The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. Marcel Proust
The question of "Self" is one that has since the beginning of time been contemplated. The question appears in the very first story of the bible - the story of Adam and Eve. After committing their primal sin, they are frightened and hide themselves among the trees of the garden. The voice of G-d is heard calling unto Adam: Where art thou?
This question, like the entire tale, is emblematic of human life. The question can be invoked and, on the other hand, can also come to a person not only when he is hiding from G-d, but even when he does not know that he is hiding from G-d. The question can present itself to someone hopelessly without aim or purpose, just as it can haunt someone who imagines that everything is clear and understandable to him. To anyone, at any time whatever, the question may be flung: Where are you?
If it were not for the confusion inevitably in the formulation of the answers without questions - that is, answers without inner immediate meaning - man might, like other creatures, have been able to feel the essence of himself more clearly and simply; there would be no problem about the direction he has to take. His instinctual makeup, the elementary existence in him, would guide him to finding his place in the world and to his understanding of himself. But after the sin of knowingness, the luminous simplicity of his way is lost to him. He does indeed gain the power of doubt and uncertainty, but he loses the primal feeling of his place and position.
Therefore the questions with which a man begins are not the one he might have dared to ask in purity: Where am I? Where am I going? What am I doing? The questions he hears, not from within but from without, as the voice of G-d asking Adam what he does not dare to ask himself: Where art thou? Thus, he may repeat to himself: Where art thou? The only thing he can say with any degree of certainty is that he has lost his way and is hiding; he cannot say anything more positive.
The point is that the consequence of sin, whether experienced directly or indirectly in the guise of open or repressed guilt feelings, is that man hides himself from G-d, that the place he happens to be is a hiding place, and in order for him to move at all he has to hear the question, Where? Where are you? The voice in the garden is still reverberating throughout the world, and it is still heard, not always openly, or in full consciousness but nevertheless still heard in one way or another, in a person's soul.
In the search for oneself it is helpful, if not necessary, to draw from several different traditions and spiritual practices. As my fundamentalist friends quote, "In my father's house are many mansions ... ," failing to realize they have restricted those mansion to one room. Using the aforementioned example, we can see the necessity of drawing from several traditions; the areas of restriction that are in one tradition are perhaps unrestricted in another tradition.
Have you dared to be different? Have you dared to dream? Dare to take this thought to the extreme and be a real hero. Dare to build bridges of brotherhood and peace. Dare to look with eyes of love, with a mind and heart that recognizes we are all one!
The Baal Shem Tov states, "In all that is in the world dwell Holy Sparks, no things is empty of them; in the actions of men also, indeed even in the sins he does, dwell Holy Sparks of G-d."
The movement of a single blade of grass in the depths of a forest, on a stately mountain, or in a deep valley where man has never passed... to its right or to its left... throughout its entire life is determined according to Divine Providence.
Thus the concept of Divine Providence teaches that the bond of unity that G-d shares with the world is active in nature.
Not only is G-d at one with the world, but there is an inner dynamic working to bring that oneness into open revelation.
Every element of existence, from an insignificant blade of grass to a conscious human being, has - and plays - its role in expressing this oneness.
We must appreciate that every situation in which G-d has placed us has a singular purpose, to afford us with an opportunity to reveal His oneness.
And when a man appreciates this, he will be able to live a happier and more fruitful life. He will not be encumbered by worries and fears for material concerns, for he will realize that at every moment, his needs are being cared for by G-d Himself.
As the ultimate purpose of G-d's providence surges to fulfillment, every individual should actively seek his role in this initiative and should endeavor to join all elements of existence in this thrust. And this will lead to the ultimate expression of G-d's Providence, the era when "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of G-d as the waters cover the ocean bed."
Some schools of thought teach that whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and in each part the whole exists. Perhaps a cross cultural approach will awaken higher levels of understanding within. Just as one key does not open every door; often it takes several different keys or tools to unlock the doors that lead to wisdom.
From Judaism there is PARDES an acrostic for the four ways of interpreting the Torah-Bible. P'shat is literal, the simple, the straight forward meaning, the grammatical, whose audience level is the common man; Remez are hints and allegories, whose audience level is the aristocrat; Drash the Sages interpretations, it is the story explored, whose audience level is the kingly; Sod is hidden, the mystical, whose audience level is the mystic. Each level of understanding draws into a heightened awareness and higher understanding. Each of the four levels of interpretation incorporates all of the other levels. Within the level of sod, for example, there is the p'shat within
sod, the remez within sod, the drash within sod, and the sod within sod.
