A Very Special Message

Destiny brought us together.

(See our story on Oprah’s segment “The Greatest Love Story Ever Told” at www.ego2heart.org)

We believe in destiny. It has been the motivating and inspiring force in our lives prior to us first meeting and even now in our relationship. For us, life is full of magic, mystery, and destined encounters.

We are philanthropists and consider ourselves healers of the heart. We conduct couple workshops through our communication practice, Ego2Heart, in Israel, the U.S.A., and are currently expanding our work to Europe.

A little over a year ago, we were searching for property in upstate New York to conduct our couples workshops, and came across an abandoned historic mansion on the Hudson River. Instantly, we fell in love with the property, only to find out the destined heart connection to the history of this place that ties us together.

The house, built in1891, was named “Heart’s Ease.” (The home has lots of hearts, engraved in the fireplace tiles as well as on the wood trimming throughout.) In the early 1920’s, Hilda Worthington Smith, the daughter of the original owner Mr. Smith, fulfilled a lifelong dream of turning the home into the “Hudson Shore Labor School.” The school taught newly arriving female immigrants various trades, as well as English. Eleanor Roosevelt, a board member, was instrumental in empowering these woman to go out and make a new life of meaning in the new land of America.

Our goal is to make the “Hearts Ease” home a place of healing for couples and individuals, a place to hold Ego2Heart workshops and teach a heartfelt communication that would empower women, men and relationships.

It is very exciting to know that what we are doing is going to continue the work, vision and passion of special individuals who made a difference in people’s lives. Above all our goal is to honor the past and continue sharing values that makes the world a better place.

We hope you will come along on our journey and invite you to view the introductory video of our new documentary:

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Destined Encounter with Moti and Ronit Peleg, posted with vodpod

Prelude to Sweet Darkness

At times, our ego gets in our way, self doubt creeps in and shakes the ground under us. We act out scripts and replay scenarios in our minds. We start make assumptions and go into a negative mode that can ruin the relationship.

Communication is the key. First, we need to explore our hearts, check in and get in touch with how we feel. Do the self-doubts and fears serve us? Are they real or are they old patterns of behavior based on insecurities?

These feelings that come up can become great gifts. When we look at the gifts closely, sit with them, give them a voice, and share with our partner (The Ego 2 Heart way), our partner can listen and be with us totally.

I went into the old scripts, feeling insecure about the fact that I was not able to reach or talk with my partner.

The poem I previously published, Sweet Darkness, reminded me to go deep inside, check with heart and find the courage to face my shadows. I allowed both the love and the shadows to surface, to share with my partner, and invite him to dance the dance of shadow and light together.

This exploration allows us to continue on this awesome path of adventure where opportunities to grow await us along the way.

With gratitude.

-Ronit

TO MY BELOVED

I wonder what was in your heart when you heard me calling and yet not calling me back.

There is so much underneath that is not being revealed.

Anxiety, fear, etc.

I hope we will be able to open a door to these, so we can move on.

Proud, tall nothing to hide, working on shadows, growing, living in truth, living our passion, knowing our passion.

I forward you a poem Leon shared with us at the shadow workshop by David Whyte. [Sweet Darkness]

I feel it fits what you and I are going through.

I hope it will help the door to open for us so we can find our way into our dreams, whatever they are.

I just wanted to write and say how much I love you- this what came out.

It is all good.

Time we connect to the inner truth inside us, find the path we came here to walk on, and the deep desire to walk that path together.

An invitation to a journey, an unknown adventure where we always wanted to touch, where the secret of happiness, secret of life! awaits us.

Are we ready to make the leap of faith into darkness where the light is brighter than we ever known?

I love you, trust in our destiny, in our commitment for a better tomorrow for us as well as the world around us.

Miss our cuddling, our love making, giggles, laughter, all.

First30Days.com Interview: Pursuing Your Dreams

Since some of our listening audience may not yet know who you are, would you please tell us a bit about yourself?

We are a happily married couple where destiny plays an important part in our lives. Our personal and professional path, and our trials and tribulations reinforced our belief that every person has the capacity to pursue their dream and become what they are truly meant to be in the world, no matter how difficult their situation. Destiny brought us together after 40 years of living separate, but full lives with no contact and without knowing one another.

