Buddhist Meditation Santa Monica offers The "ZEN♦MEN" Group Process for Men

( 1 ) ♦ "Every Guy Could Use Being in a Men's Group at some time in his life" • OVERVIEW

2008-11-06T19:38:00.000-08:00

This ZEN♦MEN Blog-site
is Undergoing Road-work n' Re-Contruction...
( New template installed, line-breaks not holding yet etc.)
Pardon the Inconvenience. ~ thanks

START by clicking # 1 on the left-sidebar
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The ZEN♦MEN
Men's Inner-Growth Peer Groups • Santa Monica
A Los Angeles Men’s Growth Group continually meeting since 1989

BRIEF SUMMARY ~
... Views of What a MEN's Group is all about –
...... and how it positively affects the MEN that
......... Families, Women and Children care about....
.

♦ A New Santa Monica Group • 310-450-2268

Starting up this Fall / Winter '2011'
_______________________________
_____________________________
___________________________

....♦ GOOD-HEARTED MEN
...EXPLORING
'CONSCIOUS' MANHOOD .
• MEN’S INNER-GROWTH • MEN'S LIFE-ISSUES
... • MEN’S HEALTH • MEN'S CREATIVITY
....... • MEN'S SPIRITUALITY • MEN'S HAPPINESS
Around WORK, WOMEN, FAMILY, RELATIONSHIPS
and Especially Our Own INNER SELF-DEVELOPMENT

_____________________________________________________

WHATEVER 'IT' IS ~
MAYBE YOU'RE
"A NOT SO HAPPY GUY" _____________________________________________________

Many, many men aren’t. Career and Life-Purpose Despair,
Mid-Life Changes, Emotional Stuff or Painful Relationship
Dilemmas. So go 'see' somebody and really start working it out.
You - really being heard from way inside and coached forward
and through by other men who can deeply understand you –
– man to man. That could be quite skillful work by another one
of your own guys in your own men’s group. So go on, get out of
your protective self-imposed isolation: “I can do it by myself”
those male-ego-pride-shame-fear-bullshit cycles & just get into
a men’s inner-growth group for awhile where you can work on
your stuff & on your soul on a frequent enough weekly-basis
to make a really noticeable difference.
Hey, at least check the 'idea' out !

"Our deepest fears are like dragons
guarding our deepest treasure." ~ Rainier Rilke 1908

________________________________________

♦ A Men's Group Compassionately and Intelligently
.... Explores a Man's Deeper Core Life-Issues.

"GOOD MEN BECOMING EVEN BETTER MEN"
• Support & Coaching • De-Stressing • Urban Shamanism
• Deep Self-Inquiry & Inner-Process Work • Meditation • Drumming • Campouts & Retreats • Cam’raderie • Challenge & Confrontation-Work • and oh yeah, Lotsa’ Fun !.

"ALL Men Need the Company of Other Men !"

Since the dawn of time, men have formed groups to hunt,
explore, play, make decisions, and delve into the mysteries
of life. But today most men lack deep connections with
other men. We may have 'buddies' we occasionally see,
but those relationships tend to get to be superficial. Most men get close only to women.
.
Fortunately, a growing number of men have recognized
the powerful rewards of bonded relationships with other men,
but are unsure how to find them. The 'key-search-words'
are still missing in our contemporary culture.
.
A wonderful solution is called a "men's group" or "men's team". Unlike sports teams or service clubs a men's group is designed
specifically to promote male bonding. Through a mutual interest
in forming deep friendships, regularity of contact ( every week ),
and safe intimacy-building activites, men's groups can provide
rich male relationships.
.. ." The Genuine Essence of a true 'Adventure'is that one just really doesn't know the 'Outcome'.
The essence of a true 'Spiritual' Inner-Adventure
is that one shouldn't need to know the outcome.
And that one absolutely can't know the outcome !
And that there really aren't ever any 'outcomes' ! " ~ Alexander Carpenter
_______________________________________________

A New Group now forming ~ taking in new members

MEN's GROUPS MEET WEEKLY in Santa Monica.
If you LIVE or WORK closer to our meetings –
it's so much easier for you to attend our local
Weekly Groups on a committed weekly basis..

Plan Ahead: Please make your Phone Inquiries now –
or to schedule an Interview really soon -
as the whole process takes some lead-time to set up.

◊ BUDDHIST MEDITATION Santa Monica
...& The LAUGHING BUDDHA SANGHA
◊ The ZEN MEN Inner-Growth Weekly Groups
◊ The L.A. MEDICINE MEN's LODGE
...Public Service 'Seva' Giving Projects
◊ Santa Monica ~ CA 90405 ~ USA

AkasaLeviZZ@msn.com
~ 310-450-2268 ~
CONTACT by PHONE is Best !
Best Phone Time: Noon to 6pm, Mon/Fri

______________________________________________________________________________________________

♦ "Yup, EVERY GUY COULD USE
BEING IN A MEN’S GROUP at some time in his life".

