Shakio institute

Focusing.Art.Prayer

Standing Before the Infinite

The Baal Shem Tov’s Path of Transformation

"The Baal Shem Tov… of blessed memory, explained that this world is conducted through five things: suffering, the acceptance of suffering, prayer, salvation, and thanksgiving…" (Baal Shem Tov on the Torah – Parashat Bereshit)

In his life, the human being knows feelings of sorrow. Sometimes it is merely a sense of unease, but sometimes the sorrow is much deeper. What can be offered to the aching soul? Does sorrow also embed within itself a hope – a gateway to a significant transformation of our lives? If so, what is the path? What is the journey?"

The Baal Shem Tov, the great master of the soul, who was a unique figure – one who secluded himself in the mountains for a long period of his life, and who became a healer of souls and the founder of the Hasidic movement – offers us a five-step path that teaches how to work with these states.

In this series we will work with the following questions:

How do we continue to be created out of different life situations?
How do we transform states of unease, sorrow, longing… into a richer, more refined life?
How does the very opening to the Infinite allow for acceptance, change, transformation, and the ongoing carrying forward of life from a more wondrous depth?
What are the five stages in the transformation of life, according to the secret taught by the Baal Shem Tov?

You are invited to continue deepening into the secret of the art of prayer- six sessions in which we will delve into ways of meeting the everyday.

These gatherings are recommended for:

All who have studied with us before and wish to deepen their practice and understanding.
For anyone who is yearning for prayer and seeks a time of "Being" that profoundly opens the life that we are.

Course details:

6 consecutive Zoom sessions on Sundays

Dates: June 21, June 28, July 5, July 19, July 26, and August 2.

Time: 9:00-10:15 AM ET time

Recordings of the sessions will be available for viewing only, for up to three months from the end of the course

Join the course

Reduced Price — $90
Regular Price — $120
Supporter Price — $140

Please write to us if in need of financial assistance to info@shakio.org.

testimonials

"Standing in front of the gateways of prayer, taking time to breath, observe, listen. Doing this together, even if within zoom-frames, in conversation and silence, with the lucid guidance of Dana and Baruch..this is a gathering with new and known depths, personal and universal, temporal and infinite - we've been blessed to have this opportunity"

Prof. Sara Sviri, Writer - The Sufi Anthology

"Focusing is the art of paying attention to what exists and what will come into being. Prayer is the opening of the heart to the infinite. Dana and Baruch attentively and delicately take us as partners on a wondrous path of practice and recollection of the secrets we all already know. Highly recommended!"

Rabbi Dov Singer, Rosh Yeshivat Makor Chaim

"Working with Baruch and Dana has been a very important and deeply stabilizing experience. Especially when the Corona measurements hit us and fear and insecurity spread I felt I was coming home when entering our shared space. I am so unspeakably grateful for being part of this group where failure does not exist and trials are welcome. Where being human gains a whole new depth."

Judith Weisz

"The Art of Prayer opened for me gateways of love towards fellow humans, the world, the future..to the understanding of our communal becoming, and a participation in the processes of creation. Many thanks."

Sigal Golan, Psychotherapist

"The Gates of Prayer are a profound experience that have brought a deep peace and colorful joy into my conflict ridden life."

Inga von Staden

"Touching upon the inner language of authentic prayer, the mystery of communication between human beings and the infinite and connecting with the depth of human experience - this course has provided me with great inspiration. The experience, knowledge and originality of Baruch and Dana transported me from the conceptual to the actual tools of spiritual work".

Yair Harel, Founder - the Piyut Website

"The course opened for me actual gateways for entering into the my self and from there to explore the sacred space inside. It generated in me new awareness with the field of prayer, based on personal experience of observing my flowing life spring. This is a meeting with mind-diamonds that have been polished with accurate spiritual labour."

Rabbi Avi Luria

Meet the Teachers

Shakio is a space for collaborative exploration founded by Dana Ganihar, an experienced Focusing instructor and a teacher of the philosophy of Eugene Gendlin, and Baruch Brenner a multidisciplinary artist, rabbi and certified Focusing instructor who investigates and teaches performance art and Jewish mysticism.

An interdisciplinary artist and an ordained Orthodox Rabbi. Baruch has been a leading innovator in integrating Jewish and spiritual practices with experiential work in Art. Over the course of thirty years, he has dedicated himself to researching the world of the body as a vehicle, the realm of consciousness, the language of imagination, and transformational practices through working with ancient songs. Brenner is the author of ‘A Diary of a Worshiper’ (Idra Publishing, 2022) – a book based on a personal initiation journey into the world of Kabbalah and the mystery of prayer. He is also a co-author of ‘The Art of Prayer’ (2025).

A pioneer of the Focusing movement in Israel. She studied directly with the father of Focusing, Eugene Gendlin, A close friend and colleague of Rab Zalman. Dana served on the global board of the International Focusing Institute and is dedicated to advancing Gendlin’s teachings. Dana has initiated cooperative research exploring the potential impact of Focusing practices on diverse fields such as biology, architecture, creative writing and religion. She is a co-author of ‘The Art of Prayer’ (2025).