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A sacred union is formed when we unite our masculine and feminine energies within; we find our spiritual heart and our world is transformed.
Join me on Saturday, June 22, 2019 for a day of exploration, healing and initiation into the mystical union of the inner masculine and feminine. In esoteric philosophy the feminine and masculine principles, the yin and yang, underlie all of existence, bringing form into the world. Whether we are male or female, both are a part of our makeup and they are intrinsically equal and complementary. For most of us, though, they are out of balance, leading to troubled relationships, power struggles, a teeter-totter life, and a world that mirrors this imbalance.
In truth, we are one androgynous soul acting out both sides. The men in a woman’s life will mirror to her unowned and projected aspects of her inner masculine side, and the women in a man’s life will mirror his projected feminine side. To heal this split, we must take back these projections, making the unconscious conscious (shadow clearing), and allow our level of attention to rise into a place of balance in the spiritual heart. With this shift, life smooths out. We see our relationships become supportive, harmonious and loving, and our actions in the world come into alignment with our soul’s intention. We come into our true spiritual power as women and men.
In this workshop you will learn:
- to identify and distinguish the qualities of the feminine and masculine and their shadow sides
- how the masculine and feminine energies flow in the subtle physical, or energy body
- how polarized consciousness moves up through the body and into a place of balance in the spiritual heart
- potent tools for clearing unconscious shadow
As a group, we will:
- identify, process and clear the unconscious masculine and feminine shadow
- be guided in meditations to ground our new awarenesses
- dialogue and share
Workshop logistics:
Date: Saturday, June 22, 2019
Time: 9:30am – 4pm (with lunch break)
Location: sacred space in Sutro Heights, San Francisco. Exact address provided upon registration.
Please register at this link:
This question came up the other day: “If only I could be more patient with myself and others, I wouldn’t get so stressed all the time. Is there anything I can do?”
Having patience, waiting… why can it be so challenging sometimes? Our lack of control over a situation and the accompanying feeling of powerlessness? Our activated nervous system and inevitable restlessness? Why do we so easily become impatient? Whatever our subjective experience, impatience is always about our relationship to time. We resist the unease of our present moment experience and desire to be in the future when our inner tension is resolved. We want that slow driver ahead of us in traffic to move along, already! We want that co-worker to complete their assignment so that the stalled project you’ve been working on together can proceed, pronto! The thoughts we’re having about the unresolved situation dominate our awareness and we feel restless.
So we could say impatience begins in the mind with the thoughts that the mind generates about what it feels should be. We become attached to some imaginary future moment when the world meets our expectations. Or if it doesn’t, at least we’re we’re no longer left in the dark! And in this we become a prisoner of psychological time, feeling trapped and stressed.
But what if, next time, you were to choose to detach from this endless thought-stream? For this is where our power regarding impatience lies. Finding patience is synonymous with finding inner peace. And this inner piece comes from a quiet mind. It’s not so hard to do. The next time you notice yourself being impatient, simply take your attention away from your thoughts and to your breath. Focus on breathing deeply and rhythmically in and out for a moment or two. You’ll notice that the mind naturally quiets down, and an activated nervous system begins to settle. By slowly tracking your inbreath and outbreath with your attention, an experience of inner stillness will soon begin to take hold. The future holds no sway here, for you are becoming present.
It is in this still present moment awareness that, rather than resisting or desperately needing resolution to your predicament, you find acceptance for what is. And it is in this acceptance that you find your elusive patience waiting for you all along!
The winter solstice is upon us when, in the Northern Hemisphere, the shorter days and chilly temperatures naturally draw us indoors. But the celestial energies also draw us inward, inside ourselves, inviting contemplation and introspection at year’s end. It is an opportunity to take inventory on our lives: How has the year been for us? Is there place in my life that feels wonky and out of balance? What do I need to change in the new year to bring it more into balance?
Grace descends in a special way this time of year, also. Her blessings of transcendent effulgent light uplift us, touching and opening our hearts. We are instinctively drawn to reaching out to others and sharing our love. Love is a unifying force; it is the glue that unites the two – the split off, the separate. It is the light that contains the shadow, illuminating its deception. So in the face of the extreme negativity and polarization we are experiencing in the world at this time, this solstice window becomes a potent opportunity to foster unity by embracing love.
The love that we find in the open heart also very naturally invites the acts of giving and receiving which, unfortunately, this time of year have become burdened by expectation and consumerism; however, our giving can be transformed when we practice the spirit of Karma Yoga. Selfless action and giving without thought of reward, is our noble intention here. It is the highest aspect of the heart and of action in the world.
