Entries in the 'Conventions' Category

Attaining Unity

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe only thing influencing us is the Light. It gives us energy and, on one hand, it can be a “perpetual motion” engine for us, or on the other hand, it can move away from us, in which case we fall and become weaker, even to a state where our animate, biological existence ends. All of this is the Light. All occurrences taking place inside us, both positive and negative, are the Light’s influence.

Therefore, we can’t our talk our way out of anything whether it’s physiological or any other types of problems. Aim everything only at the Light. If it is closer, things will be good, and if it is farther away – things will be bad. And it’s that way with regard to absolutely everything. Everything taking place inside of us, like in a vessel, happens only due to the Light’s influence.

The Light is one; it is simply the will to bestow, the will to fulfill, the will to love. And the more we discern and analyze what “one” means and how to become similar to it, the faster we will reach the goal.

Fine, I remember that it’s the Light doing this to me, that it is placing various obstacles before me. And what next? Next, we have to analyze that unity: How we can acquire it when we unite together despite all of our “rough angles”?

I study how the Creator plays with me, giving me thoughts, desires, opportunities, and chance occurrences. And when I try to find Him behind all of this, I begin to see how He influences me. This is already an analysis of the soul rather than personality. After all, everything that relates to the Creator’s influence on me and my influence on Him forms my soul within me, bringing it to the surface. And vice versa, everything that is simply connected with others but does not include the Creator’s Light, relates to the body on the spiritually still or animate level.
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From the 2nd lesson at the Kharkov Convention, 8/17/12

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The Method Leading To The Light

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe first man who revealed it, who attained the wisdom of Kabbalah 5773 years ago, was called Adam. We will be celebrating his birthday soon. After all, the biblical new year is the birthday of Adam as a Kabbalist, the day when he revealed the upper world, the upper force. He wrote a book about it, “The Secret Angel.” We count from this first revelation of the upper world.

In fact, humanity is given 6,000 years to understand itself and its highest level (the status equal to the Light). Since the days of Adam, the discoverer of the upper world, 5773 years have passed. Thus, 227 years remain before the end of the process.

But this process can be realized sooner. Why? Because until now we have evolved under the influence of the driving upper force, almost without using our knowledge to rise to the level of the upper Light, to reveal It, and to ascend to the next degree, to the next dimension.

So, today, the unfolding global crisis, which has long been written about by Kabbalists, is precisely in order to give us all an impulse towards our combined, common, global development. And so now, we can apply the wisdom of Kabbalah, which teaches us how to attract the upper Light. The entire method is in this; there is nothing else.

We are in the egoistic desire to be fulfilled to reveal ourselves. As a result, our desire to be fulfilled will be filled with the upper Light. Kabbalah is a guide that explains how each state can attract the upper Light to itself in its maximum intensity and develop.

We have been studying this methodology for a while. First, there was a long “latent period” when we learned, created all sorts of teaching aids, books, and everything else. And now, the global crisis is beginning to flare up, that is when our global egoism shows us its ending, the inability to continue to exist in the previous paradigm; it will have to start to change because in its current state, it will drive itself to death, to terrible conditions. And we are already seeing this.

In the great mass of people, there is a need to do something with themselves. So here, as the carriers of the method of attracting the Light, we have to think not only about ourselves, but also about all of mankind. For this we were given such “inspiration,” such a desire as to become attracted to Him, to discover the meaning of life.

And the meaning of life is to rise to the level of the Light, the level of eternity, infinity, the level of perfection and harmony. We need to attain this level in practice, on ourselves, and also to teach it to the whole world.

We are interconnected. It is only in our sensations that the desire created by the Light was split into seven billion pieces. Each of us is a little bit of that desire, and his relation to the other today is repulsion, egoistic. To attract the Light is possible to the extent to which we try to unite today.

This condition is called the law of similarity, the law of similarity of the desire to the Light. As far as the desire, in spite of its egoism, will make an effort and strive for unity, so it will rise to the Light, becoming more and more like It.