.“I Have Circled The Edges
..... of Men’s Campfires
......... All My Life
............ In Search of Belonging”

singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen
__________________________________________________
.
.• " SO WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO 'MEN' ?
" That's a really big huge unsettling issue that we gotta' look at...
We will approach this bravely and directly in your own Men's group
and briefly on the various pages of this MEN's Blog - like section ( 4 )
So give this blog of 'ideas' a chance - you might wanna' do this !
Read on .....

"Bring your life back from the modern ”Exile”
...of The Noble Male Spirit ~ and
.....come back into Sacred Balance once again!" .
. . . . ~ "Iron John" author/poet Robert Bly .

don't you owe that to yourself ?
_________________________________________________

A CONTEMPORARY TRIBE OF TRUTH-HONORING MEN
THAT MEET TOGETHER IN TRUST & SUPPORT

♦ Men Learning to Trust and Support Each Other
..in Making Important Life Changes
♦ GOOD-HEARTED MEN EXPLORING 'CONSCIOUS' MANHOOD
♦ MEN’S INNER-GROWTH • MEN'S LIFE-ISSUES ...
♦ MEN’S HEALTH MEN'S CREATIVITY & MEN'S SPIRITUALITY
♦ MEN'S HAPPINESS
...Around WORK, WOMEN, FAMILY, RELATIONSHIPS & SPIRIT.

.
Poet-Mythologist ROBERT BLY,
author of bestseller IRON JOHN: A Book About Men says: ________________________________________________

"I think what men need, is to spread their wings
in the valley of their own sorrow – and then soar!
...And roar !!! Go ahead, dance on the corpse of your own despair ! Get out of your protective isolation - get into a local men's group where you can work on your soul on a frequent enough basis
to make a noticeable difference! Bring your life back from the Exile of the Male Spirit - and into a healthy balance again!"
_______________________________________________________

• REAL HONEST TALK
• HEART-FELT LISTENING
• MEANINGFUL FEEDBACK
• CARING, STRONG FELLOWSHIP
• Deep Self-Inquiry & Inner-Process Work
• Meditation

______________________________________.

important.details

it's so much easier for you to attend our local Group
on a committed basis..
• Group is not drop-in • Group is ongoing long-term
• Group is funded by your voluntary donations

see section ( 4 ) for much more detail on this . . .

_______________________________________________________
Please Inquire Soon, if you're at all interested . . .
Guys, Right up front . . .
There's some steps involved: sorry, this is not an 'event'
or just something you can drop into and see if you like it.
Our Men's Groups are purposely very limited in size and
closed to outside visitors to fully insure confidentiality,
privacy and a safe, trusting environment to do deep
emotional or interior-work. Guys are really putting out
some heart & soul in here. And some good laughing !
Do you want do this kinda 'work' ?
It usually takes some 'lead time' to have a good phone
conversation about all this & then set up a live interview.
We thank you for your understanding on behalf of others.
You would want this for yourself. We are not just an 'open'
support or men's drumming group. This is gonna be more...
~ Really, Thank you for hearing !____________________________________________
__________________________________________ .

♦ 2011 UPDATE ♦

NEW SANTA MONICA GROUP...
Now Forming • Now Interviewing
WESTSIDE ◊ SANTA MONICA
◊ 7:30-9:30 pm WEEKNIGHT ( TBA ) ◊
The Choice of New Evening to be worked out
by the team-leader and incoming New Guys

AKASA LEVI, DhMA - is our group fire-tender / facilitator.
Contact him for a much more direct & deeper perspective
that no email or website can possibly convey. Read on...

To INQUIRE About What’s This All About ?
No Pitch ~ No Shit ~ No Obligation whatsoever
Just Call n' Ask a Big Bunch of QUESTIONS
and Get Lot's of Information Relevant to YOU.
Please Use the PHONE: 310-450-2268
Noon to 6pm best phone time, Mon-Fri

______________________________________ _____________________________________

GOOD MEN BECOMING EVEN BETTER MEN -:¦:-
◊ Deep Self-Inquiry and Inner-Process Work
◊ Challenge and Confrontation Work • Peer Coaching
◊ and if you do want to do this, or need this,
or just plain resist this - you'll know so much more when you're done reading this blog...
"One easily-made, very common mistake
is to think that 'your reality’ is THE Reality.
You must always be prepared to bravely
leave 'your' reality for a greater one." ~ Meeraji
.If you relate, somehow to any of this, then be welcome
to PHONE for much more Men's info, or for individual therapy - you get a Free phone consult • 310-450-2268 - .
.ZEN•MEN at The LAUGHING BUDDHA MEDITATION SANGHA
http://DharmaHere.blogspot.com/
THE SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD COUNSELING PROJECT http://buddhistcounselingtherapy.blogspot.com/

BTW ~ http://www.zentrance.com/ is under re-construction also...
_________________________________
.
QUOTES of Poetic Male Wisdom

A Path with Heart
Keep me away
from the wisdom
which does not cry,
the philosophy
which does not laugh,
and the greatness
which does not bow
before little children
~ Kahlil Gibran..

" You don't have to see the whole staircase –
just take the first step in faith "
~ M.L.King.

