No. of Participants: 4

Topic for Discussion: "Seeking Guidance"

After Samuel welcomed everyone to the Café, discussion began. The group was small and the gathering short. Some questions that came to mind were: "Why are we so easily influenced by others in deciding what's right for us? From where does the need for control originate? As a Society, where do our priorities lie?"

For centuries, external authorities have worked to control and influence the way that we think - In government, church, military, school and state. Control, power, manipulation and influence has filtered into almost all aspects of "modern" society. Big money and intense competition win. The real essence of living suffers. We become stressed out, feeling like puppets. We feel as though something is missing in life, but we just can't quite figure out what it is.

One participant commented, "it seems we can't really find peace" when we are taught that peace stems from the "threat of violence." We then briefly explored this paradox. We are taught to fear others, be suspicious. Isn't it ironic, that even with all the supposed "security measures," violence happens anyway - anywhere, anytime, someone decides to follow through with their plan? Why are we restless? Why is there division, separation, annihilation?

"I'm perplexed," said Dennis. "I don't like the world the way it is, but I don't know how it should be." "All I know is, that we shouldn't be pushing all the problems of the world onto the next generation."

Jack has written a book about how "experts" want to teach you "how to" reach your goals by basically recycling old information, and renaming it "new and improved." The premise being, people are out to make alot of money, without really having a new way to help you obtain or reach your goals.

We then "bounced" to discussing how hard it is to find a good, guiding teacher. What is a teacher?

"There are many teachers who pretend to have knowledge, but one must learn to be able to recognize the genuine from the fake. It can be very difficult choosing a true teacher and guide, when the world is such a "spiritual supermarket." But as Jelal al-Din Rumi taught: "There is counterfeit gold because the real gold exists."

"A real teacher will guide your learning towards remembering who you are. A true teacher is one who is a best friend of your true self. He is there to help you re-train you mind and body, awaken your consciousness, direct your intention for discovering the return to the true nature of your being."

"One must prepare to embark on such a journey - preparing the quality of your thoughts and being consciously aware of one's actions, will help make one ready to seek the guidance of a teacher in working towards self-transformation." (*Finding a True....Teacher by Samuel Avital)

The word "teacher" has been abused. It seems as if when one gets a little bit of education, information, or has studied some books, they are then "an expert"* on the subject. They in turn, want to show their intelligence, seek recognition and/or approval by wanting to "teach others" "how to do" things.

The sad part is, most teaching is a regurgitation of what has already been written about, expounded upon, or what someone else "has done."

The creative aspect for teaching, learning and living in this world is missing.....

Most people have forgotten, or don't know how to activate their creative sparks. Guidance and assistance may be required for rediscovering and remembering. We grow up learning to use more of the logical, analytical, left brain, than we do the artistic, spatial, right brain.

Both are crucial, but, Society places greater emphasis on training the "computer" brain, rather than allowing for the opportunity to discover and explore the artist within.

Our world is one of noise, chaos, words and fast movements. We are sorely lacking "conscious awareness" as to why we are here, and who we truly are as human beings.....

Routines, automatic responses and reactions are "the norm" for living day to day. Most of us will continue this type of behavior probably for a whole life time. But, some people out there may be asking, "Isn't there really more to life than this???"

Generally, most people are comfortable with living the life of "routine." They can't even comprehend or think of the possibility of leaping beyond the ordinary, to maybe something extraordinary - rediscovering the artist within.

In order to explore this artist within, one has to allow the time and space to do so. Doors must be opened to new ways of thinking and doing. The brain must undergo an attitude adjustment, and there must be a willingness to shift to learning a new way of order. We are talking about change here.

What is change? Why do we fear change? Why do we think something will be lost, versus something gained?

Change in the way we live and use our bodies requires a real willingness to re-think, re-train, and re-integrate our minds, bodies and spirits through artistic learning, discipline and expression.

Samuel has developed over the years a method, whereby, the mind-body imagination can be reactivated by triggering creative energies through working the "ten essential components" of the BodySpeak™ training.

This method proceeds through three phases of understanding by integrating the mental, physical and spiritual aspects of our being. One learns to activate creative energies and to distribute these energies throughout the body, thus, giving one the necessary tools for developing the sense of personal presence, authenticity, body honesty and true power. (What is BodySpeak™? by Samuel Avital)

We then "bounced" to discussing the various body therapies, body movement classes, psychotherapies, and holistic alternatives that are available out there in the "spiritual supermarket." We discussed how the services offered by these "therapies" are based on the premise that one is "not whole." We are taught more often than naught, that there is "something wrong" with us, and, that we "have to find" some way to make ourselves "right."

The only problem is, that these treatments, therapies, or whatever, never seem to provide real, total satisfaction when participating in any one or many of these activities. It can still feel as though "something is missing."

If one is sensitive to the artist within, then there may be the urge to seek and find guidance from a teacher for discovering that "missing" something.

We then "talked about" all the different facets of what and how we think about the body - the emotions, ways of thinking, movements of the body. The way we name experiences of the body: good/bad, loved/hated, revered/abused, sexy/ disgusting, etc.

Some questions to end the evening discussion were, Do you know how to listen to the body? Do you trust your insights? Do you know what body honesty is?

We all agreed that most of us are too busy running around, staying busy and distracted to find time seeking answers to these questions, or for discovering any new things about our selves, the way we think and move.

What about you? Where are you?

Our next Café discussion will be held Saturday, April 7, 2001 at the Boulder Bookstore in Boulder, CO. Start time is 6:30 p.m. Hope to see you there!

Reported by Alessandra

_________________________

*(Finding Your True Living Master Teacher by Samuel Avital) - You will not find this article on the website or in any of Samuel's books. If you are really, very interested in the complete version, please contact Samuel.