.COUNSELING.October2015 1.09.doc BLOG . COUNSELING 1.09 https://support.google.com/blogger/answer/42231

TABLE OF CONTENTS: See ALL "DETAILS" at ((A)) below

( 1 ) INTRODUCTION ♦ START HERE + plus see Table of Contents Here Below ▼

( 2 ) ABOUT YOU • What's Going On ~ WHA-ZUP ? — "The Problem"

( 3 ) ABOUT YOU • ARE YOU FEELING ‘DISSED’? • Disappointed Discouraged Distressed Depressed (1) •

( 4 ) ABOUT YOU • • • RE-DISCOVERING and REFINING Your 'SELF' (1) •

( 5 ) HOW LONG Does Therapy Take ? • How Many Visits ? (1) •

( 6 ) ABOUT YOU • • • Are You Having a ‘SPIRITUAL EMERGENCY’ ? or a ‘SPIRITUAL EMERGENCE’ ? (1) •

( 7 ) ABOUT US • • • WHO WE ARE and HOW WE THINK About You and Therapy • • • • • • • • Our Philosophy and Our Professional Disclaimer (1) •

( 8 ) ABOUT US • • • WHY of all possible things - Are We BUDDHIST-based ??? (1) •

( 9 ) WHO COMES HERE to Us ? (1) • ( A ) ♦

( A ) ♦ ( A ) ♦ ALL the DETAILS for 'INNER-WORK' Sessions by Appointment (1) •

( B ) The "ALTERNATIVE" LIFE • "EMERGING" COMMUNITIES • LIFE-STYLE Trends and Transitions • LGBT • Color • Race • Personal Counseling • Group - Organizational Consulting (1) •

( C ) ZEN MEN • • • Men's Inner-Growth Peer Groups • Every Guy could use being in a Men's Group • Santa Monica (1) •

( D ) AKASA LEVI ~ Expanded Bio (1) •

( E ) QUOTES and POETRY ~ The Gift of Wise Words (1) •

( F ) CONTACT Info • LINKS and Blog ENDs (1)

".... ever notice that it's Always NOW ? ",

The End is Insight

_____________________________

♦ THE SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT ♦ The LAUGHING BUDDHA SANGHA ♦

• Founded and guided by AKASA LEVI, a vet and former ordained American Buddhist forest monk who lived many years in rural Asia to be with the last living spiritual teachers of the pre-global era.

Akasa life-coaches a small, salon-sized mindfulness meditation sitting group - satsang-style with practice discussion. Now a feisty 75, this eccentric, really funny ole' Dharma-mentor counsels people in his little meditation shrine-room filled with statues of the Buddha.

• Much of this inner-work is 'Spiritual‘ ~ None of this inner-work is 'Religious'…

♦ Akasa invites visits by anyone interested in the spiritual science of an applied 'meditation' as a part of good therapy.

♦ Buddhist Therapy: It’s been done very effectively for 1000’s of years

Meditation is a great tool. Learn to put yourself into that special 'learning space' in your head, so you can more and more frequently do a spontaneous ‘mindful' practice' and see, experience and feel a noticeable difference.

( See complete Profile/Bio at Table of Contents )

♦ We assist you in healing the heart-mind in the midst of these very edgy, scary, crazy, creepy, confusing, disappointing, over-driven, tense, violent, survival-stressed, anxious Uncertain Times. Yet the times are also resiliently Hopeful ! You certainly can be too....

♦ Meditation is a great tool. ♦ What this is really all about -- is an very ancient, very old formula - "Learning How to Feel Better About Yourself" That's it. Do it here. Do it elsewhere. Just Do it ! ♦ Much of this inner-work is ' Spiritual ‘ ~ None of this inner-work is ' Religious ' . . . ♦ At “SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD” We offer a uniquely combined-counseling ~ an innovative, wholistic, ’spiritual variation’ of the new brain/mind-therapies, based in practical, quite highly brain-science Buddhist wisdom, combined with a kind, gentle, accepting, gradually compassionate view towards All Beings. Therapy for intellectual people - sensitive people - or creative people - odd, wonderful uncommon people… an Eastern, Asian-style of treatment, of 'mind-wellbeing' that just may be a truly effective, non-traditional ‘alternative’ counseling & therapy for you. Buddhist Therapy: It’s been done very effectively for 1000’s of years … .. ___________________________________________________________

You've been RE-DIRECTED Here successfully.

This is our Most Current updated site:

♦ Buddhist Counseling Therapy ♦ Santa Monica (2) Mindfulness Meditation Practice with Dharma Study ♦ Buddhist Meditation Santa Monica ♦ Buddhist Counseling Therapy ♦ Santa Monica (2) Mindfulness Meditation Practice with Dharma Study A BUDDHIST-based, much more 'Alternative' approach to relating with Your Self and All Others • One-to-One Individual Therapy -or- Relationship Counseling for partnering issues • People difficult to communicate with or resolve feelings • Therapy for odd, sensitive, smart, nerdy, gifted, intellectual, creative people - yet 'existentially' unhappy people • Just maybe a more maverick-spirited inner quest to nourish a kind Big Good-Hearted Mind that can grow and work within you.

'Our Suffering' the 'Impermanence' & 'Not-Self' of it All – is at the very Basic Core of Buddhist philosophy – in that . All Our Suffering in Life is from our Mental-Attachments that Continually Mistake the 'Impermanent' for being ‘Permanent’.
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" You are more attached to your 'desire-thoughts' themselves - - than you are attached to the actual 'object' of desire itself. _______________________________________________

" What is 'accepted' by the majority of people - - does not mean it is Real." ~ Gautama the Buddha, 500 BC India XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 'Our Suffering' the 'Impermanence' & 'Not-Self' of it All – is at the very Basic Core of Buddhist philosophy – in that . "All Our Suffering in Life is from our Mental-Attachments that Continually Mistake the 'Impermanent' for being Permanent." _________________________________________________

" You are more attached to your 'desire-thoughts' themselves - - than you are attached to the actual 'object' of desire itself. _______________________________________________

" What is 'accepted' by the majority of people - - does not mean it is Real." ~ Gautama the Buddha, 500 BC India

INTRO 1 ♦ Buddhist-based Wisdom Therapy offers effective, compassionate 'Alternative Approaches' to Relating with Your 'Self' & All Other Living Beings NAVIGATION: Please read very slowly -- What are we really saying in here ? ~ and thanks for your sustained interest & patience . . . For Ease of Viewing ~ a larger screen or PC does work better ~ Please MAX your screen, maybe Re-set your Zoom from 100% to 125% The whole Idea here is to simply scroll-around. There are many short pieces to comprehend or contemplate throughout. Ask yourself many heady questions as you read this - or Just scroll ... _______________________________ ______________________________

We're So Glad You Eventually Got Here ~ Welcome to our Buddhist Counseling site . . . INTRO 1 ♦ Buddhist-based Wisdom Therapy offers effective, compassionate 'Alternative Approaches' to Relating with Your 'Self' & All Other Living Beings INTRO 1 ♦ Buddhist-based Wisdom Therapy offers effective, compassionate 'Alternative Approaches' to Relating with Your 'Self' & All Other Living Beings NAVIGATION: Please read very slowly -- What are we really saying in here ? ~ and thanks for your sustained interest & patience . . . The whole Idea here is to simply scroll-around. There are many short pieces to comprehend or contemplate throughout. Ask yourself many heady questions as you read this - or Just scroll ...
_______________________________ ______________________________

We're So Glad You Eventually Got Here ~ Welcome to our Buddhist Counseling site . . . ♦ Buddhist-based Wisdom Therapy offers effective, compassionate 'Alternative Approaches' to Relating with Your 'Self' & All Other Living Beings ♦ Buddhist-based Wisdom Therapy offers effective, compassionate 'Alternative Approaches' to Relating with Your 'Self' & All Other Living Beings We offer Counseling & Therapy for the Disheartened Mind, Insecure or Wounded Spirit, or a Despairing and Troubled Relationship…" We assist you in HEALING the HEART-MIND in the midst of these very edgy, scary, crazy, confusing, disappointing, over-driven, tense, survival-stressed, anxious Uncertain Times. Yet the times are also resiliently hopeful ! You certainly can be too.... What this is really all about -- is an ancient, old formula: "Learning How to Feel Better About Yourself" That's it. Do it here. Do it elsewhere. Just Do it ! Meditation is a great tool. Put yourself in a special 'learning space' in your head so you can frequently do a ‘mindful' practice' and see, experience and feel a noticeable difference. Part of this is 'spiritual' ~ none of this is 'religious' . . . " The Journey Itself IS the Destination ! " We offer Counseling & Therapy for the Disheartened Mind, Insecure or Wounded Spirit, or a Despairing and Troubled Relationship…" We assist you in HEALING the HEART-MIND in the midst of these very edgy, scary, crazy, confusing, disappointing, over-driven, tense, survival-stressed, anxious Uncertain Times. Yet the times are also resiliently hopeful ! You certainly can be too.... What this is really all about -- is an ancient, old formula: "Learning How to Feel Better About Yourself" That's it. Do it here. Do it elsewhere. Just Do it ! Meditation is a great tool. Put yourself in a special 'learning space' in your head so you can frequently do a ‘mindful' practice' and see, experience and feel a noticeable difference. Part of this is 'spiritual' ~ none of this is 'religious'

. . . ▲ ~ I Am ~ forever freshly reborn into this very moment will it unfold open up flower into beingness? or just stay within its 'imagined' limits?

~ John de Ruiter ~

__________ ________ .

What is this really all about ? ..

-:¦:- Awakening the Compassionate-Insight Naturally Deep Within You ~ " THE SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD COUNSELING & THERAPY PROJECT " The Laughing Buddha Sangha & Listening Buddha Sessions Santa Monica - CA 90405 - near Santa Monica College email: AkasaLeviZZ@msn.com ~ 1-310-450-2268 Best phone times to contact us, Noon to 6 pm, Mon-Fri Site: buddhistcounselingtherapy.com/
_____________________ ____________________ .

" What is accepted by the majority of people ....does not mean it is Real "

The Buddha 500 BC . -:¦:- Buddhist-based 'Alternative' Approaches to Relating with Your Self & Others. Buddhist-based Wisdom Therapy offers highly effective, compassionate, yet realistic 'Alternative Approaches' to Relating with Your 'Self' and All Other Living Beings. Creating a truly ‘Happy Humanity ‘ _________________

~ "Buddhist Mindfulness-based Inner-Guidance & Practice" .. utilizes what is called a wholistic " FULL MINDFULNESS " . an Asian 'Alternative' form of Mindful Therapy & Counseling. Forgotten The Way ? . ♦ Individual Deep Private Therapy ♦ Rational Spiritual Breakthroughs. ♦ Buddhist Mindfulness-Life Coaching ♦ Relationships Counseling for couples, marriages, families, alternative life-styles, friendships, workplaces, emotional & communication break-downs. ♦ Rational Spiritual Breakthroughs.
_______________________

“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’VE BECOME SO OVERWHELMINGLY ‘IDENTIFIED’ & OVER-INVOLVED IN YOUR OWN DIFFICULT ‘LIFE-STORY’ That You Can’t See The Forest Anymore Because of All The Trees ! Your ‘Story’ of being such a anxiety-driven ‘winner’ or a victimized ‘loser’ - resentful, bitter, traveled here to be recognized - not just a plain nobody ’out there’. You’re just so underwhelmed - or feeling so isolated - that you just plain ‘hurt’ inside. Numb or so angry ? Maybe you’ve lost The Path, or forgotten The Way - feeling so ineffective in your own ‘deeper’ inner-search. Or you’ve just never really searched & sought it out. Who ‘you’ really, really are - ‘in here’. Inside. ____________________________________ __________________________________ .

♦ At “SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD” We offer a uniquely combined-counseling ~ an innovative, wholistic, ’spiritual variation’ of the new brain/mind-therapies, based in practical, quite highly brain-science Buddhist wisdom, combined with a gentle, accepting, gradually compassionate view towards All Beings. Therapy for intellectual people - sensitive people - or creative people - odd, wonderful uncommon people… an Eastern, Asian-style of treatment, of 'mind-wellbeing' that just may be a truly effective, non-traditional ‘alternative’ counseling & therapy for you. Buddhist Therapy: It’s been done very effectively for 1000’s of years … ..

    INTRO 1 ♦ Buddhist-based Wisdom Therapy offers effective, compassionate 'Alternative Approaches' to Relating with Your 'Self' & All Other Living Beings NAVIGATION: Please read very slowly -- What are we really saying in here ? ~ and thanks for your sustained interest & patience . . . For Ease of Viewing ~ a larger screen or PC does work better ~ Please MAX your screen, maybe Re-set your Zoom from 100% to 125% The whole Idea here is to simply scroll-around. There are many short pieces to comprehend or contemplate throughout. Ask yourself many heady questions as you read this - or Just scroll ...
_______________________________ ______________________________

We're So Glad You Eventually Got Here ~ Welcome to our Buddhist Counseling site . . . " The Journey Itself IS the Destination ! " We offer Counseling & Therapy for the Disheartened Mind, Insecure or Wounded Spirit, or a Despairing and Troubled Relationship…" We assist you in HEALING the HEART-MIND in the midst of these very edgy, scary, crazy, confusing, disappointing, over-driven, tense, survival-stressed, anxious Uncertain Times. Yet the times are also resiliently hopeful ! You certainly can be too.... What this is really all about -- is an ancient, old formula: "Learning How to Feel Better About Yourself" That's it. Do it here. Do it elsewhere. Just Do it ! Meditation is a great tool. Put yourself in a special 'learning space' in your head so you can frequently do a ‘mindful' practice' and see, experience and feel a noticeable difference. Part of this is 'spiritual' ~ none of this is 'religious' . . . ▲ ~ I Am ~ forever freshly reborn into this very moment will it unfold open up flower into beingness? or just stay within its 'imagined' limits? ~ John de Ruiter ~ __________ ________ .

What is this really all about ? ..

-:¦:- Awakening the Compassionate-Insight Naturally Deep Within You ~ " THE SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD COUNSELING & THERAPY PROJECT " The Laughing Buddha Sangha & Listening Buddha Sessions Santa Monica - CA 90405 - near Santa Monica College email: AkasaLeviZZ@msn.com ~ 1-310-450-2268 Best phone times to contact us, Noon to 6 pm, Mon-Fri Site: buddhistcounselingtherapy.com/

_____________________

____________________ .

" What is accepted by the majority of people ....does not mean it is Real " The Buddha 500 BC . -:¦:- Buddhist-based 'Alternative' Approaches to Relating with Your Self & Others. Buddhist-based Wisdom Therapy offers highly effective, compassionate, yet realistic 'Alternative Approaches' to Relating with Your 'Self' and All Other Living Beings. Creating a truly ‘Happy Humanity ‘ _________________

~ "Buddhist Mindfulness-based Inner-Guidance & Practice" .. utilizes what is called a wholistic " FULL MINDFULNESS " . an Asian 'Alternative' form of Mindful Therapy & Counseling. Forgotten The Way ? . ♦ Individual Deep Private Therapy ♦ Rational Spiritual Breakthroughs. ♦ Buddhist Mindfulness-Life Coaching ♦ Relationships Counseling for couples, marriages, families, alternative life-styles, friendships, workplaces, emotional & communication break-downs. ♦ Rational Spiritual Breakthroughs.

