Entries in the 'Children' Category

Without An Inner Fire There Is No Success

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How is it possible to make the work of every expert in integral education more efficient in order to achieve maximal dissemination?

Answer: The most important thing for the person is recognition, praise, respect, and compassion for the community in which he works.

In principle, we want to do the same thing in that institution or enterprise where we disseminate integral education and information.

When we reach a community, we begin to weave a network of connections so that people will be interconnected, will understand how much they can inspire and uplift the community (it will be more comfortable and easier for them to work) as much as they can improve both themselves and the atmosphere in which they exist, as much as they can rejoice and feel themselves to be happy along with this. We need to artificially maintain a state like this until we begin to get it from an inner connection between us.

Therefore, it is necessary to appoint someone responsible as an initiator who must think about everything down to the last detail and be constantly concerned so that among the members of this community there will be in constant ascent. He needs to choose special materials for them and organize telephone communications between them for mutual support throughout the day; it could be that he might send each one of them some clip; it could be a five minute break or some friendly dinner to strengthen the connection and unity.

We, who are involved with dissemination, must understand that without an inner fire, we will not have anything to convey to others. For a person in a bad mood, in a personal descent, cannot even go to work. Therefore, during descents he needs the community. It is necessary to lift him up, to stand him on his feet, to encourage, and to revive him. And only then will he be full of internal energy; with a special atmosphere of connection he can go and do something further, otherwise he will simply ruin all the work.

We know that before every meeting with either some person or group of people or even with a large audience, we practice and realize the permanent unity between us. Before we begin the study, we first need to unite, to reach a shared excitement, a feeling of security, safety, a sense of our higher state. When we come to people, we need to demonstrate the weightiness of our knowledge so that the community will think that we are found one level above all the rest.

Though we understand that this is psychological work, the main thing is to approach everything the right way. It is necessary that there be an internal explosion, a kind of fire, warmth between us. When we go out to the community, people must feel that it is not three people standing before them, rather it is one, a common whole. We begin to play with the community with six hands, as one body. This is what we are compelled to do.

Therefore, we cannot make any move without feeling connection and unity. Even if we visited some team in a factory today and after that need to go to some office for dissemination, we still need to recharge between these two events.
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From Kab TV’s “Through Time” 9/17/13

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Primary Care

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How close must the connection be between the teacher and the participants who are receiving integral education?

Answer: The student who participates cannot advance without a guide. The guide really needs to impose himself on the student because otherwise the person will float around where he is, he will be completely “scattered” in all kinds of implementations that will not bring him a normal outcome. This will become a way of suffering. People will seemingly do something, but nothing will come of it.

The main thing is will we teach them at the end of every workshop to feel its result, which is connection, from which all of us together get energy, stimulation, and warmth. After the workshop I leave with another point of view of the world and for a few days, and even weeks, I can feel myself as a completely different person. I relate differently to children, to the family, and to society with more patience, with more friendship. I begin to feel that I am found in harmony not only with human society, the neighbors, and so forth, but also with nature, and I want everyone to feel this.

This should elevate me and this depends upon the frequency of the workshops. It is absolutely possible that for beginners we need to arrange workshops twice a week and it could also be every day. It seems it is necessary to do this through the Internet. After a single physical workshop, conduct three or four virtual workshops until the next physical meeting.

Every person needs primary care like this.
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From Kab TV’s “Through Time” 9/15/13

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Playing In Concert

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What is the function of the roundtable organizers? What things should they manage, what should they leave to self-management?

Answer: The facilitator of a roundtable needs to be a nanny, a teacher, a leader. Any changes in the course of the discussion come only from his instruction and questions.

The participants themselves don’t invent anything, they are constantly led and guided. Gradually they gather an experience of connection and from it they advance onward. But without a facilitator, this will not last, they will confuse themselves. Therefore they need to follow his instructions strictly.

The facilitator and the participants in the roundtables set up along this common instrument, this Kli, together so that all will be playing in concert, and with this, a uniform harmony will result. And everyone will be stimulated by it, will be fulfilled from creating a group among them, connection, into which each of them disappears and begins to be nourished from that commonality that is created between them.

All this happens under the management of the facilitator. From the start he arranges a precise list of questions that they will discuss, but along the way he can adjust them because he has to feel what needs to be changed according to how and what they are discussing.

