Mystical Illumination Counseling
What is the Western path to spiritual awakening? It doesn’t consist of esoteric Eastern practices, such as meditating, chanting in Sanskrit or standing on your head. Rather, it involves illuminating your everyday experiences, especially your interests, desires, conflicts, and anxieties.
The psychologist C.G. Jung rightly said, “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.” Thus, rather than searching outward, we should seek to shed light upon the darkness within. With that goal in mind, Dr. Dillof will help illuminate your emotions, as well as the unexamined philosophical assumptions that constitute your worldview, i.e., your assumptions about who you are and what life is all about.
Spirals symbolize the journey inward into life’s depths and then back outward, into the world.
The Three Types of Meetings
Our meetings take place via Zoom, unless you live in the mystical city of Louisville, KY. In that case, you can meet in person with Dr. Dillof.
These sessions can be very stimulating. We reccomennd you brew some decaf.
Individual Sessions:
Dr. Dillof will be better able to explore your particular questions and concerns, in a more focused way, than he would in our groups. This is especially useful if you’re in the midst of a life transition or there are certain issues that you’d rather not share in a group setting, or for any reason at all. Ideally, over time, you’re likely to gain liberating insights, particularly into any challenges, difficulties, and setbacks that you might be experiencing.
Please note; Dr. Dillof is a philosopher & mystic, not a psychotherapist. He does not treat psychological maladies.
Furthermore, the goal of philosophical or mystical counseling is not mental health, but rather higher consciousness. If you’re having a serious emotional crisis, please consult a licensed psychotherapist.
Dr. Dillof charges on a sliding scale. Neither philosophical nor mystical counseling is covered by health insurance. There’s a discount for students, and for starving artists, philosophers, and magicians.
Small Group Meetings:
These ongoing groups have, on average, ten or fewer participants each week. Each group meets once a week for at least 2.5 hours. These sessions will be held on Sunday evenings at 7pm EST.
The cost is $35 a session (or only $120 a month.) Most of our groups meet online, via Zoom. Some meet in person at our center in Louisville, KY. Therefore, wherever you live you can attend.
These sessions are expected to begin in the near future. Please fill out the form below if you are interested in signing up to be notified when group sessions become available.
Group Mystical Counseling: interpreting dreams, invoking the nocturnal spirits, and
roasting marshmallows.
That’s me leading a large group mysticism chat, from my office. Have you noticed something rather odd about the photo? That’s right, my desk is usually quite messy!
Open Group Meetings:
Each Open Group meeting lasts about 2.5. hours and focusses on a topic, anything from mystical dreams to living in the moment to elevating your conversations. They’re quite enlightening, exciting, and you’ll get to meet others in search of wisdom and inner-peace, from all over the world. These sessions are held on Sundays at 2PM EST.
The cost per meeting, for a Open Group, is FREE! They’re open to everyone. You can even bring along friends
Infrequently Asked Questions:
How do our mystical groups differ from academic philosophy?
Our groups bear a certain superficial resemblance to a college course. After all, we do occasionally read and discuss passages from various philosophical texts. And we occasionally read books of psychology, mysticism, literature, history, film, and other disciplines. Academic philosophy certainly provides much value, mainly in teaching one how to think and to reason critically.
And — assuming that philosophy and the other liberal arts subjects haven’t been contaminated by current social, political, and philosophical ideologies — they can augment our cultural and intellectual literacy. Indeed, we’d be able to gain an overview of the history of ideas, such that our current zeitgeist looms into focus. Consequently, no longer would we be a child of the times, as are most people, but liberated. The word “liberal,” in the phrase, “the liberal arts,” is derived from the word “liberty.”
Excellent though its uses can be, at least ideally, academic philosophy and the other liberal arts cannot effectuate the type of sea change needed to carry us across the turbulent waters of life to the wisdom and inner-peace that lies on the other shore. Friedrich Nietzsche in his book, “Schopenhauer as Educator,” had something quite illuminating to say about the ancient ideal of education, which our academy seeks to revive:
“I judge a PHILOSOPHER by whether he is able to serve as an example…But the example must be given through visible life and not merely through books, [but] through one’s expressions, attitudes, clothing, food, and way of life…the freedom and independence of the mind is a mere illusion [if it’s] not proved anew with every look and every step from morning to night.” (Friedrich Nietzsche, “Schopenhauer as Educator,” Regnery/Gateway Inc., South Bend Indiana, 1965. P. 18.
“Expressions, attitudes, clothing, food, and way of life?” And “from morning to night?” Wow! If Nietzsche’s observations are correct, real philosophy isn’t just an academic discipline, but a way of life, just as it was for the ancient Greeks. And a real philosopher isn’t just a scholar or a professor, but rather a transformed being. Thus our mystical academy isn’t intended to be an academic institution, but rather a mystery school, whose purpose is to create awakened beings, i.e., mystical philosophers.
Bearing all this in mind, whereas a college course has a syllabus, our weekly groups/classes don’t. The reason is that Dr. Dillof, who leads these groups, can’t know precisely how to proceed, with topics and with readings, until he intuits the interests and concerns of its members. So he proceeds intuitively, in the manner of a Taoist. Also, for the most part, the readings are merely supplemental.