Moti:
I followed a life long dream that I harbored in my heart, to marry the beautiful girl I saw on a magazine cover when I was 17 years old. For 40 years, she was unaware of my existence, but years later we finally met and married shortly after that time. I came from a poor farm in Israel, determined to make a better life for myself. I frequently visualized a more desirable life, to become a psychologist as well as a lover in a soulful relationship. It was destiny that ultimately bonded me with the beauty queen I once desired and various educational opportunities led me to the career I always dreamed about. I moved to New York, armed with the blessings of my Holocaust-surviving parents, who remained in Israel. With hard work and perseverance I received my doctorate, a dream that initially seemed inconceivable to me. As a student, I supported myself by performing onstage as an Israeli singer and songwriter. I married, had 2 children, and opened a private practice in the area of stress and relationships issues. In my first marriage, love and caring existed within our relationship but we struggled with communication, which caused us to drift apart.

Ronit:
I was born in Israel. At the age of 18, I was crowned Miss Israel and second runner-up to Miss Universe. I married an American physician and moved to Beverly Hills, California where I lived for 37 years. Over the years, I was involved with various philanthropic projects and become a Goodwill Ambassador of peace. As a mother of 3 and a grandmother of 8, I lived the life of fame and fortune while always looking for the deeper meaning I felt I was missing. I searched for a different way to communicate. After meeting Dr Zimmerman and Dr McCandless who introduced me to the practice of council (a heart felt communication of speaking and listening without judgment), I realized that my life’s purpose was to share the practice with my people in Israel and the rest of the world. After my husband passed, I returned to Israel and established “Amutat Maagal Hakshava,” the Center for Council Training in Israel. My life was transformed, and since my role as a facilitator, mentor and a founder of Council has been my passion. The practice brought meaning to my life as I later introduced this way of communication to my soul mate, Moti. We recognized that before we met we had not been connected to our hearts, living life as “walking dead.” We subsequently made the practice an important part of our life, feeling the call to pass on our training as we set our purpose to sparkle a renewed hope in people’s relationships.

You are a great success. Because of what you’ve accomplished and where you are in life, what would you tell others to inspire them today, regardless of where they are in their life?

No matter where you might be in your life do not lose hope. When one door closes, another one opens. Dare to dream and visualize your dreams as vividly as possible. Write them down. No matter how far-fetched your dreams may appear, continue to listen to your intuition and follow it. It might be a long, bumpy and winding road but you can reach your dream while doing the best to enjoy the journey.

Our successes and challenges led to realize our life purpose as individuals, as soul mates and lovers. We learned that intuitive listening to the inner voice, the voice of the relationship and the signs and synchronicities of the universe can unlock the most hidden, most fulfilling expression. We found out that embracing the spirit, the deep knowledge that is in each one of us and increasingly living through kindness and mindfulness, humbleness, compassion and with gratitude, helps us fulfill our destined purpose in life.

Continue Reading >

 

Sweet Darkness

Sweet Darkness by David Whyte

When your eyes are tired, the world is tired also.

When your vision has gone, no part of the world can find you.

It’s time to go into the dark where the night has eyes to recognize its own.

There you can be sure that you are not beyond love.

The dark will be your home tonight.

The night will give you a horizon further than you can see.

You must learn one thing.

You must learn one thing.

The world was made to be free in.  Give up all the other worlds except the one to which you belong.

Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet confinement of your aloneness to learn that anything or anyone that does not bring you alive is too small for you.

Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet confinement of your aloneness to learn that anything or anyone that does not bring you alive is too small for you.

When your eyes are tired, the world is tired also.

 

The True Opportunities to Express Love

The expression of love does not require a special holiday, particularly in a couple’s relationship. We have an opportunity to re-embrace and ignite the spark in our relationship several times a year, not just on major holidays, birthdays, Mother’s/Father’s Day, and other special occasions. We certainly recognize our partner’s achievement on Valentine’s Day, and traditionally express our love to our significant others by giving scripted cards and gifts. For a moment our relationship with our loved one feels re-energized. On this day, the opportunity to affirm our affection and feelings of affinity towards our significant others arrives, via a structurally set date on the calendar.

This occasion, Valentine’s Day, is also an opportunity for couples to reaffirm their commitment to one another, from rewriting their vows to finding various ways to celebrate each other and the relationship. Partners can reignite their passion and bring back the vitality into their union. While particular dates on the calendar reawaken the chance to express our love, many couples neglect those elements of the relationship during the rest of the year. Couples may take the relationship for granted and leave it vulnerable and untended.

So, why can’t every day become an opportunity to celebrate the relationship? Why do lovers need to wait or depend on a special occasion to express love to one another?

