Opportunities to share

Friends,

I give thanks for the growing tribe, and the levels of ease in which I am stepping into my gifts through our interactions.

Here are a couple of opportunities to share:

*Connectivate; an interactive dance celebration, sf (this Friday 4.18.08)
Really amazing gathering – great spot
web.mac.com/jamieluv/Con...ng_Party.html
I am interested in carpooling with someone – let me know – leaving sc around 8pm ideally, flex on the return time

*Coming back to life; a workshop, UCSC
More info below – great workshop – powerful modality – truly a doorway to conscious awareness and conscious forms of activism

*Collaborative presentation group

I would like to have an opportunity to present curricula that I have crafted that will draw from sound healing, eco-ritual, prayerformance, and ritual theatre to explore death and rebirth, gratitude and despair, and other doorways for integration, awakening, opening, and surrender.

you are invited to join in on the collaboration or just to come and receive. just send a message to me expressing your interest.

These modalities offer expansion of constricted notions of identity, time, and potential, direct experiences of interconnection, opportunities to integrate the fragmented nature of my psyche, and opportunities to express myself more consistantly from an integrated, centered place.

In essence, this research, inquiry, and these practices provide an opportunity for me to live, embody, and express my aliveness and my essential nature in a way that will ripple out into my community, and provide me with a life of integrity, ecstatic communion, and fulfillment.






~~~~~~~~~
Coming Back to Life

Caring for Ourselves, Each Other, and the World

A Workshop Led by Sarah Rabkin and Susan Watrous

Sunday, May 4, 2008, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., including potluck supper

UC Santa Cruz Campus (exact location to be announced to registered participants)



This free half-day workshop, based on the teachings of Buddhist scholar-activist Joanna Macy, is designed for adults (age 18 and older) of all backgrounds who seek to re-energize their caring for the world in a time of great destruction and danger—and of profound possibility.



Sensitively led activities provide a supportive space for participants to explore and witness their grief, anger, fear, apathy, love, and gratitude for the world. These are natural responses whose compassionate expression—often repressed in our society—can reconnect us to a life of joyful service to our fellow beings. In fact, they can help us discover our power to contribute to a Great Turning: from an Industrial Growth Society based on greed and waste to more truly sustainable ways of living with each other and the planet.



Participants should expect to be emotionally present, honest and deeply respectful of others. There will be tears, laughter and introspection, but nobody will be required to express or disclose anything they prefer to hold private. The workshop will be followed by an informal potluck supper for all participants.



Enrollment is limited. If you are interested in registering, please send an email to Sarah at srabkin@ucsc.edu <mailto:srabkin@ucsc.edu> , including the phrase “May 4 Workshop” in the Subject line.

The Invitation ~ reflections on Oriah's words ~ interactive post (1/12)

Welcome home.

This post contains poetry has influenced me through my life's travels. this is an interactive research and poetry piece.
Ask questions, engage what you see, comment on the quotes and poetry, and I will integrate your feedback as inspiration. this is the first of a series of 12.

I will let Oriah complete your welcoming with a few words from her heart...

The Invitation

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for,
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.
It doesn't interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love, for your dreams,
for the adventure of being alive.
It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon.
I want to know if you have touched
the centre of your own sorrow,
if you have been opened by life's betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain.
I want to know if you can sit with pain,
mine or your own, without moving to hide it
or fade it or fix it.
I want to know if you can be with joy mine or your own.
if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy
fill you to the tips of your fingers
and toes without cautioning us
to be careful, be realistic,
or to remember the limitations of being human.
It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true.
I want to know if you can disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.
I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty every day,
and if you can source your own life from its presence.
I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine,
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,“Yes.”
It doesn't interest me to know where you live,
or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair,
weary and bruised to the bone,
and do what needs to be done to feed the children.
It doesn't interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire with me and not shrink back.
It doesn't interest me where or what
or with whom you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you from the inside
when all else falls away.
I want to know if you can be alone with yourself,
and if you truly like the company
you keepin the empty moments.

Oriah Mountain Dreamer

Reflective Portion: (3 steps)

If you are inspired by Oriah's words, please dedicate 5-10 minutes to reflect on that and share. Any form of reflection is invited, and here are some questions and prompts that might support you in the form of 3 steps.

1) read the questions below. Notice the ones that seem most relevant – probably based on the parts of the poem that stood out to you. Take in the question for a moment and then answer it.

