Gold coins. Spiritually speaking, that's exactly what you receive every time you share. This isn't me talking, it's Rav Isaac Luria, the great 16th century kabbalist. He says if only we saw the richness of Light that's revealed every time we give of ourselves, we'd run around all day seeking sharing situations.
When was the last time you really shared? Today, when that little voice in your head whines, "what's in it for me?", answer back: GOLD! Share something - money, time, love — and know that every time you go against your nature and are genuine in your giving, you will receive the spiritual backing to manifest all of your dreams.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
The Inner Point
We're always going to see what's wrong with people. That's easy. But it's not so easy to penetrate into the heart of what is good about a person.
The great 20th century kabbalist Rav Yehuda Brandwein taught his students to look for the inner point within a person; to see beyond the external and into the soul. He would often say, "Do not look at the container, but at what is in it."
Today, when you're in a meeting or at the checkout line or sitting at dinner with a friend or staring in the mirror, look for the good within the person facing you. See the beauty and Godliness within . Find the positive — it's there if you look hard enough.
The great 20th century kabbalist Rav Yehuda Brandwein taught his students to look for the inner point within a person; to see beyond the external and into the soul. He would often say, "Do not look at the container, but at what is in it."
Today, when you're in a meeting or at the checkout line or sitting at dinner with a friend or staring in the mirror, look for the good within the person facing you. See the beauty and Godliness within . Find the positive — it's there if you look hard enough.
Policemen of the Creator
Always remember the kabbalistic principle: there is no coercion in spirituality.
We cannot force our opinions upon others even though we may think it is for their benefit. We are not the policemen of the Creator. We can only share with an open heart and let the Light take care of the rest.
Is there someone that comes to mind as you read this today? Who are you coercing to believe, do, or say what you think is right?
We cannot force our opinions upon others even though we may think it is for their benefit. We are not the policemen of the Creator. We can only share with an open heart and let the Light take care of the rest.
Is there someone that comes to mind as you read this today? Who are you coercing to believe, do, or say what you think is right?
Stand Up For What You Believe
My father's teacher, Rav Brandwein, taught him, "When we come to the upper worlds, we are asked to name the greatest accomplishment of our lives.
Most people answer, "Everybody loved me." These people are told to go back and do it all over again."
The purpose of our Creation is not to tow the line and do as we are told. It is to make waves and to be willing to stand alone if it means standing up for what we believe in.
Today, speak your truth, regardless of what others will think.
Most people answer, "Everybody loved me." These people are told to go back and do it all over again."
The purpose of our Creation is not to tow the line and do as we are told. It is to make waves and to be willing to stand alone if it means standing up for what we believe in.
Today, speak your truth, regardless of what others will think.
Limits of Human Perception
According to kabbalistic teachings, just as we are limited in our ability to see energy on a physical level, we are also limited in our ability to see the energy of fulfillment.
Everything we want could be inches away from our lives, yet we pass right over it.
The reason for this limitation is our five senses. Our five senses prevent us from perceiving total reality. We fail to see radio waves, atoms and TV signals that bounce off the walls of our home. Our five senses act as curtains that filter out most of true reality, leaving us with a very limited picture.
Even medical science tells us that humanity utilizes a mere 4% of our total brain capacity. Where is the remaining 96%?
And how are we to make decisions and judgments in life when we are permitted to glimpse only a microscopic portion of truth?
The great 20th century kabbalist, Rav Yehuda Ashlag, revealed a stunning secret when it comes to our five senses. He said that a human being usually perceives things in the opposite.
For example, consider a person living in total isolation since birth. He's never seen a living creature. Suddenly, placed before him is a newborn calf and a newborn baby. What does he perceive? Well, the baby obviously cannot take care of itself. It cannot walk or move around. It cannot feed itself. The infant cannot perceive his surroundings. If a fire erupted, the child would not sense any immediate danger. In essence, the newborn is helpless.
The calf, on the other hand, immediately perceives its environment. It knows to run from fire.