The “Ego 2 Heart” listening and communication practice for couples emphasizes the daily awareness to reach couples’ intimate connectedness. It supports a daily cultivation of the relationship through non-judgmental listening and communicating. The following are amongst some of the daily opportunities to express love and deepen your intimate bond.

1. It is helpful to remember that our partner is the other half of self. When we communicate daily, positive affirmations, support and affection, it empowers our partner and strengthens the relationship.
2. Remain mindful to give as much as we receive, talk as much as we listen and provide pleasure as much as we enjoy receiving it. It helps to explain our likes and dislikes, what makes us feel good, what turns us on. We need to share and encourage our partner to do the same.
3. Giving your partner space and taking time for self individually can be energetically replenishing. We need to keep in mind the importance of surprise, humor, playfulness, spontaneity, adventure and creativity. Break the routine by exploring new places and activities together such as camping, traveling to an exotic place and spending time in nature.

These are only a few of the various opportunities to express love and deepen our relationships. Showing your vulnerability and expressing to your partner a heartfelt affirmation such as, “I want you to know how important you are to me in my life. Who you are makes the difference in my life,” can further deepen your intimacy,

Dr. Moti Peleg & Ronit

For more information on Dr. Moti and Ronit Peleg, Ego 2 Heart workshops, their Oprah Show appearance and their upcoming book, “Destined Encounter,” go to http://www.ego2heart.org.

 

Valentine Celebration

Valentine’s Day can be an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment, rewrite our vows, celebrate each other and the relationship. Valentine’s Day helps us remember to never take our partner for granted. My daughter Sabrina, in her weekly “Sacred Ordinary Moments” letter, takes it closer to home- the love for ourselves! I am excited to share her insight with all of you, as she reminds us to celebrate the precious souls that we are.

-Ronit xo

~Self Love ~

Valentine’s Day is approaching. It is deemed the holiday of love; the day where we take the time to acknowledge the love in our life; to offer thoughts and sentiments of loving and gratitude to those who are special to us in our lives. Guess what ~ you are a special gift to yourself everyday!!!!!!

This Valentine’s Day, I offer an invitation to you. Celebrate YOURSELF!! Send yourself a Valentine’s day card/love letter; treat yourself to your favorite sweet; luxuriate in a bath filled with rose petals or fresh eucalyptus leaves; schedule a facial, a massage, a mani/pedi, a professional shave; go out and buy yourself a bouquet of flowers and place them in a beautiful vase on your table; sit in the sun and let it’s light and warmth kiss your face a thousand times; hug yourself and offer gratitude to yourself and the many ways you show up for yourself every day; look at yourself in the mirror and smile; make a joy list and complete one item on that list today; get a make-up pencil and draw little hearts all over your body or just in one special place that makes you giggle when you think of it being there J

It may be that you just commit to loving yourself no matter what happens all day long……because you can!!!

Love is an act but it is also a state of being. When you love yourself, you engage in both a giving and receiving practice ~ which enhances your state of loving. It’s a delicious circle. The truth is, the more you love yourself, the more love you have to give to others!!!

The more of us that engage in this practice on a daily basis, the more peaceful and radiant this life experience will become! So, why not start this year with something new and turn this Valentine’s Day into a “share my love for myself day.”

Remember, you are LOVE. LOVE is your essence. It is in every cell of your being and the more you cultivate it within yourself, the more you will experience it outside of yourself.

You are magnificent! Each and every one of you!!!! Celebrate your majesty!

Happy Happy “Share Your Love with Yourself Valentine’s Day!!!!!”

Watch this precious one ~ she’s got the idea down pat!!

Awareness ~ Choice ~ Freedom

Sabrina

If you are called to participate in February’s circle, please email me at sabrina@sabrinateiger.com

Abundant Blessings, Gratitude and Appreciation!    To schedule a session with me, visitwww.sabrinateiger.com or call 310.277.5881  or find me on Facebook.

5 Communication Tips to Spark Up Your Intimate Relationship

A couple sits across one onother settling in to begin"ego to heart"communication.

In today’s fast paced society, more and more people find it difficult to listen to one another. The stress of modern, daily living affects many areas of our lives, and it particularly takes a huge toll on relationships. Too often, we tend to run our lives in a robotic manner, communicating through codes and SMS.

We often see people talking at one another rather than to each other, hearing but not really listening. Many cannot wait for individuals to finish talking. They cut them off before they complete their sentence, and in turn come up with an answer to bring up their own agenda. Chances are that you have been in this situation and can recall your feelings of frustration.

Do you remember a time in your life when you felt someone really listened to you with his/her whole being?

