Soha, the art of presence, is a practice that combines movement, philosophical teachings and tools for self-observation and self-research. The goal of Soha, simply put, is to arrive at a state of unconditional contentment within the changing conditions of life. This is possible by obtaining higher levels of awareness.
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Movement
Soha is also known by its name: the dance of the awareness of laws.
The purpose of the physical aspect of the Soha, movement, is to set the conditions for students to observe themselves and become acquainted with different parts of themselves, and with different levels of awareness. The physical postures and movements of the Soha, are precise and induce specific and predictable states. They create a special chemistry in the body, that decreases the frequency of one’s brainwaves, allowing a deep state of relaxation, within which one’s physical emotional and intellectual capacities are re-calibrated and brought to balance.
The experience of such different states of awareness allows a deep change of perspective that offers the student a chance to make conscious changes in areas of their lives they are interested in. The final goal of such exercises is to support the students in learning how to produce different levels of awareness consciously and independently.
The physical practice also allows students to anchor theoretical ideas in practical experiences.
The movements of the Soha originate in ancient sacred dance practices that evolved in specific monasteries between Mongolia and Tibet. The movements of the Soha are slow and soft; physical postures may also include exercises from other traditions such as: Kung Fu, Kriya Yoga and Pranayama breathing techniques.
Self Research
Soha is also known by its name: the loyal mirror.
Soha offers concrete and practical tools in students’ journey for self-discovery: the foundation for every spiritual practice.
The practice of Soha allows students to lay down, in an organised way, all the different sets of beliefs and conditionings that structure their internal world and their lives. Such conditionings are often a result of education and cultural systems students have encountered. The ability to observe and understand how these beliefs and conditionings are expressing themselves in everyday life, enables students an expansion of their state of awareness, beyond what is familiar and known to them. It opens a possibility to widening the framework of the students’ being.
As students explore themselves, they are exposed to the different aspects of their internal structure. Self-research allows the conscious changing of habits and ways of being, in a balanced way and from a systemic perspective of one’s values and needs.
The ‘Self’ in Soha, does not refer only to the psychological aspects of the human, such as the student’s personality or self-image, but allows students to penetrate deeper and be in touch with their deepest wants and aspirations. Soha puts students in touch with their internal resources: physical, emotional, and intellectual.
Within 3-6 months of practice, students are expected to have seen an impactful change in the aspired direction. These changes will express themselves in objective feedback from their environment.
The work within a group is key in this part of the teaching, because it allows the deepening of self-research through the encounter with the other, and the reflection the other offers us.
Philosophy
The Soha’s teaching is based on a coherent and a whole system of ideas that include models of the human internal structure and the laws that operate and influence it. This system of ideas derives from a hermetic teaching of ancient traditions. In Soha we study, in depth, both canonical texts and more obscure ones from the traditions of both Western and Eastern philosophy. Soha includes the teaching of physics, metaphysics, ethics, aesthetics as well as contemporary phenomenology.
Many of the practices and ideas in this system, have been scientifically proven in disciplines such as modern physics, biology, and brain studies. Such proofs are brought-in to the space of the teaching to reinforce the understanding of the ideas from varying perspectives.
As all other aspects of the Soha, the purpose of the philosophical teaching is to enable students to inquire and know themselves. Engaging with philosophical ideas allows students an understanding of their relationship with their natural, cultural, and familial environment.
The philosophical teaching of the Soha uses a simple and comprehensible language, that anyone can understand, no matter their background. The teaching allows a deepening of understanding through the simplicity of the ideas and the connection between them.
ג'לאל א-דין רומי
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בוא, בוא, תהיה אשר תהיה
נווד, עובד אלוהים, האוהב לעזוב – אין זה משנה,
שיירתנו זו איננה שיירת יאוש היא.
בוא, גם אם הפרת נדרך אלף פעמים,
עדין, שוב, בוא