The person perceiving this situation would now have to assume that the calf is the superior, more advanced and far more intelligent creature.
Rav Ashlag tells us that as much as one creature is advanced and evolved at the beginning of its process of growth, it will be less developed at the end. And as much as another creature is less developed at the beginning of its process, it will develop that much more at the end.
Sure enough, over time, the baby advances far beyond the calf. Meanwhile, the calf hardly advances at all.
How many times have your five senses showed you the opposite in business deals and human relationships? What looked promising and full of potential at the beginning turned out to be disastrous in the end! And vice versa.
This simple analogy is worth pondering this week. Look for opposites and know that nothing is what it seems
Everything we want could be inches away from our lives, yet we pass right over it.
The reason for this limitation is our five senses. Our five senses prevent us from perceiving total reality. We fail to see radio waves, atoms and TV signals that bounce off the walls of our home. Our five senses act as curtains that filter out most of true reality, leaving us with a very limited picture.
Even medical science tells us that humanity utilizes a mere 4% of our total brain capacity. Where is the remaining 96%?
And how are we to make decisions and judgments in life when we are permitted to glimpse only a microscopic portion of truth?
The great 20th century kabbalist, Rav Yehuda Ashlag, revealed a stunning secret when it comes to our five senses. He said that a human being usually perceives things in the opposite.
For example, consider a person living in total isolation since birth. He's never seen a living creature. Suddenly, placed before him is a newborn calf and a newborn baby. What does he perceive? Well, the baby obviously cannot take care of itself. It cannot walk or move around. It cannot feed itself. The infant cannot perceive his surroundings. If a fire erupted, the child would not sense any immediate danger. In essence, the newborn is helpless.
The calf, on the other hand, immediately perceives its environment. It knows to run from fire.
The person perceiving this situation would now have to assume that the calf is the superior, more advanced and far more intelligent creature.
Rav Ashlag tells us that as much as one creature is advanced and evolved at the beginning of its process of growth, it will be less developed at the end. And as much as another creature is less developed at the beginning of its process, it will develop that much more at the end.
Sure enough, over time, the baby advances far beyond the calf. Meanwhile, the calf hardly advances at all.
How many times have your five senses showed you the opposite in business deals and human relationships? What looked promising and full of potential at the beginning turned out to be disastrous in the end! And vice versa.
This simple analogy is worth pondering this week. Look for opposites and know that nothing is what it seems
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Strength in Actions
A person whose strength is in his words, and not in his actions, will always be caught in the world of extremes." - the Zohar
There is tremendous energy in our vows. When we make promises and don't keep them, we create little voids of energy in our lives, which is why we are so often uncomfortable and dissastisifed.
Today, make sure what you put out there matches the truth of what you are doing. If there is any lack between the two, you are wasting your time, says the Zohar.
There is tremendous energy in our vows. When we make promises and don't keep them, we create little voids of energy in our lives, which is why we are so often uncomfortable and dissastisifed.
Today, make sure what you put out there matches the truth of what you are doing. If there is any lack between the two, you are wasting your time, says the Zohar.
Black or White
Nothing is 100% black or white, right or wrong. good or bad.
When you look at reality and say, "I am right," you should always know that there is someone who will come along and say you are wrong. The problem of argument is not who is right or who is wrong — it is that you think that you are right and someone else is wrong!
Be open to another point of view today, even when you are 100% right.
When you look at reality and say, "I am right," you should always know that there is someone who will come along and say you are wrong. The problem of argument is not who is right or who is wrong — it is that you think that you are right and someone else is wrong!
Be open to another point of view today, even when you are 100% right.
Beauty of the Soul
The soul is speaking to the Creator: "Teach me the mysteries of the higher wisdom. How do you lead your flock in the upper world? Teach me so that I will not be shamed when I arrive among the eternal souls, for until now I have not reflected on these mysteries."
