Good Environment – 08.03.11

My Good Environment – Dr. Laitman’s Advice for the Week

In The Zone Of Choice

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the past egoism spurred us on from behind and from the sides, always leaving the path forward free. However, today the barriers are not arising along the sides, but in front of us. It’s as if a wall rises up before us, leaving us no place to run, nothing we can do.

This state is becoming more and more apparent: I don’t really want anything, I don’t feel that I can keep growing in my egoism. It is incapable of giving me answers to the questions that arise in me today. I have outgrown the previous phases and have entered the next level of questions, the level of adulthood and new necessities.

Food, sex, family—all of these are falling apart, taking on strange, “mutated” forms. Wealth, fame, and knowledge don’t seem to promise me a lot either.

Science is in a crisis and does not answer my questions, even though a mere 50-60 years ago it still seemed like it would give us answers to everything.

Power has become petty in our eyes: We see that its only objective is money. And money…. Is it really worth wasting your entire life on!? My questions have already outgrown any number of zeros that a bank account can display.

When a person loses the necessary “fuel,” emptiness emerges inside of him and he finds himself asking, “What is worth living for? For myself? But I lack fulfillment. For my children? But when they get older, they will leave the nest. And besides, why raise them at all? What bright future do they have ahead? Disintegrating families and a decomposing society?” A person does not feel attached to anything and does not have hopes for anything. That is the kind of impasse that our questions have led us to.

But there is also a completely different reason for the dead-end state: We are exhausting the natural resources. Today it is already clear that human progress won’t be infinite, both from the point of view of our demands and from the point of view of our existence as a whole. If we continue squandering the natural resources at the current rate, then very soon we won’t have any raw materials left even for the vitally necessary products.

90% of what we produce today consists of oil, be it energy, plastic materials, and so on. When the oil reserves end, we will be left with nothing. But nevertheless, we still keep on squandering it.

Thus, on one hand nature places a barrier before us in the form of ecology, climate, and resources, and on the other hand, egoism no longer pushes us forward. It asks questions that we cannot find answers to here, in our world, in this small children’s room where we had so much fun playing until now.

Today the situation already resembles suicide: We are irrationally using up the last remaining resources.

We have to understand that because of this, we find ourselves in the zone of choice. This is where freedom of will emerges, the freedom for us to start understanding the program of our development: “Who are we? Why are we here? What for?”, and together with us, the rest of the world. Now is exactly the time for us to solve this challenge. Otherwise humanity will find itself in a truly hopeless impasse.

In reality the gist of the problem is not the financial crisis, the technology crisis, or the crisis of families. We are in a crisis with ourselves. We have to understand who we are and what we are here for, both from the point of view of nature, which obligates us to this, and from our own point of view. Only then will we be able to set things right inside of us and in the world.
[50172]
From the Talk about a New Book 7/11/2011

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Learning To Be In Balance With Nature

Dr. Michael LaitmanWe must organize integral education around every person and require each to enter it. The general crisis will end with such a big blow that no one will have a job. We will not need all these extra goods, and there will be no need to produce more. There is plenty of everything. The world produces garbage, throws it away, and only pollutes the planet.

Suddenly, we discover that out of seven billion people existing in the world, 80 percent are extra. What can we do with them, kill them? There are theories that it is necessary to get rid of “extra people,” and then the rest will have jobs. However, the rest will not have jobs either as this war will leave a person wondering whether it’s good that he has remained alive.

That is why we have a simple solution. Every person’s job will be to enter an educational, learning environment. Just as we teach our children and 100 percent of the children study until they are 18, an adult should study or get continuous education throughout his life, working a couple of hours a day to perform the tasks assigned to him by society.

Then, every person will go through inner changes in a mandatory manner. We would not exclude one single person from this. Each would study in a virtual system, watching clips, listening to songs, or reading humorous stories, where everything will be on the topic of globality, integrality, unity, and mutual guarantee. Everyone will have to do homework, submit it to be checked, and pass exams. If one has completed everything, he will get a salary at the end of the month. This will be his job.

Question: Who finances his salary if no one works?

Answer: This does not mean that no one works. We all work to the extent that we have to, to produce the necessities of life. However, we do not make things only to pass them to each other and then throw them in a landfill because people hardly use them. We produce only the necessary items that everyone requires to exist normally.

The same education system includes studying how to live within the framework of life’s necessities, at the human level, in balance with nature, and observing its requirements. It should explain to everyone that by consuming more than we need, we become out of balance with nature.

Each organ of the body receives not for itself, but only to exist to help others, to serve them. We should understand that we have no choice. We must come to this system. Kabbalists spoke much about it, and we have to bring this knowledge to everyone.
[49851]
From the Talk about a New Book 7/11/2011

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There Is No Life Without Mutual Guarantee

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Regarding mutual guarantee, you bring in the example of the work of the organs in the human body, where each organ lives in mutual guarantee with the others. The system is closed and united.

However, there is no uniform system in human society. Here and there, people become united in various groups which, as a rule, fight against each other. However, there is no perception of human society as one general system similar to the human body. I do not feel the other person as part of my body and thus, do not provide him with mutual guarantee.

