September 22 – 28, 2012 / Fall Equinox

Initiate yourself into your soul’s calling, your true purpose!

A Soulful Trek is the result of a marriage between a retreat and a vacation. Combined with life-changing and empowering retreat experiences, we also enjoy exciting adventures as we explore some of the unique features of the Big Island: its active volcano and lava fields, snorkeling, natural steam baths and more.

Dive into the transformational fire of Love. Unleash your passion. Burn away what no longer works: thoughts, beliefs, behavior patterns that are no longer a match. Cleanse and purify in the comforting and healing Hawaiian waters.

As the Mayan calendar comes to an end, what kind of world do we envision and take a stand for in the next 26,000 years?
 

This week-long experience takes place at the Kalani Resort on the beautiful Big Island of Hawaii. We promise that, however you arrive, you will leave gently yet powerfully transformed. Enjoy gentle breezes, palm trees, swimming pool, Watsu pool (water massage), massage, healthy and nutritious food — all meals included. (Massage is optional and extra.)

Offering 5-6 breathwork sessions over the course of seven days, this experience provides useful skills for engaging power in new ways, resulting in deeper levels of personal fulfillment, self-satisfaction and effectiveness in the world. You will emerge clearer, more established in your personal power and more resolved to express yourself fully!

Registration cost is dependent on level of accommodations chosen, inclusive of food and lodging. For more information, please click on: KALANI.

]]> http://www.soulfulpower.com/events/soulfultrek/feed/ 3 http://www.soulfulpower.com/events/the-soulful-power-retreat/ http://www.soulfulpower.com/events/the-soulful-power-retreat/#comments Fri, 09 Mar 2012 20:24:03 +0000 christian http://www.soulfulpower.com/?p=313 Read More]]> May 25 – 28, 2012
Miami Shores, FL

It’s time.

What does it mean to be a hero — to live heroically — in these times? Have you known or even suspected that you had a role to play as teacher, healer or spiritual activist?

We are living in what may be the most critical juncture in the evolution of humanity. The clarion call has gone out: All hands on deck!

You are needed now. We are all needed now.

Come spend a weekend with an intimate group of like-minded committed seekers. Identify — and release — whatever obstacles may have been holding you back from stepping fully into your power. Let’s explore what we may do together that we may not be able to do separate and alone.

We will enjoy inspiring dialogue, soul-nourishing camaraderie, deep healing, rituals, transformational breathwork and exquisite meals as we break through beyond past limitations to unleash our true potential.

And, we will have fun!

SCHEDULE:
Fri. at 6:00pm, until 10:00pm or 11:00pm.
Sat. & Sun. from 9:00am to 10:00pm.
Mon. 9:00am to 3:00pm.
Hours may vary, depending on group.

COST: $600 (nonresidential, all meals included)
Payment Plans Available.

]]> http://www.soulfulpower.com/events/the-soulful-power-retreat/feed/ 0 http://www.soulfulpower.com/events/independence-weekend-soulful-power-retreat/ http://www.soulfulpower.com/events/independence-weekend-soulful-power-retreat/#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2012 19:21:04 +0000 christian http://www.soulfulpower.com/?p=299 Read More]]> July 5 – 8, 2012
Northern New Jersey

Enjoy this exquisite lakeside retreat only minutes from Manhattan…swimming, canoeing, hiking, hot tub!

Through this powerful and transformative experience you will:

* Learn to engage power in new, expanding and freeing ways
* Grow into deeper levels of personal fulfillment, self-satisfaction and effectiveness in the world
* Emerge clearer, more established in your personal power and more resolved to express yourself fully in the world
* Includes four life-changing Breathwork sessions

Come and soar in freedom — in the highest sense of the word!

Cost: $825 (Includes food and lodging)
Thursday 6PM until Sunday 3PM

]]> http://www.soulfulpower.com/events/independence-weekend-soulful-power-retreat/feed/ 0 http://www.soulfulpower.com/events/new-years-retreat/ http://www.soulfulpower.com/events/new-years-retreat/#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000 christian http://www.soulfulpower.com/?p=315 Read More]]>

BREATHING IN POWER & PURPOSE

December 29, 2012 – January 1, 2013

This empowering, inspiring and life-changing experience will support you to go within and harvest the lessons of 2012, bringing it to graceful completion, while launching 2013 — and the next 26,000 year cycle! — with clarity of focus and powerful intention.