_______________________

“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’VE BECOME SO OVERWHELMINGLY ‘IDENTIFIED’ & OVER-INVOLVED IN YOUR OWN DIFFICULT ‘LIFE-STORY’ That You Can’t See The Forest Anymore Because of All The Trees ! Your ‘Story’ of being such a anxiety-driven ‘winner’ or a victimized ‘loser’ - resentful, bitter, traveled here to be recognized - not just a plain nobody ’out there’. You’re just so underwhelmed - or feeling so isolated - that you just plain ‘hurt’ inside. Numb or so angry ? Maybe you’ve lost The Path, or forgotten The Way - feeling so ineffective in your own ‘deeper’ inner-search. Or you’ve just never really searched & sought it out. Who ‘you’ really, really are - ‘in here’. Inside. ____________________________________ __________________________________ .

♦ At “SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD” We offer a uniquely combined-counseling ~ an innovative, wholistic, ’spiritual variation’ of the new brain/mind-therapies, based in practical, quite highly brain-science Buddhist wisdom, combined with a gentle, accepting, gradually compassionate view towards All Beings. Therapy for intellectual people - sensitive people - or creative people - odd, wonderful uncommon people… an Eastern, Asian-style of treatment, of 'mind-wellbeing' that just may be a truly effective, non-traditional ‘alternative’ counseling & therapy for you. Buddhist Therapy: It’s been done very effectively for 1000’s of years … .. •♦• _/\_ with palms joined together Namo Budd-Ho ! – Nama'ste Every One ! The Laughing Buddha Sangha - Santa Monica _/\_ with palms joined together A Most Current Hi &Welcome! . _______________________

A Message from Akasa Levi I'm currently on an extended medical leave from teaching due to a Parkinson's diagnosis - what Michael J. Fox has & Robin Williams had. Sad huh... well, go back and sit some more ! Possibly in the Spring or Summer I may be open to a simple, small mindfulness meditation sitting group. At present, I'm seeing a few highly motivated individuals for Buddhist-based 1-on-1 counseling, and longer term practice-mentoring. Be very welcome to inquire further. Please make first contact by email. ____________________________ May the Many Many Buddha-Blessings of Wisdom-Kindness Radiate from within You All ~A~ " WE Must Be The Change We Wish To See In The World " ~ Gandhi. ______________________________________ ♦ The Laughing Buddha Sangha Santa Monica encourages a Maverick Spirited Inner-Quest through a "Mindfulness-Awakening" style of meditation practice that nourishes a rebellious, iconoclast intelligence and a Big Good-Hearted Mind where eventually the 'me' discovers my own, empty true 'Buddha-Nature' ! Awakening the Compassionate Healing Awareness, of a “ Wise Empathy “ Naturally Deep Within Us All. _______________________ What is Asian ‘Thera-vada' Buddhism ? It is the original, earliest 'Path of The Buddhist Elders' – a Buddhist South Asia and Sri Lanka lineage-based practice of Vipassana Sati’patthana Mindfulness Meditation – alongside a skillful, eclectic-mix of other world-wide Buddhist teachings. •♦• Please use the Table of Contents here to your right >>>>> Go ahead n' graze, read onward ...Wonder, Ponder and Enjoy ! _________________________________________________________________ ..q

(~?~)p update about AKASA LEVI "Awakening Mindfulness" Meditation at The LAUGHING BUDDHA SANGHA Santa Monica CA 90405 ~ 310-450-2268 email: AkasaLeviZZ@msn.com in-site: www.DharmaHere.blogspot.com __________________________________________

'Our Suffering' the 'Impermanence' & 'Not-Self' of it All – is at the very Basic Core of Buddhist philosophy – in that . "All Our Suffering in Life is from our Mental-Attachments that Continually Mistake the 'Impermanent' for being Permanent."
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" You are more attached to your 'desire-thoughts' themselves - - than you are attached to the actual 'object' of desire itself. _______________________________________________

" What is 'accepted' by the majority of people - - does not mean it is Real." ~ Gautama the Buddha, 500 BC India XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX INTRO 1 ♦ Buddhist-based Wisdom Therapy offers effective, compassionate 'Alternative Approaches' to Relating with Your 'Self' & All Other Living Beings NAVIGATION: Please read very slowly -- What are we really saying in here ? ~ and thanks for your sustained interest & patience . . . For Ease of Viewing ~ a larger screen or PC does work better ~ Please MAX your screen, maybe Re-set your Zoom from 100% to 125% The whole Idea here is to simply scroll-around. There are many short pieces to comprehend or contemplate throughout. Ask yourself many heady questions as you read this - or Just scroll ... _______________________________ ______________________________ We're So Glad You Eventually Got Here ~ Welcome to our Buddhist Counseling site . . . " The Journey Itself IS the Destination ! " We offer Counseling & Therapy for the Disheartened Mind, Insecure or Wounded Spirit, or a Despairing and Troubled Relationship…" We assist you in HEALING the HEART-MIND in the midst of these very edgy, scary, crazy, confusing, disappointing, over-driven, tense, survival-stressed, anxious Uncertain Times. Yet the times are also resiliently hopeful ! You certainly can be too.... What this is really all about -- is an ancient, old formula: "Learning How to Feel Better About Yourself" That's it. Do it here. Do it elsewhere. Just Do it ! Meditation is a great tool. Put yourself in a special 'learning space' in your head so you can frequently do a ‘mindful' practice' and see, experience and feel a noticeable difference. Part of this is 'spiritual' ~ none of this is 'religious' . . . ▲ ~ I Am ~ forever freshly reborn into this very moment will it unfold open up flower into beingness? or just stay within its 'imagined' limits? ~ John de Ruiter ~ __________ ________ . What is this really all about ? .. -:¦:- Awakening the Compassionate-Insight Naturally Deep Within You ~ " THE SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD COUNSELING & THERAPY PROJECT " The Laughing Buddha Sangha & Listening Buddha Sessions Santa Monica - CA 90405 - near Santa Monica College email: AkasaLeviZZ@msn.com ~ 1-310-450-2268 Best phone times to contact us, Noon to 6 pm, Mon-Fri Site: buddhistcounselingtherapy.com/ _____________________ ____________________ . " What is accepted by the majority of people ....does not mean it is Real " The Buddha 500 BC . -:¦:- Buddhist-based 'Alternative' Approaches to Relating with Your Self & Others. Buddhist-based Wisdom Therapy offers highly effective, compassionate, yet realistic 'Alternative Approaches' to Relating with Your 'Self' and All Other Living Beings. Creating a truly ‘Happy Humanity ‘ _________________ .] ~ "Buddhist Mindfulness-based Inner-Guidance & Practice" .. utilizes what is called a wholistic " FULL MINDFULNESS " . an Asian 'Alternative' form of Mindful Therapy & Counseling. Forgotten The Way ? . ♦ Individual Deep Private Therapy ♦ Rational Spiritual Breakthroughs. ♦ Buddhist Mindfulness-Life Coaching ♦ Relationships Counseling for couples, marriages, families, alternative life-styles, friendships, workplaces, emotional & communication break-downs. ♦ Rational Spiritual Breakthroughs. _______________________ “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’VE BECOME SO OVERWHELMINGLY ‘IDENTIFIED’ & OVER-INVOLVED IN YOUR OWN DIFFICULT ‘LIFE-STORY’ That You Can’t See The Forest Anymore Because of All The Trees ! Your ‘Story’ of being such a anxiety-driven ‘winner’ or a victimized ‘loser’ - resentful, bitter, traveled here to be recognized - not just a plain nobody ’out there’. You’re just so underwhelmed - or feeling so isolated - that you just plain ‘hurt’ inside. Numb or so angry ? Maybe you’ve lost The Path, or forgotten The Way - feeling so ineffective in your own ‘deeper’ inner-search. Or you’ve just never really searched & sought it out. Who ‘you’ really, really are - ‘in here’. Inside. ____________________________________ __________________________________ .

♦ At “SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD” We offer a uniquely combined-counseling ~ an innovative, wholistic, ’spiritual variation’ of the new brain/mind-therapies, based in practical, quite highly brain-science Buddhist wisdom, combined with a gentle, accepting, gradually compassionate view towards All Beings. Therapy for intellectual people - sensitive people - or creative people - odd, wonderful uncommon people… an Eastern, Asian-style of treatment, of 'mind-wellbeing' that just may be a truly effective, non-traditional ‘alternative’ counseling & therapy for you. Buddhist Therapy: It’s been done very effectively for 1000’s of years … .. . "Buddhist ....Mindfulness-based Guidance" with it's fine, long history - is a well-respected ancient Asian complimentary therapy-‘option’ to the much more common, standard-models of Western therapies. .

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.. . Phone us, and let’s take a few minutes together . to talk on the phone – gratis – to find out a bit more . about what's going on with-in you - NO obligation ! . 1-310-450-2268 . _______________________________________

. . Buddhist Therapy: It’s been done very effectively for 1000’s of years … .. ________________________________________ _______________________________________ . .

For EASE of Viewing please MAX your screen . __________________________________ . .

HOW to Navigate the Ship ~ & What's on the rest of this Blog ? Please Slowly SKIP AROUND and really GRAZE in this site - Follow Some of It Along for Awhile, and please Read Very Slowly. Slow is Very Good. . . Well, There's a BIG BUNDLE of APPOINTMENT DETAILS - < ---- see ( A ) back up there on side-bar menu There's some sensible, solid good recommendations on how to approach the 'idea' of taking up some counseling therapy. And, at the end of this Blog, are some quotes & poems - "Wisdom-Heart-Words" from many various spiritual cultures to inspire this wonderful phenomena, the human mind - and to gently spur you on . . . simply, That 'Help' is Possible . AND that there may be some effective assistance for you ~ Or why would we be offering this to you? It often works in the most difficult region of Life - Changing the human mind. But - there are no promises, no guarantees – each individual situation is different - and certainly, effectiveness may vary. . AND WE'LL OFFER YOU SOME RAW HONESTY . . . . ABOUT WHAT MAY BE GOING ON WITHIN YOU. SO BRAVELY DIG IN DEEP INTO THESE WORDS and Intelligently Nourish, Nurture & Encourage Your Spirit's True Higher Potential & Progress. "Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ Reinhold Niebuhr 1934; AA version in 1939 by Bill W. So, Please Slowly SKIP AROUND and really GRAZE IN THIS SITE -
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"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase – just take the first step." ~ Martin Luther King . . This can be done .. give 'it' & 'you' a chance ! ... _________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ .

Hey, either way - IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME and PATIENCE ON YOUR PART to read & take-in all of 'What' you read in here – Take it in small bites – Click n' Graze around - You certainly Do Not have to read the entire site - or all at once - take it slow - 'Inner-Healing' is a lot about learning & gently practicing 'True Patience'. Together, we'll talk our way, find a True-way thru your issues. Read slowly only some of what's in this site – you'll get the point - about loving yourself more . . . Then give us a call for FREE phone consult - if you wish – there's absolutely NO obligation. ___________________________________________ . .

We encourage you to "Reach Out -to- Reach Deeper In". 'How' you can learn new ways to Help You, Help Yourself. . Remember the old parable ? " Give a person a fish – feed them for a day. Teach a person to fish – feed 'em for a lifetime. " still holds up as one of the best self-help quotes ever Let's assist you in 'working' with someone, here or elsewhere to team up with you - in your own personal liberation-quest from your complex personal suffering. _______________________________________ ______________________________________ .

"One easily-made, very common mistake is to think that 'your' reality is THE reality. You must always be prepared to bravely leave your reality for a greater one." . ~ Amaji Meera .
________________________________________ . HOPEFULLY, YOU'LL CERTAINLY KNOW A LOT MORE about what You need when you're done reading more of this Blog ____________________________________ __________________________________ ________________________________ . . . ” THE GREATEST RISK IS NOT TAKING ONE! ” .. . . ” As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world… As in being able to remake ourselves. Become the changes you want to see in the world ” ~ Mahatma Gandhi . ______________________________________________ _____________________________________________ . .

The Old Yogi's Sage WISDOM-Advice says: "Have some Faith" ! So, intelligently nourish & steadily, gently encourage & massage your very own "WISDOM-HEART-SPIRIT" ( it's the 'Inner-Wise-Soul' learning to reflect on itself ) It has Natural BUILT-IN Higher-Mind Potentials ( Every Human has this innate big feature ) capable To Dissolve Stuff & Actually Break Free of Binds. This Miraculous (when mindfully-activated ) "Inner-Freedom-Making-Process" is 'The Work' that Buddhists have been cultivating for 2500 years. We're so happy it arrived in the West for us to try ! So there is a Way wide open for you to Discover – yet it's right there in you ! We'll help you find it. _____________________________________________ ___________________________________________ .

Your Mind certainly CAN transform ! It can be free and at total Peace All by Itself ! All it really needs is the right 'software' & an effective 'method' to practice it with. "By the learning The Path of Wisdom-Silence you can now allow a break in the illusory world of 'worldly' words. So that The Flower of 'Just Being' may freely bloom. Allow yourself to become suddenly still, inside & out. So that you may pierce through the thin shell of the 'world', and now fill the entire cosmos with your own truly free mind. So the healing of you – and thus, the healing of the entire world may truly begin." ~ Old Metaphors by Ji Aoi Isshi – 13th century Japan ______________________________________ .

. If you know someone else in your life who just may also benefit by our offerings, be very welcome to put them in phone touch with us. FREE phone-consult. BUT - Please Ask Them to visit this Blog FIRST – Or email them this Link: http://buddhistcounselingtherapy.blogspot.com/ Then they can Graze around this for themselves, as you probably did – either as a casual perusal or a more focused-reading in here may make such a big huge difference in the quality of the phone-consult we have - it can help raise the level of 'informed-decision' simply by the talk we and your friend may have together ! . . Thanks ... and hope you find the rest of our Buddha-Blog helpful . . . ___________________________________________ __________________________________________

Posted by Akasa Levi at 7:00 PM Labels: ( 1 ) INTRODUCTION ♦ START HERE + plus see Table of Contents Here Below ▼ SUNDAY, AUGUST 24, 2008 ABOUT YOU • • • What's Going On WITHIN You ? — "The Problem" ____________________________________________ __________________________________________ ♦.

