BS”D

Kabbalah Series

By Kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Schwartz

This is my response to popular demand from without and within me,for me to give a course in Kabbalah ----

From without;
Recently there have been a number of individuals and groups, who have requested me to present some type of course---whether on a video site, on the phone, online [email] , live or 1on 1....

From within;
I always have been interested in a realm that i like to call 'Applied Kabbalah'---ie...applying it's main principles to our lives---transforming our lives with the tools and teachings of higher consciousness that are inherent to the wisdom of Kabbalah. Therefore, I hereby present to you a course template that I thought may be attractive for you and me to work with.....Of course, I do claim the creative priviledge of exploring the best ways of presenting this material [because, I've found that what you know now, is usually only a small part of what opens up to you later]. Nevertheless, I have learned that templates and projected plans are helpful [by the way, these kabbalah teachings are a natural extension of the 'Masters Series'---these teachings, as well as all those that came before them, are all about mastering Jewish consciousness].... so here is what I came up with;

Kabbalah Series

APPLIED KABBALAH

A course integrating Kabbalah's
classic topics with their applications in life [meditations and teachings]

featured topics and applications;

***** What is Kabbalah?
[The Kabbalah of G-d Centered Living]
[The Kabbalah of being one with the world]

*****The Kabbalistic creation process
[The Kabbalah of expansive abundant living]
[The Kabbalah of living the life you love]

*****The Tree of life [the 10 Sefirot]
[The Kabbalah of healing {Sefirotic Allignment Therapy}]
[The Kabbalah of total self expression]

*****The Kabbalistic approach to Tikun Olam [world rectification]
[The Kabbalah of Messianic consciousness]
[The Kabbalah of the post life]

*****The Kabbalistic approach to higher world interrelationships
[The Kabbalah of family dynamics]
[The Kabbalah of relationships]

*****The Kabbalistic understanding of the soul and reincarnation
[The Kabbalah of higher consciousness]
[The Kabbalah of self perfection]

                          A MEDITATIVE EXPLORATORY STYLE

Just one more introductory point ----We begin this Kabbalah series by exploring what Kabbalah is, what it's essence is, and how this essence can effect our consciousness---with regard to how we relate to G-d, our world and to ourselves in a more primal way.     I would like, with your permission to carry on this exploration, by exploring meditative models of the different definitive components of Kabbalah--brought by the classic Kabbalistic works----and then attempt to analyze the common thread running through all of these definitive Kabbalistic meditational models, and then , B'H, come up with an essential working definition, answering the question 'What is the essence of Kabbalah?'

ESSENTIAL KABBALISTIC CONSCIOUSNESS COMPONENTS MEDITATION

A. The Kabbalah of G-d Centered Living meditations;

1. Infinitizing

KNOW------------Know that the Creator is Infinite.......Know that the Creator's whole design of the Creation was to hide His infinity from us , until we could discover how to reveal once again that all is infinity.....Know that one of the essential points of all Kabbalistic teachings, is to reinfintize the finite---thus;

a. the goal of the Tzimtzum [ the creation process of contracting Hashem's infinite prescence to allow for a creation to exist] creation process is to ultimately reinfinitize it all

b. the goal of the evolution process seeking the maximal synchronization between the lights and the vessils that contain them, is to produce a setup of vessils that can contain infinity

c. the goal of the Mitzvot [according to the Kabbalistic consciousness perspective] is to infinitize [and thus liberate] the ACTIONS of reality that we take/do

d. the goal of Mystical Consciousness is to infinitize [and thus, liberate ] THOUGHT

e. the goal of Ratzon [a Kabbalistic state of fusing our WilL with Hashem's Will ] is to infinitize [and thus liberate] our WILL and our calling in life and our capacities to be the right arm extensions of G-d's Tikun Olam process

f. the goal of the Divine bridge traits refered to as the Sefirot, are to infinitize all processes and all
structures , [including those of our own persona]

g. the goal of the Tikun [rectification] of cosmc brokenness, is to transform reality into a conduit and conductor and environment for infinity

h. the goal of all upper and lower world interpersonal relationships is to tap into eachother's infinite wellsprings and thereby unify with eachother, and thereby reproduce infinite shefa[ abundance] for all of the world to be nurtured from

i. ''the innate desire of the soul, is to reunify with the infinite...this is the root of every wanting; noother object, idea or love can satisfy it's desire. It's not only what the soul wants, but what all of existence wants.'' [alan afterman in his work, '[Kabbalah and Consciiousness]

j. Humanity's goal of returning to the Garden of Eden's Paradise state, as well as the Messianic state, is to arrive at a consciousness and a reality , where all that which was lacking, will be complete---and all that which was finite will be complete

******there is so much more, friends [like turning this into a more meditative framework , and to do the same with many other primal essential Kabbalistic consciousness components], but if i don't send this out now, then i won't send anything this week..so.....until we meet again...

THE KABBALISTIC UNITY PRINCIPLE

ORIENTATION---WHERE WE'VE BEEN

Last week we began the first of a series of meditations designed to enable us to see through the eyes of a mystic. We dealt with the specific topic, ''Seeing the Unseen'' [correponding to one of the titles that Kabbalah is known as, 'Chochmat HaNistar' ---'The Wisdom of the Unseen'] ...We learned that when one is deep enough inside a state of receptivity [correponding to another Kabbalistic title-'Chochmat Hakabbalah' --'The Wisdom of Receiving or Receptivity'], than not only will they be able to see and receive that which is barely seen by most people, but one can even see the unseeable---ie...parralel dimensions in the realms of space and time and soul...........This ablity to see the unseen, is the first step required for gaining a mystical perspective---for becoming a mystic who is at one with the world and one with reality....

THE NEXT STEP

The next step---the next Kabbalistic mindset, perpspective or state of consciousness to be grasped, corresponds to another meaning of the word Kabbalah--from the root 'HAKBALLAH'   ['PARRALELISM OR CORRESPONDENCE]...This aspect of Kabbalah teaches us that everything corresponds to everything else.....This leads one to be able to perceive an all-embracing unity----unifying the seemingly most insignificant details with the most profound root axioms and everything in between.....This transcendent aspect of Kabbalah makes it clear why Kabbalah is regarded as a bridge to all types of systems and wisdoms, and why it's regarded as the key to Messianic consciousness and as the soul of the Torah and of life itself [see our collection list from the Zohar in last week's lesson about the superlative powers of Kabbalah].....But , I would prefer that you learn about this topic from someone far above my level ---especially in his grasp of the subject and his ability to communicate it....Here are the words of R. Avraham Isaac Kook[zatz'l];

THE MYSTICAL DIMENSION THAT EMBRACES EVERYTHING

    Philosophy embraces only a given part of the spiritual world. By nature, it is detached from whatever is outside it's sphere. By this itself, it is framented in it's being. The grace of perceiving how all feelings and tendencies, from the small to the large, are interdependent, how they act on each other, how separate worlds are organically related--this it canot portray. For this reason, it must always remain an aristocratic discipline, set apart for special individuals.

     Greater than this is the mystical quest, which by it's nature penetrates to the depths of all thought, all feelings, all tendencies, all aspirations, and all worlds, from beginning to end. It recognizes the unity of all existence, the physical and the spiritual,the great and the small, and for this reason there is, from it's perspective, no bigness or smallness. Everything is important, and everything is invested with marked value. There is no lost gesture, there is no vain imagining.

      Because of this advantage, mystical vision, in being able to embrace within itself all thoughts and all sparks of the spiritual, is alone fit to chart for us the way to go.

       Therefore, the mystical dimension is the soul of religeon, the soul of the Torah. From it's substance derives all that is revealed, all that is circumscribed, all that can be conceived by logic, all that can be carried out in actions. The far-reaching unity of the mystical dimension embraces all creatures, all conditions of thought and feeling, all forms of poetry and exposition, all expressions of life, all asprations and hopes, all objectives and ideals, from the lowliest depths to the loftiest heights. The source of life deriving from the highest realm of the divine, which only the light of prophecy, the clear illumination, the light seen by Adam, , the supernal lights can disclose, streams into and passes through all stirrings of thought, all movements of the spirit.
[R. Avraham Kook zatz'l --The Lights of Holiness]

                   Kabbalistic Unity Consciousness Meditations
              [SEEING THE KABBALISTIC UNITY THROUGH THE EYES OF THE MYSTIC]

1.SEE HOW ALL IS INTER-INCLUDED

See how everything is inter-included in everything else---what's outside of you is also inside of you---what is needed to realize this, is to plug in and feel and resonate and recall---try to feel and resonate inside of yourself, with things that are outside of yourself ---whether they be outside of yourself in space or in time---Experiment, keep on pushing the buttons of resonation, until you can truly identify that which is outside of yourself , inside of yourself---until you can feel what a person, a place, a historical happening ....etc...feels like...

2. SEE HOW ALL IS INTERDEPENDENT

See how everything is dependent on everything else---- how actions are dependent on words, and how words are dependent on feelings, and how feelings are dependent on thoughts, and how thoughts are dependent on will, and how will is dependent on HIS Will...

See how one person's will, thoughts, feelings, actions and words are dependent on other people's same faculties, and other's on them and many people's on one central person's, and this one central person's faculties is dependent on their teacher's and their parent's and their teacher's teacher's and parent's parent's faculties going back and back to the beginning...

See how the animal and plant and mineral kingdoms are dependent upon eachother....See how large parts of the world's people are dependent upon
a small part....See how large parts of history are dependent on one specific part....See how all these interpendent entities are all significant---are all neccessary parts of the whole...

3. SEE HOW ALL IS SIGNIFICANT

See how the interinclusion and the interdependency of all things, makes everything significant---because everything , in it's own way and time and place, is absolutely neccesary for the needs of everything else----the body is significant for the soul, the physical is significant for the spiritual, the small is significant for the big, the dark for the light...etc...etc...All is important, all is valuable, all is complimentary to all else...

4. SEE THE RAMIFICATION[S] OF THIS UNITY

See what is learned from this mystical unity --this interincluded, interdependent unity -----See how this unity penetrates to the depths
of all dimensions--all thought , all aspirations, all perfection---for when
everything fits in, when everything harmonizes, when there is a special place
reserved for all things---then there is peace, and there is oneness, and there is goodness, and there is clarity, and there is meaing and the soul of reality is revealed and in control --and then everyone will know and see with the supernal hidden light that all is One and that all is connected together and connected to the Divine source of all life ...

May it be His Will that we all be priviledged to see all of this manifested
with greater and greater intensity

KABBALAH'S CREATION PROCESS

***WHERE WE'VE BEEN

We have covered in the last few weeks, in our attempt to grasp what the essence of Kabbalistic consciousness is all about, a few major approaches. Two weeks ago, we dealt with the aspect of Esoterics referred to as 'Chochmat Hanistar' [The Hidden Wisdom]...We focused on meditations to enable us to see and be receptive as much as possible, to all that which is seeable as well as that which is normally not seen at all.........Last week we focused on Kabbalahs Unity Consciousness. Another definitive aspect of Kabbalistic consciousness----that of making Hashem the center of our lives, was a topic that we learned together the week before we began this Kabbalah series.

***TZIMTZUM

We are now ready to plunge into the beginning---The Genesis of all Kabbalistic Wisdom---The Creation Process. The Master Kabbalist--R. Yitzchak Luria--The Holy Arizal, brings at the beginning of his master Kabbalistc work--'The Eitz Chaim' [The Tree of Life], the folowing description of the Creation Process;

''Before all things were created...the Supernal light was simple. It filled all existence. There was no empty space which would be space , emptiness or void. Everything was filled with the simple OR AIN SOF [transcendent light of Infinity]. There was no category of beginning and no category of end.
All was one simple undifferentiated light of Infinty.

