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Integral Dojo Uchi Deshi Program

Monday, June 14th, 2010

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The Integral Dojo is now offering a full time Uchi Deshi program in Tel Aviv. This is a unique opportunity to experience an Uchi Deshi life-style in an “Integral Practice Community” directed by Miles Kessler Sensei, a dual lineage holder in the Iwama tradition of aikido, and the Mahasi tradition of Buddhist meditation.

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“Uchi Deshi” (“inside student”, or “live-in student”) is one who decides to make a greater commitment to aikido and related practices in a full time, total emersion environment. As a member of a practice community an uchi deshi will be engaged in the foundational practices of the Integral Dojo that include the following:

Aikido
Vipassana Meditation
Dojo service
Dharma Discussions
Integral study
Shadow work
Big Mind/ Big Heart
Spiritual Inquiry

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A typical week’s schedule involves about 27 hours of classes in aikido and related practices, as well as a weekly private interview with the guiding teachers. Further more, an uchi deshi is empowered to be a “holder of the dojo as sacred space” and participates in all of the activities that contribute to creating and maintaining that space.

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The Integral Dojo is located in Tel Aviv, Israel, near the vibrant city center and just a short 30 min. walk from its beautiful Mediterranean beaches. A typical day for uchi deshi involves training and work but also allows plenty of free time for resting, studying, processing and hanging out with friends.

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The Integral Dojo “uchi deshi” program is for those who are looking to make a higher commitment towards the development of aikido, knowledge and self-realization. An uchi deshi commitment can be either short, or long term.

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If you are interested in joining the “uchi deshi” program then please contact the Integral Dojo for further details: info@integralaikido.org

Regards,

Integral Dojo-Cho
osensei-path1

“It is the difference between knowing the Path, and walking the Path.”

Tags: aikido, community, integral, integral dojo, israel, iwama, mahasi, meditation, Miles Kessler, practice, program, tel aviv, uchi deshi, vipassana
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Awakening Integral: Part 8 - Crisis? What Crisis?

Wednesday, 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…)

Tags: aikido, crisis, integral, stuart davis
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Awakening Integral: Part 1 – Ideas are Bullet Proof

Saturday, 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.

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.

Tags: aikido, awakening integral, bullit proof, diane hamilton, Miles Kessler, part 1, v for vendetta
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Awakening Integral: Part 6 Aikido as art & Integral application

Tuesday, February 10th, 2009

Aikido Flyer #2 Two of the most challenging aspects for anyone claiming the Integral perspective is first discovering how to translate Integral into their life, and then actually applying that translation as a practice personally, culturally and professionally. Here at Integral Aikido we are constantly pursuing these two aspects. We place a high value in having a solid foundation in traditional aikido practice but what really excites us is using our practice as a vehicle to push the leading edge in the evolution of consciousness and culture.

The Dead Sea Seminar Flyer 2007 As a transformational path Aikido provides a traditional cultural context, a trans-personal philosophy and effective practices that nurture development across many lines. Aikido is a well established way and point of view from which to translate and give meaning to the world. It has been around a while and you pretty much know what you’ll get.

Integral, on the other hand is still an emerging structure in consciousness and culture and it’s applications are in a dynamic process of discovery. As an emerging potential for me Integral’s real gift is that it gives us permission to venture out there on the evolutionary cutting edge where we become the agents for change. By applying the integral frame to aikido we are laying down tracks for aikido’s culture to evolve in an integral way. Where as traditional aikido gives us a beautiful holding and depth of established traditional structures, Integral gives us an evolutionary orientation and permission for exploration, discovery and creativity. It supports and encourages us to manifest the world we want to live in.

Aikido Flyer 3 Over the past 3 1/2/ years Integral Aikido has endeavored to provide a traditional aikido learning context with (almost) daily aikido classes, periodic aikido seminars and workshops, and regular meditation gatherings and retreats. Furthermore, we have hosted traditional events such as an International Aikido seminar with Christian Tissier Sensei, 7th dan, as well as 3 10-day Vipassana meditation retreats with Sayadaw U vivekananda.

The Dead Sea Seminar Flyer 2008 As for pushing the leading edge of culture and consciousness, Integral Aikido’s past evolutionary activities have included regular Integral Practice workshops, Integral Aikido seminars, Integral Meditation workshops and courses, and the innovative merging of aikido and contact improvisation w/ our “Aiki-contact” jam sessions. We have also been honored to host Integral teachers such as Integral Zen Sensei and Big Mind facilitator Diane Musho Hamilton and Aikido Sensei Patrick Cassidy. And, of course this includes the project that is dear to our hearts “Aikido Without Borders”, which is an Integrally informed N.P.O.