.SO … WHAT IS GOING ON INSIDE YOU ? ________________________________ “There is no such thing as a "Problem" without somehow 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 ____________________________ . . In the really Big Picture for Everyone . ...:: THE PROBLEM ::. “BRING YOU LIFE BACK .FROM THE ‘EXILE’ OF YOUR SPIRIT .and INTO A SACRED BALANCE AGAIN!” ~ American 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, Mood Swings, Mid-Life Changes, Painful Family Issues or Partner Relationship Dilemmas or Deep Unhappiness or Loneliness don’t make it any easier. Life can ride so rough on ya' – hopelessness sets in... • So please, go ’see’ somebody - here or elsewhere - but Do GO and really settle in & start working it out. ‘You’ - really being heard from way deep inside, and coached forward & thru by a counseling therapist who can deeply understand you – very human to human. So get up out of your own ‘protective’ self-imposed isolation – blaming, excusing or rationalizing: it's such a narrow limiting – that “I can do this by myself” mantra – reinforced by those ego-pride-shame-hurt-loss-fear-cycles. Just put yourself into a series of counseling sessions for awhile. Open it all up ! In a place of safety & trust. • It’ll be good for you - you’ll be on an accompanied path to get some relief and resolution, and even some joy and laughter. This is where you can work on your stuff, and work on your Soul on a ‘frequent enough’ basis to make a really Noticeable Difference. • At least phone us. There is NO obligation to having a FREE phone-consultation with us, so we both can see if this could feel right & be workable for you... . _____________________________________ Hidden STRESS WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU ? OVERWHELM: Another Very Basic Problem " There's no room anymore for my Intelligence to simply, sanely, sort & separate out anything. Emotions get to so totally run thinking. So What IS true ? Emotions get to be so totally run BY thinking. Which IS true ? Thoughts get so enmeshed and mixed with yukky feelings and old embedded war 'stories' of wounds & betrayals. Feelings so overwhelm and flood thinking. Flooding is all that's happening sometimes. Emotions run thinking – s t r e s s Thinking runs Emotions – s t r e s s Painful memory 'thought-illusions' have the 'appearance' of Reality - and are not. Overwhelm, confusion, hopeless, numb... Angry & Sad – bad sleep, stress, stuck. Sick & Tired of being sick & tired. Shit ! " ~ J.K. _____________________________ ♦ Just Maybe You’re a Very ‘U N CO M M O N’ PERSON ~ “An Unusual ‘Uncommon Person’ Already, Always Feels Different — in a Very Non-Assimilate-able Way — just not ‘fitting in’… sadly, that's most people. But for the odd, gifted, truly ‘uncommon one’ — it’s sort of a double-whammy to carry!” ~ Humanistic psychology creator Abraham Maslow (1947) UNHAPPY UNUSUAL ‘UNCOMMON’ PEOPLE are sensitive, smart, creative, intelligent, individualistic, higher-consciousness people - artistic, intellectual, mystical, musical, magical, poetic & spiritual. • So you probably also need a ‘Non-traditional Therapist’ who 'gets' it ~ a therapist who truly understands “non-mainstream” life-styles, spirituality, or the creative Arts - a seasoned therapist who is deeply empathic - and who genuinely understands ‘uncommon’ and ‘unusual’ or ‘non-ordinary’ people that are quite unique or gifted, but yet still quite unhappy — People who are carrying the twin burden of 'specialness' and yet self-loathing - all covered up as it may be. • You may be a very ‘Individual’ Person who normally feels very naturally directed inward, 'spiritual-oriented' - and yet you’re struggling to get ‘worldly’ problems and emotional issues handled realistically and with integrity as well – yet without you having to commit to any sort of religious path whatsoever! We DON'T DO any ‘religious’ preaching or dogma - No special jargon. Nothing to 'buy into' or be persuaded to ‘believe’ in. Just the daily emergence of your own individual true 'Knowing' - and personal excellence! • We assist you in self-discovering a ‘natural unfolding’ of unshakable balance, boundless wisdom and joy! And your innate good humor! • Liberating a new sense of caring & connectedness with yourself, other people and your widening universe – an embracing and expanded "Inner-Acceptance and Outer Effectiveness". A ‘True’ happiness independent & much, much more non-reactive to the constant, unavoidable effects of ‘everyday’ circumstances & conditions ! Really, a responsible, authentic ‘true freedom’ as they’ve spoken about for millennia in those profound Ancient Wisdom-teachings. "Maybe Buddhist Therapy is the new Acupuncture" ........ remember when when 'acupuncture' started .........to be around .... and as the new treatment, .........it was found to be surprisingly quite effective. ______________________________________ . ♦ Buddhist-based Wisdom Therapy .....offers highly effective, compassionate ....... yet realistic 'Alternative Approaches' .........to Relating with Your 'Self' ...........and All Other Living Beings . . Some Very HAPPY UNCOMMON PEOPLE Have Said . . . "You began as a creation. Now become a Creator. Never, never wait at a barrier." ~ Rumi . . "Our 'constant inquiry' is our passion – and our passion itself is our daily task. 'Inquiry' is our passion. From there – the rest is the marvelous madness of art." ~ Henry James, "The Middle Years" . . "Be daring, be different, be impractical, .....................be anything that will assert 'Integrity of Purpose' and Imaginative Vision – in contrast to the play-it-safers, the sad self-limiting creatures of the commonplace, the sleeping slaves of the unconscious mundane." ~ Sir Cecil Beaton 1904-1980) English portrait ..photographer, film & stage designer. _______________________________ . . Buddhist Counseling & Therapy: It’s been done very effectively for 1000’s of years … ” THE GREATEST RISK ...IS NOT TAKING ONE ! ” ____________________________ ______________________________ " The Journey Itself IS the Destination! " Guys, it's going to become clear, cool & calmed down fairly soon – It's also going to open up to .... "That it's OK - that it's not OK" - That's the 'What Is' of it – and let's do the inner-'work' from there – It's simply a fact: Beyond the grip of denial, you're hurting & you've got some problems. Together, we've gotta go in 'there' – a sort of inner-Questing together. "Therapy" is not found in even the best of books, CDs, or on the radio. It's a 'Live' Interactive Relating-Process between client & counselor - it always has been. Two people sit down and together empathically 'Work' on one of them. "Spiritual Adulthood" is a much more 'radical' form of Counseling – geared to intelligent people in the contemporary Creative Arts and New-Thought-minded sensibilities. The people who do eventually come to us - are usually more explorative, curious, have a more active intellect, and are intensely inquisitive people just by their nature. The 'Inner-Searchers of Comprehension' are people who relish the 'safari' of it – the 'search', the 'inquiry', the 'quest' of it - hurting or not - rather than having ideas & prescriptions just 'served-up' ready to eat. "Enlightened Freedom" is certainly .not a home-deliverable product. Never was . . . For each of us - for all of us, Freedom is all a life-long psychological Pilgrimage experienced thru a Spiritualized Heart . . . ------------------------------------------ Thank you for reading all this! Hopefully you'll learn to Enjoy a Rugged Journey – It is – for " The Journey Itself IS the Destination !" Be Brave, Courageous & Stay the Course ! Keep The Faith ! Question: " Grandfather - What is Destiny? " “ DESTINY is every step we’re taking and going thru right now - to get there ” ~ Grandfather Bearheart, contemporary Creek Elder ------------------------------------------------------------- "You Really Must Consciously Choose to Make & Re-Make the Choice to Re-Choose again & again - to Openly Talk with Someone… and keep it up – Talking It Out – to Openly keep Talking with Someone. Trust in gradually letting the deep clear water rise up from down the old well - flow, flush & unfold – Messy or tidy, neat or controlled - we all have these feelings." ~ Bhante Sudu Hom'Dru "Eighty percent of success is just showing up" ..~ Woody Allen Go ahead and please get into some quality counseling-therapy – you, really being heard – here or somewhere. That they will really take deep caring to listen to YOU – really, really hear you. That’s a very courageous move on your part – it just may be the right place for you to start. Be very welcome to inquire more about us, as you search out where to do this inner-work. Maimonides, more than 800 years ago said: "a single deed, a single word, a single action, even just one single thought, has the power to TIP the scales and bring redemption to your world. no matter how dark that world may seem or feel ~ light is just a single action away." "There is now a rapidly growing number of bright American people who basically need a whole other level, a much higher level, an intelligent, deeper level of assistance for their Inner-Unfolding of Spirit" ~ 'The Culture Creatives' (2001) . – and we wish to assist you as you bring yourself to this new level of a natural, highly conscious, sensitive awareness – and fearless unfolding... _______________________ _____________________

Posted by Akasa Levi at 9:10 PM Labels:

( 2 ) ABOUT YOU • • • What's Going On WITHIN You ? — "The Problem" SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 2008

ABOUT YOU • • • ARE YOU FEELING ‘DISSED’? • Disappointed Discouraged Distressed Depressed
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ARE YOU FEELING ‘DISSED’ ? • DISAPPOINTED • DISCOURAGED • DISTRESSED • DEPRESSED Are You FEELING Chronically Dissatisfied • Not so good - here's the list alphabetically • Disabled • Disadvantaged • Disaffected • Disagreeable • Disapproved • Disarrayed • Disassociated • Discarded • Discombobulated • Discomforted • Disconcerted • Disconnected • Disconsolate • Discontent • Discord • Discounted • Discouraged • Discredited • Discriminated • Disdained • Disenchanted • Disenfranchised • Disfavored • Disfigured • Disgraced • Disgruntled • Disgusted • Disharmonious • Disheartened • Disheveled • Dishonest • Dishonored • Disillusioned • Disintegrated • Disinterested • Disliked • Dismal • Dismayed • Dismissed • Disorganized • Disoriented • Disgusted • Disparaged • Dispassionate • Dispensable • Displaced • Displeased • Displeasure • Disposable • Dispossessed • Disqualified • Disregarded • Disreputable • Disrespected • Disrupted • Dissatisfied • Dissociated • Distanced • Distant • Distasteful • Distorted • Distracted • Distraught • Distressed • Disunity • Disused • Distrustful and very Disturbed about it all • Dissed & Pissed Off ! –– A Disaster. This whole ‘Dis’ this or ‘Dis’ that 'thing' - that blamed 'reason' about your life ? You CAN change it ! We can help & assist you. BUT ‘Therapy’ is a Huge personal challenge - And YOU DO have to show up for yourself to make it really happen ! Start someplace ...
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“Eighty percent of success is just showing up” ~ Woody Allen ”Every community needs a group of angelic troublemakers” ~ Bayard Rustin, black activist social reformer “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, author ‘Out of Africa’ . _____________________________ Get some Quality Counseling Therapy - here, somewhere, anywhere good . . . that may be a place for you to start. _____________________________ ___________________________ . .

♦ . MAYBE YOU’VE BECOME ..SO OVERWHELMINGLY ‘IDENTIFIED’ and OVER-INVOLVED IN YOUR OWN DIFFICULT ‘LIFE-STORY’ That You Can’t See The Forest Anymore Because of All The Trees! Your ‘Story’ of being such a anxiety-driven ‘winner’ or a victimized ‘loser’ - resentful, bitter, came here to be recognized - not just a plain nobody ’out there’. You’re just so underwhelmed - or feeling so isolated - that you just plain ‘hurt’ inside. Numb or so angry ? Maybe you’ve lost the Path, or forgotten the Way - feeling so ineffective in your ‘deeper’ inner-search. Or you’ve just never yet really sought out Who ‘you’ really, really are - ‘in here’. Inside. ____________________________________________

ABOUT YOU • • • ARE YOU FEELING ‘DISSED’? • Disappointed Discouraged Distressed Depressed
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ARE YOU FEELING ‘DISSED’ ? • DISAPPOINTED • DISCOURAGED • DISTRESSED • DEPRESSED Are You FEELING Chronically Dissatisfied • Not so good - here's the list alphabetically • Disabled • Disadvantaged • Disaffected • Disagreeable • Disapproved • Disarrayed • Disassociated • Discarded • Discombobulated • Discomforted • Disconcerted • Disconnected • Disconsolate • Discontent • Discord • Discounted • Discouraged • Discredited • Discriminated • Disdained • Disenchanted • Disenfranchised • Disfavored • Disfigured • Disgraced • Disgruntled • Disgusted • Disharmonious • Disheartened • Disheveled • Dishonest • Dishonored • Disillusioned • Disintegrated • Disinterested • Disliked • Dismal • Dismayed • Dismissed • Disorganized • Disoriented • Disgusted • Disparaged • Dispassionate • Dispensable • Displaced • Displeased • Displeasure • Disposable • Dispossessed • Disqualified • Disregarded • Disreputable • Disrespected • Disrupted • Dissatisfied • Dissociated • Distanced • Distant • Distasteful • Distorted • Distracted • Distraught • Distressed • Disunity • Disused • Distrustful and very Disturbed about it all • Dissed & Pissed Off ! –– A Disaster. This whole ‘Dis’ this or ‘Dis’ that 'thing' - that blamed 'reason' about your life ? You CAN change it ! We can help & assist you. BUT ‘Therapy’ is a Huge personal challenge - And YOU DO have to show up for yourself to make it really happen ! Start someplace ...
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“Eighty percent of success is just showing up” ~ Woody Allen ”Every community needs a group of angelic troublemakers” ~ Bayard Rustin, black activist social reformer “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, author ‘Out of Africa’ . _____________________________ Get some Quality Counseling Therapy - here, somewhere, anywhere good . . . that may be a place for you to start. _____________________________ ___________________________ . .

♦ . MAYBE YOU’VE BECOME ..SO OVERWHELMINGLY ‘IDENTIFIED’ and OVER-INVOLVED IN YOUR OWN DIFFICULT ‘LIFE-STORY’ That You Can’t See The Forest Anymore Because of All The Trees! Your ‘Story’ of being such a anxiety-driven ‘winner’ or a victimized ‘loser’ - resentful, bitter, came here to be recognized - not just a plain nobody ’out there’. You’re just so underwhelmed - or feeling so isolated - that you just plain ‘hurt’ inside. Numb or so angry ? Maybe you’ve lost the Path, or forgotten the Way - feeling so ineffective in your ‘deeper’ inner-search. Or you’ve just never yet really sought out Who ‘you’ really, really are - ‘in here’. Inside. ____________________________________________ __________________________________________

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Posted by Akasa Levi at 9:22 PM Labels: ( 3 ) ABOUT YOU • • • ARE YOU FEELING ‘DISSED’? • Disappointed Discouraged Distressed Depressed FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2008 ABOUT US • • • WHY of all possible things - Are We BUDDHIST-based ??? _________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________

Why of all possible things ~ Are We Buddhist-based ? ◊ ◊ ◊ WHY we particularly use the 'Buddhist brand-name' is because those Asian Buddhist cultures have really got some of the most skillfully mature, very grounded, least misleading, most inclusive and the very best of the compassionate 'mind-healing techniques' available on the planet so far - at least, so far as we've come across ....So we use 'em. And we're very much still open & strongly eclectic: We use many diverse approaches – so we'll use what YOU need – not what 'we' like best. We're on your side! There is no one-way ! We practice as Buddhist ministers not as licensed clinical psychologists or MFTs. Admittedly, We Are a Very Unusual Counseling Service . . . WHY do we align ourselves with the Buddha's teachings ? Because, Buddha himself said – we should "Believe Nothing – Examine & Question Everything" .... and we feel we can trust & have faith in that. An open-ended, no strings attached philosophy always sounded good to us. Honest, Clean, Upfront. It is mostly our deeply ingrained, mostly unconscious "Beliefs" - that are at the very core of our Problems. We will assist you to find your very own Wisdom-mind – and we are going to try n' guide you towards developing some strong Meditation and Compassion Practices that will begin to help you heal your own Suffering. Back in 500 BC India 'Openness' was revolutionary also. Buddha offered a totally no strings attached, wide open invitation to inspect, to question, scrutinize, if need be, to even criticize his teachings - before ever accepting any of it. There is nothing ever 'religious' or 'cult-ish' or 'mysterious' here at "Spiritual Adulthood" – an open book. Buddhist-wisdom is intelligent, softly sober & crystal clear. It's genuine as solid gold. In places it's philosophical or sagely gentle, or it can be challenging, playful or purposely bewildering. The Buddha himself often said: "Do not go accept what I say through mere respect towards me, because people say I am a Buddha. Just as the true purity of real gold is only ascertained by thorough testing, weighing or rubbing – likewise the true Truth be accepted only after very close scrutiny." This open, fearless assertion of allowing the whole of the Teaching to be closely examined – gives a strong, personalized, experiential validity to one's own Truth. Take nothing on "Belief".... It must be Your Truth ! And, if you do not wish to contact us at this time, or not inquire any further into the counseling we offer, we hope you'll still make good use of the enclosed supportive quotes & readings on these blog pages to further your own journey deeply inwards. ◊ " What is accepted by the majority of people ~ does not mean it is Real " ~ The Buddha " One common mistake is to think that 'your reality’ is THE reality. You must always be prepared to leave your reality for a greater one " ~ Amaji Meera ______________________________________________________