It is impossible to become similar to the Light just by trying to unite because this unity is false, superficial. However, the attempts, the efforts, that we put in order to unite, attract the awakening of the higher Light on us. It affects us, and Its influence begins to correct our egoistic desire from “for its own sake” (from its egoistic force) to “for the sake of bestowal” (to unity with others).

That Light will realize connection between us and our unity will actually lead us to the similarity with the Light, and will create a network of relationships of bestowal, up to a relationship of love, that is, to mutual inclusion into each other.

When I feel the desires of others like my own, want to fulfill them through myself, and live to do this, then I get out of my egoism and exist in fulfilling others. This existence is called the higher, above our egoism. And thus, we find the connection between us in this huge system.

This system is revealed gradually. All that we learn with you in Kabbalah: the Sefirot, Partzufim, worlds, and all kinds of relationships between them are the relationships between us and this system. It all happens between us up to the extent that the system of our relationship becomes the world of Infinity, that is, a system of absolute interconnectedness, analog, integrated, and interdependent. And then in it, in accordance with this, the upper Light or the Creator is revealed in it without any interference, in its absolute form.
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From the Kharkov Convention “Uniting to Ascend” 8/17/12, Lesson 1

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Don’t Be Ashamed To Play

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe first spiritual degree is the most difficult. What labor a small child goes through to take his first steps. How much work it is for him to grasp something, to say the first word. How much internal effort nature makes him apply. Why? Why can’t we develop peacefully, freely?

Look how young children work non-stop, seven days a week. A child may have a high fever, and he still plays, still wants something. No disturbances, nothing stops him; he is so stubborn and persistent. And we need to follow his example. We must do the same thing to enter the upper world, to become grown-ups.

Well, after all this is known and understood, even if not fully, yet. The same child who already knows how to walk and talk, at the age of four, five, six years, starts a completely different process of acquiring knowledge, with more awareness. Here in the process of attaining the upper state, we obtain more conscious tools. We have already passed the first stage, already know how to connect, with whom to “play,” like a child who at the age of three acquires a sense of those around him and starts to understand a little that it is better to play with others than on his own.

Thus, we develop relationships with others: how we can interact with them, how it is possible to develop really wisely, mutually, by building our “games.”

That’s why we play around a lot. It seems to be nonsense, but in fact, they are very serious games. We do not want this, we feel ridiculous. After all, we are adults, serious people! What do we do? Is it worth spending time on?

In fact, yes, if we understand that the development of new properties at each stage of the process occurs in the same way as in children; in play, in workshops, in all kinds of joint actions, we have the opportunity to come closer to each other and thus to attract the upper Light to us.

Although our egoistic mind sees these actions as irrational, non-serious, and childish, in fact, they are the highest exercises because we want to go against our nature.

Then, having ascended to the first level, we get a substantial recharge of the mind, understanding of the initial scheme, like a small child who is already versed in our world and to some extent understands what is good and bad, how to move further, where to take toys and how to use them, how to develop, learning something new, etc. The child begins to understand how to use the adult world for his further advancement. Similarly, are we in relation to the upper world.

Thus, the important thing for us is to climb to the first degree. After that, everything will be clear to us, understood. After that, no one will run away from our groups and return to that life again because in this life he did not have the patience to discover the top layer.

We have to hurry to reach that level, so we can help everyone else. For this purpose, we received an awakening to the next level. Our task is to reveal it, to achieve it. To the extent that we strive to make this effort for the sake of everyone else, it will be a manifestation of our attraction to bestowal. Thus, we will receive an even greater portion of the upper Light.
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From the Kharkov Convention “Uniting to Ascend” 8/17/12, Lesson 1 

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With The Thought About The Creator

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: In what state and with what thoughts is it better to go to bed?

Answer: We have talked about this many times. A person should go to bed with such thoughts so that in the morning he will wake up with the idea that all the time he was in adhesion with the Creator, not so much with the group, but with the Creator.

