In this two part workshop, American Mussar Founder Greg Marcus leads a highly interactive experience to help you prepare a spiritual action plan to become your best self in 2019.
A note from Greg
Over the holiday break, I lost my Patience a few times with my family. Once it was with my wife. She said something that I didn’t like, and I answered in a sharp way. I was tired, and not at my best. While it didn’t lead to a full on fight as it would have in years past, it did color our evening a bit.
Another time, one of my daughters did something that pushed my buttons. I lost my Patience even more. But instead of yelling, rolling my eyes, exiting the room, or talking down to her, I just listened. I kept my mouth shut. But inside I was thinking
This sucks. I just need to hang in here. It will be over soon. I so want to say something.
The moment passed, and we went on.
In years past, I would have let my frustration show, and the situation would have gotten loud and dramatic.
Thanks to Mussar, I stayed patient, and stayed silent.
There is often confusion between staying calm, and being Patient. We don’t need patience when we are calm. We need patience when we are upset. Mussar teaches that patience is about holding it together, enduring an uncomfortable situation until it passes.
Of course sometimes, we can have too much patience, and stay in a bad job or a bad relationship.
I didn’t get here overnight. For me it was a journey of small steps, over time. Which is what Mussar is all about.
Now, I’d like to offer you and opportunity to take a few small steps of your own in the Humility and Patience Mussar Workshop.
First, we’ll meet in a highly interactive Zoom video call in which we’ll focus on the soul trait of Humility. We are the center of our own story, which makes Humility a key place to start our journey. You’ll walk away with a sense of whether you occupy too much or too little space in the world, and a spiritual action plan to initiate a process of balance and healing.
Two weeks later, we’ll meet again to update your action plan to incorporate a Patience practice to address a second aspect of those things holding you back from being your best self.
If you’ve never used Zoom, it is super easy. You’ll get a link sent to you. Just click and go!
This Humility and Patience Mussar Workshop can help you:
- Stay more fully aware and in the moment instead of feeling overwhelmed
- Respond instead of react when someone pushes your buttons
- Set boundaries unencumbered by guilt
- Quiet irrational thoughts in your head
- Respond with restraint instead of reacting
- Turn your attention to creating something unique and special
If You Are New To Mussar
The Humility and Patience Mussar Workshop will be a great way for you to add a new spiritual tool to help you on your journey of transformation. You literally don’t need anything to begin except an open heart. Greg presents this Jewish wisdom in such a way that you don’t need any Jewish literacy in order to benefit. In fact, you don’t need to be Jewish.
Rabbi Elya Lopian taught that Mussar is “making the heart feel what the mind understands.” The way we do this is by taking action, which is why you’ll walk away from each meeting with a spiritual action plan.
If You Are Experienced With Mussar
Your eyes have started to open to what is happening internally. Perhaps you’ve discovered that your anger is actually a pride issue, or that feeling worthy is at the root cause of your fear that people won’t like you.
And you know that there is nothing like practicing Mussar in community. You’ll find content and opportunities to grow for however long you’ve been practicing.
Returning to the fundamentals of Humility and Patience will help you strengthen and deepen your practice, to bring greater insights to the spiritual action plan that you’ll create.
Dates and Times
The Sunday Morning Workshop will meet on January 13 (Humility) and January 27th (Patience) from 9 to 10:15 AM Pacific time by Zoom Video Conference.
Three Options To Join the Your Best Self In 2019 Mussar Workshop
Note: all prices in US Dollars
Option 1: Best Self Workshop $25
You’ll get two interactive video conferences, worksheets, the spiritual action plan template, email prompts and access to a private Facebook group.
Scholarships available.
Register here for the Sunday Morning Workshop with Paypal or credit card – $25
Option 2: Best Self Workshop & Mussar Starter Pack $35 (Best Value)
You’ll get access to the live Zoom workshops, the emails, worksheets and the private Facebook Group plus A copy of the Spiritual Practice of Good Actions: Finding Balance Through the Soul Traits of Mussar, which is by American Mussar founder Greg Marcus. You have a choice between a paperback or Kindle ebook.
Register here for the Sunday Morning Workshop & Book with Paypal or credit card – $35
Option 3: Workshop, Book, and 1:1 Coaching call $125
In addition to everything in Option 2, you’ll also get a one hour coaching call with Greg Marcus.
In a 1-1 session, you and Greg will go into much more depth about the changes you want to make and can create a more nuanced action plan for more significant and lasting results.
Normally, Greg charges $175 an hour for one on one coaching. You can add one hour of 1:1 work for just an additional $100.
Register here for the Sunday Morning Workshop with 1:1 Coaching Call with Paypal or credit card – $125
Can I really change in a month?
I have seen people make meaningful change in their lives in two weeks or faster. I had a student who was a rage-aholic driver. When we were working on Patience, she decided to let every car merge in front of her. She came back two weeks later describing herself as the calmest driver on the road. And, she found herself being more patient with her family.
I can’t think of a person who was not impacted almost right away by trying Mussar practice. I can’t guarantee you results, but if you try Mussar practice you will start to see the world differently, and have choices you didn’t realize you had.
What Will Hold You Back From Being Your Best Self in 2019?
