Entries in the 'Children' Category

New Life #339 – The Desire For Freedom

New Life #339 – The Desire For Freedom
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

Summary

What stands in our way of being free? Why are we constantly chasing something, and when will we be able to attain real freedom? Even animals aspire for freedom. Man desires not to depend on anything.

Today, in the era of abundance, a person still does not feel free. He is enslaved to the impulses that emerge in him. Progress has brought us to the feeling of enslavement. This is the reason that the desire to get married and to have children is disappearing.

Life is one big rush. The question of  “Why am I running if eventually we all die?” comes up.

Drugs and antidepressants provide a sense of freedom from thinking about life, death, and the meaning of life. Freedom means breaking through the boundaries of life and death, knowing what lies ahead, and being able to touch eternity.

The aspiration to be free from death is concealed in every search a person makes in life. This is the reason that no one feels really free even when he doesn’t do anything or is on vacation. There is a feeling of discomfort.

The question about the meaning of life stems from the hidden question that is in everyone’s heart: if everything comes to an end, why should I run at all? The media blurs this internal pain.

Being free means opening new unlimited horizons and being free from the question that gnaws at me.

Terrorism and fundamentalism make a person feel that he is fighting the angel of death and that he is winning. The young generation don’t want to leave their parents’ home. The more you learn, the more pain you feel. For what…
[141237]
From KabTV’s “New Life #339 – The Desire For Freedom,” 4/6/14

icon for podpress Video: Play Now | Download
icon for podpress Audio: Play Now | Download

New Life #338 – The Ideology Of The Israeli Nation And The Next Revolution

New Life #338 – The Ideology Of The Israeli Nation And The Next Revolution
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

Summary

What makes the ideology of the nation of Israel so special? What can we learn from leaders of revolutions throughout history and how can the Israeli society affect the future revolution?

Since the days of Abraham, the ideology of the nation of Israel has been the fulfillment of “love thy friend as thyself.” Two thousand years ago we broke away from that and since then we have been going downhill.

According to the wisdom of Kabbalah, our ideology is “love thy friend as thyself.” This is our constitution. This ideology is the internality of the nation, and it is time we return to it. Then we will be a light unto the nations of the world. Baal Shem Tov began spreading the love of others among the nation of Israel, and then Marx continued this ideal.

We don’t understand how this connection works, but it exists. The seed of Israel is found in every revolution.

Abraham was the first revolutionary. He brought a new force into the world, a force of giving, mercy above the force of receiving. The Jews have the hidden tendency to develop into something new.

Today only the nation of Israel can lead a social educational revolution in the world. The correction of the world is the transition from egoistic relations to relations of love and connection. This is the ideology.

The next revolution will not involve a dominant part and a part that is dominated. The connection between us will prevail, the upper force.

God is the upper force that dwells in nature, that connects everything, that develops everything. The next revolution will be according to the ideology of the nation of Israel.
[141185]
From the KabTV’s “New Life #338 –The Ideology Of The Israeli Nation And The Next Revolution,” 3/4/14

icon for podpress Video: Play Now | Download
icon for podpress Audio: Play Now | Download

Egoism In The Service Of The World

laitman_939_01Baal HaSulam, “Peace in the World”: And it is natural that each and every individual feels himself in the world of the Creator, as a sole ruler, that all the others were created only to ease and improve his life, without him feeling any obligation whatsoever to give anything in return.

And in simple words we shall say, that the nature of each and every person is to exploit the lives of all other people in the world for his own benefit. And all that he gives to another is only out of necessity; and even then there is exploitation of others in it, but it is done cunningly, so that his friend will not notice it and concede willingly.

It is possible that a person doesn’t even feel that he uses another when giving, but it can’t be that we give something selflessly. In any case, it will be with the intention to receive.

The reason for it is that the nature of every branch is close to its root. And because man’s soul extends from the Creator, who is One and Unique, and everything is His, hence, so man, who extends from Him, feels that all the people in the world should be under his own governance and for his own private use. And this is an unbreakable law. …

This law can be called “the law of singularity in man’s heart.” No person escapes it, and each and every one takes his share in that law: the great according to his size, and the small according to his size.

Thus, the above law of singularity in the nature of every person is neither condemned nor praised, as it is a natural reality and has a right to exist like all parts of reality. And there is no hope to eradicate it from the world or even blur its form a little, just as there is no hope to eradicate the entire human species from the face of the earth. Therefore, we will not be lying at all if we said about this law that it is the absolute truth.

 

It is clear that this is our nature. The important thing is not to hide this law—this “absolute truth” that only our egoism operates in the entire reality—but to use it correctly. After all, egoism is the only material of creation, and if we don’t learn to use it correctly, we will suffer all of our lives.