When we give of our resources without self interest, whether it is through money, a material gift, our talents and expertise, or if we simply reach out in compassion to someone in need, our hearts rejoice and expand and we connect to a field of universal love and abundance. We bypass the dual nature of the limited ego-mind with its belief in lack and scarcity, its neediness and attachments, and we enter the domain of divine love, flow and the source of unlimited supply. We become emissaries of the divine, spreading wealth and blessings on her behalf. Then giving becomes our joy, and the more we give the more we want to give!
Let the spirit of Karma Yoga guide your giving and your actions now and always. The love and joy you discover there will grow your heart and bless your life, casting light wherever there is darkness into the new year and beyond.
The ground of being, awareness, presence – all names pointing to who we are beyond thought, time and space. In meditation we stop thought and this, our true nature, is revealed. In activity this ground of being or presence silently holds space, changeless and eternal and the substratum of all existence. Resting here, beyond thought, in meditation or not becomes a powerful place to direct our attention because it is our awakened state. The other day this question came up about presence:
“Isn’t presence like some sort of cheap escapism? I mean, I was having some restrospective thoughts, and sure I was feeling a little miserable, but then I felt better when going into presence, and yes, I feel OK now, but that doesn’t mean my problems aren’t still there, they are not going anywhere, I’m just basically ignoring them to experience this moment, I could very well be using this time to think about solutions, and try to punish myself into making some changes that could help me compensate for those regrets that won’t let me be happy. Also I’m sure once I stepped out of presence and start thinking again, reality is going to kick in, and it is going to remind me that I can’t change the past, and that the future looks tough, then I will feel miserable again until I find something else to distracts me. I don’t see how presence is going to solve anything, it only gives me a break, that’s all.”
Here is my response:
Ah, but presence is so much more than a break from our thinking minds – more than simply a moment of peace. Presence is an expansive field of awareness with infinite depth. As we spend more and more time here this Presence grows in us. We merge with it and become it, and we begin to know it intimately as our own true nature.
It’s not that presence itself solves our problems, but out of it can arise an intuitive sense, or even a direct knowing, of a way forward that is beyond what the lower polarized mind might tell us. By detaching from what Buddhists call the “monkey mind”, we begin to enjoy the peace, and also the heightened perception, that goes along with it. Our lives begin to change in expansive ways, and the practice of presence becomes our joy.
Poet and mystic Edward Carpenter in his collection of poetry, Towards Democracy, beautifully describes the quiet power of this inner presence in his poem:
NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME
Amid all the turmoil and the care – the worry, the fever, the anxiety
The gloomy outlook, fears, forebodings,
The effort to keep up with the rush of supposed necessities, supposed duties,
The effort to catch the flying point of light, to reach the haven
of Peace – always in the future –
Amid all, glides the little word Now.
As when the winds of March with their long brooms sweep the dead leaves from the surface of the ground, and the Earth in virgin beauty with the growing grass once more appears;
So when all this debris of thought from the Past, of anxiety about the Morrow, is at last swept away,
Does the vast ever-Present beneath reveal its perfect rondure.
Photo: Rick Erbach
“A river of light, pure intelligence and love flows within each of us. When the river flows fully from head to toes, we feel happy, fulfilled and awake to our true nature as eternal, timeless beings.” Leslie Temple-Thurston
This unique seven part series of classes is based on the book “Returning to Oneness – The Seven Keys of Ascension” by Leslie Temple-Thurston (available on amazon.com – paperback or Kindle)
Life force energy, also know as prana or chi, flows in the body via seven primary chakras, or energy centers. In these seven classes you will learn a unique set of keys to open the doorways between the chakra levels and awaken the movement of life force energy through the entire body. In our work together you will learn how your limiting beliefs block these flows in the body, preventing you from functioning at your full potential. Group processing and discussion as well as guided meditations will help you to ground and embody these mystical teachings. When used as a regular practice the seven keys become powerful tools for clearing negativity, fear, anger, and victimhood, fostering mental clarity, emotional balance and the luminous presence within.
The classes will be held on seven consecutive Saturdays from 10:00am until 12:00pm, September 8, through October 20, 2018, Sutro Heights, San Francisco location.
The series is limited to eight participants. If you should miss a class, a recording of the material will be made available to you. To register please go to
“Thank you for providing the 7 Keys journey for us. It was very powerful, meaningful, and instructive. I felt that you were very in tune with each of us and were able to wisely and gently guide our thoughts, emotions, and questions.”
Amy Tirion, Founder of “Delight for the Soul”
Recently, this question came up from someone: “How do you feel it best to help change the world from being heartless and mean to being caring and kind? And as importantly, how can we help nurture and thrive in an environment of cooperation and learning with the current way the world is being run?” Below is my response.
What you are speaking of here is of a New Age, a change in consciousness beyond patriarchy, separation and “me first, me only” and into a society and world that is egalitarian, heart-centered and collaborative. The Aquarian Age is a world that is a balance of female and male, yin and yang.