2) as you answer, stay aware of what you are wanting, especially what you are wanting for the quality of your life, and for your ability to “show up” in various ways. Note at least 3 potentials, issues, problems, or concerns on the bottom of the page.

3) notice the questions that are dedicated to those 3 questions and post it.


“It doesn't interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for,
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.”

What do I ache for?
Do I dare to dream of experiencing this?

“It doesn't interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love, for your dreams,
for the adventure of being alive.”

Am I willing to risk looking like a fool for love, for my dreams, for the adventure of being alive?
What would that look like?

“It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon.
I want to know if you have touched
the centre of your own sorrow,
if you have been opened by life's betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed from fear of further pain.”

Have I touched the center of my own sorrow?
Why would I choose to do so?
Is there a reward?
What does it look like?
“I want to know if you can sit with pain,
mine or your own, without moving to hide it
or fade it or fix it.


Can I sit with pain?
If I had a tendency to hide it, fix it, or fade it away, how would I do so?

“I want to know if you can be with joy mine or your own.
if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy
fill you to the tips of your fingers
and toes without cautioning us
to be careful, be realistic,
or to remember the limitations of being human.”

To what extent am I able to be with joy?
When I am at my limit (my glass ceiling), how do I bring myself back down?
Is there a pattern?
If so, how can it be broken?

Am I willing to dance with wildness and let ecstacy fill me from the tips of my fingers to the tips of my toes?

When do I caution others to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human?
What are the limitations that I claim to be my own?

“It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me is true.
I want to know if you can disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.”

Can I dissapoint another to be true to myself?
Can I bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray my own soul?
What stands in the way of this?

“I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine,
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,“Yes.””

Am I able to be with failure, both my own and that of others?

“It doesn't interest me to know where you live,
or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair,
weary and bruised to the bone,
and do what needs to be done to feed the children.”

What would it take to make this natural, the ability to get up after a night of despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and still do what it takes to feed the children?


“It doesn't interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire with me and not shrink back.”

What does it mean to you to “stand in the center of the fire and not shrink back?”

How do you respond to intensity?

“It doesn't interest me where or what
or with whom you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you from the inside
when all else falls away.”

What sustains you when all else falls away?
Can you remember an experience like this?
If so, what remained when all else fell away?

“I want to know if you can be alone with yourself,
and if you truly like the company
you keepin the empty moments.”

What is it like for you to be alone with yourself?
What is the most time you have spent in isolation?
What comes up for you in these moments?

Do you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments? What parts do you like or dislike? Why?

Note 3 potentials, issues, problems, or concerns.
1)
2)
3)

think for a moment about your answers, and about what you would like.
When have you felt close to this?
What do you imagine contributed to that?

That’s it. You are complete.

let this be the first day of the rest of our lives

let this be the first day of the rest of our lives

whereas the meaning of my life can seem to falter and disappear
whereas the understanding that I have about my personal power, my ability to laugh in the face of difficulty, my ability to make choices that are honoring and wise may seem to be gone in an instant
I hereby declare myself capable of affecting change on every level of my being
and therefore capable of affecting the world around me within the glimpse of one, secondary, fleeting, and fundamentally available moment.

whereas the joys of my life will not reveal themselves to a blind man chasing a dream
whereas the abundance of the feminine will not allow trust in myself to be seen
until the day comes in which I am willing to be seen
to take the robe that I hide behind of and reveal the whole of my being

I hereby declare myself to be whole, complete, integrated, alive, awake, and committed to coming back to this place time and time again
I hereby declare myself to be committed in my entirety to taking a stand for what it is that I choose in this adventure that I will call my life
I hereby declare that my life will be dedicated to service to my community
that my life will stand as a cornerstone in the future evolution of humanity

And whereas, we, the people of this planet we call the earth
continue to witness the destruction of our planet home
and continue to look away from the forests falling
from the oceans turning to oil
from the affects of our dollar bills
on troops being stationed on foreign soil
on the births of prostitution rings
on the sale of women into slavery

I hereby declare humanity in its present form
unfit for the role of protectors of this sacred life support system
therefore it is our right, our duty, and our honor
to stand on behalf of what we believe in
to stand on behalf of what we know
to be conduits that the earth may choose for herself
what future she wishes to sow

