Kabbalah For Women

Iron Man Robert Downey Jr. Upgrades His Heart And Entire Life As A Result

Just got back from watching Robert Downey Jr.'s Oscar deserving performance in Iron Man that opened this week. For those of you who don't realize, I'm writing from Israel and this brand new movie that just hit box offices this weekend is already here in the holy land!

What does that tell you about Israel? Right - our egos are sooo developed we just have to have things at the same time Americans do - even though it costs millions to pull that off!

But getting back to the review. Awesome movie - I can't recommend it enough. It is right up there with the Matrix series and What the Bleep in getting a very important message (or series of messages) out to the world - right when the world could use it the most:

1) Upgrade your heart - or all the apparatus representing your heart - and you will wake up to a brand new world - guaranteed.

2) There is nothing on earth that can stand in the path of human desire. If we put our minds to exceeding what we thought we could accomplish - we can accomplish much much more than we ever dreamed of.

3) In this world of over-developed egos we are living in - people are driven solely by self-interest. That is the world we created and that is why people at the top of the pyramid think they can get away with murder at this point, because they've had to trample on so many other egos to get where they have.

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The Heart Of The Matter

It is interesting to note how the minute Tony Stark upgraded to a much more advanced type of heart:

1) His entire character became transformed and concerned with the well being of others.

2) He went from having no control over random events to being totally in control.

3) He was no longer limited by time and space - he could influence reality in his own unique manner.

4) He overcame and defeated the evil part of himself (or his company) even though the other part was bigger and stronger.

5) But most importantly, somehow the high-tech heart implant helped him to discover the greatest gift of all - LOVE, that had been right under his nose all along.

May the force be with you - I'm flying off to sleep.

Top Ten Reasons To Come To The New York Kabbalah Congress

Here are the TOP TEN reasons to attend the Living in Unity New York Kabbalah Congress 2008 (sorry, Letterman won't be there as far as I know ...)

1) This event is being endorsed by Tom Hanks - ok in this video he is actually endorsing Obama - but he says he is doing that because of the unity he feels Obama can bring to the table. Nicely put Tom, but if you want real unity - not the fake polite smiles type - come to the Congress.

2) I can assure you that John Hagee the Hitler Pastor of the Cornerstone Church in Texas and CEO of John Hagee Ministries, which telecasts his national radio and television ministry carried in the U.S. (did you catch the video??) talking about how the Jews represent all evil on earth WILL NOT BE ATTENDING THIS EVENT. Not that we have anything against Jew Bashers - it's just that this one is really scary.

3) We wanted to ask President Bush to make an appearance, but we're afraid he's going to get the Australian and Austrian groups mixed up in his speech, the name of the Congress, and possibly his own name at this stage in the game. He's a bit pooped out from running around in circles and getting absolutely nowhere.

4) I would love for Iron Man's Robert Downey Jr. to make a surprise appearance because he and the character he plays in this movie - a superhero with flaws and all - is really what this congress is all about - discovering the superhero in all of us - starring all our flaws and human glory. We can actually use all that to rise to a higher level. (Fantastic movie by the way - highly recommended!)

5) Oprah and her buddy Tom Cruise were scheduled to show up - but the Catskills is roughing it too much for the icons. AND we don't have 3 million copies of any of our books in English yet - sorry Oprah. But seriously, I think Tom Cruise is on the verge of discovering that he hasn't discovered the method for receiving infinite filling - with all due respect Scientology is something a human made up.

But seriously folks, I listened to today's special morning lesson and there are some real serious reasons that did not exist 24 hours ago:

6) Foremost Kabbalist Michael Laitman basically said that this event should be open to the public, because even if a person gets a tiny impression - it's enough to last a lifetime. Normally these events are closed and participants need to go through a screening process to make sure they are actually studying etc. But now Michael Laitman wants as many people as possible to be exposed to the solution to all our illls.

7) Rav Laitman once spoke about America having ideal conditions for spiritual advancement back in 2005, but today he said it a little differently. He said that the U.S. wants to be an example to the world of how we should exist. They always want the whole world to follow them - so great - start promoting the wisdom of Kabbalah and let the whole world follow you.

