Matthew Ponak
City: Esquimalt
State: British Columbia
Languages: English
Personalized Affiliation: Judaism
Spiritual Spheres: Interspiritual, Judaism, Spiritual but Not Religious, Spiritual Independent
Affinity Groups:
Category:
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Website: http://matthewponak.com
Focus Area: Dreamworker, Ecospirituality/Nature-based, Embodiment, Energy Work, Men's Issues, Mindfulness/Meditation, Non-Traditional Healing, Psychic Phenomena, Young Adults
Social Media:
Profile: I offer spiritual guidance rooted in a blend of ancient wisdom traditions and contemporary practices. I am a teacher, counselor, and author with a deep passion for helping people navigate life’s challenges and spiritual quests through compassionate listening, inquiry, intuition, and practical mystical teachings. My spiritual direction sessions are a space for you to explore, heal, and grow as you deepen your connection with yourself, others, and the Divine.
My Background:
I am an ordained rabbi from Hebrew College in Massachusetts. I also hold a Master’s degree in Contemplative Religions from Naropa University, an institution grounded in Buddhist principles. My training combines Jewish spirituality—especially Kabbalistic and Hasidic mysticism—with the contemplative practices of world wisdom traditions, with a focus on body-centered awareness practices known as "somatics." This unique blend allows me to offer a holistic and integrative approach to spiritual direction.
I have written extensively about Jewish mysticism, particularly how these ancient teachings can be lived and embodied in today’s world. My book, Embodied Kabbalah: Jewish Mysticism for All People, reflects this approach by offering accessible insights into Kabbalistic wisdom and spiritual practices for seekers from any background.
What I Offer:
Deep Listening: Our sessions are a safe, compassionate, and non-judgmental space where your experiences and feelings can be heard. Being truly listened to, on its own, can be a healing experience that can lead to new clarity and understanding.
Somatic-Based Inquiry: My approach integrates somatic awareness—connecting to the wisdom of the body as a pathway to spiritual and personal growth. By paying attention to the sensations, movements, and tensions that arise in your body, you can uncover deeper insights and create a more embodied sense of well-being.
Spiritual Wisdom and Teachings: Drawing from Kabbalah, Hasidic mysticism, and other world spiritual traditions, I offer teachings and practical guidance for discussion, practice, and reflection.
Questions for Exploration: I believe that the right questions can open doors to self-awareness. Together, we will explore questions that encourage you to reflect, discover new perspectives, and connect with your own soul's guidance.
My Approach:
My approach to spiritual direction is client-centered and heart-focused. I strive to meet you where you are at and walk with you as you explore your questions, challenges, and spiritual growth. My role is not to give you answers, but to help you discover them within yourself, while offering teachings and tools to support you in that journey.
How Spiritual Direction Can Help:
Spiritual direction is a powerful way to deepen your connection to the Sacred and to navigate life’s transitions. You may come seeking guidance in moments of:
Life Transitions: Whether facing personal loss, career change, or any other emerging paths in your life's journey, spiritual direction offers a supportive space to explore the deeper meaning behind these shifts and find a path forward.
Spiritual Seeking: If you are searching for deeper meaning, struggling with spiritual questions, or wanting to connect more deeply with your faith tradition (or explore new ones), spiritual direction can provide clarity and insight.
Emotional or Spiritual Healing: For those working challenging emotions, spiritual direction offers a safe space to integrate these experiences within a larger spiritual context, finding healing through the process.
Integrating Mystical Experiences: If you have had mystical, transcendent, or otherwise extraordinary spiritual experiences, I offer guidance on how to integrate these moments into everyday life and spiritual practice.
Testimonials:
Here are a couple of reflections from clients who have worked with me:
“Rabbi Ponak is a deeply empathic, intuitive, and creative healer. My sessions with him brought me back to a relationship with my body that was soothing and grounding.”
“When we started working together I was straight up terrified of how my emotions felt in my body and tried to avoid experiencing them because they were overpowering to the point that I thought they would never end. Matthew guided me gently right into them with his terrific intuitive sense of when to let something be, which made the whole experience feel so safe and affirming and comfortable. What we discovered inside the physicality of emotion was honestly mind blowing. I have had such a shift in my perspective where I now experience my body as an infinite garden full of mystery and treasures, the emotions are the point of entry to this great mystery. Every session with Matthew has been a wild journey where we discovered the most profound and unexpected treasures. He has a really sharp sense of when language resonates with embodied experience. The authenticity and ebullience with which he reflected my experience back to me was really fundamental for making this work so transformational and collaborative. Matthew is a very gifted guide and I honor him for the faith he has helped to restore in me.”
If you are seeking a compassionate, grounded space to help you through your spiritual or personal journey, I invite you to reach out. Whether you are looking for clarity, healing, or deeper connection with the divine, it would be my honor to walk with you on this path.
