Miles Kessler Interviewed in Israeli Press

Posted on February 10th, 2010

Last year I was contacted by Katy Kimhi of “Menta” (Ment) magazine (Feb., 2010 issue) to be part of an article on non-Israeli spiritual teachers who decided to make Israel their home. In the piece I was interviewed along with 4 other “spiritual” teachers, two German women, one teaching Tantra and the other teaching Wellness, and two English men, one teaching vipassana and the other teaching sacred dancing of Gurdjieff. As well as asking me questions about my back ground, Katy went on to ask about how I ended up in Israel, what I teach, and my impressions of Israelis. We back translated the article into English and now are posting it below. Enjoy!

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“Israeli Spirit” - Foreign spiritual teachers who’ve made Israel their home.
By Katy Kimhi of Menta Magazine

We Israelis are used to self berating. We’re used to apologizing for all the shameful behavior we make abroad, for our vulgarity, for our Mediterranean rudeness and for our base outbursts. Therefore, it’s a bit surprising to discover a trend which has been increasing in the last few years. Spiritual teachers, both Jewish and non-Jewish, who are drawn to this country.

They come here for work, or a trip, or for romance, and they fall in love with the place. They fall in love with our country, and for most fall in love with working with Israelis. And they claim that there’s no other place in the world where they’ve found a people more committed to spiritual growth.

We gathered (some of these teachers) and asked them to tell us why they especially chose Israel to be their home base, even though they could have chosen any other country, and what is it about us Israeli’s makes them excited.

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Miles Kessler: Aikido and Meditation Teacher

Home Land: U.S.A

Stops on the way: U.S.A, Japan, Burma, Europe

Final destination: Tel Aviv, Israel

Who Am I:

I was born and raised in U.S.A and when I got to the age of 25 I moved to Japan and stayed there for 8 years practicing Aikido. By the end of the 8 years it was time to leave. My teacher told me to go back to the U.S to begin teaching but I didn’t feel complete with my own personal development. So I decided to go to Burma to take up the practice of meditation. That’s where my formal spiritual journey began. In Burma I found a meditation teacher and I practiced with him every winter for 8 years and at the same time I was teaching Aikido in Europe.

Israel:

One day, to my surprise, my meditation teacher asked me a personal question: he asked me if I’m Jewish and would I like to go to Israel and help spread the Dharma. I was in shock because the thought living in Israel had never crossed my mind. At that time I had no intention of coming to Israel but the seed was planted. Six months later by “chance” an Israeli Aikido friend of mine invited me to come and teach in Israel.

I came during a very sensitive time security wise (the 2ndintifada), and the contradiction between the beauty and spirituality on one hand, and the political conflict on the other was very powerful for me. I came back to Israel to teach yearly and the more I visited I discovered that I really love this place. I had a girlfriend here during this time and at a certain point it was clear that is was important for me to develop not only physically and spiritually, but also emotionally.

After so many years of traveling, the thought of living in Israeli society was very challenging, but somehow I again and again found myself thinking of living here. Finding a place in the world where my practice could be shared, to settle down, and throw my energy into it.

Aikido:

For me Israel is a very creative place. There is a lot of destruction here, but also a lot of creation as well which comes from within the culture.

My work here on the physical level is devoted to the practice of Aikido, but also I work on the mental and spiritual level with Insight Meditation. The fact is that both Aikido and meditation are wonderful paths for developing body, heart mind and spirit.

An integral part of all my work is the Israeli/ Palestinian conflict. I’ve started an Aikido project for Israeli’s and Palestinian’s and I regularly teach in Ramallah and Bethlehem. This year I fulfilled my dream of opening my own dojo (The Integral Dojo) which is located in the Montefiore neighborhood in Tel Aviv. This dojo is a practice community where we have Aikido classes, meditation gatherings and other Integral workshops.

The Israeli’s:

Israeli’s, and Jews in general, tend to be a cynical bunch. As anyone with a deep spiritual practice knows cynicism is the last stand of the ego and it’s a barrier which most teachers need to work with on a daily basis. The spirituality in this country is very broad, but there’s a core of people which have decided to place spirituality at the center of their lives. They make me feel that with them anything is possible. Because with these people, even if they are a few, there is an interest in change. And that’s what’s really exciting about this country. There’s a core of people who always want to give, and who are always there.

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The Dead Sea Seminar, Dec. 17th ~ 19th, 2009

Posted on October 14th, 2009

This is a video of the second “Dead Sea Seminar” that I taught together with Patrick Cassidy Sensei in December 2008, at the Dead Sea in Israel. It was another fantastic event and if you can take a moment to watch the video I thonk you’ll see hope special this seminar is. We hope that you can join us for the next Dead Sea Seminar this year, Dec. 17th ~ 19th, 2009. Registration is still open but it is filling up fast. So if you think you can make the trip to the end of the world we’d love to have you.