When it arose in His simple Will to create all universes, He constricted His Infinite light, distancing it to the sides around a center point, leaving a vacated [spherical] space in the middle of the light of AIN SOF...

After this constriction [Tzimtzum] took place...there was a place into which all things could be brought into existence [Atzilut], created [Briah] , formed [Yetzirah] and completed [Asiyah]. He then drew a simple concentrated ray from the light of Infinity that surrounded the space......The upper extremity of this ray touched the light of Infinity that surrounded the space and extended towards it's center. It was through this ray, serving as a conduit, that the [immanent] light of Infinity was brought down and spread into the entire vacated space.''

Let us extract from the Arizal's words, the essential components---there are three;
1. THE ENDLESS LIGHT-------This Divine prescence was all there was in the beginninmg
2. THE VACANT SPACE-------The Infinite One-G-d, removed or hid Himself
3. THE KAV------- [the conduit or ray]---A graduated drawing down of the Infinite light into the Vacant space, in order to slowly , but surely reinfinitize this space

***HOW TO APPROACH THIS 3-STEP PROCESS

It's crucial to understand at this point, that Kabbalistic wisdom, in general and specifically--it's depiction of the creation process, is not meant to be looked at as something that happened once upon a time in history--and then it's over and done with. Quite to the contrary, all that Kabbalah teaches, especialy regarding the creation Process, is something that transcends time and space-----a revelation of holy universal physics processes that are meant to be studied carefully and seen as the templates and paradigms of all that happens in our lives. Therefore, when we analyze this 3-step Creation process called the Tzimtzum or Constriction process, we are meant to extract from the entire process or from it's component arts, as much as possible ---as many life applications and ramifications as we can come up with. This 3-step process is the foundation for all subsequent processes---everything that comes after it in Kabbalah and in reality, is rooted in this pimordial process.

***UNIVERSAL EXTRAPOLATIONS OF THIS PROCESS;
A CONTEMPLATION

Let us begin to open up a different part of our minds---different than the meditative side that we keep
bringing---Let's open up the contemplative side. Before I bring a number of universal life applications or extrapolations of this process, first do the following contemplation;

Focus on the 3-step Creation process--as a whole and each of it's parts.....Try to come up with as many life-applications as you can [here's an example, to lead you in the right direction----The overall process teaches that hiding oneself...ie... paralleling G-d's hiding... allows for the manifestation of 'the other' ---something other than oneself ]____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

***A LIST OF TZIMTZUM EXTRAPOLATIONS

1. birth process
2. making room for others
3. revealing Hashem's Prescence everywhere [despite the illusion that He's not there]
4. revealing that which is hidden
5. nothing stands in the way of desire
6. constriction is the key to expansion
7. emulating this process in our own creative expression
8. being able to carry both sides of paradox
9. single-minded hyperfocus
10. the spiritual growth process of yearning for that which is beyond us

***TZIMTZUM EXTRAPOLATION MEDITATIONS

1. The Birth Process

The Source --------------The 2nd step of the Tzimtzum process ---the Vacant Spacce--represents an abscence and a void [of the infinite Divine prescence].... As the sayng goes, ''Nature abhors a void'',
therefore the Void automatically 'gives birth'. In the Creation process, the birth is a grand birth of all created beings. So we see that a void elicits a birth process---the greater the void, the greater the birth [as we see from the magnanimousness of the Creator's Void and the resulting birth process....

The Birth Process Meditation---------Identify in your life a birth process that you are presently going through.....Know that everyone is usually being born in one way or another sometimes more; in an intense and meaningful way--- sometimes less.....Know that this birth process usually comes as a combination of Higher Divine influences [ie...Hashem determines that you are ready to be slowly and surely eased into a new reality] , as well as your own expression of willingness and readiness [whether you have done this in a conscious or unconscious way] ......Know also that a birth process will usually unfold on it's own, but you can turn up the intensity by increasing the urgency...ie.. the unbearable impact of not yet being born.....Therefore, do this---Once you identify and realize the nature of your birth process---what it is all about---how far along you are---how ready you are to be born------then decide if you want to turn up the intensity of your Void or your urgency---act accordingly---first in a meditative mode ---projecting in your mind whereyou are at in the birth process, and where you would like to be-----then make it or let it happen in real life....

CREATION'S RATZON FACTOR

RATZON
The 'Void'----The middle step of the 3-step 'Tzimtzum' Creation Process [1-Infinity, 2-Void, 3-The graduated Filler Conduit] ----is the root and source of 'Ratzon'. What is Ratzon and how is it rooted in this primordial process? Ratzon, usually translated as Will, is an inner drive to complete that which is lacking. When I say that want or will something, I'msaying that I lack that thing, and I want to somehow arrive at a state of being where I won't lack it anymore...

RATZON AND KETER
On a deeper level , Ratzon is the psychic trait of the highest Sefira,'Keter'---the inner-most motivator of all the rest of my psychic drives or Sefirot---ie...I sense that I need to complete what is lacking in my level of knowledge or in my level of feeling or in my level of connecting with others or in my level of closure. So I motivate these other Sefirotic drives accordingly---ie...my Ratzon motivates and activates all the rest of mysef any psychic powers....

PRIMAL RATZON
In the Creation process, Hashem hides His Prescence and what remains is a Vacant Space or Void.....He sets up the dynamic of LACK which needs to be filled....or in different words-- ''RATZON''[ filling in the gap or void of Hashem's missing prescence, is the deepest Ratzon that we and all of Creation has]...

TAPING IN TO PRIMAL RATZON
Just as we have seen in our previous 'Tzimtzum Creation lessons, that this primordial process is not only the root source of all subsequent similar Divine processes, but also their generator or power source....We saw that to the extent that you tap into the Tzimtzum's dynamic of contraction, you facillitate expansion----- so too now, we will see that to the extent that you tap into what is lacking, and identify it and motivate yourself to complete it---to that extent, you will truly actualize your Ratzon...

THE CREATION'S RATZON MEDITATIONS

1. YOUR IDEAL SELF

Tap into the lacking--------------The common destiny that each one of us shares, is to become perfect....This destiny, for the most part, is only fulfilled after many lifetimes [unless we make outstanding progress in this lifetime] ....meanwhile, we all come into this world with unfinished business to take care of, on the way to becoming perfect....

Contemplate deeply how wonderful it would be to cross over the gap that separates you from your perfected ideal self, and similarly, contemplate how unbearable it is to still be saddled with the unfinished business holding you back from manifestng your ideal self...

Actualizing this Ratzon-----------Identify one factor or area of life that best depicts what can help you become your ideal self...Perhaps it is something that you want to do most, but it constantly evades you----such as feeling peace of mind or getting along with someone...perhaps it is something that you excel at over and above others and you feel like this thing is the key to your self-actualization, as well as being your unique contribution to the betterment and wellbeing of mankind....[an example might be your ability to heal people or to understand the solutions to very complex problems]....Once you identify what this is [even if you only approximate something that seems to fit---thats ok also, work with that, until you discover something that fits even better]

Then plug it into the 3 -step Co-Creation formula;

a. Co-Create With Hashem--------Declare your desired projected reality of your ideal self with absolute faith and clear intention

b. Let Hashem Make It Happen For You--------Surrender control to Hashem--- to let Him take care of it in His own time and His own way ....With powerful faith, watch how Hashem is surprising and delighting you daily, by unfolding slowly but surely , your personal vision

c. Be Open To His Guidance-------Open up a Divine channel in your thoughts and in the events of your life, guiding you to take the practical steps needed to do what it takes to make it happen

2. SPARKS

Tap into the lacking---------If you are very receptive and resonative, you can plug into constant Divine Guidance---guiding you to identify what your Soul is lacking, and how to fulfill that lacking.....This is a process known as the elevation of the Holy Sparks.....The Elevation and redemption of lost Sparks of your Soul, that are scattered and retrievable amongst the multi-dimensional realms of your life which require some type of clarification ----your challenges, your clarifications in matters of wisdom, the clarifications in your interpersonal life-----all of these clarifications and many more, are lost parts or sparks of your Soul......What an incredible storehouse of Soul redemption Hashem offers to us at all times, if only we are real with it and can tune in !

Contempate deeply how wonderful it would be to be filled up with this ongoing 24/7 stream of Divine guidance that would move you forward towards becoming whole and complete ----and how much you lack in not being tuned in enough to it....

Actualizing this Ratzon--------In your mind's eye, walk through the day that you had yesterday.....Start with the minute that you woke up, and carry on step by step throughout the day.... Try to recall the exeriences or resonations that you felt ....First , look at what it was that you were attracted to or repulsed by---whether it be a person or a lesson that you were meant to learn----Feel if the feeling was strong or weak---Focus on one of the stronger feelings that you experienced---ask yourself what the exerience that you felt offered to you to fill something that was missing in your life----perhaps an oportunity to be more compassionate and/or sensitive to others-----perhaps an insightful realization that you needed to find out.....Do the same for other experiences that you went through yesterday....Afterwards, go through the same proces in the present---Resonate with whatever you encounter and ask yourself what lack this experience is coming to fill in your lie........The more that you do this, the more open yu wll be to receivingHasem's personalized soul-fufilling gifts all the time .....

3. DAY TO DAY RATZON LIVING

Tap into the lacking-------Studies have shown that most people are using a small percent of their capabilities and capacities----their thinking capacity is shallow, so too are their capacities for feeling inspired and indispensable and fun-filled and joyful and G-d-fused and many other human capacities......To the extent that you wake up your dormant or semi-dormant psychic traits, to that extent you will be able to live a life of inspiration and Ratzon....

Contemplate deeply how fantastic it would be , if you were able to truly be more awake, alive, actualized and inspired in all areas of your persona on a constant day to day basis ....Experience the void and the lacking that exists when you don't or can't

Actualizing this Ratzon-----Make a list of the activities of your upcoming day....On a scale of 1 to 10, grade the level of inspiration or self expression and Ratzon that you feel that you are presenty holding by [without any further preparation]....Now begin to 'Ratzon-ize' each of your upcoming activities for the day....Visualize each activity as being an empty vessil waiting to be filled up with the proper ingredients----Now add the following ingredients 1 by 1;
a. increased awareness and sensitivity--intellectual and spiritual
b.increased feeling and pleasure
c. increased lower soul awareness of fun, adventure free of worry or pressure
d.increased higher soul awareness such as a sense of your life's mission, your unique contribution to the word as well as your sense of Hashem guiding you and infinitely empowering you.....

Now reevaluate on a scale of 1 to 10 each of your upcoming daily activities .....Shoot for the highest numbers and if neccessary, fill yourself up with more and more of the above inspirational fillers.....Now go into your day, and witness the positive difference that 'Ratzoning' has on your life.....

******As usual friends, due to constraints of time, space and soul, I leave you hanging with only a part of what there is to cover on the topic.....For example, another expression of Ratzon-ing would be asking yourself and answering what it is that you really want --and then living it--as much as possible----I'm sure b'H we'll soon get around to this and other Ratzon living explorations in one way or another....

SEFIROTICS 101

[ some basics ]

****Last week my computer ate up most of my introductory Sefirot lesson....Nothing happens by chance, though why it happens is more often than not , not immediately understood......So I'll just try again....What I did manage to do , was to convey a few approaches that I have taken in the past in working with the Sefirot.....Before we can get back to focusing on those approaches, we need to cover some basics...