~ ~ ~

Below is a quote form Integral musician Corrado Rustici that expresses beautifully the exciting potential for all of us riding on the emerging wave of integral.

Weapon Seminar Flyer

“From one point of view, you can say that if you’re a person who’s into integrative activities, then you will obviously manifest that in whatever you do. But from my point of view as a musician, I enjoy the fact that I can also be very pragmatic about

defining this new genre. To me, being an integral musician is not only about where I’m

coming from as an individual but about pushing the edge technologically and culturally as well…. By accepting and not refusing new technologies, [we] are

creating a new art form that will mirror the trans-modern world that humanity will eventually belong to.”

Corrado Rustici - Integral Musician

“We are creating a new art form that will mirror the trans-modern world that humanity will eventually belong to.”

What a beautiful quote. Integral brings a depth, breadth and greater meaning to an art that is already rich and boon bestowing. How we apply that to a world that humanity will eventually belong to is totally up to us.

~ ~ ~

*I’ve included some of the flyers of our activities that express how we are exploring the leading edge of Integral in both consciousness and culture.*

Tags: aikido, art, consciousness, culture, emerging, integral
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Aikido Weapons on Youtube

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

Just a quick note to all of you aikido weapon’s enthusiasts. Last fall I did some filming for a martial arts “Akban” organization. They are putting together a “martial arts wiki” and it is their goal to video document the main techniques from the different martial traditions. I was asked to be part of this project and so far we’ve filmed the basic jo and bokken weapons practices from the Iwama aikido tradition. You can see a sample of the videos below that we filmed on the Tel Aviv beach with my student Nadav Solomon as my training partner.

The weapons of aikido are beautiful practices that develop important principles such as center, timing, precision, “awase” (blending), “maai” (distance), “shisei” (posture), and “zanshin” (sustained presence), to name a few. Even if you don’t practice the weapons arts of ken and jo you can get a taste of these principles by watching the video’s below.

Here is the link to the Aikido page on the akban wiki. You can also go to my personal page on the akban web site. The info on my page on this site is in Hebrew but there are about 10 videos there to watch. And if you like you can go to youtube to see the whole series of 48 video clips on Akban’s channel (however, the videos have been posted there in random order).

~ ~ ~

Aikido weapons - 13 “Jo Kata”

~ ~ ~

Aikido weapons - “Ki musubi no tachi”

Tags: aiki-jo, aiki-ken, aikido, bokken, iwama, jo, Miles Kessler, tel aviv, weapons
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Awakening Integral: Part 4 - Fractles of nature

Wednesday, September 24th, 2008

I just received these thought provoking images from “What Is Enlightenment?” magazine’s weekly “Think About This” e-mail:

Microcosm, Macrocosm

“This image comparison, first featured in The New York Times, definitely gives one something to think about. On the left is a microscopic image of a mouse brain’s neuronal network produced by Mark N. Miller of Brandeis University’s Nelson Lab. On the right is the Max Planck Institute’s computer simulation of the vast dark matter network (purple) connecting visible-matter galaxies (yellow) across the universe. “Together,” observes New York Times journalist David Constantine, “they suggest the surprisingly similar patterns found in vastly different natural phenomena.”

Nurons To Cosmos

~ ~ ~

Part of the awakening of Integral is that as we are increasingly able to take more and more perspectives on reality, our intuitive understanding of the Kosmos grows. And as we grow, gradually the “Integral Map” becomes the “Integral Territory”. From the microscopic patterns of physical phenomena, and the extreme subtleties of meditation, all the way to the infinite vastness of galaxies, and the dark matter in the Kosmos, fractal patterns repeat themselves again and again. And this understanding begins to enter into us as a felt and intuitive sense. We begin to actually get what Ken Wilber means when he says: “Turtles all the way up, turtles all the way down.”

Taking a new point of view is essential for growth. But it is just the beginning of a good Integral Practice. We must first take a perspective and then we must make a contemplation of it. Contemplate, contemplate, contemplate. Contemplate to the point where the outer merges with the inner, where the microcosm is seen in the macrocosm, and where fractals are seen all way up and all the way down. This is an extremely necessary part of the practice so that the perspective fully sinks into consciousness.

