living myth israel
June 7 - 15, 2016
Concept
Living Myth Israel was envisioned as a self-exploratory expedition that took us to many special places in Israel. It was a journey into many dimensions of Land, Body, Mind, Soul and Spirit. Being a birthplace of the Abrahamic traditions, Israel holds subtle mythological clues which point to evolutionary trends and energies that shaped today's humanity. Exploring those clues in the course of a journey together allowed for myriad insights, unequivocal creativity, and fresh outlooks on collective and individual destiny. During the trip we experimented with various arts to purify, revitalize and explore your body, mind, inner dimensions and hidden talents.
9 days
Expedition duration
11 locations
Tel-Aviv, Mamshit, Nahal Pratzim, Dead Sea, Jerusalem, Qasr el-Yahud, Lake KIneret, Nachal Samach, Mount Miron,
Pki'in Druze Village, Akziv
Pki'in Druze Village, Akziv
5 laboratories
LifeStream, Living Dreams, Beit-Midrash, Spoken Word Poetry, Israeli Cuisine
What was it about?
We began our trip in Tel-Aviv, proceeded to the desert, continued on to Jerusalem, then moved to the Galilee, visiting the Yarden river and the Sea of Galilee, before finishing on a Mediterranean beach in the North of Israel. We had a few short hikes in the Negev desert and in the North of Israel including a moonlit night-time excursion under the starry heaven above. We also visited places considered sacred by world religions, spent time with bedouins and druzes, tasted local cuisine, and even learnt to cook some of the national dishes! We dove into the melting pot of Jerusalem, and explored some truly mythological places, such as the Mount of Olives, Western Wall, Dead Sea, etc. During the trip organisers led various creative workshops for participants.
Team
Vera Pakhomov
Sociologist, researcher, adult education specialist, poet, student of body-oriented therapy.
Sociologist, researcher, adult education specialist, poet, student of body-oriented therapy.
Michael Yoshpa
Michael holds a PhD. in Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Chemistry, and Masters Degrees in Biology and Education.
He is a photographer and facilitator of inner development retreats.
Michael is an author and facilitator of several learning laboratories: LifeStream, MySelf, Living Science, and Living Dreams. He teaches meditation, qigong and martial arts.
Michael holds a PhD. in Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Chemistry, and Masters Degrees in Biology and Education.
He is a photographer and facilitator of inner development retreats.
Michael is an author and facilitator of several learning laboratories: LifeStream, MySelf, Living Science, and Living Dreams. He teaches meditation, qigong and martial arts.
Testimonials
LIVING MYTH INCARNATED
Returning does to a traveler the same
That editing does to film footage,
And death to life – it confers meaning.
Completing the Holy Land circle, thoughts and attainments rush to flow as text.
For one cannot escape meaning in Living Myth. Just like one cannot escape one's essential self.
The flow of thoughts coalesces with Earth currents, flows into a riverbed of discourse, offered by masters, and casts ingots of meanings.
This is what is called attainment, woven from moments of glorious revelations.
They are priceless. They nest crystallized meaning.
This experience is a step on a grand road of life.
These moments live in memory while you live.
A true experience is eternal, like soul is eternal.
Hail to the masters for being now and being there.
I long for new myths on the path of attainment.
Returning does to a traveler the same
That editing does to film footage,
And death to life – it confers meaning.
Completing the Holy Land circle, thoughts and attainments rush to flow as text.
For one cannot escape meaning in Living Myth. Just like one cannot escape one's essential self.
The flow of thoughts coalesces with Earth currents, flows into a riverbed of discourse, offered by masters, and casts ingots of meanings.
This is what is called attainment, woven from moments of glorious revelations.
They are priceless. They nest crystallized meaning.
This experience is a step on a grand road of life.
These moments live in memory while you live.
A true experience is eternal, like soul is eternal.
Hail to the masters for being now and being there.
I long for new myths on the path of attainment.
Mark
poet, translator, teacher,
St.Petersburg, Russia
St.Petersburg, Russia
This trip gave me a lot of resources. After returning back home I was able look at my family members with love and understanding, instead of my usual fighting for territory and fiercely pushing away all that is uncomfortable.
The trip had a high degree of emotional, intellectual and creative energy. I felt interested, fascinated, exhilarated, free, safe, cosy, warm and comfortable.
I felt very comfortable and cosy because of Vera's caring attention, delicious tahini dishes, gnocchi, and a sensation that Vera and her GPS always knew where we were going.
I am glad that body-oriented practices, intellectual conversations and self-reflection always matched up with going new places, as well as personal interactions while doing everyday chores. This allowed for multi-dimensional daily experience. It was important that while Vera and Misha guided the overall flow of our Living Myth, every participant had his share of influencing the hue, the intensity and the pace of this flow.
This trip rekindled my natural curiosity and reopened limitless possibilities of learning. Living with my kids, I got used to "being the smartest one", so learning something new got to be useless and unstimulating.
During this trip people around me talked in three languages about books that I've never read, and films that I've never seen, and used words of unknown meaning. All of a sudden there were so many interesting things going in the Universe! Awesome!
The trip had a high degree of emotional, intellectual and creative energy. I felt interested, fascinated, exhilarated, free, safe, cosy, warm and comfortable.
I felt very comfortable and cosy because of Vera's caring attention, delicious tahini dishes, gnocchi, and a sensation that Vera and her GPS always knew where we were going.
I am glad that body-oriented practices, intellectual conversations and self-reflection always matched up with going new places, as well as personal interactions while doing everyday chores. This allowed for multi-dimensional daily experience. It was important that while Vera and Misha guided the overall flow of our Living Myth, every participant had his share of influencing the hue, the intensity and the pace of this flow.
This trip rekindled my natural curiosity and reopened limitless possibilities of learning. Living with my kids, I got used to "being the smartest one", so learning something new got to be useless and unstimulating.
During this trip people around me talked in three languages about books that I've never read, and films that I've never seen, and used words of unknown meaning. All of a sudden there were so many interesting things going in the Universe! Awesome!
Alexandra
mother of three kids, fairy tale writer
Moscow, Russia
Moscow, Russia
What is Living Myth for me? It is a possibility to really get to know another country from those who love it and know its hidden treasures. In Living Myth everyone is a creator, not just a body moving through space. In lieu of that even walking around cliché tourist places becomes filled with magic.
Living Myth is also a chance to combine travel with various practices for the body, soul and mind.
I strongly recommend Living Myth for everyone who loves traveling in an engaging and unusual way.
Living Myth is also a chance to combine travel with various practices for the body, soul and mind.
I strongly recommend Living Myth for everyone who loves traveling in an engaging and unusual way.
Maria
human rights activist
Voronezh, Russia
Voronezh, Russia
Photo Album
