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The Men's Center of Los Angeles
Beverly Hills/Woodland Hills
in Association with
Sacred Path Productions
Newsletter for January 2006
Voicemail: (818) 348-9302
Web Site: www.menscenterlosangeles.com
Contact: info@menscenterlosangeles.com
Our Mission:
"Bringing good men together and bringing out the best in
them"
Our Approach:
Helping develop a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment for
men by fostering vision, passion, authenticity and intimate connection
to self and others
Our Services:
Psychotherapy for individuals, families, and groups, as well as
our Sacred Path and Call to Adventure Retreats,
Workshops, Seminars, and Monthly Men's Gatherings
APRIL
RETREAT COMING UP FAST!
RESERVE YOUR
PLACE NOW!
IN THIS ISSUE:
A Message from the Director
Upcoming Events - Mark Your Calendar
- Ed Munter: Soul Journey January 28
- Sacred Ways Events
- Spring Retreat and Call to Adventure - April 20-23, 2006
- Ongoing Men's Groups
Munich: A Viewer's Reaction
Recommended Readings: My War
Albert Marrewa: A Story About Faith
Men's Teams
Important Web Links
CD's by Sacred Path Members Available
Sacred Path Alumni Yahoo Group
Contribute to the Newsletter
A Message from the Director - Dr. Stephen Johnson
 Sunday,
January 1, 2006
Seasons Greetings,
This morning I was enjoying one of my favorite rituals. I derive
great pleasure in soaking in my oversize tub and practicing
my breathwork while reading from one or more spiritually oriented
books. I sometimes put on music or Gregorian Chants or just
maintain silence to enhance the relaxing ambience that resonates
stillness. I light incense and candles to round out the sacred
nature of the atmosphere. I particularly appreciate the opportunity
to experience this spiritual practice when itÕs raining. The
view from the window of the rain falling on the pine trees is
spellbinding. If you havenÕt tried this lately, I highly recommend
it.
While I was reflecting on the year that has just closed out
and the New Year that stands before us I thought about the fact
that people tend to make resolutions at this time of the year
that they have every intention of keeping. And what we know
is that most of those resolutions will not be kept. Especially
the intentions to lose weight, stop some excessive indulgence,
start an exercise program, etc. The attempt to give something
up or to undertake something that seems like hard work requires
discipline and commitment. ItÕs typically easier to fall back
into our habit patterns.
Years ago, when I was studying Yoga with Swami Satchitananda,
I was impressed with his admonition to his Chelas (new initiates
or devotees of the practice). He would gently chide us to not
be impatient and to expect results to come faster than is reasonable.
He commented that many people think that they need to give up
addictive behaviors and get in shape to be able to do Yoga and
therefore put the practice off while they are preparing themselves
for this involvement. He said that that time never comes because
one will usually feel that they are still not in good enough
shape to commence the practice. He told us to get involved in
Yoga and let the practice prepare us. That which needs to fall
away will and that which we desire to have in our life will
come as a result of the practice itself.
IÕm reading Eckhart TolleÕs newest book, A New Earth: Awakening
to Your LifeÕs Purpose. This is a brilliant work. ItÕs not
just a rehash of his breakthrough book, The Power of Now.
This new book takes you further and deepens the understanding
of the concepts that he introduced in The Power of Now.
Eckhart states that, "Most peopleÕs lives are cluttered up with
things: material things, things to do, things to think about."
He goes on to say that, "This is the dimension of object consciousness
that is many peopleÕs predominant reality, and that is why their
lives are so out of balance. Object consciousness needs to be
balanced by space consciousness for sanity to return to our
planet and for humanity to fulfill its destiny." He indicates
that, "The arising of space consciousness is the next stage
in the evolution of humanity."
Stillness is another word for space. When we encounter stillness
it will connect us with the formless and timeless dimension
within ourselves, that which is beyond thought and ego. Being
aware of stillness is to be still. To be still is to be conscious
without thought and to be more inclined toward awareness from
a deeper place within your self. This awareness informs you
of what you need to know in order to become more of who you
are which is also who you are destined to be. When you are present
to yourself through the practice of stillness you develop a
presence that is expansive and serene. It is through meditation
that one most readily can experience this stillness. I recommend
that you pick up EckhartÕs new book and that you find time each
day to practice being still and meditative. If you can simply
resolve to do this daily practice, IÕm sure that the rest will
fall into place or out of your life.