Do you recall listening to someone wholeheartedly with “all ears”?

Listening plays an important role in the success and vitality of relationships. Heartfelt listening enables an intimate connectedness and an empowered union to flourish. An honest wholehearted listening deepens the partners’ familiarity with one another and opens their eyes to explore the richness of each other’s inner worlds.  It offers an opportunity to discover the mystery of intimacy.

Dr. Jack Zimmerman and Dr. Jaquelyn McCandells developed a relationship model for couples intimacy which is based on a unique way of communicating and listening without judgment .The practice named, “Flesh & Spirit”, emphasizes listening to the voice of the relationship, which best serves the relationship.  This practice enables a heartfelt dialogue which transcends the couple’s relationship into a new path- a place of the heart. The model encourages the growth of the relationship as well as the individual empowerment within the relationship. Many couples that practice this heartfelt communication reported rejuvenation and a deepening of their intimate bond.

HERE ARE FIVE TIPS THAT IMPROVE AND DEEPEN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS.

1. Designate time to frequently celebrate the relationship

Allocate a quiet place with no interruptions from cell phones, TV. etc. Create a romantic setting filled with candlelight. Sit, facing one another, hold hands, look into each other’s eyes and share a positive story, a positive memory that you remember about your partner.  Focus on something you love and appreciate in your partner that brings a smile to your face.

Not only share with your partner what you feel will enhance the relationship and deepen your intimate bond, but also share what are you willing to do to make it happen.

The practice helps create a safe environment that can transform your relationship into a source of inspiration by stretching your imagination through, creativity, playfulness, humor, adventure and spontaneity. The transformation brings a fresh new energy and a renewed life force into the union.

2. Listening without interruption

Each time you feel like reacting when your partner speaks, take a deep breath, and listen to the end of his/her last word. It helps to use a talking piece, and only the person who speaks, holds it. Put the talking piece down when you finished speaking, and allow your partner to express him/her self.

3. Speaking from the “I feel”

Ask yourself,  “Am I communicating from my ego or from my heart?” Relax and be totally present. Allow your vulnerability to emerge when you speak from the” I feel” place rather than reacting or blaming. When speaking from the heart, share how you feel without pointing a finger. It creates a room for healing, as obstacles and challenges turn into stepping-stones and opportunities for growth.

4. Affirmations

We all can use positive affirmation… a show of love, kindness and support rather than criticism.

Express to your partner frequent words of affirmation. Compliment your partner. Leave love notes, write poems and love letters, and express positive validation towards your partner for the things he/she does that make you feel good. Familiarize yourself with those things that make your partner happy or that are important to him/her.

A hug, a pinch, or a smile will spark up the day. The relationship thrives on such shows of affection.

5. From the “Me” to “We”

In every relationship, there is an individual voice within each partner that feeds self-indulgent, egotistical needs. But it is important to stay mindful of the relationship’s needs.  This third voice  is called “The Voice of the Relationship”, a neutral voice that serves the well being of the relationship. In times of tension, conflicts and disagreements, attuning to the voice of the relationship cultivates a conciliatory atmosphere by bringing a different perspective to consider. It’s like going out to the balcony to get a different view on things.

Dr Moti Peleg & Ronit Rinat Peleg

The Listening to the Soul and the Voice of Destiny

The silent voices or sounds of the soul and destiny not only require attentive and intuitive listening, but also conscious observation. Hidden by nature, in the imaginary realm, these mysterious voices reveal or manifest in signs and synchronicities. Emerging through signals and clues, the voices direct us to our date with destiny; the authentic place to fulfill our essence, the place one needs to reduce the levels of egotistical propelling noise, tension and self-imposed thoughts that impede us from connecting to our soul and to our suppressed authentic self.

We need to exercise the practice of meditation and other relaxing methods, as well as silent observation and intuitive listening, where we hear our heart beat, we breathe and don’t think. As we relax, the more we connect to our soul, our humanity, the universe and to our humble being. The more we surrender to this process and recognize our humanity, we become grateful to our true self. We calm down and connect both to self and to those with whom we interact. This listening practice complements one’s ability to become more intuitive in listening and become more observant in extracting meaning from the synchronicities and signs that lead to a certain development of significance in our lives. Attuning to these clues, though mysterious, opens us to opportunities and increases the probability that magical things are in the process of occurring in our life. We just need to intuitively listen, make a decision, and take the initiative to make a move.