PLEASE READ WARNING AT BOTTOM OF PAGE!
From Kabbalah, we have an accurate method that investigates and defines mans position in the universe. Kabbalah wisdom tells us the reason why man exists, why he is born, why he lives, what the purpose of his life is, where he comes from and where he is going after he completes his life in this world. It teaches us about the spiritual world, and by studying it, we develop another sense. With the help of this sense, we can be in touch with the upper worlds. Man learns about himself, who he is, what he is like. He learns what he needs to do now to change himself stage by stage and step by step. He conducts his research through his inner self.
PLEASE READ WARNING AT BOTTOM OF PAGE!
From Jungian Spirituality, there are four ways of interpreting reality: Sensation, Thinking, Feeling, and Intuition. These consist of two opposed pairs: Thinking is the opposite of Feeling, and Sensation the opposite of Intuition. When a person has the Thinking function they have a head type way of looking at the world. When a person has the Feeling function they have a heart type way of looking at things. While Sensation is an orientation outward function to physical reality and Intuition an inward function to psychic reality.
From the Hindi Tradition there is "The Four Yogas" consisting of: Jnana, Bhakti, Karma, and Raja. Jnana Yoga or Jnana Marga which is the Yoga of wisdom and develops the Intellect or will. Bhakti Yoga, the Yoga of devotion, opens the heart. Karma Yoga, the path of action of selfless service. Raja Yoga, the royal or psychological which involves the mind. A branch of Raja Yoga which is Hatha Yoga that prepares the Yogi for the higher stages of Raja Yoga.
From Buddhism, the practice entails consistent meditation and mindfulness for the purpose of reducing one's poisons or delusions and arriving at a clear state of mind - the Enlightened Mind of the Buddha. All Buddhists share this common goal: to bring an end to suffering by taming the mind. Since the human condition contains many different forms of suffering, the Buddha taught many paths to liberation, which are now practiced throughout the world. The Tibetan practices share a distinctive motivation: they are undertaken to end not only one's own suffering, but also the suffering of all other beings, to each of whom we owe a karmic debt.
From the five principal spiritual traditions of Tibetan Buddhism: Bön, Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu and Gelug. Tibet's oldest spiritual tradition is Bön. Tönpa Shenrab, is the founder of the Bön religion, the doctrines taught are generally classified into two types, first, The Four Portals and One Treasury (sGo-bzhi mDzod-lizga). The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism traces its origin to the Indian adept, Guru Padmasambhava, it divides the entire Buddhist teachings into Nine Vehicles. The principal philosophical teaching of the Sakyapa Tradition is the Lam Dre system, a profound explanation of the tantric path to Enlightenment based on the Hevajra Tantra. The Kagyu Lineage is known as the lineage of oral transmission. The Sakya tradition is closely bound up with the Khon ancestral lineage, which derived from celestial beings.
From Kundalini, we find the latent energy, an enormous reserve of untapped potential within each of us. It is normally depicted as a coiled or sleeping serpent, located in an area towards the base of the spine. By gradually awakening this serpent, and releasing its power ("shakti") we benefit from an elevation of consciousness, promotion of physical well-being, an expansion of awareness, and a transformation of life. Kundalini Yoga is the flow of energy and consciousness that already exists within each one of us. The practices enable you to merge with the universal Self. This merging of individual consciousness with universal consciousness creates a "divine union" called "yoga." The technology of Kundalini Yoga applies its science to our bodies and minds, and is aimed at spirit that has no boundaries, no discrimination. Therefore, it is for everyone. It is universal and nondenominational.
"By better understanding the self and its mysteries, we gain tolerance and compassion for others. It is in this relaxed state that we can express our infinite potential for love, creativity, and freedom. It is here that we can begin to experience the oneness of all things and the love inherent in all creation." - Yogi Bhajan
From Enneagram, we find a powerful psychological and spiritual system describing nine basic personality types. Recently, many have come to believe that it was known to the Sufis who used it as part of their mystical training practice. There are two major areas of scholarship dealing with the enneagram. The first area concerns the psycho-spiritual aspects of our existence. It deals with the psychology of human personality and how that may be transformed into spiritual qualities. The second area concerns an ancient description of a dynamic process that explains two fundamental laws of the universe: the law of three and the law of seven. Although the Enneagram of Personality includes some aspects of this approach, it is not its primary focus.