SEFIROTICS ---A FEW INTRODUCTORY POINTS

A. Orientation

Entire books have been written in an attempt to accurately depict the ten Sefirot----some of them bring a discuss a spiritual angle ....some , a psycholgical angle....some a synthetic angle...ie... How the Sefirot apply to many different realms such as the way they describe the essence of the lives of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, their description of the color spectrum or the days of the week or the Holidays...etc...The more that we practice seeing the Sefirot at play in the endless processes and structures of life until the Sefirotic become for us the spectacles through which we view everything, the more that we begin to see the awesome interconnected unity of it all....

However, in order to begin to have a working access to the Sefirot, we need to reduce the length of our initial definitions as much as possible and create a Sefirotic chart...The definitions that I have come up with, are the result of a long-time study of many works on Sefirot, each seeking to capture essence--each highlighting a slightly different point---my definitions are what I feel are the essential definitive point of each Sefira... I present these definitions in the form of a self-profile measurement chart---Each Sefira will be presented in the First person singular mode, and what you need to do in order to gauge yourself , is to grade yourself on a scale of 1 to 10;

A. PAST---How strong or passionate have I been in this Sefira in the past

B. PRESENT--- How strong or passionate am I presently with each trait

C.FUTURE--- How strong or passionate would I like to be in each trait

Your scores---though requiring some more analytical work---which we hope to eventually get around to---will provide for you, at least a beginning of an understanding of yourself past, present and future, but before we get around to

our assessment chart, we first require to cover some basic principles concerning the Sefirot...

B. Some Basic Principles

1. The Universal Structures and Processes Factor

R. Arye Kaplan z'l, writes in his classic work on Kabbalah, 'Innerspace' the following, " The Sefirot...constitute the inner structure...of the Universes...Nothing in the Universe takes place except through the medium of the Sefirot."           He goes on to describe their role in G-d's Providential scheme and in man's psyche as well as in various other manners....We can perhaps express it in a slightly different way---The Sefirotic template is the underlying foundation for all structures and all processes....

To illustrate one application one application of this Universal Principle---I have found that with a clear knowledge of the Sefirotic model in hand, I have an instant ability to engage in dialogue with experts in almost any field of wisdom---be it science, religeon, business...etc...The essential makeup of any particular field's process or structure, can be mapped out and plotted against the Sefirotic template, and thereby measured as to it's past, present and future viability....

2. The Bridge Factor

R. Kaplan in 'Innerspace', goes on to say, ''They are the bridge between G-d and His Creation....The Sefirot are reflected in man....They enable man to interact meaningfully with the world around him."        We see that man is a microcosm---ie...What is outside of man [G-d and the world], is also inside of man, and enables mankind therefore to bridge themselves to the world---a dynamic that includes bridging the Infinite to the finite, man to all that s outside of man in the Universe and in the highest form of bridging--mankind is able to participate in the rectification of the world [Tikun Olam]....

3. The 'Chariot' factor

R.Kaplan also writes, "The Sefirot are the most basic modes of G-d's creative power...It is through the Sefirot that G-d interacts with the Universe..."

One of Kabbalah's most important teachings or analogies is referred to as 'The Merkava' or 'The Chariot'.....G-d is pictured as the Charioteer and the person [everyone according to the privilege and level that they are on] is seen as being the Chariot itself---being directed from above in all of it's actions...The Sefirot, therefore , enable a person to fuse with G-d in the most profound, intimate and all-encompassing ways....

4. The Comprehensive Personality Factor

A very important work on the Sefirotic personality system called 'The Ten Keys', by R. Mattis Kantor, brilliantly expounds upon the principle that the Sefirotc setup is a most comprehensive and authoritative guide to the the human personality.....The more that we tap in to the holistic wisdom of the Sefirot, the more that we are able to awaken and activate the still dormant parts of our personality....Beyond only awakening that which is asleep in our psyche, we also can heal and align and harmonize our personality with the wisdom and directives of the Sefirotic system....And by extension, we can utilize these same directives to heal and align other realms beyond us---such as the interpersonal realm, the community realm, the Global realm and the spiritual realm...



                          THE SEFIROTIC PROFILE CHART

KETER [comprised of 3 traits]

G-d-ing----I'm someone whose innermost motivation is to be surrounded by Gd Primal Pleasure---I'm someone who takes pleasure in everything I encounter

Ratzon [Will]---I live the life I love and am in sync with my 'Calling'

CHOCHMAH: Wisdom-ing------ I'm primarily focused on receiving wisdom

BINA: Package-ing----I seek to contain the wisdom in a conveyable package

DAAT: Internalizing---I seek to internalize the wisdom until it is my life-view

CHESED: Mushroom-ing---I'm a person of boundless positivity and giving

GEVURAH: Withhold-ing---I fear losing what I have---I say no all the time

TIFFERET: Blend-ing----I am a natural bridge person, unifying opposites



NETZACH: Overcome-ing---I love to overcome and transcend life's challenges

HOD: Enable-ing---I enable others to be and do their best

YESOD: Communicate-ing---I communicate the totality of myself

MALCHUT: Receive-ing---I open myself to completely receive from others

SEFIROT - ELUCIDATING KETER

[Ratzoning -Living the life I love ]

ORIENTATIONS

1. OUR LAST 2 LESSONS

In our last 2 lessons, in addition to bringing a number of introductory principles and basic definitions, we brought [as samplers and tastes of where you can go with fundamental Sefirotic knowledge], a number of Sefirotic approaches designed to achieve self awareness, healing and spiritual elevation.....We didn't , by a long shot, go into the proper depth that each of these approaches and definitions deserve---only a taste...

2. COVERING ALOT IN A LIMITED SPACE

I've been asking myself lately, ''How do I want to present these Sefirotic lessons''?   ''Where do I want to go with it ultimately''?   How can I possibly get across so much information in such a limited amount of space and time [a few weekly emails]''?
        To properly begin to convey the essence of even one Sefira---all the more so to convey all of the Sefirot working as a whole system, ---We would need to dedicate an entire season or booklet to the cause [not a bad idea--but we have other plans on the agenda] that we don't presently have at our disposal....

3. RUNNING AND RETURNING

In light of these challenging questions, I have decided that I must dance the Kabbalistic dance refered to as Ratzo VShov' meaning 'Running and Returning'---or , in the context of our sefirotic lessons----I will alternate between elaborating in a deeper way on one Sefira, and then exploring all of the Sefirot in their holistic interactive breadth--and then perhaps back again to seeing one aspect in depth...

4. RATZON-ING ---THE 3RD ASPECT OF KETER

Therefore, I now bring you a more elaborate close-up view of one of the 3 dimensions of the Sefira 'Keter'--that of 'Ratzon-ing' or PrimalWill-ing...truth be told , Ratzon-ing is the lowest of the 3....The highest one we refer to as 'G-d-ing' ---a consciousness where one embraces and is totally embraced by G-d Awareness....The next one is Primal Pleasure---a consciousness where one takes spiritual pleasure in all aspects of living, especially in regard to the pleasure one derives from Hashem connection....--------------but we will at this point, begin with the lowest level of Keter--Ratzon-ing--since it actually contains the other 2, and also the upcoming teaching [which I wrote in the sumer of 2007 for our 'Paradising My Life' booklet/series] is a very important teaching in it's own right---

'RATZONing'   LIVING THE LIFE THAT I LOVE

                    WHY RATZON-ing IS SO VITAL

A. THE CONCEPT OF 'RATZON'

The Approximate translation for 'Ratzon' in English, is 'Will' ---ie...a person's primal desire, but the concept contains so much more. The root letters---Ra TZ oN, when rearranged, spell out the word TZ iN oR, which is a channel. Thus Ratzon's conceptual meaning also includes a primal channel. Add to this meaning, that of the Sefirotic source of Ratzon---'Keter'--the crown, the highest Sefirah or Divine based character traits; Just as a crown on a King's head is a part of the King, yet something separate and above him, and it also represents the King's rulership over all of his subjects, so too does Ratzon represent a channel, bridging the Divine Will which is both within the person's grasp, and beyond them----together with a person's own will.......and that very Will is the ruler, soul or main internal motivator of the rest of the person's persona or character traits.

B. MY ESSENTIAL AND TOTAL SELF

When a person connects to their Ratzon or Will, they connect to their essential self-----------which bridges the Divine Will inside of themself, with their own unique individual will, and in turn connects that profound Will with all the rest of who they are as a person. When I'm 'Ratzon-ing'---I'm truly All-of Me-ing'!

C. TIKUN OLAM

When I'm Ratzon-ing, I'm doing my part in Tikun Olam---Rectifying the world---by doing my part in helping to fix the effect of the fallout of Adam and Eve from their Paradise state in the Garden of Eden. [Kabbalah teaches us that Adam and Eve's body\soul were the composite of all of humanity]. We are taught that Adam [and perhaps Eve as well] was frustrated in his Garden reality. He didn't just want to exist in that pristine state. He, the choicest of all G-d's created beings, was willing to plunge himself into the world of darkness and unclarity in order to work his way back up to Paradise----thereby activating and expressing all of his human faculties and power---total All of Me self expression, or so he thought----but he left out the most imortant part---a self expression that's dictated by and fused with the Divine!----- Adam's Ratzon or total self expression fused with, or an expression of, the Divine Ratzon!

D. 'WHAT DO YOU WANT, YITZCHAK?'

For many years, I had a mastermind partner. He coached me through all of my challenges and dilemmas in life and I coached him in turn. The most important question that he always asked me, in oder to set me straight and solve 90% or more of my problems, was 'Yitzchak, What do you want?' If I could only connect with my very illusive Will, all the rest would follow----G-d's Will for me, the tikun of my life...ie...the actualization of my personal calling---the inner motivation of all of my human faculties, the Divine Providential realm would also kick in, whereby people in my life and all the other other elements of nature and the 'Universe' would enable my will to manifest. Certainly the dillemma that my mastermind partner addressed himself to, would be solved in the most profound way!

RATZON-ing---PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS, LIFE TOOLS AND MEDITATIONS

A. FUSING MY WILL WITH HIS WILL---------For obvious reasons, this will be the most important of the applications that we'll discuss. Here's a meditation that you can do to help open up this realm--------------In your mind's eyes picture yourself in your 'zone'; that aspect of your life, where you find yourself to be higher, more plugged in and more powerful than other people---your'strong suit'---Experience this in all of it's aspects---how you feel while in your zone, how others relate to you, your ease of accomplishing...etc...now STOP....

go back to square one----now infuse every aspect that you just visualized, as being enabled by, and infinitely enpowered by Hashem. Afterwards, practice doing this type of fusing in real life...

Another fusion meditation you can do, is to view everything in your world;   people, thoughts, situations...etc..as being PUPPETS, Divinely sent to guide you to fulfill your Calling-------the only difference between normal PUPPET SHOW reality and FUSION, is that in 'fusion', YOU ARE A PUPPET TOO---and turn yourself into being an agent of Hashem's Will---constantly being guided to fulfill and fuse with HIS Will.

B. IDENTIFYING MY RATZON\CALLING

1. FROM THE PAST---------------Analyze the 10 most significant experiences of your life, and the common denominator that they all seem to be pointing to, regarding your life's Calling

2. FROM THE PRESENT-------Make a list of the highlights of your life [daily, weekly and\or longer term] and assess which of them that you most resonate with---and try to discover the one constant theme that constantly comes up, and it's connection to your Calling in life

3. FROM THE FUTURE----------If you had no limitations in what you could become and accomplish in life, not money, not intellect, not spiritual capacities, not interpersonal capacities...etc...what would you ultimately like to become and to accomplish?