For example, during discussions like these, I generally sit at a distance and don’t disturb the participants in the roundtables, but they know that I am listening to them. I ask them a question and according to their answers give them correction and direction: The next question and another question. It doesn’t have to be that I go according to questions that were prepared from the start. If I hear that something is not right or distorted in some way, then I ask the next question in such a way that they will correct their previous answer.

So there is constant adjustment until we reach a state where the participants in the discussion feel that they have reached a common conclusion and in principle have risen above themselves, have connected into one single opinion, a single desire. A common “child” appears as a result of the discussions and gives them a feeling of fulfillment, both emotional and intellectual.
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From Kab TV’s “Through Time” 9/15/13

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The Universal Wonder Drug

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe dissemination of the integral method to the masses consists of information and education. These are two great parallel issues.

It is very difficult to go out to people with information since they need to listen, understand, and internalize what happens with their minds. But there are few who can do this. Why and what for?

Therefore, it is preferable to go out to them with education, which is to say to convey to them the simplest workshops on various subjects for an hour or forty minutes. The main thing is that they should feel that they are found in a discussion circle and not an argument, rather they all only complete each other. We guide them, we explain to them the conditions for our workshop: It is forbidden to argue with anyone; we adapt to each other to find commonality within our circle that we call a “raspberry ball.”

They will feel this after half an hour and will understand us without words, we have already seen this more than once. So they will be convinced that if they work according to the integral system, they can solve all problems at work, at home with the children, and with neighbors precisely in a form like this.

The moment that we present this framework to them, it will be easier for us to talk with them. They will feel that in our engagement some kind of inner power appears in us as a result of the connection between us that can influence us, correct and change us, and bring us closer; in other words, this is something serious that truly exists, and not some kind of fantasy or nice words.

After they feel this power, they will begin to ask what this is. And then we begin to explain to them that in our world this phenomenon is called the “wisdom of crowd.”

But essentially this is the discovery of the Creator, the discovery of the power of connection. When people come closer and rise a little above their ego, connecting above it, conceding to each other, then there is equivalence of form with the Creator. When we rise to a particular level, we awaken the influence of the Surrounding Light (Ohr Makif) on us and we feel that we have received some kind of new power. This is a physical power of equivalence of form: action and reaction.

It is logical that if we continue to rise, we awaken greater Ohr Makif, rising even further; we awaken an even greater Light and so on. It will continue to influence us more and more strongly all the time.

In a form like this, thanks to our original ego, we rise above it more and more. We transform all of its density into ascension.

Suppose that I descend to some level within my ego, and after this I rise to that level (love), transform the negative power (-) into a positive (+) one, into bestowal, into love, into connection between us. I descend to an even lower level, and after that rise above it again, and so forth. That is how I act. The ego was created for this; it gives us the opportunity to rise above it.

The greater the ego, the more I can rise above it until I descend completely to its last “fourth level” and will rise to the highest “fourth level” which is called Gmar Tikkun (full correction).

Therefore in principle we can simply explain to people what the secret is here, what the mysteries are.

There are no mysteries here. It is necessary to work correctly with two natural forces. And since we are found only within the ego, we need a second force against it, the power of Light.

So we have something with which to go out to the masses, it is only necessary to teach, to explain, to approach people correctly, and to check from the start what they are suffering from. There is one remedy! But so it will be clear to a person, we need to speak with him about what hurts him.

Imagine that there are thousands of different “invalids” among the people who complain about everything in life: physical, mental, moral, and material problems. And for us there is one universal remedy. And it works! But in order to build a connection with people, it is up to us to know from the start from what it is that they are suffering. This is the method of integral education and information.

For educating, we create various films, videos, books, brochures, and media production that explain to people how to act and how to conduct workshops that bring a connection between people.

There is no choice! We have no other tool for connecting to the Upper Light. We can attract it to us only if we are found in some circle. This is what we must teach people. To do this, I have a conversation series “A New Life,” presenting to everyone that this is the only single remedy.

In the integral workshops it is up to us to teach young couples to cooperate correctly between them, parents how to connect with their children, and children to connect with one another. It is necessary to teach all of them in plants, factories, institutions, and offices, no matter where.

The use of integral education in schools points toward progress: a decline in the phenomenon of pregnancies, reduced gang violence, and children beginning to relate differently to each other. We are doing activities like these in prisons and we get letters from the prisoners and prison managers that they are grateful to Bnei Baruch for the amazing results from integral education.

It is possible to heal with this! It is possible to raise people up with this. With the help of this, it is possible to work wonders!