The Creator replies to the soul: 'If you don't understand the beauty of the soul, if you return and haven't reflected on the wisdom before you came here and don't know anything of the mysteries of the upper world, then you aren't merited to enter here. Therefore, return again. Study those things that people consider to be unimportant. Learn the secrets of the upper world.'" - The Zohar
Pick up a spiritual book today. Spend a few moments reflecting on why you are alive. Widen your focus. Put your attention on the "beauty of the soul" and what that means to you.
The Creator replies to the soul: 'If you don't understand the beauty of the soul, if you return and haven't reflected on the wisdom before you came here and don't know anything of the mysteries of the upper world, then you aren't merited to enter here. Therefore, return again. Study those things that people consider to be unimportant. Learn the secrets of the upper world.'" - The Zohar
Pick up a spiritual book today. Spend a few moments reflecting on why you are alive. Widen your focus. Put your attention on the "beauty of the soul" and what that means to you.
Express Your Fears
Fears comes from our darker side, the aspect of ourselves that seeks to sabotage our best intentions. But they are not real, which is why we say fear is False Evidence Appearing Real.
The kabbalistic method for breaking the stranglehold our fears have on us is to tell all our crazy thoughts and obsessions to our teacher or a trusted friend. This is a wonderful remedy.
Today, share all those doubts that spring up in your mind and heart. Do not omit anything because of shame. Through getting these things off your chest, you can break the power of the evil urge so that it will not be able to influence you as much the next time.
The kabbalistic method for breaking the stranglehold our fears have on us is to tell all our crazy thoughts and obsessions to our teacher or a trusted friend. This is a wonderful remedy.
Today, share all those doubts that spring up in your mind and heart. Do not omit anything because of shame. Through getting these things off your chest, you can break the power of the evil urge so that it will not be able to influence you as much the next time.
Prayer Delights
Some people don't ask for help from above because they don't think they know how. They feel foolish, inept.
The Maggid of Mezrich writes about this. He says that one who stumbles in prayer is "like a child who is very much loved by his parents. Even though he cannot speak well, his parents have great delight when he asks for something."
Today, feel certain in the fact that when you call out for help, you cries are being heard — and appreciated.
The Maggid of Mezrich writes about this. He says that one who stumbles in prayer is "like a child who is very much loved by his parents. Even though he cannot speak well, his parents have great delight when he asks for something."
Today, feel certain in the fact that when you call out for help, you cries are being heard — and appreciated.
All That Matters
My father and teacher Rav Berg always taught me, "...there is only one thing that is important in this world: the Light. Nothing in this world is important in this world unless it, or they, are connected to the Light."
In the real reality, everything was created only so it could bring the Light of the Creator to the world. The truth is: to be truly important is to be connected to the Light.
Today, know that this connection comes from acts of transformation and sharing. A spark of the Light exists within all of us. We connect to and enflame it every time we place more importance on helping others than helping ourselves.
In the real reality, everything was created only so it could bring the Light of the Creator to the world. The truth is: to be truly important is to be connected to the Light.
Today, know that this connection comes from acts of transformation and sharing. A spark of the Light exists within all of us. We connect to and enflame it every time we place more importance on helping others than helping ourselves.
Mistakes Are Only Mistakes If...
Mistakes are opportunities. Every time we mess up — intentionally or not - there is a chance to learn and go to a new level. In fact, mistakes are only mistakes if we don't learn from them.
Today, forgive yourself for something you've done in the past. Remember, when you fall, you learn.
Today, forgive yourself for something you've done in the past. Remember, when you fall, you learn.
You Haven't Changed One Bit
Is there someone in your life you are really trying to help? You know exactly what they need to do, they may even be open to listening to you, and yet after countless hours of explaining and pleading with them, they're still not changing?
Or at least not as fast as you'd like them to?
How frustrating is that?
The Rav says the only way to help someone change is to "give them breathing space and listen to them."
We are not here to teach people the truth. We are here to turn enough Light bulbs on in their heads so they can see their own truth.