My wife and I went to see the movie Brokeback Mountain
yesterday. Yes, there are those who refer to it as that "gay
cowboy movie." ItÕs not an easy movie to see and you may find
parts of it disturbing but it will, no doubt, touch your heart.
ItÕs a powerfully intense movie about longing and loneliness.
It is well acted and directed, and the cinematography is breathtaking.
This is a movie that many may avoid due to its content and yet
Ang Lee created a sensitive movie that captures the essence
of a challenging topic. There are many riveting movies out now
to be seen and I believe this is one of them.
We will be gearing up for the Spring Sacred Path retreat (April
20-23). This will be a Call to Adventure Rites of Passage retreat
for older and younger men (age 12 and up) and we have decided
to make the ropes course available to all who wish to participate.
We have a number of men who have already signed up and weÕll
be posting the registration information on the web site later
this month and getting it out in the mail by the end of the
month. As usual there will be plenty of opportunities to engage
your self in life transforming experiences. I hope that you
are planning to join us and bring friends and family members
to join you. ItÕs going to be a blast.
Finally, I wanted to thank all of the men on the Wisdom Council
who staff the retreats for their commitment and dedication to
the success of the MenÕs Center sponsored events and to their
selfless devotion to supporting the men and their families comprising
our Community.
Wishing you and your family a very Happy New Year. Go Trojans!
Stephen
Upcoming Events - Mark Your Calendar
Ed Munter:
Songs of the Soul and Soul Journey
Find the Love You've Been Looking For... Look Inside!
Can art save the world? A Christian, A Muslim, and a Jew
performing in a revolutionary new musical seem to believe
it just might be possible. In this critical time, when mankind
seems to be divided into warring factions and we seem to be
balanced on the brink of a Holy War, Soul Journey
presents a completely different perspective that is inspiring
and universally accessible. Soul Journey, currently playing
at the Earth & Sky Performing Arts Center, plays like
a funny and touching spiritual fable of the soul's adventure
through the human experience.
As an audience, we are led through a soul-discovery process
to the moment of enlightenment that opens up to a joyful celebration
of our commonality. This collective discovery cuts through
global politics, religious beliefs, doctrine, dogma, spiritual
rhetoric and current world conflicts to arrive at a deeper
connection within us all.
Join Ed Munter, Christo Pellani, and
Rashid Lanie in this revolutionary theatrical experience.
Saturday, December 31, 8 PM
Earth & Sky Performing Arts Center
5521 Grosvenor, Playa Vista
(310) 281-6601
405 to 90 freeway / Centinela exit /
left on Centinela to Jefferson / right on Jefferson
Tickets are $20.00 in advance, $25.00
at the door
Sacred Ways Events
for 2006
January 15 - Final registration for Vision Quest
January 22 - Mandatory Vision Quest meeting 12 noon, Ojai
February 4 - Mens/Boys Sweat Lodge, Ojai 2 PM
February 5 - Vision Quest/Community Sweat, Ojai 10 AM
February 17 through 22 - Connecticut - Yoga & Healing
sessions
March 4 - Mens/Boys Sweat lodge, Ojai 2 PM
March 5 - Women/Girls Vision Quest Lodge, Ojai 10 AM
March 31 through April 2 - East & West Retreat, Ojai Eco-sanctuary
April 1-2 Retreat, Ojai Eco-sanctuary
April 15 Mens/Boys Vision Quest Lodge, Ojai 2 PM
April 16 - Vision Quest/Community Lodge, Ojai 10 AM
April 20 through 23 - Sacred Path/Call to Adventure Retreat
May 10 through 14 - Vision Quest
May 20 - Sacred Ways 2nd Annual Fundraiser
June 9 through 11 - Retreat
June 21 - Summer Solstice Gathering, Ojai 7 PM
July 1 through 14 - Sundance, South Dakota
July 24 through 27 - New Hampshire, Connecticut
July 28 through 31 - New Milford, Connecticut
August 5 - Final registration for Fall Vision Quest
August 12 - Vision Quest meeting, 12 noon, Ojai
August 25 through 28 - Camping/Collecting Stone People, Mojave
Desert
September 9 - Mens/Boys Sunrise Lodge, Ojai, 6 AM
September 10 - Vision Quest/Community Sunrise Lodge, Ojai
6 AM
October 5 through 11 - Connecticut
October 19 through 22 - Retreat, Ojai Eco-sanctuary
October 28 - Mens/Boys Vision Quest Lodge, Ojai, 2 PM
October 29 - Womens/Girls Vision Quest Lodge, Ojai 10 AM
November 4 - Community Lodge, Ojai 12 noon
November 15 through 19 - Vision Quest
December 2 - Wopila Lodge, Ojai 12 noon