Now one of the sayings passed down to us throughout the generations by the great Kabbalists is that there is a pleasant way to go about this and and unpleasant way. Go about what? Discovering the meaning of our lives of course. So far America has chosen the unpleasant way, and the results are all around us. We have more stuff than any generation ever had but feel emptier than ever. And everything we hold dear is disintegrating in front of our eyes.

So if you are not convinced yet here are the 3 final reasons to come to the congress - I'd rather do this the pleasant way - but you really leave me no choice - please note that these 2 are just from today:

8) Hundreds of people have been killed after a powerful cyclone pounded parts of Myanmar.

9) According to Buffet - the recession will be longer and deeper than most people think.

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10) Most importantly - it's probably the only place on earth where you won't hear a single word about the Democratic race !!! Now that's what I call FREEDOM.

New York Living In Unity Congress 2008
May 30th, 2008, 2pm till June 1st, 2008, 3pm at Fallsview Resort, 1195 Nevele Rd, Ellenville, NY 12428

Austria: How much worse can it get?

I feel a huge post coming on, but every time I want to start something else upstages the last horror story.

As someone who has been studying authentic Kabbalah for almost seven years, I understand why all the scum is rising to the surface in our time, more with each passing day, so I am not really shocked by anything I hear. Foremost Kabbalist Michael Laitman explains it all in his personal blog better than I can.

However, Austria's latest incest/imprisonment crime that has an entire country soul searching for answers is in a league of its own. I think of Elizabeth Fritzl when I go to sleep and first thing when I wake up each morning. And read every scrap of news on this horror story that really happened here in our world. But that's not going to change anything. None of us mourning over her lost years or abuse and the circumstances surrounding how she brought seven children into the world is going to change anything.

The crap is rising to the surface everywhere - and these examples are only from the last 2 weeks:
- Rabbis are being charged with sex abuse crimes
- Cult leaders 'lie naked with virgins"
- Ex-Scientology kids reveal abusive childhoods
- We discovered this polygamous sect on a ranch in Texas
- And the Polygamist 'prophet' sect leader who is going to jail for rape
- Video of teen beating raises questions (girls!)
- Pedophile priests in the church (this has been going on forever)

Apart from how our escalating egos are revealing our true nature - nature is trying to get a message out to us so we'll finally understand how far off track we've strayed:

- Virus alert in China after 23 children die
- Americans are dying in tornadoes
- There is a measles epidemic on the way
- Emerging global food crisis got us all thinking
- Scientists discover that harming nature harms us (environment)
- We're losing 20% of the earth's largest fresh water lake

And the list goes on and on. But of course we are not letting any of this distract us from one of the most expensive democratic political races in the history of the world. Or staying glued to American Idol 7 to see who will survive to the end. As long as we keep our priorities in order everything will be fine.

Meanwhile over the last few months here in Israel:
Former President Katsav is dealing with rape charges
Current Prime Minister Olmert is going to have to step down
Former Prime Minister Sharon's son serving time

But to get back to the main story about this woman who was betrayed by her father of all people and had to watch her offspring growing up in atrocious circumstances - everyone is asking how something like this could happen in a nice little town. And talking about how something will need to change. But that change will not come from anything external.

The only way to reverse the situation is by making a change inside. When current affairs bring us to the brink of destruction we will discover how we are really all in one boat, and we will be left with no choice but to rise above everything in our world by connecting and uniting as one. So the only real solution is to begin thinking of others as if they are part of your own family. Once all of humanity changes its attitude from self-interest to altruism, we will all rise to a higher state together and discover eternity.

The choice is ours and ours alone. No one is going to make it for us. Everything else was delivered to us on a platter but this time we're on our own.

ARI Online’s Band Takes Center Stage at Second Life Book Fair

Second Life – April 25, 2008. The ARI Kabbalah Center Band made its debut at the Second Life’s Book Fair on April 25, 2008. The band members belong to ARI Online, a Second Life  Educational Kabbalah Center that introduces Second Lifers to the authentic Kabbalah.  A peaceful mood permeated the concert hall when guitarist Kabbal Laville (Doug Etheridge), drummer Shlomo Oh (Gene Shklover), and keyboardist EddyJai Ryba (Edward Rodgers) took the stage and played the intriguingly harmonious music of the late Baal HaSulam to Second Lifers. Avatars mingled quietly while enjoying the sounds of the band.