Answer: You are saying the following: All the examples that you bring in from scientific research, as well as what we observe in nature according to the principle of “a judge has only what his eyes can see” are beautiful examples. Everything is good and wonderful, but I personally do not feel it. I can understand it logically, but an understanding in my mind is not enough to compel me to exist in an integral form.

If it were in my sensations, if I knew that by not acting together with you, I do not succeed and that I need you in order to reach some life-important goal, everything would be fine. Yet, you are saying that a good life is possible on condition that you and I are connected. Then, we will reach a better life, the goal, and emerge from the crisis and all the environmental issues. However, I do not feel that. I can understand this as do the scientists.

But why do these scientists not go out together and shout? What prevents them from doing this? Don’t they see the facts? They do! Why do they not unite, go out, and begin shouting: “Friends, a bit more of this, and the world will explode! The Earth will collapse and crumble into pieces!” Why do they not scream about this, foreseeing the very unpleasant events in the future?

This is because they all have the same problem. I can give you a list of thousands of scientists, sociologists, political scientists, leading economists, and many clever people who observe our problems and see that we must pursue only unity. Why do they not unite? It’s because they do not feel it, but only see it.

There is a difference between feelings and the mind. What exists in the mind does not oblige a person. How many times does it happen in our personal lives that we see and know that we should not do something, but we still do it. Let’s use smoking as an example. Although they say that smoking is harmful, the pleasant sensations or laziness leaves me under the power of this habit.

What can I do? I do not see other people besides us who would be able to realize this. We must organize this environment by force. When the environment artificially begins to talk about the need for unity, for global and integral interconnection, this environment will bring a new sensation to everyone.

Then, everyone will feel: “I really need this! Why don’t I have it?” In the same way, we are impressed by advertising flickering before us. It will pass from the mind to feelings. A feeling is a desire, and the mind is a thought. I have to be impressed within my desire and plead to obtain it. A desire should be an intense longing for something.

This is possible only through envy, lust, and a desire for honor, when I see that everyone talks about this, that they value and advertise these facts to me. Otherwise, it means nothing to me. This is how they advertise a new mattress: “You must buy it! Without it, you do not know what good sleep is!”

If this ad is working all the time, I have no choice. As a result, I will recall the name of that company, and on some occasion, I will go to a store and buy it. If not I, the majority of people will succumb to this ad. It works in this way. Therefore, up to 70 percent of the cost of goods is put into advertising.

We can see how much advertising directs us at its object. That is why we have to deal only with advertising. And it’s not because of someone’s interest, but because we have no choice. Let’s start to advertise this important message to ourselves.

Then, through real brainwashing, we will come to understand the importance of integration, unity, and mutual guarantee. Then, we will miss this; we will suddenly desire this. Why? It’s because the general awareness of the importance prevailing in the environment will rule over me since I am under its influence.
[49856]
From the Talk about a New Book 7/11/2011

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Integral Upbringing For Everyone

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What is your view of extreme right wing movements in modern societies?

Answer: They exist in developed countries regardless of the national policy and the social mood, and they are primarily caused by the presence of a large number of immigrants in every developed country.

This is happening because the demographic crisis forces a country to bring in a foreign work force, and as a result, a collision occurs between opposing cultures and religions. The solution can only come from an obligatory upbringing for everyone, which will raise people above all the differences, bringing them together in a single, integral unification.

To accomplish this, it is necessary to introduce a mandatory upbringing for all members of society, including immigrants. Otherwise every country will face horrible consequences in the form of civil wars….
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Angels All Around

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How should I relate to antipathy and hatred when they arise not toward friends in the group, but toward outsiders who aren’t with us on the spiritual path?

Answer: Why would I suddenly hate outsiders who have nothing to do with my spiritual path? I view them as angels without free will. If they aren’t in the group and don’t have free will, of what could I possibly accuse them? They are acting like puppets, following orders from Above.

That doesn’t mean I should disregard them. Simply, I understand that they do not act freely and independently. In everything that happens to them, I see the Creator’s hand. Consequently, I need to work either “for” or “against.”

As concerns external actions, I need to relate to people in the corrected form, trying to make sure that everybody has everything they need. Or I can begin working with them and pass knowledge about Kabbalah to them.
[49821]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/31/2011, Shamati #26

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The Cure For All Troubles

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How can the reading of text that I do not understand help me connect with the group or to desire this?

Answer: By itself, the reading of text is not effective. The thought of what it is exactly that I desire does help. It is like a source of strength.

Suppose you are given a medication, and you cure what you intended to cure with it. The medication affects the entire body, and you have to decide exactly what you want to treat, be it the leg, arm, head, a wound, or whatever you wish. The medication itself is universal.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/31/2011, The Zohar

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Distracting Thoughts: The Food For The Soul

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What is the purpose in the distracting thoughts which come during the reading of The Book of Zohar and prevent me from focusing on it?

Answer: All of this is given from Above, and we don’t know why we have these or other thoughts in one form or another, or why they are necessary. We can make various calculations, but we will never find out the real reason for them.

