Audio Version Of The Blog – 7/26/20

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My Thoughts On Twitter 7/26/20

Dr Michael Laitman Twitter

It seems to us that governments are to blame for what is happening, as if they are obliged to monitor everything as educators. Were we meant to obey their instructions? Where is the freedom? If not dictatorship, only the opposite—universal education can build a healthy society.

We have been undergoing an egoistic development for thousands of years. The old died off giving birth to the new. Today, we must realize that egoistic relations are our true enemy. They must be replaced with their opposites. Although they are against our old nature, we need to change them.

There is nothing spiritual in our world except the group. If it’s very difficult for me to join in, to bend, to annul myself, I’ll have a really high ascent with my friends’ help. The group is like a flying saucer, lifting us from this world to the level of the spiritual world.

In this world, I see nothing from the Creator, from the spiritual upper world. But I join the Kabbalistic group and begin to realize that it is given to me as the upper system that I can enter. From the spiritual world a “chariot” descends toward me, which will lift me up to the spiritual world.

Scientists at the @UMNews: the #coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 will not be defeated. Thus we have to live with it. This means that sooner or later people will find that of all the tricks, only mutual closeness (not physical) removes all the problems. The inner evil removes the outer one.

The head of the @WHO @DrTedros warned: We will be not be going back to the “old normal.”
The world must pass through states that will bring the #Jews and then the rest of the nations to the realization of the need to unite within themselves and then with everyone. Only the goal of internal unity will conquer the #coronavirus.
#Health

The importance of spirituality rises and falls, but it is essentially expressed in one’s attitude to the group. This is how the spiritual vessel (Kli) is built. This goes against our ego-desire, against our nature, all our attainments disappear in an instant, get erased. Every day we start everything anew.

It is precisely because we always start from a clean slate that we can add to what we had before. If today we started at the height that was achieved yesterday, we would not be able to hold on to it.

Every day I forget yesterday’s state and don’t remember the importance that I saw in the friends, the work in the group, the relationships between us. I start at zero, even at a lower degree, complete rejection. It is therefore easier for me to work. Every day, my efforts are new!
From Twitter, 7/26/20

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Team Building Guide, Part 2

Laitman_524.01Team Building Principles: The Importance of the Goal

Question: There must be certain rules in a group that will constantly return people to the values we cultivate that are not in the outside world.

The first rule: artificial cultivation of the importance of these meetings, because  we can achieve any goal only together. An active presence of people at each meeting is required, as well as their participation in all team activities.

What leverage can the group use to make everyone feel responsible for everyone so that people have the importance of these meetings, even if they do not always feel it?

Answer: And what will a person receive from this? First of all, I would ask what I will gain from the fact that I become actively involved in all meetings, convergences, and outings in society, and try to propagate everywhere an integral connection between all members of society.

Therefore, a person must be given a very clear understanding that his health and the health of his children, society, their well-being, protection from coronavirus or some other misfortune depends only on the measure of uniting the society, and now he is trying to make this society healthier.
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From KabTV’s “Management Skills” 6/18/20

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“Will The Coronavirus Change How Humans Interact For Ever?” (Quora)

Dr. Michael LaitmanMichael Laitman, On Quora: Will the Coronavirus change how humans interact for ever?

The coronavirus is indeed making us undergo serious changes.

Our behaviors, thoughts, ambitions, hopes and expectations have already changed, showing us that the coronavirus is not merely a tiny physical particle that infects us.

The coronavirus is rather a new program that has entered our reality, transforming us behaviorally and psychologically.

The longer the pandemic lasts, the more it will make us reevaluate our values, tastes and attitudes.

It is as if we have walked onto a bridge between the heavily materialistic pre-coronavirus world—where we viewed individualistic accumulation of wealth, fame and power as signs of success—and the understanding that such values hold much less worth as we move deeper into the pandemic.

If we could take a step back for a moment from the vision of the coronavirus as only being an infectious disease, to the coronavirus as a nature-sent evolutionary phenomenon that has emerged specifically to transform human interactions, then we would see how nature is subtly guiding us to improve our relationships and connections.

Such a view stems from understanding how nature develops us: through increasing diversity and individualization, then through stages of crisis, which then become resolved by cooperation and connection on more advanced levels.

Evolution biologists such as Elisabet Sahtouris have illustrated this process of nature guiding its parts to greater connection and more evolved life forms, and it is consistent with Kabbalists’ depictions of nature’s purpose and plan, which is for humanity to positively connect as a single whole, and by doing so, reach balance with nature.

