News stories I received on the financial crisis:

We don’t know if disaster can be averted
US Congressman Paul Kanjorski, 11th District of Pennsylvania (from Daily Kos): “USA was 3 hrs away from Economic, Political Collapse in September 2008” More money has been thrown at the problem, but the problems have continued to mount in the meantime. I hope financial disaster can be averted, but judging by what I’ve witnessed so far that hope is muted at best. Somebody threw us into the middle of the Atlantic Ocean without a life raft and we’re trying to determine what’s the closest shore and whether there’s any chance in the world to swim that far. We. Don’t. Know.

Obama has just four years to save the planet
Prof. James McCarthy (from BBC News): The planet will be in “huge trouble” unless Barack Obama makes strides in tackling climate change, says the leading scientist. The US president has just four years to save the planet, said Prof McCarthy, President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Without US leadership, which has been sorely lacking, we will not get to where we need to be … now is a moment of opportunity to draw up [global] policies that would be effective in combating climate change.

The world was given a picture of “the day after tomorrow”
PwC Analysis: Financial transformation of this kind is unprecedented and as the financial crisis has developed it has become clear that the only thing you can expect is the unexpected. Consequently, old ways of working may no longer apply.

Global economy top threat to U.S.
New York Times: “Global Economy Top Threat to U.S., spy chief says” The new director of national intelligence, Dennis C. Blair, told Congress on Thursday that global economic turmoil and the instability it could ignite had outpaced terrorism as the most urgent threat facing the United States.

My Comment: The cause of the crisis is our egoistic nature. The crisis is a revelation of our opposition to Nature, to the quality of bestowal and love. Our dissimilarity with Nature becomes expressed in the form of suffering in order to influence us and make us realize that we have to attain equivalence with Nature, the quality of love for our neighbor. Nature will force us to do this one way or another. The fact is that the world has already become a small global village where every person depends on everyone.

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In the News (from DailyMail): “The headset that will mimic all five senses and make the virtual world as convincing as real life” A virtual reality helmet called Virtual Cocoon that recreates the sights, smells, sounds and even tastes of far-flung destinations has been devised by British scientists. It stimulates the senses so convincingly they have called the experience “Real Virtuality.”

The virtual reality helmet titillates all five body senses while viewers sit at home on their sofas. The device will allow users a life-like experience of places such as Kenya’s Masai Mara while sitting on their sofa. They can also enjoy the smell of flowers in an Alpine meadow or feel the heat of the Caribbean sun on their face.

My Comment: According to Kabbalah, the only thing that exists outside of us is just the simple, direct Upper Light. This Light is what influences our five senses: it passes through our qualities and thus creates a picture that depicts the difference between us and the Light. We perceive this picture as “myself” and “the world.”

However, we are capable of developing the quality of bestowal and love which will be similar to the Surrounding Light. Then, instead of being opposite to the Light, we will start feeling our equivalence to it. That picture is called “the Upper World.” Kabbalah is the method that enables us to attain a quality similar to the Light. And to the degree one attains this quality, one becomes like the Light.

Related Material:
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Laitman.com Post: We Don’t Need Eyes to See
Laitman.com Post: The World Is the Perception Inside Our Desires

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A question I received: In his book, Mystery of the Mind, the great American neurosurgeon, Wilder Penfield, concludes that the mind is absolutely independent from the brain. The mind is higher even than our consciousness, and it is, in fact, an absolutely independent entity. The mind gives orders, the brain executes them like a computer, and sends them to the consciousness. What does Kabbalah say about this?

My Comment: This is already close to truth. He’s right in that our brain is like a computer. However, our mind is also material because it exists within the quality of reception for self and not for bestowal.

Physical researchers believe that the mind exists “outside of the body” because they aren’t yet capable of discovering its material form. However, in Kabbalah, “outside of the body” means something different: beyond the egoistic desire. Since the only thing that was created is the desire, everything is either a desire to fulfill oneself or a desire to fulfill others.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Spiritual Attainment Engages a New Sense and a New Mind
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Laitman.com Post: Do Our Choices Originate in Our Brain, or in Our Desire?
Wondrous Wisdom: “Point in the Heart – the Soul”

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In the News: (translated from RUMetrika): Pop-up ads are the most annoying type of Internet advertising. They irritate 78% of users, while banners irritate only 7.6%.

My Comment: Pop-up windows are perceived as a barrier to something desired. This is why they instigate hatred. It is a clear case of anti-advertising.

We need to know and understand egoism! If we want to get in egoism’s way, then we have to offer it something that it will find more attractive at the present moment – and it’s very difficult to guess what that is!

Related Material:
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Wondrous Wisdom: “Desire – the Fuel that Drives Us”
Shamati #108: “If You Leave Me One Day, I Will Leave You Two”

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In the News (from globalissues.org): “Development: New Africa Commission Report Reiterates Basic Goals” Africa’s arduous path to development could be eased if governments took elementary measures to improve infrastructure, coordinate regional trade policies, and speed up the regional exchange of goods and services.

My Comment: The reason is, once again, people’s egoism, which is the same in Africa too.

In the News (from Haaretz): “Keeping your joint account from separating you” Israel’s 2007 divorce rate, at 17.5%, was 15th worldwide. “Although most couples say they marry for love, 72% divorce due to a breakdown in communication, usually over money,” says Yosy Esh, chairman of the Israeli Union of Home Economy Advisors and Coaches.

My Comment: “Love and hunger rule the world,” but hunger is stronger!

Related Material:
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A letter I received: After the Congress, we went on the Kabbalistic tour. One of the places we went to was the city of Tzfat. I felt that it truly is a holy place; I don’t even know how to express my feelings. I just could not leave there! I felt that I finally found my home. Even now, after the Congress, I feel as if I’m still there. That place draws me like a magnet! It was very hard to return to New York, the “stone jungle.” But at least I am still there in my thoughts. I just want to once again thank everyone who participated in organizing the tour and spreading the Light.

My Comment: I’m glad you enjoyed the tour so much. We provide these Kabbalistic tours on a regular basis for anyone who’s interested and for tourists from all over the world, and we offer them in different languages. You can recommend it to anyone.

For information (in all languages):
Tel: +972-544-971-500 (this is a phone number in Israel)
Contact: kabbalahtours__bb@yahoo.com

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In the News (translated from Utro.ru): “Dollar will weaken but will not give up” The current crisis differs from all the previous ones because it isn’t cyclical but systemic. Hence, it will bring about a global change of the world’s financial, economic, social and political systems. Globalization is a factor that did not exist before, and it turns a regular, local crisis into a global crisis. Because the financial system has become global, it should not be regulated on the national level, but on the global level.

My Comment: The opinions of the top analysts are coming closer and closer to Kabbalah’s opinion. However, people still have to refine their definitions of globalization, integral systems, the law of complete interdependence and mutual responsibility, conditions of being equivalent with Nature, egoism as the cause of all evil, and bestowal and love to all creatures on the planet – the final goal of human development. There is no method of correcting egoism in our world, other than the method of Kabbalah.

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