Meaning Through Being Rotating Header Image

December, 2011:

Contemplative Sufi-Jewish Retreat

Dec 16th, 2011
by zvi.
No comments yet

Contemplative Sufi-Jewish Retreat

with Brian Yosef Schachter-Brooks, Prof. Dr. M Ibrahim H. Baha’uddin Chishti,
 and Dr. Zvi Bellin

Angelica Center, Santa Rosa
May 11-13, 2012

Join a unique experiential weekend where two spiritually rich cultures collide to increase the qualities of wholeness and awareness in your life. The mystical expressions of Sufism and Judaism have a long-standing tradition of co-mingling – inspiring in each other ecstatic and subtle practices that honor every person’s connection with the Divine.  Our weekend will include an array of practices from both traditions, expertly guided to form a holy community where each member will have the opportunity to deepen their connection to themselves and the world around them. We will hold friendly silence throughout the retreat, promoting inner-stillness by refraining from idle chatter. There will be singing, chanting, and ample opportunity to ask questions. 

Our weekend will include:

Inner Awakening with Breath and Body Awareness
Dhikr: Sufi Ceremony of Divine Remembrance
Contemplative Ecstatic Prayer for Shabbat
Mysticism of the Arabic Letter Alif
Four Worlds Torah Study
Five Nourishing Meals


Retreat Accommodations:

Our retreat will be held at the Angela Center (www.angela center.com) located at 535 Angela Drive, Santa Rosa, CA  95403. It is a beautiful retreat space, located about 1-hour north of the Bay Area, which focuses on “Integrating: spirituality, psychology, social responsibility and the arts.” Double and single rooms are available all with shared baths. The Angela Center is a nurturing setting for deep practice.

Payment Information:

 In order to make the retreat affordable, participants are only required to pay the fee of room and board. This cost is $230 per person for a double room and $275 for a single room. At the completion of the retreat, participants will be asked to donate to the teachers. The total cost of the retreat includes two nights lodging in hotel style rooms (Double and Singles available) with hall baths, five delicious meals, a complete weekend workshop series.

Registration Information: 

REGISTRATION FOR THIS RETREAT IS LIMITED TO 30 PARTICIPANTS. Please email zvilove@gmail.com to receive your registration form and payment information

Questions?:

Please email zvilove@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.

Tentative Schedule:

FRIDAY, May 11th

Arrival and Check In – 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Welcome and Entering into Shabbat (Candle lighting) – 5:00 – 6:30p.m.

Shabbat Dinner – 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Mysticism of the Arabic Letter Alif  – 7:45 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.

Inner Awakening with Breath and Body Awareness – 9 p.m. – 10p.m.

Sweet dreams!

SATURDAY, May 12th  

Morning Attunement (meditation and movement) – 7:15 – 8:00 a.m.

Breakfast – 8:00 – 9:00 a.m.

Naqshbandi 11 Principles – 9:15 – 10:00 a.m.

Contemplative Ecstatic Prayer for Shabbat – 10:00 – 11:45 a.m.

Shabbat Lunch – 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Discussing the Ineffable Names of G-d in Sufism and Judaism – 1:15 – 2:30 p.m.

Shabbas Menuhah/Rest (Snacks available) – 2:30 – 4:15 p.m.

Shabbat Mincha Practice – 4:15 – 5:15 p.m.

Third Meal/Dinner – 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Mysticism and Meditation – 6:30 – 7:15 p.m.

Dhikr: Sufi Ceremony of Divine Remembrance – 7:30 – 9:00 p.m.

Sweet Soul Music with Captain Zohar (Havdalah) – 9:15 and on –(Shabbat ends 8:55pm) –

Sweet Dreams!

SUNDAY, May 13th  

Morning Attunement – 7:15 – 8:00 a.m.

(Talking) Breakfast – 8:00 – 9:00 a.m.

Contemplative Shacharit with Ecstatic Chant –  9:00 – 10:30am

Transitioning back to the “Real World” – 10:30 – 11:15 a.m.

Snacks available at 11:15am

SAFE TRAVELS AND MANY BLESSINGS!

Retreat Facilitators:

Inspired by Martin Buber’s writings, Brian Yosef Schachter-Brooks began a quest for finding the inner Truth of Judaism, beyond tradition. Finding That Truth ironically led him back to tradition. He is an ordained (s’micha) meditation teacher through Chochmat HaLev. Brian Yosef currently serves as the Music Director of Chochmat HaLev where he teachers meditation classes and leads prayer services. His band, Captain Zohar, plays original Jewish devotional and concert music. He lives in Oakland with wife Lisa and their two children, to whom he owes constant gratitude for keeping him far from cheap, egocentric substitutes for G-d.

