Question: Do I have to prepare for the convention in St. Petersburg so that I arrive there already with the right idea of the next degree in which I am connected with everyone?

Answer: No, I have nothing to take with me. Preparation is the process of building of the next degree, not it itself. It does not exist yet and I build it as if I prepare food to serve it on a festive table. I form the state of unity in which we will reveal the upper force together, between us.

If at “night,” in detachment from spirituality, we had not prepared the vessels of the “midnight” interaction (Zivug) of the parental Partzufim Aba ve-Ima, we would not have come to the “morning” state. In spirituality, I build everything myself because my reality, my states, the change of night and day, are determined by my current perception.

In fact, I am in the world of Infinity but the “curtain has been lowered” before me, and I am left in the dark, in contraction, so that I myself would open, take off this cover, according to my internal preparation.

Thus, preparation is a real job. We become familiar with the materials and songs of the convention in advance, with its program, with all its details to prepare for the action internally. At the convention, I am going to perform an action of unity and that is why I need to work on it constantly.

It always happens like this; when going to where I really would like to be, I’m kind of already there.

On the other hand, if I am just waiting for the convention, hoping that everything will happen by itself, then my expectations will be in vain. Nothing will happen without preparation, and in preparing,  I have to understand that right now, every moment, I build and form a decisive action.

In spirituality, without these preparatory steps, without the complete process of “building,” there is only an empty place and as in fairy tales, the goal moves away from me no matter how much I run after it. This is the fate of those who “wait” as opposed to those who can build their own future and come to it.

The concept of the “Creator” (Boreh) means “Come and see” (bo-reh in Hebrew). I have to correct my vessels, desires; this is the only way. Thus, preparation is the correction of the vessels in the dark, “before the dawn.” Otherwise I will stay in the dark.

Moreover, the feeling of the “evening,” the gathering of darkness, is possible only after the correct “afternoon” work, when light and shadow are beginning to mix, and it is more difficult to distinguish them because a new desire is revealed in me. And it is revealed because during the “day” I have prepared myself for the “night.” Thus, this sequence of days and nights continues.

We have to treat preparation in the most attentive manner. Moments, devoid of any use, are stretched into hours, days, and months, which we do not use properly. I know this for myself: Only later you discover how much you have missed… So, now, we must not miss our chance and achieve the desired.
[110879]
From the Talk About the Preparation for the Convention in St. Petersburg 6/26/13

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In our work, preparation is extremely important. It determines the outcome. It does not matter what you study or how much you know. The main thing is to prepare oneself, that is, to change one’s vessel, the desire, so as to feel the upper world instead of this world.

Nothing changes but yourself, and then you find out that the upper world is here, that it has always been here. Do you want paradise, here you go. Do you want hell, here you go. Take what you want, it all depends on your vessel.

It’s as if there is a “control” before you which you can rotate in either direction and it changes your world from one extreme to another, from one end of the scale to the other. You seemingly scroll a sequence of images in your computer.

All this is inside, in you, everything is outlined on a background of white light. The light itself is not knowable, as well as the darkness, we only see one against the other. Our present life is the minimally discernible contours of this picture…
[110822]
From the Talk About the Preparation for the Convention in St. Petersburg 6/26/13

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The two current conventions, Krasnoyarsk and St. Petersburg, mark the beginning of a new stage. From now on, we start practical preparation for unification on a new degree.

If any of our circles around the world do not participate in the process, this will throw them aside and we cannot afford this. Of course, we do not “attack” anyone, do not impose any uncompromising requirements; however, we need to understand that we need to unite in the near future. All our studies, our entire path, the entire correction, is directed towards unity. And we should gradually, say in six months, bring everyone to this state.

Currently, we are becoming involved in a full-scale preparation before the convention in St. Petersburg. It should be the result of joint preparation, which we have not had as yet. We need to feel it “first-hand,” to feel it with “every fiber of the soul.” Our entire life, the whole world, the current reality, is a preparation to the final correction. It’s said that he who did not labor, did not prepare himself for the Sabbath in advance, what is he going to eat on the Sabbath? In essence, the entire period of six thousand years is preparation, meaning the addition of vessels, desires, which we first cleanse from egoism and then correct for receiving in order to bestow.

I address everyone: Now we apply more efforts in preparation for the convention and have to become familiar with what awaits us there in advance. The convention theme, its exact schedule, songs and events, all of this relates to preparation. Our groups around the world have to know what will take place in St. Petersburg during the three days.

