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i’m thinking of big ideas like helping to achieve world peace and the like, but, while they seem true and i agree tih such ideas, tbh the most genuine answer i can find for now is “to learn more about this path of Kabbalah and to continue improving in the ways that are opening up to me.”
i’m not really sure about my answer about What is freedom?, since it actually came up for me, as a question, in week 1, video 1 and seemed like a ‘conundrum’, which is a word i’ve come to appreciate, as often confusing solutions all seem equally plausible. But, after video 2, and reading Shamati 15-19, i would ask (based on the assumption that freedom = choice): “Does freedom in Kabbalah’s pov mean that once we’re ‘in the holiness’ that the only thing we can choose is to stay in it “the King’s Palace”, (rather than give in to the pull of descent and ‘normal life’ pleasures and pass times)?
On pages 17/18 of Shamati, Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag writes: “when one feels that now he is in a state of ascent, and feels some good flavor in the work, he must not say: “Now I am in a state that I understand that it is worthwhile to worship the Creator.” Rather he should know that now he was favored by the Creator, hence the Creator brought him closer, and for this reason he now feels good flavor in the work. And he should be careful never to leave the domain of Sanctity…”
i’m thinking in this way of “freedom” as such a limited “freedom of choice”, since it seems like if “There is None else than Him”, then even our traditionally ‘bad or good’ actions and thoughts wouldn’t be ours to have chosen (and to this i thought we might be like a Kabbalistic version of Pharaoh who asks to God “Why did You harden my heart?”)
as for the 2nd part of the question, i’m thinking maybe it’s not unlike Rousseau’s concept of General Will, in Shamati, p. 19: “Through these calculations he loses his individuality and avoids being trapped by the Sitra Achra, which is the will to receive for his own benefit.” Only, a bit different in that the General Will would be universally determined by God and we can achieve freedom, with help of the Reforming Light, through efforts to overcome the pull of descent into ‘normal life’, or maybe better to go with choosing to stay in the Palace by cultivating the desire to cleave to the Creator.
it took a few tries irl to do the exercise and sometimes i don’t exactly do it completely, but, even then, i’m aware of what’s going on more; So, when i do succeed to a certain degree: first of all, it’s like a quiet observer’s private secret (and kind of fun, altruistic sneakiness? lol); secondly, i noticed that nothing really changes if i don’t interfere with the moment’s flow; meaning: i used to think certain interactions or “decisions” etc were each time very worthy of attention and standing up for what i thought was right (or what i thought i wanted). Ultimately, it doesn’t seem to matter most of the time and somewhat curiously, perhaps, my special someone has been happier. Oh! and i liked especially the idea of our special shared space/moments and i laughed when i realized that they can be literally any mundane activity, as banal as can be, but… the “quiet observer’s private secret” mentioned above is like a floating awareness of love and harmony… that, maybe is ‘bestowing’ ? although not really giving anything in particular; just room to breathe and be happy (which doesn’t seem so insignificant after all). and finally, it’s not really like this, but seems a bit like baby-sitting a toddler, enjoying their exploration and experience of their expanding inner joy… but ! this is very new, so, we’ll have to see how it develops… thanks for this Lab for personal growth. i look forward to continuing and hoping for the best
good day to all ! i’m Csilla (which is pronounced Chill-a and the meaning is like “star”) originally my family is from Hungary and i began KABU’s course “Kabbalah Revealed” hoping to learn something about Kabbalah and became amazed by what’s been going on in real life, as a result from the weeks in that course. i hope to be dazzled by the Zohar’s Light, as it seems to be full of life enhancing secrets. i’m truly grateful that the opportunities to expand my conceptions and outlook on life in this way have been made available. best wishes and good luck to everyone !
as i sit here trying to think of what it means to me, i’m reminded after a while that it’s like everything is calm in the world and it feels like being in Winter pyjamas, under a down comforter, snug and warm. but, upon seeing the quote, the first thing coming up was my mind thinking it could be eyn od milvado from the biblical verse and then, the song by Avraham Fried (found it online and had a listen). tbh, before the “after a while” i felt a bit of a struggle to even conceptualize, as if i hadn’t enough mental energy to ‘merge’, so i’m grateful for this Preparation question, since it brought me to abandon my resistance…
i think the best experience was the overall happiness in spontaneously perceiving a Divine Oneness behind everything that’s been happening to me during the weeks of the course; and, an inner smile every time i realize how simple things are and laughing at myself for how much drama i was perceiving as chaos. i truly expect these types of things to continue taking hold on me and deepening throughout the next course… thanks !