Thoughts can be very obsessive, and all of a sudden, they can disappear and never come back again. They can come in bouts; now I think about one thing and then, about something else. Obviously, they are necessary. After all, the soul is growing based on these thoughts.

Therefore, we have to take them into account, that is, to understand that all of this comes from Above, and there are no coincidences. We receive conditions from Above and based on them, we have to grow.
[49837]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/31/2011, The Zohar

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Is Your Vote For The Plan Of Creation Or Against?

Dr. Michael LaitmanThere are two contrasting states constantly alternating in creation: darkness and Light, separation and closeness, oppositeness and adhesion, a reverse form and an equal form. Our path unfolds through these opposite states and the essence is always: Are we “for” the Creator or against Him? The only difference is: What is creation’s level of awareness of its own state?

At first we go through these states unconsciously, which is called the “still” level of development. Then, on the “vegetative level,” we start to gradually understand them. Next, on the “animate level” we already attain ourselves in a certain way, but we still don’t know in relation to Whom we change and how. And when I already understand that I change in relation to the Creator and according to Him, this is already the “human level.”

Our entire history lies in this kind of development, based upon constant opposites: on our polar difference from the Creator or our similarity to Him. All of these states are already instilled, determined, and fixed in the plan of creation, connecting into one cause and effect chain that we have to go through.

There is nothing we can add to these states besides our awareness. And finally, we begin to realize that this process is aimed toward a specific goal. We aspire to discover and attain it on our own, to understand what is happening to us, what is this film we are living in. That’s when we start having the freedom of choice to participate in this process consciously, out of our own desire—to aspire to this goal or to resist it.

In our days, all of humanity is entering this very interesting phase of development where we have to gain awareness and to participate on our own, to decide whether we want to accelerate it or do not want to. We have to find how we can participate in this process on our own, influence its speed, and express our agreement or disagreement with the states we go through.

If I connect every state to the realization of the plan of creation, inside of which I develop, then I thereby accelerate my development, since it depends only on my awareness of my state. And the more I push myself to find out who I am in relation to the One who develops me, the only force that exists besides me, that is to say, the more I develop my participation, the more I strengthen my independence, my own thought, understanding, and desire.

That is how I create my “I,” which is born inside of creation—the goal for which this entire process is intended. And the final point is to feel the force of the plan in which we exist, and to cling to it. As for our independence, it lies in asking this higher thought to reveal to us the opportunity to participate in its work independently.
[50048]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/1/11, Shamati

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An Appeal To Correct The World

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe Book of Zohar, written in the 2nd century CE by Rabbi Shimon and his students, is intended for humanity’s spiritual correction. In this book, the authors revealed a system of controlling the universe, but they did so with great caution.

The book is written in a certain style so it could be understood only by those who are in spiritual attainment and who penetrate into the inner meaning of the words. Others perceive The Zohar as a book about various miracles or as a historical narration.

The initial revelation of The Book of Zohar in the 10th century CE elicited many negative consequences, which are felt to this day. Humanity did not understand this book because it was not ready for its emergence. People decided that it spoke about miracles and mysticism, and began using it to produce amulets, poisons, antidotes, and so on.

On the other hand, the dissemination of The Book of Zohar played a positive role by accelerating humanity’s internal development. The force concealed in this book gave a powerful impulse to jump-start technological and social development, eventually bringing our generation to the need to get rid of egoism.

Today, when global interdependence is being revealed in the world, The Book of Zohar is intended to help humanity adapt to the new system and to understand the essence of its existence. The success of this process depends on the dissemination of the exalted wisdom in the masses.

Kabbalists’ current actions to unite are “pushing” the method of correction through into the world. An enormous Light emanates from us, even though we do not even feel this ourselves yet. The world is beginning to see, feel, and understand what kind of state it is in. Many scientists are already writing about the necessity to change human nature, but don’t know how to do this.

Therefore, our task is to disseminate the method of spiritual correction in the world. Baal HaSulam’s article, “The Messiah’s Horn” (meaning, an appeal to correction) talks about this mission. Without gaining basic knowledge about the goal of its existence, humanity will fall into despair and is at risk of making many grave mistakes, even to the point of letting another world war break out.

The dissemination of the method of correction in the masses is called “a horn” (Shofar) because it is similar to the sound of a ram’s horn, which expands to great distances. The correct study and adaptation of Kabbalah, the right kind of work with friends in the group elicits a special Light, called “the prophet Elijah.” This is a force that reveals the secrets of the universe to us. Under its influence, the upper world begins to come through, to emerge from the veil of concealment. It is written, “Elijah will come and solve all the questions and problems,” meaning, this force will open up our eyes to the true picture of existence.

The revelation of Kabbalah to the masses is a preliminary and necessary condition of the total ascent from the egoistic level to the level of bestowal and love. Therefore, in our time the opportunity has emerged to create a full commentary to The Book of Zohar, with whose help we attract the upper Light and realize the method of humanity’s spiritual correction.
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From the Sunday Virtual Lesson Series 7/31/2011

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