 

 

 Prof. Dr. M. Ibrahim H. Baha’uddin Chishti is Provost  and Acting President of the Starr King School of the Graduate  Theological Union where he is also Senior Research Analyst in  the Centre of Islamic Studies of which he was one of the  founders.  He serves as a consultant for students studying  Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewish issues at the GTU Centre for  Jewish Studies and.  He developed the Andalusia Project for the Starr King School, whereby Jewish, Christian, Unitarian Universalist, Muslim students and others study their interconnected histories and traditions together. He is also a spiritual teacher and guide (Pir/Shaykh) in the Ajmeri Chishti tradition and has spiritual students worldwide. A faculty member at ALEPH Kallah 2011, he is a member of Chochmat haLev and serves on the Chevra Kadisha.  He loves to laugh….

 

Dr. Zvi Bellin holds a Ph.D. in Pastoral Counseling and is a licensed therapist in Maryland and DC. Zvi directs intimate retreats for the Jewish community that are both spiritually uplifting and intellectually stimulating.  His teaching style follows the tradition of blending Torah study with contemplative Jewish practice. Zvi has studied extensively with teachers spanning various Jewish denominations, including, Rabbi David Zeller, Miriam Ribner, Rabbi Zvi Miller, and Rabbi Jeff Roth. Learn more about Zvi and his research on personal meaning on his blog www.meaningthroughbeing,com .

Meaning Blog: Global Growing with Good Intention

Dec 13th, 2011
by zvi.
No comments yet


(Photo credit: http://kidsplaceinternational.org/?page_id=16)

I get so excited about the changing world around me. I hope it is not limited to the Bay Area. The strong presence of transgender people is a hint of a nation of prophets, their lives ringing with the message – “Change is possible!” The wealthiest among us are being challenged about their controversial and potentially harmful beliefs. In past generations (and still in some areas today), could one so easily criticize a king or political leader especially in public without facing consequences? In some ways the world is widening its margins of acceptance, while in other ways a global culture is streamlining life through the electronic connections of the World Wide Web.

As we grow as a global community into fuller awareness of the world around us, we have a greater task of responsibility. How will we shape this growth? In contemplative practice, one usually begins with the simple act of paying attention in order to cultivate awareness and presence. We sit and follow the breath, for example, watching as thoughts, feelings, and sensations arise. We get to know our inner-worlds and see that really everything passes in its own time. Out of this truth wisdom comes – “maybe I do not have to push and control so hard, life has its own momentum.”

After a while of riding on this awareness, a natural question seems to arise – Is awareness enough?  If we see pain and suffering around us, does the simple act of seeing alleviate it? This is not a question that is answered with a simple yes or no. It seems that the simple awareness that has been cultivated purposely leads to this question. So we go back to our meditation schools and faith institutions and the practice changes. Now we are offered teachings to train our intention to layer on top of awareness. This way, we do not just become aware, but we become aware in a particular way. I am convinced that this dual or multi-layered approach is present in any faith-based practice. I am currently taking a series-class at the East Bay Meditation Center where we are learning to spark our awareness from the qualities of lovingkindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. In Judaism there is a similar approach to character development called Mussar Practice, (www.mussarleadership.org). These practices help to reshape the “I” from which life is lived.

Another example that gets us closer to a global system model is in organizational development. As a start-up becomes established and successful, new staff is hired and a variety of departments emerge. Efficient and thoughtful managing staff will attempt to infuse the growth of the organization with their original mission and values. An expanding hospital still needs to heal people, not just serve more people. A religious institution should remain a place of connection to Spirit while moving to a larger building. Part of growth, on all levels, is to maintain the appreciation of what is core and simple while becoming more complex in other ways.

Thus, when we notice suffering around us, we do heal the world because we are maintaining the simple power of presence in a world that is growing ever more complex and complicated. That is a huge task within itself. And when we add the layers of ourselves as compassionate and kind people, we Super Size the capacity for these values to be infused within the social fabric of this expanding global community.  So notice the practice that you are already doing to increase your awareness with greater compassion and celebrate your steps (meditation, prayer, raising children, educating others, Yoga, taking care of yourself). Simultaneous Step 2: Appreciate other people around you who are practicing in some way too.