Another major way in how we differ from an academic institution is this: our groups aren’t for credit. What a relief, not having to worry about grades, writing papers, passing courses, graduating and earning a degree! That means that your energy can coalesce and be directed to one excellent purpose: gaining emotionally liberating and spiritually elevating wisdom.
How does our Western Path differ from traditional Eastern Paths?
I’ve briefly discussed this above, but I’ll go into a bit more detail here: Over the centuries, Eastern paths — such as Vedanta, Buddhism, and Taoism — have brought many people to enlightenment. They certainly deserve high praise for doing so.
There’s a common belief, though, that once a person attains enlightenment, their reward is continual inner-peace, if not cosmic bliss. It’s a misconception, because enlightenment, though it be the profoundest metanoia — cannot illuminate our emotional life — such as our fears, desires, conflicts, and anxieties. Unless the dark corners of our life are illuminated, we’ll continue to suffer. As a matter of fact, if we attain enlightenment we’ll suffer all the more due to the maddening abyss that has emerged between our higher self and our lower self, i.e., between our enlightened self and our dark emotions.
In “A Path with Heart,” (Bantam, 1993) the American Zen master, Jack Kornfield, offers a thoughtful analysis of this phenomenon. Kornfield attained enlightenment at a Zen monastery, in the Far East. He then became an ordained Zen master and taught at that monastery for about ten years. His problems began when he left the monastic life, moved back to America, and got married. He experienced that painful gap between his enlightenment and his dark emotions, and spent some years in psychotherapy working to illuminate those dark corners of his existence.
By contrast, those who follow the Western path to Eastern wisdom, aren’t left after awakening with their emotions unilluminated. That’s because the Western path begins by illuminating our interior depths, so as to derive vital clues to who we are and what life is all about. Furthermore, the illumination of our emotions, which is really what constitutes our everyday life, produces a richer, more full-bodied enlightenment.
There are many other important differences of the Western path from traditional Eastern paths. I may go into more detail in a subsequent essay.
How does our Western path differ from psychotherapy?
The goal of psychotherapy is mental health, i.e., becoming “normal.” Would you be content to just be “normal?” And is being able to “cope” your highest aspiration? Psychotherapy, at least of the mainstream variety, sets a rather low bar, in regard to human ideals. And the bar for psychotherapeutic group therapy is often even lower. Indeed, the purpose of these “support groups” isn’t to gain the emotional clarity that leads to psychological freedom, but rather to elicit sympathy for one’s plight, and to be vindicated for one’s victimhood.
Of course, there are certain clinical maladies where psychotherapy can be of real value, and there do exist psychotherapists who are very caring and highly competent. But the fact that you are perusing this website indicates that you’re seeking something different.
In one of my essays, for the free mysticism course, I explored the notion of the conservation of suffering. In the realm of psychotherapy, it’s akin to Sigmund Freud’s notion of symptom substitution, which was the basis of his criticism of behavioral therapies. If we just deal with the symptoms, rather than getting to the root of the problem, a new set of symptoms will then appear. The problem is that psychotherapy doesn’t go deep enough. It’s, therefore, essential to understand the origin of human suffering, which requires shifting from a psychological to a philosophical inquiry, which we undertake in our academy.
In any case, the goal of mystical paths, including our Western path, isn’t mental health. Rather, it’s higher consciousness, i.e., Self-realization or enlightenment. There’s no guarantee how far you’ll travel along the Western path to Self-realization. But, with diligent effort, you can tip the scale in your favor and gain wisdom and inner-peace.
Now this is the question: since you go through life only once, why not seek to find out what it’s really all about? And while you’re at it, why not find out who you really are? Why not, as the Eagles sing, “take it to the limit,” and then beyond the limit?
Testimonials
“A friend of mine I met at a Zen center, recommended Dr. Mark Dillof to me. Mark’s been a lifesaver, a bridge, helping me to connect the lofty insights of Zen to my everyday life. And in recent years, thanks to his counseling, the dark corners have been illuminated and now there’s light, sweet light!” — MaryAnn S., Los Angles, CA.
"I first heard of Dr. Mark Dillof, about eight years ago. He was being interviewed, on the radio, about one of his books. A week later, I called him for philosophical counseling. To my surprise, he connected my relationship difficulties to everything else in my life, including the challenges that my new company was facing. Wow! Awesome connections! Getting to know myself… unsettling at first, but wonderful in the long run. Also, his weekly groups are also marvelous. Dr. Dillof is a treasure!” — Ms. Jane R., Binghamton, NY
Mark’s helping me to know how I approach people, and how I come off in negotiations has helped me to consciously utilize my personality and demeanor to accomplish whatever the moment calls for. I haven’t changed who I am, as much as altered my expression of who I am, because of the self-knowledge I gained working with Dr. Dillof. For example, as Senior Administrator in a leading hospital, I need to be able to set limits and define concrete, measurable goals. But my direct reports have differing attitudes towards authority, organization, time management, and the role of data capture to justify performance. Knowing myself, I am able to “speak the language” of the various staff members, rather than approaching everyone with the same upper-management cookie cutter directives. Morale is high and our hospital’s quality performance and fiscal indicators show this approach has paid off.” — Charles Goodwin, New York, NY
“In the past 6 years I have turned to Dr. Dillof for coaching me through a variety of career and work place issues. I wasn’t looking for endless “talk therapy.” I don’t have the time for that stuff, nor do I think it’s effective. Mark helps me focus the issue and get to the point of decision-making and action. I’ve always liked the fact that he’s there for me, when I need him.