For more information go to:
integralaikido.org/the_dead_sea_seminar_2009.html

http://www.vimeo.com/5935548

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Montreux Aikido Seminar Video

Posted on August 4th, 2009

This is a video of a seminar co-taught by Patrick Cassidy (6th dan) and Miles Kessler (5th dan) on May 29th ~ 31st, 2009 in Cully, Switzerland. This was the 4th annual gathering of the “Aikido: Practice and Inquiry” seminar in Switzerland and this year we shared the joy with over 70 people attend from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the U.S. We hope that you can join us next year! Enjoy!

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Aikido Bokken Jiyu Waza

Posted on June 23rd, 2009

This video was taken from a seminar I did in Torino, Italy, in October, 2008. It is from a class on “Bokken Jiyu waza” (free techniques of sword) and includes exercises on “form transcendence”, body/ ken integration, applied techniques and applied principles.This aspect of weapons work comes at the end of the weapons system we practice and is based on the foundation of the complete aiki-ken system. Bokken Jiyu waza should be considered the fruit of the practice as it is the peak of “applications” training and is “beyond form”. For a reference of our more form based practices check out these videos from an earlier post.

Watching the two videos in comparison should show the different expressions of the practices while at the same time recognizing the thread of unity that runs through both. It is all the same aikido.

“A wise man will understand the need to use a boat to cross the river. Only a fool will continue to carry the boat with him once the river has been crossed.“

~ Wan Shu~

So, here’s the Aikido Bokken Jiyu Waza.

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Awakening Integral: Part 8 - Crisis? What Crisis?

Posted on June 10th, 2009

It seems that where ever we look these days our home planet and beloved Earth is in Crisis. Whether it is environmental, financial, political, ecological, social, or cultural, there is no denying that things are pretty bad these days. So in the face of our current global predicament just how are we to respond? Do we allow the global crisis in all its myriad of forms to aggravate the tendency for self and culture to contract and increase the worlds separation and fragmentation? Or do we chose to meet our current challenges by not losing sight of our higher vision and integral perspective?

Which ever direction humanity will go still remains to be seen but I am personally optimistic. Isn’t it possible that this current crisis is exactly what we need to catalyze humanities shift to a higher level of complexity, concern, and consciousness? Looking back over history this has obviously been the case. But will we make the evolutionary cut this time around? Well, I guess that depends on you and me. What will we do and how do we respond to the current crisis? It could go either way, but like I said, I’m an optimist. Looking around at the amazing minds and creative solutions that are emerging in the world today (even amongst all the bad news) I feel that we still have a lot of potential.

Integral Naked published an episode a while back of The Stuart Davis Show on this very issue. Stuart is an Integral rocker and bad boy who likes to shine an integral light on all taboo subjects that are near and dear to the hearts of the “mean green meme”. The “green meme” refers to those of us whose values are grounded in pluralism, and “mean green meme” is a rather radical version that is as serious as cancer  and tends to lack a sense of humor, especially when one brings a little levity to  the issues that deserve a lot of gravity ( which, in fact, they do). One of today’s  comics who brilliantly pokes fun at the green pluralist’s blind spot is Sacha Baron Cohen with his characters Ali G, Borat and Bruno.  Another is Stuart Davis.

In the below clip Stuart rationally dissects many of the sacred cows of the green paradigm. And he does so in a beautifully integral way. Enjoy!….or not, depending on your level of consciousness, of course (if you’ll pardon my ranking…)

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Awakening Integral: Part 7 - Before All Else, There Is Perspective

Posted on June 4th, 2009

It is really all about point of view. Watch the vid, take the awareness test, then read what’s written below.

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Before all else there is perspective.

What ever perspective you happen to be taking, depending on the point of view, or the lens you are looking through, it will actually determine what you will see. Like with the moonwalking bear. On average more than 80% of people miss it in the first viewing (if you’re really focusing on the passes). If you change the perspective from a partial whole (the white team’s passes) to a more global view of the whole picture then it is quite obvious. You’d have to be blind to miss it.

Whether from an interior or exterior p.o.v. (point of view), an individual or collective p.o.v., an ego-centric, ethno-centric or world-centric p.o.v., a gross, subtle or causal state p.o.v., or what ever the specific perspective may be, reality does not just exist out there on it’s own. It co-arises together with the perspective one takes. Just like with the proverbial rose colored glasses, what ever lens you may be looking through will color your experience of it.

It is important to see perspective taking as a practice. The practice of “taking multiple perspectives”. Integral attempts at the very least to take into consideration as many perspectives as possible. And a good integral practice will attempt to continuously open us up to these perspectives by making them part of our practice. A never ending practice of feeling into reality, into any given perspective, deepening our understanding of life’s richness and increasing our overall functionality in the world. The perspective will arise and become available to us. But only with practice.

