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How do I eradicate the belief system I have about the Creator, the world and the way things should be as I was taught growing up? I am reading and listening and trying to put things into perspective but still my belief system (ie. ego) gets in the way.
Hi Denise,
In truth, we all have a certain set of baggage with which we come to the wisdom of Kabbalah. But we don’t need to fight these things or to force changes upon ourselves. All the changes we experience here are not due to our own strength or wisdom. Rather all the changes we undergo are due to the force of the light that we extract from the Kabbalistic studies. Ultimately this is the only force that can change us. So it does not matter what baggage you came with. The important thing is to keep placing yourself under the influence of the light, and it will make all the necessary changes and corrections.
For this reason, it’s good to set aside some time to regularly return to the source of the light, meaning to the Kabbalistic sources, videos, lessons, etc. Such a habit will help you throughout your entire spiritual development.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: http://laitman.com/2013/02/sunbathing-in-the-rays-of-the-reforming-light/
Albert @ KabU
From your previous reply I read the article “The Worse, the Better” which put my heart at ease somewhat. Thank you very much.
Still, it is becoming abundantly clear to me how EVERYTHING I do is a result of an egoistical calculation. This is tremendously frustrating.
Now, the only thing I really have to work with is my intention. This has been clear to me for a long time now. Right now, my intention is to “do everything for the sake of the Creator”. I hold on to this intention. Hour by hour, day and night.
I also realised that this very intention itself is based on an egoistical calculation as well :(.
Please tell me that holding on to this intention is enough. I am used to physical pain, I am used to frustration and whatnot. It is not a problem anymore. BUT I need one intention I can hold onto. Otherwise, I have no means of going through the pain.
Hi Niklas,
Our very nature is egoistic. So we shouldn’t expect anything good to come out of our nature. On the contrary, we will see again and again to what extent this ego rules us in everything. And that’s okay. After all, we were created like this on purpose. So no one is demanding of us to be saints, no one is demanding of us to have superhuman strength and to conquer our ego. Nope. All that we need to do, and all that we’re capable of doing actually, is just to try. That’s it. We just need to try to be above the ego. We don’t need to succeed, we just need to try. Such efforts are enough to extract the reforming light and it’s the light that ultimately makes all the corrections on us. Our work is only to extract the light, especially during the Kabbalistic studies, and it does all the rest.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2012/03/building-blocks-of-the-first-spiritual-degree/
Albert @ KabU
I have some trouble with the concept of the human being above all other creatures. We know animals have strong emotional states, and it seems some, like elephants, even have spiritual beliefs and we know many have language
I get that other animals are in tune with the law of nature and humans are not, but there’s some species chauvinism in the way it’s presented that disturbs me. Can you address that?I get the idea of having to change one’s intention and inner state to create change in the world. I agree. But I think many people (myself included) who are working as advocates for the environment are attuned to the oneness of nature and use that as a source of inspiration and as a guide to our work. The connections people make to further that goal are also creating an equivalence of form, right? And though we are different individuals we hold a common idea and intention. How does that differ from a ten besides that the goal is different, though I think many of us are driven by spiritual ideas of balance, harmony and love of creation.
Thanks for your answer. They’re always interesting.
Hi Esther,
You’re right, in practice we see that humans are not above animals. In practice we see that humans are the cause of all the harm in the world. In potential on the other hand, humans are much higher than animals. This is because humans have an egoistic nature while animals do not. So although animals are naturally in tune with nature, this connection is very small, on the level of instincts. Humans on the other hand were given a giant ego that separates them from nature, from the Creator. Which is not a bad thing. Since the bigger the ego, the more that humans have to overcome, and as a result the greater the connection they will ultimately reach with the Creator.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2011/02/the-worse-the-better/
As for creating change in the world, as we learned in the lesson on the perception of reality, the entire external world is a reflection of my own uncorrected state. As such, if I want to change the external world, I need to change myself. In other words the world is perfect. Once I correct myself, I will see it as such.
If you have the time, I recommend that you read Baal HaSulam’s article “Peace in the World“.
https://kabbalahmedia.info/en/sources/hqUTKcZz?language=en
Albert @ KabU
Is this state of equlibrium a static one ? I mean is it the final state that we want to reach?
Or, maybe it is a kind of dynamic balance like during the walking – we keep the balance at every step but we also fall out of the balnce in order to move?
Hi Marcin,
It’s a static state of constant movement.
Check out this blog post from Rav Laitman for more details: https://laitman.com/2010/09/infinite-rest-with-infinite-speed/
Albert @ KabU
1. Equivalence of form. Like the seed that becomes a tree that produces a fruit that has a seed that becomes a tree without much input, without making any resistant to it.
2. I am seeking for the creator because I do not want to suffer anymore or see any suffering as I perceive in my reality. This is not altruistic…this seeking is for my own benefit and gratification
3. I thought that I connect to the creator first and then he will uncover the altruistic love for humanity on me -“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” –
everything outside of the creature is available to him. how then do we “choose” wc ones of these should we “receive” first? do we base it on the levels of our ego that we want to turn into bestowal? for example, my biggest challenge is jealousy – how can i use the surrounding light to transform this?
how can i use the 4 phases of direct light in this situation for me to transform?
Hi Elizabeth,
As I wrote to you earlier in the week 3 forums, (https://kabuconnect.com/forums/topic/ask-anything-about-week-3-lesson-and-materials-and-get-an-answer-from-a-senior-kabbalah-instructor/#post-182996) the focus in kabbalah is not on changing ourselves. Each one of us is perfect. We just need to find where we connect with others. Then we’ll see that there are no redundant qualities in us, each quality can be used in a beneficial way.
Take jealousy for example. Without this quality, we would not have the strength to do spiritual work. After all, spiritual work means rising above our ego. This is something against our ego. But if we tap into the force of jealousy/envy, then it’s like the sages wrote: “envy, lust, and honor take a person out of this world”. Meaning that if we learn how to use these qualities correctly, we can find the right fuel to come out of our egoistic world into the spiritual world, filled with love and bestowal.
Keep in mind that we practice all these things within this safe environment that we call the Kabbalistic group. Outside of the group, we should act normal, just like everyone else. We’ll learn more about all these things and how to apply them practically in the more advanced semesters when everyone will receive their own Kabbalistic group.
Albert @ KabU
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