Welcome the dawn of the new year in a sacred setting with an intimate community of committed seekers. Together we will explore issues of personal power and clear obstacles that have prevented us in the past from fulfilling our life purpose. The experience will be tailored to the specific needs of those attending. It will include four transformational breathwork sessions. Discussions will focus on soulful power and soulful purpose, with clear applications for soulful relationships.

The retreat will open the evening of Saturday, December 29, with a quiet meal, opening ritual and our first Transformational Breathwork session. Successive Transformational Breathwork sessions will be offered following days, and the retreat will close Tuesday, January 1 at 3PM. It is held at a magical tropical setting in Miami. Small groups, intimate setting, personalized program, individual attention, safe and friendly environment.

Price $600 nonresidential, meals included.
Payment plans available.

]]> http://www.soulfulpower.com/events/new-years-retreat/feed/ 0 http://www.soulfulpower.com/events/290/ http://www.soulfulpower.com/events/290/#comments Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:37:14 +0000 christian http://www.soulfulpower.com/?p=290 Read More]]> Atlanta, GA

Saturday, May 5 / 1PM – 9PM

Candler Park Yoga

1630-D South Dekalb Avenue / Atlanta

Are you ready to peel back the barriers that prevent you from expressing your brilliance — and step fully into your personal power? Join a circle of allies for a life-changing weekend retreat as we tap into our soulful power.

THROUGH DISCUSSION + BREATHWORK, YOU’LL LEARN TO:

• * Identify and transcend personal obstacles to power

• * Unleash your power in healthy, more authentic ways

• * Express yourself with more graceful authority in relationships

• * Find deeper levels of personal fulfillment and self-satisfaction

• * Step into your role as an agent of change and world evolution

Includes Transformational Breathwork Session

Cost: $140

Payment Plans Available

]]> http://www.soulfulpower.com/events/290/feed/ 2 http://www.soulfulpower.com/retreats/the-resurrection-retreat/ http://www.soulfulpower.com/retreats/the-resurrection-retreat/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:28:46 +0000 christian http://www.soulfulpower.com/?p=279 Read More]]> May 12, 2012
11AM – 7PM
Kennebunk, ME
The Nataraja School of Yoga

What does it mean to be a hero — to live heroically — in these times? Have you known or even suspected that you had a role to play as teacher, healer or spiritual activist?

We are living in what may be the most critical juncture in the evolution of humanity. The clarion call has gone out: All hands on deck!

You are needed now. We are all needed now…

Come spend a day with an intimate group of like-minded committed seekers. Identify — and release — whatever obstacles may have been holding you back from stepping fully into your power.

Includes one life-changing breathwork session

Cost: $130

To register:

Contact Rich Waitzkin at (207) 774-5025 or rwaitzkin@gmail.com

]]> http://www.soulfulpower.com/retreats/the-resurrection-retreat/feed/ 5 http://www.soulfulpower.com/blog/tending-loves-fire/ http://www.soulfulpower.com/blog/tending-loves-fire/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:58:59 +0000 christian http://www.soulfulpower.com/?p=334 Read More]]>

Have you ever witnessed the creation of fire? It is such a profound privilege, one that strikes a cord deep in our ancestral memory.

Fire, to our modern minds, is as simple as striking a match, flicking a lighter or — going back to elementary school science experiments — using the sun and a magnifying glass. The actual creation of fire, however, is a complex endeavor that requires much effort, preparation and focus.

Similarly, though its initial spark might be as simple as lighting a match, maintaining a relationship is a complex endeavor requiring effort and attention. Using a bow, string and spindle stick to make fire is not easy, and neither is keeping a relationship alive.

When building a fire, the first order of business is finding the right location. We need to be mindful, for example, of where the wind is coming from and which way the smoke will flow, yet aware that it could all change in an instant. In our own lives our relationships are impacted by external conditions and circumstances over which we have little control. Unpredictable winds of change such as the economy, employment status, illness or accidents can throw us for a loop. The qualities of our living space and physical environment can also impact our feelings about and the nature of our relationships.

Next, the area where the fire will be built needs cleansing, preparation. We create a circle of safety, containment and protection. Clearing the space of stones, branches and debris is analogous to “cultivating our garden” — doing the internal preparatory work of clearing obstacles to love within ourselves so that we can attract a compatible partner instead of subconsciously sabotaging the endeavor, and in order to minimize the potential for conflicts.