A lecture on the Introduction to the Authentic Kabbalah by speaker Akme Aeon (Andrew Martin) followed the concert.

Akme discussed the principles of Kabbalah, an ancient wisdom which explores the basis of spirituality. According to Akme, timeless questions debated by intellectual sages throughout the ages such as why we are born, and what is the meaning of our lives, are answered through the Wisdom of Kabbalah, which according to Akme, is a holistic method of attaining peace within, on a spiritual level. 

ARI Online Group has open membership, and conducts ongoing free lectures including question and answer sessions, as well as concerts. The group’s next lecture is scheduled for May 4, 2008 at 6:00 PM, SL time.

For more information and to pre-register for lectures please contact Shlomo Oh at SLKabbalah@gmail.com

About The Food Crisis

A big portion of today's morning lesson was dedicated to the global food crisis. In all the years I've been studying with Bnei Baruch I've never seen the guys like this - demanding that Kabbalist Rav Michael Laitman provide them with a practical answer to explain the crisis in a way that people can understand.

He says there is no point trying to talk to the big decision makers, because those people had to step on so many others to get where they are. We need to use the media to get to the masses.

I'm skipping right to the last 15 minutes which you will understand better by hearing the whole segment:

Eli Vinokur: What does it mean to equalize with the Creator?

Rav: We're learning that we're not doing anything in our world. It is the upper force directing us. In our world we only need to make sure everyone has an equal amount - the minimum - but the correction comes only toward our attitude to nature's force. Treating others nicely won't help you. You have to treat the upper force nicely - you have to match its behavior. If you have all the rice in the world right now and you hand it out to everyone else you will bring the world to an even greater blow than before. Even greater than the current hunger. If you begin to fill peoples' need for rice and that alone without the correction which is equalizing with the upper force you will bring the world to even greater trouble such as a world war instead of this hunger.

Eli Vinokur: How is this correction expressed in the masses? For the other 99.9%? They don't understand about this relationship with the upper force. What do they do these hungry people?

Rav: I'm telling them that if you start thinking about each other then everyone will have something. This attitude will do wonders. You will feel that everyone has what they basically need. The order of forces to act in the world will change in this way. We effect the world with our desires, minds and hearts. This is what changes the upper force and effects us. By that we feel it as good. It's not going to help to work with your hands and legs if you are detached from this force. You have to work along with it. And if you do anything - give out food, without the intention of why you're doing it then you're acting against the Creator.

Avihu Sofer: One of the problems is that people are used to doing certain things to resolve this problem. "Changing their attitude" like you said - first of all it's really unclear how this is achieved, and second of all how it affects a series of corporal actions?

Rav: There is a big detachment here and we are way way behind in our correction but we don't have a choice. We have to use all the media channels to talk 24 hours only about that. Forget about the soap operas and news - you don't want to listen to the news anyway. You want to listen only to that - about how we correct ourselves - how we correct the world - through equalizing with the force that acts in nature. You don't need to be a vegetarian. We don't need to give to each other in any physical manner, but just first of all change our attitude toward each other.

Without loving our friends as ourselves the forces acting in the world will become more and more negative.

The daily morning lesson given by Kabbalist Michael Laitman in Israel is broadcast to the world through www.kab.tv with simultaneous translation to seven other languages. So this special segment on the global food crisis (English) can be viewed in French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Turkish and Hebrew (original).

The message is definitely out there. We are just waiting for the world to pick it up.

14th Kabbalah Today Explores our Culture and Civilization

  The 14th issue of the Kabbalah Today newspaper is now available and it couldn't have come at a better time:

Note from the Editor:
For this issue of Kabbalah Today, we decided to explore the characteristics of our culture and civilization—from the Kabbalistic perspective, of course. Here’s what we found: Whether it’s our consumption-mania, the ever-growing obesity problem, or the fact that 50% of American couples today are getting divorced, there is one thing that stands out— truly satisfying fulfillment is missing in our lives. Or, to be Kabbalistically accurate, we lack spiritual fulfillment.