Therefore, to date we have in our hands a most serious too—connection. Since our entire world was created as a result of the shattering of the one and only soul, it is up to us to gather this shattered soul, this shattered desire, like a puzzle. Then we get the feeling of the coming level, for in fact nothing is changed around us; rather, only the perception of our reality is changed.
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From the Stockholm Convention “Joy In Unity” 8/31/13, Lesson 3

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Does The Second Half Of My Soul Exist?

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Does someone exist who is especially meant to be my husband, the second half of my soul?

Answer: Yes, there is a soul like that. In an idealistic way, it would be desirable to find it, but I don’t think it would be possible to determine it immediately. If we really create a large society, both good and broad, where many circles will work to choose mates from the young people aged 18-20, by each one setting up a circle that would suit him, then they would be able to identify their perfect mate.

But for that they would need to feel this way from within the most inner part. It is a concept through hard work and diligent self-purification from artificial strata, and it is only possible through the society, the environment, which supports you in this matter and helps each person. We, as if, put ourselves in a special machine for peeling potatoes that peels away all the Klipot (shells).
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From the Talk About New Life 6/20/13

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First Love Is Not Just A Splash Of Feelings

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What is the purpose of falling in love?

Answer: It is to bring a person to bestowal, to encourage one to get out of oneself, and, by experiencing “personal” love of the opposite sex, one would understand that love must be applied to all of humanity and all of reality.

We aren’t born with a feeling of natural love for all of humanity. We just don’t have this desire or need built within us. On the other hand, we have an urge for sexual love. It’s a very strong impulse, the most important one that comes right after the basic need for food.

Freud is right. In essence, this instinct outlines the basis of human society. We must explore it so that, by using it, we can take care of humanity and build correct interactions among people.

Question: However, the feeling that is generated by this instinct is accompanied by a lot of confusion.

Answer: It is true. We have no idea how to use it. We confuse sex with love. Moreover, we are lost between true and false values.

For example, if I look at a woman and sees that she is very fashionable. I “fall in love.” My criteria, my internal measurements, that are imposed on me by society force me to go against my nature, against nature, and against the correct behavior that would lead me to a right type of contact with this girl and in fact a correct connection with her.

We should enlighten people in the areas of personal and social psychology, to “clear” it a little bit from the sediment of society and show people who they really are, what they need and why they are unhappy. We should explain that they fill themselves with substitutes, whether it is gluttony, going on vacation, various adventures, and so on, because no matter what they do, people are unable to satisfy their basic instincts. All this should be taught.

Question: The first love is an extremely strong sensation. When I fell in love for the first time, I felt life at its utmost vibrations. It was as if someone pressed a button on a remote control and added maximum volume to my internal world. I went out of my boundaries. When one is in love, one feels alive as never before. At the same time, one’s life vibrates between two poles, happiness and disappointment. I was full of energy. It seemed to me that I could turn the world upside down and squeeze it in my palm. I was ready to do anything to win the heart of my beloved. What kind of power is it? Why is it that when we are in love, we acquire so much energy that can’t be found anywhere else? What source does it come from?

Answer: This shows you that you can gravitate to a total stranger and enjoy connecting with him or her to such an extent that you need nothing else at all. Even if you are not ready for sex, it’s something else. It’s close to sex, and yet it is not the same. Moreover, it is quite the opposite. If we combined this enchantment with sex, they would devour each other. It’s more of an abstract, platonic love.

This example demonstrates that there exists another type of internal connection that is quite different from, let’s say, the one that exists between a host and his guests. I am ready to do whatever is needed to get feedback, to achieve unity, and find mutual relationships.

I need nothing, but that reciprocity. All I want is to retain a precious thread that is not of physical nature, not bodily, but, rather, is deeper and more spiritual. I necessitate it and aspire to it. I cannot eat, drink, walk, study, or think of anything external. I am not myself anymore. It’s something that drags me out of myself. I dream to see the one who has stolen my heart. There is nothing more important in life than her or him. Nothing at all is even close to this feeling. It fills my horizons.

This is love that everyone goes through at some point in life. We are involved in a special situation, the program that demonstrates to us that there is a special type of Connection (spelled with a capital “C”) being installed in us.

As a rule, the first love doesn’t last long and, most often doesn’t end up with physical closeness. Everyone undergoes this wave so that each one of us can have a sample of spiritual connectedness, rather than just having reminiscences of a specific person.