Finding the right kind of wood is important. Some burns more easily than others; some burns too fast; some is smokier than others; some can even be toxic when burnt. In Spanish the word for wood, madera, can also be used in reference to having the right mettle, caliber, or character. What kind of qualities are you looking for in a partner?

Another preparatory step is building a little nest to capture the initial spark, out of twigs, dry grass, moss and other tinder material. If there is no container to catch the spark and hold it, where it can be tended to, it will not survive. The same can be said about relationships; the container here applies to physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual space.

How the wood pile is structured is important. Allowing room to breathe is critical; if the wood is placed densely the flame can be stifled. Within a pyramidal structure we add twigs at first, gently, then larger kindling. What is the foundation of your fire? Is it steady, balanced? Can it hold the weight and keep the flame of love going or will it come crashing down? Who is your support system? Leaning on our partners for our happiness and fulfillment is not only suffocating; it is unfair and a sure recipe for failure. We need to give each other time and space to breathe, and the responsibility for fulfilling our life’s purpose is ultimately ours.

Friction creates fire. Once we create and capture that initial spark of fire, we need to maintain it. To keep the flame going we blow ever so gently on it; it is more like breathing on it, breathing it to life. Love, too, usually requires a little friction. Too much alikeness can be stagnating. When we are blessed with the unpredictable spark of love, we must tend carefully to it, lovingly, ever attentive to and mindful of its needs. During times of friction, breathe! Deep breathing has an immediate calming effect and helps navigate the emotional reactivity, bringing choice back into the equation.

Once the fire is going, we still need to mind it, as the weight of the logs shifts or the wind changes direction. We will need to make adjustments, reposition logs, adding new ones — new sources of energy and life. Add too much and we stifle it, too little and the fire can become extinguished. Similarly, our relationships require constant vigilance and maintenance, but not oppressively or breathlessly. The important thing is to be present, conscious, mindful — paying attention and making necessary adjustments. Flexibility is key, and the willingness to let go of the way things were for how they now are and what they may become.

Love is in the details. By gifting them with our attention we discover what our partners like, what turns them on, physically and spiritually. For that is how the heart is wooed, seduced. Surprising them with little gifts–even a flower or stone–just to let them know we are thinking about them, lets them know we have made an effort to know who they are and what they like. When we email them a song or an article that we know will interest them, they know that we were paying attention to what they were saying and what ignites their passion. When we give them something, such as framed photograph that captures a special moment, we help its remembrance and ritualize the relationship.

This is how we become tenders of the fire of love: We listen to the whispers of their soul. We become soul whisperers.

Asking for what we need, and finding playful ways to together meet those needs, is equally important. For though we are fire keepers, in a relationship we are also deeply a part of the fire itself. Indeed, that is at the heart of the creation of fire…we become one with it. In the words of Teilhard de Chardin: “Someday, after mastering the winds, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness for God the energies of love, and then, for a second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.”

]]> http://www.soulfulpower.com/blog/tending-loves-fire/feed/ 0 http://www.soulfulpower.com/events/the-soulful-relationships-retreat/ http://www.soulfulpower.com/events/the-soulful-relationships-retreat/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:12:54 +0000 christian http://www.soulfulpower.com/?p=254 Read More]]> February 23-26, 2012

Miami Shores, FL

Whether you are single or in relationship, and no matter how you express your love take a break and come down to sunny Miami, as we explore relationship as a vehicle for personal growth and spiritual transformation. You will receive invaluable information and tools that make possible relationships that really work.

This informing and inspiring retreat will help you identify and release obstacles to love, and teach you how to use relationships consciously as a vehicle for personal growth, empowerment and spiritual transformation.

IN THIS RETREAT YOU WILL LEARN:

*Crucial information about the mechanism of the ego and its role in relationships, the nature of projection and how it works to keep us blind to unhealed areas in ourselves

*How relationship can be used to see our own projections, fear and blocks, and thereby learn to heal ourselves.

*How to have powerful, intimate, loving relationships that work.

*How to exercise power fully, in healthy and authentic ways.

*Expressing yourself with more graceful authority in relationships.

*Understand differences between soulful and egoic power.

This life-changing experience includes deep inner work, discussion, guided meditation, transformational breathwork and other means. You will emerge more inspired, clearer, more established and confident in your spiritual power, more resolved and equipped to express yourself fully in relationships and in the world.