C. DAY TO DAY RATZONING 24\7 --- R.R.R.   [which stands for Raising your Ratzon Resonation level]-----------on a scale of 1-10, [10 being the highest], grade the Ratzon level of your upcoming daily activities and challenges, then work on upgrading....HOW?

1. First of all--Make a plan that will give you peace of mind and help you to feel as if you've

nearly completed the task. All that's left to do, is to mechanically walk through the steps of your plan---check your Ratzon level---you'll probably find it's gone up a point or two....

2. Next---ask yourself if you are doing the activity with -'all of yourself'-----ie...lower soul, higher soul, your inspired side...etc...Ask Hashem to send you ways to satisfy the entirety of personality. You can take pen and paper and let the ideas come to you as if you're being dictated to....grade yourself, and if your score hasn't climbed to a 9 or a 10, KEEP DOING THE EXERCISE UNTIL IT DOES!

D. RATZON SPARKS RESONATING----The basic idea of gathering or raising the Holy Sparks, is that our lives are filled with detached bits and pieces of our soul. We are constantly being sent from ON HIGH, our lost soul parts, in order to recover them and reintegrate them into ourselves---thereby making ourselves more whole people. These sparks present themselves to us in many different ways---through our conversations, either directed or not directed at us---through thoughts coming into our minds at all times, either connected or not connected to the content of the book we are presently reading, to the prayer that we're presently praying or the challenge that we're presently coping with.      The way to tell that it's really our very own soul-sparks, is to feel the resonation or Ratzon or desire that is awakened in our mind. Practice going through your day 'Sparks-ing', by gauging the resonation level you feel with your incoming thoughts----look at those that are more powerful, and see inside of yourself, how this thought or stimulus fills some essential lacking in your life---then embrace it and integrate it.

E. HOLISTICALLY EXPANDING YOUR RATZON LEVEL

1. INTERINCLUSION ['HITCALLELUT']----Ask yourself how you can increase the Ratzon level of __x__ and conversely the __x__ level of Ratzon. For example, How can you increase the Ratzon or Primal Desire Level of a piece of wisdom, and conversely, the wisdom level of your Ratzon....Do this for any and all traits, and I can guarantee you that your Ratzon horizons [and all other horizons] will be limitlessly expanded

2. P.L.U.G. I.N. -----

P=PRESCENCE-------------- Be 'present' with all that is going on right now, all that is immediately in front of you, all that is deep inside of you and what is all around you.....

L=LOWER SOUL---------------Integrate into your conscious life your lower self in a healthy way [ie.... we are definitely not refering to the part inside of ourselves who's very purpose in life is to destroy us, sabotage us, throw us off..etc..sometimes referred to as the evil inclination or 'Yaitzer Hara']. If this lower self or inner child is left out, squashed, blinded...etc..., then any and all attempts to be great and high and paradised will fail due to a constant inner struggle , not to mention the fact that if we successfully integrate the lower self, then we enpower a huge amount of energy into all the rest of our psyche....

U=UNIFY-------------------connect together all the disparate components of your life into one nuclearly powerful unified unit.

G=GROOVING--------------------take pleasure in all aspects of life, people and Hashem, who's making it all possible

I=INFINITIZING---------------------open up, expand, liberate and eternalize all constricted, finite, enslaved and temporal aspects of

your life

N=NITZUL    [TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ALL YOUR RESOURCES]---------------------Salvage and take advantage of all of the resources and abundance available to you from the past, in the present or potentially in the future

F. MANIFESTING RATZON IN YOUR LIFE;

1. CO-CREATING----

a. Co-Create With Hashem--------Declare your desired projected reality of your ideal self with absolute faith and clear intention

1. OUR LAST LESSONS

In our last 2 lessons, in addition to bringing a number of introductory principles and basic Sefirotic definitions, we brought [as samplers or tastes of where you can go with a fundamental knowledge of Sefirotics] a number of Sefirotic approaches designed to achieve self measurement, healing and spirtual elevation...We did not by a long shot, go into the proper depth that each of these methods and Sefirotic descriptions deserve---only a taste....

2. COVERING ALOT IN A SHORT SPACE

I've bee asking myself lately, "How do I want to present these Sefirotic lessons?''....''Where do I want to go with it ultimately''? ....''How can i possibly get across so much information in so littlle space/time [a few short weekly email lessons]"?      To properly begin to convey the essence of one Sefira, we would need an entire essay, not to mention that we wouldneed to convey the application of All the Sefirot holistically in order to properly undeerstand and apply the approaches that we b. Let Hashem Make It Happen For You--------Surrender control to Hashem--- to let Him take care of it in His own time and His own way ....With powerful faith, watch how Hashem is surprising and delighting you daily, by unfolding slowly but surely , your personal vision

c. Be Open To His Guidance-------Open up a Divine channel in your thoughts and in the events of your life, guiding you to take the practical steps needed to do what it takes to make it happen



2. R. KALONYMOUS KALMAN SHAPIRA'S RATZON-ing FORMULA---The Piaszcenza Rebbe teaches that if a person would hyper-focus all of their human capacities and powers to achieve what they want,...ie.. they MUST have it, then they will achieve it

3. THE RATZON COUNSELING STRATEGY

a. Yearn for and envision a projected future way of being or personal accomplishment, which is beyond your present level or capacities. Then place yourself into that future reality, and describe it as if you're giving a GRADUATION SPEECH---and then tell exactly how you got there

b. Find a partner or coach [human or Divine] to coach you on a daily or weekly basis, and use your 'graduation speech' as a roadmap to achieve what you want to achieve

c. Now add the finishing masterful touch of the CoCreation steps that we brought above, in order to fuse G-d into the process of actualizing your goal

MULTI-DIMENSIONAL SEFIROTIC CHART

ORIENTATION

We mentioned last week that one of the greatest challenges in learning about the
Sefirot, is that there just is too much to cover in depth and breadth and not enough time/space to cover it....Our temporary solution was /is to dance the dance of 'Ratzo V'Shov'---'Running and Returning'---ie...to give a taste of the depth and come back and give a taste of the breadth [and back again]...So, in the last week or two, we did some depth work---we brought a few introductions dealing with the applications and definitions of the Sefirot, as well as a semi in-depth look at one aspect of the Sefira--Keter--'Ratzon'.....This week we'll return back to a look at the breadth of the Sefirot ....We'll begin to see with the aid of a chart , how the Sefirot or the Sefirotic unit is a Universal language describing many dimensions of life ......

POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND IN ENCOUNTERING THE CHART

a. The ultimate goal of the knowledge derived from such a chart, is the ablity to
to begin to wear our 'Sefirotic Glasses'----ie...to be able to see everything through the perspective of the Sefirot--and the goal of 'Sefirotic Seeing' is to be able to see the essence of everything-----and once we are able to do begin to do this, then we can start healing, harmonizing and alligning--- Sefrotically

b. Some of the Sefirotic coordinates of some of the categories are the subject of
differences of opinions...It's beyond the scope of our lesson to deal with this at this point [also I feel that it would be detractive to the chart's flow to bring the sources of these Sefirotic coordinates]

c. It would be worthwhile to pay attention to the common denominators that are found across the board in the same Sefira---for example--pay attention to what is characteristic of the Keters of all of the categories....etc..

d. It also would be worthwhile to pay attention to the relationship patterns that become apparent----ie...the relationship of each Sefira to the one that is below it , as well as the one that is above it...

e. Notice how each dimension/category divides itself up into the head and body and feet of a Sefirotic process-----try to understand why the different components fall into their particular hierarchal places .....

f. If we were to take the chart to the next level, we would see how the individual groups all would reorganize themselves into a mega Sefirotic group ---showing an amazing display of the unity of all reality

g. Many of the entries only have 5 representative Sefirot, instead of 10----Usually this refers to a construct whose six lower Sefirot [from Chesed down to Yesod] are all contained in the body or the Tifferet of the sefirotic Unit

h. Some of the entries only have the Sefirot from Chesed down to Malchut, leaving out all the higher Sefirot---- This usually points to a reality where our ability to fathom the upper realms are limited until a future time when the upper above-nature Sefirot will be accessible

i. Finally, I urge you to look at this chart with your 'out of the box' type creativity and see in these Sefirotic matrixes, new ways of thinking and living which are as yet undiscovered

                MULTI-DIMENSIONAL SEFIROTIC CHART

1. HASHEM'S PROPER NAME-------KETER Crown of the Yud/ CHOCHMA Yud/
BINA Hei / TIFFERET Vav/ MALCHUT Hei

2. FAMILY PERSONAS [PARTZUFIM]-----KETER Grandfather [Arich Anpin]/
CHOCHMA Father [Abba]/ BINA Mother [Ima]/ TIFFERET Son, Groom [Zeir Anpin]/
MALCHUT Daughter, Bride [Nukva]

3. WORLDS-------KETER Primordial Man [Adam Kadmon] / CHOCHMA Atzilut/
BINA Briah/ TIFFERET Yetzirah/   MALCHUT Asiyah

4. NUMBERS-----KETER Tens of thousands/ CHOCHMA Thousands/ BINA Hundreds/
TIFFERET Tens/ MALCHUT Singulars

5. SOUL LEVELS----KETER Yechida/ CHOCHMA Chayah/ BINA Neshama/
TIFFERET Ruach/   MALCHUT Nefesh

6. THE ELEMENTS-------KETER Light / CHOCHMA Fire/ BINA Wind/
TIFFERET Water/ MALCHUT Earth

7. TORAH STUDY APPROACHES------KETER Secret of the Secret/    CHOCHMA Secret
BINA Derivative, Homiletical/ TIFFERET Alluded/   MALCHUT Simple

8. HUMAN PROCESSING-----KETER Pleasure and Will/     CHOCHMA /BINA Thought/
TIFFERET Feeling and Speech/      MALCHUT Action

9. INFLECTION OF LETTERS----KETER Silence/   CHOCHMA Musical Notes/
BINA Vowel sounds/     TIFFERET Crowns/    MALCHUT Letters themselves

10. THE FIVE SENSES--------KETER Taste/   CHOCHMA Sight/ BINA Hearing /
TIFFERET Smell/ MALCHUT Touch

11. LIFE FORMS-------KETER G-dly beings/ CHOCHMA Speaking beings/ BINA Animal life/
TIFFERET Plant life/ MALCHUT Mineral life

12. COMPONENTS OF A LIMB-----KETER 'Brain of the bone'/ CHOCHMA Bone/
BINA Connective tissue/ TIFFERET Flesh/meat/ MALCHUT Skin

13. THE 5 BOOKS OF MOSES-------KETER Braishit/ CHOCHMA Shmot / BINA Vayikra
TIFFERET Bamidbar/ MALCHUT Devarim

14. DIVINE NAMES {**the names are changed somewhat in accordance with Halacha}-------KETER Ekye/ CHOCHMA Ka / BINA Havaya pronounced Elokim/
DAAT Akwa/ CHESED Kel/ GVURAH Elokim/ TIFFERET Havaya/ NETZACH Havaya Tzevakot/
HOD Elokim Tzevakot/ YESOD Shakai and Kel Chai/ MALCHUT Adnut

15. LETTERS OF THE ALEPH BET-----KETER Aleph/ CHOCHMA Mem/ BINA Shin/
CHESED Beit, Hei, Lamed/ GVURAH Gimel,Vav, Nun/ TIFFERET Dalet, Zayin, Samech/
NETZACH Kaf, Chet, Ayin/ HOD Pei, Tet, Tzadi/ YESOD Raish, Yud, Kuf /   Malchut Tav