There is one thing I’ve learned in my seven years of practicing Mussar and facilitating Mussar circles: Each and every one of us has what it takes to be a Mensch, a person of outstanding character. And Mussar provides a roadmap to help us get there. We discover those parts of the soul that are holding us back from being our best selves, and more importantly, how small steps have a large impact in bringing about transformation.
As it says in the Talmud, “One Mitzvah leads to another Mitzvah” (Ethics of the Fathers 4:2). And so it can be with you – taking one positive steps can set up a virtuous cycle of positive change.
You are not alone in your journey. Please join the “Your Best Self In 2019: Humility and Patience Mussar Workshop” to experience a community of fellow travelers on your journey. You’ll walk away with a spiritual action plan to help you take the next steps for you.
Who is this for:
- People looking for an experience of community and feeling heard
- People who want to get the most out of the opportunity for personal transformation in the new year
- People of any religion who want to try Mussar
- People who are ready to create a personal transformation action plan
- People looking to integrate some changes into your everyday life to promote balance and healing.
What People Say About Mussar Workshops With Greg
I just wanted to take a minute before Shabbat, to thank you for a lovely workshop experience last evening. Your virtual Mussar workshop really made my Jewish High Holiday season so much more meaningful, and spiritually relevant. Also, being able to share the journey with other individuals, who were also in the process of transforming their lives, was the true delight of this workshop. We were all companions on this journey together, and it was wonderful to have input from others. Lastly, I was able to experience true teshuva – a return to God, with an even deeper connection than I had had previously. I most heartedly recommend these superb Mussar workshops to anyone, of any faith, who wants to dig deeper into their soul to help achieve a more magnificent sense of calmness and peace. – Selina Glater
Before I met Greg, I did not know what Mussar is. Greg’s clear and wise way of presenting and engaging people in Mussar has allowed me to develop both a daily practice and ongoing reflection. I encourage anyone who is interested in Mussar to learn from Greg and American Mussar. – Elisabeth Sylvan, Ph.D
My wife and I have participated in several Mussar classes led by Greg. He is an excellent teacher and facilitator; in each class, he has a manner and approach which enables the students to find their own path to an insight. The discussions he leads have been meaningful and compelling, and makes connecting the particular Mussar topic under question connect deeply the participants’ everyday life. – Micah Yairi
What Readers on Amazon Say About The Spiritual Practice of Good Actions: Finding Balance Through the Soul Traits of Mussar
I wish I would have had access to this book about 10 years ago. I find myself locked into chapter 6. Patience is not one of my virtues. I also see the baggage I carry, along with many other forms of conflict within myself. But in recognizing the baggage I also found the comfort of finally realizing a few things about myself. Through the book the ability to recognize the problem is the first step to overcoming the problem, has been worth so much. – Katherine H.
I have read other Mussar books that gave me strength to carry on and helped me transform my life. The Spiritual Practice had a profound impact on my understanding of not only the soul-traits but also, how they relate to me – or rather, how I relate to them. I loved this book because it has great compassion for/with the reader and is written in layman terms so even I understood the terms with greater depth and feeling. -Ann Clanton
This book is changing my life (still working my way through the exercises)…it takes the daunting and seemingly insurmountable spiritual journey of improving one’s character and reduces it to taking the first step, then the next, and so on. It is is organized, logical in approach and explanation, and well-thought out. The writing is cogent, and the personal insights make it relatable. For those with a religious background there are tantalizing references to rabbinic wisdom and talmudic passages. For those who are not religious there is enough support and understanding expressed by the writing therein to make one comfortable in handling the material without feeling condescension or shaming. It is the most approachable guide to spirituality and to practical morality I’ve ever seen. Possibly the best book selection of my life. – DANIEL J. BROWN
What People Say About Working With Greg As a Coach
Working with Greg is like getting a really good pair of sunglasses – you see the world more clearly, with more color and texture. I feel more comfortable in my own skin. Greg’s integrity and the way that he’s present were like no one I’ve worked with. (And I’ve worked with different people over the years.) He’s an amazing listener… I mean the way that he listens, and reflects, and processes what’s going on – it was life changing for me. – Helaine Sheias
I found Greg to be a very warm and generous coach. The program gave me a spiritual foundation of Mussar principles to build upon. It is a gift that keeps on giving. Mussar is a gift that will continue to give me a broader lens for reflection, understanding my triggers and becoming more responsive rather than reactive. – Diane Bloom McCabe
Your First Small Step
One small step is all it takes for transformation. One small step is everything, because once you’ve taken the first step, it is easier to take the second step, as it says in the Talmud, “One Mitzvah leads to another Mitzvah” (Ethics of the Fathers 4:2)
If you are ready to take that first step, please register for the Your Best Self In 2019: Humility and Patience Mussar Workshop.
Option 1
Register here for the Sunday Morning Workshop with Paypal or credit card – $25
Option 2
Register here for the Sunday Morning Workshop & Book with Paypal or credit card – $35
Option 3
Register here for the Sunday Morning Workshop with 1:1 Coaching Call with Paypal or credit card – $125
First In a Series of Workshops
This Best Self In 2019 Mussar Workshop will focus on the soul traits of Humility and Patience, and will help you find a small step towards balance and healing. It is the first in a series of monthly or bi-monthly workshops. Participating in multiple workshops opens the door to lasting relationships and community.
Photo by Terry Tan De Hao on Unsplash