Cancelled: FROM KNEELING TO SELF-HEALING

An experiential day retreat exploring the revolutionary path of Self Healing via Self Knowing

Sunday, November 10th  |  10am to 4pm
Attend Full or Half Day  | Open to Men and Youth 14+
Index Art Center, 237 Washington Street, Newark NJ

Limited Seating. Register at ncmc-mens-retreat.eventbrite.com

The day will consist of a short talk on the critical importance of men incorporating Self-Healing protocols into their daily lives, Meditation, Qi Gong exercises, Sexual Health and Fitness, Wilderness Therapy, Medicine Drum Circle, and a talk about Healing Generational Trauma. Vegetarian lunch included.

Presenters:  Damani Saunderson, Khalil Maasi, J. Javier Cruz, Ihsaan R. Muhammad, Leslie Arthur, Ib’nallah S. Kazi (Presenter bio-notes available on the registration site.)

Suggested donation:
• Men Full-Day: $20 (10:00am-4:00pm)
• Men Half-Day: $15 (10:00am-1:30pm or 12:30pm-4:00pm)
• Young Men: FREE for ages 14 -17 accompanied by adult (limited tix)
• Male Students: $15 for ages 18 and over w/ID $15 (limited tix)
• Pre-Approved Volunteers: $10 (limited tix)

REGISTRATION AND DETAILS AT ncmc-mens-retreat.eventbrite.com

A donation-based program of Newark Center for Meditative Culture.

 

The Power of Meditative Culture

By Ib’nallah S. Kazi

Often in our day-to-day lives our awareness is consumed by the task of maintaining our private and social faces. Much of the data we receive from our environment, from other humans and our own emotional and intuitive signals go ignored.

One of the precious benefits of maintaining a meditation practice is the cultivation of a more encompassing awareness.

As awareness expands, so does our ability to be present for others. This allows us to remain in touch with our own deep needs, desires, and questions, while simultaneously being open to the subtle signals we are exposed to by nature and humanity. It also  allows us to respond to the world from a place of awareness as opposed to habit.

When meditation practitioners gather together in a soul group, the result is the creation of a charged space. As the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, this now sacred space is infused with the collective breath of compassion and service, peace and love.

Everyone entering this space experiences a centering — a sudden sense of both release and surrender. Surrender to the felt presence of communion, cooperation and commitment. The shared experience within this sacred space signals the presence of meditative culture.

Upon leaving the collective each person takes with them a portion of the collective charge to share with all they encounter upon their way, sowing the seeds of meditative culture in their daily travels.

Meditative culture does not spread by coercion or marketing. It’s contagious. It expands organically in response to the people’s desire for change.  ncmc logomark_square_rgb.png

 

Taking Root in Black History Month

“What is firmly rooted cannot be pulled out.”
— Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

By Ib’nallah S. Kazi

During Black History Month, we retrace our historical steps. We learn where we came from and how it is we came to find ourselves in the present situation. Thus, when we reach a crossroad (a decisive moment in life or history) we are better equipped to navigate in a way that brings us closer to our destination.

When this happens it can be helpful to retrace your steps. Turn around and walk back along the path until you see a trail marker, a unique tree or boulder that you recognize having seen on the “right path” before you zoned out.

When hiking the trail of life, do we sometimes look up from the ground and find that we have been walking in circles? It’s very easy to get lost in thought during a long walk in the wilderness.

Trees never get lost on their journey from earth to sky. Because they are firmly rooted in the earth, the winds are unable to alter their destination.

Meditators firmly rooted in their breath recover quickly from thoughts that pull them away from their center.

Humans rooted in the lessons of history are not distracted by fake news or turned around by fear mongering. They seek guidance in the wisdom of their ancestors and strength from the righteousness and inevitable victory of their struggle.