Then, they will be able to plan their time in advance and organize so as to not sit in front of the screen in anticipation of something new. It’s bad if new things for us are formal, “technical” elements. We need no external surprises, but only internal ones. That’s why the more we become familiar with the external elements, the better it will be.

We need to translate the songs and slogans of the convention into the major languages. Everyone should know in advance the organizational details, program, plan of the premises, themes for the gathering of friends, every detail. This will be the “infrastructure” of the preparation process.

We have to build intentions above it, to read certain materials, listen to special music, etc. We need no surprises. If a person likes something, he can listen to it with pleasure a hundred times and not even reject the one hundred and first time. It’s the repetition that forms the vessel. If it brings no pleasure the first time, it will come when there are already the Reshimot that are filled. It’s said, “I will eat what I have stored in advance.” A breakthrough success in the crucial moment is possible only due to careful preparation.

So far, we have taken a tiny benefit from our meetings because we did not prepare ourselves as needed. This time, if the preparation is right, you will feel how effective the convention can be. Getting ready, we are building our collective vessel and our efforts in this are the basis of future unity.

Conversely, having arrived at the convention without preparation, I say hello, wave to the friends, and will remain alone among the “external noise.” Without prior preparation I will not be able to feel myself integrated in the two thousand people and through them in the other two million. That’s why there is just one risk, that instead of preparation you “plunge” into anticipation. These are two diametrically opposite things.

We are talking about a key psychological moment. I am not counting on any circumstances, I do not tell myself, “There will be a day, there will be food.” No, I myself prepare the food for this day; otherwise, I will be hungry because then it will be too late. I know exactly what to expect, what I will need in relation to details, in all subtleties. I work for six days and then the Sabbath comes.

If our conversations “motivate” you only to sit and wait for something, then at the convention our “table” will be empty. So, I do not wait for anything, do not hope for anything, but prepare all the necessary things. And then I am confident of success.
[110767]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/25/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Question: We already know that thought has tremendous power. The power of collaborative mental support has been documented in scientific research. At the convention we are all in one thought aimed at the common goal. Are our efforts registered somewhere or do they just “dissolve into thin air”?

Answer: First of all, all our deeds—good and bad, right and wrong, true and false—are “registered.”

In general, as we know, the created being goes through three states:

• In the first state, Malchut of the World of Infinity is before contraction.
• The second condition is the entire process through which the following things happen to us: the descent of the world, breaking, development in this world, and ascent back.
• In the end, we come to the third state , to the same Malchut of Infinity but that is completely corrected and is 620 times greater than its first state.

Thus, the descent from the top downwards and the reverse ascent is considered a single state. And this is the second state, the preparation to the third and final one: the end of correction. However, we attain the end of correction in each individual action as small parts of the general system gradually joining into one large “integral.” In fact, this “integral” is a qualitatively new sum of small “sectors.”

A question arises: How can we make each step in order to achieve the correct result in every part? Answer: Only by preparation because the main thing for us is the work towards the final correction, collective and individual.

So, now we have to work on the preparation. Less than three weeks are left before the convention in St. Petersburg and we must prepare properly.

No matter with which group I will be attending this convention—I am preparing in such a way as to disconnect from the whole world, from all outside influences: no radio or television, no books, no external activities. For three days, my friends and I are going into the “deep underground,” no matter where we are physically. I form a “bubble” for myself with my friends, hide in it from all the interferences of the world, and open myself to the influence of the convention.

And all this must be organized in advance by connecting to the group in which I will spend these three days or with those who will come to St. Petersburg. I have to prepare myself for detachment from the world; I have to be ready to connect with the group, dissolve in it, and surrender myself like a fetus in the mother’s womb. If, suppose, my friends and I are at a mirror convention, then we receive nourishment, the Light of life, from St Petersburg like through the umbilical cord.

In short, getting ready for the convention, I have to create the same conditions like the embryo has in the womb. I not only have to see this picture in front of me, but feel it. And it affects my entire spiritual path, my chance to achieve something in life.

The friends who are coming to the convention must understand: They are in the place that needs to be isolated from any external influences. Let the city run its own life, let the atmosphere radiate its “emanations” on everyone; this is where we need to work.

