In the News (from Aalto University): “Research team at Aalto University and Turku PET Centre has revealed how experiencing strong emotions synchronizes brain activity across individuals.

“Human emotions are highly contagious. Seeing others’ emotional expressions such as smiles triggers often the corresponding emotional response in the observer. Such synchronization of emotional states across individuals may support social interaction: When all group members share a common emotional state, their brains and bodies process the environment in a similar fashion.

“Researchers at Aalto University and Turku PET Centre have now found that feeling strong emotions makes different individuals’ brain activity literally synchronous.

“The results revealed that especially feeling strong unpleasant emotions synchronized brain’s emotion processing networks in the frontal and midline regions. On the contrary, experiencing highly arousing events synchronized activity in the networks supporting vision, attention and sense of touch.

“Sharing others’ emotional states provides the observers a somatosensory and neural framework that facilitates understanding others’ intentions and actions and allows to ‘tune in’ or ‘sync’ with them. Such automatic tuning facilitates social interaction and group processes, says Adjunct Professor Lauri Nummenmaa from the Aalto University.”

My Comment: Recent studies illustrate the view of Kabbalists that we are all parts of a unified system. Currently, this system is manifested more clearly as a general integral relationship between all humans and all parts of nature. But our egoism is not integral, and that is why we cannot behave correctly in the integral relationship that is revealed between us. The cause of the crisis is in this contradiction between the integral system of connection and all parts of nature and society. The only solution is to correct egoism—to make it integral as well. This is the subject of integral education.
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Question: When speaking about integral education and upbringing, you do not have a single doubt that this path is better than the one we are now following?

Answer: In general, the fact that it is better is even clear to anyone when you explain it to him or her. A person might say: “This is complicated. It might not work, but it is good.” No one will call it bad because this is a good path from beginning to end. Moreover, we realize it on ourselves. So, there is no doubt that it works.

Question: The current social system is outdated, it does not work, but people are used to it. And there is a new, good system with fantastic prospects, but to transition toward it, a person must overcome fear and inertia. How can this be done?

Answer: We have found a way to approach school principals. Our system of mutual guarantee is close to them.

We host regional “round tables” in small towns, in the central squares, and we invite the local government. Teachers, school principals, and the general public attend these round tables. Every table has 10-15 people who discuss municipal and other problems.

All this is directed towards solving these problems through unity: This is the objective. After all, they usually decide things at their meetings by arguing with one another.

But there is a completely different atmosphere here. We want to get together in order to come to an agreement around a round table, to understand how we will be able to solve a certain problem together, by helping one another, instead of pulling the blanket over to their own side. And they reach amazing conclusions.

After this kind of success, a completely different atmosphere arises in and around the local government. When we can, we invite radio stations, television, and the press. So all this resonates in a certain way. We come there with equipment and broadcast it over our TV channel. Naturally, the information also ends up on the Internet. The local press covers the “round tables,” after all the mayor and other important people take part in them and express their opinions. This really appeals to them.

After this, we already can propose the integral methodology for realization.
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From a “Talk on Integral Upbringing” 5/20/12

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Question: There is a pyramid of human needs: food, sex, family, wealth, honor, knowledge, and spiritual revelation. If we consider the method of integral education from the perspective of the pyramid, when we talk about family, honor, and knowledge everyone understands. But when it comes to money and we say that there will be no money, and we will have to give up many things, it scares people off.

Answer: By no means do we talk about that. On the contrary, we approach everything from a selfish point of view and tell a person what he will get and not what he will loose, how much will be gained and not how much of it will go away.

On the contrary, if he is properly connected to the society in an integral manner, then there is no need for huge systems, which consume enormous resources today. These are police authorities, various safety and security systems. When we come to a comfortable state, vast resources will be freed up.

In addition, when a person starts feeling integrally connected to the society, the environment changes inevitably as well. He feels it as his own, and therefore saves, protects, and defends. The environment is no longer indifferent to him; he is no longer ready to burn everything to win it, which is, in general, just pennies.

If you calculate everything, it turns out that through the good and right attitude towards society, huge resources will be freed up that we can redirect to any other tasks.

It is not about taking away everything from the rich and giving to the poor, but about the fact that in the process of education, the society will become more equal and there will be no huge differences between the rich and the poor as it is in a magnitude of millions today. A normal difference within the society would be, say, no more than 10-15 times.

It’s enough for rich people to feel rich because they actually have money, power, and strength to realize their potential.

