I have recently been conducting a series of “Dharma Discussions” with several of my friends who are meditation teachers. These discussions are exclusively for our current “Meditation For Aikido” course participants. However, these discussions are so good that I’ve decided to take some “bite-sized” excerpts and share them with my blog readers. I’m calling them “Dharma Bites” and here is the first many more to come. Here is an excerpt from a Dharma discussion I had on “The Wisdom Of Awareness, Tolerance & Allowing.”
In our previous chat, master facilitator Mark Walsh (“The Embodiment Podcast”) and I spoke about 3 phases of our personal development, namely “retreating from the world, returning to the marketplace and expressing our practice in virtual space” – and how each one of these moves comes with its set of challenges and learning curves. In this video once again we’re off to the races as we romp through the topic of “Polarity, Sex, & Enlightenment.
This beautiful little handbook contains the inspirational teachings of Morihei Ueshiba, O’ Sensei himself. Each of its 112 short verses describes O’ Sensei’s perspective of the real way of the spiritual warrior. If you seek to explore the greater meaning of Aikido, and what it means in your life, then this book will give you a deep dive into the enlightened mind of the founder of the art.
Aptly referred to as the “Einstein of consciousness”, Ken Wilber is perhaps the most significant philosopher of our times. He is the mapmaker that has synthesized all of the human wisdom traditions into his famous Integral Model, which applies to every aspect of life. Integral Spirituality illuminates the promise and potential of the spiritual path like never before. Through “multiple perspective taking” you will gain a powerful map of the classical path of spiritual states and the skill-sets you need to reach higher and higher stages of spiritual development.
Welcome to my first post for The Integral Dojo Blog. In this space, I will explore everything concerning the nature of a “Path” of practice. So it seems appropriate that here in our first post that we ask “What is a Path of practice”? So here are just a few of the many important elements.
Diane Musho Hamilton is a dear friend and mentor, a gifted Zen teacher, master facilitator, and professional mediator. In her first book, Diane brings a Zen approach to conflict resolution. You will learn from her to work with your personal “conflict style,” discover the creativity that lies at the core of all conflict, and the 3-fold practice of showing up, listening and witnessing. Diane is just great, and this book will introduce you to the art of conflict, and how to work with it in all aspects of your life.
In “Eyes Wide Open” Mariana Caplan has created a first of its kind “field guide” for walking a spiritual path. She has laid out a post-modern map of the major interior spaces you need to consider on your path – cultural, psychological, tantric, and shadow work. She also writes on the critical issue of what it means to be in a relationship with a spiritual teacher in a postmodern world. For anyone interested in cultivating wisdom, orientation and clarity on the spiritual path, “Eyes Wide Open” is essential reading.