This convention can become unique and can gain unprecedented power if we just prepare for it properly, if we isolate ourselves from the surrounding impulses that are literally “in the air,” if we detach ourselves externally and internally. I hope that all the participants will clean themselves of external influences and will arrive already prepared so everyone becomes the “womb” for each and every “embryo” in the collective body, and that everyone wants to receive nourishment from the teacher, and through him from the upper root. In the end, everyone needs to form this state according only to his conditions.

Here is the preparation: I imagine the participants, myself, imagine how I will get nourishment in detachment from everything external, adhering to the mother’s body, nullifying myself before it. I have to constantly think about it, live it to such an extent that it becomes my habitual state. Then, having arrived at the convention, I will automatically flow in the right course.

And besides that, we have to make the organizers understand what is required of them. We do not care about beautiful banners on the walls and other decorations. We evaluate the organization only by its ability to make us the “womb,” a group in the full sense of the word. Thus, the true organizer is not the one who manages the activities but the one who organizes this spiritual “isolation,” this spiritual world, in which we live for three days.

The convention in St. Petersburg costs us huge efforts and money. So, how can we let it take its own course?! We could spend all those millions of dollars on dissemination. Still, it is worth it providing that we will understand that everything is determined by preparation. Otherwise, it is not worthwhile to fly to St. Petersburg even for free.

That is why I warn you: Now we are required prepare correctly. All our friends regardless of where they will organize this convention must think about this, must get together, unite, and discuss the preparation, not relying on anyone. We all decide how to create the right spirit, how to form the “womb” in which we will attain true spiritual realization. This is extremely important.

Otherwise, in spite of all the invested efforts, we will come back as after a “festival,” a “party,” but not a spiritual action,  with an even greater feeling of emptiness.

It is no coincidence that I in advance talked about the success of the convention in Krasnoyarsk; the friends prepared for it for six months, while in a great inner tension. They invested themselves fully and also financially. The tent itself, in which the event took place, cost them two million rubles. In addition, they were collecting money to bring people from remote places. Many were on the train for a few days or even a week; they had to make their way along the local roads. And some felt an impulse during the convention and arrived here for a day and half. This is real investment…

So, no preparation, no convention. If a person has not prepared himself, I would return the ticket if I were him. Arriving unprepared causes your friends’ descent and it will hit you like a boomerang and much stronger than it hits them. In this case, you should not be there. It is said, “Keeping sinners apart is good for them and good for the world.”

As for the mirror convention in our new Israeli center: If it is just a little get-together to decide on a place, organize duties there, and watch what happens on the screens, it will be a loss—wasted efforts.

Everyone must bring the right intention to the convention according to his degree. This intention is accumulated “by pennies” for the decisive day. If you do not do this, I recommend you do nothing: It is better to sit at home and watch TV. You will not hit the target without efforts, without intention; on the contrary, you will steal power from the friends, instead of adding strength to them.

It’s not about external signs; a desire should burn within you so that now we all together raise MAN, a request for our correction. What is it? We want the Light that will unite us to come. In our unity, we want to reveal the upper force and feel how we bring it joy. A person aims at the group and from the group at the Creator. This is “Israel” (ישראל), which means: “straight to the Creator” (Yashar-El – ישר – אל).

We need the same convention as in Krasnoyarsk only with a new Aviut, i.e. a new depth of desire. Take the example of Krasnoyarsk and create the same in St. Petersburg. These two conventions are like one. In the language of Kabbalah, we can call them “two heads of the Partzuf:” Rosh de Hitlabshut and Rosh de Aviut. Accordingly, the addition that we have to feel is the addition of the Light that Reforms. In Krasnoyarsk, it was a pure, “transparent” desire, aimed upward, relatively ready for anything, and in St. Petersburg there will be the “egoism of a big city” the thickness of desire. But we must not wallow in it but raise ourselves to the state that was in Krasnoyarsk. Throughout the convention, we need to “hold ourselves in the air,” above egoism, above reason. And this is what we should prepare for.

We will have to work not in the thickness itself; this is impossible and not necessary. Our task is to rise more and more and now during the time of preparation. Preparation is a potential action: I have not yet come to its realization but already act to the best of my abilities.

For example, preparing to become an engineer, I study, work on projects, go through on-the-job training, and only then acquire the profession.

Thus, in the period of preparation I carry out the same tasks that I will face later, but I perform them in special pre-conditions. Preparation is already an action, not a fantasy, not dreams about a bright future. Already now I keep in touch with the friends try to connect with them. We constantly discuss the upcoming event and its realization—current and future.