December 3 - Wopila Lodge, Ojai 10 AM
December 28 through January 1 - New Years Retreat, Ojai Eco-sanctuary
For more information, contact: www.sacred-ways.org
Spring Retreat
and Call to Adventure - April 20-23, 2006
As you all know, springtime has brought with it the opportunity
to hold combined Sacred Path and Call to Adventure/Rites of
Passage Retreats. This spring, all men and youth will be invited
to participate in the Call to Adventure events, such as the
ropes course. We anticipate that a community of 120 participants
comprising 100 men and youth as well as a staff of 20 will
be on the Mountain for this Retreat. There will be ample opportunity
for men wishing to share Sacred Space with other men to be
able to speak safely from the depths of their souls. We will
provide an array of optional experiences for all. Since many
of the men from the Fall Retreat have spoken about bringing
several new men and youth to the Spring Retreat, we expect
it to sell out early. We will begin the website and mail-out
promotion later this month. So, to make sure you have a space
reserved, you might consider contacting us in advance so that
we can hold a space for you.
Weekly Men's Groups
are available in Woodland Hills and Beverly Hills. Please call
for information.
Munich - A Viewer's Reaction
My wife and I went to see Stephen Spielberg's new film, Munich,
at 10 AM on Christmas Day. We were surprised at the number
of people in the audience at that unlikely hour, but we suspected
that they felt as impassioned and outraged as we did about
the massacre of Israeli athletes by eight Palestinian terrorists.
I remember watching the event live as it unfolded. Jim McKay
of ABC News, haggard and unshaven after hours on camera, reported
the atrocity minute by minute until the final horrific moment
when the terrorists, ambushed at the Munich airport by German
forces, killed all 11 Israelis.
We left the theater totally stunned by what we saw, and remained
in that state for two days.
The movie deals with the plans by the Israeli Mossad,
the Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations, to
assassinate 11 Arabs who planned the Munich terror attack.
Although the film is not exactly historically accurate (it
has been criticized by both Israelis and Arabs alike), it
is a wonderful character study of the five Israeli agents
and how they react to the killing of their enemies and gradually
becoming targets themselves.
It is a bloody movie, not in the sense of slasher films,
but in a way that lets us, the audience, share in the psychic
disgust of taking a life, and caring about the people whose
lives are cut short. The victims are seen as people trying
to go about their normal lives, sitting at home with their
cats, buying groceries, listening to their daughters practicing
piano. The Israeli agents are also normal people at first:
a happily married man expecting his first child, a toymaker,
a kitchenware salesman, a philosopher. But soon the task they
are undertaking begins to affect them - the team leader becomes
deadened to the killing, the bomb maker becomes sickened,
the philosopher questions the rightness of what he is doing.
What we witnessed and what stunned us is being party to the
process that turns the Israeli agents into the very creatures
they detest, killing for vengeance that only goads the other
side into doing the same in a never-ending spiral of prejudice,
hatred and murder. It's so easy for these people in the film,
just as it is for us, to wall ourselves off from recognizing
our enemies as people like we are, making it easier for us
to kill them and their families and walk away uncaring. Once
again, it's that old lizard-brain in each of us, fueling our
righteous anger and paranoia, making it perfectly all right
to be blind to another living being's history, hopes, dreams,
failures and accomplishments, eliminating him like a cockroach
that happens to get in our way. From the Crusades to Enron
to the Holocaust to government-sanctioned torture and killing
to fleecing of flood victims to racism, the hate, greed, and
perception of strangers as not us, and therefore less,
has led us over and over to genocide, indifference, and inhumanity,
tragically even in our own country. As long as we persist
in defining each other as one-dimensional targets to be denigrated,
manipulated and/or killed, we are dooming ourselves to repeat
the same destructive pattern again and again. It's tragically
funny how many times and in so many ways that Pogo's statement
rings true, "We have met the enemy and he is us".