The more we develop, the more interconnected and interdependent we become. The problem is that we fail to actively upgrade our attitudes to each other in order to realize our increasing connection positively.

Therefore, nature has sent the coronavirus primarily for the purpose of teaching us a lesson in caring about each other.

For instance, we now need to wear masks in order to not infect others, in case we unknowingly carry the virus. In other words, we wear masks not for our own health, but for the health of others, and our own health depends on others “caring” about us in the same way.

Also, in the economic realm, as the coronavirus has struck a blow to many businesses and jobs, it is forcing us to consider everyone who encounters a tight situation, and think of new solutions so that everyone can at least have their essentials met. Authorities thus also become compelled to think and act with more consideration toward their respective publics.

In times of nature-induced crisis, people come together out of necessity, and the coronavirus pandemic is like a drawn-out crisis that ultimately serves to improve our attitudes to each other.

The sooner we understand that mutually responsible and considerate relations are the next phase of our development, and make active steps to help each other act more responsibly and considerately toward one another, then the sooner we will match the more advanced state of connection that nature is guiding us to—and we will then have no need for pandemics and other crises to unwillingly coerce our transformation.

Therefore, since the coronavirus has already begun a process of changing the way we interact, we would be wise to adhere to the conditions it places before us, and seek how to think and act more considerately toward others.

It will be our ticket to exit the pandemic and enter into a happier, safer and healthier world, more balanced with nature, where we will be more aware of what nature ultimately wants from us.

It is my hope that we undergo this shift more actively, and thus, faster and more enjoyably, than if we were to continue leaving it up to nature to goad us there.

Above photo by Kate Trifo on Unsplash.

“What Startup Idea Should I Build?” (Quora)

Dr. Michael LaitmanMichael Laitman, On Quora: What startup idea should I build?

What does it take to build a successful startup in these uncertain times?

At the outset, we need to grasp the extent to which the world has shifted to a new program over the past few months.

Today, we live in a completely different world. It is as if aliens visited us and implanted a new chip into our reality, changing our surrounding conditions, our behaviors and our ways of thinking.

Still, we are in a transition phase, and likewise, many people continue trying to operate according to the outdated program of our pre-coronavirus world, a program that prioritizes values of self-benefit over benefiting others.

If we understood nature’s evolutionary tendency to guide all of its parts to perfect connection and interdependence, then we would see how today’s changes are for our ultimate benefit: they come to bring us closer to each other, not necessarily physically, but to a more heartfelt closeness.

And when we feel closer to each other, we feel happier, more confident, safer and healthier.

Therefore, what we need more than anything else today is an environment that can support, encourage and guide our connection, so that we can balance our relationships with our new program of development—conditions that demand increased cooperation and care for each other.

If we fail to upgrade our attitudes to each other in order to match the mutual dependence and responsibility required by today’s new program, then we will feel an increasingly heavier weight on our shoulders the more we plod on from one day to the next.

Nature, by means of the coronavirus, has placed us into new conditions precisely in order to transform us.

Today’s startups thus need to take that into consideration.

If our past startups ended up in a marketplace that pitted them up against each other, now everything needs to change. We will still need to compete, but our competition needs to shift from egoistic, where we try to reap as much of the market for our business as we can, to a competition where we each aim to contribute as much as value as possible to humanity.

And what does “value” mean today? It means caring that everyone’s needs are met, as well as helping everyone genuinely become happy, safe and healthy via upgrading the quality of human relations.

Therefore, anyone bold enough to initiate a startup in this period should first be equipped with sufficient knowledge and an environment to understand the transition the world is in, and then create tools that help people feel closer to each other.

For instance, there is plenty of room for technology to develop means by which we can feel ourselves together in one room, and even more so, as parts of a single whole where our every breath and contact is sensed by everyone.

In other words, as we head toward the discovery of our tight interdependence, we can develop technologies that help us sense what it means to feel as one with others, and which will thus help guide our fateful transition much more positively and harmoniously.

We thus need startups that authentically fill the human need for connection, which will serve to smoothen our transition from our current degree to greater mutual support and consideration.

Above photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash.

The Age Of Enlightenment And Emancipation, Part 1

laitman_437The Expulsion from Spain and the Blossoming of Lurianic Kabbalah

Question: In the 16th century, several decades after the expulsion of the Jews from Spain, a center of spiritual development arose in Safed, in the Land of Israel. This period is called “Lurianic Kabbalah” in honor of the great Kabbalist, the Ari—Yitzhak Ben Shlomo Ashkenazi Luria, who continued to develop the method of Kabbalah.

