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The Men's Center of Los Angeles
Beverly Hills/Woodland Hills
in Association with
Sacred Path Productions
Newsletter for May 2005
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
IN THIS ISSUE:
A Message from the Director
Upcoming Events - Mark Your Calendar
- Ed Munter: Soul Journey
- Larry Starr-Karlin: A Dream Workshop
- Fred Sugerman: Medicine Dance – Healing the Healer
- Albert Marrewa: Martial Arts Workshop – Bo
Staff Level 1
- Dan Franklin and Albert Marrewa: Beyond Self-Improvement
– Opening to Our Authentic Nature
- Fall Retreat October 20-23, 2005
- Ongoing Men's Groups
Rich Manners: A Review of the Spring 2005 Retreat
SEAL WITH A KISS - A Review
Men's Teams
Important Web Links
Sacred Path Alumni Yahoo Group
Contribute to the Newsletter
A Message from the Director - Dr. Stephen Johnson
 Greetings,
We had a wonderful retreat two weeks ago, with 115 participants
on the Mountain. The breakdown encompassed 16 boys, 60 older
men, a staff of 30, and a 9-man documentary film crew. Additionally,
we had a ropes course crew of 6 incredible men. The overwhelming
consensus was that the retreat was a huge success, a "home
run", even a "grand slam".
Men told me that it was "magical", if not "miraculous".
I heard the words, "I'm a changed man", "I will
never be the same". I personally observed major transformation
in relationships between fathers and sons, brothers, and friends.
You could just experience the obvious growth and development
in the community... in other words, how far we have come as
a fellowship of men who walk as brothers on the Sacred Path.
My hat is off to Emile Levisetti and the wonderful men he hired
to complete his team for the documentary shoot. They were respectful
of our process and actually joined in wherever they could. They
did not feel separate while they discreetly captured the true
essence of what we do when we gather for our retreats. I look
forward to the finished result that should be ready in approximately
a year.
A message to the men of the Wisdom Council from Bob Fimiani
seemed to sum up the sentiments that I heard voiced over and
over:
"Congratulations on the success of last weekend's Sacred
Path retreat. So many men and boys clearly given a remarkable
jump start on their transformations by all of you demonstrating
your capacity to guide, nurture, lead, instruct and inspire
us. Thank you very much."
In a follow-up letter, Bob wrote to me:
"Something I forgot to include in my note to the WC
is that it was my experience that the Sacred Path section
of the retreat contained the most evolved group of men I have
ever been with on the mountain. I experienced very few men
'stuck' in their stories, both in the large group and in my
tribe. The critical mass of men who were in the solution instead
of the problem was so large and advanced that those who came
in 'stuck' had some difficulty remaining there. Those that
may have fully held onto their stories, at least left with
some hairline fractures in them.
You are aware, I think, of the teaching from the Tao, which
I paraphrase here: The worst kind of leader, the people hate.
A good leader, the people love. The very best leader, the
people say, 'We did it without you'. In the large group Sacred
Path meetings, your designates - Steve, Matt, et al, did it
without you. By the final large group meeting prior to your
return, I realized that I no longer missed your presence.
Congratulations and love, my brother."
I was impressed with the leadership that showed up in a variety
of ways. The men on the Wisdom Council stepped up to give of
themselves, selflessly without hesitation, and created what
many termed a seamless retreat, wherein the complexities were
not further complicated, but actually came across as a harmonious
symphonic orchestration. The men and boys also brought forth
a generous helping of leadership evidenced in their courage
and commitment to show up and step up when called into action.
For those that did, in fact, experience my absence from the
Sacred Path Men's portion of the retreat, I offer my apologies.
One year ago I hung more with the men's side, especially since
Ray Bunch had stepped aside. I know my presence was not missed
as much by the Call to Adventure side during that retreat. This
past retreat, I felt it important to hang with the rites of
passage group, especially because of the documentary.
Next time, I will be more involved with the men's side of the
retreat. I will attempt to thread myself through both halves
of the retreat, and will make my presence felt more where it
was absent this time. We have been in a learning curve and entered
into this retreat as a "grand experiment" in many
ways. In our debriefing process we will take what we have learned
and make the necessary changes to further the desire to offer
the best possible event that you have come to expect.
At this point, we are discussing the possibility of holding
another combined retreat in the fall and not waiting until the
spring. We feel the significance of offering the support, through
mentoring, to boys in need. We are aware that more men are longing
for this kind of experience for their sons as well.
