Audio Version Of The Blog – 11.24.11

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2012 Forecast

In the News: ‘The crisis of its [Italy’s] debt can destabilize the entire world, beginning with France. … I realized that we are falling into the abyss, the clock of the policy makers does not coincide with that of the market, and we need a great acceleration,’ said [Carlo de Benedetti, CEO of the Italian manufacturer Olivetti]. (Source: Corriere della Sera

“Fitch Ratings warned that it may reduce its ‘stable’ rating outlook for U.S. banks with large capital markets businesses because of contagion from problems in troubled European markets.

“Agency Fitch Ratings warns that a further worsening of the eurozone debt crisis promises serious risks to American banks that have a portfolio of government bonds of countries of concern. The size of national debt exceeded $15 trillion and is almost 100 percent of GDP, the established ceiling of the official national debt.

“‘Unless the euro zone debt crisis is resolved in a timely and orderly manner, the broad outlook for U.S. banks will darken,’ Fitch said. ‘The risks of a negative shock are rising.’

“The analysts don’t expect a resolution of the issues for another 12 months or so, and are unlikely to adjust their outlook on the sector quickly. ‘This is going to have a prolonged and uncertain income,’ Mr. Scott [one of the analysts who wrote the Fitch report] said.” (Source: The Globe and Mail)

“It may well be so that if the U.S. government initiates political games around its debt problem again, a new wave of the global crisis might cover the world by the New Year.” (Source: Utro.ru)
[61458]

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The Intelligent Parasite

Opinion: (Alexander Spirin, a biochemist, Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences): “Man will be forced to transform himself not only under the pressure from the ‘external’ social and economic threats, but also under the ‘internal’ threat from nature itself. It would be a mistake to assume that the biosphere cannot find means to stop the aggressor who has become dangerous and to prevent its own end.

“The biosphere will not meekly await the sad fate that has been prepared for it by one of the millions of species generated by it, which imagines itself to be the master of nature. From the standpoint of the ecological imperative, a human being is just a parasite that consumes nature’s energy and matter.

“The biosphere’s attack on humans’ fertility and intellect has already begun. The changes in genotype of human Homo sapiens would amount to the rise of a new species: a safe human, Homo innoxius.

“Due to the imperfections of his own genome, a human would have been doomed to extinction a long time ago, if not for his ability to move beyond his specific program. The human being’s originality and power appeared in his ability to overcome the limitations of his own type.

“So, if the modern human expands his ecological niche, his own gene pool, immune system, he is able to compensate, to correct his mindset and to include in it such valuable guidelines as auto-evolutionary methods of survival and adaptation.”
[60955]

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Professions That Will Survive The Crisis

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from Novosti):According to experts, service workers, that is, those who do not earn money directly, may be the first to be adversely affected by the crisis. At the same time, there are areas where recruitment continues even during difficult economic times. The specialists who do not have to be afraid of the crisis are the following:

1. IT professionals;
2. Financial experts and top managers;
3. Pharmacists, health care providers;
4. Agrarians;
5. Home staff to VIP families;
6. Office staff;
7. Sales specialists;
8. Promoters and supervisors.”

My Comment: Only those who produce necessary goods and services, such as a moderate range of food products, essential household and industrial goods, delivery and distribution services, and so on will be left.

Everything will be calculated on the basis of minimal cost of energy and labor, optimal production and delivery to the consumer. Progress is a harmful phenomenon if it is not essential because all the comfort, above the necessary level, is achieved through spiritual sensations.

At the level of this world, the need for comfortable surroundings is gradually reduced to the minimum, to what is required by the human body, and the feeling of connection between everyone and the sensation of the world and oneself in it occurs through the upper (spiritual) relationship between people (souls).

All the earthly questions about the existence of our bodies are solved on the basis of the development in the spiritual space, until we reach such spiritual level of complete correction that we cease to feel our bodies.
[61264]

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Seven Questions About The Crisis

Opinion: (Jacques Sapir, Professor, Director of the Industrial Studies Research Centre, School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences, from expert.ru):

1. Is there any hope for a favorable resolution of the situation in Greece? No.

2. Will the crisis expand? Yes.

3. Can’t the leading European states offer help? The Germans and the French are debating it. The Germans are against help, and the French are in favour. If the German position prevails, the future of the eurozone is uncertain.

4. How do you explain the German position? Already in the 90s, a greater fiscal, budgetary, and economic integration was needed. But for the time being, the integration is not happening, and if so, Germany will have to subsidize the EU countries. Thus, the German elite are ready to accept the fact that the eurozone will cease to exist.

5. Why did the Stability and Growth Pact fail? This Pact is not about growth, but about saving the budget. And those countries that had introduced it have gotten the reduced growth and recession: Tax revenues get smaller, and this increases the debt.