Any man who wants to grow by recognizing what shadow force
is constantly alive in all of us must see this film.
– Rich Manners
This month, we continue a new feature
which will be a regular part of the newsletter. Sacred Path
members can send in their own reviews and recommendations of
personal favorites, whether they be novels, poetry, short stories,
or nonfiction dealing with men's work, essays, anecdotes, sources
of inspiration, etc. Each review could include a short blurb
on the author, or perhaps a short piece taken from the work.
Send your favorite reads to Rich Manners at:
jyngleman@sbcglobal.net
MY WAR
by
Andy Rooney
313 pages
“Infantrymen are no braver than anyone
else and they do what they have to do, which is often to be
killed, not so much because they’re ordered to but because
each man feels a sense of obligation to the man next to him.
It is for that man, not the officer or noncom ordering them,
that they go into the face of fire. I laugh, bitterly, when
I hear the phrase, ‘He gave his life for his country.’
No one gives his life. It is taken.”
- Andy Rooney, from My War
For those of you who enjoy Andy Rooney and are interested
in a unique perspective on the Second World War, this book
is a double treat. It is the moving memoir of Andy’s
experience as a correspondent during that war, along with
his rapid and often painful coming of age in the midst of
the fighting.
Andy’s life was forever changed by the war. He saw life
at the extremes of human experience, and makes that experience
real for all of us. He was present at and reported on many
decisive moments in the war; a B-17 bomb run over Germany
with the 306th Bomber Group of the 8th Air Force, the D-Day
invasion by 5,500 Allied ships, the retaking of Paris with
the French 2nd Armored Division, crossing the Rhine at Remagen
with the American 9th Armored Division, and the liberation
of the inmates of the Buchenwald death camp. His account recreates
his experiences vividly - some dramatic, some humorous, and
a few so gut-wrenchingly awful that he could not bring himself
to write about them until now. My War is also the story
of a writer learning the craft of journalism. It is moving,
suspenseful, and reflective, and Andy’s voice shines
through on every page.
– Rich Manners
Albert Marrewa; A Story About Faith
(The Buddha once told this story about faith.)
"A herd of cows arrives at the bank of
a wide stream. The mature ones see the stream and simply wade
across it. The Buddha likened them to fully enlightened beings
who have crossed the stream of ignorance and suffering. The
younger cows, less mature in their wisdom, stumble apprehensively
on the shore, but eventually they go forward and cross the stream.
Last come the calves, trembling with fear, some just learning
how to stand. But these vulnerable, tender calves also get to
the other side, the Buddha said. They cross the stream just
by following the lowing of their mothers. The calves trust their
mothers and, anticipating the safety of reunion, follow their
voices and cross the stream. That, the Buddha said, is the power
of faith to call us forward."
A new group will be forming in the Venice/Pacific Palisades
area. For more info on joining and meeting times, contact Nick
Rath at (310) 454-2965, or e-mail him at: nrath@adelphia.net
The West Hills Group is looking for a
few Good Men. For more informationon the time and location of
the next meeting, contact Mitch Cohen at (818) 343-0312, or
e-mail him at freehand@earthlink.net
The West Side Men's Group meets every first Thursday of the
month in addition to our required monthly gathering on the third
Thursday of the month.In January, the West Side Men's Gathering
will get together again on Thursday, January 5th as well as
Thursday, the 19th at Demian Lichtenstein's. For more information
or to join the group, call Mark Kreher at (310)581-6616 or e-mail
him at: mark.kreher@verizon.net.
You can also contact Demian at (310)901-5757 or e-mail him at
Lightfilms@aol.com,
and last but certainly not least, David Sacks at (323) 650-8239,
or e-mail him at: dasacks@yahoo.com,
The Thousand Oaks/Calabasas Men's Circle is currently at capacity
(8+ men), however, if you live near this geographic area and
have an interest in participating in a men's group, contact
Matthew at (818)774-1000, or e-mail him at: matthewburke@singerburke.com.
David "Stongbear" Myers is heading up a team in the
San Gabriel Valley. If you're interested in joining, talk to
Strongbear at (818)541-9499, or e-mail him at: dj0814myers@earthlink.net.
Lastly, a new group is forming in the Mountain View area of
Northern California. Check on e-mail with the LA Men's Center
for further info.