We will also be offering some workshops between now and the
fall, and then we will have two large one-day events at CSUN
prior to each of the next two retreats (next retreat, the 3rd
weekend in October). We'll keep you apprised in our monthly
newsletters. If you know anyone who might like to be on our
newsletter e-mail list, please provide their names and e-mail
addresses or encourage them to contact us.
Wishing you all my best.
Namaste, Stephen
Upcoming Events - Mark Your Calendar
Ed Munter: 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.
Thursday, May 12, 8PM; Saturday May
28, 8PM; Continuing on the last Saturday of Each Month
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
Larry
Starr-Karlin: A Dream Workshop
An Experiential Workshop Utilizing a Jungian and Gestalt
Approach to Understanding Your Dreams and Your Psyche
You will learn:
- How to make your dreams a meaningful part of your
life
- How to understand dream symbols
- How to tap the wisdom of your unconscious
- How to use dream symbols to highlight and resolve
inner conflict
- How to recognize the power of projections in your
waking life
SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2005
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
$45.00 ($80.00 per Couple)
21243 Ventura Blvd., Suite 214
Woodland Hills, CA 91364
Enrollment limited to 8 participants.
Contact Steve Zelenka (818) 348-9302
or enroll online: www.menscenterlosangeles.com
Larry Starr-Karlin, J.D., M.A., is a registered MFT Intern,
supervised at the Men's Center by Dr. Stephen Johnson, Ph.D.,
MFT. Larry is especially interested in men's issues, couples
counseling, dream work, creativity, and the application of
modern Relational Gestalt Psychotherapy to these and other
areas. He has completed his second year of advanced training
at the Pacific Gestalt Institute, currently chairs the education
committee of the Gestalt Therapy Institute of Los Angeles,
and participates in an ongoing gestalt study group. He first
studied Dream Therapy with Jenny Davidow, M.A., in 1983, and
has continued to find this the most powerful and accessible
approach to dream work.
Fred Sugerman:
Medicine Dance – Healing the Healer
TIME: May 22, 2005, from 1PM to 6PM
PLACE: A chaparral-surrounded Topanga studio
FEE: $89.00
This workshop, instructed by Fred Sugerman, can be profoundly
still and silent, or it may contain active movements that
reflect on the outside what is occurring on the inside. You
will have an opportunity to experience meditative techniques,
and to use the breath with movement, accompanied by live music,
to come more fully into yourself and activate vital life force
energies.
The workshop meets qualifications for 5 hours of continuing
education credits for MFT's, LCSW's, and RN's.
Call Fred at (818)608-9848 or
www.magicofhealing.com
on the web.
Albert
Marrewa: Martial Arts Workshop – Bo Staff, Level 1
WHEN: Saturday, June 4, 2005, from 3PM to 5PM
WHERE: Veterans' Park in Westwood, CA (on Sepulveda
Blvd. just south of Wilshire Blvd.)
Greetings, Gentlemen,
I am planning on facilitating a 2-hour Bo Staff - Level
1 workshop on Veterans' Park on Saturday, June 4, from
3PM to 5PM for the men in our community. The cost for the
workshop is $75.00, which includes the purchase price of one
5-foot hardwood Bo Staff for each participant. All subsequent
Bo Staff workshops will be priced at $50.00 per participant.
The Bo Staff is a traditional weapon used in several martial
art disciplines including my own, Kung Fu San Soo, a southern
Chinese fighting art. The staff was the weapon of choice for
Grandmaster Jimmy H. Woo (Chin Siu Dek), who brought Kung
Fu San Soo to the U.S. many years ago. Kung Fu San Soo, more
traditionally known as Tsoi Li Ho Fut Hung, is a "freestyle"
fighting system originating at the Kwan-Yin (Goddess of Mercy)
Monastery in the village of Pon Hong, Guangdong Province,
in Southern China. It was here that monks were trained in
the art of self defense in order to protect themselves in
a region plagued by bandits and criminals.
In this beginner's workshop (for men of all ages) you will
learn how to handle this weapon as a defensive tool
(with a little bit of offense thrown in there as well). But
more importantly, in addition to the basics of weapon control,
eye-hand development, body awareness, and mental strengthening,
you can expect to access the depth of your own masculine essence
soon after picking up your weapon. In fact, you may be reluctant
to put your weapon back down once the workshop has concluded.