When a perspective fully sinks into us at the level of consciousness, the felt sense is that it hits home. The perspective then arises as an intuitive insight, and it becomes ours. It is no longer an intelectual perspective that is “out there”, but rather it becomes an intuitive perspective that is “in here”. It becomes an expression of who we are, and we become a manifestation of it. A gift that naturally radiates outward and is expressed onto the Kosmos.

OK. So, then what? Well, then we write poetry….

To see a world in a grain of sand
And heaven in a wild flower
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour.

William Blake

Tags: aikido, awakening integral, dark matter, nuron of a mouse, part 4, what is enlightenment, william blake
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Integral Aikido Tel Aviv

Wednesday, September 17th, 2008

Integral Aikido Tel Aviv

Here’s the latest video just posted from Integral Aikido. It’s an introduction to the dojo, some of the students and our aikido. We actually did the filming back in February this year but it took a while for us to put it all together. A big thanks to all the students and especally to Ittai Meyer who did the filming and editing.

Of course, as soon as we finished this one we’re already thinking about the next video project. Could be the birth of our own AV department…..

Cheers!

Read more: “Miles Kessler’s Blog — Gaia Community” - http://mileskessler.gaia.com/blog?page=2#ixzz0BScG7yR5

Tags: aikido, integral, Miles Kessler, tel aviv
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Awakening Integral: Part 3 - Growth favors the open mind

Saturday, August 2nd, 2008

Awakening Integral: Part 3 - Growth favors the open mind

Getting Integral is, well, cool. It’s cool because when one really “gets it”, integral can light you up in ways you’ve never experienced before. In all four quadrants. This can be a very exciting thing, and the reason it’s exciting is because at its most basic level, integral is about growth.

Growth is good. Always. Even when it doesn’t seem to be so. Often growth can mean upsetting the status quo and bracing for the inevitable back lash that may result. But like Ken Wilber says “just as the next level of development acts like a magnet that pulls you up, so too does the previous level of development act like a magnet to pull you back down.” That pull-back can be harsh sometimes and it can leave us with some nasty carpet burns. But ultimately evolution cannot be denied and in the end growth must happen.

Of course, on a relative level this is not always the case. So we must ask why do some people grow and others not?

unbox yourself

I just came across an interesting short article in the New York Times giving an overview of the results of 30 years of research that looks at how people think about intelligence and talent. It turns out there are two types of attitudes towards ones ability. One type is the “fixed-mind set”, and the other type is the “growth mind-set”.

“Those who believe they were born with all the smarts and gifts they’re ever going to have approach life with what is called a “fixed mind-set”. Those who believe that their own abilities can expand over time, however, live with a “growth mind-set.”

In brief, a “fixed mind-set” is one of being preoccupied with looking good and not making mistakes. This mind-set tends to box one in and kill growth. There is an investment in who they are and little willingness in losing that investment. Oscar Wilde got it right when he said: “Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative mind.”

On the other hand those who posses a “growth mind-set” often experience dissatisfaction with who they are. This dissatisfaction tends to lead them to push and stretch their limitations, as well as confront their own mistakes and learn from them. They understand what it means to invest in loss. Such people have a passion for learning and always thrive on challenge and change.

This study shows how adopting either a fixed, or growth attitude toward abilities profoundly affects all aspects of a person’s life. Which, of course, can be integrally applied in the quadrants, levels, lines, states or types.

“People with a growth mind-set tend to demonstrate the kind of perseverance and resilience required to convert life’s setbacks into future successes. That ability to learn from experience was cited as the No. 1 ingredient for creative achievement.”

Like Winston Churchill said, “Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.”

By now you’ve probably asked yourself “which type am I?” The answer should be obvious for you. But if you want to be sure just look at the above picture again and feel which type resonates the most within your being. Go ahead, give it a try. And if you really want to be integral about it, run through the AQAL matrix as you look at the picture. It’s a good compass pointing to where development needs to go.

If you sense that you may perhaps have some degree of risidual “fixed mind-set”, then the article ends with the obvious question: Is it possible to shift from a fixed mind-set to a growth mind-set?

