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Hello,
Given that “there is none else besides Him,” I am curious about experiences we commonly refer to as “coincidence” and/or “synchronicity.” Do these two concepts fit in with the teaching of Kabbalah? Do the Creative Forces use coincidental or synchronistic events to get our attention or communicate in some way?
Thank you,
Dyrk
Hi Seth,
In your response to Bonnie’s post concerning Lishma, you state, “it means to perceive and feel emotions beyond the material world.” In your use of the word “emotions,” how do you mean?
It is my understanding and experience that emotions are corporeal events that occur in the physical body in response to physical or mental stimuli due to mechanisms involving the brain’s limbic system and a multitude of bodily chemicals (neurotransmitters, hormones, etc.).
Do you mean that when we achieve Lishma that we will experience emotional states that are familiar to us in this world but prompted by stimulus that is not of this world? If so, what names can be ascribed to the emotions (ie. happiness, sadness, etc.)? If this is not the case, then are there spiritual experiences called “emotions” that are NOT the same as corporeal emotions?
I long to understand this, given that emotional states are commonly referred to in this phase of study. It is said that any unpleasant emotional states can be considered as a good sign to the one seeking Truth through Kabbalah. It is also said that some “pleasures” take people away from spirituality. (Personally, I’ve had far more emotional suffering since first encountering Kabbalah.)
It is important to me at this juncture (or more accurately, I guess I should say it’s important to my ego) to understand how the word “emotion” is intended to be used in the study of Kabbalah. This is because the crux of Kabbalistic teachings involve choices between pleasure and pain.
When it comes to “emotions” in corporeal terms, they (emotions) seem to be “effects” in response to perceptions of events as being pleasurable or painful. At the same time, we can say that we “perceive” certain emotions themselves as pleasurable (joy, happiness, anticipation, excitement, etc.) or painful (sorrow, anger, dread, fright, etc.). It’s kinda like the chicken and the egg dilemma….?!?!?
ANYWAY, I trust I’ve made some sense in presenting my query. Your added input around the topic of Lishma and how it relates to emotional experiences is deeply valued.
Openly,
Dyrk
I can do this by consciously turning my mind’s attention toward every moment and reminding myself that “all is Him.”
Beach Analogy:Â Â
I can imagine being on a beach where all the creative material is tiny particles commonly known as sand. I can see a created sand castle and simply call it a castle. This castle has different elements which I can discern and understood as “windows,” “doors,” “walls,” “floors,” etc. While each element is understood by its name and function (window, door, etc.), it is simultaneously understand as being “sand.” Beyond the castle structure, there is a whole “world” made of sand. There are houses, barns, fields, fences, roads, trees, animals, towns, cities, etc. Its a very elaborate sand creation! Every individual thing has a name and is known by its form and function (house, barn, tree, town, etc.) and yet everything is also understood as being sand.
Practical Application:
This analogy can come to mind when I am consciously experiencing myself and the world around me. Everything is made of “Spiritual Sand,” in other words, “Sefirot.” There are many different forms and arrangements which I can call by common names, such as mountains (mineral), trees (vegetative), animals (animate), and people (speaking/human), yet I can simultaneously understand everything as being made of “Sand.”
Beyond the physical items, I can also understand every sensation within myself as being made of this same spiritual substance. What makes up the world surrounding me is the same “Stuff” that makes up me on every level (physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.)
Additionally, spiritual Sand–just like corporeal sand–is experienced through different degrees of “coarseness.” The more refined we become through spiritual work in building and using our Masach, the better able we are to filter out the “heavier” particles and work with the “finest” Sand. You might even say we become like glass (from sand) through which Light can truly be Seen.
This is my way of understanding what I am learning at this juncture, anyway. : )
After nearly 10 years of studying Kabbalah through Dr. Laitman’s books and a few online engagements with Bnei Baruch events, my best experience from Kabbalah Revealed – Part 1 was gaining new clarity around the terminologies and use of language, as well as, internal sensations of “re-cognition” that I cannot really articulate.
What most inspired me in the course?
I am most inspired by the generosity of the people doing this work (through KabU and Bnei Baruch) and the care with which each course is designed, shared, and attended by our instructors. I am secondly inspired by knowing I am not alone in my quest for understanding the purpose of humanity, as demonstrated through the participation of other students around the globe.
What have I learned about myself in the process?
I have learned that my egoism runs deep and that just when I think I’m “better” (aka “corrected” in something) I discover a new stain of “receiving pleasure for the sake of pleasure” within myself. I’ve discovered that this work of correction requires a lot of effort, yet effort is required for climbing The Ladder.
What do I wish for my fellow students in their spiritual development?
My wish for my fellow students is to continue in this study and to gain new levels of understanding that will pull them further upward into the Worlds Beyond.