When the Rav says "listen to them", he is telling us to erase ourselves and to be one with people. We are all messengers for one another, and there is a reason why we see the solution to a person's problem. We have been chosen to be there. But it's not our solution. We are just an instrument for delivery.
People need to internalize things in their own time. Just because we "get it" doesn't mean they are going to get it. Giving people breathing space has been one of the secrets of my parents' success. That's why we say, "there is no coercion in spirituality." Everyone has their own process, and it's not up to us to impose our timetable on their change.
The best way to transmit our message is with patience, compassion, understanding, love and old-fashioned listening skills.
Most of us are weak active listeners. Usually when someone is talking, we are already planning our comeback. And how many times do we start our response with, "Yeah, but" - which only negates everything they just told us.
Without feeling where a person is at - and asking the Light to help us communicate from our heart (not our head) - we will only push them further down the hole.
This is a great lesson for all of us this week. We want to remember that we can't crack people open just by telling them the cold, hard truth. Instead, we want to feel what the person is going through, and ask the Creator to help us to be a pure channel through which our message can flow.
When we strive for this, the words won't matter. It's the heart that matters the most.
Or at least not as fast as you'd like them to?
How frustrating is that?
The Rav says the only way to help someone change is to "give them breathing space and listen to them."
We are not here to teach people the truth. We are here to turn enough Light bulbs on in their heads so they can see their own truth.
When the Rav says "listen to them", he is telling us to erase ourselves and to be one with people. We are all messengers for one another, and there is a reason why we see the solution to a person's problem. We have been chosen to be there. But it's not our solution. We are just an instrument for delivery.
People need to internalize things in their own time. Just because we "get it" doesn't mean they are going to get it. Giving people breathing space has been one of the secrets of my parents' success. That's why we say, "there is no coercion in spirituality." Everyone has their own process, and it's not up to us to impose our timetable on their change.
The best way to transmit our message is with patience, compassion, understanding, love and old-fashioned listening skills.
Most of us are weak active listeners. Usually when someone is talking, we are already planning our comeback. And how many times do we start our response with, "Yeah, but" - which only negates everything they just told us.
Without feeling where a person is at - and asking the Light to help us communicate from our heart (not our head) - we will only push them further down the hole.
This is a great lesson for all of us this week. We want to remember that we can't crack people open just by telling them the cold, hard truth. Instead, we want to feel what the person is going through, and ask the Creator to help us to be a pure channel through which our message can flow.
When we strive for this, the words won't matter. It's the heart that matters the most.
You Can Do It, I Can Do It
Kabbalists differentiate between two types of jealousy.
The first is the one we're all familiar with, whether we want to admit it or not. It's the pinch in our hearts when our friend gets what we want. That part of us that says, "why him, why not me?"
This is the worst type of jealousy we can ever have.
When we question why someone else is getting something instead of us, that's it, we're cooked. Why? Because when we question why our friend would receive something, we actually disconnect from our friend.
We create division. What happens the moment we create division with our friend? We create a separation between us and the Light. The Light, of course, being the best, most reliable, loving friend we could ever have.
Not only do we not have what we want, but we're also not happy with our friend; we've created a wall between us and them - and ultimately between us and the Light. This keeps us from getting what we want.
It's a vicious circle. Nothing good comes of it.
What shall be done?
Kabbalists explain there is a form of jealousy that is very positive. It's that voice that says, "Wow, I'm so happy for my friend, I'm glad he has that ! You know what, I want that too! I'd be glad to work for that!"
The first type of jealousy emanates purely from the realm of ego and separation. The second is motivational, and it empowers us to work with the law of cause and effect. It shows us the reason we want what our friend has is because they were sent into our life to make us want what they have - to show us that we can have it too!
Of course, we have to work for it, but when we're chasing down our dream, there can't be a consciousness of lack.
In fact most of us wear the Red String to protect us from evil eye, but do we know where evil eye comes from, and what its effects are? Evil eye is the very consciousness of lack. It's the automatic thought that fires off the second we envy someone, "why don't I have that? They don't deserve it - I do!"
