Rilke On Love

To love is good, too: love being difficult. For one human being to love another: that is perhaps the most difficult of all our tasks, the ultimate, the last test and proof, the work for which all other work is but preparation. For this reason young people, who are beginners in everything, cannot yet know love: they have to learn it. With their whole being, with all their forces, gathered close about their lonely, timid, upward-beating heart, they must learn to love. 

But learning-time is always a long, secluded time, and so loving, for a long while ahead and far on into life, is — solitude, intensified and deepened loneness for him who loves. Love is at first not anything that means merging, giving over, and uniting with another (for what would a union be of something unclarified and unfinished, still subordinate — ?), it is a high inducement to the individual to ripen, to become something in himself, to become world, to become world for himself for another’s sake, it is a great exacting claim upon him, something that chooses him out and calls him to vast things. Only in this sense, as the task of working at themselves (“to hearken and to hammer day and night”), might young people use the love that is given them. 

Merging and surrendering and every kind of communion is not for them (who must save and gather for a long, long time still), is the ultimate, is perhaps that for which human lives as yet scarcely suffice.

A few humbling testimonials

             Hey Thanks y'all for so much love...

Here's what Oprah's Coach Martha Beck says about Ilene Hart:

"Ilene Hart is a wisewoman in every sense of the word. As an experienced psychotherapist, consultant and life coach, she has explored both the dark and the light sides of the human journey. Her work with Native American peoples and their traditional wisdom, combined with impressive analytical skills and educational pedigree, makes her uniquely expert at at identifying her client;s deepest goals and most frustrating obstacles. She will help you dismantle your obstacles and achieve your goals with humor, compassion,honesty and intellectual depth."

Alexandra Vance LMFT, Authorized and Certified RH Enneagram Teacher and Coach,

“Ilene Hart is a highly intelligent and creative professional who is committed to working with soldiers and their families. She is predictable and responsible in her work ethic. Ilene is capable of organizing programs, delivering service and managing others. She is compassionate and caring. The end result of her work is that she helps soldiers and their families to deal with reality, reframe their stories and determine goals for future achievement. It has been a pleasure to work with Ilene because of her personal integrity and compassion.

Julia Terry, MFLC, MHN Government Services (colleague)

“Ilene is a compassionate, friendly and energetic woman. She has much insight to offer and wisdom from her years of living / working. She has a strong combination of positive characteristics which are a delight to be around.”

Debbie Simmer

“Ilene is gifted counselor and a blessing to those that meet her and work with her. She has wisdom culled from working with many cultures and clients; she is adept at a wide range of practical tools and techniques; she has compassion and humor~all of which contribute to rapid gains in awareness for her clients. I have worked with Ilene in person, over the phone and with other family members, always with supreme admiration for her work and her deep desire to bring benefit to others.”

Paula Martin

“Ilene is a compassionate and caring person. She has helped me out of the darkest, worst period of my life thru her expertise and dedication to my healing. Ilene is someone I will always feel grateful to.

Bill Miller

“Ilene was there for me when i needed someone to help me understand myself, my emotions my everything. she was truly inspirational and informative. my life is better because we crossed paths. thank you very much ilene. i love you!”

Becky Schnakenberg, Owner, consultant to major league baseball teams (colleague)

“I have know Ilene professionally for almost 20 years, and she has proven to be a compassionate and skilled clinician. She has a wide variety of clinical and managerial skills, but it is her magical way with people which will instantly win you over.”! Recently, I hired her to work with a new Cuban immigrant professional baseball player who is considered to be a big prospect in MLB. She did a fantastic job. She continues to amaze me with her non-judgmental, non-traditional approaches. She's one of a kind

Ken Siegel

“Ilene is an amazing person with excellent professional skills and work ethic

Rich Kaplan

“Ilene is a deeply compassionate person with excellent interpersonal skills. I would not hesitate to recommend her as a life coach. She is truly gifted.

Nancy Case, MA, LMHC (client)

“I met Ilene at a critical turning point in my life's journey and her guidance, support, empathy, therapeutic skills and wisdom helped me navigate the change with strength, compassion and courage. I would recommend her highly to anyone and am grateful to have her as a part of my life!”

Janet Sickler, Clinical Therapist, Janet Rothman Sickler, M.A., L.P.C. (colleague)

“Ilene Hart was my colleague in a group practice when I was getting my licensure. She became my supervisor. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to sfaff clients and learn from her astute observations. We have continued meeting and working together in various ways for the past 13 years. She is an excellent diagnostician and clinician, but, more impressive, is her ability to see "outside the box" with clients and recognize their deepest needs, fears, traumas, and passions. Her work is spiritual, motivational as well as practical, direct, challenging, and sensitive. She is able to frame difficult and overwhelming situations a broad and more positive terms. She has been an inspiration to me in my work. She is extremely creative. We have done experiential workshops together with great success. Her ability to use and/or choose a variety of modalities best suited to each client is highly effective. I would recommend Ilene Hart to anyone seeking profound and life changing personal work

Suzi Mason

“Ilene was just the support I needed when personal life events became quite challenging. She provided the much needed tools to get my life back on track and headed in the right direction. She is inspiring, uplifting, creative, and fun to work with. I'd highly recommend her as a counselor or coach.”

M'Liss Hadley

“Ilene is an amazing counselor. She truly cares for her clients and makes every effort to assist in problem solving and finding happiness in life.”

If You Want To Save The World

"If you want to change the world… love a woman, just one woman

Love and protect her as if she is the last holy vessel. Love her through her fear of abandonment which she has been holding for all of humanity.

No, the wound is not hers to heal alone.

No, she is not weak in her co-dependence.

If you want to change the world… love a woman, all the way through, until she believes you, until her instincts, her visions, her voice, her art, her passion,

her wildness have returned to her-

until she is a force of love more powerful than all the political media demons who seek to devalue and destroy her.

If you want to change the world,

lay down your causes, your guns and protest signs. Lay down your inner war, your righteous anger and love a woman…

beyond all of your striving for greatness, beyond your tenacious quest for enlightenment.

The holy grail stands before you

if you would only take her in your arms

and let go of searching for something beyond this intimacy.

If you want to change the world…love a woman to the depths of your shadow,

to the highest reaches of your Being,

back to the Garden where you first met her, to the gateway of the rainbow realm where you walk through together as Light as One, to the point of no return, to the ends and the beginning of a new Earth.