"Arriving with 'The Gift of Good Intent'
toward your own Success"
~ Old Irish Blessing.

" Eighty percent of success is just showing up! "
~ Woody Allen."While one person hesitates because
they 'feel' inferior & ‘think’ insecure thoughts –
the other is just busy making mistakes a p l e n t y -
and becoming quite superior"
~ The Tao...

" The Greatest Risk Is Not Taking One ".
.
"Good timber does not
....grow with ease
.......The stronger the wind ~
......~ the stronger the trees." ~ Willard Marriot
.
"A journey of a thousand miles
must begin with the very first step."
~ Lao Tzu.

" What is accepted by the majority of people ~
does not mean it is Real "
~ Gautama The Buddha ( 500 BC ).

Don't just drink by the waters edge
Throw yourself in
...Become the Water
. . .Only then will your thirst end
~ Rumi .

TO YOU GUYS READING THIS BLOG –
• It's All About US As "MEN of TRUE CHOICE"...
.YES, IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME MORE TIME
and LOT'S of PATIENCE ON YOUR PART
TO READ & SORT THRU ALL THE 'THOUGHTS'
THE WORDS ON THIS BLOG MAY BRING UP.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO READ IT ALL AT ONCE - TAKE IT IN SMALL BITES - SKIP AROUND IN IT
~ ENJOY IT !!! and
REALLY 'THINK' ABOUT THE DEEPER CONTENT...
________________________________________

“It's like coming home to yourself at last. 
For this is the journey that men make:
to find themselves. If they fail in this,
it doesn't matter much what else they find. 
Money, position, fame, many loves, revenge ... 
are all of little consequence,  and when
the tickets are collected at the end of the ride, 
they are tossed into a bin marker "failure.
But if a man happens to find himself -- 
if he knows what he can be depended on to do, 
the true limits of his courage, the true positions
from which he will no longer retreat, the degree
to which he can willingly surrender his inner life
to a woman, the secret reservoirs of his determination,  
the extent of his dedication, the depths of his feelings
for beauty, his honest and unpostured goals --
-- then he has found a mansion which he can inhabit
with dignity all the days of his life.  
~ James Michener, The Journey.
.

... YOU'LL KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT
WHAT YOU SINCERELY WANT FOR YOURSELF !

ZEN MEN :: ~ THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD, HEFTY, HEARTY STUFFWRITTEN IN THIS MEN's BLOG POSTING.
PLEASE HAVE PATIENCE and GIVE IT A CHANCE

• MEN's GROUPS USUALLY MEET WEEKLY.
If you LIVE or WORK much closer to our meetings –

( 2 ) ♦ What's The Whole "IDEA" of a Men's Group ??? and some common Misunderstandings

2008-11-05T22:48:00.000-08:00

.
.
.
“I Have Circled The Edges
of Men’s Campfires
All My Life In Search of Belonging”
~ singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen

______________________________________________ ________________________________________________
__________________________________________________ .
........♦ ZEN♦MEN .. 2009 UPDATE ♦

.......NEW SANTA MONICA GROUP
......Now Forming • Now Interviewing

WESTSIDE ◊ SANTA MONICA
◊ 7:30-9:30 pm WEEKNIGHT ◊ TBA
Choice of New Evening to be worked out
by the team-leader and incoming New Guys ...
.AKASA LEVI, DhMA - is our group fire-tender / facilitator.
Contact him for a much more direct & deeper perspective
that no email or website can possibly convey. Please Read on...

INQUIRE About What’s This All About ?
No Pitch ~ No Obligation whatsoever
ASK a BUNCH of QUESTIONS and
Get Lot's of DETAILS relevant to YOU.
Please Use The PHONE: 310-450-2268
Noon to 6pm best phone time, Mon-Fri

____________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________
OK FIRST ~
.
What's The "IDEA" of a Men's Inner-Growth Group ?

"That men need other men ~ and that's a good thing !" ~ Jungian analyst James Hillman
.........for men to deeply relate empathically & non-competitively ~
..........................~ obvious but never acknowledged
What's written in brief paragraphs all through this blog -
just might be a half, or even a whole 'new concept' for you
to sincerely consider - even tho' Men's Groups have been
around now for three decades or more ~

RECOGNIZED MEN like Robert Bly, Bill Moyers, James Hillman,
Michael Ventura, Jim Belushi, Peter Coyote, John Densmore,
Keith Thompson, Luis Rodriguez, Sam Keen, Ted Danson,
Herb Goldberg, Richard Gere, Michael Meade, Jack Kornfield,
Michael Beckwith, John Lee, Orland Bishop, George Lucas,
Stephen Johnson, Tracy Miller, Ray Bunch, Andrew Beath,
David Strong Bear ~ the list goes on...
Men who've been deeply involved in men's deep inner-work
for decades. They have inspired us & influenced what we do
in our local men's groups here in LA.