16. BEIT HAMKDASH [HOLY TEMPLE]------KETER Kruvim[Child-like figures in Holy of Holies]/ CHOCHMA Kaporet / BINA Aron [Ark]/ DAAT Menorat Hameor/ CHESED Menorah/
GVURAH Shulchan [Table] / TIFFERET Mizbeyach Hazahav/ NETZACH Kiyor/ HOD KANO/
YESOD Mizbeyach HaOlah/ MALCHUT HaChatzer and Hakilayim

17. DIRECTIONS----------CHESED South/ GVURAH North/ TIFFERET East/ NETZACH Up/
HOD Down/ YESOD West/   MALCHUT The Holy Heichal

18. PATRIARCHS AND OTHER LEADERS-------KETER Mashiach/ CHOCHMA Cohen Gadol [High Priest]/ BINA Head of the Beit Din/ DAAT Nasi/ CHESED Avraham/ GVURAH
Yitzchak/ TIFFERET Yaakov/ NETZACH Moshe/ HOD Aaron/ YESOD Yoseph/ MALCHUT David

19. PROVIDENTIAL TRAITS------CHESED Wisdom/ GVURAH Wealth/
TIFFERET Reproductivity/ NETZACH Life/ HOD Government/ YESOD Peace/ MALCHUT Grace

20. FALLEN ANTI-TRAITS------CHESED Foolishness/ GVURAH Poverty/
TIFFERET Desolation/ NETZACH Death/ HOD Slavery/ YESOD War/ MALCHUT Repulsiveness

21. SCHOLASTIC SPECIALTIES----KETER Master Craftsperson/ CHOCHMA Exact scientist / BINA Natural Scientist/ DAAT Psychologist/ CHESED Sociolgist / GVURAH Judge or master of law and justice/ TIFFERET Healer/ NETZACH Teacher/ HOD Economist/ YESOD Media or Communications person/ MALCHUT Master of government , state, politics...etc..

22. THE SOLAR SYSTEM------CHESED Moon [many say it's Malchut] / GVURAH Mars/
TIFFERET Sun [many say this is Yesod] / NETZACH Venus/ HOD Neptune/ YESOD Saturn /
MALCHUT Jupiter

23. DAYS OF THE WEEK-----CHESED Sunday/ GVURAH Monday/ TIFFERET Tuesday/
NETZACH Wednesday/ HOD Thursday/ YESOD Friday/ MALCHUT Shabbat

24. THE FACE/HEAD-------KETER Skull/ CHOCHMA Right Brain/ BINA Left Brain/ DAAT Middle Brain/ CHESED Right Eye/ GVURAH Right Ear/ TIFFERET Right Nostril/ NETZACH Left Eye/ HOD Left Ear/ YESOD Left Nostril/ MALCHUT Mouth

25. COLORS--------KETER Clear / CHOCHMA White/   BINA Red/   TIFFERET Purple/
CHESED Blue/ GVURAH Orange/ TIFFERET Green/ NETZACH Grey/   HOD Brown/
YESOD Yellow/ MALCHUT Black

26. HOLIDAYS------KETER Future Redemption/ CHOCHMA Yom Kippur/ BINA Rosh Hashonah/ DAAT Simchat Torah/ CHESED Pesach/ GVURAH Sukkot/ TIFFERET Shavuot/
NETZACH Purim/ HOD Chanukah/ YESOD Rosh Chodesh/ MALCHUT Shabbat

27. MONTHS--------CHESED Nissan, Tishrei/ GVURAH Iyyar, Cheshvan/ TIFFERET Sivan, Kislev/ NETZACH Tamuz, Tevet/ HOD Av, Shvat/ YESOD Elul, Adar / MALCHUT 2nd Adar

28. ASTROLOGICAL SIGNS--------CHESED Sheep, Scales of Justice/ GVURAH Bull, /Crab    TIFFERET Twins , Bow / NETZACH Cancer, lamb/ HOD Lion, Bucket/
YESOD Virgin,Fish/ Malchut   Yisrael

29. TRIBES ------CHESED RueveN, Binyamin/   GVURAH Shimon, Dan/ TIFFERET Levi, Naftali/ NETZACH Yehudah, Gad/ HOD Yissachar, Asher/ YESOD Zevulun, Yoseph/
MALCHUT BenOni

30. PRE- ISRAELITE SETTLEMENT LANDS AND INNER EARTH WORLDS------KETER Kadmoni/   CHOCHMA Kini/ BINA Knizi/   CHESED Eretz/
GVURAH Adamah/ TIFFERET Gei/ NETZACH Nasi/ HOD Tziah/ YESOD Arkah/
MALCHUT Tevel

31. SKY SPHERES-------CHESED Arvut/   GVURAH Machon/ TIFFERET Maon/
NETZACH Zevul/ HOD Shechakim/ YESOD Rakiah/   MALCHUT Vilon

GUIDED SEFIROTIC MEDITATION

Come with me...I write these lines with the help and guidance from ABOVE ....I write these lines with an inner voice telling me that that perhaps the best way to get to know the Sefirot, is to experience them---from their inception to their completion----to know them somehow first-hand....So we begin our journey....

KETER

Emuna

Begin by interfacing with the Divine One... Simply allow G-d in----nothing sophisticated...nothing elaborate---know that G-d is everywhere---know that to the extent that you get yourself out of the way and make room and let Hashem 'in the way' , He comes in---He comes in in all of His Glory and guidance and healing and miracles--so let him Him in .....feel the healing, the love, the infinity...the pleasure ..................

Primal Pleasure

Now allow the pleasure of being with G-d permeate your entire being ......Allow yourself to be filled from head to toe with pleasure ....Allow yourself to see that the pleasure that you feel is the underlying pleasure of all other pleasures...all other pleasures are mere substitutes....nevertheless, in order to pen up in yourself the faculty of pleasure---a capacity to take pleasure in all that you do---which is the inner energy motivator of all human functioning---focus now on taking pleasure on all aspects of your life--the people in your life--the challenges of your life--the most basic aspects of your life-like breathing and walking and talking and eating......

Ratzon [Primal Will]

Allow the sensation of pleasure filled G-d-Prescence to fill you up and inform you as to what it is that you want---what is it that you want more than anything else?--what is the want that is at the core of all wants?---your core motivation---the inner will that truly satisfies your deepest longings in the most complete possible way? what is the activity &/or the way of being that would make you feel like this is what you came to this world for? Now once you've at least got a general idea about what is it that you want to do and become----now look into your day to day life, and see if you can inspire your daily activities with this Ratzon, this primal will---measure the possible ways of carrying out your activities---how can you do them in ways that are more in sync with your Ratzon?......Now do it----- do it now , and commit to doing it in the future....and when you do it as best as you can, join the 1st 2 aspects of Keter to your Ratzon---check to see if you're are doing it with primal pleasure and then check to see if the will that you are carrying out is in sync with the Will of G-d---and to the extent that you do this--all you do will flow and be greatly blessed!

CHOCHMA

Open your mind to receive in an unobstructed way.....Allow the Divine fused Will and desire that you tapped into, express itself freely---expresss itself in a vision of how it will play itself out.......In a spirit of joy and pleasure, ask Hashem to allow your mind to be filled with wisdom-----a wisdom that sees everything in an expanded way........Allow yourself to see every concept or idea fully expanded with all of it's associated thoughts----see what led to this idea from the past---see the future birth-products of this idea ....See the future of your Divinely fused Ratzon or Will's vision and how it plays itself out

BINA

Be full of gratitude to G-d for allowing you to receive the thoughts, in general , and specifically, those that you have just received.....make a note of each thought and insight and association that you have received in your Chochma meditation, including the projected vision that you have come up with in order to fulfill your vision.....Experience these thoughts as being fertile seed that is impregnated in you, and that you place in some type of vessil, to be nurtured to maturity---to be packaged in such a way that you can convey these thoughts to others

DAAT

Bond and connect with these and all other packaged/ encapsulated bits of wisdom that you have received in the previous phases.....Integrate this wisdom so that it becomes an integral part of yourself---an integral way that you perceive reality---your life spectacles---your way of seeing and judging....Feel and express joy that you are able to bond with these insights , and integrate them into your life...Feel deep gratitude for all the insights and wisdom that you have been able to connect to so deeply---those that have become a part of your outlook.....Feel a sense of surety that your ability to integrate and internalize wisdom will be more and more enhanced from now on with the passage of time

CHESED

Allow yourself to be filled up with joy for having so much abundance in your life---all kinds of abundance----the abundance of all that you have come up with so far in this meditation---the abundance of all types of ideas and creativity bursts and potential possibilities that come your way and material and physical and spiritual forms of abundance----all past and present and projected yearned for future abundance........

Allow yourself to celebrate all of this abundance by sharing it with others---give it over to others with love---give it over with a certainty that the more that you share it with others, the more abundance you will receive from the ONE ABOVE.....Now see yourself lovingly giving of yourself to others , and thereby forge wonderful bonds with all those to whom you give to

GVURAH

Allow yourself to truly appreciate all of the abundance that you possess....Project into the future, and see what will become of all of this abundance that you possess, and that you will give over to others....Notice wherever you can where your abundance and your giving become negative or harmful or threatened or potentially lost.....Foresee measures that you need to enact in order to protect yourself and others from any of this negativity...Be thankful to Hashem that you have been blessed with the ability to say no---to say no to anything that is harmful or potentially harmful

TIFFERET

Look again at all of the abundance that you possess.....Yearn for a way to blend-in a masterful way the qualities of giving and holding back.....See yourself giving freely---a giving
which will have positive results------and at the same time, see yourself exercising your power of balancing and bending and bridging, by holding back that which is harmful....See yourself expanding your balancing, blending , harmonizing and bridging capacities to all areas of life---your interpersonal relationships, your artisitic creative power of expression, your style of teaching wisdom to others.....See yourself conveying that which is good and healthy in an uninhibited way---with compassion and charisma and truth and healing---while at the same time, withholding all that which is harmful

NETZACH

Fill yourself up with a desire to overcome all obstacles that are holding you back from achieving your goals....Take pleasure in your G-d Given talents and abilities----especially those that enable you to transcend and overcome.....Picture yourself now, overcoming all potential obstacles that you foresee getting in the way of you carrying out your calling in life.....Picture yourself from now on experiencing an incredible amount of Divine aid, assisting you in overcoming virtually every obstacle that comes your way

HOD

Fill yourself up with a deep desire to enable and to enpower other people....Take pleasure in your natural ability to identify what others need, in order to become the most glorious and wonderful beings that they can become, and then see yourself giving them what they need in order to overcome all obstacles in their way towards becoming so enpowered....Thank G-d profusely for all that He gives you at all times---and specifically for all that He gives you that enables you to do what you are meant to do in life

YESOD

Fill yourself up with all of the wonderful gifts and insights and energy that you have elicited in all of the previous Sefirotic meditations that we have just engaged in.....Awaken and realize as best as you can, the entirety of your being---all of your psychic powers---your Emuna, your pleasure, your will, your vision for carrying out your life's mission, your ability to receive wisdom and to internalize it---your feeling of being blessed by abundance and your wish to share it with others in a safe and healthy and positive way----your ability to overcome all obstacles in your life and in others' lives......Experience great joy in all of this---in your 'all-ness' ---and then communicate it all ---as best as you can---to others in your life in such a way that they get it fully , totally----All of yourself to all of their selves

Malchut

Completely empty yourself of everything that you know.....Become an empty vessil for

receiving in a whole and complete way from others...See yourself as possessing nothing , and see others as possessing everything ---so that you drink in all of their wisdom with great thirst and enthusiasm ......Review and collect all that you have received , and focus on bringing it all to a closure or completion---a closure and completion of your vision and your goals ---of your plans and processes-- a closure that will inspire and elicit more and more Sefirotic processes in yourself and in others

TIME MEDITATION

ORIENTATION

In the overall context of our Applied Kabbalah Course, we are we are presently dealing with a few topical applications of the Tikun Process. Last week, we presented Messianic Consciousness Prayer Meditations.... The lesson that's listed next in our course, is the topic of Post Life Reality.....There are different ways to approach this topic....What struck me first and foremost, is that in order to understand the post-life, you need to understand the realm of Time,,,,

TIME IN THE POST LIFE

Time in the post-life is experienced on the one hand, in a whole different way than we experience time presently inside of our bodies.....On the other hand, the major focus of the post-life is on the time that we spent here in this life.....