whereas this is the first day of the rest of my life
I declare myself to be free from past injustices and excuses
free from binds that I would choose to tighten my wrists
free from chains that I would choose to slow me

whereas this is the beginning of a revolution
I declare that this be the day
that every man, woman and child
is called into their strength and conviction

there can be no more war
no more illusions of money providing a sense of safety
there can be no more death, of foreign child and sacred seed
there can be no more division, no more fragments of culture, on any level

whereas we, the people, are fed up with the destruction and disillusionment that we have grown to call our norm
I declare this day to be the first day of a new world, one in which our values for personal and communal integrity, sustainability, respect, awareness, and patience serve as the foundation
a world where our children can drink clean water
a world where the forests can grow to their choosing
a world where the earth can be seen as our mother
and where we, the people, can find once again, our place within the web of life that we call our planet-home.

what's new - comments will inspire the next entry, please share :)

4.5.08

In the past month I have moved to santa cruz, taken up residence at the dharma pad, jumped in the ocean, sat by firelight at the beach with good friends, learned the basics of music production and mixed ani defranco to the counting crows for hours, created an amazing new job, practiced chi gung on the 2nd story of the good times building, danced with the ecstatic dance community, co-facilitated a healing circle, immersed myself in ritual that honors the ancestors, facilitated clarity for friends, written a 15 page curricula for UCSC, participated in planning a 3 month experiential learning program, played and sang with a full band, fixed and began riding a bike everywhere, laughed at myself, gotten my ass kicked in a mens group, and sang blessings for friends on the streets of santa cruz.

To all of my friends out there, to the ecological warriors, to the inspired musicians, to the everyday folks whom dont realize they are awe inspiring, to all of the teachers and students, the visionaries and the artists... I give thanks to you. I give thanks for all that you bring to this blessed planet-home.

To the earth and the trees, to the oceans and the cosmos above, to the spirits both named and unnamed...

I invite you to stand with me now and be honored.

Thank you for witnessing us,

as we walk on this precious earth

dancing the line between blindness of the affect we have

and awakening to the playfulness that lies between the silent, water soaked leaves of each morning

may each moment of this life be sacred

may we remember what we need to know

may this dance of life that we witness

relax and open us into our creative flow

ho

Healing on Mother Earth Project Grassroots Notice:

The Healing on Mother Earth Project Grassroots Notice:

From the Home Collective:
It is a wonderful honor to be connected to such beautiful people. I honor you and what you bring, please continue to join and reveal yourselves as beautiful beings.

You are invited to join the contact list by clicking on the link in the HOME Profile.

"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

The Earth seems to be taking center stage, The Sacred Circles will continue in April and May in Sebastopol, we have a great spot at 1720 Cooper road, Sebastopol. Its at Laguna Farms, one of the Energy Farms that is producing alternative fuels and educating people in the domain of Alternative Energy. At the Sebastopol Location we are meeting, monday 4.9 Potluck Style, tues 4.10.
The circles happen on tuesdays 6:30pm, thursdays 6:30pm, and sundays 9:00pm

We gather to join hearts as one heart, to join minds as one mind,
and to journey together into the depths of our own boundlessness.

Your vision will become clear only
When you look into your heart.
Who looks outside, dreams;
Who looks inside, awakens.
--- Carl Jung

Lets look inside, deeply, and source the reason we choose to live in one world together, the reason we choose peace, and understand the relationship between inner and outer domains, the way our heart and soul resonate with the life experience we dance in.

I will be connecting with Shivakti and we can weave the web of community and dynamic culture together.

From Shivakti

The Queen of the Forest seems to be taking center stage these days~Sacred circles will continue in April and May. We've been offered a sweet dome spot in nature . . . hour + half drive from SF. We also have circles in SF and Marin. All interested participants and divine musical bliss beings please respond! Also, Ciranda in Brazil has upcoming delicious intensive journey retreats with Carioca in July and October. I will be posting more about this soon. Sat Nam! Shivakti

To view this listing, click here:
sanfrancisco.tribe.net/listin...2322a1c

From Jonathan

Jonathan Haber, B.A. Integral Studies CIIS, Cmt
Professional Life Coach
Evolutionary Passages
707.922.5701
Jonathan@evolutionarypassages.com

The HOME Project
people.tribe.net/the_catalyst

~~

"A coach is someone who tells you what you don't want to hear, who has
you see what you don't want to see, so you can be who you have always known
you could be."
Tom Landry

"Coaching is not about teaching the caterpillar how to fly;
it's about creating an opening for it to see the possibility." unknown author

The Gift Economy

The Gift Economy
For some of our workshops, we choose to operate on a gift economy basis, meaning we do not have a set fee for the work. We ask groups to pay us an amount that feels good and right and fair to them, that they can afford, and that they can give joyfully. We intend to create a life where group process work provides our entire livelihood, and we trust the groups we work with to honor this and provide the support that makes it possible for me us continue offering our services.