Includes four Transformational Breathwork sessions.

SCHEDULE:
Thurs. at 6:00pm, until 10:00pm or 11:00pm.
Fri. & Sat. from 9:00am to 10:00pm.
Sun. 9:00am to 3:00pm.
Hours may vary, depending on group.

COST: $600 (nonresidential, all meals included)
Payment Plans Available.

]]> http://www.soulfulpower.com/events/the-soulful-relationships-retreat/feed/ 3 http://www.soulfulpower.com/blog/soulful-power-for-our-times/ http://www.soulfulpower.com/blog/soulful-power-for-our-times/#comments Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:50:56 +0000 admin http://www.soulfulpower.com/?p=51 Read More]]>

There is much confusion in the world about power: what it is, who holds it, how it works. We have a conflicted relationship to power: both fearing and coveting it. We suspect that we might abuse it, feel guilty about times when we have, and have been told that it will corrupt us. That is just one of our misconceptions. That only the wealthy, the famous or the politically connected wield it is another. For women in particular, there is another layer of obstacles, such as the belief that power is not feminine, or that all men are threatened by powerful women. Consequently, too many people — especially, but certainly not exclusively, women — shy away from their own power.

To a great extent, this confusion arises because there are basically two kinds of power. In contrast to worldly (or egoic) power, soulful (or spiritual) power guides and inspires rather than dominates, controls or manipulates. It is humble, quiet and unassuming, not abusive, arrogant or self-aggrandizing. Soulful power derives its energy and vitality from internal sources, unlike worldly power, which is fueled by external forces, such as fame and money. It is about authentic self-expression, service and making a difference, while egoic power is agenda-driven, selfish and self-serving. Though all humans have access to both expressions of power, one is traditionally associated with feminine energies, while the other is considered more masculine in its approach. Worldly power is about power over; soulful power is about power with.

Humanity is at a crossroads. We are stuck in tribal consciousness and fear of The Other. In interpersonal relations we walk around in a state of mistrust, guardedness and protection, and as a result feel isolated and alone. What are we protecting against–the possibility of feeling hurt again? We can only be hurt by another’s words and actions if we give them the power to do so. With a strong sense of self we can live in an open — and empowered — state of vulnerability, with nothing and no need to defend.

The choice is now clear. Perhaps it has never been clearer. The times demand a fresh approach and new way of expressing and relating to power. In the complex, hyper-militarized and shrinking world in which we live, no longer can we afford to to lead by overwhelming force rather than by inspiration, negotiation and collaboration.

Will we choose more of the same in international relations? More macho, cowboy mentality? More I’m right/You’re wrong, black/white, inflexible, self-righteous thinking? More attack first, ask questions later…if at all? More reactive and impulsive policies? More of the theological pissing contest: My God is bigger than yours? Will we continue to place countless lives at risk and to squander billions of dollars on war and destruction? Or will we choose more measured, nuanced, proactive strategies? Will we choose violence only as a last resort — after negotiations have been attempted and the possibility of productive dialogue exhausted? Will we find a way to reclaim and re-channel some of those exorbitant resources into feeding and educating ourselves, towards reversing the damage we have inflicted on our environment?

We are currently witnessing a tectonic shift in the power structure of the world, nothing less than symptoms of imploding patriarchal systems. My college friend Michelle once shared her grand gender theory of New York architecture: The Empire State is feminine: elegant, refined, with graceful lines. The World Trade Center she described as masculine: solid, angular, a symbol of strength and power, a global center for finance and commerce. And the Chrysler? A beautiful, flamboyant, over-the-top drag queen!

From this perspective, it is interesting that it was the WTC that was attacked and destroyed by Al Qaeda operatives — as was the Pentagon, also a masculine symbol of strength and worldly power. It is also worth noting that our response was to attack Afghanistan, whose Taliban leadership operated the single system most oppressive of women in the world. Witness the patriarchy taking itself down.

Please don’t for one minute think that soulful power is wimpy. Simply consider some of its exemplars and practitioners throughout history: Jesus, Gandhi, Dr. King, Mother Theresa. The effect these “community organizers” have had on the world is immeasurable.

Soulful power is love-based rather than fear-based, inclusive rather than hierarchical. Not needing to exert itself over others, it stands freely on its own. It simply is. And it is mighty.