TIME IS TIKUN

Kabbalah teaches that time is Tikun....The word time in Hebrew is Z'man, whose numerical value is 97---the same numerical value of the combination of the 2 Divine Names [MAH and BEN], that represent the rectifying and that which needs rectifying aspects of reality respectively....Time is not measured in terms of getting from one point on a temporal line to the next , rather of getting from a lesser state of perfection or Tikun to a greater state....

TIME IS AN OPEN SYSTEM [ beyond birth and death]

The Time=Tikun outlook radically changes the way we relate to time.....Birth and death are transitional states bridging what comes before the beginning or birth point to what comes after it ,as well as what comes before and after death....It's an open system, not a closed system of entropy where everything comes to an end and dies eventually----Rather, everything moves toward perfection and to a state that is beyond time....

TIME IS A COLLECTION OF OPPORTUNITIES COPED WITH SUCCESSFULLY [SPARKS]

The measure of Time in life, is the number of Sparks we collect---ie...the opportunities that we succeeded at--- in order to complete that which is lacking in ourselves....The Post-Life is a replay ad-infinitum of these opportunities that we took advantage of....

TIME LIMITATIONS LIBERATED

We liberate and transcend time limitations [and thereby nullify it altogether] by elevating and transforming the realm of the temporal to becoming Infinite and Eternal.....We rectify the Primordial Sin of Adam--which plunged humanity into an almost irreversible death cycle, by living a consciousness reality  where every experience is infintized  as much as possible...We also do this rectification by identifying and tapping in to the Divine Eternity factor involved in every action, feeling, word and thought that we elicit...In these and other ways, death and finitude fall away---No more time, no more death--We return to the Garden of Eden....

TIME LESSONS INTERNALIZED

Let us do some meditations of the main points that we've discussed so far, and thereby try to experience and internalize these points, and B"H , begin to transform the way that we relate to time---from being something that is time-bound and lacking to being something that is beyond time and perfect....

                                    TIME MEDITATIONS

1. Time in the Post Life

In your mind's eye, allow yourself to travel forward in time--beyond your present life--to your post-life....Experience how differently everything feels when you in your essential state of being are no longer in your body....specifically focus on how you are no longer bound to time....Simply by exercising your will power, you are able to travel instantly from the earliest experiences to your latest ones...Your whole life is an 'open book'----simply focus on any specific part of your life--and you are there...Now take a few moments to 'tour' different times in your life----see what you can see---pay attention to how you resonate with each place that you visit and how far along is each place in terms of it's level of perfection....

2.TIME IS TIKUN

Recall a specific episode or process in your life--a process that began in a very unrectified way---a cluttered, chaotic, painful r unclear way....Notice how slowly but surely [or perhaps in your case--quickly and suddenly], the rough edges became smoothed out---the clutter and chaos were replaced by order---the pain was replaced by pleasure and the unclarity by clarity....Be aware that this progression towards rectification is somethng that happens in many processes in your life--with the passage of time involved in each process....Now project into your future, a life process that is either in the beginning stages or soon to begin....Foresee that whether or not the process begins with difficulties, with Hashem's constant guidance--and your adherance to this guidance---all is smoothed out with the passage of time---and you see how all will turn out in the best possible way, exactly as it should....

3. TIME IS AN OPEN SYSTEM [beyond birth and death]

Go back in time to your birth...You don't need [and most likely won't be able] to
remember anything at all of what really happened....Just allow yourself to imagine what it was like.....Feel how it feels to be a newborn....Feel the newness and the amazingness of it all...Feel as much as you are able....Now watch your life progress from the infant stage--over time--all the way to the present....Now go back to the time when your Soul was in the World of Souls---you hear in great detail how all of the major events of your life are lessons ----in order to teach you what you need to learn in order to move forward as much as you can towards your perfection process...Take a few minutes for this as well......Now move to the time just beyond your death---the time of your 'life-review'--where all that you have done is sized up for it's level of perfection----take note of what is rectified and what is still lacking and in need of further rectification---perhaps to be played out in a subsequent lifetime, perhaps in some other post-life rectification reality....Here too, take a few minutes to experience as much as you can in order to truly feel that the time span that makes up our life, expands beyond birth and beyond death....

4. TIME IS A COLLECTION OF OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES SUCCESFULLY COPED WITH [SPARKS]

Contemplate deeply the countless opportunities that you are presented with at all times---opportunities to complete yourself--complete that which is lacking....Start now and work your way backwards, and notice every single Soul--completing opportunity or Holy Spark that comes your way....Notice how well you reacted....How well does your chosen plan or feeling or thought or communication help to complete yourself....Now notice how these Sparks, large and small, when successfully taken care of--are the true measure of the passing of time ---the true landmarks that we will be remembered by when we pass on from this world...Project from this moment onwards, that all opportunities that come your way from within or from without are customized and personalized especially for you, in order for you to become completed....Now take a few minutes to pray that Hashem will help you meet al these challenges as best as is possible....

5. LIBERATING TIME LIMITATIONS

Open up your ability to transcend and liberate time limitations as best as you can...Here are a few ways to do it;

A. Extend time---------------When you say a word or see a sight or feel a feeling etc.., focus totally all of your attention and go much slower than you would normally go.....Take 7 seconds for each experience instead of 1 or 2....Try a few extensions now....

B. Eternalizing Holy acts------------Experience saying a Holy word, doing a Holy act or Mitzvah, thinking a Hoy thought of connecting with Hashem or intending a Holy intention of being benevolent to others.....Now focus on experiencing these Holy acts with the knowledge that each act has eternal reverberations....Every singe Holy act will be repeated and relived in deeper and deeper profundity for the rest of time....Take a few minutes to experience how different and powerful the doing of these acts becomes....

C. Prescence-ing-----------------Experience the present moment that you find yourself in...Experience all that you feel and think and see...etc...Realize that this moment never has existed before in the unique way you are experiencing it and it will never be repeated--it is absolutely and utterly unique....Be here now---totally....Don't miss a drop---past tensions do not exist, nor do future worries....take some time to experience this....

PRETENSE BUSTING [PURIM]

Shalom and Blessings
'CUT THE PRETENSE MAN'!
1. 'Cut to the Chase'...'Cut the B.S.' [pardon my French]...We live in a world of pretense. Everyone's pretending to be what they're not to some degree. Our sages say that a person's real self comes out when they're under the influence of one of 3 things---[I'll 1st say it in the original because it sounds so much better...bear with me]---'KOSO', 'KISO' AND 'KASO'---ONE'S CUP [being drunk], ONE'S POCKET [being in acute financial pressure] and ONE'S ANGER...in short, all classic examples of situations where pretense doesn't play a part and our true nature is expressed...One contemporary visionary Rabbi is quoted as saying, 'There's no atheist in a foxhole'...Our Sages teach that after passing on from our present life into the afterlife, we no longer will have our bodies, clothes or any other pretense to hide behind---in that world, we 'wear our hearts on our sleeves' as they say....ie... our bodies and clothes will be the expression of our deeds and our true essences. No pretense...True authenticity with absolutely no pretense is one of the most charming traits that a person can have...Thr richest humour surfaces when the contrast between the the real person and the pretensious one is cleverly pointed out.....What's all this rambling talk about pretense have to do with Purim you must be asking by now [I thought you'd never ask]...
AMALEK AND PRETENSE

2. We can more or less define Amalek as being that perpetual thorn in the side of the Jewish people standing on the threshhold, blocking all of our major national and personal accomplishments. Amalek thrives on our lack of enthusiasm and our lack of clarity of purpose. Amalek reflects back to us our own pretense.... while we're pretending to be ok, we're really not! Amalek can actually do this because they are the essence of pretense. The Holy Ari'zal taught that any phenomenom in the world, no matter how G-dlessly evil, has at least a drop of redeeming goodness keeping it alive. The only redeeming good in Amalek, the very root of evil, is the fact that it exists in order for it to be exposed for what it really is---pure evil---- lacking any substance whatsoever---pure imaginative pretense---ie...Evil in it's purest form is totally baseless---Break the pretense and you break the the evil!---Break our own pretense to the very core and break Amalek and bring ourselves and the whole world to it's ultimate Tikun or rectification!!

                   WE WERE JUST PRETENDING...

3. Our sages taught us that the measure-for-measure-root-reason of our being subjected to a potential Holocaust at the hands of Haman and the Persians of his time, was because we collectively bowed to an idol a number of years earlier in Babylon at the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar. There however was one key twist. We only PRETENDED to bow down to the G-dless values of our Babylonian captors. Therefore G-d, measure for measure, only PRETENDED to repay us with a potential holocaust a few years later. and the famous 'Megilla' only PRETENDED to present a 'natural' historical episode of our people. And the day of Purim was chosen by a lottery, a seemingly haphazard example of Divine Providential PRETENSION. And on the day of Purim itself we only PRETEND to effect a Tikun through our concientious spiritual exertions expressed through the Mitzvot of the day of reading and understanding the Megilla and giving gifts to the poor and to our friends----but the truth is that the order of the day is that we're upposed to be so drunk during the day that we barely have a clue as to what we're doing...Actually all of the Tikun is done by Hashem and we're just like His puppets going through the motions....But what we do effect is to discover on Purim that despite all the masks and costumes and other various forms of PRETENSE, when all is said and done, when all the walls of PRETENSE come tumbling down...when all I have left is my true naked self, that's when the real me comes to the surface and the real me wants nothing else in the world except to cling to Hashem, and when that happens, I slam-dunk Amalek with all of it's PRETENSE!!!!!!!

                                   THE TOOL

4. The tool;

a. Phase 1;     after getting spiced [not plastered], play a game similar to the game, 'Truth or Dare' with your friends daring eachother to reveal the true UNPRETENTIOUS you!

b. Phase 2;      after getting plastered, just scream, ''All I really want is Hashem!!''

THE ESSENTIAL POINT;

Purim's spiritual challenge is to be REAL in the deepest, most transcedent, most Divine and most raw/naked way--------helping to enable us to overcome all pretense in our lives [[as enbodied by  our real and metaphysical arch/enemies 'AMALEK'!]