It’s not by accident that classmates are so glad to find each other on the Internet. They are driven by a subconscious desire to return to the innermost, original feeling. What’s so important if, a dozen years later, I see the girl who, at some point, was the most wonderful person in the whole world for me? Will I be touched or revived by seeing her many years later, or shall I be upset? What can we say about our ex-love at this time in our lives? What can we learn from this spark that was not extinguished by any of life’s winds nor covered by the ashes of our life experiences?

Our first love remains fruitless in the material sense of the word. We haven’t married these people, nor did we have sexual contact with them. Instead, we are filled with a “program,” knowledge, sensations, that demonstrate that there exists this kind of Connection and a kinship of souls. Then, in the relationships that we acquire later in life, we consciously or subconsciously seek the same feelings and try to resurrect them, at least, to a minor extent.

It’s not about the appearances of our beloved ones, not about the innermost image of the girls that happened to captivate young men’s hearts, but rather, it’s a sensation that each of us wants to get back.

This desire can be awakened in all, and in old age, it beckons even stronger than ever. After all,  a person sees that, besides this feeling, there is nothing of value in life, nothing real. This warm source gives us energy to live. It lives in us and pursues a high goal. With its help, we can begin correcting not only our family relationships, but also social interactions. I assume that the key to success lies particularly in this field.
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From the “Talk About New Life”  6/20/13

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Kindergarten Democracy

Dr. Michael LaitmanOnce, autocrats reigned over the world. They had absolute power and ruled people for a long time.

Then came the industrial era, the bourgeoisie became strengthened and some monarchs remained as special symbols, a beautiful appendage to the life of the country. Instead of monarchs, a rather “vague” state system has emerged not a one-man rule, but the power of money, meaning the people who have it.

They dominate the world, in the end, it is only a few families who began to manage cash flow three, four, or even five centuries ago. By the way, even then they “managed” the crowned heads a little, toppling some and enthroning others.

So, the world is driven by big money and their owners are above countries and borders. They have their own map of the world and democratic governments serve them as a “façade.” At its core, democracy is the world’s “kindergarten” with nannies that calm “pupils” and get everything they need from them. Quiet and comfortable “kids,” that is what democracy is.

In my eyes, this is the most secretive and deceitful regime. The king is another thing, he openly, without hiding, declares his sovereignty over everyone. Everything is clear with him: He is the lord; he decides, and he is surrounded by powerful and rich people. On the other hand, no one has real power and real responsibility in democracy. Today, a politician says one thing, tomorrow, another. We are so proud of this form of government, but in essence, it’s more contemptible than all the others because of its falsity and every day we see this more clearly.

Democratically elected leaders have no effective power in the framework of the system and are unable to solve problems. Realizing this today, the masses treat them accordingly. As the masses have no real power, so the government has no power as well. Its members have just “found a good place,” with a high salary, bonuses, vacation, etc. In addition, they know how to argue with each other and spend a lot of time in such productive activity. Over time, everyone will see this. At one stage of the realization of evil, it will help us change the situation.

On the other hand, with a real monarchy, a clever and adequate king cared about his people more than the current members of parliament and ministers with all their nice words. The king felt: “It is my country, my treasure, my property.” In contrast, today’s leaders do not see their people. They perceive people as nothingness, as ephemeral as if they are not there at all…

Of course, this does not mean that modern authoritarian trends are positive. Here the point is that different countries hold different formulas of power. We need to consider the character of the people and their upbringing, as well as other factors. For example, Russia tends to have a one-man rule: People want to be given an opportunity to organize their lives, and prefer to see one person at the top, for clarity. On the other hand, the age old opposition of Republicans and Democrats is such a tangle that the Americans themselves may not understand what processes are in power.

Russia does not fundamentally differ from that of America. After all, the Americans, albeit in veiled form, are much more stringent than in Russia. Externally, the USA is a free country but in fact, there is not much freedom in it.

This is neither good nor bad, the elite just have no choice. The State is power and it needs tools to implement it. People should be constantly kept within some boundaries. If you open one door before it, you need to close the other, and it requires the appropriate means.

The problem today is the education system which is beneath criticism both in Russia and in the US. And that is why nothing can help the rulers remain in power. All the threads will slip out of their fingers because today they are unable to approach the new generation. They do not know how to approach the young and the great of this world, the rulers and the rich, and they are powerless here. It’s not within human power, this is already an internal program of human development, moving into a new phase and bringing us to a new state. That is why today there is no point in comparing Russia and America, and in general, anyone else. Everything is falling apart.