The physical is not the only criterion of truth: there are also psychic truths. The catalyst of the search for oneself is the "Job Experience," a shattering encounter with God out of which we are transformed. As G-d Wrestlers, we arrive at a heightened awareness, which guides us into transformation, a metamorphosis. Within the process of bringing all or some of these practices and function into to operation one is lead to realization of God, and the realization of the Self; the transcendent function or fifth dimension if you please.
Other forms of spirituality, when brought into our own understanding enrich, enhance and expand what we already have ... "Our Own Personal Truth and Belief." At the heart of this understanding is the recognition that "Truth" exist outside of our limited understanding. A good starting point for the meditation is not what makes us different from each other, but what makes us the same. There are certain universal truths: don't we all breathe the same air, bleed the same color, and shed the same tears of happiness and sorrow, etc. All of mankind is but on species.
As an example, the Yoga system of Patanjali-The Eightfold Path. Bring into this meditation exercise your personal understandings to explore and expand.
1. Yama (moral conduct); fulfilled by non-injury to others, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and non-covetousness.
2. Niyama (religious observances); prescripts are purity of body and mind, contentment in all circumstances, self-discipline, self-study (contemplation), and devotion to G-d.
3. Asana (right posture); the spinal column must be held straight, and the body firm in a comfortable position for meditation.
4. Pranayama (control of prana); the subtle life currents.
5. Pratyahara (withdrawal); of the senses from external objects.
6. Dharana (concentration); holding the mind to one thought.
7. Dhyana (meditation).
8. Samdhi (super conscious experience).
This Eightfold Path of Yoga leads to the final goal of Kaivalya (Absoluteness), in which the yogi realizes the Truth beyond all intellectual apprehension. (Yogananda 231, 232)
Quoting a warning from Aryeh Kaplan's book on "Meditation and Kabbalah," the following is from Talmud:
Four entered the Orchard (Pardes). They were Ben Azzai, Ben Zoma, the Other, and Rabbi Akiba. Rabbi Akiba warned, "When you enter near the stones of pure marble, do not say 'water water,' since it is written, 'He who speaks falsehood will not be established before My eyes'" (Psalms 101:7).
Midrashic Commentary:
The Orchard (Pardes, from which we get the word Paradise), is a different dimension of reality, not accessible by usual means of sight, touch, hearing.. It can be accessed by use of the methods of Kabbalah. WARNING
Azzai gazed and died. Regarding it is written, 'Precious in God's eyes is the death of His saints' (Psalms 116:15).
Ben Zoma gazed and was stricken. Regarding him it is written, 'You have found honey, eat moderately least you bloat yourself and vomit it' (Proverbs 25:16
The Other (Elisha ben Abuya) gazed and cut his plantings (became a heretic).
Rabbi Akiba entered in peace and left in peace...
The angels also wished to cast down Rabbi Akiba but the Blessed Holy One said, "Leave this elder alone, for he is worthy of making use of My glory."
Ben Azzai gazed and died. He was not ready to handle what he saw.
Ben Zoma Gazed and got sick - of some sort. The text helps us by implying that he took on more that he could 'swallow.'
The Other - the Talmud does not say who that was, but it is widely known to be Elisha ben Abuya, so Kaplan inserted that name in his translation - gazed and cut the plants, which is interpreted as becoming a heretic.
Akiba entered in peace and left in peace, but through no doing of his own. The text explicitly says that only the intervention of the Blessed Holy One is the reason he was able to return.
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Where Do We Go From Here? ... My Other Angel Links ... |
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Alicia's Web site is my personal interpretation as redacted, cited, compiled, and edited by myself. They are not to be misconstrued as representative of any particular religious organizations, denomination, doctrine, or dogma ... other than my own. I have cited various sources: Adin Steinsaltz book - The Thirteen Petalled Rose, The Zohar - translated by Harry Sperling and Maurice Simon, The Bahir translation and commentary by Aryeh Kaplan, B.S. Ashlag (1906-1991)also known as The Rabash, The Ari- Rabbi Isaac Luria; and Rabbi Zalman Schacter-Shalomi; The Master Plan - The Baal Shem Tov's Unique Conception of Divine Providence. |
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