Imagine that you are organizing this convention for a few thousand people. You are in charge; everything depends on you, rather on your group of ten that must take care of the most important thing—uniting the hearts. And now, act, as one man with one heart.
[110747]
From the 4^th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/24/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam 

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Question: I want to understand what the secret of the Kazakhstan Group is. They always radiate joy and they always impress me. I spoke to one of the women from that group and she told me: “I have a strong husband!” In other words she has no doubt that he will not do anything wrong or may get off track, it simply amazes me! Could it be that the women are the secret?

Answer: Unfortunately, I don’t know these women, but apparently they are right. When a woman speaks about her husband that way it gives him great support! The main thing for men, even for the toughest macho man, is a woman’s support. He needs it very much. When a woman speaks this way about her husband, he cannot allow himself to be weak. He will do everything in his power to justify her opinion so as not to seem lesser in her eyes.

A clever woman knows that, uses that, and benefits from that. A woman can help her husband that way much more than the whole group since she is part of her husband. If she supports him, his success is guaranteed.

So women, take into account that this special mission is in your hands. The female part and the male part are internally connected to one another by natural ties that we don’t know about. They are transferred by inner reflection from us to you and vice versa.

Your influence on us is great and you can determine the men’s success. I really count on you. Don’t let us down!
[110662]
From the Convention In Krasnoyarsk 6/16/13, Lesson 5

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Question: Is spiritual advancement possible without having a deep knowledge of psychology?

Answer: Basically the Kabbalists did not learn psychology, after all they began to teach it around 50 – 70 years ago. At the beginning of the last century psychology as a science didn’t even exist. And even today it is difficult to call it a science because it is impossible to learn and to investigate the human while we are found on the present beastly level of development. To be able to investigate and learn something, we need to be one level higher.

Therefore it is possible to perceive the human and his psychology, which is to say, the structure of his soul, only within the wisdom of Kabbalah. Psychology is the soul. Who can learn and investigate the soul? Everything that we learn are all kinds of bestial reactions: either instinctive or the result of the influence of the environment or the human society on each other.

Psychology as a science ended around 20 years ago. We stopped understanding each other and therefore nobody can seriously be involved with it. Psychologists talk about this themselves. Since the beginning of the nineties of the last century, no new discoveries have been made in it, not even dependency has been defined, the human has become unrecognizable, one person cannot know another person.

For this sake we need to rise to a new level. Through learning the wisdom of Kabbalah it is possible to understand human psychology, his soul, because everything is established there. How is it possible to understand a person if we don’t know how he is managed, from where, what for, for what need, for what purpose does he go. The goal is what establishes all of his responses.

We see the person only in his everyday worldly life when he only organizes himself to live the seventy years of his life. This is not psychology, rather a normal level of animal existence. Therefore, only by learning the wisdom of Kabbalah is it possible to learn psychology.
[110656]
From the Conventions in Krasnoyarsk 6/16/13, Lesson 5

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Question: Every morning I wake up with the thought that everything depends upon me, “If I am not for myself who will be for me?” And I make great plans to do something wonderful, huge, and helpful. After that all kinds of things distract me, and in the evening I discover that apparently I didn’t do anything. But I understand that “There is none else besides Him”; that is, it is the Creator who arranged all this for me. I go to sleep, wake up in the morning completely renewed and everything begins anew. How is it possible to break out of my “deceptive” system?

Answer: I think that this happens because you are planning your personal egoistic spiritual event in the morning. Instead of this, you need to plan group events and then the whole “deception” will disappear and fade into being forgotten. Together with the friends you will be able to remind each other about things that need to be done.

Spiritual action can only be in a group, only together, at least with one other person. Even if in the morning I promise myself that I will do something, succeed in this, and in the evening feel like a hero: “Today I thought all the time and held onto it intentionally!” This is worth nothing if this was not connected to others!

It makes no difference what I thought about others if in this activity I was not together with them. Therefore, for many years we promise ourselves about something every morning but we don’t get results!

Spiritual work can only be in a group that is composed of at least two people, where we join together and do some kind of activity; otherwise, it isn’t spiritual. It’s desirable that we will depend upon each other in this activity that we are included together. I am happy about what my friend does and he is happy about what I do, so both of us depend upon each other.