Important Web Links
SACRED WAYS, Andrew Soliz' organization dedicated to
promoting growth and healing through traditional Native American
teachings and ceremonies. To check on the latest events, ceremonies,
sweatlodges, and other information, log on to www.sacred-ways.org.
To contact Andrew directly, e-mail Andrew@sacred-ways.org.
ALBERT MARREWA, counselor, instructor of martial arts,
consultant, lecturer, and workshop facilitator. Access Albert's
web site at www.albertmarrewa.com
for biographical information, lists of services, and calendar
of events, or e-mail Albert directly at albertmarrewa@aol.com.
HIS SIDE, the weekly radio program on KTIE 940 AM hosted
by Glenn Sacks. Go to www.hisside.com
to find out about future programs, sign up for the weekly newsletter,
listen live via streaming audio at 5 PM every Sunday, and contact
Glenn directly.
MEN ALIVE, the web site hosted by Jed Diamond, psychologist,
author, and speaker. Jed spoke at our first monthly gathering
and again last November, outlining his new book, "The Irritable
Male Syndrome: Managing the 4 Key Causes of Male Depression
and Aggression". Go to: menalive-on@lists.mcn.org
to receive Jed's weekly newsletter online, and contact Jed directly
at: jed@menalive.com.
CHRISTO PELLANI, Sacred Path's Master Percussionist.
Stay current with events featuring Christo and his friends by
logging onto his web site: www.soundformation.com.
ED MUNTER, originator and star performer of Soul
Journey. Find out about the latest performances of this
soul-stirring experience, as well as CD ordering info and more
about Ed himself. Log onto www.innerpathproductions.org
INTERFAITH INVENTIONS, an organization dedicated to
enriching the lives of children and adults through programs
that promote respect and understanding between people of diverse
faiths. They are developing a national network of summer camps
to bring together Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Native
American, and other faiths' children to have fun and to form
lasting relationships. The camp experience includes developing
a relationship with the natural world around them; sharing family
stories, food customs, drumming and music; exploring shared
values of compassion, reconciliation and respect for others
through sacred texts and stories from their traditions as well
as art projects, games, camp fires, and informal play time.
The summer program includes following up activities to help
forge lasting relationships between the children and their communities.
For more info on this highly worthwhile organization, contact
Phil Dichter, President of Interfaith Inventions, at: www.interfaithinventions.org
CD's by Sacred Path Members Available
You can purchase the excellent CD's by Sacred Path brothers
Ed Munter and Tommy Holmes, and Albert Marrewa.
Ed's CD's, Tracking Down the Soul and Soul Journey,
are available at www.innerpathproductions.org
Tommy's self-titled album can be ordered from www.TommyHolmes.com.
Albert's Relaxing Into Now is available at www.albertmarrewa.com
In addition, talks by the Director of the L.A. Men's Center,
Dr. Stephen Johnson, are available on the LA Men's Center website,
as well as 4 CD sets of past retreats.Go to
www.menscenterlosangeles.com
Sacred Path Alumni Yahoo Group
What does Sacred Path do to support men after they have completed
their retreats? The Sacred Path Alumni Discussion Group is one
answer to that query. It provides a means for our community
of men to have ongoing e-mail contact and discussions with their
fellow Sacred Path Retreat graduates. Membership is restricted
to graduates of a Sacred Path retreat. The simplest way to sign
up is to send an e-mail (its content is irrelevant) to: Sacred_Path_Alumni-subscribe@Yahoo.groups.com.
You can also join from the Sacred Path Alumni's home page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sacredpathalumni.
Once you have become a member of the discussion group, you
can begin using our Sacred Path Alumni Yahoo Group immediately.
Members are able to use any or all of the following features:
- Post a message
- Create group polls
- Invite others to join
- Share files and photos
- Create group calendars
- View the archives (past postings)
When you join the group, please remember to use only lower-case
letters and numbers in choosing your group ID name. Yahoo doesn't
recognize capital letters!
Contribute to the Newsletter
Does your creativity need an outlet? Here's a chance for your
unique words to appear on the printed page (or at least a computer
screen)! Send us an article, an anecdote, a poem, a joke; whatever
tickles your fancy. Please address your e-mails to Rich Manners
at: jyngleman@sbcglobal.net.
Bribes will be cheerfully accepted!
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