The only question is how it ends. And it depends on our choice. Anyway, by the recognition of evil, we will understand that we need to change our nature because there is no possibility to solve problems, not in society, not in industry, not in commerce, and not in power. Everything is caused by human nature. This is the only factor that we can change, and then everything will be changed.

That is what humanity needs to understand. When this understanding comes, people will lose faith in everything else and will admit to themselves: “Nothing else is necessary other than to work on human nature.”

This solution will be realized not in the usual way but by the means of automation in various areas. We will create a new industry where robots will take over almost all functions. We will switch to this even in other spheres, including medicine and trade. Let automated machines work everywhere and people will just manage processes, provide maintenance, and develop new technologies. In everything else besides the basic needs, a person will be engaged in one thing: studies, education, and upbringing that will guarantee everyone unity in this world.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/29/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Why Has It Become Difficult To Raise Children?

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: I am studying your whole series of talks, “A New Life.” Thank you. In what do you see the cause of the difficulty in the upbringing of modern children?

Answer: For the first time in history we are stepping into a completely new world, not knowing it or feeling it, because our senses are egoistic, and we cannot feel the future world as long as we have not corrected them. In the past we were always able to anticipate, to imagine some kind of future world, some kind of “tomorrow” that awaits us.

This arouses special challenges for the transition to a new life. It is not known to anyone, except the Kabbalists. This is what I teach my students. Learning about the new world and entering it, that is, correcting human nature, which is a protracted and difficult process.

The problem is in the education of the new generation, both that of the young and the adults. In the past parents prepared children for entry into a world with which they were well familiar, which is to say they were ready to convey to the children habits required for life, but the parents of today cannot prepare their children for the life of the future because they themselves don’t understand anything about it. Conclusion: Both need to go through the system of integral education and upbringing.
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To Live With Each Other’s Desires

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: As a child I loved to read romance novels, and as a result, I certain image of an ideal romantic relationship developed. When I grew up, it seems that I tried to embody this ideal image and constantly got it wrong. It turns out that this image has nothing to do with what I really need.

Answer: Certainly, because these romances are completely imaginary and don’t describe a true inner connection. All of your work must be to be freed from these false forms and images. Nature intentionally obliges us to be occupied with them so that we will become disappointed and freed from this lie and relative to it we will discover how to find true love. Otherwise, we would not have this possibility.

In the meantime we are still enthralled by this lie, captured by our imaginary and artificial images. After we cleanse ourselves of this external Klipa and gradually discover our “net” pure self, our desires and our characteristics, we attain a true inner connection. There will no longer be any falling in love; rather, there will be true love because we will desire to connect soul to soul according to the spiritual characteristics of each of us.

We will understand how it is possible to bestow and to give to each other reciprocally. All of my happiness and emotions are supported by this; I will feel how to fulfill my wife and she will fulfill me, each of us will live within the other.
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From a Talk on Integral Upbringing 6/20/13

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Thick Klipot That Cover The Spaces

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What is the compass that will make it possible for me to establish where the “self” is found and where it isn’t? Where is this strange thing found that covers me like a thick Klipot (skin) that needs to be peeled?

Answer: This compass is the group. When you discuss this together, you reach the true form that exists in everyone, male or female. A youth who is in love symbolizes a personal lack for connection with another. However, in the meantime, this other is comprehended by him on the animate level as an interest in the opposite sex.

However, when you peel away all of the artificial Klipot and move it all to the left side, only the desire that you discover remains for you on the right side, then, with the help of the two Kelim, you become an expert examiner who begins to examine and clarify. You already can look at everything seriously, understanding what you want to attain. You now search for a true, reciprocal connection in order to fill that space that is discovered in you.

Additionally, this is not that same space that existed then on the small, animate level. Rather, now, this is a space on the level of the Adam (man). You understand and feel this. Through the peeling, you expose the inner space, and then you truly understand what you are truly seeking. This begins to be clarified. You don’t go back to being that little boy or little girl. Rather, you transform into a man or a woman, understanding what you want.

You are searching for a true inner connection, a reciprocal relationship, a desire to fulfill each other where each one thinks about the other and is found within his own space. He wants to be aware of the space and to fill it. He knows what to do in order to penetrate into it and fill it, and the other opens his heart before me and both act reciprocally.

You understand what to do and together you play with the two lines. All the evil that you peeled away from yourselves transforms into shared evil, and even the good transforms into being shared, and then you transform into a single person with both good and bad characteristics. Together, you become a man and a woman connected into a single system.
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From a Talk on Integral Upbringing 6/20/13

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