So... Welcome to a Good Idea!
"The World Needs a Man's Good Heart" ~
says Joseph Jastrab in 'Sacred Manhood, Sacred Earth'
_______________________________________________
_________________________________________________

CONFUSIONS • • •
MISUNDERSTANDINGS About Men's Groups: "GOOD MEN BECOMING EVEN BETTER MEN"

A DISCLAIMER :: Some un-informed folks think that when a guy
goes to a 'Men's Meeting' (like an AA Stag Meeting), that it seems
it's always about substances, abuse or anger management –
many think that a “men's group” is just for guys with bad behavior
'problems' – This is just NOT true.

OUR Men's Groups are what's called “Men's Inner-Growth Groups” -
- there's a Huge Difference! 'Recovery-Work’ is NOT what we do –
And we highly recommend AA and other Men's 12-Step Recovery
programs to men who are seriously & intensively struggling to
overcome destructive addictions & behaviors. Please do it !
Our hearts are so with you ! But OUR 'Men's Growth Groups' are for 'clean', quite stable guys
who want to deeply discover and get into MORE genuine touch
with themselves - to bring home, bring to their families bring to
their whole lives - a better, more expressive man - a better,
fuller, richer, whole Person.

"When very Sincere Men of Good Heart
meet to ‘Inner-Quest’ together –
and explore deeply their true inner-being -
Those men cannot help
but successfully grow together."
~ Robert Bly

~ current status ~

Another
New Santa Monica Group
for '09 ~ Evening TBA
.
.
MEN's GROUPS MEET WEEKLY in Santa Monica.
If you LIVE or WORK much closer to our meetings –
it's so much easier for you to attend our local
Weekly Groups on a committed weekly basis.. .Please Inquire Soon, if you're at all interested . . .

Right up front . . .There's some steps involved: sorry, this is not an 'event'
or just something you can drop into and see if you like it.
Our Men's Groups are purposely very limited in size and
closed to outside visitors to fully insure confidentiality,
privacy and a safe trusting environment to do deep
emotional or interior-work. Guys are putting out
some heart & soul in here. And some laughing !
Do you want do this kinda 'work' ?

It usually takes some 'lead time' to have a good phone
conversation about all this & then set up a live interview.
We thank you for your understanding on behalf of others.
You would want this for yourself. We are not just an open
support or men's drumming group. ~ Thank you for hearing
.
.( private individual therapy or relationship ~ marital counseling
is also available by appointment for women & men, or couples )

___________________________________________

YOUR INDIVIDUAL GROWTH

You just can't truly 'Grow' all alone on your own –
" All by myself " is an isolated, sad male-myth . . .
True Enriched Good Living - itself - takes an expanded,
embracing, expressive heart-inspired, truly engaged form
of Willing 'Fellowship' - a 'conscious' men's community...
within the larger community of all beings. For the sake
of everybody world-wide.
We all do need a 'Village' - and lotsa caring mentoring.
Everybody mentoring everybody ! Let's all learn . . .
"Everything we've ever, ever learned -
we've learned somehow from somebody else." ~ The Male Mentors Guide
.
.“MEN'S GROUPS
Are For Men Enriching Themselves
& The Women, Youth, Families, and Work That Deeply Affect All Our Souls” ~ mythologist & poet Robert Bly
.
.“The Spiritual Warrior
chooses 'A Path with Heart' – and follows it.
He 'knows', because he 'sees' – he sees that his life will be over altogether too soon. He really knows that nothing is more important than anything else is. It all is important. And then he rejoices and laughs. A path is only a 'path' - and there is no affront, to oneself or to others, in dropping it - if that is what your heart tells you. Look at every path closely and deliberately. Try it as many times as you think necessary. Then ask yourself, and yourself alone, one question – “ Does this Path have a Heart? ”If it does, the path is good - If it doesn't - It is of no use.”
~ The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge – Carlos Castaneda (1968) .
If you have any Hesitations / Questions
about all or any of what's written in here ~
'Great Doubt' as they say in Zen, can be
an encouraging growth-stimulus
and it's really good to have it !
phone us and let's explore it.
310-450-2268

__________________________________________________ _________________________________________________
The L.A. MEDICINE ◊ MEN’S ◊ LODGE ◊ mentored by Akasa Levi
a Los Angeles Men’s Growth Group continually meeting since 1989
ZEN MEN :: A SUPPORTIVE TRIBE OF TRUTH-HONORING MEN
THAT MEET TOGETHER IN TRUST & SUPPORT EVERY WEEK __________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

• HONEST TALK
• HEART-FELT LISTENING
• MEANINGFUL FEEDBACK
• GOOD FELLOWSHIP .. with Who ?

“A Butcher, a Baker, a Candlestick-maker -
Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief -
Soldier, Sailor, Tinker, Tailor -
Rich man, Poor man, Beggar man, Thief “

• EVERY TYPE OF MAN
COULD USE BEING IN A MEN’S GROUP{ absolutely every kinda’ guy. How MANY ways can we say it . . . }

Yes, men do gather for work-related,
family, friend, sports-related stuff –
even gangs or the military....
BUT
too often they're power-related, combative or competitive
gatherings of men ... NOT "Inner-Growth" groups of men –
that 'empathy' and kindly 'nobility' is missing in our society -
and filled in with a tolerated enabling or a bonus check.
A ‘man’ needs other good men – MOST men so need this!
That’s our only ‘pitch’.
It’s not some 'Smiley-face New Age' talk or
‘Best Buddy’ talk we do . . it’s different.