THIS WEEK'S IN DEPTH-CONTEMPLATION COLUMN;

TWO TYPES OF ADAR/PURIM DRUNKENNESS/HUMOUR---------

1. 'WINE FOR THE ENBITTERED' HUMOUR             2. 'GIVE STRONG DRINK TO THE

                                                                                                      CONDEMNED ONE' HUMOUR

[the ancient recipe for comforting mourners]                            [ the ancient recipe for numbing the

                                                                                                      shock of those about to be executed]

a. the type of humour that corresponds to the 'real me'         a. the type of humour that corresponds to the

                                                                                                       'pretentious me'

b. even though externally, one's Divine Providence seems

to be unclear and confused, one knows deep down                 b. even though internally everything is lost

that all is perfect                                                                            and horrible, this type of drunkenness

                                                                                                        numbs one from being real with everything

c. this is the meaning of the verse-- '...ulyishrei laiv simcha'--

'..for the straight-hearted there is joy'                                       c. this is the laughter of most of the world

                                                                                                        nowadays---it gives one a feeling of

d. this type of outlook will be the way that all will experience       counterfeit happiness, as if all is well when

life in the ultimate future---a time when 'our mouths will be         it's really not

FILLED with laughter                                                                   d. this mindset is motivated by one's laziness

                                                                                                        and desire to 'be free' from taking any

e. the essential humour of this outlook is when we see that        responsibility. This is accomplished by putting

the very trap that our enemies plan for us is itself their                down in others, one's own lackings, and

downfall  [referred to as 'venahafoch hu' or 'turnabout']

                                                                                                         by putting down all that is Holy,

                                                                                                        obligating and important in life

f. the Patriarch that characterizes this mindset is Yitzchak

which literally means 'he will laugh'...ie... the ability to see        e. this type of laughter is alluded to by 'the

NOW that which will be ultimately revealed [the internal                 letter of the month of Adar---Kuf' and the

Bliss point]                                                                                         meaning of this letter---'KOF' or 'monkey'

                                                                                                          ie... that part of ourselves which only

g. this type of joy/outlook/laughter is the only true antidote          imitates being a person [the Holy allusion

of the other type of joy/outlook/laughter                                     of this letter 'kuf' is 'Kadosh' or 'Holy'---

                                                                                                          represented by the other laughter...]

PREPARING FOR THE AFTER-LIFE

Dear friends

Our Torah tradition is rich in this area of preparing ourselves for the afterlife---if we would want to take a trip , we would need to plan and prepare for all of our needs to make it a good trip-right? If we were to move to a different city or country, we'd need alot more planning and preparation---so taking this line of thought to it's logical conclusion, if we were to plan for how we're going to spend the rest of eternity---we'd need some downright serious planning and preparations--right?!

****a note of importance---i am choosing to stress only a few of the positive and uplifting aspects of the world beyond this world that awaits us [ and the needed acclimatizations and preparations for it]---i stress only the positive for a number of important reasons which i won't go into now, but i don't mean to convey the message that there are no painful cleansing and rectifying aspects of the post-life---i just would like to focus on the positive side of it all with your permission....

PREPARATION FOR THE AFTERLIFE MEDITATIONS

POST-LIFE ACCLIMATIZATIONS

a.pleasure

CLOSE YOUR EYES AND FOCUS ON THE WORLD TO COME---YOUR WORLD TO COME EXPERIENCE----EXPERIENCE SPIRITUAL PLEASURE--ENDLESS EXQUISITE PLEASURE--IN ORDER TO WORK YOURSELF UP TO THIS PLEASURE, START WITH THE PLEASURE OF THIS WORLD AS FOLLOWS;

EXPERIENCE THE SPIRITUAL PLEASURE THAT YOU HAVE FELT OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS....

NOW EXPERIENCE THE SPIRITUAL PLEASURE OF THE LAST WEEK [LET IT TRULY SOAK IN..].......

NOW EXPERIENCE THE SPIRITUAL PLEASURE OF YOUR LAST MONTH....

NOW EXPERIENCE THE SPIRITUAL PLEASURE OF YOUR LAST YEAR....

NOW EXPERIENCE THE SPIRITUAL PLEASURE OF YOUR WHOLE LIFE [NOT WITH YOUR INTELLECTUAL MIND, BUT JUST LET IT EXPERIENTIALLY COME IN TO YOU].....

NOW EXPERIENCE THE LIFETIME SPIRITUAL PLEASURE OF ALL THE PEOPLE ALIVE TODAY.....

NOW EXPERIENCE THE LIFETIME SPIRITUAL PLEASURE OF ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE EVER LIVED AND WILL EVER LIVE [ALLOW THIS PLEASURE TO SATURATE YOU AND EMBRACE YOU AS LIGHT AND A HARMONIOUS WARMTH DEEPER AND DEEPER]

NOW CAPTURE ALL OF THIS PLEASURE THAT YOU HAVE JUST EXPERIENCED IN A GLOWING BALL OF LIGHT AND HOLD IT IN YOUR HANDS AND GROOVE ON IT FOR A WHILE....

NOW TRANSPLANT YOURSELF TOGETHER WITH THIS GLOWING BALL OF LIGHT INTO YOUR FUTURE WORLD.... AND SEE HOW THIS BALL DIMS COMPARED WITH THE LUMINESCENCE THAT YOU ARE EXPERIENCING---NEVERTHELESS, YOU FEEL HOW EVERY MOMENT OF SPIRITUIAL PLEASURE THAT YOU'VE EXPERIENCED IN YOUR LIFETIME PREVOUS TO YOUR MOVING ON TO THIS POST LIFE IS THE GATEWAY ALLOWING YOU TO EXPERIENCE THIS PLEASURE HERE IN THE AFTERLIFE....NOW ALLOW YOURSELF TO EXPERIENCE THIS PLEASURE AD INFINITUM....ALLOW IN AS MUCH AS YOU FEEL YOU ARE ABLE TO---THEN A LITTLE BIT MORE AND MORE...

NOW, COME BACK TO THE HERE AND NOW, AND SEE HOW YOU WILL BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE THIS SPIRITUAL PLEASURE MORE AND MORE AND MORE IN YOUR LIFE

ESb.eternity

CLOSE YOUR EYES AND FOCUS ON THE REALITY OF ETERNITY....SEE HOW EVERY GOOD WORD AND FEELING AND THOUGHT AND ACTION THAT YOU HAVE EVER CARRIED OUT EXTEND AND ECHO IN YOUR FUTURE WORLD INFINITELY CONSTANTLY BRINGING MORE AND MORE REPRODUCTIVE BLESSING TO YOURSELF AND TO THE SOULS OF THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT....

SEE HOW YOUR LOVE FOR HASHEM AND HIS CHILDREN GOES ON AND ON AND DEEPENS AND NEVER ENDS....

SEE HOW EVERY PIECE OF DIVINE WISDOM THAT YOU'VE EVER EXPERIENCED WILL CONSTANTLY BE RECALLED AND RE-EXAMINED, BUT IN A WAY THAT OPENS UP FOR YOU CONSTANTLY DEEPER AND MORE AND MORE PROFOUND MEANING

NOW COME BACK TO THE HERE AND NOW, AND SEE HOW YOU BEGIN TO RELATE TO THE GOOD DEEDS AND THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS AND ACTIONS THAT YOU DO IN A MUCH MORE PROFOUND WAY....

SEE HOW MUCH MORE YOU ALLOW YOURSELF TO EXPERIENCE AND EXPRS LOVE FOR OTHERS AS WELL AS FOR HASHEM.......

SEE YOURSELF FOCUSING WITH MUCH GREATER CONCENTRATION AND PRESCENCE ON EVERY SINGLE BIT OF WISDOM THAT YOU TAKE IN AND SEE HOW PRECIOUS IT IS IN YOUR EYES NOW THAT YOU KNOW IT'S ETERNAL AND HAS INFINITE VALUE

C.closure

EXPERIENCE HOW YOU WILL COME TO A CLOSURE OF
ALL UNFINISHED 'BUSINESS' THAT YOU NEEDED TO TAKE CARE OF IN THIS WORLD, SO THAT YOUR NEXT WORLD WILL BE UNFETTERED AND NOT DISTURBED BY THIS WORLD'S AFFAIRS....

AND EVEN BETTER THAN THAT, THIS WORLD WILL CONSTANTLY PAY OFF 'DIVIDENDS' TO YOU WHEN YOU ARE IN THE NEXT WORLD DUE TO ALL OF THE 'INVESTMENTS' THAT YOU HAVE LEFT FROM, AMONG OTHER THINGS, YOUR CHILDREN'S GOOD DEEDS, THE IMPACT OF YOUR OWN GOOD DEEDS AND ACCOMPLISHENTS, THE STUDENTS AND OTHERS WHO CARRY ON YOUR HOLY WAYS, THE CHARITY THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN, AND MANY OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT SERVE TO ENABLE OTHERS TO BE GOOD AND RIGHTEOUS   .....

EXPERIENCE HOW YOU WILL ALLOW YOURSELF TO CLOSE WITH PEOPLE---- TO FORGIVE ANYONE AND EVERYONE, ANYTHING WRONG THAT THEY HAVE DONE TO YOU, AND ASK HASHEM [AND THEM IF POSSIBLE]FOR THEIR FORGIVENESS OF YOU ALSO.......

EXPERIENCE HOW YOU WILL ALLOW YOURSELF TO LET GO OF THAT WHICH YOU FEEL THAT YOU STILL HAVE YET TO DO IN THIS WORLD WHEN THE TIME COMES TO MOVE ON----SEE YOURSELF SHARING WITH OTHERS ALL THAT YOU NEED TO SHARE TO ALLOW YOURSELF TO PEACEFULLY MOVE ON, SO THAT THEY WILL TAKE CARE OF IT FOR YOU AND YOU CAN LET IT GO.....

NOW EXPERIENCE , AFTER YOU WILL FEEL CLOSED AND DONE, A WONDERFUL FEELING OF SATIFACTION AND GRATITUDE TO HASHEM FOR ALLOWING YOU TO DO WHAT IT IS THAT YOU NEEDED TO DO....

ALLOW YOURSELF NOW TO FEEL THAT NOTHING IS LACKING, AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SETTLE INTO A PEACEFUL AND RESTFUL 'BE HERE NOW' STATE OF PRESCENCE---FOREVER

NOW COME BACK TO THE PRESENT MOMENT, AND SEE HOW YOU ARE ALREADY OPENING UP AN AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF CLOSURE, AND HOW THIS 'CLOSURE AWARENESS' IS TRANSFORMING THE WAY THAT YOU DEAL WITH YOUR OWN AFFAIRS, AS WELL AS YOUR RELATIONSHIPS TO OTHERS AND TO HASHEM.....

AND HOW YOU ARE ALSO OPENING UP A SENSE OF 'BE HERE NOW' PRESECNCE IN A MORE PROFOUND WAY THAN YOU HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE [ESPECIALLY ON SHABBAT]....

INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

                                      based on Kabbalistic principles

A HANDBOOK
R. Arye Kaplan ztz'l wrote ['Innerpace'-- Chap. on 'Partzufim'] that if someone were to 'translate' - ie...apply into our reality-- the inter personal dyamics of Kabbalah's upper world Personas ['Partzufim']--we would have a masterful handbook or guidebook directing us how to conduct interpersonal relationships....

'TRANSLATION'
This idea or vision tremendously inspires and drives me....How wonderful and important it would be to be able to have, widely accessible and available to us, this aspect of Kabbalah [just as we have available to us other types of Kabbalistic 'translated' into the realms of self knowledge and spiritual knowledge.]....There has been some good 'translation' work done with the Sefirot into the interpersonal dimensions, but--to the best of my knowledge-- not with the other 'mainline' aspects of Kabbalah.....Therefore , though the task is way beyond my capacities in time and scope etc..., let us at least begin--with the hope that others [and myself ] b'H, will pick it up where we leave off...

OUR APPROACH
After alot of internal deliberation as to how to approach this challenge, I decided it best to list the most inclusive and appropriate principles that the Arizal brings [mainly in his foundation work-'Eitz Chaim'---'The Tree of Life']...We will take these principles with a short explanation and short meditation into the interpersonal dimension;

                     KABBALISTIC RELATIONSHIPS

1. TZIMTZUM [MAKING ROOM]-----This universal creation process can be applied in many ways interpersonally. Perhaps one of the most powerful ways is that Hashem removed part of His felt Prescence , in order to make room and thereby enable the existence of others...