Well, what do you think? (ok, you can find the answer here)

~~~

Men are born soft and supple;
dead, they are stiff and hard.
Plants are born tender and pliant;
dead they are brittle and stiff.

Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible
is a disciple of death.
Whoever is soft and yielding
is a disciple of life.

The hard and stiff will be broken.
The soft and supple will prevail.

Tao Te Ching

~~~

Tags: aikido, Awakening, integral, ken wilber, Miles Kessler, oscar wilde, winston churchill
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Aikido: Practice and Inquiry – Cully, Switzerland May 9th ~11th, ‘08

Tuesday, July 8th, 2008

Aikido: Practice and Inquiry – Cully, Switzerland
May 9th ~11th, ‘08

Last May I was in Cully, Switzerland to teach another “Aikido: Practice and Inquiry” seminar together with Patrick Cassidy of Aikido Montreux. This is the 4th time that Patrick and I have taught this seminar in Cully (plus one at the Dead Sea in Israel – see earlier post below) and these seminars continue to evolve and deepen. Not just in the way Patrick and I are teaching but also among the participants. The seminar keeps growing and this time we had over 60 participants who joined us from around Europe, Canada, and the U.S.

It was clear from the opening meditation that the group was quickly dropping into the present as a preparation for the practice. After we bowed in Patrick set the context for the weekend by touching on our API training guidelines:

Keep an open mind
Suspend judgment
Allow yourself to not know
Listen deeply
Include others
Feel yourself (body, heart, mind and spirit)
Commit to your highest intention
Accept all that is

I followed by evoking a wish from an old African proverb:

If you want to go fast, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together.

As usual Patrick and I set out to unify the intention of the group from the outset so we can move forward – together. In our past experience with these seminars it would take a day or so for the group to drop into the context of inquiry as a whole. But now it is as if the group shows up already in that space. With each year we are seeing a clear shift take place in the culture and context within which we meet. The groves we have been laying down are making it easier for all to slip into the context and collective intention.

We usually choose a theme for these API seminars and this weekend we looked into the question “What is evolutionary aikido?” Both Patrick and I have been exploring this question independently for a few years now and we have come up with our own slightly different models for evolutionary aikido. However, even though our models are different they both take in the integral perspective. Patrick calls his modal “the evolution of uke/ nage”, and I call mine the “evolution of response”.

On Thursday we began the training/ inquiry by looking into our most basic instinctive “low road reactions” of fear and emotions, and basically identified with the resistance. We did several practices working with our lower base responses in order to become familiar with these innate tendencies we all have in stress and conflict.

After becoming familiar with the way resistance and fear arise in the practice rounded off the evening with a jiyu waza practice in order to open up the energy and give us a taste of the direction of the weekend. A direction towards free and spontaneous movement that reflects our higher evolutionary capacities.

The next day we continued with our inquiry and proceeded to move up the evolutionary scale with different centering and connecting practices. Patrick led us in several exercises that worked to bring us into alignment with the intelligence of the system.

I introduced exercises where we worked on relaxing the tendency for fear and emotional based responses and worked towards remaining in centered awareness and tapping into the intuitive connection of the partner.

After training on Saturday we all gathered for dinner up in the mountains above Lake Geneva. We continued the conversations and inquiries into the night while enjoying the fresh mountain air, the beautiful view and the delicious goat cheese fondue.

On Saturday we had great weather so I took the group outside to give a bokken jyuwaza class by the lakeside.

In this class we continued our exploration of the evolution of response through a series of exercises that focused on the stages of centered awareness and intuitive response.

After Patrick lead the final training we ended the seminar with a group dialogue on three questions: 1) What did you feel? 2) What did you see? 3) What was the communal experience?

Thanks to Patrick and his students who did a wonderful job of organizing and hosting us all. Our next API seminar will be in December at the Dead Sea in Israel. We hope you can join us!

~~~

Tags: aikido, aikido montreux, cully, inquiry, integral, Miles Kessler, patrick cassidy, switzerland
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Tai Sabaki Free Flow

Monday, June 23rd, 2008

Hello All,

The below video is from a seminar I taught in Krutzlingen, Switzerland last March. In the afternoon I lead the group through a jiyu waza (free/ spontaneous technique) class with several exercises for developing different kinds of ability in the jiyu waza.

This is a clip of a simple tai sabaki (body movement) free flow exercise. In our technical training there can be a tendency to get stuck in trying to control our partner by cognitively deciding what the next technique will be. And even though with training such a mental process can happen rather quickly, it is still linear and deterministic, and therefore not free. In this exercise the purpose is to help create the shift out of this “technical linear mind set” and towards being responsive in the moment. We do so by temporarily omitting the completion of techniques and rather work towards continuous movement that is spontaneous, appropriate and free. Only to re-integrate the technical aspect of the art in further exercises.

The tai sabaki here of course refers to the irmi and tenkan body movements (entering and turning) which are the active and receptive principles of aikido.