◊ BUDDHIST COUNSELING & RATIONAL THERAPY for Mind & Heart What's a Buddhist-based COUNSELING-THERAPY ? Possibly, an effective Buddhist-based 'Alternative' for you ~ As an Asian method, this would be a more 'non-traditional' way for your Discomforted Mind, your Wounded Inner-Spirit or your Despairing Relationship – all in the midst of our very edgy, costly, distrustful, needy, over-driven, survival-stressed, tense Uncertain Times. "Buddhist Rational Therapy" is more unconventional than an ordinary, standard, non-spiritual 'Western-style therapy'. But so are you . . . It's simply that the 'Spiritual-Comes-First' in HEALING THE MIND – it has to . . . . Nourishing "The Wisdom-Spirit" is a big part of The Start. 'Emotional Upset' sadly, has no functional Wisdom itself. It just hurts much too much - or somehow shuts right down. Big emotions are into being in a very 'protected' safe-mode. So, we start with the 'hidden' but available "Good Parts". Yes, they are certainly there ! The Buddha-Mind within you. Hey, the fact that you've got this far, made it somewhat intact to this web-page, is some kinda' Karma-proof that you're into doing something good for yourself ! Give yourself lot'sa credit. You'll be learning how to develop a calm, on point, very centered Wisdom-Mind. The 'Good Part' is that the 'Buddha-Mind' is something that everyone inherently possesses ! ___________________________________________________ s

o please, just keep reading . . . Great Humanistic Teachings about Authentic Independence of 'Self' & Compassionate Inter-dependence in relations with All Others - at the same time Your Evolving-Mind certainly CAN be Free, and at Peace, and Awaken All By Itself ! BY ITSELF. If Otherwise, then that's a pseudo-awakened freedom – and wouldn't be all yours – your very own. If others try 'n convince you, persuade you into being Free, this new 'borrowed' freedom, this pseudo-transformation, catharsis, release or resolve, new found sense of being, would only be a compromise. Nice but time-limited. And not Yours. It would be somebody else's sale. Your therapist's, your counselor's? Even your pastor or rabbi's? Your therapist's, your counselor's? It has to be your own authentic Discovery-Experience or it would be conditional. It would be only temporary. Buddha's 'free-thinking' teaching-philosophy had all this great emphasis on 'Genuine Inner-Independence' and a compassionate Social Inter-dependence. Buddhist thought has a rational, non-theistic, calm, sane, tolerant history of Inner-Freedom. 'True Independence' of mind leads to an altruistic serving of human-kind even better through a creative, truly free, willing 'Inter-dependence' - which is certainly not a compromise or an obsessive co-dependence. Nothing coerced. Free All By Itself ! ...Fly free, no wing-subscription required . . Authenticity of Being. Otherwise it wouldn't be YOUR own Awakening - and so, Just Not Free. It'd be a compromised awakening, dependent on some 'other' condition being in place - or person in agreement. Not a truly Free moment. The body is based on Nature's REAL conditions - but the Mind ? What REAL 'conditions' limit & bind the Mind and thought ? Ask that question many times over ! _____________________________________________

All your mind needs for awhile, is the right 'software' and a meditation 'method' to silently practice it with. You don't need devotion to a guru, an organization, a strict doctrine or arduous discipline or a 'religion'. . . Just the 'Rational', deeply appreciating the 'Mystical' and the 'Mystical', deeply flavoring the 'Rational'. . . All and everything else is accommodated in the incomparable, awesome presence of the "Present Moment As It Is". . . If you know someone else in your life who just might benefit by our offerings, be welcome to put them in touch with us here at The Spiritual Adulthood Counseling Therapy Project. _________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________

Posted by Akasa Levi at 6:26 PM Labels: ( 8 ) ABOUT US • • • WHY of all possible things - Are We BUDDHIST-based ??? THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2008 WHO COMES HERE to Us ? __________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

“A Butcher, a Baker, a Candlestick-maker - Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief - Soldier, Sailor, Tinker, Tailor - Rich man, Poor man, Beggar man, Thief “ " The Journey Itself IS the Destination! " Guys, it's really gotta' become fairly clear, fairly quickly that it has to be - "That it's OK - that it's not OK" – that's the 'What Is' – and let's go 'work' from there – It's a fact: You're hurting & you've got some problems. Together, we've gotta go in 'there' Questing together. "Therapy" is not found in even the best of books or CDs. It's a 'Live' Interactive Relating-Process - It always has been. Two people sit down and empathically 'Work' on one of them ... It's a 'dynamic' - it's a 'dyad' of two people in on this. Therapy or counseling is a 'relationship' in it's truest form. That's 'risky' for the wounded Spirit to chance. . "Spiritual Adulthood" is offering a much more 'radical' form of Counseling – more geared to people in the whole spectrum of contemporary Creative Arts and the 'New-Thought-minded' sensibilities. Maybe more Green or Liberal. Maybe just You. The "Spiritual Adulthood" exploration encourages and supports a very eclectic “Inquiry into Self” practice, combining the cool, calm 'observation' approach of traditional, quiet Mindfulness Meditation, with a 'crazy wisdom' irrationality of 'Zen-mind Realizations' that cognitively short-circuits the common but so obsessive self-involved, self-absorbed, self-identified ego-mind. " One easily-made, very common mistake is to think that 'your reality’ is THE Reality. You must always be prepared to bravely leave your reality for a greater one." ~ Meeraji We encourage highly inquisitive, progressive-minded people, with a natural, deep love of learning - who relish the abstract, and even the absurd – and have a genuine taste for the indefinable 'existential' stuff. . . ~ and Buddhism is playful too. " . . ever noticed, that it's Always NOW " ~ Alan Watts He suggests you repeatedly keep noticing this many times a day . . . . . Usually, the people who do eventually come to us - are more explorative, curious, do have a more active intellect, & are innately, intensely inquisitive people by their nature. The 'Inner-Search', 'The Ouest' & 'Understanding' of it all. They are people who relish the 'safari' of it – the 'search', the 'inquiry', the brave 'quest' of it - hurting or not - rather than 'popular' ideas and packaged prescriptions just 'served-up' ready to eat. Enlightened Freedom is just not a 'home-deliverable product'. For each of us - it's all a life-long psychological pilgrimage, experienced thru a compassionate Spiritual Heart. . . -----------------------------------------------------------------

Question: " Grandfather - What is Destiny? " “ DESTINY is every step we’re taking and going thru right now - to get there ” "So, You Really Must Consciously Choose – and make the Choice to Re-Choose again & again - to Openly 'Talk Truth' with Someone… ...and keep it up ! To Openly keep Talking with Someone. To be Open to 'Trust' in gradually letting it all arise and unfold - Messy or tidy, depressed or distressed. We all have these feelings. It's nothing new." ~ Grandfather Bearheart, contemporary Creek Elder . . "Eighty percent of success is just showing up" ~ Woody Allen Go ahead and get into some quality counseling-therapy – You, really being heard – here or somewhere – that they will really take a deep caring to listen to YOU – and really, really hear you. AND, that’s a very courageous move on your part – to move yourself into a 'counseling-setting'. It just may be the right place for you to start. Be very welcome to inquire more about us, as you search out where to do this inner-work. Please Read Some More on this site. -------------------------------------------------- . .

Maimonides, more than 800 years ago said: . "A Single Deed, a Single Word, a Single Action, even just One Single Thought, has the power to TIP the scales and bring redemption & resolve to your world. No matter how dark that world may seem or feel ~ Light is just a single action away." . ____________________________________________________ "Cultural Creatives" "There is now a rapidly growing number of very bright American people who basically need a whole other level, a much, much higher level of true intellect, an intelligent, a 'reformed', deeper level of Inner-Unfolding of Spirit". But without 'religion'. ~ "The Cultural Creatives" ( 2000 ) . – and we wish to assist you as you bring yourself to this new level of a natural, highly conscious, sensitive awareness – and fearless unfolding... . . Thank you for reading all this! Hopefully you'll learn to cherish the Life-Journey even more – for "The Journey Itself IS the Destination!" Be Brave, Courageous and Enjoy the Journey ~ _____________________________________________________ footnote: . "Cultural Creatives" from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Cultural Creatives, a term coined by sociologist Paul H. Ray and psychologist Sherry Ruth Anderson to describe a large segment in Western society that has recently developed beyond the 'standard paradigm' of established Modernists versus Traditionalists or Conservatives. The concept was presented in 2000 in their book The Cultural Creatives - How 50 Million People Are Changing the World ( Harmony Books, New York ), where they claim to have found that 50 million adult Americans ( slightly over one quarter of the adult population) can now be 'identified' as belonging to this 'group' of individuals which have not yet found its OWN 'identity' – but is disenchanted with materialism and consumerism, and most of what is currently available in the daily round. Dr Ray calls this segment The New Progressives. This growing section of the population is admittedly 'Spiritual' and embraces the 'practice' of spiritual values in daily life without formal religion. 'Not Identified' means that they themselves do not know they are part of a larger sociaological grouping, that it has a 'name', and that there are 'others' like them out there. Many of the urban cohort patronize specialty stores and specialty children's schools etc. that support their values. Many adherents to the tenets of the 'cultural creatives' tend to become familiar with a variety of religions and seek to identify with principles that are universal among all religions. The intention is to search for universal, practical spiritual principles that have deep intrinsic value, and do not depend on ecclesiastical authority whatsoever. Read More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Creatives Links to alternative lifestyle; modernism and postmodernism; post-materialism; tempered radicals; voluntary simplicity. __________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________