Try to make room for others in your life in many ways; be quiet, don't be overly controlling, truly listen to others and receive what they have to give...etc...and see how they thrive and become so happy with you, that they will make more room for you as well...

2. HALBASHA [INFLUENCING OTHERS]------This is a dynamic whereby the more primal and influential Divine Prescence is girded inside the receiver of this influence [in order to help benefit and rectify them]....

Identify someone in your life whose main connection with you is that they are influenced by you---such as one of your children or students [or certain friends] ----With great humility and altruism , keeping in mind the powerful influence that you have on their life----pray to Hashem that your influence be in sync with Hashem's plan for their ultimate growth and perfection---with quiet trust in THE ONE ABOVE, allow yourself to be the channel for this influence

3. OROT AND KEILIM {lights and vessils} [ENPOWERING OTHERS] ----One of the central dynamics in the Kabbalistic Tikun or rectification Process, is the synchronization of the lights and vessils into a unit that maximizes the expression of the light....

Focus on a person in your life who you enable and empower to express their potential power and wisdom and totality.....Yearn, pray and intend that Hashem grants you the wisdom to maximally enable and empower them....Now switch roles, and see how you can maximize your role as the internal light or driving force ---while someone else [or a group of people] becomes your 'vessil'--the one who enables and empowers you....

4. THE DESCENT OF THE 'NUKVA' [SAVING THOSE WHO ARE DEPENDENT ON YOU]-----One of the main roles of the Kabbalistic Female Persona [also referred to as the 'Malchut or Shechina'], is to descend from her pristine home in the World of 'Aztilut', into the lower worlds of relative darkness in order to raise up and redeem fallen exiled souls that are stuck in that darkness...

Identify those people in your life who look to you for help---whether the help be financial, physical, emotional intellectual or spiritual....Allow your entire being to be filled with compassion and a drive to save and redeem and elevate these people ....Ask for Hashem's help to devise ways and means to accomplish this goal...

5.TIKUN OF THE COSMIC BREAKAGE [DEEPENING YOUR CONNECTION]-----The central theme of the Tikun or rectification process is 'CONNECTION'....'Shvira' or Cosmic breakage [which includes intrapersonal as well as interpersonal dynamics] is all about DISCONECTION...

Bring to mind one of your primary relationships....Identify the areas of the relationship that are connected, as well as those that are disconnected----

for example; regarding topics of interest --which ones can you easily talk about and which ones not....Traits and life outlooks that you share and those that you don't....the degree of pleasure that you feel in being with this person and under what circumstances etc...
Now, with this information in mind, foresee a new reality whereby you are able to connect in ways that you have not been until now....See how you will 'break-through' , and how Hashem helps you in the process....When you are ready, share this exercise with your appropriate friends, and seek together to achieve your and their goals....When you feel up to it, do the same with the other significant people in your life...

6. HITCALLELUT [BONDING WITH EVERYONE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF YOURSELF]------This dynamic is basically an extension of the Tikun-'connection' dynamic that we just brought above....Now, we are extending the concept to it's ultimate expression....'Hitcallelut' means that everything that exists in Unit A , exists in or is transferred to Unit B and all other units, and likewise, all that exists in all the other units, exist in Unit A----What comes out of the process, is that one unit or person is so intimately connected to everything and everyone in their world, that their levels of love and empathy and influence and unity with others are on a much higher plane than one could imagine.....

Make a list of the 10 most important people in your life ....For each person, identify the most attractive aspect of that person--an aspect that you yourself share in common with them....Take a minute to experience and appreciate these common traits.... Intend to strengthen your bond with each of these friends based on these traits.....Now search for other common traits or interests or outlooks etc...that you share with them---and as before, seek to strengthen your mutual bonds based on these common traits.....Now take this to the next level by identifying that which you have in common with everyone that you meet up with in life--and bond accordingly....Finally seek out those traits and outlooks etc...that others are strong in and that you are weak in...Seek out their help in helping to strengthen you and do the same for them....The goal is to be as inter-included and inter-connected with people in your world as is possible...

7. LVUSH [ METAPHYSICAL BONDS WITH OUR PRIMARY RELATIONS]---------Kabbalah teaches that we all have metaphysical bonds with the primary people in our lives---our parents, our children , our spouses, our siblings, our students, our masters and our closest friends....This bond is called a 'Lvush'...The Lvush transcends the normal boundaries of time and space ....It outlasts our lifetimes...It exists whether or not we are in the same physical dimension with our primary person....Similarly, the mutual interaction, influence, support and experience that we share with eachother transcends all limitations of space and time and circumstance.....

Bring to mind one of these primary relationships--whether that person is presently in your life or not.....Experience their presence right now....Experience how your mutual bond transcends all limitations of time and space...Experience the support and encouragement and influence that you feel that is being constantly sent to you by them... Lovingly, send it all back to them....Pray for their wellbeing, and intend that their lot should begin improving steadily from now on....

8. YICHUD/UNIFICATION [THE INTIMATE BOND]--------Perhaps the most important principle in the entire gamut of Kabbalistic wisdom, is the principle of Unification of the male and female paradigms--in order to give birth to new life....These Upper World Unifications , just like the ones in our world, are accomplished by the male and female going through a number of preparatory steps----all designed to cultivate their coming together intimately with the totality of their beings......

Bring to mind your actual or potential spouse....Focus on ways that you can sweeten up your relationship....Focus on ways that you can deepen your mutual love ---perhaps by recalling all of the different reasons that you love them....Seek out your mutual goals in life and how you can achieve them...seek out ways that you can succeed in bringing out the best in eachother....express all of this to eachother as often as possible....

EXPERIENCING THE SOUL

1.Orientation

We are getting close to the end of our applied Kabbalah Series...
This last subject matter deals with the Soul---it's definitions, it's subdivisions, it's multiple life perfection process--otherwise refered to as 'Reincarnation'--and finally --how we experience the Soul inside of ourselves, both in our present state of being, as well as in a future perfected and enlightened state of being....Bear with me---I'll try to at least highlight these aspects of the Soul in this and one or two other lessons B'H....

2. A Defintion---'A PART OF THE DIVINE'

The Soul is refered to as '..part of the Divine..'[Job Ch. 31/verse 2]....These seemingly simple words, convey most of what we need to know about what the Soul is---it's Divine essence, but only a part....

3. A PART of the Divine

Only the lowest part of the Soul is inside of the body....The great majority of the Soul reaches beyond the body up to the highest heights....This explains the essential upward striving of the soul [as if it wants to escape from the body and return to its Heavenly Home].....The Soul, prior to entering the body, was in a World of Souls--a very pure and sublime world---where the souls are as yet untested by the coarse and dark reality of the materialistically oriented body....Besides the Soul's memory of life prior to the body, the Soul also has a super-consciousness that draws from that part of itself that is presently not inside of the body [which comprises the great majority of it's makeup]...Just like a candle flame that is constantly striving to reach beyond it's limiting, grounding wick, the Soul strives to reach beyond the limiting mindset and consciousness that it is presently confined to inside of the body---a striving to grow, to go beyond itself and to somehow return to it's Infinite Divine roots...

4. Internal and Transcendent Levels

As a result of the Souls being partially inside and partially outside of the body---there comes into being 2 inner drives-an internal drive and an external drive;

A. The internal drive is called the 'Ohr Pnimi'-The inner light--where the person seeks to perfect that part of the Soul that is inside of themself....This internal drive is further subdivided into 3 other drives or Soul levels---refered to as;

Nefesh--the lowest level closest to our physicality and experienced as  the inner drive to be active and to do and accomplish...

Ruach-- the middle level experienced as a bubbly overflow of energy and thought associations and insights...

Neshama--the highest level of internal Soul, experienced as that part of ourselves that guides us in Divine purity and wisdom and creativity through a conduit that draws down all of this Divine guidance from above...

B. The external or surrounding or transcendent Drive is called the 'Ohr Makif'--the transcendent drive....This drive is based on the little bit that we can fathom and pick up on of the part of our soul that is beyond our body...It is also subdivided;

Chaya--this is experienced as the part of ourselves that is not concerned with our own personal perfection, but rather with cosmic perfection --Tikun Olam [rectification of the World]. We all have this level accessible to us---but rare is the person whose dominant trait is Chaya....This person is a very inspirational person, a visionary--someone whose main concern for themseves and for all of the myriads of people that they motivate, is to serve as the primary agents of Hashem in bringing one and all in the nation and in the world to a state of healing and enlightenment...

Yechida---this is the highest Soul level, that is experienced as a drive towards pure Dvaikut or G-d consciousness 24/7...The Yechida person focuses all that happens to them in life to be within the context of G-d---constantly seeking ways to bring about a reality for themselves and for the world, where nothing else exists except for G-d---a return to the Infinite Divine Womb...

5. A Part of the DIVINE

The bottom line, is that the Soul is Divine ...It's main drive is G-d...Doing G-d's Will, emulating G-d, being in G-d consciousness..etc...And this is what it is doing inside of the body and inside of the world---where G-d's presence is hidden--the Soul comes to wake up and reveal G-d in the midst of this hiddenness---it comes to transform a person who naturally has a strong inclination to follow bodily, non-G-dly drives--into seeking G-d in the midst of day to day mundaneness.....The Soul is assisted in it's task by Soul-ike aids, such as the Mitzvot, which are all designed to bring G-d into our lives, in all aspects of life--especially those aspects where G-d's presence is not felt or found....The Torah, as well, aids the Soul in its mission--by revealing G-d's Will and guidance, in endless realms of life, where G-d's will and guidance are not known .....Prayer also seeks to bridge this gap....

The Soul, in it's mission to Divinize--goes through a perfection process which spans 1000's of years and many lifetimes, until it finally reaches it's goal and a state of enlightenment...

                           Experiencing the Soul Meditations

****Experience your Soul--your deepest essential self---as reaching beyond yourself--all the way up to the highest of heights--with only the owest part f it inside of yourself....Focus on the fact that that part of yourself -your Soul-that is above and beyond you contains all of the consciousness and wisdom that you will eventually fathom and internalize , as you continue to grow....

****Experience your Soul's lowest level-Nefesh-a a quiet space --a space that
motivates you to act and accomplish things---to be grounded and aware of your body and the world around you-- to be aware that all that you sense and encounter in the world, are opportunities for growth and perfection....

****Experience your Soul's next highest level-Ruach-as a busting, bubbly overflow of energy and ideas and connections and associations and insights--sources of wisdom showing you how everything is unified and comes together when you contemplate it....

****Experience your Soul's next level-Neshama-as a serene and sublime knowing---a knowing that is at one and the same time yours-yet beyond you-- a gift from Above....Feel the purity and joy and love and creativity....Let these feelings fill you up from head to toe....Connect to a deep knowing that is beyond your normal wisdom--and remember this sacred space, so that you can access it when you need to in life....

****Experience your Soul's next level-Chaya-as an inner drive that is concerned not with yourself so much , but rather witht the wellbeing of the world at large....Feel the inspiration that you feel when you begin to envision how you can help to make the world a better place....Let your vision play itself out without any limitations.....Feel how Hashem constantly empowers you and others to contribute to the manifestation of the vision in unique ways that you
and every other person can contribute...

****Experience your Soul's highest level-Yechida-as an inner drive to be at one with Hashem--to return to the Divine Infinite womb--to be motivated in all that you do by nothing else except to be a conduit for G-dliness in the World, especially where G-d's presence is not felt...

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