“Be the change that you want to see in the world”, Gandhi has famously suggested. The collective consciousness of the world mirrors our own individual consciousness. So start with YOU. Commit to living in love and generosity, and where you find yourself coming up short, work on/process yourself to raise your vibration back into love. Your individual life will begin to reflect this integration, attracting like-mind people and engendering harmony and coherence.
In the novel, “The Power of One” by Bryce Courtenay, the author describes the struggle for equality in South Africa at the end of apartheid, which required that everyone come into a state of one-mindedness about what they wanted politically before it could manifest. The principle of unified mind, the many becoming of one mind, has become known as the Power of One. In fact, studies (known as the “Maharishi Effect”, named after the founder of Transcendental Meditation) have shown that if only 1% of a population shifts and expands their consciousness there would be a beneficial effect on the whole population. My teacher describes it succinctly this way:
“Love multiplies, it never divides.”
Leslie Temple-Thurston
So living in a caring, kind, and cooperative society is ultimately about choosing love as the guiding force in our lives… and watching it grow!
I’m in… won’t you join me?
A One Day Intensive, Saturday, June 23, 2018, 9:30am – 4pm
The perennial wisdom teachings tell us that our outer reality is a mirror for our inner one. This is true on a personal level, as well as a collective one. If we are emotionally triggered by others (here we are using the personality that is Donald Trump), then this becomes an opportunity for self-inquiry and healing.To be clear, our objective here is not learning to condone another’s egregious behavior, but rather to take responsibility for what we experience, personally and collectively.
Using three unique, simple, but profound journaling/processing techniques based on the ancient mystical teachings of the reconciliation of opposites we will identify and clear the schisms that are keeping us stuck in judgment, anger, fear or anxiety. At the end of our day together you will be more grounded, emotionally centered and clear minded. And you will be able to take these very practical tools and apply them to everyday situations in your life going forward. By using them regularly over time you will polish your “inner mirror”, deepening your connection to your inner wisdom and higher Self. As you become more balanced, whole and at peace your outer reality will reflect this integration.
The intensive will be held in the Outer Richmond District, San Francisco and is offered by donation. Space is limited to eight people. Email garyb@fastmail.com for questions or to reserve your space.
In my mentoring work we often address issues of self-esteem. Fundamental to the structure of the human ego is the polarity of worthy and worthless, so at some point we all must grapple with the teeter-totter of emotions this polarity elicits. The question that most often comes up is “How do I stop putting myself down and boost my self-esteem and confidence?”
The simplest solution I can share is to believe in yourself! I know, easier said, than done! But these deeply conditioned beliefs about yourself being less than and inferior were imprinted in childhood and are not true. If growing up we did not feel validated by our caregivers (parents, teachers etc.), and, particularly, if we were criticized repeatedly, we did not develop a healthy self-esteem, imprinting a sense of inadequacy. Over time we internalize that critical voice, and putting ourselves down becomes an unconscious habit or program (much like a computer program) with a life of its own!
The truth is inherent in our essential nature we each have untapped potential waiting to be realized… if we only had the eyes to see it! Fortunately, there is something we can do to sharpen our vision. This involves three steps 1.Witnessing . 2. Detaching 3. Affirming
Begin to Witness, or become aware of, your negative self-talk and scolding. By developing a witness to the program/habit it no longer operates unconsciously. When we make it conscious we are withdrawing its power over us. The next step is to Detach from it by reminding yourself that these limiting thoughts come from your childhood conditioning and they are not who you are! Finally, Affirm what is true about you beyond what this critical inner voice is telling you.This important step is about reprogramming the subconscious mind. You can say something like “I am whole and complete just as I am with my own unique potential.” Then, let this become your mantra.
Do these three steps each time your inner critic rears its unwanted head! Because you are reprogramming your consciousness by detaching from your negative thought-steam the grip it has over you will diminish over time. Gradually, your eyes will begin to open to the possibility that there is more to you than you have been seeing, and you will discover a new inner spaciousness. In this spaciousness you will begin to view the challenges in your life from a more balanced and less polarized perspective. You will begin to accept negative experiences without self-judgement and to learn from them. The courage to take on new projects will follow, and with your successes you will begin to develop faith and trust in your own innate abilities and new-found potential. Your formerly elusive self-confidence will begin to take hold and go and grow from here.
[For more on this topic see the post “Seeing Through Worthlessness” on this blog]
The subject of money comes up a lot with individuals I work with…. there never seems to be enough of it! But the truth is the Universe is the source of unlimited supply! Oneness is all there is – one unified field of consciousness that gives rise to all creation. Love, light and abundance naturally flow from this Oneness, and money in this world is simply a tangible, material representation of this flow. It is also true that our conditioned beliefs around money block its flow into our lives.
How many times have you heard there is never enough to go around, or every man for himself? If you believe that these statement are true – if you believe in lack – lack is what you will manifest. Instead, what if you were to believe there is plenty for everyone, and when I choose to help others less fortunate than I, my selfless actions are a win-win?
