Aikido, Process Work, & Deeper Currents of Conflict

RAW Podcast w/ Gary Reiss & Miles Kessler

What does it mean to meet conflict—not with reactivity or avoidance—but with presence, clarity, and a willingness to go deeper? In a recent episode of the RAW podcast, my colleague Dr. Gary Reiss and I sat down with host Anouk Louri to explore these questions and share our experiences in trauma healing, martial arts, and group facilitation.

Gary shared his insights from his work in Israel and the Palestinian territories, including collaborations with trauma experts on both sides. Drawing from Process-Oriented Psychology, he explores how we can access the wisdom hidden within personal and collective tension—even, and especially, in heartbreaking times.

I shared the perspective of Aikido, a martial art rooted in harmony and non-resistance, and how its philosophy can help us engage conflict with grounded strength rather than force. Recorded during Gary’s recent visit to Tel Aviv, where we co-facilitated “healing the healers” events, this conversation invites you to reflect on what it means to respond—not react—amid profoundly uncertain times.

Tozan’s 5 Stages Of The Spiritual Path

“When you seek the grace of God, you can rest assured that the grace of God is also seeking you.” This beautiful and profound quote from Ramana Maharshi tells us that even though the spiritual path is challenging, we can rest assured because we are being supported through every step of the journey. It is a journey of your spiritual path that unfolds in increasingly deeper stages of depth, awakening, and support. Welcome to “The 5 Stages Of The Spiritual Path” as laid out 1,200 years ago in the ancient Zen Buddhist teaching of “The 5 Ranks Of Tozan”. It is both a spiritual map and timeless wisdom! Check out my recent Community Call replay below!


 

The Aikido Koan

A Zen Riddle For Conflict Resolution

In Zen Buddhism, the practice of “Koan Study” is meant to give the practitioner a transpersonal experience by exhausting the mind with an unanswerable riddle. But what happens when you insert koan practice into our experience of conflict?

Healing The Polarization In The Self & The World

Process Work & Aikido - w/ Dr. Gary Reiss

What does it mean to heal our wounds? What does it mean to resolve conflict with others? How are these questions related, and if that was a process, what would it look and feel like? These are the questions I recently explored with therapist and fellow Aikido practitioner Dr. Gary Reiss.


The Progress Of Insight: The Inner Map Of Meditation | An Online Workshop w/ Miles Kessler
Sunday, March 23rd, 2025

Join meditation teacher Miles Kessler for this online workshop, Feb. 25th, 2024.

Date: March 23, 2025
Time: 06:00 - 09:00 pm
Event: Workshop: The Progress Of Insight: The Inner Map Of Meditation
Topic: Workshop: The Progress Of Insight: The Inner Map Of Meditation
Venue: ONLINE VIA ZOOM
Public: Public

Meditation, Reflection, & Intention For The New Year

Moving Into 2025

When transitioning from one year to the next, it’s good to assess what aspects of your life would you like to leave behind, what would you like to carry forward, and what would you like to awaken in the new year. Most importantly, where are you at this very moment, and how does this facilitate the transition?

On Dec. 20th, I facilitated an end-of-year community meditation with our community. In this session, I spoke about how transitions apply to the Tibetan Buddhist teaching of rebirth consciousness. In this teaching, it is said that what we carry forward into our next rebirth is the totality of our karma and the totality of our wisdom.

Based on this talk, we did a reflection practice on where we’ve been, a mindfulness exercise to ground in the present, and a guided meditation to set intentions for the coming year. You are invited to join this practice by watching the replay below.