What happened after the expulsion from Spain? What is the meaning of Lurianic Kabbalah, which lasted only a few years?

Answer: First of all, it is necessary to understand that the expulsion of the Jews did not happen because the King and Queen of Spain decided to get rid of them, but because it was time to force them to go further into Europe and some of them to return to the Land of Israel. Otherwise, they would have never left Spain, because it really was going through a golden age.

Therefore, the forced expulsion of Jews from Spain was the result of an influence from above. This expulsion served as a good example for them because it gave impetus to the development of trade, the development of ties between Jews of the diaspora in all countries of the world, and it led to the discovery of new lands by Columbus.

In principle, the expulsion from Spain could only be welcomed, although by doing this Spain did a disservice to itself. To this day, Spain has not recovered from it despite the fact that many centuries have passed since then. After all, Jews were its best representatives in science, culture, medicine, and economics at those times.

And when they left, Spain did not see good times, and it continues until today.

But Spaniards did not want this. When Jews came to the Queen to ask her to let them stay, she said that it wasn’t they who wished it, but the upper providence that put pressure on them and forcing the to expel the Jews. That is, the top intellectual strata of the Spanish government understood this perfectly well.

After the expulsion from Spain, part of the Jews returned to the Maghreb countries (North Africa, Egypt), and some of them even reached the Land of Israel and modern Syria and Lebanon.

And in Safed, a small town in northern Israel, a very strong group of people who engaged in Kabbalah was formed. Their leader was RAMAK (Rabbi Moshe Cordovero). He was a respected wise man of experience when the young Ari, who was 36 years old, appeared in Safed.

The Ari began to teach people and revealed to them the Kabbalah that practically no one understood. And only RAMAK understood and accepted the Kabbalah of the Ari although, in general, he did not fully understand it. But he began to attend classes, and this was a good example for others interested in Kabbalah who also began to study with the Ari.

So, the Ari organized a small group of people whom he taught. But this lasted only a year and a half because the Ari died very young.

His students started to analyze the notes made by them during their classes. Basically, this was done by his first student, Chaim Vital (Marchu). He continued the work of the Ari, having written down what he heard from his great teacher. These records, representing extensive Kabbalistic knowledge, make up 18-20 volumes.
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From KabTV’s “Systematic Analysis of the Development of the People of Israel” 8/5/19

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How To Feed Humanity

laitman_547.02Remark: Pope Francis proposed to introduce the concept of “unconditional income,” not only now during the pandemic, when he advised countries to provide all people with a minimum amount of money so that they could exist, but also later, because modern technologies will lead to the fact that billions of people (according to some estimates, five or six billion people) will be out of work.

He suggests that countries should feed their citizens, thereby enabling them to live.

Answer: In the meantime, instead of this, the country is giving money to businesses to revive them, even though they are of no use, they are absolutely unnecessary. It turns out that today the country distributes money, but tomorrow there will be nothing to give, and people will really starve. What will happen then? Starvation, riots, looting, anything imaginable. Billions of people will roam the Earth and rob everyone in turn.

Question: These are the thoughts that come to mind when you analyze what is happening in the world. Therefore, many people have fear, panic, and even the thought of the meaninglessness of existence, the lack of purpose in life, not only for themselves, but for the whole of humanity. What do you say to that?

Answer: What should I say? I don’t even want to talk to people who have such a narrow view of the world. They don’t understand that nature has set conditions for us, and when we don’t meet them, nature gives us a very good lesson. And if there will be two billion people left out of eight billion, nothing terrible will happen.

In general, this is a condition for improving human society. The fact that, let’s say, six billion will disappear, so we only see them as if they are dying. They don’t die. They simply heal the atmosphere, the earth, and themselves from this worthless, meaningless life. And the remaining billions or even less will begin to exist normally, correctly.

Question: Do you think there should be fewer people left on Earth? The current number of people can’t live normally?

Answer: Even Baal HaSulam wrote that the globe could feed twenty billion people. It is no problem to do so. The problem is with the people, not with feeding them.

Question: So if they do not accept the main idea that humanity should change its attitude to life and purpose, then they may become fewer, but this does not mean that it should be so?

Answer: Of course. Everything in order to put humanity on the right path.
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From KabTV’s “Today’s International Situation” 6/18/20

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The Difficult Path Of Humanity

laitman_293Question: What is the correct path for humanity?