And so, if you'd like to get out of your head, drop into
your body, breathe, relax, and have some fun in the sun for
a couple of hours with your fellow brothers and Bo Staff in
hand, here's all you do:
1. E-mail me no later than May 10, 2005, at albertmarrewa@aol.com
indicating your desire to participate in this workshop.
2. *On or before May 10, 2005, mail your check in the
amount of $75.00 (made payable to "Albert Marrewa")
to:
Albert Marrewa
4712 Admiralty Way, Suite 424
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
*All payments are non-refundable after
June 1, 2005
Approximately one week prior to Saturday, June
4, I will contact all participants via e-mail with more details
pertaining to this workshop.
I look forward to seeing you at the park!
In brotherhood,
Albert Marrewa
(310) 428-7981
To view my biography, go to: www.albertmarrewa.com
Beyond
Self-Improvement: Opening to Our Authentic Nature – an
Anti-Workshop Workshop
THE MEN'S CENTER OF LOS ANGELES
Presents
A 2005 Workshop Series Event
facilitated by
Dan Franklin, M.A., MFT, Associate Director
and
Albert Marrewa, M.A., M.P.H.
TIME: Saturday, June 18, 2005, from 3PM to
6PM
PLACE: The Body-Mind Institute, 11081 Missouri
Avenue, Los Angeles 90025
FEE: $75.00
Are you tired of nonstop self-consciousness and the feeling
that you're never good enough? Is even personal growth work
getting to you? Is trying to get better and be more or be
less of something starting to feel like a burden rather than
a blessing? If you desire to go beyond needing answers and
want to experience a fuller engagement of life, we have the
approach for you.
There is an antidote, born of the great wisdom traditions,
contemporary psychology, and common sense! The vehicle for
real transformation and the express lane to self-realization
lies in "OPENING".
Simply put, OPENING is adaptation to life as it unfolds and
presents itself. It is more a state of being than doing. The
destination is always right where you are. It is working with
external situations, circumstances, and people as well as
internal energies, emotions, thoughts and beliefs. OPENING
is the activating ingredient, both the starting and end point,
the process and the goal.
Join us in this powerful exploration in the tradition of
the great spiritual teachings on the path of self-knowledge,
self-acceptance, and self-realization. To realize anything
is to understand and experience its true nature, to connect
to what's real. Let's get real together!
This experience will be engaging and fully inter-active.
We request you bring all available willingness, authenticity,
and spontaneity.
Space is limited and interest is already high, so please
indicate your desired participation by no later than May 21st
or as soon as possible to insure a spot.
Mail your check in the amount of $75.00 to Dan Franklin.
All payments are non-refundable after June 7th.
Mail to: Dan Franklin
9012 Burton Way
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
To Register, e-mail: danfranklinmft1@aol.com
By phone: the Men's Center of Los Angeles - (818)348-9302
ALL REGISTRANTS WILL BE CONTACTED WITH
PERTINENT DETAILS ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE EVENT
FUTURE WORKSHOPS
The Wonders of the Enneagram: and Exploration of the
Nine Personality Types – Tentatively scheduled for
September 2005
Join Dan Franklin in this exciting journey into the
profound and uncanny world of personality as we discover
how we present ourselves to the world
Romance: Falling In and Out of Love and Into Relationship
– Coming in December 2005
Dan Franklin and Albert Marrewa tackle the fascinating
world of love, sexual attraction, and illusion. Don't miss
it!
Dates, times, and other details for the remainder of the
series to be announced in upcoming newsletters and/or contact
DanFranklinmft1@aol.com
or (818) 348-9302 for further information.
Weekly Men's Groups
are available in Woodland Hills and Beverly Hills. Please call
for information.
Fall Retreat on
the Mountain, October 20-23. It's not too early to
sign up for the fall retreat. Remember, there is a discount
for early registration as well as a further rake-off if you
sign up for the next two retreats at the same time.
Rich Manners: A Review of the Spring 2005 Retreat
From the moment I arrived at 10 AM on Thursday morning to help
erect the bridge over which the young men would pass to complete
their rite of passage, I felt an electricity in the air, a sense
of anticipation I hadn't felt on previous retreats. The bridge
and the container went up smoothly, and the staff was more than
ready to greet the record number of participants that were making
their way up the mountain. Andrew Soliz and his crew arrived
at noon, and soon the willow framework of the sweatlodge was
completed. From that moment on, the magic took hold and swept
us all into a four-day wonderland.
As I watched the names that appeared on my tribe sign-up sheet,
I marveled at the synchronicity of it all. I couldn't have asked
for a more perfectly balanced, honoring, and sensitive group
of men with whom to share my soul. From our very first meeting,
we dived into the depths of our shadows, supporting each other
on our journeys.