“I GET the point – I NEVER really thought about it before.
It's a valuable point really worth considering” ... Michael, 42

Most American men haven’t considered it.
Even about the 'existence' of men's groups.
It just never occurred to most of us either. . .
anyway ~ read on

_______________________________________
..
Where the 'Talking-Stick' is Alive !

You Talk, We Listen ! Everybody Feeds Back !.What is a ‘MEN's COUNCIL’ ? ... A Tribal Council ? The Men's Lodge ? The Men's Kiva ? The Men's Longhouse

"It's inconceivable to me that we 'modern' men don't gather in
a 'Sacred-Soul Way', not just a sporting way! Or except when
we go to church or temple, usually on the prompting of women.
With more true personal integrity & a less techno-alienated society,
the adult men of the village always meet in Tribal Men's Council
- very regularly - to support their own 'noble strength' of deep
inner manhood - a sort of Monday night football for the Soul."

"This is not some 'corny' or a 'hokey' idea - in gadget-happy
America, the true, authentic, heroic/poetic Masculine Soul is
way, way under-nourished! AND enormously 'enabled'
A Man's pampering baby ‘needs’ have become a lame TV joke.
The now classic archetype of Dr. Mom and her befuddled male.
Impotent Viagra Man with his goofy smile. An apologetic, sort of
'mock' shame-based mythos seems to have taken over & rules
the day. The true 'Wild Man' ( Feeling-Man ) has become
a hazard or an embarrassment." ~ Akasa Levi

“It’s a Very, Very Ancient Male Tribal Tradition:
The Men’s Circle Calls To Us ! The Men’s Circle IS THERE, specifically,
FOR Men’s Inner-Work
& FOR Men’s Life-Issues” ~ Jungian analyst James Hillman
________________________________________
______________________________________

TO YOU GUYS READING THIS BLOG ––
It's All About US As "MEN of TRUE CHOICE"....IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME MORE TIME& LOT'S of PATIENCE ON YOUR PART
TO READ & SORT THRU ALL THE 'THOUGHTS'
THE WORDS ON THIS BLOG MAY BRING UP.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO READ IT ALL AT ONCE -
TAKE IT IN SMALL BITES - SKIP AROUND IN IT
~ ENJOY IT !!!
REALLY 'THINK' ABOUT THE DEEPER CONTENT...
YOU'LL KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT
WHAT YOU SINCERELY WANT FOR YOURSELF
and IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS, OR NEED THIS,
OR JUST PLAIN RESIST THIS –
WHEN YOU'RE DONE READING THIS.
__________________________________
_________________________________ .
..
.
.
.
.

( 3 ) ♦ Why Men Are the Way They Are ? What Happened to Men ? And What They Need to Get Back.

2008-11-04T19:20:00.000-08:00

_____________________________________________________◊ GOOD-HEARTED MEN EXPLORING CONSCIOUS MANHOOD ◊.."You YOURSELF,
as much as anyone else in the entire Universe,
deserves your own love and self-care." ~ The Buddha
___________________________
_________________________
_______________________
♦ The "PROBLEM" has a Long History...

~ SO WHAT HAPPENED TO MEN ? ~
“The average contemporary adult male has paid a heavy price
for his buying into patriarchal masculine ‘privilege and power'.
Now he became out of healthy touch with his best values & deepest
emotions. There was a 'gun' to his head. You don't argue with a gun.
He became the man with the gun. He lost all or part of his soul-spirit.
Only a new way of perceiving himself can unlock him from ancient,
old, destructive patterns & then he can authentically enrich his life”

~ Herb Goldberg – ‘The Hazards of Being Male’
________________________________________

THERE IS A CRISIS IN THE OVERWHELMING LACK
OF THE TRULY HEALTHY, THE NOBLE "MATURE MASCULINE"
"That lack feeds into the destructive global crisis of survival
we face as a species. We need to develop a calmness about
'masculine power' so we don't have to act out dominating,
disempowering behavior towards others. If contemporary men
can 'willingly' take up 'by themselves' (no product on the market
will do this) the task of their own wholesome initiation from
'Boyhood' to 'Manhood' as seriously as did their tribal forebears.
Yes, then we may actually witness the ‘end’ of the beginning
of our species - instead of the beginning of the end"~ Robert Moore & Douglas Gillette
..‘King, Warrior, Magician, Lover’

.
.
"One easily-made, very common mistake
is to think that 'your reality’ is THE Reality.
You must always be prepared to bravely
leave 'your' reality for a greater one." ~ Meeraji

____________________________________
Men's Groups :: Get Into One for Awhile !
Men Enriching Themselves, for the Women,
Youth, Families, Communities and Work
that Deeply Affect All Our Souls

"He's so handsome and really nice
when he comes back from his men's group...!" ~ Jennifer