                      Posted by Akasa Levi at 2:03 PM Labels: ( 9 ) WHO COMES HERE to Us ? WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2008 ZEN MEN • Men's Inner Growth Groups • Santa Monica . . . ◊ A Los Angeles Men’s Growth Group continually meeting since 1989. __________________________ .. ♦ "Yup, EVERY GUY COULD USE BEING IN A MEN’S GROUP at some time in his life" __________________________ . . • •ZEN♦MEN's INNER-GROWTH ..PEER GROUPS •• Compassionately & Intelligently Explore a Man's Core Life-Issues . __________________________________________ ________________________________________ . .. ♦ ♦ ♦ WHATEVER 'IT' IS ~ YOU'RE "A NOT SO HAPPY GUY" Many, many men aren’t. Career & Life-Purpose Despair, Mid-Life Changes, Emotional Stuff or Painful Relationship Dilemmas. So go 'see' somebody and really start working it out. You - really being heard from way inside and coached forward & through by other men who can deeply understand you – man to man. That could be quite skillful work by another one of your own guys in Your Own Men’s Group. Totally being here for yourself - as you completely be here for each other. That's the whole point of a group! So go on, get out of your protective self-imposed isolation: “I can do it by myself” male-ego-pride-shame- fear-bullshit cycles & just get into a men’s growth group for awhile where you can work on your stuff & your soul on a frequent enough weekly-basis to make a really noticeable difference. . At least check the 'idea' out! . _________________________________________ . . ♦ GOOD-HEARTED MEN EXPLORING 'CONSCIOUS' MANHOOD _________________________________________________ . ♦ MEN’S INNER-GROWTH • MEN'S LIFE-ISSUES ... • MEN’S HEALTH • MEN'S CREATIVITY & ....... • MEN'S SPIRITUALITY • MEN'S HAPPINESS... Around WORK, WOMEN, FAMILY, RELATIONSHIPS & Especially Your Own INNER SELF-DEVELOPMENT . "GOOD MEN ....BECOMING .......EVEN BETTER MEN" • Deep Self-Inquiry & Inner-Process Work • Peer Coaching • De-Stressing • Meditation • Urban Shamanism • Drumming • Campouts ..& Retreats • Challenge & Confrontation Work • Cam’raderie • Support & Lotsa’ Fun _____________________________________________________ . .. Plan Ahead: Please make your phone Inquiries now, or to schedule an Interview really soon - as the process takes some lead-time. Phone: 1-310-450-2268 Best phone times to talk: Noon-6pm, Mon/Fri ◊ The ZEN MEN Weekly Groups ◊ The L.A. MEDICINE MEN's LODGE ◊ Santa Monica ~ CA 90405 ~ USA ◊ A Los Angeles Men’s Growth Group continually meeting since 1989 . ________________________________________ . AkasaLeviZZ@msn.com ~ 310-450-2268 CONTACT by PHONE is really Best ~ Phone time Noon to 6pm, Mon/Fri ________________________________________ . .. Please Go to Our MEN'sBLOG now for very complete Details & Description about the Weekly Men's Groups ~ NEW Group starting up Fall/Winter '08 http://zenmensgroup.blogspot.com/ . .. BTW • Our Main MEN's Web-BLOG page is under-going some heavy re-construction • Please, still go there & Manually SCROLL that BLOG PAGE ~ Thanks Guys . THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD, HEFTY, HEARTY STUFF WRITTEN IN THOSE BLOG POSTINGS. PLEASE HAVE PATIENCE & GIVE IT A CHANCE and SOME WILLING FOCUS... . ________________________________________ . . ♦ "Yup, EVERY GUY COULD USE BEING IN A MEN’S GROUP at some time in his life" . .. ♦ “I Have Circled The Edges ......of Men’s Campfires .........All My Life .........In Search of Belonging” ...................~ singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen . _________________________________________________ . . ♦ "SO WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO MEN ?" That's a big issue that we really gotta' look at. See and read the Blog pages .... for some good words on this. We will approach this in Group . . . http://zenmensgroup.blogspot.com/ . .. "Bring your life back . from the modern ”Exile” . of The Noble Male Spirit ~ . and come back into . Sacred Balance once again" . ~ "Iron John" author/poet Robert Bly . . . . . don't you owe that to yourself ? __________________________________ __________________________________ . . ZEN MEN :: A CONTEMPORARY TRIBE OF TRUTH-HONORING MEN THAT MEET TOGETHER IN TRUST & SUPPORT EVERY WEEK . Men Learning to Trust & Support Each Other in Making Important Life Changes. . .. ♦ GOOD-HEARTED MEN EXPLORING ..........'CONSCIOUS' MANHOOD . • MEN’S INNER-GROWTH • MEN'S LIFE-ISSUES • MEN’S HEALTH • MEN'S CREATIVITY • MEN'S CONNECTIVITY • MEN'S SPIRITUALITY • MEN'S HAPPINESS .... Around WORK, WOMEN, FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS . _______________________________________________ .. American Poet-Laureate & Mythologist ROBERT BLY, author of bestseller IRON JOHN: A Book About Men says: _____________________________________________________ . "I think what men need to do – is to spread their wings in the valley of their own sorrow and then soar! And roar! Go ahead, dance on the corpse of your own despair! Get out of your protective isolation & get into a local men's group, that's where you can work on your soul on a frequent enough basis to make a noticeable difference ! . Bring your life back from the "Exile of the Male Spirit" - and into a healthy, Sacred Balance again!" . ___________________________________________________ . .. • HONEST TALK • HEART-FELT LISTENING ...• CARING, STRONG FELLOWSHIP ......• MEANINGFUL FEEDBACK _________________________________________________ _______________________________________________ . . important.details . MEN's GROUPS MEET WEEKLY in Santa Monica CA 90405 ~ address given when you apply. If you LIVE or WORK closer to our meetings – it's so much easier for you to attend our local Weekly Groups on a committed weekly basis. ------------------------------------------------------------ • Group is not drop-in • It's ongoing long term • Group is funded by your voluntary donations . . GOOD MEN BECOMING EVEN BETTER MEN • Deep Self-Inquiry & Inner-Process Work • Peer Coaching • De-Stressing • Meditation • Urban Shamanism • Drumming • Campouts & Retreats • Challenge & Confrontation Work • Cam’raderie • Support & Lotsa’ Fun Akasa Levi, DhMA ~ our Firetender-Facilitator: a former ordained American Buddhist Forest Monk in India & Sri Lanka, now a friendly, wisdom-elder, sage sort of guy who also offers Individual Therapy, Couples & Relationship Counseling If you relate, somehow, to any of this • then PHONE for more info • 310-450-2268 for this, phone is better AkasaLeviZZ@msn.com Please Go to Our MEN'sBLOG now for very complete Details & Description about MENsWORK and Groups. http://zenmensgroup.blogspot.com/ _______________________________________________ ________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ Posted by Akasa Levi at 7:28 PM Labels: ( C ) ZEN MEN • • • Men's Inner-Growth Peer Groups • Every Guy could use being in a Men's Group • Santa Monica ABOUT YOU • • • RE-DISCOVERING and REFINING Your 'SELF' _________________________________ _______________________________ It's a 'Process' of Re-Discovery RE-DISCOVERING, RE-DEFINING & REFINING Your Inner-'SELF' • contemplation • comprehension ....• compassion • completion ........• and spiritual refinement Being True to “Yourself” ~ Individually, a 'Re-defining' truly in/on your very OWN TERMS ! ( not society’s or religion’s terms ). YOUR very Own Terms is what ‘Therapy of the Spirit’ is all about ! Therapy of the ‘True’ Spirit is a deep 'process' where really ALL heart/mind/spirit/soul-healing MUST start. Spirit too, is Alive ~ Old 'stories' are so damn deadening. True therapy has to start and end with the Heart ! The Heart. Otherwise it ain’t True. It ain't so. It’s been that way in every culture all through time! It’s just only that until very recently, the ‘choices’ of that healing have always been so restricted, hidden & co-opted by the powers that be...and so few, either doctors or the church. Without much Heart. No longer ! Every good approach world-wide is now available to you ! It’s from that 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 ~ in true ‘goodness’. Faith in ourselves simply as Human Beings restored. And it can be that ’Spiritual’ AND yet totally Non-Religious . . . A Recovery into Re-discovery – When it's Your Re-discovery. Your 'Insights' that Re-surface and become gradually integrated into you. They're Yours. Not your therapists. Exclusively Yours – simply because it is You having the experience of that insight. Trusting precious Insights. Then it's a matter of responsibly keeping them. A lot of personal 'inner-work' practiced at home & job, as well as in counseling office-visits - is keeping yourself continually reminded of those 'Insights' & keeping them present. Keeping 'Insights' alive, well oiled and fully operational. To your Benefit ! _______________________________________ ________________________________________ . You may want to hi-lite, copy, paste and send the quote below to people you know… some of the wisest guidance you’ll ever read, and put to your own personal use or offer to others. ________________________________________ 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, 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 gradually, without even noticing it, live along some day into the true Answer. Your answer.” ~ Rainer Rilke’s “Letters to a Young Poet” Paris 1908 ________________________________________ _______________________________________ ______________________________________ . ♦ Buddhist-based Wisdom Therapy .....offers highly effective, .......compassionate 'Alternative Approaches' .........to Relating with Your 'Self' ...........and All Other Living Beings . . . . . Posted by Akasa Levi at 6:55 PM Labels: ( 4 ) ABOUT YOU • • • RE-DISCOVERING and REFINING Your 'SELF' HOW LONG Does Therapy Take ? • How Many Visits ? ________________________________________ ______________________________________ . . How .L o n g Does 'Therapy' Take ? There are a lot of factors involved. . . . Hidden in these 'vague' quotes are some responses to this Question: Therapy takes time & takes work. ___________________________ 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. ............................................ . . When the way comes to an end, then change - having changed, you can then pass through."....~ The Tao ~ the struggle of living through things ~ -------------------------------------- When wiggling through a hole - the 'difficult' world looks different - than when scrubbed clean by the wiggle and looking back. ~ Mark Nepo I love you, gentlest of Ways – you who ripened us ... as we wrestled with you... ~ Rilke on Buddhism (Paris 1908) Individual people stumble over pebbles, never over mountains. .. ~ Emilie Cady . . T I M E . . • How Many Visits ? . . .. How Long Does ....'Therapy' Take ? ......This is a huge ........indefinable ..........indefinite ...........question ! ............ It takes .............T I M E . . You've gotta plan on giving it some open-ended time – Honestly: We really don't know - it's really case by case Inner-Healing of any kind takes its own time – person by person, situation by situation. Certainly one session is not enough to be effective & lasting – except as an introduction for the client & counselor to simply check each other out. AND for the client to 'confirm' for themself - that they are hopefully doing something good by the active decision to seek counseling. In a preliminary session - maybe we can observe a basic 'diagnosis'. Maybe. Maybe we can inform you in a few first sessions what we may be looking at as to how "a therapy" might develop, maybe we could refer you somewhere that could work in a better balance with your particular needs and/or finances. Maybe. Please plan on at least a few more 'beginning' sessions to see if even a common ground of open communication exists – and might grow between you and your counselor. You gotta' give 'it' a chance. What else can we say?... That's why we offer a FREE phone consultation - First - before coming in here for the first time. Inner-Healing MUST be a very, very 'Human' thing. A 'therapist' is a special new 'human' in your life. Beginning 'therapy' is sort of a professional Blind-Date. Do you two even 'like' each other ? So go easy on the immediate impulse to judge or evaluate these first few sessions – give a fresh new experience a fresh chance. Therapy takes time & takes work. We're also looking at how or how not have you spent money on yourself before ? And, please, do not expect only a few sessions to be sufficient: 'Self-healing' your difficult issues and wounded feelings that took your whole life-time to develop - will certainly take some time to turn around. There are NO silver bullets, no magic pills or divine interventions. No fantasies. There IS a lot of 'resistance'. Of course there is, that's how you survived so far . . . You & your counselor are going to have to work & talk very intimately – and be openly truthful, trusting & honest. Change takes willing work & time... and responsibility. And at times you will experience painful moments, even days - and even 'scrape bottom' where hopelessness lies... be brave. After a short time actually - you might begin to progress towards a healthy noticeable 'shift' in your very own 'experience' of yourself. It's gonna take some TIME. ... small victories & baby-steps give authentic, realistic motivation & momentum to the journey. " While one person hesitates because they 'feel' inferior & 'think' insecure thoughts – The other is just busy making mistakes aplenty and becoming quite superior."....~ The Tao ________________________________________________________ .. . "There is now a rapidly growing number of uncharted, bright American people who basically need a whole other level, a much higher level, an intelligent, deeper level of Inner-Unfolding of Spirit" The Cultural Creatives by P. Ray & S. Anderson. – and we wish to assist you as you bring yourself to this new level of a natural, highly conscious, sensitive awareness – and fearless unfolding... below the surface of American culture, a slow, new, American indigenous 'revolutionary' movement is emerging. . • You may be a very 'individual' or 'introverted' or 'introspective' person - all very good things. Simply, you do turn naturally 'inward' – some turn naturally 'outward', you turn naturally 'inward'. Maybe you're creative or spiritually-oriented. Yet you're struggling to get everyday ‘worldly’ problems and emotional issues handled realistically and with a sort of 'sacred integrity' as well – yet without you having to commit to any out-dated or un-relatable therapies or 'religious paths' whatsoever. On the other hand, the usual Western styles of therapy or self-help 'programs' or personal growth seminars can sound quite 'scripted' - not like You at all. The spirituality of contemporary Buddhism is so flexibly open and universal ( & agnostic ) - that it can always be expressed in your own way. To start, it's all about you. • So you probably need a 'Non-traditional Therapist' who is them-self “non-mainstream” minded: a counselor who genuinely understands what it is to be 'Unconventional' – empathically understanding what is an 'uncommon' lifestyle - or a life in the arts or intellect – and truly "gets" it about special people who are quite different, unique or gifted, unusual or non-ordinary – but quite unhappy. "But therapy is not a one-shot deal. There are no 'miracles'. No silver bullets. It'll take months of consciously applied inner-practice-Work. Like doing the Gym. You've gotta' accept that you yourself are the front end of the best of miracles ... ... your Life." • At Spiritual Adulthood Counseling we offer NO 'religious' preaching or dogma - nothing to blindly "believe" in. We just ain't got No easy answers . . . . Just the natural emergence of your own individual True 'Knowing’ & personal excellence ! It's taken you a long time to become your very own "Bodhisattva" - a sort of "Buddha-in-the-making". There you are Becoming Happy as the True You. • We mentor you in your very own inner-discovery of a very 'natural unfolding' – a calm, true unshakable balance of boundless wisdom & joy. And finding your own innate good humor. Liberating a new sense of caring & connectedness with yourself, other people and the universe around you. Discover and unfold a rich, enhanced, expanded inner- acceptance and outer-effectiveness. But it's not a one-shot deal. It'll take Work. • ‘True’ Happiness – reasonably independent of the unavoidable effects of ‘everyday’ life-circumstances and conditions. Yet, totally independent of the "Self"-created 'Stories' & 'Drama' you habitually hurt yourself with. Find really 'true inner-freedom' as they've spoken about in ancient Asian teachings for many millennia ! • At 'The Spiritual Adulthood Counseling Project' we offer a uniquely combined East/West counseling: an innovative, wholistic, Eastern/Asian influenced 'spiritual variation' of the mind-therapies, clearly based in the grounded, pragmatic, practical, highly rational Buddhist psychology teachings. Created for intelligent and sensitive people - intellectual, gifted or creative people - odd, wonderfully uncommon people… "You began as a creation. Now become a Creator. Never, never wait at a barrier." ~ Rumi "Our 'constant inquiry' is our passion – and our passion itself is our daily task. 'Inquiry' is our passion. From there – the rest is the marvelous madness of art." ~ Henry James, "The Middle Years" _________________________________________ ________________________________________ . . ♦ Buddhist-based Wisdom Therapy .....offers highly effective, .......compassionate 'Alternative Approaches' .........to Relating with Your 'Self' ...........and All Other Living Beings . . ____________________________________________ . . . Posted by Akasa Levi at 6:53 PM Labels: ( 5 ) HOW LONG Does Therapy Take ? • How Many Visits ? WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2008 Expanded Bio: AKASA LEVI, (DhMA) (D.Min) - our counseling therapist, facilitator, friend ______________________________ _______________________________ ________________________________ . . Expanded Bio: AKASA LEVI (DhMA) (D.Min) - our counseling therapist/facilitator/mentor/friend "This well seasoned, friendly old ‘tribal elder’ and funny 'witch-doctor' just loves being referred to as a 'Shrink'. When you're looking for a 'shrink' – long experience and sweetening that can come with age is a definite plus plus thing." ~ J.K. . _______________________________________ ________________________________________ _________________________________________ , . ♦ Akasa-Maitreya Levi, DhMA ( D.Min ) ~ SUNY Harpur College & Binghamton University - New York. An ex-pat American of the Sixty's Counter-Culture generation that went to live in Asia for the full decade of the 1970's to be with the last living spiritual teachers of the pre-global era. Akasa Levi is now 68. Arriving in India over-land in 1972 as a filmmaker & student of the Gurdjieff 'Work' - he became a Vajrayana initiate of Lama Thubten Yeshe and Thubten Zopa Rinpoche at Kopan, Nepal & Dharamsala, India ( the Gelugpa monk founders of Wisdom Publications in Boston ) " The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery " Later, Akasa was a personal pupil of both Subhuti Shibuya Zen-Sensei and Sri Anagarika Munindra, the renown Bengali Vipassana Mindfulness teacher, both in the remote little holy village of Bodhgaya, India – sort of the historical Jerusalem to Buddhists, where the famed sacred Bodhi Tree stands that the Buddha sat under ( 528 BC ). Akasa was an early Vipassana Insight student of SN Goenka when he gave all the teachings in person. "Don't believe your own mind" Goenka-ji so firmly said. He became an ordained 'Bhikkhu' Vipassana forest sadhu-monk for 6 years in cotton robes in Sri Lanka - trained and ordained into the Theravada Monastic Order by the revered Venerable Balangoda Ananda Maitreya, the late Maha Nayake Thera of the Amarapura Nikaya Lineage. He came August 24, 1896 ~ he went July 18, 1998, at 102 years of age. Whew! ------------------------------------------------------------ Akasa's major scholastic influences came thru his mentor Venerable Ananda Maitreya & Nilambe's Acharya Godwin Samararatne; and The Buddhist Publication Society's late Nyanaponika Mahathera and Bhante Piyadassi Mahathera; & especially thru the controversial teacher Henri Van Zeyst - all in upcountry, Kandy, Sri Lanka. Later, he was Western teacher-in-residence at the forest-yogi Bhante Polpitiya Kassapa's Rockhill Hermitage. Akasa practiced Non-Duality Advaita in satsang with the wonderfully notorious Bede Baba, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj in Bombay ( there are some books on his teachings "I AM THAT" ) – Maharaj certainly was THAT! And of course, there was Shibuya-San and Munindraji nearby, keeping Akasa on a daily dosage of their gracious tutoring. "Everything we've ever, ever learned - we've learned somehow from somebody else." After returning to the USA in 1980, to be with Zen-master Thich Tien-An at The University of Oriental Studies and The International Buddhist Meditation Center in LA's Koreatown. Akasa then developed an enduring friendship with pioneering woman movement & mindfulness teacher Madharma Ruth Denison at her Dhamma-Dena Vipassana Retreat Center in Joshua Tree, California. For years, The Laughing Buddha Sangha's monastic-affiliation has been with The Dharma Vijaya Buddhist Vihara ( Sri Lanka Temple & Monastery in Los Angeles ) and it's Abbot, The Sangha- Nayake 'Bhante' Walpola Piyananda. Akasa Levi is now a Bodhi-Acharya 'lineage-holder' of the Theravada teaching-transmission. As a Dharma 'mentor' he is simply 'available' - serving as a Kalyana Mitta: a guiding 'spiritual-friend' to Dharma students. No gurus here. ------------------------------------------------------------ Akasa Levi studied Western psycho-dynamic analytic theory and it's applied therapy at UCLA Westwood. He offers an actively facilitated Buddhist-based individual therapy and relationship counseling as a possibly effective spiritual 'complementary medicine' or as a mindfulness based 'alternative' to the standard secular, non-spiritual-based Western therapies – for women, men, couples & marriages. But - there are no promises, no guarantees – each individual situation is different and effectiveness may vary widely. Akasa's therapy practice is in Santa Monica California. ------------------------------------------------------------ After a strenuous early life on the road, Akasa is now quite travel-saturated, and rarely teaches outside California. This ole' tribal sage is simply content to grow exotic plants in his garden and 'work' with people close to home. Akasa is known for his spontaneity and wry, unpredictable humor in his approach to the Buddha’s valuable teachings. Testimonial: Buddhist teacher Jack Kornfield refers to Akasa as ‘The Old Rogue’ – which is an archetype form of The Angelic Troublemaker Trickster. ------------------------------------------------------------ . To Quiet the 'Self' ~ there are MEDITATION Classes through The Laughing Buddha Sangha – where Akasa teaches a 'non-religious' style of Insight Meditation, a Non-Duality 'Inquiry Into Self' Practice, and advanced Dharma Theory Study Classes – and guides the all male ZEN MEN's Growth Groups thru The L.A. Medicine Men’s Lodge he co-founded with attorney Ron Hoffman. • "Good Men Becoming Even Better Men" • "Every Guy Could Use Being in a Men's Group ....at some time in his life". Men's groups Work ! ____________________________________ . . "Our 'Life-Fears' are educated into us – and can be educated out." ~ Karl Menninger One of a Buddhist Teacher's Primary Purposes is to responsibly, intentionally pass along what they know to another generation of Dharma-students – possibly even encouraging future teachers. It keeps the Buddha's brilliant teachings alive & fresh through application – so crucially important in this indifferent world of so rapidly ‘vanishing traditions’ of live, hands-on, ethnic or native indigenous, cultural, healing and spiritual compassion & wisdom 'knowledges'. Fortunately, there are now accredited institutions that offer exemplary training. Ask ! Teacher-succession, along-side with scholarship, is key to the preservation of All the world's Great Teachings. ------------------------------------------------------------ . "The yin and yang of life is that we grow wiser as we get older. We have less & less time to use that wisdom to