As a test watch the video one more time. Again focus on the white team and see if the moonwalking bear is part of you view. Most likely it will be.

Like the old saying goes;

Q: What does a pick pocket see in a crowd if saints?
A: Pockets

Conversely, and with some practice, we could extend the saying;

Q: What does a saint see in a crowd pick pockets?
A: Potential saints.

It really is all about perspective. So when it comes to practice it is very helpful to always ask yourself “did you see the moonwalking bear?”

“When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.”
Max Plank

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Awakening Integral: Part 1 – Ideas are Bullet Proof

Posted on May 23rd, 2009

*the following post was originally posted on July 1st, 2008 on my Zaadz blog (which has been discontinued). This was the first post of an on going series of posts I’m calling “Awakening Integral”.

Awakening Integral: Part 1 – Ideas are Bullet Proof

When speaking about “Integral” in the context of next wave of consciousness it can be defined in many ways. Through my contact with Diane Hamilton (Zen sensei, Big Mind facilitator, and senior teacher at Integral Institute) I have come to greatly appreciate the fundamental definition she gives to the term “Integral”. Being “Integral”, Diane says, means nothing less than having the ability to take multiple perspectives. This is important to understand.

Having the ability to take multiple perspectives.

So, how does this happen?

As an individual evolves, their consciousness expands into increasing circles of care, concern, complexity and inclusiveness. From ego-centric, to ethno-centric, to word-centric, to kosmo-centric. Ones perspective expands from my perspective, to my people’s perspective, to all the humanities perspective, and finally to the perspective of all living Beings.

In the trajectory of this process the developmental line that tends to lead the way forward is the cognitive line. This means that before one can take a perspective, one must be able to imagine that perspective. The potential must be allowed to awaken within the mind of an individual, or group of individuals. This is a prerequisite for conscious evolution. Only when one can cognitively take a perspective can they then to feel into it, try it on, inhabited it, live it and finally, establish it in consciousness. First learn to talk the talk, then with practice, learning to walk the talk.

Conscious evolution always starts as potential in the mind. And the first inkling of movement of this evolution begins with a thought, an idea, and imagination. All abilities of any perspective begin with an idea.

~ ~ ~

In 2007 the movie “V for vendetta” was released. The screenplay was written by the Wachowski brothers of  “The Matrix Trilogy” fame. In the integral scene it is well known that the Wachowski’s are integrally informed and good friends with Ken Wilber. So it is no surprise that “V for vendetta” is full of integral perspectives ranging from the movie’s themes, to it’s philosophy, the characters, the script, it’s message, it’s imagery and it’s cinematography. Including, of course, it’s inspiration.

I won’t go too much into the plot here but as a context I’ll say that it is basically a story based on the “pre-trans fallacy” and the confusion of what is a “freedom fighter” vs. what is a “terrorist”. The time is a not too distant future where the world has fallen into war, anarchy, and chaos and only “England prevails” thanks solely to the vigilance of it’s elected government.

A jack-booted fascist regime that slid into power after a series of dubious terrorist attacks against England that killed thousands and left the public in total fear. Through shameless manipulation of a complacent societies fear the state easily managed to imposed martial law and completely erase all civil liberties. Their motto “Strength through unity, unity through faith” basically means “you had better be with us, only we can protect you, don’t ask any questions!”.

Enter our hero V. A masked man who dares to stand up against the state with explosively dangerous actions, and even more dangerous words. His actions get the attention of the masses, but his words stir their hearts and shake their complacency. Personally, I was totally hooked on this movie in an early scene where V hijacked the national TV station and gave a revolutionary broadcast where he said the following:

“Fairness, justice and freedom are more than just words. They’re perspectives.”

Integral rocks! It isn’t necessary to go into any of the films other themes here,  like Natalie Portman’s satori experience, or Chief Inspector Finch’s awakening to the integral view (see up-coming blog!), vengeance vs. justice, V’s own ego-centric actions, or the film’s homosexual perspectives. Rather, here I’ll just stay with the transformation V brought to the world through his perspective.

With his actions, and even more so his words and ideas, V lead the people beyond an ego-centric and ethno-centric based fear that limited and controlled them. He challenged the status quo and brought the masses into a world-centric, and even kosmo-centric perspective that could no longer tolerate the powers that be and their culture of fear. V’s actions certainly got the publics attention (with his bombs, broadcasts, bloody knives and karate gimmicks), but it was his words that had the real power to moved them. By holding his perspective with his thoughts, words and deeds, V awakened the people’s potential, awakened their ideas, and awakened their imagination. And a revolution was borne.