• REAL HONEST TALK • HEART-FELT LISTENING
• MEANINGFUL FEEDBACK • GOOD FELLOWSHIP

__________________________________________
.WHY JUST AN ALL ‘MALE’ MEN’S GROUP ?

“As men, we need same sex friends to be listened to by,
because there are types of validation and acceptance
that we can receive only from our own gendermates –
that go way, way beyond the sportsfield or the work site.
There is so much more about our deeper experience as men
that can only be shared with, and understood by, other men.
There are stories we can tell only to those who have wrestledin the dark with the same demons and have been wounded
by the same angels. Only men understand the shameful
or secret fears that also go with the territory of masculinity”

~ Sam Keen – ‘Fire In The Belly’
______________________________________________
"Yeah, sure –
I remember that small group of guys –
my guys, I use'ta hang out with in high school,
usually in the parking lot, or at that lunch place...
we weren't jock-types, we were 'odd' guys, nerds. We talked kinda deep-minded, deep personal stuff...
It was so good being with those guys" ~ Steve“THE MEN’S LODGE, THE MEN’S LONG-HOUSE
...........IS A PRIVATE ‘SACRED SPACE’
"Since the dawn of time
men in every culture have met alone togetherto approach their gods and find their collective magic.
Every young boy knows this instinctively - ‘No Girlz Allowed’.
The women in our lives are now getting to appreciate, not be
threatened by this. Because, all along, women have historically
always gathered together on the most sensitive levels of Anima.
Men have lost their true Male Spirit and have bought into
substitutes - and are just now slowly regaining this sacred
sanctuary. They come home now to their families
after men’s group as better spirited men”

~ Aaron Kipnis – ‘Knights Without Armor’

•<>• WHEN MEN OF GOOD SPIRIT
............HELP EACH OTHER
...............TO OPEN & GROW •<>•____________________________________~ The SPIRITUAL WARRIOR ~“The real accomplishment in lifeis the art of being a ‘Spiritual Warrior’.
A ‘Spiritual Warrior’ is the only wayto balance the terror of being a Man
with the wonder of being a Man”~ Carlos Castaneda
_________________________________________
<> HONEST TALK <> HEART-FELT LISTENING
<> GOOD FELLOWSHIP <> HONEST FEEDBACK
• Deep Self-Inquiry & Inner-Process Work
• Peer Coaching • De-Stressing • Meditation
• Urban Shamanism • Drumming • Campouts
• Retreats • Challenge & Confrontation Work
• Cam’raderie • Support & Fun !
...To Rap, Inquire or Apply: 310-450-2268...................................•<>•______________________________________“I Have CircledThe Edges of Men’s Campfires
All My Life
In Search of Belonging”

~ singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen

____________________________
"TO KNOW GREATER INTIMACY:
with Life, as well as wife, kids, best friends --
we often must take the risk of being hurt,
laughed at, or even rejected.
In the safety of your men's group,
committed to emotionally supporting each other
and learning to confront and resolving conflict,
you can afford to take those risks.
Your men's group will become a safe place,
an arena for your anger, your sadness,
a refuge of comforting, of challenge, loving, and caring.
Here you just might get to tell 'Your Story' for the last timeand be done with it. Wouldn't that be a great unburdening!"

~ Bill Kauth – ‘A Circle of Men’

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( 4 ) ♦ Important CONTACT DETAILS to COME Attend • some CLOSING THOUGHTS

2008-11-02T01:08:00.000-07:00

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_____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
The ZEN♦MEN's Group ◊ Peer MEN's Groups for Inner-Growth
_________________________________________________ ________________________________________________

♦ ♦ ♦ PLEASE NOTE these Important DETAILS ♦ ♦ ♦

THE small PRINT ◊ THE small PRINT ◊ THE small PRINT

• Group is NOT drop-in
• It is a membership-only group
• Group is a strong dedicated weekly commitment
• Group members maintain total confidentiality
• Group size is limited & closed to outside visitation at all times
• Group membership is multi-ethnic / multi-diverse
• Group itself is non-religious
• Group ages usually range from 30 to mid-50’s
...We have so much to share with each other with an age-span
• Group is totally funded by your voluntary monthly donations

MEN's GROUPS MEET WEEKLY in Santa Monica.
If you LIVE or WORK closer to our meetings –
it's so much easier for you to attend our local
Weekly Groups on a committed weekly basis.

____________________________________________________. • WHO COMES TO A MEN'S GROUP ? What kinda guys ?So, we got contractors, we got corporate guys, we got teachers,
we got software guys, we got professionals, we got a biker, we
got a witch doctor... basically thinkers. We've gotten some good
guys here... Ages run from a 32 year old creative guy to a
40-something attorney to a 60ish teacher. The pool of wisdom
'experiences' is tremendous! It even gets brilliant in here at times!
In your own NEW peer-group, it will be up to that group itself
to endorse the future men that will join that group.... you'll see...

• Through our experiences of weekly Men's Group, we've solidly
become remarkably friendly, easy-going, patient and genuinely
interested in other humans. We've learned to listen with concern.
We've slowly evolved into very sincere & compassionate men.
Men's Group is not a quick-fix, change takes time, support
and stick-to-it-ness. Now each of us is out in the world doing
this on behalf of ourselves and other men. ManKind !