-Moti

The Challenge of Intimate Bonding

Research shows that more than 80% of life’s satisfactions that contributes to one’s happiness derive from a meaningful and intimately close relationship with loved ones. Still, a question remains. If one’s most important aspirations in life are to bond, love and be loved, why are so many of us not attempting to make our relationships all they can be? What is holding most of humanity from fulfilling what seems to be the single most important purpose of our being? Ironically, in reality many people in intimate relationships experience the opposite pulling forces of a wish and fear of a relationship. It causes them to delay experiencing true intimacy with their present mates, by either giving up or passively awaiting a miracle that would rejuvenate their stale or combative relationship. Too many people live a lonely and loveless existence. Many dream of finding their destined soul mate, but in reality their love is delayed or fails to show up.

We rationalize and tell ourselves that as soon as we finish the pressing tasks that consume us, we will devote more time to our intimate relationships whether with our mate, our parents, our  children or other significant others. We tell our mate that we will be more passionate and romantic when things slow down. We promise ourselves that at some point in the future, as soon as we find more time, we will listen from the heart, be more mindful and accepting, compassionate and intimate with our relationships. We convince ourselves that our true love will emerge if we wait for it long enough or if we don’t rock the shaky boat of our present relationship. We tell ourselves that soon we will find an opportunity to express love to our partner, our parents or our children but we never do it or it rarely happens.

We postpone intimate closeness, when deep within we know that there will never be a better time to take a leap and risk being vulnerable enough to make that long awaited positive change. We experience an uphill challenge just thinking of the shift we could make in our dysfunctional ways of relating, and become more truthful to ourselves and loving from a heartfelt place. We are reluctant to reach out to the most precious, most delicate and most painfully deprived area in our being that of intimate love. Though we wish and crave love, we paradoxically hesitate to take the step to embrace love because fear of rejection, humiliation and hurt continue to dominate our emotions even if we know that tomorrow may never come.

When we postpone intimate love, days slip into weeks, weeks slip into months and months slip into years. Before we know it, we realize that we spend many precious years of our life avoiding the chance to claim the dearest of our birth right gifts-love! The love bond we give birth to in our dreams transcends us to a higher ground as beings, connecting us to our highest potential. But we tend to fear love’s magnitude since in the process of intimate bonding, our mate becomes our mirror. The joy of our deepening intimate love relationship brings us face to face with our human shadows and imperfections. Thus, even though we wish to fulfill love’s magical promise and re-ignite our present intimate relationship, we remain stagnated, fearing love.

The practice of (ETH) “Ego to Heart”, a couple’s weekend workshop in which we conduct globally, is literally a simple heartfelt communication practice. It centers on helping couples and the individual partners in the relationship transform their bond through authentic listening, making a shift from ego centered “me”, to a heartfelt “we”. According to Zimmerman & McCandless, when partners risk going beyond self-involvement and are able to authentically see, hear and feel each other and the relationship with heightened intuitive awareness, they enter a state of “Third Presence” (the voice of the relationship). It is an entity, a pure witness that allows a more soulful, spontaneous communication between the two. It helps partners become increasingly aware of their infinite capacity to love beyond ordinary secular connectedness. Thus, intimate bonding increasingly deepens as it opens the couple to the mystery of wholeness and the divine. It is then, in a safer and increasingly supportive intimate bond, that partners can break away from past dysfunctional patterns and overcome their fears. It is through this experience that they have the opportunity to transform their shadows into lights that shade a healthier, more in the moment way of being.

Dr. Moti Peleg

For more information on Dr. Moti and Ronit Peleg, Ego to Heart workshops, their Oprah Show appearance and their upcoming book, “Destined Encounter,” go towww.ego2heart.org.

If you felt moved, inspired, touched, helped, annoyed, or anything after reading this, please let us know. Our wonderful bloggers really do appreciate your comments and feedback. It’s super easy and takes a minute. Click on comments below.

 

The Way of Council

Council is the practice of speaking and listening from the heart. Through compassionate, heartfelt expression and empathic, non-judgmental listening, Council inspires a non-hierarchical form of deep communication that reveals a group’s vision and purpose.

Council offers effective means of resolving conflicts and for discovering the deeper, often unexpressed needs of individuals and organizations. Council provides a comprehensive means for co-visioning and making decisions in a group context. Council is about our personal and collaborative story.

Today the practice of Council is the core of The Ojai Foundation’s programs in schools and in our peace and reconciliation work abroad. It is the major component of our youth and adult outreach to both public and private schools and businesses and is utilized by the Foundation staff and community regularly, both personally and professionally.