A person’s entire life, from birth to death, is a fight. How is it possible to enjoy it and reach an eternal and perfect life? For this, we need not destroy our egoism, but to use it properly.

There is no force in the world that can correct our egoism. Therefore, people think that there is no solution. All of the governments, philosophies, nations of the world, and the cleverest presidential advisors can’t recommend any method of correcting human egoism. Competition and using others remains.

Only the wisdom of Kabbalah, by attracting the upper force not inherent to our level, our life in this world, helps us draw force of love and can show us how to properly work with our egoism. It turns out that egoism is very useful because we build the system of connections above it. By rising above our egoism in the form opposite to it, we discover the upper force of nature.

Egoism has an infinite number of forms of egoistic connections between us, and all of them are forms of the upper force of love and bestowal, but in reverse, like a stamp and its imprint. If not for egoism in its various forms, we would have no possibility of revealing the form of the upper force and attaining it. It would have been elusive.

But because we transform hatred into love, we reveal its shape. All of this we can experience this practically if we sit down in a circle and in half an hour through a simple conversation according to the integral methodology, we begin to discover the beautiful results of our connection.

This is despite the fact that people with opposite views, strangers to each other, are gathered in the circle. This demonstrates that, in reality, there is a positive force hidden inside the connection and it is between strangers. If they sit in the circle together and have a conversation according to the integral method, they begin to discover warmth, unity, closeness, mutual understanding, and a willingness to concede to each other.

They see in what form it is possible to connect and fulfill each other and how to help each other in the circle. From the very first attempt, they discover many laws of connection.

Our egoism is an indisputable fact, and everyone thinks in no other way than egoistically. It is also true that there is no other force in our world apart from it. All of the uniqueness of the wisdom of Kabbalah is in the fact that it knows how to extract from nature the second force that is positive and offsets the negative egoistic force to add plus to the minus, which is the force of connection.
[199864]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/3/17, Lesson on the Topic: “Education for Concession”

Related Material:
When The Ego Begins To Soften
Einstein Could Only Have Dreamt Of This
Growing Interdependence

Education From Infancy

laitman_946Question: From what age is it possible to begin spiritual education?

Answer: It is really from infancy.

Spiritual education is the right attitude of a person toward others and it should be taught from birth or even as education for future parents. When a child grows, it is necessary to put him into an environment that engages with integral education, first in kindergarten, then at school, and so on. As soon as he learns to sit, put him in a circle with other children.

Even if they still don’t understand each other, don’t relate to each other, and each one is involved with their own toys, it doesn’t matter. Subconsciously the child feels that he is in a society.

Integral education is widely practiced in our community. Even before they can walk, our children already attend special children’s groups where parents learn with them. And that is how it is until school age when they can participate in lessons and shared meals.

Then at the age of 14 to 15, they go to university (we prepare them for this), and by the age of 18-19 they already have college degrees. Each and every year dozens of children and youth pass through our method of education.
[199041]
From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 7/3/16

Related Material:
A Single Child-Rearing Method
A Good Attitude Is A Protection Against Abuse
The Future Of Education

New Life #335 – Conflict Resolution In The Workplace, Part 1

New Life #335 – Conflict Resolution In The Workplace, Part 1
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Tal Mandelbaum ben Moshe

Summary

What causes anger and conflicts in the workplace, what is the right way to resolve these situations, and what techniques help us build relationships of connection and cooperation between us?

Case: Employees are required to perform a task beneath their level due to the absence of another employee.

  • Everyone could sit together with the boss in a circle and talk about the situation and find the solution together.
  • The wisdom of connection can develop the feeling of acting together, in support and mutual responsibility.
  • The connection between people means that they feel a mutual responsibility for everything that happens at the workplace.
  • We live to feel good, joy, and happiness. Arguments and stress damage our health.
  • We should try to build a society where the feeling of thoughtfulness, concern, and connection exist between everyone.
  • Don’t relate to conflicts that exist in the organization, but raise people to a higher level.
  • All problems, ultimately come from the ego, arrogance and control. Thus connection solves everything.
  • Do not talk about problems, but about relationships that aren’t connected to work, like partners and family.
  • The aim is to soften the tension, to get everyone to agree to a shared feeling of warmth.
    [138168]
    From KabTV’s “New Life #335 – Conflict Resolution In The Workplace, Part 1,” 4/1/14
icon for podpress Video: Play Now | Download
icon for podpress Audio: Play Now | Download

New Life #331 – Ideological Revolutions

New Life #331 – Ideological Revolutions
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

Summary

How are the revolutions of today different from the ones in the past, how do they influence us, and which revolution will bring us all a better life?

All revolutions arise from the development of human egoism on four levels: slavery, feudalism, capitalism, and the fourth stage—all humanity connected as one family.