enrich our own lives – so we pass it along to others, enriching the world in the process." ~ The Tao Please be courageous enough to inquire about ‘teaching-assistant’ training here or elsewhere. We will gladly help you carry or pass the torch. . "In the end we will conserve only what we love – We will love only what we understand – And we will understand only what we have been taught." ~ Baba Dioum, African ecologist . ________________________________________ . . "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." ~ Andy McIntyre's bumper sticker “No 'failure' – we are all learning. The real failure is giving up learning.” ~ Shi'an "The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows." ~ Sydney J. Harris "Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of that candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared." ~ The Buddha "And if we do act - in however small a way ... We don't have to wait for some Grand Utopian Future. The 'future' is an infinite succession of 'presents'. And to live now as we think human beings should live, In defiance of all that is bad around us, Is itself a marvelous victory in itself !" ~ Howard Zinn - ‘The Optimism of Uncertainty’ “The real accomplishment in life – is the Art of Being a ‘Spiritual Warrior’. A ‘spiritual warrior’ is the only way to balance the terror of being Human with the wonder of being Human.” ~ Carlos Castaneda _______________________________________ . Akasa always gives a FREELY offered Phone Consultation – Let's find out a bit more about what's going on with you. No obligation! – or to arrange & set up an actual interview. • 310-450-2268 ~ Please Use The PHONE – as there is NOT much else we can tell you by your asking your questions by email. . . “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase – just take the first step.” ~ Martin Luther King ______________________________________ _____________________________________ ____________________________________ Posted by Akasa Levi at 1:55 AM Labels: ( D ) AKASA LEVI ~ Expanded Bio TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2008 ABOUT US • • • WHO WE ARE & HOW WE THINK About You & Therapy • • • Our Philosophy & Our Professional Disclaimer _________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ "The Spiritual Adulthood Project" ♦ ABOUT WHO WE ARE & HOW WE THINK: ♦ Our Philosophy & Our Professional Disclaimer… Who We Are In Our Hearts & In Our Heads as a ‘Spiritual-Based’ Counseling Service . . • Akasa Levi, DhMA (D.Min) is supervision & spiritual director ~ 310-450-2268 . . "The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT" is a Buddhist-based Psycho/Spiritual-oriented Counseling and Therapy approach. The world renown and respected ancient tradition of taking Buddhist Wisdom-counsel is a path of cultivating a transcendent ‘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 based on undistorted, clear comprehension - which leads you truly home to an authentic peace deep within ourselves - which we can then extend out to our family, friends and the world. Learning & using 2500 year-old tested self-development approaches & techniques towards a sweet, savvy, wholesome, peaceful, joy-filled mind. Traditional Buddhism is absolutely NOT a ‘religious path’ – – but more of an experiential, practical, pragmatic, highly intelligent ‘Humanism’ - there are NO gods and NO worship or NO religious superstitions involved in anything we offer in any way whatsoever. You're Not asked to 'believe' anything. Just discovering & uncovering the essence of a sane, wise, peaceful, pure spirit that is YOU. The Real You. . . “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 . _______________________________________________________ When the way comes to an end, then change – having changed, you then pass through.” ~ I Ching _______________________________________________________ . . there's no One way . . . As a modern ‘Spiritual-Based’ Counseling Service we are truly ‘non-denominational’ & ‘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 useful ‘label’ put on you, borrowed from the outside. "What you 'Are' has no name, simply as the breeze doesn't either." Simply the working-convenience of a 'name' - that's all. Actually, a Universal 'spiritual' philosophy is by far the easiest of all to comprehend on any level of understanding :: We recognize The ONE Web of Existence, where Life is not separated from Consciousness - and it has different ‘Names’ in many different world cultures. All are names for the Infinite. The ONE Conscious Web ‘Itself’, really has NO name at all. Remarkably, ALL cultures on the planet call it ‘The One’ ( 1.) So let’s just call it “EVERYTHING”. All of ‘Creation’ itself. ‘Creator’ & ‘Creation’ is all the same thing, the same Infinite One Wholeness. AND simply leave it at that. One is One. Easy ! And there is nothing outside of it. Outside of 'What' ? It’s All ONE. So, love it All. Respect, protect & conserve it we must, honor & worship it only if you wish, do enjoy it. We ‘try’ to love it All. Mostly at times, piece by piece in peace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ”Actually, there is no such thing ...as a strictly ’secular’ therapy – or a therapy that is ‘non-spiritual’ ~ that’s where the standard thinking on Mental Health is quite naïve. EVERY ‘therapy’ is 'Spiritual' if it deals with human beings & matters of the heart and emotions and feelings. Buddhist approaches in particular, are ’spiritual’ YET non-religious. The historical Buddha was a Humanist and a Pragmatist. There’s a freedom of intelligence and a spacious openness in that - it makes a big difference.” ~ Abraham Maslow (1947) • We particularly use the ‘Buddhist brand-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 compassionate mind-healing techniques available so far - so far as we’ve come across. So we use them. • At "SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD” we do take in a much broader mental-scope than most non-spiritual-based Western therapies actively employ. We encourage the cultivation of a very “Contemporary Spirit” for the difficult modern society we live in. Educating the Spirit also, gives you the client, as well as the therapist, a much richer, wider resource-base to work with. • We recognize that ALL caring, highly concerned human interaction that has the ‘wholesome intent’ of assisting the healing, harmony and inner-growth of each other’s ’soul-self’ or ‘being’ - is “Therapy”. A good-hearted and well trained mental health practitioner, educated in their craft can help even more. • Therapia: in the ancient Greek simply means ‘To Heal’ “Therapy” settings may be medical or clinical licensed - or certainly just as well - appropriate to the situation - a solid meaningful 'mentoring' relationship that may exist between you and a minister or rabbi, a meditation teacher, a yoga teacher, a martial arts trainer, a skilled body-worker or a movement teacher - a teacher of any kind - a life-coach, a 12 step sponsor or group, a spiritual setting, a women's or a men's group, a workshop on clarity - all depending on the evaluated person’s need - and mostly their (hopefully) well informed choice. Two people working on one of them. • Please do not resist your reaching out to reach deeper in. A Good Life itself is an ongoing Good Therapy. ____________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ Our PROFESSIONAL DISCLAIMER ~ Information a Potential Client really should know . . . . . ♦ BUDDHIST-based THERAPY, RELATIONSHIP COUNSELING and LIFE COACHING Buddhist Therapy is like really good coffee or fresh bread – Europe has really never not had baguettes for hundreds of years – it's the daily fare... yet Americans only for the last couple of decades or so. Cafe-latte or whole grain bread is still a specialty item. Bleached flours, oils, preservatives, processed foods – and a remarkably caffined & sugared-out population still seems to rule the day. . . addiction to stimulation. And so Asian-based Buddhist Therapy: a specialty item. Here in America we're just hearing & learning about it. Yes, it’s been done very effectively for 2500 years … At “The Spiritual Adulthood Counseling Project” we practice as ordained ‘Buddhist ministers’ and as ‘pastoral counselors’ – utilizing ancient techniques, an ‘alternative’ Buddhist spiritual-healing approach and through a new application of Mindfulness-based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy ( MCBT ). ___________________________________________ As a Potential Client, You SHOULD KNOW that: “The Spiritual Adulthood Counseling Project” & “Buddhist-based Therapy” is NOT a ‘California licensed clinical psychology’ provider: We do NOT practice as licensed MFT, MSW or PhD clinical psychologists – We are NOT licensed to & do NOT practice or provide any form of psychotherapy or psychiatry. We are a ’spiritual & educational’ collaborative of trained and ordained Buddhist spiritual-direction counselors & practitioners. And our approach seems work ! • This form of Spiritual-oriented Counseling-Therapy • Can be called many things • Psycho/Spiritual Therapy • Pastoral Counseling • Ministerial or Spiritual-Direction • Mindfulness Life-Coaching . __________________________________________________________ TALK TO SOMEONE . . . • You personally, may want to talk with someone who has training in BOTH worlds: the standard Western therapies AND a creative, pragmatic, wisdom-based Asian Spirituality. ( Some people using prescription psychological meds - and who are now considering an ‘alternative’ approach to the mind - may first wish to additionally consult their own medical doctor. We support the use of medication as well as 'meditation' in our counseling. Do not stop any meds without your medical doctor's advice.) Get some Good Quality Counseling Therapy – here, somewhere, anywhere warm & reliable. That may be just the place for you to start. _________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ Buddhist Therapy & Counseling Yes, it’s been done very effectively for 1000’s of years … _____________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Posted by Akasa Levi at 7:41 PM Labels: ( 7 ) ABOUT US • • • WHO WE ARE and HOW WE THINK About You and Therapy • • • • • • • • Our Philosophy and Our Professional Disclaimer ALL the DETAILS for 'INNER-WORK' Sessions by Appointment _________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ _______________________________________________ . . • “The SPIRITUAL ..ADULTHOOD PROJECT” • Santa Monica CA 90405 • USA • 310-450-2268 • Akasa Levi, DhMA . . ♦ Buddhist-based Wisdom Therapy .....offers highly effective, compassionate, .......yet realistic 'Alternative Approaches' .........to Relating with Your 'Self' ...........and All Other Living Beings . . Please Read ~ These ..VERY ..IMPORTANT ..DETAILS ~ and thanks • We offer a First-Time FREE phone consult for local or greater Los Angeles Area callers. We’d certainly need to talk first with you. On the Phone First. Please call us directly. We'll talk about making an appointment. 310-450-2268. Call Mon/Fri Noon-6pm. . It’s all about us, together, developing a sound ‘ground’ of genuine communication – to decide together if our particular Buddhist Therapy approach is even possibly for you . . . Hey, It's a Start. Let's simply just talk.... ____________________________________ ______________________________________ • We Counsel both Women & Men in INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE THERAPY sessions with a strong Buddhist-theoretical/practical base, as well as good Western contemporary 'relational' and CBT approaches to the mind & emotions. • RELATIONSHIP Counseling for Couples, Marriages and Family - all sorts of Communication Breakdowns. Inter-active Work: face to face, we get very personal, very Real. A ‘Tough-Love’ approach & often very directive. Upfront when appropriate - in clear, truthful, compassionate, effective sessions. • In-Office Visits. ALL counseling sessions are in person. We usually limit counseling sessions to Los Angeles people, mostly LOCAL AREA clients – Easier for you when Near To Us: 'Distance', time and gas these days is a huge challenge. • Yes - We DO have clients who airline 'Commute' into Los Angeles regularly/periodically from different parts of the country & choose to do their therapy here. • Yes - Later on you may move to our ‘group meditation' classes or confidential group 'sharing-sessions’ if you wish. • Yes - ‘Phone Counseling'-sessions are available later on, BUT only when necessary & for ‘established clients’ with us. • ONGOING REGULAR SCHEDULED SESSIONS are by a mutually-arranged fee & by set appointments only. ________________________________________________ . . About CHARGE$ ~ • FEE: We can offer only some NEGOTIABLE or Sliding-scale, Lower-fee Sessions for those who really do need it. We'll discuss this on the phone. No - We do not take insurance plans, medi-cal, etc. • We DO offer a much more generous in-office ..EXTENDED SESSION TIME than a traditional-practice usually would offer: ALL sessions with us are given much more than the 'standard therapy-hour' time of (:55 min ). We offer you usually about 1 hour+20 min (:80 min) to allow really more space to go really deep within as you need to - without feeling cut off or rushed. No hurry here, have some tea, take your shoes off ... ________________________________________________ • A FIRST-TIME INQUIRY by PHONE is always Best –— and much more immediate for us to respond directly to you 'live', directly to your issues & feelings - We want to listen to you. A First-Time phone consultation is totally FREE. Please No Emails ~ your Questions by emails back & forth really does not work well for you - or us. Phone Us directly. It’s a Free Phone Consultation ! We DO need to really talk. Mainly, to find out more about what's going on within you. • LOCAL PHONE TIMES: NOON to 6 PM - Monday/Friday is the best time to try n' reach us ::: 1-310-450-2268. If we are in Session, a Voice Mail will pick up: Please leave a very clearly-spoken phone number & name – we WILL get back to you. ASK US PLENTY of QUESTIONS to really feel out for yourself if “Spiritual Adulthood” therapy sessions might be for you — So Let’s Talk. NO obligations. ____________________________________________ ___________________________________________ BE COURAGEOUS ! ...some quotes ... As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world… As in being able to remake ourselves. Become the changes you want to see in the world. ~ Mahatma Gandhi Our ‘Life-Fears’ are educated into us – and can be educated out. ~ Karl Menninger My Dad used to say: "There is nothing wrong with fear - unless it's fear that controls you . . ." 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 people draw on a bank where they have no account. Please, START with the eminently ‘possible’. You can. ~ Oscar Wilde While one person hesitates because they think insecure thoughts and feel so inferior –— the other is just busy making mistakes aplenty and becoming quite superior. ~ The Tao __________________________________ _________________________________ ________________________________ Posted by Akasa Levi at 7:12 PM Labels: ( A ) ♦ ( A ) ♦ ( A ) ♦ ALL the DETAILS for 'INNER-WORK' Sessions by Appointment SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 2008 QUOTES & POETRY ~ The Gift of Wise Words ________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ” THE GREATEST RISK IS NOT TAKING ONE! ” . . . QUOTES & POETRY ~ The Gift of Wise Words . Optional Quotes you may wish to read These are some poetry-inspired ideas that 'Inform' us here at Spiritual Adulthood. . . “If you do not see Godliness 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 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. 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 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, paste and send the Rilke quote below to people you know… some of the wisest guidance you’ll ever read, and put to your own personal use or offer to others. ---------------------------------------------------------------- ♦ 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” Paris 1908 ________________________________________ ______________________________________ ____________________________________ "One easily-made, common mistake is to think that 'your' reality is THE reality. You must always be prepared to bravely leave your reality for a greater one." ~ Amaji Meera “Whatever the Question ~ Love and Kindness is the Answer!” ~ The Dalai Lama “La vraie generosite envers l'avenir consiste a tout donner au present.” “True generosity towards the future is to give everything to the present.” ~ Albert Camus . 'Darkness' - no matter how ominous and intimidating - Darkness is not a 'thing' or a 'force' – it is merely the absence of Light. Darkness is merely the absence or concealment of the Good. So 'Light' need not combat and overpower darkness in order to displace it. Simply, where Light is, darkness is not. A thimbleful of Light will therefore banish a roomful of darkness. One need not 'defeat' the 'Darkness' in the world – One need only bring to Light its potential for Goodness. ~ The Lubavitcher Rebbe . ~ Maimonides more than 800 years ago said: a single deed, a single word, even one single thought, has the power to TIP the scales and bring redemption to your world. no matter how dark the world may seem or feel ~ Light is just a single action away. . . "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other." ~ Mother Teresa "Wise, clear understanding is key to the dissolution of all ignorances -- Then be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." ~ The Dalai Lama “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<> You are free ! ~ Nisargadatta Maharaj . __________________________________________ ________________________________________ ______________________________________ Posted by Akasa Levi at 8:36 PM Labels: ( E ) QUOTES and POETRY ~ The Gift of Wise Words MONDAY, JULY 28, 2008 The "ALTERNATIVE" LIFE and "EMERGING" COMMUNITIES • LIFE-STYLE Trends & Transitions • LGBT • Color • Race • Group & Organizational Consulting ____________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ The 'ALTERNATIVE' .LIFE & 'EMERGING' COMMUNITIES • LIFE-STYLE Trends and Transitions • LGBTQ • Color • Race • New Religions • Old Time Religions • New 'Spiritual' Directions & East/West Religious Inter-face • Individual Personal Counseling • Group & Organizational Consulting "New Marketplaces of The Heart" ~ • Asian/American • Private, Group & Corporate Consulting • Local and Foreign _________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ • We offer bridge-building between diverse communities: people of all colors, religions, diverse cultures & ethnic origins and unique experiences. A pluralistic society brings so many awesome enrichments, as well as struggles of balance and new found respect … • We Counsel all manifestations of alternative and emerging life-styles: mixed social, racial or religious partnerings and marriages - and LGBTQ feelings & issues, and other gender impasses. It’s the 21st Century: It’s a wide open world out there now… . . “If you do not see Godliness in the very next person you meet, you need look no further.” ~ Gandhi ________________________________________________ . . Confidential Private Consulting in a rapidly evolving global world of change (organizational & group consulting is below this) --------------------------------------------- We Consult & Counsel all manifestations of 'alternative' and 'emerging' life-styles: All manifestations of alternative marketplaces: spiritual, religious, artistic, sexual, gender, health, and other newly "emerging life-styles". There are increasingly visible Counter-Culture social milieus and personal relationships that may be mixed racial, religious or same-gender gay partnerings or the often difficult adjustments of exploration of bi-curious, trans-gender, str8 still-exploring life-styles. And there's Punx. There is a natural, ongoing, organic 'social anarchy' in full progress. Inevitably it's happening ! And a modest 'marketplace' and media right along with it – despite all conservative resistances. The social 'market' moves forward tenaciously nonetheless. Don't fight the market trends. It's the 21st Century: It's a big, wide open, visible, post-global, pan-global, experimental, explorative world out there now. This also happens to be the core fear of the world-wide neo-con big reactionary 'fear' out there. Teheran, Beijing, Burma, Russia or Tibet. The grip of coercive power. Fear of "out with the old in with the new". Ideally, the now renown phrase "Unity In Diversity" –– The evolving, slow, gradual unity of a smooth "ONE Consciousness" - actually and simply means "Peace & Harmony Among ALL Consciousnesses". Isn't that what ALL religions speak of ? The All ONE that they all can agree on. Old good wine in new skins. Self-elective Change. At "The Spiritual Adulthood Project" we offer intelligent, rational and compassionate bridge-building between family members, people of all colors, communities, religions, diverse cultures and ethnic origins. A totally pluralistic diverse society brings so many fresh, awesome enrichments as well as valid struggles and uncharted transitions of complex balance & new found respect. ______________________________________________ organizational & group consulting . Specialized Consulting: while the numbers are still small. We are keenly observing the rapidly growing, increasingly 'conscious' emergence of new communities, and minority entrepreneurships • Asian/American spiritual-trends and breakaway religions • All manifestations of 'alternative' & 'emerging' life-styles • Each filled with a reach for 'true' inner-meaning and responsible creativity with money. CONSULTATION for Creatively-minded Organizations • Business • Religious • Institutional settings and ventures that are open-hearted to saying "Yes" to each others views. Open to 'Green' re-tooling, development & sustainability, and wide Diversity-tolerant. Supportive of exploring new outreach-missions pledged to a more pro-active Peace procedure. Encouraging the heart to use of The New Inner-Spirited Human Resource Resolution approaches and "Spirit In The Workplace" inner-development. Still fringe ~ all fairly outside-the-box stuff ! We do international 'expert' consulting focused on the American "Spiritual Mind-set". • the current, ongoing "Crisis In Faith & Trust" • "Throw-Away Archetypes" • the generational & cultural "Soul-Loss of Our Classic Mythologies" • "Technology, Obsolescence & No Solid Ground" . • "What's Amiss With The American Mind, Views & Culture?" • and the many current American Religious & Spiritual Trends ( a lot of them quite unconscious, un-self-identified, and often dreadfully naive ) within the contemporary American/Western cultural paradigm as a whole - all in the midst of our dangerous 'Matrix' ( because it is still only semi-conscious in nature – and therefore still vulnerable and easily 'hi-jackable ) Eastern and Asian 'religion-watchers' are interested in what is developing on US & European soil as well as on Asia's very own contemporary liquid & shifting ground. Big ongoing 'religious issues' out there . . . • As an expert consultant, Akasa Levi, DhMA - knows Asia & Asian/American Spiritual Trends and Religions. He has a clear, non-romantic, multiple-view: an American born Jew & a former ordained Buddhist monk ( 'Bhikkhu' ) that lived a full decade in Asia - he knows & understands the highly active and rapidly emerging East/West Spiritual Interface and Trends - and the various secular world- markets & communities they may inter-relate with & affect. ________________________________________________ . . Do you find some of this relevant to your thinking or feelings ? Thank you for reading this candid prospectus - it certainly is an open, and quite public posting that is addressed to what is still a quite small audience of those who might be sincerely the 'right people' engaged in the sort of 'projects' we like to join. It's usually worked very well this way before. We simply just begin to talk with you - and begin to envision. It would be up to you to skillfully assess and forecast for yourself - and consider with good heart, how you could possibly utilize with all beneficent integrity - what we find - towards your own visions & ventures. Let us talk together... ________________________________________________ .