• Most men today need some 'conscious' sort of inner-work
towards their own inner-peace! The world needs peace-filled
men who care! HOW much do I know about where I'm blind?...
The other men will let me know !
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"...a change of Heart changes Everything "
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.• On HOMOPHOBIA: Group membership so far has been
all 'straight' men ~ so don't go get all 'homophobic' & bent out
of shape when we DO say... We've always been solidly gay,
bi, feminist friendly, 'supportive' & 'affirmative' -- We lovingly
acknowledge all other peoples, their colors, and their civil,
religious, gender and their sexual preferences / expressions
of LGBTQ. We support all consensual/consenting family
partnerings & groupings that are based in loving-kindness
& skillful social responsibility and humanistic concerns.

BTW - By The Way: If you or someone you know is sincerely
seeking a really good gay/bi-oriented men's group & community -
visit http://www.gaymensmedicinecircle.org/ -- an intelligent and
long established, quality, premier West Hollywood gay men's
open group holding the finest of values & personal integrity -
a spirited, poetic, solid bunch of guys with a very caring,
healthy attitude.

_______________________________________________ ______________________________________________
..
Our ZEN♦MEN's Group ITSELF
...... is always all about
‘CONTACTING’ & ‘CONNECTING’
and 'RELATING' with your Truth – and staying 'Connected' . . .
internally as well as externally.

CONTACT: A Big RAP about the Phone
• Just Phone 310-450-2268 to inquire more
about The ZEN♦MEN's Group. No emails please.
• Ask for AKASA LEVI, so you two guys can talk directly -
Especially to ASK A BUNCH of QUESTIONS and
To Get Lot's of DETAILS that you will really need.

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• On Playing PHONE TAG...
which will probably happen.

• The BEST PHONE HOURS for contact are Noon to 6pm,
Mon-Fri. You may get a Voice Mail. So leave a message.
• Please leave a very complete message: best land.line
phone # and your Cell # - actually BOTH if you will.
We'd like to talk with you 'live', not write emails back & forth.
( tho' at some point we'd need your Your EMAIL edress so we can
send you directions etc.) and please speak very slowly & clearly.
• Please Make yourself EASY to contact !
We'll phone you back. AND, you may have to call us back
if you don't hear from us in a reasonable amount of time -
if you're really interested - please be persistent ! thanks...

• From there, we may just have to phone-tag a bit to actually
set up a much better 'phone-time' to have a much more
lengthy informative conversation with each other, live....

• And hey, there's No Sales Pitch. There's No Obligations.
Nobody's gonna talk you into shit. Trust in that! And yes,
you DO need to know more - much more! Use the Phone.

• It’s just too labor-intensive to write emails to convey
these 'serious ideas'. Inquiry must be voice to voice
from here on. We want the conversation to be 'relevant'
directly to you! So we'd to have a phone-conversation -
about who 'you' are - about who 'we' are - about what a
'men's group' is all about & what YOU NEED out of this -
and especially how you will be getting to do your 'work'
on yourself thru actually being in 'your own' men's group!

• PHONE US. Email is too ‘impersonal’. Men's Group is
about 'talking' & 'connecting' and we're interested in men
that are actually willing to try n' deeply relate from deep
inside themselves.

We're looking forward to actually 'speaking' with you 'live'...
Thanks for reading & hearing all this rap n' crap !
Hey, at least check it out!

... Our best to ya' ~ Akasa Levi
.__________________________________________________ ________________________________________________
• A CLOSING THOUGHT ~ Ahhh, At Last!
Hey ~ YOU PERSONALLY - “The Women” as well as “The Men”
out there reading this - YOU could be really, really helpful
in furthering MEN’S DEEP INNER-WORK towards a "Male Spirit
of Peace-Making" that world-generations might enjoy someday!
We won't survive without 'peace-making / peace-filled men'
and the women who love and support that in them...!
. • WHAT YOU CAN EASILY DO: Simply please PASS THE WORD
around in your ordinary everyday conversations - and TELL MEN
& WOMEN YOU KNOW, that you heard about the EXISTENCE of
"Men's Groups" - not just here in LA, but in places where others
you care about might live - men’s groups ARE now out there!
semi-invisibly Everywhere !
. • Really, make "Men's Groups" a new part of your 'conversation'
• We find that the WOMEN in our lives have been loving, great
word-of-mouth & great supporters in INFORMING MEN they know
about the truly healthy possibilities of a men's group - even about
the mere 'existence' of men's groups in the 'newer' American culture
( that there even IS such a thing! ) ...AND THAT IT WORKS…
for every kind of guy! ...and We Thank You for hearing this !
Maybe MANkind will thank you when men stop undue profiteering,
exploiting the weak, and worst - making wars. Be Peace. _____________________________________________
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." BEcome THE CHANGE
......YOU WANT TO SEE ..........IN THE WORLD " ~ Gandhi
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"Love and Compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive." ~ The Dalai Lama