It’s not just that they are rich, it’s because of their inner qualities, that the average person doesn’t have, that they became rich and the others have not. So all of that should be left intact.

The imbalance in society remains, we do not destroy anything, we do not enter into a dictatorship of equality, absolute liberalism, and so on, on the one hand, and do not lead it to anarchy on the other. We slowly start smoothing out all the contradictions in society not through violence but through educating people! It will occur only in response to the changes of the people themselves, and it will be voluntary and desireable.
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From a “Talk on Integral Upbringing” 5/20/12

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Question: Do you recommend assigning people who will take care of discipline at the seminars, or should they be self-regulated?

Answer: People come to seminars to get together, connect with each other, feel the unity, and immediately start discussing these sensations.

There must be a person in the group who initiates the discussion, a person “on duty.” Today, you are the one who takes care of it; tomorrow, it’ll be my turn. Everybody has to have a printout with the list of questions to be discussed at the seminar.

However, sometimes it’s good not to provide the list of questions to the participants of the circle; absence of the list of questions will make people even more confused with the topic of their discussion. Thus, they will try to formulate the question in their own way by asking: “What did he just say? What was the question again?” This state of mind is very useful. One needs to “pull” oneself out of confusion and therefore delves deep into the topic, and by doing so one understands the topic more precisely, since he is searching for the ways to articulate the question. It brings him to a better understanding of how and why the question should be verbalized.

All depends on the level of independence and seriousness of the group. There is a chance that there are newcomers who do not have a clue about what they are doing in the group. It means that one who “comes and goes” should be prohibited.

There have to be people who are appointed to observe the protocol of seminars: the leader of the “circle” and the “general manager/leader” who oversees the overall order.

However, over time, the group starts to better understand its task and learns why and how it is supposed to act. Similar to a child who grows gradually and at first, jerks his hands and feet without any clue in what direction to move, but eventually starts to act more thoughtfully.
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From “Questions About Workshops” 5/25/12

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Question: If the spiritual spark has such a great force, then why isn’t a person giving it as a whole, and instead constantly fluctuates, sometimes rising and sometimes falling?

Answer: It’s because a person’s responsibility is to establish a correct connection between the desire to enjoy and the spiritual spark. On one side, there’s the Creator, the spiritual spark, and on the other side is the creature, the desire to enjoy. And I need to connect one with the other, to clothe one in another.

The desire to enjoy is our natural material, the real me. But now, the spiritual spark illuminates me and I lose my head, not knowing what to strive for, to some spiritual world that’s who-knows-where. A person, having felt this draw for the first time, loses balance and a sense of reality. This is why in our days, our whole world seems fragile and distraught.

And our job is to reveal a great Light of NRNHY instead of a spark, and to attain the entire depth of the desire and to connect them together, for that desire to acquire the form of the Light and clothe in it. Then it will become a vessel or vestments for the Light, and we’ll reveal not a small spark, but Light 620 times more powerful.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/6/12, Shamati, #21

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Preparation to the Lesson

Shamati #113, “The Eighteenth Prayer”

The Book of Zohar – Selected Excerpts “Beresheet Bet (Genesis 2),” “Seven Sections of the Upper and Lower Earth,”  Item 38, Lesson 117

Talmud Eser Sefirot, Chapter 2, Part 2, Item 5, “Ohr Pnimi,” Item 60, Lesson 9

“The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee),” Item 24, Lesson 8 

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Listen to an Audio Version of the Blog
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Question: In Israel, the integral method is already being implemented, but in other places it’s only starting to take its first steps. But in order to take that step, certain courage and support are needed.

Answer: There is a particular environment here in Israel. It’s an entirely different atmosphere, different inclinations for all initial conditions. In other countries this process is much harder. I think that it should follow the type of path as in North America, for example. Right now they are starting to approach the second phase.

The first phase began with the Occupy Wall Street protest movement. Moreover, such movements took place in many cities in America and Canada. Our people didn’t participate in the protests themselves because it’s useless to exchange one thing for another, never have revolutions brought anything other than suffering. This is why we only come to such events in order to distribute our materials.

Initially we encountered some resistance, police treated us with suspicion, and so on. But after they learned what kind of materials we’re disseminating, they stopped objecting. In some way in various countries, this material passed through the authorities, the police, and received internal approval, and so they don’t touch us anymore, they allow us to hand out our information and treat us with respect.

This is our first completed stage.