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The Untold Story of: a Consumer Nation
Stuff. It fills our closets, our garages, and our lives. We gauge success in life by the stuff we own, and spend incredible amounts of time shopping for it. A new documentary, The Story of Stuff, shows how our entire lives have been taken over by “stuff.” And the wisdom of Kabbalah shows what we can do about it
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Generation I
In our generation - generation “I” - every person is unique. But the true art is knowing how to be unique
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Man, Woman, and the Snake Between Them
For centuries, the story of Adam and Eve has captured the imagination of children and adults alike. It’s time to know the true meaning of the story, who that cunning little snake was, and of course, how all this relates to the fact that 50% of American couples today are getting divorced
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Obesity: A Lack of Spiritual Food?
Everyone today is counting their calories - but the obesity problem only keeps growing. Kabbalah explains that this epidemic is yet another symptom that the modern human being is not getting his “spiritual food”
Read Article >>>

Sneak-a-Peek @ the book Path of Kabbalah
Exodus - the Worldwide, 21st Century Version
The dramatic story of the exodus from Egypt is much more than a milestone on he Hebrew calendar. According to Kabbalah, it describes the liberation from egoism, and the whole of humanity is about to experience it
Read Article >>>

We Are All in Deep (Drinking) Water
According to the latest research, we can start thinking of our water faucets, and even store bought bottled water, as an all-purpose pharmacy. Whether it’s anti-depressants or antibiotics, prescription or over the counter - if others are taking it, so are you
Read Article >>>

New York 'Living in Unity' Kabbalah Congress 2008: may 30 - june 1

While we clean the hametz out of our heart in preparation for Pesach, there are huge preparations taking place right now for the 'Living in Unity' Kabbalah Congress 2008, that will take place in New York from May 30th to June 1st.

Here is a clip highlighting the most touching moments from our last congress here in Tel Aviv. It's with Hebrew subtitles but there are lots of people talking in English. If you listen with your heart you will hear that even though we had people from over 40 countries - everyone is basically talking the same language.

Here's what the New York congress is all about:

For thousands of years the Kabbalists taught that the love of another is the sole means of attaining the Upper Force. To succeed in reaching such relations between us, a fundamental change in our grasp of reality should take place. At the very heart of the process lies the need to transform the egoistic nature with which we were born, to the quality of giving to the other. In doing so, we gain the experience of a new spiritual reality. 

The subject and main goal of the upcoming congress is unity among friends. We chose this subject out of the need to create that spiritual vessel called Arvut. To attain this goal friends are assembled from the world over who are yearning for the unity among friends according to the condition “one man, one heart,” as is explained in the article of Baal Sulam called "Arvut".

Here's an update about who is attending:

We have friends coming to the congress from more than 12 countries, including South Africa, Austria, Cameroon, Brazil, and India. At this time there are over 165 friends registered to attend, not counting physical groups in North America, which are registering separately. Friends are coming from more than 35 states, including a few friends from Alaska and Hawaii. More and more friends register every day, counting days and nights before this breathtaking event filled with Love and Light finally blesses their day.

Have YOU registered yet?

Scientists Still Searching For Answers - New Expelled Movie

Another crazy week has gone by in the world but the craziest thing I've heard so far is how biologist PZ Myers (who looks like a perfectly harmless guy) got expelled from a screening of the new movie Expelled starring Ben Stein.

Of course it would have to be another Jew trying to lead humanity to the answers - too bad this movie isn't delivering any real new information to the search - apart from highlighting how scientists are losing their jobs for trying to get to the heart of the matter.

Oh well, looks like some more stuff has to happen before all these scientists wake up and discover where the answers are. Luckily, the scientists from What The Bleep have already discovered that.

Social Trends: Happiness and Spiritual Awakening

It was really nice to get a package today from Ann Pryor of McGraw-Hill - she sent me two wonderful books all the way to Israel from today's emerging Happy Gurus:

Happier - Learn the Secrets to Joy and Daily Fulfillment, by Tal Ben-Shahar, PhD, the Harvard professor everyone is raving about with the most popular university class on the planet ... teaching happiness and how to achieve it.

Here is an excerpt:

"Happiness perception is about recognizing that happiness is the ultimate currency, the end toward which all other goals lead. Happiness perception is not about rejecting the material but rather dethroning it from its status as the highest on the hierarchy. Aristotle understood this when he wrote that 'happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence,' as did the Dalai Lama, who asserted that 'whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in this religion or that religion, the very purpose of our life is happiness, the very motion of our life is towards happiness.' The currency through which we take stock of our life — our perception of what matters — has wide-reaching consequences, for our personal lives and for society as a whole. We enjoy higher levels of well-being when we recognize and internalize the fact that happiness is the ultimate currency."

