Mentoring

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THE THREE WORLDS MODEL OF SF INTEGRAL

a) SPIRIT: The upperworld journey is a path of transcendence: where we transcend the boundaries of our everyday personalities to experience non-separation from all of existence. In the upperworld dimension of our being we experience ourselves as the Spirit that moves through all things. Through the practice of meditation we can attain spiritual realization: the recognition of the limitless/timeless dimension of our being.

b) SOUL: The lowerworld journey is a path of decendence: a burrowing down into our depths where we encounter soul, which depth psychologist Bill Plotkin describes as, “The deepest core of your human nature, the reason spirit has taken shape as you , and the essence of your specific life purpose.” Through soul work practices we can become soul embodied human beings, thereby fulfilling our deepest longings while serving others.

c) BODY/MIND: In the realm of the body/mind we engage in multiple practices: shadow work to restore emotional balance, relational work to bring harmony to our interactions, physical exercise to strengthen our bodies, and reading/lectures to stimulate and expand our minds.

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What is this group? We are a group of 10-18 men and woman who come together two Wednesday evenings a month to explore the triple purpose of life: Spiritual Realization (being fully present) Ego integration and differentiation, and Soul Embodiment (finding and living our deepest soul's purpose.) Jonathan teachers about 2/3 of the classes and the 1/3 is taught by the guest teachers above.

What can I expect when I come to group? We start each two hour meeting with a 20 minute guided meditation, followed by a discussion about the practice of meditation. Next, we have "check-ins" and discussion about how our practices are proceeding. The last hour of each class has a fresh content piece that includes both lecture and discussion and an experiential exercise component. Topics include: How can I experience being fully present? How can I work with my shadow? How can I discover my soul's purpose? How can I discover what my "delivery system" for my sou'ls purpose is? How can feel less stressed? How can I have increased intimacy in my relationships?

Commitment: SFI is an ongoing practice community, more like a Buddhist Sangha than a program with a start and finish (like a college degree.) At least one year of participation is highly recommended. Many participants stay with the class two years or more. Participants may attend a single quater (a three month block of 8 Wednesday meetings) to determine if the group is a good fit.

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Modules: SFI is composed of 6 core practice modules:
WORLD

PRACTICE

GOAL
Upperworld:

1) Meditation

- Awaken from the dream of separation.
Middleworld: 2) Aerobic ex and strength training - A vital and strong body.

3) Mind (Reading & discussion) - A well developed intellect.

4) Life-Style design & implementation - A lifestyle that brings joy and vitality.

5) Shadow Work

- Recognize and integrate shadow projections.
Lowerworld

6) Soul-encounter practices

- Experience Soul-encounter

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Program Philosophy: The first step to becoming a whole person is to recognize that the self is composed of multiple layers or dimensions. The second step is to embody these particular aspects of self by living them thoroughly. The SFI program is an experiential invitation to recognize and then live as the totality of what we are. The accent of attention during class meetings will be on Soul Embodiment and Spiritual Realization.

Soul Embodiment – To become a whole person we must reach deep into ourselves to the very center of our being. There we can find the shape of our own unique soul. In his book Soulcraft, author Bill Plotkin writes, “Discovering what is truly yours is the journey of the soul. By soul I mean: the deepest core of your human nature, the reason spirit has taken shape as you, and the essence of your specific life purpose.” Soul embodiment means that we clearly recognize our specific life purpose and that we are living it! The result of soul embodiment is a soul infused, soul textured, and soul-rooted life that enables us to live a life of joyous service. At SFI, we deepen our connection to our soul purpose through the use of the practices in Bill Plotkin’s book Soulcraft, including:

Completing unfinished business from earlier life stages * Giving up distractions/addictions * Welcoming home the Loyal Soldier * Healing Work with the Sacred Wound * Learning to choose Authenticity over Social Acceptance * Making peace with the Past: The Death Lodge * Soulcentric Dreamwork * Council Work * Self-Designed Ceremony * Symbolic Artwork * Journal Work * Soul Poetry * The Underworld Journey Day Quest

Spiritual Realization – The mind is dualistic in nature, meaning it perceives things as inherently separate. Living exclusively in the sense of a separate self impedes spontaneity because we are not responding from wholeness. We lose some of the richness in our lives when we live only from the ego. Spiritual realization can restore full spontaneity by transcending (yet including) the sense of a separate self. SFI facilitates this awakening to the transcendent dimension.

3 Purposes of Life – We can only find our true place in the world when we live our triple purpose. We fulfill our purpose in the “upperworld” dimension of our lives when we are fully present to this moment. We fulfill our purpose in the “middleworld” dimension of our lives when we are able to live joyfully. We fulfill our purpose in the “lowerworld” dimension of our lives when we know the shape and texture of our souls SFI is a community of people who want to live the larger story of their whole beings. Are you ready for a challenging practice that will help you live a life of awakened, joyous, soulful existence? This class is designed to evoke a life-shifting experience in all three “worlds” of our being. Are you ready?

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Where: 2169 Union Street (cross street is Fillmore, directions on the contact page.)

When: Wednesday's 6:50pm-9:15pm

Dates: Spring semester 2010 - Apr 14, 21, 28 * May 5, 12, 19 * Jun 9, 16

Registration: Go to registration page to reserve your space.

Cost: $350 Spring semester (Apr, May, Jun)

For more information please call 415-460-9292

Some questions you will ask yourself during this class:

What is my place in the world?

Who are my people?

Who am I in my deepest depths?

What does living integrally mean?

Integral Practice Is:

MODULAR - mix and match practices in specific areas.

SCALABLE - adjusts to fit your busy schedule.

CUSTOMIZABLE - design a program that works for you.

INTEGRAL - based on the "Three Worlds Model

Learn To:

* Experience the "Power Of Now"

* Be more present.

* Live more integrally.

* Be your healthiest and happiest self.

* Be less stressed!

Some books we've read and are reading in class:

- A Thousand Names For Joy - by Byron Katie

- The Integral Vision - by Ken Wilber

- Big Mind, Big Heart- Genpo Roshi

- The Power of Now - by Eckhart Tolle.

- True Meditation - by Adyashanti

- Mastery - by George Leonard

- Soulcraft - by Bill Plotkin

Registration: Go to registration page to reserve your space.