Will we choose the path of fear, arrogance and violence, or will we choose more soulful — and powerful — responses appropriate to the needs of our times, responses that reflect an increasingly multilateral and interconnected world, responses that consider the complex and often contradicting needs of one human family?

The Universe awaits humanity’s choice with hope, and perhaps, with baited breath.

]]> http://www.soulfulpower.com/blog/soulful-power-for-our-times/feed/ 0 http://www.soulfulpower.com/blog/just-breath/ http://www.soulfulpower.com/blog/just-breath/#comments Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:12:58 +0000 admin http://www.soulfulpower.com/?p=43

Why Breathe?

It has now been over 20 years since I was first exposed to Breathwork, an extraordinary and ancient yogic breathing practice.

As I recently reevaluated the constantly shifting demands on my time and considered how to best and most strategically utilize the limited hours I have in a given day, the question surfaced: Why do I continue to make time for breathwork? Why, after all the different healing modalities I have seen and experienced over the years, do I continue to hold breathwork as one of the very best catalysts to personal healing, growth and transformation?

Perhaps I have simply been inspired by Cole and Reed, my twin nephews, who just turned three and are delightfully and frustratingly in the midst of a raging ‘Why?’ phase. The questions, however, still deserve an answer.

Breathwork is a perfect healing tool for the 21st century. Why? Because it works so fast and so efficiently, yielding immediate results and healing at every level: physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. It is thus a perfect match for our overscheduled, over-stimulated culture of immediate gratification.

Why? It brings about immediate and profound relaxation and relief from the stress of daily living, while providing a sense of clarity and perspective in these often confusing times. One session alone can change your life; its effects are immediate and permanent. Repeated breathwork practice brings about gradual yet powerful changes in a person’s relationship to the world and other people, in their overall mood and life perspective, and in their sense of connection to Source, by whatever name you choose to call it. As if that were not enough, this simple, affordable, and accessible technique can be indescribably ecstatic!

In terms of healing past trauma, in all my years of exposure to transformational and healing work, I still do not know of anything that is more effective, nor which has such swift and direct effects. I have witnessed breathwork clients declare that they received more from a single session than from five to ten years of therapy. This is not to say that breathwork is a substitute for that often valuable and highly beneficial process. Actually, it is a great adjunct to therapy, and can serve as a powerful catalyst to that process: therapists will often suggest breathwork to their clients whose treatment may be stagnating or in need of a boost. Breathwork is a great catalyst for any other form of transformational or healing work in which we might engage, allowing for a more alive, full-body integration that can speed healing and positive change.

Why is this important? Lately, as I look around at my own life and that of those around me, it seems as if the pressure to implement change, to step more fully into whatever roles we have come here to fulfill, has been jacked up. It seems like old patterns are being released, sometimes so fast that it can feel like ‘spiritual diarrhea:’ all our old stuff — our old habits of behavior and/or systems of belief — are coming out for clearing or re-evaluation!

People everywhere are changing life situations — jobs, relationships, patterns of behavior that are no longer sustainable — and freeing themselves from their self-inflicted and self-limiting prisons.

It is particularly during times of dramatic change that breathwork can smooth out the rough edges and facilitate the process of transformation. It can expedite change and help resolve both internal and external conflicts. When we work something out internally, it will often avoid the need to live it out through external — and often unnecessary — drama in our lives.

Breathwork is a powerful way to release — in a graceful way — old pain, grief, anger, or other unexpressed emotions — stuff we have been schlepping around for way too long. Our normal m.o. in these matters — suppressing, ignoring, or trying to numb out or avoid these feelings by indulging in too much alcohol, drugs, ice cream, sex, shopping or TV — is a very ineffective way to deal with them. Just like energy cannot be destroyed but merely changes form, repressed emotions get stored in our bodily tissues and surface as psychosomatic symptoms and disease. Often, when they finally come out, the results can be damaging to the people around us. Breathwork offers us an alternative and healthy form of release for all these repressed feelings, emotions and trauma. And its effects are permanent.

Breathwork — especially when done regularly and over a sustained period of time — increases our peace of mind and sense of centeredness, even assisting us to sleep better. We feel enlivened, energized and with clearer purpose. Ultimately, it helps empower our lives to work better and our relationships healthier and more alive.

One last thing: multiple consecutive sessions compound the effects. This is the reason why our weekend retreats offer four back-to-back sessions.
So, whether you do it with us, on your own (if you’ve been trained), or in another setting, breathe and breathe regularly!

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