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Wake Up Now - A Guide to the Journey of Spiritual Awakening, by Stephan Bodian. To read an excerpt click here.

This is from the publisher's site:

Stop sleepwalking through life. The secrets of peace and happiness are right in front of your eyes. It's time to open them.

To wake up to your authentic spiritual nature, you don't need to spend countless years sitting in a Zen monastery, undergo a near-death experience, or travel halfway around the world to study with celebrated teachers. Enlightenment is right here, right now. It is yours for the taking. You only have to open your eyes and recognize it once and for all.

In this illuminating book, acclaimed spiritual teacher Stephan Bodian takes you on a journey straight to the heart of your true self. The journey may be filled with challenges, but the rewards are precious beyond belief. By lifting the veil and seeing yourself for who you truly are, you can at last find peace and contentment in everything you do.

A profound and practical guidebook for this extraordinary journey, Wake Up Now gives you a step-by-step road map for walking the pathless path at every stage of your spiritual quest, from your first moments of seeking to your initial glimpse of awakening through the ongoing process of embodying your realization in everyday life. With gentle direction, free from complicated jargon or elaborate practices, Stephan Bodian provides you with the tools you need to follow your path, including customized “Breathe and Reflect” exercises in every chapter and “Wake-Up Calls” that offer you daily ways to glimpse the deeper truth behind the ordinary.

Introduction To Authentic Kabbalah On Second Life

ARI Online Kabbalah Education Center Opens Virtual Classroom For Second Life Community

Toronto, Canada – March 28, 2008 – ARI Online Kabbalah Education Center, a leader in distance learning and Internet TV is proud to announce the opening of a virtual classroom for the Second Life community, the most popular virtual reality environment in the world. ARI Online has designed a new introductory course on the wisdom of Kabbalah specifically for residents of the virtual world called, “Understanding Yourself Through Kabbalah”. The first introductory Second Life lecture will take place on Sunday March 30 at 6:00PM SDT.

Foremost Kabbalist Rav Michael Laitman, PhD, the founder and president of the Ashlag Research Institute commented on the expansion to the virtual world, “There are millions of people using Second Life and our hope is to attract them to Kabbalah, explain what the wisdom of Kabbalah is and how much it can benefit them.”

The Second Life curriculum provides a response to escalating global issues by demonstrating how we all interconnected at a higher reality. The goal is to begin recognizing this parallel reality to ours in order to restore harmony on our planet. By teaching us how to reach wholeness, completeness and balance with nature, the method of Kabbalah enables us to discover our role in creation, and what can be done to lead the world to stability and peace. Classes also provide insights about where the world is heading, and how we can help avoid future crises.

The Second Life series of lectures will address the many misconceptions about Kabbalah while shedding light on current affairs: The escalating global crisis: natural disasters, terrorism, collapse of health and education systems, collapse of the economy; Freedom of choice -- where we have it and where we don't; Reality -- how we can expand our perception of the reality we live in and learn to design it.

According to North American Director Tony Kosinec who has introduced thousands of students to authentic Kabbalah over the years, “Second Life’s virtual reality environment provides the ultimate conditions for becoming acquainted with the hidden wisdom. People from all walks of life are very drawn to these concepts but prefer to participate in an anonymous manner until they understand what it is truly about.”

To reserve a seat in the Second Life classroom contact Shlomo Oh or write to slkabbalah@gmail.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Second Life citizens can join the class here.

About ARI

The Ashlag Research Institute is dedicated to bettering humanity through research and education. The Institute researches the ancient and contemporary wisdoms, to reveal the integral and global system of laws exhibited in today's world; the same laws that are the foundation of universal existence. Through this research the Institute intends to reveal a coherent understanding of the natural phenomena transforming our world, and provide solutions to the current global crisis. The Institute is committed to sharing its research with all of humanity via multimedia channels in popular and attractive formats to provide insight, direction, and solutions. The Ashlag Research Institute welcomes open dialogue, collaboration and joint research with all interested organizations and individuals.