a circle of twelve a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization

Who we are

We share a connection to spirit,
a commitment to service and a vision for a unified world,
a world of opportunity for all to live purposeful and fulfilling lives.

A Circle of Twelve is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization

for information about starting satellite circles click here

	Jan Berlin Ph.D.Chairman, A Circle of Twelve. Jan Berlin is a licensed clinical psychologist in Santa Monica, California specializing in imagery, clinical hypnosis, relational psychotherapy, therapeutic metaphor and somatic awareness. Blending the discipline of modern psychology with the ancient traditions of earth spirituality, universal symbols and mind-body healing, Jan carries a deep appreciation for the soul’s journey and the power of giving as a transformational force. In addition to his private practice, Jan has produced four guided imagery CDs, has participated in many years of shamanic training and has vision quested in power spots throughout the United States. He is a ceremonial dancer and, as Men’s Elder and Chairman of the Oldadai Project for Eagle Wings of Enlightenment Center, has helped to construct and supply a medical clinic and provide educational grants for the village of Oldadai in Tanzania. He lives in Topanga, CA with Peggy, his wife of 33 years. Together, they have two grown children, ages 29 and 26, and enjoy hiking, nature, travel, sacred ceremonies, dance, great food, world cultures, the love of family and friends and the conviviality of spirit.
	Emile Hassan Dyer Affectionately known by his fans in Asia as "Jambo", vocalist, percussionist and storyteller Emile Hassan Dyer was raised in France and Senegal where he was influenced at an early age by the rhythms and music of several different cultures. In 1999, while performing in Kathmandu, Emile was asked to use his fame as Jambo to help sponsor the construction of a hospital/school for the children of untouchables in the kingdom of Mustang near the Tibetan border. It was an "ah-ha" moment, for here was a way to use his music to give back to community, in a more concrete and substantial way. In 2001, Emile had the honor of performing inside Stonehenge at the request of the Arch Druid of England as part of a druidic prayer for the victims of 9-11. In October 2004, Emile founded the Rhythm Tribe Song Circle, a non auditioned, multi-ethnic community choir for people who just want to sing. In the fall of 2006, Emile teamed up with Maggie Wheeler to co-direct the all inclusive, non auditioned, family oriented Golden Bridge Community Choir. In retrospect, Emile's desires, training and experiences led him to try to make the world a better place. Just as his participation in the druidic ceremony was an attempt to help heal the world community in the face of a devastating catastrophe, the creation of the Rhythm Tribe Song Circle and the Golden Bridge Community Choir were further attempts to positively influence the world by linking people through music and creating community. Emile is honored to be in a circle of men who have individually and in combination, taken concrete steps to positively affect the world around them.
	Jesse Hanson is a certified Holistic Health Practitioner, Massage Therapist, and Marriage and Family Therapy Intern. Growing up in Virginia, he established his down-home, country roots; while spending the last 10 years in southern california has opened his mind and helped him to understand Holistic Healing and metaphysical dimensions of life. Jesse received his M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Santa Barbara Graduate Institute. His emphasis is in somatic psychology and neuroscience. He is currently acquiring his PhD in the same field from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. He works full time as a Spiritual Counselor at Passages Drug and Alcohol Addiction Cure Center in Malibu, CA. Jesse loves music and expresses this love through sound healing. He incorporates quartz crystal bowls and the didgeridoo in many of his classes and treatments with clients. Jesse is here to help bridge the gap between the spiritual and the scientific realms, between the visible and invisible worlds, and between the spirit and the ego identity. Jesse's mission in life is to allow himself and others to experience the bliss of living an embodied life wherein the mind, body, and spirit are all honored as equal contributors to creating a life full of joy, purpose, and satisfaction.
	Akahdahmah Jackson had the honor of being invited into A Circle of Twelve in January 2010. He is a 5th generation plant and spirit medicine man, inheriting this legacy from his Great Great Aunt Mamie, a pinewoods plant and spirit medicine woman from Alabama. He was ordained as a Harmonic Healing Minister, in 2000, he serves the community as a Herbalist, Spiritual Councilor, Whole-listic Health Educator, Longevity Movement Instructor and KRI Certified Kundalini Yoga Teacher. He specializes in creating customized rejuvenation programs for developing healthy living habits that reveals our divine purpose for living as an abundant path. He is also a grammy nominated percussionist and co-founder of the medicine music collective AYKANNA, focused on revealing to all people the healing power of music. Akahdahmah presently serves as a Harmonic Healing Minister, teaches sacred movement, Qigong (Chi Gong) and Kundalini Yoga at Elevation in Los Angeles, while pursuing his Masters in Holistic Nutrition. Akahdahmah believes in the work of this Sacred Circle of Men and is blessed to serve with 11 beings that are committed to being the solution in the world.
	Steve LeSieur Operations Director, A Circle of Twelve. Growing up in a large, boisterous family in Goffstown, NH, Steve could walk into just about any house on his block and feel welcome and cared for. A community in the best sense. He tries to keep this ethic alive today. Steve makes his way in Los Angeles as a sound editor/engineer and as a bassist. He generally tends to trust more his ears than his eyes. You could say he listens for a living. And listening with his heart is what led him to Circle of Twelve. Grateful and humbled to be in the company of such brave and generous men, he takes his place in this circle to share and support and give as he is called to do so.