 The
drumming sessions were like nothing I'd experienced before,
with 115 men weaving in and out of Christo's rhythms, stomping,
bobbing, and chanting. The younger men, usually reticent to
stand up and dance, were right in the thick of things, trading
moves with Fred Sugerman and the older dancers. It was truly
amazing how much time zipped by during the drumming without
our noticing.
The ropes course and 4 sweatlodge ceremonies brought an air
of excitement and solemnity to the activities, eliciting great
courage in both newcomers and veterans. Albert Marrewa's weapons
workshop was one of the highlights of the weekend for both the
younger and older men. Add to these the power of the Sacred
Breathing and workshops on relationship and opening oneself
for the Sacred Path members, and the weekend was crammed with
great activities.
One of the amazing pieces for the weekend was the story presentation
by Matthew Burke and David Strongbear Myers, Matthew with Sacred
 Path
and Strongbear with Call to Adventure. They provided a story
about the Firebird, Princess Vasalisa, and all genres of crustacea!
They teamed up on the last installment for a spine-chilling
ending,, in which the nasty king executes a perfect 10-point
dive into a boiling cauldron, which I thought was a pretty radical
way to get his clothes clean.
Timothy Aguilar's ritual for Saturday night was solemn, powerful,
and meaningful for all of us. The three speakers who shared
their knowledge and experience with the young men spoke from
their hearts, and absolute stillness and respect greeted their
words. After the ceremony in the Container, we proceeded to
the upper meadow, where the young men made their way across
the bridge from childhood and into adulthood, as the men of
the clans applauded their efforts and accepted them as brothers.
We could all feel our late brother Walter Atkinson's presence
at the bridge and throughout the retreat.
We laughed a lot at this retreat: at surprise punchlines in
tribal meetings, at a story on enlightenment by Eric Trueheart,
even at a monologue by Stephen Johnson on the top 20 ways to
tell a man his fly is open. And you thought we never learned
anything of value up here on the mountain! Naturally, we all
advised Stephen not to give up his day job.
I cried at the closing ceremony at my first retreat, and this
one was even harder for me to leave. Several of us wept as we
left the container, and it felt as though we'd spent weeks together
up on the mountain and would now have to pull out roots that
we had grown between us. This was the finest and most moving
retreat I've attended, and if I had my druthers, I'd still be
on the mountain with all of you. And from the faces of the young
men in the Call to Adventure pictured below, so would they!
Next time.
– Yours in Brotherhood, Rich Manners
SEAL WITH A KISS - A Review
For those of us lucky enough to have attended Mark Goodman's
Tap Extravaganza on April 9, the Mark Goodman Tap Company unleashed
an hour and fifteen minutes of unparalleled excitement, sensitivity,
and choreographic magic. The story was a tale in tap dance of
Mark's life from childhood through the present, depicting his
feelings of alienation as a child, his struggles as a teenager,
and his final ascension to self-acceptance as an adult. At each
stage, a different dancer represented Mark – a 12-year-old,
a 20-year-old, and finally, the real Mark at 40. In one evocative
scene, the three Marks danced together on a staircase, interweaving
with each other, taking life patterns from the past into the
future as a step started with young Mark and progressed to the
present one. The captivating music of Seal underscored the dance,
with a careful choice of lyrics moving the plot forward. Mark's
choreography was inspired, and his solo dancing not to be believed.
We were all surprised that the show was scheduled for only two
performances and hope that we'll eventually be able to see it
off-Broadway. Mark, you are too much!
– Rich Manners
Men's Teams
The ongoing eight-man San Fernando Valley team will meet again
on Monday, May 9, 7:30 PM, at CSUN. We still have openings for
one or two men before closing membership, so if you're interested
in meeting biweekly and getting down to the nitty-gritty in
your life, here's the place to get the support you need. Call
Ivor Weiner at (818) 268-1589, or e-mail him at:
ivor.weiner@csun.edu.
ATTENTION: The West Side/West LA team will be holding
their first meeting on Thursday, May 19, from 7 PM to 9:30 PM.
For more information, call David Sacks at (323) 650-8239, or
e-mail him at: dasacks@yahoo.com.
There are already 7 members in the group, so call to reserve
a place before membership closes.
Matthew Burke is open to starting a men's group in Thousand
Oaks. Contact Matt 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
ANCIENT 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.
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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