And the main thing is for whom is the work intended? It could be from me and from the friend for a group and from there for the Creator. Can we convey our mutual joy from us to them, are we giving contentment to the Creator with this? Extending yourself into the characteristic of bestowal cannot be the work of one person, there must be at least two.
[110653]
From the Conventions in Krasnoyarsk 6/16/13, Lesson 5

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Question: Which principles must be found in the future society, do they have a reciprocal connection with the spiritual world?

Answer: In the future society exactly the same Kabbalistic principles apply as in the spiritual world. This is the same Kabbalistic system of mutual connection of the corrected parts of creation of corrected souls, only it is described and explained in ordinary materialistic language and no more than this.

Either I say that we need to gather according to the Kabbalistic principles of “faith above reason,” “nullification,” “first restriction,” “second restriction,” “Returning Light,” and so forth or I say the same thing in a simple language—that people need to begin to connect despite their ego and then they will sense the discovery of a unique collective force among them, which in fact is the upper Light.
[110500]
From the Convention In Krasnoyarsk 6/14/13, Lesson 4

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We have been organizing conventions for over ten years. The first convention that was held in Israel was initiated by the Moscow group and since then the tradition developed when friends from different countries come together. So, we are more familiar with our brothers who live around the world.

However, so far, we have not used these conventions in the form that should be revealed in the end. A convention is a general gathering, the place of the revelation of the general desire, the collective intention and the interaction (Zivug) with the upper Light to which we are drawn.

We must consider the next convention in St. Petersburg as new, the first of its kind. Its feature is full-fledged preparation. We are not going to a festival, not on a holiday with an easy and enjoyable program. Of course, I am not against “lightness,” but I am against frivolity.

We must prepare for this event extremely seriously. This does not mean that you should walk with grim faces. On the contrary, we all need to be in great spirits but at the same time together feeling that we are just about to gather the forces needed for that general special power by means of which we will be able to realize unity with the upper Light to the extent of our similarity with it, even minimally.

We want to generate at least a bit of bestowal from our part, which the upper Light will be able to correct by giving it the correct form. Then, after the correcting light of AB-SAG, the filling light will be revealed, and we will know the Creator, and all this is in order to bring Him contentment.

The main thing we need to build in ourselves is confidence. It all depends on the preparation, and the result of the preparation and during the action itself, so to speak, there is nothing to do. Figuratively speaking, you have for dinner what you have prepared. It is said, “He who did not labor on the eve of the Sabbath, from whence shall he eat on the Sabbath day?” That is why the main work is carried out not at the convention but before it.

Eighteen days are left before the convention in St. Petersburg. It promises to bring a record number of participants. In addition, it follows right after the convention in Krasnoyarsk, and never before have we had such a dramatic difference between the properties of vessels that are revealed by these two meetings.

In short, we have precise work. We must do the same thing as in Krasnoyarsk but in different internal and external conditions in another layer of the general desire. The difference is clear to us and we understand that we need to neutralize it. If we manage to create the same atmosphere in St. Petersburg, the same unity, the same transparency, as in Krasnoyarsk, we will be awarded a great revelation.

However, I repeat: Preparatory work from every individual and all together is required. If we had a device that measured the level of preparation, I would have put it at the entrance to the convention hall and would allow inside only those who meet the requirements and would send the others home. Everyone should understand that if he does not participate correctly in a common effort, he causes harm that comes back to him to the extent that he prevents everyone else.

This is a very harsh law. So first of all, we must thoroughly check all the participants as to whether they are prepared for the convention.

Besides that, from this day forward, we constantly need to discuss the upcoming meeting, to prepare and distribute materials to create a general online territory where everyone will be able to ask questions in various languages. We will translate these questions and answer them. We need a committee to deal with all the concerns in the framework of the spiritual preparation for the convention. The groups of St. Petersburg and Moscow take care of the physical and organizational preparation, sparing no effort, and that is why we need to help them in other areas.
[110605]
From the Talk About the Preparation for the Convention in St. Petersburg 6/23/13

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Question: Lately I have been remembering many things from my youth and feel ashamed of things that I did then…

Answer: You will see what you did again…. The Creator intentionally presents all this to you and you need to understand that it was He who did all this and not you.

That is, you need to understand that everything in the past is what He did with you, “There is none else besides Him.” Therefore, don’t eat yourself up!

If you condemn yourself about the past, then you are condemning the Creator because your entire past was determined by Him. It is only the present and the future which is determined by you.
[110581]
From the Convention In Krasnoyarsk 6/16/13, Lesson 5

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