Spiritually, it is equated to stealing energy from a person.
This week, find the things you are jealous of. Realize the reason you are seeing these things is to show you - you can have it too!
Next time you're jealous, go positive.
The first is the one we're all familiar with, whether we want to admit it or not. It's the pinch in our hearts when our friend gets what we want. That part of us that says, "why him, why not me?"
This is the worst type of jealousy we can ever have.
When we question why someone else is getting something instead of us, that's it, we're cooked. Why? Because when we question why our friend would receive something, we actually disconnect from our friend.
We create division. What happens the moment we create division with our friend? We create a separation between us and the Light. The Light, of course, being the best, most reliable, loving friend we could ever have.
Not only do we not have what we want, but we're also not happy with our friend; we've created a wall between us and them - and ultimately between us and the Light. This keeps us from getting what we want.
It's a vicious circle. Nothing good comes of it.
What shall be done?
Kabbalists explain there is a form of jealousy that is very positive. It's that voice that says, "Wow, I'm so happy for my friend, I'm glad he has that ! You know what, I want that too! I'd be glad to work for that!"
The first type of jealousy emanates purely from the realm of ego and separation. The second is motivational, and it empowers us to work with the law of cause and effect. It shows us the reason we want what our friend has is because they were sent into our life to make us want what they have - to show us that we can have it too!
Of course, we have to work for it, but when we're chasing down our dream, there can't be a consciousness of lack.
In fact most of us wear the Red String to protect us from evil eye, but do we know where evil eye comes from, and what its effects are? Evil eye is the very consciousness of lack. It's the automatic thought that fires off the second we envy someone, "why don't I have that? They don't deserve it - I do!"
Spiritually, it is equated to stealing energy from a person.
This week, find the things you are jealous of. Realize the reason you are seeing these things is to show you - you can have it too!
Next time you're jealous, go positive.
Attached At The Hip
The Zohar, the main text of Kabbalah explains that from the moment we come out of the womb, we have our partner - the Opponent - attached at the hip. And it's always there to challenge us.
Our mission is to search for and defeat this enemy within. But, at the same time, we have to keep in mind that fighting our dark side pushes us to greatness.
Today, get to your next level. Get out of your comfort zone. Really connect to the lasting fulfillment that you deserve.
Our mission is to search for and defeat this enemy within. But, at the same time, we have to keep in mind that fighting our dark side pushes us to greatness.
Today, get to your next level. Get out of your comfort zone. Really connect to the lasting fulfillment that you deserve.
Something for Nothing
We each come to this world to earn our fulfillment. That is why, when we receive something for nothing, we feel a certain degree of resentment or unworthiness. The Kabbalists call this feeling "bread of shame". This feeling arises because our soul is of the Light, and it's not in the Light's nature to be a non-sharing receiver.
Today, find out where you enable other people to feel this shame because you give them something for nothing. It could even be too much attention, or control over you, or plain old money. Figure it out and remember that by not allowing people to earn their fulfillment, you are keeping them from their true purpose.
Today, find out where you enable other people to feel this shame because you give them something for nothing. It could even be too much attention, or control over you, or plain old money. Figure it out and remember that by not allowing people to earn their fulfillment, you are keeping them from their true purpose.
You Are God
If you are truly connected to the Light, than you would know that your essence is part of God and you are untouchable.
Would you worry? Would you be depressed? Would you get sick?
As Rav Ashlag says, one of the most important things to know about ourselves is, we are holy within. When we are connected to our holiness, nothing can touch us.
Today, walk around knowing your holiness. See how it feels. If things go against you, remember you can handle it. Just like God. Which you are.
Would you worry? Would you be depressed? Would you get sick?
As Rav Ashlag says, one of the most important things to know about ourselves is, we are holy within. When we are connected to our holiness, nothing can touch us.
Today, walk around knowing your holiness. See how it feels. If things go against you, remember you can handle it. Just like God. Which you are.
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