Our negative and limiting belief systems about money come from egoic consciousness, or the consciousness of separation, which is illusory, and as such, can be processed and cleared. Even better we can fast-track the purification of the ego/mind though direct action, bringing immediate benefit to our lives and the lives of others. This practice is called Karma Yoga, or the act of giving without thought of reward.
When we share what we have, whether it is our money, our talents and expertise, or if we simply reach out in some way to someone in need, our hearts open. Beautiful and uplifting in itself, but in the open heart we actually open to a flow of abundance from the Universe. And when we give selflessly, with no thought of reward, the purity of this gesture amplifies its potency.
With the inward drawing energies of the fall and winter season upon us now, we are afforded the opportunity to grow on this area. As the days grow shorter we are naturally drawn together with family and friends to celebrate the holiday season. Spirit calls us into our hearts to commune, to share, and to give, and in our giving we have the perfect opportunity to practice Karma Yoga.
By opening our hearts to others though the practice of selfless giving we increase the spiritual power of even the simplest of benevolent acts. We create a win-win with blessings all around!
I received this email from someone the other day:
“At work there is this arrogant person who I find very annoying. Because you have taught me to see that there is no one “outside” of me, she must be a mirror for my own unconscious arrogance. I know I have the power to shift this, but where do I start? What is the core issue?”
Here is my response via email and Skype:
As I contemplate your question, Joni Mitchel’s classic song, Both Sides, Now comes to mind here. Her lyrics describe the futility of attempting to see the truth of life from a dual perspective, concluding, “I really don’t know life at all”!
I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all
To know the truth of life beyond the dual nature of the limited mind you will want to look deeply into both sides of any troublesome polarity. I see you are owning the projection of arrogance outside of you. That’s a start. Congratulations. The ancient teachings of the East teach us that the opposites of the world are inextricably tethered, so if you are seeing arrogance outside of you and are being triggered you must also accept that the opposite of arrogance – worthlessness – is inside somewhere as well. When we are in a push/pull dance with the opposites of the world we are unable to see what is true beyond the egoic and illusory; we are unable to see our true nature as a timeless, spiritual beings.
Down near the bottom of our dark void of negative states of mind and lurking in the unconscious, lies worthlessness. Because it is fundamental to our human egoic imprint into separation from Source we each have shades of it that must be cleared on our journey home to Self. Worthlessness becomes a program that can be triggered as we begin to make it real in childhood from negative messaging from our adult caregivers and teachers. Typically, it runs deep with many layers that require unraveling. Because both you and your co-worker have uncleared issues around worthlessness you are drawn together through the process of polarity in which opposites attract each other. When we are unable to see and own our unconscious feelings of worthlessness we will push them into the unconscious and act out the other side, which often manifests as arrogance and/or entitlement. (We see this being played out in our world now by our President “big league!”, as well as by most extreme leaders in the world with a Patriarchal consciousness.)
Conversely, when we are feeling worthless, inadequate, small, less than etc., we are pushing into the unconscious the opposite states of mind and our tendency to be arrogant and entitled. If we are heavily identified with worthlessness, initially, its opposite may be difficult to see and own. But you must proceed with the assumption that it is in there somewhere! What’s essential to accept is that you are both sides. Accepting that you have become identified, consciously and unconsciously, with both sides of any polarity is the first step in opening a portal between the opposites that leads you come to know your true nature, which is beyond duality.
Clearing the egoic dance between arrogance and worthlessness in your patterning requires that you make what is unconscious conscious. To do this make four lists: 1. My desire for worthlessness 2. My fear of worthlessness 3. My desire for arrogance 4. My fear of arrogance. Feel deeply into the energy around each state of mind. If you are having a hard time coming up with reasons for one of the lists it is because it is particularly unconscious to you. Meditate on it and ask inwardly to be shown what is not being seen. Remember to accept that all four states of mind are in you or you would be creating a different relationship with this person.
Making the unconscious conscious is a powerful and eye opening process. But to reconcile the opposites underlying your programming you must call on that part of you that is beyond the limited egoic self by surrendering all that has been seen and named back to Source. When you feel complete with your lists make a prayer offering your lists up asking for all of your conscious and unconscious patterning to be cleared and reconciled. Make an inner commitment to heal the layers of your childhood wounding around worthlessness. Remember, there is nothing outside of you, and when you have reconciled the schism of worthlessness and arrogance inside of you your world will reflect that integration. The arrogant person will cease to trigger you and your relationship with that person will eventually shift into one more aligned in heart and Truth.
I hope you find this helpful.
(For more on mirroring and projection please see the post “It’s all You!” from October, 2016), and for more on the the Worthlessness Program read “Seeing through Worthlessness” from April, 2010 on this blog.)
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