There were changes stemming from a desire for economic gain or others wanting to impose their religion, then came the Industrial Revolution and we began to make a healthy calculations according to income. Karl Marx predicted the material stage of development would be followed by the stage of social development. That is, after the Industrial Revolution and the era of material abundance, there would be a social revolution. You now see that Marx was right. We are all slaves, in a constant race and under constant stress.

The social revolution is that everyone will live better, equally, will be connected and will learn to live in brotherly love. After Marx presented his vision, others came and spoiled it, when they tried to implement it before its time. Marx knew a social revolution would come only after capitalism had been completely exhausted.

The essence of the social revolution is upgrading human nature from egoism to altruism. Lenin and his party tried to start it in Russia but in an aggressive and distorted way. The social revolution cannot come through oppression and aggression. Understanding and acceptance are necessary, and education.
[136494]
From KabTV’s “New Life #331 – Ideological Revolutions,” 3/30/14

icon for podpress Video: Play Now | Download
icon for podpress Audio: Play Now | Download

New Life #330 – Revolution As A Social Phenomenon

New Life #330 – Revolution As A Social Phenomenon
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

Summary

Revolution occurs when people can no longer tolerate the current method of conduct. An internal engine develops the human race through four social stages called: still, vegetative, animate, and speaking. When writing was developed it raised man above the limits of time. It was a real revolution.

The desire to control nature and to break boundaries grew in humans through four developmental stages. Today we have arrived at a situation where one press of a button can delete all of mankind. We can travel into space, but it turns out that we are very limited. We can do anything, just not control life.

The next revolution is a paradigm shift, an understanding that we are part of nature, and nature has its laws. We must learn to connect with each other as all other parts of nature do in a harmonious and integral way. We are unable to control our destiny. We must study the natural system that operates us.
[136221]
From KabTV’s “New Life #330 – Revolution As A Social Phenomenon.” 3/30/14

icon for podpress Video: Play Now | Download
icon for podpress Audio: Play Now | Download

The Integral System, The Fate Of Humanity

laitman_942Question: Operating in mutual cooperation on the level of the forces of nature is not everyone’s fate but only of a few. But according to what you say, everyone will have to undergo spiritual education. How do you explain this contradiction?

Answer: There is no contradiction. Since we are all egoists and were created by the egoistic force, we all have to reach a state of balance by revealing the positive force between us. This refers to grownups, children, men, women—everyone.
[198997]
From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 7/3/16

Related Material:
Kabbalah – The Method For The Elevation Of Man
Kabbalah For Everyone
The Uniqueness Of The Integral System

Not A Lone Soldier In The Battlefield

laitman_629_3Question: In Kabbalah, does a person have to educate himself?

Answer: No, he cannot educate himself independently. A person cannot do anything by himself. He must be connected to others. This is very explicitly explained on our sites.
[199604]
From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 7/3/16

Related Material:
The Minimum Of Many Is Two
The Wisdom Of Kabbalah Is A Collective Study
Can A Person Alone Expect Success?

Love, Rather Than All Problems

laitman_624_05_0Question: Is there anything useful in this treasure of the wisdom of Kabbalah for young couples who, because of the growth of the ego, encounter problems sustaining their relationship?

Answer: Let’s adapt the wisdom of Kabbalah to our world and use it! After all, egoistic competition happens in the world from childhood to adulthood. For our entire lives, it is hell, a continuous struggle from which we have no benefit, only the gloating of our ego when we revel in our superiority over another.

We must use our earthly life that has been given to us to try to balance it, change it. We give birth, raise, and educate a child not to gratify his own ego, but to transform children into people who can enjoy life in peace and not constantly be defensive.

The wisdom of Kabbalah explains how to do this.

To do this, we must use a system of connections between people, and above all of our egoistic rejections and contradictions, we can build bridges of mutual connection toward love.

We can do this while being egoists as nature created us; above this nature, we can build mutual altruistic connections. It depends only on education! If we educate a generation like this, it will be happy and strong indeed.

It seems to us that altruism could weaken us and that, ultimately, we could be eaten, annihilated, or devoured, but it is precisely the opposite. Love is the most powerful feeling in the world, and it provides the people who realize it with immense inner strength.

The United States can serve as an example of how the growth of the ego and pitting oneself against others weakens and leads to crisis.

If our method of unification were in Europe, today it would be stronger and more advanced than everyone else.

An aspiration toward unity, toward mutual attraction, lies in nature and we should take advantage of this power. It creates more and more new forms of matter and of everything that exists, while separation only destroys and kills.

Therefore, the wisdom of Kabbalah is imperative for us.
[199420]
From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 10/2/16

Related Material:
Based Upon Mutual Concessions
The Kabbalistic Principle – “Mutual Concessions”
A New Era Of Family Relations