Maybe the most useful aspect of Dr. Dillof’s work is helping me see how I’m thinking, what I am assuming, and how my unconscious attitudes are effecting a particular business decision that I am facing. I see colleagues making foolish choices, based upon a certain kind of blindness about themselves. Business decisions are never just about the “facts.”
“As a consultant, owner of a software firm, and investor, I’ve benefited greatly from Mark’s wise consul. I’ve used his knowledge very effectively in my business, but the greatest help he’s given me was learning how not to take it all so seriously and let the negativity of business affect my peace and personal life. Also, I’ve never met a funnier person in my entire life. After many years I still chuckle to myself when I think of some of those hilarious moments of conversation. You really can’t put a price on that and it’s yours for a lifetime.” — Robert F, Rochester, NY
About four years ago, I came down with COVID-19 pneumonia and almost died. It’s not surprising since I was about fifty pounds overweight. After getting released from the hospital — it was a wakeup call — I became a student at Dr. Dillof’s mystical academy. Needless to say, I highly recommend him, especially if you’re in a life transition or simply yearn to find out who you are and what this sweet mystery of life is all about.” — Bill. F., M.D., Louisville, KY
“I’m a physician, with a practice in Internal Medicine. I first met Dr. Mark Dillof, about seven years ago, at a Kiddush, at a synagogue in Louisville, KY. He sat down at an empty seat at my table, introduced himself to the six or seven of us, who were eating bagels and drinking bourbon. He then commenced to lead us into an informal discussion of life’s profoundest questions. What an incredible fellow — a profound philosopher and a delightful entertainer who can tell jokes and perform amazing magic tricks! Some of us wondered weather he might be some sort of heavenly spirit. Oh, and he told us that he was creating some sort of mystical academy.
“I’m the Executive VP of HR, for a major corporation. I’ve been a client, student, and friend of Dr. Mark Dillof, for over 14 years. Here are the key features of his approach: 1) It is holistic, ministering to all a person’s needs – business, personal life, and spirit. 2) He specializes in life transitions. 3) He is brilliant at interpreting the symbolic meaning of everyday interests and activities. 4) He teaches his clients how to use their everyday problems as a road to Eastern wisdom. I’m still learning a great deal from my conversations with Dr. Dillof. I hope that you will too.”— Dr. Karen G., Boston, MA
While Mark does draw on some of these theories (particularly the ideas of Carl Jung), he does so only in the context of applying them usefully to the very real & often painful struggles that the person he is counseling is going through. He is also able to provide useful examples from pop culture and apply them to a person’s particular situation. His book, Awakening With The Enemy, is full of such examples, from such diverse sources as A Streetcar Named Desire, I Love Lucy, the comic strip Dagwood & Blondie, and Clint Eastwood’s film, Unforgiven, among others.
Mark also has a very astute sense of how inner conflicts & questions manifest themselves in the business world. Whereas the typical journal articles talk about “team building”, “a culture of innovation”, “consensus building” and a million other abstract concepts, Mark can pinpoint the particular problems that an organization is struggling with, the factors of “corporate culture” that are driven by unconscious assumptions & motives, and also how such assumptions & motives, when harbored by management, can undermine a company’s success. All you need to do is spend a few minutes contemplating what happened to AIG, GM, & the Chicago Tribune to realize just how disastrous it can be when such motives go unexamined.
I would therefore highly recommend Dr. Mark Dillof as a counselor, business consultant, or executive coach.” — Alex P., Bowling Green, OH
“I’ve known Dr. Mark Dillof for over 20 years, and his wise counsel has helped me to find my way through a number of life’s challenges. Besides being very personable to talk to, he has the ability to draw upon the ideas of the greatest thinkers and to connect those ideas, in a concrete & useful way, to the particular struggles and questions that the client is going through. Over the years, I’ve talked to other counselors from time to time, and it usually feels as if they’re trying to take your problem, and cram it into the particular “box” which is the psychological school that they adhere to, whether it be behaviorism, Freudian psychoanalysis, Gestalt psychology, etc.
“Over the years, I increasingly felt like I was a prisoner of my own success, trapped by my career path and lifestyle. Everyone I knew – my colleagues, board of directors, family, and friends – were hemming me in on all sides. I was quickly losing the enthusiasm that I once had. To make a long story short, my talks with Mark, which took place over the course of two years, planted the seeds of self-renewal, both in my personal life and in my business.” — Mr. Sam A., White Plains, NY