“ Humankind MUST remember -
That ‘Peace’ is not God's gift to his creatures,
Peace is OUR gift...to each other! ”
~ Eli Wiesel

"We can do no 'great' things -
only small things with great love."
~ Mother Teresa

Yes, EVERY MAN COULD USE BEING IN A MEN’S GROUP !
___________________________________________________

.
AkasaLeviZZ@msn.com
The ZEN MEN ~ 310-450-2268 at The L.A. MEDICINE MEN's LODGE
and THE LAUGHiNg BUDDHA SANGHA
The SPIRITUAL ADULTHOOD PROJECT
www.zentrance.com/ under reconstruction
Santa Monica ~ CA 90405 ~ USA
_______________________________________________ ______________________________________________
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.
other BIO notes:
AKASA LEVI, DhMA Our Tribal Elder/Team Leader
and Group Mentor & Fire-tender-Facilitator at ZEN♦MEN
a warm, engaging, very funny, 'odd' sort of ol' guy, now 68 –
and a former ordained American Buddhist forest monk in
Sri Lanka and India for a whole decade during the 1970's.
He is grateful for his many visits with Men's-work leaders
Robert Bly, Michael Meade and James Hillman -
and Western pioneering Buddhist teachers ( and gender-
teachers ) Jack Kornfield and Mme. Ruth Denison.
( please see Akasa's full BIO on this blog's profile )

Akasa created The Laughing BUDDHA Meditation Sangha
and also The Spiritual Adulthood Counseling Therapy Project
for Men & Women’s Individual Personal Therapy • for Couple’s,
Marriage & Relationship Counseling and all kinds of Partnerings.
.
• There's Weekly Buddhist Meditation Classes and Satsang •
Deep Dharma Study Group • Mindfulness-Awareness Training •
• Meditation Retreats • All for both Men, Women & Young Adults.

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◊ The END is Insight !

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( 5 ) ♦ Men's related Quotes and Poetry ~ Always The Gift of Wise Words

2008-11-01T02:22:00.000-07:00

~ men of good will ~.
.
"COMPASSION"which can be Pointed out,
Practiced and therefore
Learned & Refined...
then becomes a spontaneous, authentic, natural, warm "FELLOWSHIP-FEELING"
between humans based in their Humanity !__________________________________
.
Love and Compassion are Necessities -
Not luxuries. Without them humanity
just cannot survive.~ The Dalai Lama.
At the end of the talk someone from the audience
asked The Dalai Lama –
"Why didn't you fight back against the Chinese?"
The Dalai Lama looked down, swung his feet just a bit,
then looked back up at us and said with a gentle smile.
"Of course the mind can surely ‘rationalize’ fighting back...
but the heart, the heart would never, never understand.
Then you would be divided in yourself,
the heart from the mind –
and then the war would be inside of you."

Really ‘seeing’ our own individual ‘Life’ itself as a viable ‘force’
for bringing happiness and peace to ourselves and to others.
Do we trust enough to surrender up our own ‘separateness’ ?

The opposite of Love is not Hate –
it's indifference.
The opposite of art is not ugliness –
it's indifference.
The opposite of faith is not heresy –
it's indifference.
And the opposite of life is not death –
it's indifference.
~ Elie Wiesel

Kindness in Words creates Confidence.
Kindness in Thinking creates Profoundness.
Kindness in Giving creates Love.
~ Lao Tzu

They drew a circle that shut me out –
Calling me a heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win –
We drew a circle that took them in.
~ Edwin Markham "Outwitted"

If you want to be an Ultimate Rebel,
you have to rebel against yourself, ultimately.

Am I not destroying my enemies
when I make them my friends ?
~ Abraham Lincoln

Violence is the language of the inarticulate.
~ Michael Beckwith
______________________________________
We harm Ourselves ~
Not because we remember the harm we experienced -
But because we forgot to Forgive the harm done.

Being upset with myself for being upset -
I had to forgive myself for being unforgiving.

It is more painful to not forgive yourself.
Perhaps the primary "unforgivable" thing
is to not forgive yourself – when ones-self
is the only person that can forgive oneself.

Not taking anything 'personally' –
was something personally very liberating.

~ all above quotes – Shi'an ( Chine Sensei )
______________________________________
"Man is the measure of all things." ~ Protagoras

Is the Hu’man the measure of all things ?
The deluded hu’man
is the 'false measurer'
of all "Their Own-things".
The enlightened hu’man
is the 'true measurer'
of "All Things".
They alone see Reality.

Your task is not to 'seek' for Love -
but merely to seek and find
all the 'barriers' within yourself,
that you have built against Love.
~ Rumi

Love and Compassion are Necessities - Not luxuries.
Without them humanity just cannot survive.
~ The Dalai Lama

BE KIND to YOURSELF

" You Yourself ~
as much as anyone in the entire Universe,
deserves your OWN affection, care and love.

You can explore the whole universe looking
for someone else who is more deserving of
your love & affection than you are yourself...
and you will not find that person anywhere.

To be maximum effective -
“The Practice of Loving-Kindness”
must absolutely begin with yourself ! " ~ The Buddha
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