6. The worst scenario for the global economy is the collapse of the eurozone, isn’t it? The collapse of the eurozone will impact the reserves, but in the long term will keep Europe from recession. If the euro is saved, Europe and countries that depend on it, such as Russia, will face a long recession and reduced demand.

7. And how will it affect Russia? In both cases, Russia will go through hard times because Europe is the main consumer of Russian exports: oil, gas, and metals.
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New Flavors In The “Creator’s Kitchen”

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How do we need to unite with each other before the December convention? How do we prepare for it to experience everything the right way?

Answer: We do not do anything different: We read the same articles, we hear the same things, but still, it is written: “It has to be like new in your eyes.” Why is it said, “like new”? Because you renew it by revealing your Aviut, your new details of perception, more and more.

We know that when we are served a new dish, we have no idea how to approach it. But once we have tasted it plenty of times and become accustomed to it like to “our mother’s cooking” which has been familiar to us since childhood, then we can enjoy its taste to the maximum.

The same happens in the spiritual Partzufim. The first time the Light enters, it is nothing else but the Light of Nefesh. The second time it is already the Light of Ruach that enters the same old Reshimot (informational genes), the third time it is the Light of Neshama, and so on.

In other words, every time man advances, he returns to what he has already experienced and discovers a greater depth, feels more flavor in it, as it is written: “You will eat what has long been laid in store for you.” It is the same with us. Every time, in the same place, but only deeper and deeper, we have to be more connected with one another, more unified and directed towards a true connection.

Let us hope for this and raise our prayer so it would become a “prayer of many,” in mutual guarantee.
[61524]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/23/2011, The Zohar

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Do You Like Seeing Others As Higher Than Yourself?

Dr. Michael LaitmanIf I have a small child whom I’m going to send to a preschool because staying at home is no longer enough for his development, I try to place him in a group of slightly older children rather than younger ones so that he can learn from the older children. In other words, the higher my environment, the more opportunities I have to advance with it. And conversely, if I get into a company of primitive people, they relegate me to the level of their values. Everything depends on the environment.

We follow this principle when we make choices in our lives, seeing that “your environment today is you tomorrow.” For a person interested in growing, it is useful to be among great people. However, he has to realize that he has come there in order to grow. If he simply comes and sits among people not of his level, then the greater they are, the more he is annoyed by that. He wants to put them down.

However, if he comes with the purpose of growing in the environment of such people, the greater they are, the happier he is. His only lacks are the hatred and fire burning inside from the feeling of being so much lower than they are. But he is glad about such feelings because they spur him on and urge him to move forward.

Thus, everything depends on a person’s intention, on what he wants from his environment. A person can evaluate an external society by its values and interests, such as whether they like music and art, or whether they are educated and intelligent people. There are criteria with which the society can be tested.

But there are no criteria for such tests in a Kabbalistic environment. The only people who gather there are those whose point in the heart was awakened and they simply want to develop it. All of them go through constant ups and downs. No one knows on which degree he really is, not to speak of his friend’s degree.

Everything solely depends on how a person perceives the group, like Rabbi Yossi Ben Kisma who valued his small and simple students to such an extent that he was not able to advance without them.

Thus, it is very important to understand that the group, the environment, is something the person perceives inside by valuing the friends brought to him by the Creator, Who gave them the same desire toward spirituality. Now, I can create an environment for myself according to the height and values that are required for my advancement, according to how and where I want to advance.

Apart from that, now, I can study myself. The extent that I like seeing them as great is a sign of my really being willing to advance. After all, it is possible to advance only due to my environment. My wanting to see them as lower than myself means that I am looking for a way to satisfy my pride, not to advance.

Through our attitude toward our environment we can accurately measure our spiritual state. Am I aspiring toward the goal of creation, or am I looking for a nice feeling, filling my egoism with a sense of self-importance?
[61436]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/22/2011, Writings of Rabash

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Questions About Determinism And Emptiness

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: In the post “I Do Not Want To Be A Mountain Climber” you write: “When the system becomes completely revealed, we will see that it is global, integral, and all its parts are completely binding, like an enormous live organism. Its individual parts do not have any freedom of will to do whatever they wish to do because this does not exist in nature. Everything abides by the law of determinism.”

I don’t agree with what you say about determinism. There are certain things out of our control, but still there is some choice too. For examples, cells can become cancerous….

Answer: Freedom of will is specifically in being either a healthy/giving or cancerous/receiving cell.

Question: How do we stop cursing emptiness in our heart and embrace it with gladness as part of the path? Or should we always expect some part of us to disagree with bestowal?

Answer: Don’t curse emptiness, but fill it with any of our fulfillments, although you will feel it from time to time.
[61350]

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Memories Of The Desert

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: We have finished the Arava convention with an obligation between friends to maintain the mutual sensation attained at the convention.

