Background

Growing up in Jewish and Christian homes and working within organized religion for many years left us painfully aware that many seekers within the Judeo-Christian tradition have been frustrated, disillusioned or wounded by negative experiences or unhelpful teaching.

Many western seekers long to find practical, life-giving teachings within their own tradition that can help them in their daily lives with prayer, meditation, healing, forgiveness and healthy relationships.

What most western seekers don’t realize is that their own spiritual tradition is rich in psychological and spiritual teachings that directly address the inner life and offer tools for transformation and healing.

This tradition is called the Kabbalah, which is the mystical knowledge underlying both Judaism and Christianity. The Tree of Life is the main symbol and teaching tool of Kabbalah and forms the basis of our teaching and training programs.

We hope to make the western mystical teachings from the Tree of Life accessible to anyone wishing to develop their soul and deepen their spiritual wisdom.

Our studies in the Tree of Life began when we moved from California to London, England after completing graduate school. During our time in London, we were introduced to the tradition of Kabbalah and had the privilege of studying with Kabbalah Master Z’ev ben Shimon Halevi (Warren Kenton).

After many years of training, when it was time for us to return to our native San Francisco, California, we were commissioned by Halevi to establish the West Coast Kabbalah School, in our lineage of the Spanish Toledano line of Kabbalah.

In addition to running the Kabbalah School, we are both on the Board of Directors of The International Kabbalah Society.

During our time in London, we also worked with ritual experts such as Robert Bly, Marion Woodman, Erica Helm-Meade, Michael Meade, Guatemalan shaman Martin Prechtel and African shaman Sobonfu and Malidoma Some.

As we participated in initiation rituals from different cultures, we experienced the power of communal rituals, which help people access their wounds and discover deep within themselves the wisdom and the strength to heal those wounds.

Our interest in personal and collective healing has deepened as we have traveled the world for over thirty years, visiting sacred sites, investigating cross-cultural initiation practices and expressions of the sacred, including visual arts, music and dance. We now incorporate these ancient and modern initiation techniques in our work, including drumming, storytelling, chanting, meditation and ritual. In addition to our teaching the Tree of Life at home in California, we lead groups on journeys to sacred sites in Crete, Gambia (West Africa), Morocco, Europe, Southeast Asia and Damanhur.

Our greatest adventure together is parenthood, sharing life with our 15-year-old son, Jake. Conscious parenting is calling us to be incredibly present and focused, putting the mystical teachings into practical and loving form.