Answer: In order to achieve absolute interaction with each other, up to love. The wisdom of Kabbalah speaks about this. This is what Abraham wanted to teach people. From here came all religions that have successfully tarnished their reputation, and as a result, all the postulates remained only on paper.

Where are the UN, UNESCO, and other great organizations called to somehow take care of people in the world? After all, until we correct egoism, nothing good will happen. And in order to correct it, obviously, we need an acute surgical action.

Question: What practical steps do you see on this difficult path? Should each country work on this separately or should some kind of meeting take place at which all states will come to a common decision?

Of course, people will agree with you. I don’t think there are many people who would object to living in love, as one family. But how to do this in practice? What steps should countries take?

Answer: The very first step is realizing the need to educate a person. In order to create a re-education system, we already have a relative basis. Today, everything is carried out via the Internet and reaches any person without any problems.

We need to clearly find out what enterprises are really necessary for our normal existence. Each family should have an apartment, food, clothing, security, and medicine. That is, everything you need. But nothing more. This is what the science of Kabbalah says.

And everything else should be spent on our re-education. For example, half of the eight billion people can be released from all work or work alternately. They will engage in learning and practical networking with each other.

This will become a compulsory occupation for which people will receive a scholarship or allowance at the level of the rest of the workers.

We must begin to implement this because without this we will not survive on Earth.

Question: What should push people to unite?

Answer: Awareness or suffering.

Question: And who then has to make decisions? The current leaders? Or will countries nominate new people who will understand the importance and necessity of such dramatic changes?

Answer: None of them will be able to re-educate society, because nothing new can be expected from egoists. They will still push their systems—what is in their head and soul.

Decisions must be made comprehensively, together with everyone, rich and poor, otherwise the world will not survive. In such a form as it is today, it has no right to exist within the framework of general nature since now it is showing us its absolute integrality.
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From KabTV’s “Today’s International Situation” 6/18/20

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Purify Yourself With Light

laitman_591Question: How do we silence our “self”? It is necessary, but how is it done?

Answer: You don’t need to silence anything. You simply need to study, read a lot, and be with us regularly in the lessons, be included in us.

You and your small groups are far from us. So do everything you can to be close to us and to what is happening here, cling to us.

In February there will be a big convention in Israel and you may be able to come here. But the most important thing is to participate in the daily lessons. A person needs to purify himself by the light that impacts him during the study and expect the effect. There will certainly be an effect, yet not immediately, but month after month.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah” 11/17/19

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“How Are People Around The World Coping With The Coronavirus?” (Quora)

Dr. Michael LaitmanMichael Laitman, On Quora: How are people around the world coping with the coronavirus?

In general, I see more and more people becoming more accepting and accustomed to the new conditions brought on by the coronavirus.

Of course, there is a lot of reluctance and tension at the boundary of this acceptance.

Human nature—the so-called “evil inclination” that prioritizes self-benefit at the expense of others—received a few major blows, and it is still swinging back with all of its might.

We try to hold onto our culture that glorifies wealth, fame and power, where we pit ourselves against each other and have no choice but to compete with each other to reach the top of our respective individual empires.

But nature’s evolutionary steamroller continually flattens out this evil inclination’s throes of death.

It infected humanity with a virus in order to awaken upon us a new sensation of a much greater interdependent reality, outside of our self-serving worldviews.

We have already undergone a major transition from resisting our new restrictive conditions, which we were forced into, to gradually coming to terms with them.

If we knew for a fact that this pandemic has saved us from a much greater hatred-infused blow that we would have inflicted upon ourselves, like a war, then we would be happy for our current state.

I understand that the virus has killed and infected vast amounts of people, and that many more have become financially and personally stressed. But if we could see the overarching global tendency taking place, then we would see that this current direction has spared us more suffering than if we had continued our previous ways.

For instance, I view it favorably that authorities are preoccupied with the health, well-being and future of their own publics instead of complicating themselves on international scales. Likewise, people across the board fare better by being more essentials-focused instead of letting themselves get confused with the smorgasbord of surplus luxuries, which repeatedly fail to provide any lasting satisfaction.

Nature has given us something to be busy with, through which we can change our ways and start perceiving our surrounding reality afresh.

Also, today’s speed of change is unprecedented. Therefore, I very much hope that in the coming months, we will witness a more understanding and empathetic humanity, one more perceptive of the process it is undergoing, and a humanity that knows how to progress more smoothly to a well connected, safe, healthy and happy future.

Above photo by Osman Rana on Unsplash