Almost a year has passed from the start of protest marches. And now an interesting phenomenon is occurring. Since we’re constantly handing out newer and newer flyers, people see that we have very logical materials. In these flyers, we’re gradually starting to explain the integral method: why nothing other than unification works. And here the authorities are starting to play along with us internally. And the protesters themselves, as well, since they understand that we have an inner strength, an idea—something that they lack. All they have is “we’ll break windows, beat each other, take away from some and give to others.” Naturally, neither the government, nor the police, nor those from whom things are to be taken away agree with this. While we, on the contrary, by juxtaposing ourselves to others find ourselves in demand. They want to use us to legitimize their movements and so they invite us. This results in a very interesting symbiosis: Both the protest movements and we are interested in directing this toward a correct course.

“You are right, there’s nothing good in this world and everything should be changed. The only thing is that we need to change it like this. See for yourselves. Are you really going to destroy everything that exists today? And what will you build instead? Do you have plans, opportunities, and ideas? Have you prepared any resources? No! But we are offering a solution, and moreover, one that doesn’t require great resources. Everything depends only on our desires, and we’ll be able to achieve this.”

Today we’re are invited to all kinds of forums where different opinions are expressed. We really are in demand now. For a long time we didn’t seek out contact because everyone tried to draw us in and conform us to them as they sensed that there is some additional force. But it’s no longer the case now, now they understand, at the very least, that they need to be on par with us. We’re gradually entering this process, yet we still remain ourselves.

And now, a new phase is starting, and unfortunately, in this regard, North America is falling behind: There is a shortage of teachers of integral education. We need to prepare teachers and educators very quickly, in rapid tempo, and instead of giving people flyers, offer them lectures and explanations. This is the next phase.
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From a “Talk About Integral Education” 5/20/12

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All the vessels can be filled only by each other and by bestowing upon one another. To the extent that you bestow on upon others, you bestow upon the Creator. The more you can connect with others, the more you connect with the Creator. This is called: “I dwell within my people” because if you connect with others, you find the Creator there.

Therefore, “Love thy friend as thyself is the great rule of the Torah” since by bestowing upon your friend, you bestow upon the Creator. It is the only thing you should do, and there is nothing more than that. To bestow upon the Creator refers to the general vessel and the general Light that fills it. With regard to others, we perform individual correction that cannot be fulfilled through them if you don’t intend to bring contentment to the Creator, meaning the general vessel.

We cannot perceive the Creator in any other way but through the general force of bestowal that is revealed in the general vessel, in the general desire. If we want to avoid the bestowal upon others within the general network, it prevents us from doing the right thing and it cuts us off from reality since all of reality is based only on the connection among us. There, the general bestowal called the upper Light, the general law called “the Creator,” is revealed.

Therefore it says “Love thy friend as thyself is the great rule of the Torah.”
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From the 3^rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/07/12, The Study of the Ten Sefirot

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Question: Why do you mean when you use the word “global”?

Answer: Globality, in my understanding (not according to Wikipedia), started when our influences on nature have stopped being local and became global, meaning that essentially, whatever I do, I affect nature of the entire planet—the globality of place.

In addition, I affect the entire planet not only now, at the current moment, meaning that my influence does not continue as long as it lasts, but rather, by influencing nature, I directly affect all subsequent generations, for eternity—the globality of time.

Our negative influences on the entire nature and for eternity give rise to the secondary, tertiary, etc. negative consequences. We are not even aware of the majority of them because they haven’t manifested in nature yet—the globality of movement.

Our negative influences upon the still, vegetative, and animate nature come back, in their negative influence, to us, to the human nature; moreover, it happens not only in the form of our physiological and psychological transformations. Our individual egoism of everyone turns out to be global, and it’s not by our choice. However, our egoisms accumulate together into a global egoism, augmented by mass media, and a global egoism returns to us in its overall influence upon us, turning us into egoistic mutants—the egoistic globality.

This egoistic globality in particular must be corrected into altruistic globality—this is our calling and salvation from suffering, by which nature will nevertheless force us to reach the positive globality in all forms of human civilization: political (a united government of a united humanity—”The Future Generation”), moral (all are equal, like in a family), social (a single global upbringing determines the same approach to science, culture/religion), and spiritual (in a global unification, the revelation of a Single, Upper Force of Nature)—the altruistic globality.

Today, the correction of our attitude to the world is still an utopia, which in Greek means an absence of place. But the accumulating negative global phenomena and consequences create a place, a sum of negative phenomena, which will force us to take up correction—an utopia will become reality.
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