The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT includes work of S.E.N.( Spiritual Emergency-Emergence Network ) created at Esalen Institute, Big Sur, California. We are an outreach-project of “The Laughing Buddha Sangha” in Santa Monica,California. 1-310-450-2268 We are delighted to be avowed & initiated Buddhists. We have a sense of humor. We are non-denominational & definitely non-religious. We are rationally 'spiritual'. We welcome all Journeyers of all Ways or even none. We welcome all. No strings. Freedom is Within . . . My Dad used to say: "There is nothing wrong with fear – unless it's fear that controls you . . ." _________________________________________ ______________________________________ ___________________________________ Posted by Akasa Levi at 6:10 PM Labels: ( B ) The "ALTERNATIVE" LIFE • "EMERGING" COMMUNITIES • LIFE-STYLE Trends and Transitions • LGBT • Color • Race • Personal Counseling • Group - Organizational Consulting FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 2007 CONTACT Info • LINKS and Blog ENDs _____________________________________________ _____ ^ _______________________________________ ....q(~!~)p ....("}-{") to CONTACT The Laughing Buddha Sangha .......INFO below . "What is accepted by the majority of people ~ ........does not mean it is Real." .~ The Buddha . Question Yourself • Question Authority • Question Reality ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ .

" There are NO Answers ~ try n' ... Love the 'Questions' themselves." ......~ Rainer Rilke "One easily-made, very common mistake is to think that 'your reality' is THE Reality. You must always be prepared to bravely leave your reality for a greater one." ~ Amaji "Kindness" is more important than 'Wisdom' - and the 'clear recognition' of this - IS the beginning of Wisdom." ~ Theodore Issac Rubin "Your task is not to 'seek' for Love - but merely to seek and find all the 'barriers' within yourself, that you have built against Love." ~ Rumi "When I see I am Nothing - that is Wisdom. When I see I am Everything - that is Love. And between these two, my life flows." ~ Nisargadatta "Love and Compassion are Necessities - Not Luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive." ~ The Dalai Lama " BEcome the changes you want to see in the world." ~ Gandhi