Here is the climax fight scene from the movie between V and the “stasi” like “fingermen” of fascist state. It is a bit on the violent side, but only in a comic book sort of way.  Pay attention to V’s final words of the scene. They say it all.

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Mr. Creddy: Die! Die! Why wont you die? Why wont you die?

V: Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea Mr. Creedy. And ideas are bullet proof.

~~~

On a reletive level we are all different. But at the level of consciousness, at the level of ideas, at the level of our true potential, we all belong to one integrated whole. This perspective  may be a reach for some as it’s possible it has not yet risen in consciousness. But it will arise if we grow. And when it does we will see that at this level we truly are bullet proof.

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Earth Hour 2009 at Integral Aikido

Posted on May 10th, 2009

Last Thursday April 23rd was “Earth Hour”, a world wide event to raise consciousness about climate change. Tel Aviv participated by turning out the lights in the city and we at Integral Aikido joined in by also turning out the lights and holding class by candle light.

Earth Hour is a global event that was organized by to WWF to raise awareness about climate change. It began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. From San Francisco to Rome, to Sydney, to Tel Aviv all stood in darkness for a full hour.

In Tel Aviv several well lit land marks turned off their lights and there was and rock concert with the “Balkan Beat Box” in “Rabin square” that was powered totally by concert goers who peddled the generators that provided juice for the amps and lights.

For our aikido class we turned off the lights for the evening and trained by candle light. Even with the candles it was quite dark for the training. Therefore we did several exercises to raise our sensitivity and awareness, such as blending with attacks with the eyes closed, “listening practices” and moving meditation.

In many ways our practice in aikido is about developing awareness and raising consciousness. As an authentic and traditional “path”, aikido challenges us to embody perspectives that are higher, more inclusive and more conscious. Cultivating such perspectives can indeed be a challenge to the self, but at the same time the path and the practice serves to support us through these challenges. And the path is a truly “integral path”, then it will challenge us not only at the level of self, but also challenge us to raise our awareness in cultural and in nature too.

It is a satisfying feeling to live in a city that participates in Earth Hour. Here at the beginning of the 21st century we are becoming more and more aware of the dangers that we humans are inflicting on our home planet. As we become aware of these problems we also need to become aware of new solutions to face the very problems that we’ve created. Earth Hour is a great way to do this. It is a wonderful community activity, a really cool way to save energy, an event that raises consciousness about climate change, and it also brings a very special atmosphere to our training.

The next Earth Hour will take place on March 27, 2010. Integral Aikido will be patricipating once again and we hope that you can join us too.

~ ~ ~

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Bruce Lee the Ping Pong Master….Wow!

Posted on March 31st, 2009

These are just for fun…

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~ ~ ~

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Integral Meditation 8-week course Tel Aviv from March 22nd

Posted on March 8th, 2009

Integral Meditation

Integrating your Meditative Mind into the World
8 meetings of practice, study and exploration

Integral Meditation is an evolutionary approach to personal growth that blends traditional and modern practices in ways that are truly relevant to life in today’s world. Each week there will be group sittings for the development of mindfulness and concentration as well as experiential exercises for integrating the growth of the practice into your daily life. The Integral theory will be studied in order to frame and understanding on how these practices apply to your personal and professional life.

This 8-week course is unique and is open to both beginners and experienced practitioners alike. Come and be a part of an emerging community of Integral practitioners.

In this course you will learn:

* Meditation techniques to establish your own daily practice
* Greater integration of mindfulness into all aspects of your life
* Cognitive maps to illuminate the territory of body, mind, heart and spirit
* Multiple perspective taking exercises for expanding your circles of concern
* The connection between states, stages and shadow, and why it’s important to include them on our spiritual journey
* How the meditation experience brings greater freedom and clarity into life
* To transcend barriers that hold us back from living our lives to the fullest
* To develop an understanding of Insight Knowledge
* To illuminate your shadows with the practice of inquiry and mindfulness

About the teacher:

Miles Kessler Sensei is a teacher of Vipassana meditation, Aikido and Integral Practice. After studying aikido for 8 years in Japan, Miles spent another 8 years dedicated to the practice of meditation in Burma and Nepal. He completed his formal Vipassana practice in the Mahasi tradition under Sayadaws U Pandita and U Vivekanada. Miles has studied Big Mind facilitation under Zen masters Genpo Roshi and Diane Musho Hamilton sensei. He lives and teaches full time in Tel Aviv as well as regularly leading retreats and seminars in Israel, Europe and the U.S.

Dates and times: March 22nd, 19:00 ~ 21:00
Location: Betsalel Yafe # 7, top floor (near Rothchild), Tel Aviv
Course cost: 700 nis

For questions contact: Miles Kessler - info@integralaikido.org - Tel. 052-652-4004

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