21 November 2006

Ancestry

Been trying to get my mind around writing something meaningful about the Israel jaunt. It's been well-nigh impossible for me, mainly because the whole experience was so much of the heart and not of the head. Suffice to say that it was without a doubt the time of my life – never have I felt quite so connected or effective as a teacher and as a human being – amongst other human beings of such quality. One thing – principle – that became very obvious whilst I was there, that I hadn't quite appreciated or managed to put so simply before, was that to give from the heart one must take to heart. For some reason those at the workshops did this effortlessly and immediately and I'm not sure how. It may be high intelligence (legendary amongst Jews) which means the head only needs fleeting involvement – doesn't need to belabour things, but it is probably more to do with their remarkable heritage – ancestry – genetic culture – positive conditioning – an unbroken thread going back thousands of years, giving a confidence and a depth and richness to the energy. One can only effectively and powerfully relax if there is something solid and real to relax into – what better than a tribal and religious culture made all the stronger by others attempts to persecute. If you want to connect properly and fundamentally with the deep aspects of your energy then it is so important to be where your ancestors came from, or at least to understand where they came from. I remember a young Swedish student of mine years ago saying to me that one cannot love others until you love yourself. I suspect you cannot love yourself until you know from where you stem: until you properly vibrate and resonate with your ancestral history.

2 comments

Anonymous said...

Steve

There were two places I wanted to see when I was a little boy.
Quebec-Canada where I lived for a number of years and graduated from University, and Israel. Maybe one day my childhood dream will come true.

Hamid

Anonymous said...

Dear Steven,
I am still excited.
As written in your site - "capture the heart" - that is how I felt when I first met Nitzan and asked him to come and teach Tai Chi at the Guest center in a small rural little town (Zichron Yaakov) near the workshop place. Participating in your workshop made me understand or rather feel more what you both are teaching - going deep inside and opening the heart.
I can relate to what you said about the jewish people - thank you for the kind words - and add that only one or a nation that suffered so much can have a big heart.
My late father had a heart the size of Europe where he lost all his family (11 people), then he and mom came here to build the country and his 2 sons went to the paratroops. I was wounded in the 1973 war and my brother in Lebanon in 1977. We never lost hope and we love to love people because that is how our father lived.
Anyway - I hope to see you again here.
Thank you from my heart for a uniqe experience.
Israel Laner (sitting at the far right with blue sweatshirt and white beard).