Answer: I think everyone is trying to remain in the state that we experienced in our common unity. Everyone will remember it at least from time to time and maybe even constantly. The Light will shine on a person from Above, and he will remember and awaken. And at the end, he will receive an external awakening to return to the same state that he experienced at the convention. He will not do it on his own, but it will happen through the common awakening, the Light that will come from Above, from the Creator.

It is a pleasant state, and this is why it is worthwhile for him to return to it. Naturally, it is still an egoistic aspiration to feel good in this shining, exalted state. But this already comes from a proper action that originates from unity and is directed towards it.

Question: How do you work with this mutual obligation during the lesson?

Answer: Right now we only must be aware of: “Why am I doing this? Is it because I was in an elevated state? Then naturally, I wish to be in it all the time and even more than that. Am I only doing this to feel good, with respect to myself, because this is important to me?”

It is true that we have experienced a special elevation, desire, and phenomenon that we have never felt before. But how do I perceive this entire state? Do I perceive that it benefits me, makes me feel good, confident, and comfortable? Or do I want to transfer it to higher rails, to desire it for other reasons than it making me feel good or giving me pleasure.

I want for this sensation to come from the realization of its higher value without any connection to me. This is because when it comes to my egoistic connection, whatever fills me more has more value for me. But I want to appreciate this state because this sensation of bestowal is a higher sensation that comes from the upper force, and this way I become close to the Creator. At this moment I do not have any feelings for it, I do not see any importance or value in it, but I want to see it!

Now we begin to think about another reason to experience the same state that we attained at the convention. I want to feel it because this brings me closer to the Creator, to a higher degree. I do not wish to feel too much satisfaction from it. It is not that I reject it, but I do not want it to obligate me. I want for the greatness and importance of the actual state of bestowal to obligate me.

This way we begin to change degrees. That is, I want to rise from the degree that I am on right now, in my current desire, where I feel good and thus, wish to remain there because it is not a desert, but something beautiful and pleasant—a land full of life. However, I want to experience the desert for my ego and feel fulfilled in my desire to bestow, my aspiration towards the group, the Creator. This is referred to as wandering through the desert.

For this reason, we must now try to change the basis and the cause of the wonderful sensation of unity that we attained at this convention, where we had no foreign influence. And then we already begin to rise towards a different, more spiritual attitude towards the group, fulfillment, our inner sensation, and the past state.

We raise ourselves towards a different state when we are no longer influenced much by moods or different factors. I begin to be more connected with the actual importance of the state of bestowal. This is the Light of Hassadim (Mercy) already awakening in me, and a spiritual degree is shining on me slightly. I try to separate from my ego, from how much I feel in it, whether I feel better or worse, one way or another; I wish to separate from its outcomes, fulfillments, and values. I do not want it!

I want that wonderful, strong, and good sensation to remain. I do not neglect it, I only wish to perceive it in my attitude, which instead of coming from my desires to receive, comes from my desires to bestow and my intention to direct everything towards unity.

There are many inner sensations, calculations, and manifestations in this. But the Light of correction is already awakening these states over us. And then man begins to receive the so-called Light of faith, a force that keeps you above your ego, above all its inner calculations. And then we enter the actual work with the force of fulfillment, calculations, and attitude. This is already the beginning of analysis.
[61316]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/21/2011, The Zohar

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The Machine In Man’s Skillful Hands

Dr. Michael LaitmanAfter our correction, the machine that works only in order to receive remains. But it can do one of two things: It can either stop receiving, stop itself, which also takes great efforts, and then a person becomes neutral towards others like a righteous man living in the forest who doesn’t need anything, not even a shirt. Or it can start working inside itself, to receive in order to bestow.

This is still receiving. If someone looks at it from the outside, he will see a normal person who eats, drinks, celebrates, and worries about his health and his family; there is nothing exceptional about him. The only difference is in his internal actions, in his intention. So on the spiritual level he bestows, and whoever is with him on the same spiritual level will feel that he performs spiritual actions. Whoever is not there will not understand a thing.

It is like the well-known example of the host and the guest: We see how the guest swallows the delicacies, grabbing food from the plates, eating, drinking, and showing everyone how much he enjoys the food. Who knows what his intentions are?

In the end, all we add to our will to enjoy is the intention, which we want to receive from the force of the Creator and attach to our actions. The actions themselves remain the same. I can restrain myself out of fear, and thus not receive anything and harm no one. I can also act for the higher idea, wishing to resemble the Creator, to be closer to Him.

I can give others everything I have, receive from them in order to bestow, or even take something from certain people in order to pass it on to others out of my natural love, just like in our world. Or I can do the same for the sake of the Creator’s greatness.

There is no other reason in spirituality but the greatness of the Creator. All the other reasons to bestow are corporeal, as accepted in our world.
[61321]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/21/2011, The Zohar

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