. ___^_________________________________________ q(~?~)p ...... The LAUGHING BUDDHA SANGHA Phone: 310 - 450 - 2268 email: AkasaLeviZZ@msn.com Please use the Phone - best times Noon to 6 pm - Mon/Fri _____________________________________________ -:¦:- VIPASSANA & ZEN MINDFULNESS .......Mondays 7:30-9:30pm MEDITATION Practice .......and DHARMA Study - guided by Akasa Levi .......Opening the "Iconoclastic-Mind" - .......Buddhism Without Any Beliefs ! ......."Outside~The~Box~Buddhism .......for a Maverick Spirited Inner-Quest" .......Web ~ http://www.zentrance.com/ .......BLOG ~ http://buddhistmeditationsantamonica.blogspot.com/ . -:¦:- The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD .....THERAPY & COUNSELING PROJECT .......Buddhist-based, more Alternative Approach .......to Relating with Your 'Self' & All Others ~ .......Individual One-On-One Therapy and .......Relationship Counseling for Couples, .......Marriages, Friendships & Workplace ......."Reaching Out to Reach Deep In" .......BLOG ~ http://buddhistcounselingtherapy.blogspot.com/ -:¦:- The ZEN MEN Inner-Growth Group ......."Every Guy Could Use Being in a Men's Group .......at some time in his life" Good Men becoming Better Men ! .......BLOG ~ http://zenmensgroup.blogspot.com/ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ . . About Authorships & Acknowledgement CREDIT is always due & always much appreciated! Of course, be welcome to reprint any material herein FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY – BUT please CREDIT ALL AUTHORS. Simply put the Author's Name - or if no name, then use our web e-dress www.zentrance.com at the end of your posting or reprint. Generosity of Appreciation is valuable to practice! Should you find any of this material here-in misquoted – or the author listed incorrectly – please really do let us know. It really helps! Thank You for being here ! 310-450-2268 Santa Monica CA 90405 AkasaLeviZZ@msn.com Photos of antique paintings & statuary are in public domain: sourced through http://www.fodian.net/world/imagesa.html ~or~ http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Buddha ~or~ http://buddhanet.net Photos of Akasa are by Brooklyn's Finest, Matt Schwartz Tech Support: Anya Mandel, Matthew Schwartz, Michael Sassiain, Natan Mallinger, Rebecca Diamond, Sharif. WISH LIST: We're lookin' to welcome another Volunteer 'Spirit' or a Tech-Angel Super-Hero onto the Meditation Crew who's a web-designer or web-master / or a blog mistress or meister with ideas –and that feels an odd-affinity for what we're about. You? ___________________________________ CONTACT: AKASA LEVI, DhMA ~ 310-450-2268 ~ AkasaLeviZZ@msn.com “The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT” • Santa Monica CA 90405 - USA Akasa Levi, DhMA (D.Min) admin. supervision & spiritual direction Please make personal inquiries by phone We practice as Buddhist ministers not licensed as MFT or PhD clinical psychologists. Privacy Policy: We are committed to protecting your privacy and will never share, rent or sell your personal information to third parties. Why should we? We want to keep you all for our selves ! To subscribe or unsubscribe from our emailings - send an email to :: AkasaLeviZZ@msn.com and put 'subscribe' or 'unsubscribe' ( or 'add' or 'remove' ) in the subject bar. _____________________________ _____________________________ "May All Beings Be Happy ! " _____________________________ _____________________________ . . . Posted by Akasa Levi at 3:05 AM Labels: ( F ) CONTACT Info • LINKS and Blog ENDs MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 2007 ABOUT YOU • • • Are You Having a ‘SPIRITUAL EMERGENCY’ ? or a ‘SPIRITUAL EMERGENCE’ ? ______________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ♦ This particular section may only apply to a relative fewer individuals that find themselves very 'spiritually' distressed - leave-taking and very stuck 'way out' there ~ and now by default, do have the remarkable opportunity to really truly find themselves, authentically, and be whole and at peace within . . . ______________________________________________ ________________________________________________ . . WHAT'S GOING ON WITH-IN YOU ? A ‘SPIRITUAL CRISIS’ ? A ‘SPIRITUAL EMERGENCY’ ? ~or~ A ‘SPIRITUAL . E M E R G E N C E ______________________________________________ ________________________________________________ “ BREAKDOWN Often PRECEDES BREAK-THROUGH “ ( uncomfortable as that may sound or seem ) Maybe some pieces & parts of what follows - is also what may be going on with you . . . . ____________________________________ A Question you may wish to Question. ARE YOU HAVING A ‘SPIRITUAL CRISIS’ ? A ‘SPIRITUAL EMERGENCY’ ? An emergency of your Spirit ? Or, are you having an authentic ‘SPIRITUAL - E M E R G E N C E’ ? A true 'Emerging' of your Higher Spirit ? these could be very different experiences . . . ♦ Are you having a true 'EXISTENTIAL CRISIS' of sorts ? A deep personal crisis of your very own 'Being-ness' ??? Or a Spiritual Break-through and an Inner-Emergence ? Which ? Are your values & views gradually or even radically changing ? Are you yearning to truly develop a genuine 'upgrade' to your consciousness ? Going towards the authentically 'Spiritual' - and not just some sort of delusive 'magical-thinking' fantasy ? Or a pre-packaged New Age kit with plenty of easy answers? HOW to Know ? – Are you feeling Helpless – Stuck ? – Powerless – Out of balance – Frustrated – Frightened ? – Loss of purpose ? – Confused ? – Emotional swings ? – Dead-ended ? – Mis-handling Difficult Life-changes ? – Getting Scared – What to do ? – Where to fit in ? – How to make it all work out ? There's a multitude of QUESTIONS that maybe you need to have a wise and compassionate Buddhist 'relating' about. Who with boots on the ground - and with authentic experience can I talk to, and really relate to about all of this ? 'Buddhism' is interesting in that it gladly stands aside and allows other 'religions' to go ahead of them. No hurry. It is a 'non-religion', in a way . . . ♦ Based in our own unique experiences, we offer counseling & therapy for people who are beginning to undergo what is really a 'higher process' of inner-change, where it merges with the dormant 'spiritual' part. This is a totally natural process ! ♦ You personally, may want to talk to someone who has fairly advanced training in BOTH worlds: The standard Western therapies AND a totally non-religious, wisdom-based Spirituality. Eventually, it's All about Spirit ! At "The Spiritual Adulthood Project" ~ We offer a uniquely 'combined counseling': an innovative, wholistic, new Eastern/Asian 'Spiritual Variation' of the mind therapies, based in the pragmatic, practical, highly rational, very 'sane' Buddhist psychology teachings – created for intelligent people - sensitive - intellectual - gifted or creative people - odd, wonderfully uncommon people Or maybe . . . • YOUR EVERYDAY ‘LIFE’ SEEMS TOGETHER BUT YOUR ‘SPIRITUAL PRACTICE’ ISN’T – IT’S WAY, WAY UNDER-DEVELOPED for who you are… An Under-Employed Spirit ... You’re way under-utilizing ! • Or maybe . . . YOU’VE GOTTEN TOO COMFORTABLE with a familiar, easy ONGOING ‘SPIRITUAL PRACTICE’ – and it's kinda' getting stale - and getting your Spirit stale. AND YOUR ‘LIFE’ STILL ISN’T TOGETHER – and your not ‘making it’ make it . . . Sometimes It Feels Like It’s Hard To Have Both. And again, you may need to talk to someone who has training in both worlds: East & West Or maybe . . . It's Isolation • DO YOU DO TOO MUCH 'SPIRITUAL SPECULATING' - and no frequent, true ‘connecting’ with others on the Path ? AND if intelligently, carefully & maturely chosen, a real face-to-face relationship with a ‘living' spiritual teacher or spiritual mentor or friend can be very, very rewarding. HOW to really choose well ? Get out of your isolation. Or maybe . . . • SO YOU ARE EVOLVING ‘SPIRITUALLY’ – But YOU’RE CURRENT THERAPIST JUST ISN’T ON YOUR TRACK – Just Not There With You . . . Doesn't seem to 'get' you anymore – sorry, but they're not ! Giving you a vague distant nod - or yes, words of 'support' to your deepening 'spiritual pursuits' - but can offer not much else of experienced guidance in that direction. Here too, you may need someone who has training in both worlds – psychology and spirituality. Or maybe . . . • YOU ARE DISAPPOINTED with New Age advisors or guru-type spiritual teachers or you've found cult-style groups you’ve checked-out, visited, explored or actually been with & left or 'exited' with some degree of heart-ache ? Fed up with the promises, pitfalls, ego-boosts & magical enticements of the multitude of Spiritual Supermarkets, Kabbala Water, Darshan/Diksha, Mantra Empowerments & Enlightenment Emporiums or to find yourself embedded with the Over-Serious Devoted Group of Humorless Co-Dependent students ? Got Spiritual Indigestion ? So, now what ? Time to Leave your attachment to your "Perpetual Entry Level of Spiritual Pursuits" ! What’s the next step UP in YOUR OWN Self-Development Process, your own 'Conscious Evolution' – What’s next ? Your Own individualized personalized spiritual growth-path ? Let’s sort it ALL out together ! _______________________________________________________ • WORSE CASE SENERIO: YOU'RE EXPERIENCING THE CRISIS or CONFUSION of LEAVING a SPIRITUAL GROUP, SPIRITUAL CENTER PROGRAM, a SPECIALLY EMPOWERED GURU, FAMOUS MASTER or TEACHER ? Do you have unresolved feelings, unusual or disturbing states of consciousness, or deep questionings around your ongoing spiritual growth process now ? What now ? At "The Spiritual Adulthood Project" ~ We offer experienced empathy, experienced assistance, wisdom-based careful explanations & understandings – And caring crisis-counseling for people to sort through and integrate a very wide range of feelings that may have arisen: exploring both the Dark and the Light side . . . – quite transformative in itself – emerging with a new sense of deep personally discovered clarity, compassion and wholesome well-being. As our dear friend Ram Dass once said… “Sincerely take the best of the teachings – and if necessary, leave the teacher!” _______________________________________________


Buddhist Counseling + "MINDFULNESS" MEDITATION - Changes Our Whole Relationship to 'Experience' Itself

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WHAT is THERAPY ? Two People Sit Down and Empathicaly Work On One of Them ---Together

It is all about
EXPLOR--
ATION
------------
"We shall not cease
from exploration
And the end of
all our exploring
will be to arrive
where we started
And know the place
for the very first time" ~ TS. Eliot 1927
-----------------

♦ MINDFULNESS
INSIGHT PRACTICE
Theravada Buddhist
Satipatthana Insight
Meditation Tradition
-------------------------------
Beginner's Instruction
Guided Meditations to
AWAKEN AWARENESS
♦ Mentored Dharma Study
- with a Senior Practitioner
-------------------------------

Cultivating
The Forgiving-mind

“Sure,
FORGIVENESS Hurts”
often RAW --Yet here's
Wise Forgiving Words
of Skillful Caring Words
reflecting The Dharma
-------------
Towards
FORGIVING the
Unconscious in "Him"
or "Her" or "Them"
or several Others,
or All of Humanity
_________________

"NON-ATTACHMENT"
The BUDDHIST IDEAL
Absence of 'Attachment'
is NOT necessarily
in any way whatsoever --
the absence of a profound,
profound Loving."
________________
Bhante Ananda Maitreya
Sri Lanka Sangha Nyake
__________________

" WHY ARE You
SO UNHAPPY ? "
...........................
Because 99.9 per cent
of Everything you think,
and of Everything you do,
is for yourSelf –-
and There Isn't One"

~ Wei Wu Wei ~
-------------------------

"FORGIVING ALL
OUR FATHERS" --
Buddha was No Patriarch
He was an Early Feminist
------------------------------

MINDFULNESS
is ” Mind-FULLY "
Living Your Mind
Fully Present --
in The Present
------------------

"FORGIVING
OUR FATHERS --
Who Didn't Forgive
His Father - Because
He Didn't Forgive
His Father - And
Who Didn't Forgive
His Father...
-------------------------

But- Did WE Have
'GOOD ENOUGH
FATHERING' ? ? ?
--------------------------

We've ALL had to have
biological Fathers, or
else we just wouldn't
be here: Question Is ?
Did we actually have
ONLY GOOD ENOUGH
PARENTING
FATHERING ?
-------------------------------------
ONLY JUST 'WHAT IS' --
GOOD ENOUGH - Accept
---------------------------------
ONLY"GOOD ENOUGH
FATHERING" --
"GOOD ENOUGH
MOTHERING" --
"GOOD ENOUGH
FAMILIES" --
"GOOD ENOUGH
MEDITATIONS ?"
"GOOD ENOUGH
ANYTHING"? --
But Not Great

Actually, 'Good Enough'
Can Be a Better Bet than
PERFECT -- Voltaire said:
"Do Not Make Perfection
the Enemy of The Good".
-------------------------------

How's About
JUST "GOOD ENOUGH
MEDITATIONS" - they
can be easy going, so give
u Judging-mind a break...

Silent Meditation offers
the very necessary deeper
"immersion-time
experiences" so often
missing in shorter
daily meditations..

You gradually build-in
a Consistent, Ongoing
"Working-Relationship"
with meditation practice
itself- becoming Friends

So you can strengthen,
cultivate and stabilize
an aware, sweet, street
wise, Dharma-informed
intellect, a peaceful
body-stillness, and
a compassionate,
calm equilibrium and
emotional renewal,
in a supportive space --

To continually Re-awaken
Yourself to being present:
"Present in THIS moment"
Be Silent - Allow a gentle
Inner Sanctuary of simple
sustained mindfulness
and deeper inner-inquiry.
-----------------------------------
Good Enough Forgiveness
Meditations CAN work for
us, our Fathers, our Family,
Mates can be Numberless -
with Self Compassion for
One's Self given necessary
Attentive support FIRST
-- For many of us this could
be the first, SANE, positive
beginning, and as ongoing
deep inner work - to give
ourselves adequate time
to practice Forgiveness
techniques on our own
at home....
-------------------
INSTRUCTION
( Start with 3 short sitting
of 5 min. - then go to a sit

of 15 min after short ones.
--then increase meditation
over time to 25 minutes.

Do 30 minutes for a Year !

Find a Basic Happiness

in Peace and Quiet )
---------------------------
Using Gentle Observation
approaches learned here,
will lead us confidently to
any Present Moment is

a Mindfulness Big Day,
whether or not we make
the trip Home -- actually
or just in memory.
----------------------

FORGIVENESS
has been around...
FORGIVENESS
is aged, sagely
and wise.

"Forgiveness is giving up
all hope for a better past.
There is no future
without forgiveness."
~ Desmond Tutu
-----------------------
"Forgiveness is Possible –
How we can start using
this timeless Forgiveness
practice to transform
emotional wounds into
an authentic healing,
a way out of our pain.
-----------------------------
As Compassion arises
More Naturally, we see
how Forgiveness can
be practiced as a 'Gift'
we give -not only to others,
but ultimately to ourselves.
-------------------------------
Forgiveness has the
Awesome Power to
ripen forces of purity
such as Love.
-----------------------
Forgiveness creates the
space for a Life-Renewal,
--- a life now free from
bondage to the past.
--------------------------
Forgiveness dissolves
separation, relieves us
of the twin burdens of
lacerating guilt and
perpetually unresolved
outrage or numbing...

It is not so easy to access
that hurt-place inside of us
that can truly forgive,
that can love again.

Remember, it is much
more difficult to forgive,
than NOT to forgive !

We are held prisoner
by the 'resentment',
the pain, the shame,
the anger, confusion,
doubt, overwhelming
sense of betrayal --
our present life just
cannot be fully lived.

Unwelcome Inheritances
we carry in from the past--
functions to close my heart
thereby narrows my world.
Yet 'Forgiveness' does not
mean condoning a harmful
action, or denying an
injustice done.

Forgiveness should never
be confused with being
passive toward violation
or abuse.
-----------------------------
"The CORE-intention
of true 'Forgiveness’
arises directly out of
the Greatest of Practices -
Compassion for Ourselves
– so that we can create
the spacious, wide open ,
contributing conditions
for an unobstructed love."
~ JackKornfield / Akasa Levi
---------------------------------

Forgive
and be free.
Forget that
you have forgiven --
and be even freer !

~ The Buddha
----------------------

A cultivatable ‘capacity’
for Forgiveness needs
to be available in order
for us to truly Love.
And there's certainly
an endless abundance
of authentic every-day
‘Practice Opportunities’
when ‘working’ on real
Forgiveness that Forgives
----------------------------------

"A Change of Heart
Changes Everything"

~Lucado
-----------------------

Tightly Holding

onto Resentment is

letting someone else
punish us.

-----------------------------

The “Act of Forgiveness”
is an act of
mercy to yourself !"

-------------------------

METTA ~
Metta Bhavana
The Relationship
Your Heart Longs For...
Already Exists within You !

---------------------

In the Stillness –
SPACE
for a rebellious spirit.
~ Noah Levine

---------------------------

Why are you so Unhappy ?
Because 99.9 per cent
of everything you think,
and of everything you do,
is for yourSelf –
and there isn't one.
~ Wei Wu Wei ~
----------------------

" Buddhist practice literally
has 'Nothing' to offer you –
other than WHAT IS HERE
in THIS very moment.
That’s all. 'Accompli'
God(s), Goddesses,
religion, entities
and the ego-self
can certainly
attract you with so,
so, so much more! "

~ Henri Van Zeyst
------------------------
----------------------

Remember ~
Whatever 'IT' is –
IT's just a “Thought”

-----------------------

Love exists only
in the True Friendship
Love is True Friendship
set on Fire !
~ Jeremy Taylor - 1657 ~
------------------------------

Wisdom-Dharma guides us
in the practical necessity
of creating our uniquely,
clearly spoken relationship
'The Language of Kindness
and Skillful Actions' arising
from a Compassionate ---
and yet - a Complete-view
of 'What Is' --and How to
do this in a warm, natural,
flexible yet uncontrived,
uncompromised way?
---------------------------

The Way You Do
One Thing --
is more than likely
The Way You Do
Everything !
------------------
How do we DO a Thing ?
"Do" Relationship in Life ?
-- with a Satisfied feeling of
Good integrity, while at the
same time do a Buddhist
Practice of cultivating an
Awakened Non-Attachment
---------------------------------

"NON-ATTACHMENT"
The BUDDHIST IDEAL
Absence of 'Attachment'
is NOT necessarily at all --
in any way whatsoever the

the absence of a profound,
profound Loving."

Bhante Ananda Maitreya
The Balangoda Sri Lanka
~----------------------------

"Mind-FULLY"
Mindfulness Meditation
is coming soon to a
Ready Mind near you !
------------------------------

The Most common
Attachment-Mistake
in creating one's own
personal suffering
is to take the
Impermanent
for Permanent."

~ Buddha
-------------------

Did I Know Yet,
At Any Time ---
That IT is ALL
Just a Made Up 'Story'
--- Made Up ---
in Someone's Herd
Just Like My Father
Told Me It Was --
When I was Seven 7.
--------------------------

Rilke's -- "LOVE THE QUESTIONS INSTEAD--. Dicken's "BEST of TIMES, WORST of TIMES"

♦ " 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 Own Answer )

Rainer Maria Rilke's
"Letters To a Young Poet"
~ Paris 1908

---------------------------

These Alarming UNCERTAIN TIMES---------------------------------Charles Dickens wrote in 1859 ~ "We Live in The Most Alarming of UNCERTAIN TIMES"------------------------------MINDFULNESS CANHAVE YOUR BACK-------------------------- • 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 HeavenWe Were All Going Direct The Other Way • In Short, That Period Was Just LikeThe Present Period. ------------------------------Sir Charles DickensA Tale of Two Cities a British novel (1859)----------------------------

♦ MINDFULNESS Meditation with Buddhist Insight, Changes Our Whole Relationship to "Reality" Itself

The Gift of Wiise Words - PONDER - CONTEMPLATE - QUESTION

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