	Dan Martin is an actor, director and photographer, who has been one of the busiest and most familiar faces in TV and film. He was recently a nominee for the 2009 NAACP Image Award as Best Actor in a Daytime Drama. His stage credits as an actor include stints with the famed Negro Ensemble Company in New York as Captain Davenport in “A Soldiers Play” and as Theo in “Ceremonies in Dark Old Men.”, both directed by Douglas Turner Ward. Other plays with other companies include “Streamers”, “The Guys in the Truck”, “Hamlet”, “Split Second”, the national tour of Lee Blessing’s “Cobb” directed by Lloyd Richards, the international European tour of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, and many more. Most recently he appeared in LA, Towne Street’s production of “Nevis Mountain Dew”. In addition to plays in NY and around the country as an actor, he was also director of many plays such as, “For Colored Girls….”, “The River Niger”, Ron Milner’s “A Theme for Linda”, and the dark fantasy, “A Bag of Magic”. Earlier this year he directed “Southern Girls” by Dura Temple and Sheri Bailey at the Complex Theater in Hollywood.
	Michael Molin-Skelton communications director, a circle of twelve. michael listens to prayers in the wind and hears music. looks into the window "pains" of the heart and feels rhythm, touches the world through movement and knows spirit. he invites you to collaborate as we co-create this journey together. michael reaches through dance rather than teaches to dance. he has been dancing since being pushed through the birth canal. michael met gabrielle roth early in 1994. later that year, at the request of gabrielle, he began teaching the 5 rhythms. michael got his 5 rhythm certification in 1998 and teacher certification in soul motion in 2001. he is a certified esalen massage practitioner since 1995 and is passionate about the art of touch. michael met anneli ........ and the world stopped. he is incurably and hopelessly in love and that constant smile on his face is the result of a heart that has been touched by an angel lightly draped in human skin. he and anneli co-founded spiritweaves in 2004. michael hates talking about himself in the third person and hopes to see you in person somewhere within the dance.
	Scott Murphy Finances Director, A Circle of Twelve. Scott is a 20+ year veteran of commercial real estate industry in Los Angeles, California. He believes community service is at the heart of one’s spirituality. Scott was introduced to community service at an early age as a teacher’s assistant for handicapped and challenged individuals. Through the variety of people he has served, he has taken on the belief that everybody has the right to their own spiritual beliefs, and authentic spirituality has more in common than there are differences. Currently, Scott works for a prominent real estate investment company in Los Angeles. He divides his time between family, work, spirituality, service and fitness. Scott lives in Topanga Canyon with his wife Tracy, his daughter Claire, and a soon to be born son (January 2010). Scott believes that richness comes from people working together towards honorable goals. May we all become rich in our own way.
	Miguel Rivera Born in Guatemala, moved to the United States at the age of 13 in 1966.Started playing music professionally as a Percussionist in 1973. Toured and recorded with several major artist and in a variety of musical styles. Taught Drumming at the Men's conferences in Mendocino and Los Angeles from 1991 to 1995 and Minnesota from 1993 to the present. Also collaborating as presenter with Robert Bly, James Hillman, Martin Prechtel, Haki Madhubuti, Robert Moore, Michael Meade, Jack Kornfield, Luis Rodriguez, Malidoma Some and Ed Tick. In 2001 in collaboration with Robert Bly, translated and published an English collection of the poetry of Humberto Ak'abal "Poems I brought down from the Mountain" in the United States. Has been a member of "Shade Tree" a mentoring group in Los Angeles since its inception in 1996. Introducing at risk youth to traditional Native American ceremonies and ways of knowledge.Award winning Supervising Sound Editor for Films and Television since 1984 to the present.Member, Board of Directors of "Western Gateway Roots and Wings Foundation"an organization dedicated to bring back rites passage to the youth.
	Daniel Shore founding member of A Circle of Twelve. Daniel is a LEED Accredited Industrial Designer who lives with his wife and two children, ages 6 & 3, in Topanga, California. Daniel has developed products and started companies ranging from toys, landscape lighting, high-end furniture, and environmental remediation systems to architectural design. He is currently redeveloping single family homes; rebuilding neighborhoods one family at a time. Daniel has traveled the world extensively and enjoys sharing with other people’s and cultures. Family, parenthood, and being a positive force for good in the world are major factors in Daniel’s life.
	When Peter Walden was 3 years old, he stood on a chair in the middle of a recital and, pointing enthusiastically at the stage, informed his mother that he wanted to play the cello. He will always be grateful to his parents for the many hours on the bus spent in traveling to the lessons and performances they took him to and knows that the best way to thank them is to care for the youth of his country. Peter found the circle of twelve through circle member Xavier who is his teaching partner in a West African Drumming program that they provide to the incarcerated youth of the California probation system. Peter is enthusiastic about the circle of twelve not only as a means of support and finding family amongst like minded men, but also as a working tribute to the truth that a small, organized group of people can truly make a difference in the world.
	Robert Wisdom is part of a continuum which includes teachers from an array of cultural backgrounds all rooted in spirit. His teachers are yoruba, european experimental theater, trance musicians of morocco, indian shamans of peru, all the teachers who contact spirit through movement and the lineage of his west indian ancestry. He graces each of his diverse screen roles with a powerful, profound and cool presence – from his commercial hits to his bold and provocative performances in a variety of new features. Wisdom has completed a book of poetry entitled, I Make My Own Blanket. A collection of his shorts stories will be published in a forthcoming anthology D.C. Noir, to be released in 2006. He has recently finished a personal documentary on Gnaoua music in Morocco.

To view our alumni members please click here.