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First Question: Am I right iu assuming that Ego can work through your surroundings and outside of time (for instance, you are born into a situation that puts you a grave disadvantage, and/or your surroundings misunderstand you and for various reasons build a very disproportionate, negative picture of who you are and accordingly does their best to stop any attempts to make it well in life)?
Second Question: Gil Shir mentions that a big ego can in fact work For you (in the long run). I can see how that is true, but what do you do if right now you have PTSD and ADHD that constantly interferes with your attempts to read, follow a lesson, and think about what you have read or heard? What I’,m saying is that I get constantly side tracked by these things, and trying to study Kabbalah seems to trigger a lot of PTSD, which in turn slows me down. On top of it all I’m a very slow reader…
My who9le life have been building up to this point, to me being able to study Kabbalah, and now I am very afraid that I may not be able to keep up.
I apologize in advance for my lengthy text, and I see the second week has already begun, so I understand if my questions don’t get answered. There will hopefully be another time.
Thank you so much to all our instructors, to Albert, and to my fellow students, for everything.
Hey Jack,
In the first question, I understand what you’re asking. There are two routes here. One, there’s the, let’s say “psychological” route which I suppose you could say, like you mentioned – using the ego. You could find all kinds of ways to try and improve the situation, and really, It’s not just psychological. Let’s say you need to, for instance, take some course to enhance skills or you decide to move locations and “start fresh”. These types of approaches which don’t involve anything you’ve learned or heard about here at KabU, meaning having to do with your attitude towards the guiding upper force and how you relate to it only. I’m also not saying that’s the only approach. It really may be necessary for you to make some kind of changes in this corporeal world, to set yourself down on more “stable ground” so you can focus on what you care about the most. That most certainly may be something you need to do.
Something you would also do is, in parallel, understand where it all comes from and try and engage your point in the heart in the matter. For example, you mentioned the “negative picture of who you are” and here you learn “who you are” is exactly how you were created, and you were created that way on purpose – nothing redundant and nothing by chance – all for the purpose of getting you to come closer to the Source of life.
You don’t have to remind me that this isn’t something that comes naturally nor is it something that a person achieves in one step. There are many steps, many stages, many flavors and colors to this process but it depends on how much a person wants to delve into that kind of work and how much they’re drawn to it depends on the strength of the environment – how much they’ve attached themselves to it.
Regarding the second question, each person has their own path. Not one of us is like the next person. What you’ve got it, your “baggage”, your character, your genes, your upbringing – all of it is necessary for your specific soul to reach correction. We can’t understand the complexity of creation within our logical minds which is why to sense that the Creator is “Good that does Good” has nothing to do with the mind but rather the heart. If the heart doesn’t change, neither will the perception of reality, since perception depends on your contact with the upper force, your similarity to it and therefore the perception of the thought of creation and how/why it has to happen this way.
Appreciate your question and wishing you the best. No matter what you’ll achieve the goal, the question is can you use the carrot or the stick?
Chris
Hi what is the best way to connect with others? Does it make a difference that I live in Australia with different time zones to where the online lessons are held?
Hi Mel,
We are a world wide group. We have students and groups in most countries, including Australia. Each country has its own time zone challenges, but it’s not a barrier that can’t be overcome.
As for the means for connection, right now most of the connection happens through the Q&A forums and live sessions. In the more advanced semesters in KabU, everyone will receive their own virtual Kabbalah group with whom you can put all these things into practice. And after finishing the graduate semester of KabU, there is also the option to join a local KabU group in your area, if that’s what you want.
Albert @ KabU
About the need to find a Master/Teacher: what should that relationship be like? Are they one person or many? Where do I find them (or do they find me)? How important is it to be able to meet them in person and have one-on-one interactions – or can this happen online and in a group setting? Are they more like a coach / mentor, or someone who gives you the knowledge they assess you need and then you go and absorb those things (i.e. like in the traditional teacher-student relationship)?
Hi Marita, great questions!
The teacher is a guide. We have our laboratory, which is the Kabbalistic group, and the teacher guides us on how to properly connect in the group. This is essentially the gist of all of our spiritual work.
Is it one person or many? Right now, there are many instructors that are passing you the foundations of Kabbalah. All the instructors here are senior students of Rav Laitman who have been studying Kabbalah with Rav Laitman for many years and have been extensively trained by KabU to be instructors for beginners. After completing the courses on KabU, you should have a strong enough foundation to connect directly to Rav Laitman’s lessons.
One on one interactions with the teacher are not necessary, since the essence of our spiritual work is group work. But physical contact, especially with the Kabbalistic group, is very important. It’s the foundation of our spiritual work. There is something very special about being in one place, listening to the same thing, breathing the same air, etc. It seems trivial, especially in the post pandemic era, but it’s still a very important part of forming that spiritual connection in the group. This is why we have a few Kabbalah conventions throughout the year, to help us all come together physically once in a while. And the rest of the year, most of the work is done virtually, and that’s perfectly fine.
By the way, there is a KabU retreat happening next week in upstate New York. If you’re able to participate there, it’s highly recommended.
Albert @ KabU
Hello – In regard to the three books that came in the book package some of us bought, how do we know what book to be reading out of and also what pages to be reading as we proceed from week to week?
Hi Dave,
Each weekly lesson has its own recommended reading section. Here’s the Week 1 link.
There are three recommended books for this course. Kabbalah Revealed and Attaining the Worlds Beyond are there to give you a solid foundation in the Wisdom of Kabbalah. Besides the recommended readings, it’s good to read through these books from beginning to end a few times.
Kabbalah for the Student on the other hand is a textbook of primary sources. This is an advanced level book which we’ll be studying from throughout our entire spiritual development. It can be a bit challenging for us without the proper foundation of the previous two books. So for now, it’s best to just stick with reading the recommended reading materials in that book. After you get a good foundation, you can read through that one as well. And in the more advanced phases, we’ll study articles in that book together and in greater depth.
Albert @ KabU
Hi Yusbel,
I’m not sure what you mean by recycling the ego. Maybe you can link me to where you heard that phrase so I can comment within that context.
As for being in harmony with nature, nature is composed of two opposite qualities: bestowal and reception. Harmony in nature is when we find the right balance between those two qualities.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2008/10/nature%E2%80%99s-commandments-the-creator%E2%80%99s-laws/
Albert @ KabU
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