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

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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'
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.... 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

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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


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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
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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

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♦ "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

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.• " 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 ?

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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!"
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• REAL HONEST TALK

• HEART-FELT LISTENING
• MEANINGFUL FEEDBACK

• CARING, STRONG FELLOWSHIP
• Deep Self-Inquiry & Inner-Process Work
• Meditation

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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 . . .


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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 !
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 ♦ 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

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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...

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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
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"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...

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“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 –