There is a little “but”: If you think simultaneously about the group and the Creator, everything will become blurred for you. Before going to bed at night, it is necessary to try to find a personal contact with Him and fall asleep with this in order to wake up with this.
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From the Preliminary Lesson 8/16/12, Kharkov Convention “Uniting to Ascend”

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Kharkov Convention “Uniting To Ascend” – 08.19.12

Kharkov Convention “Uniting to Ascend,” Day Three, Lesson 6

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Kharkov Convention “Uniting to Ascend,” Day Three, Workshop 7

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Kharkov Convention “Uniting to Ascend,” Day Three, Lesson 7

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Kharkov Convention “Yeshivat Haverim

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Absorbing All The Fears Of The World

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe current state of the world is much worse than we feel, see and know. It is true that we do not talk about it because politicians and economists are not interested in creating a panic. They have no answer to the question about the crisis. They have no answer, and there is nothing you can do. Why should one panic in vain? And they’re right.

But we need to provide to people who are in a state of fear of hunger, drought, cold, shock, and the unpredictable approaching from all sides now. We should try to absorb all the animal fears of the world, fears of survival. They help us to gather and reveal that force, the surrounding Light (Ohr Makif), which will pass through us to the world, and everything will calm down. All the countries, societies, and people will begin to interact because they will understand that this is the only way to bring the world to balance, that not the still, not the vegetative, not the animate nature, but only the human being disturbs harmony, and everything else is disturbed by his egoistic actions.

We lack anxiety; we lack internal hysteria. If it were there, it would be easier.

Our problem is that we are disconnected from this world and try to find a quiet corner somewhere in our higher place. This is not good. On the contrary, we should find, on one hand, the state of the greatness of the goal, and on the other hand, inner fears, because our egoism is fed only by these. Fear and the greatness of the goal are two great forces that are pushing us from behind (fear) and drawing us forward (the greatness of the goal). They will help us to unite.

We should put pressure on ourselves to try to absorb from the world all of its negative feelings that arise in connection with the crisis and to turn them into the force of our development. Indeed, development occurs under the law of “negation of negation.” Until we feel more or less normal, we will not come to the next state. Only suffering or the greatness of the goal, when I suffer because I don’t have it, makes us go.

There are two types of suffering: suffering from a lack of feeling and suffering from unfulfilled love.
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From the Preliminary Lesson 8/16/12, Kharkov Convention “Uniting to Ascend” 

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A Workshop Is A Talk From Heart To Heart

Dr. Michael LaitmanA workshop is a special action. I would say sacred. We are going to clarify a question, namely to clarify, not to answer, so that it is clear to us. Then, I will talk about it to explain it in a few minutes. And then, sitting in a circle, we will discuss how to find a logical solution, the real solution to this question, but not what is described in our books. In no case we should rely on the wise sayings of Kabbalists, rather we communicate from our heart to keep connection with each other.

However, I must accept a friend as great, infallible. It does not matter what nonsense he says. It is my feeling that he is stupid; I feel that I see it because I am not sufficiently connected with him. If I loved him, I would have felt through him that the Creator speaks to me.

Thus, while sitting in a group of ten, we must understand clearly how to relate to each other. Representatives of the Creator are sitting in front of me, and they tell me the absolute truth. I have to suppress any criticism, any distrust, anything that might alienate me from them. They are, without realizing it, saying the things that I cannot agree with. I am against it; I don’t want to hear it; I see everything stupid as having long passed, standard, and identical. It all seems so to me so that I rise above myself.

So, here we face a huge internal work.
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From the Preliminary Lesson 8/16/12, Kharkov Convention “Uniting to Ascend” 

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Kharkov Convention “Uniting To Ascend” – 08.18.12

Kharkov Convention “Uniting to Ascend,” Day Two, Lesson 3

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Kharkov Convention “Uniting to Ascend,” Day Two, Workshop 4

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Kharkov Convention “Uniting to Ascend,” Day Two, Lesson 4

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Kharkov Convention “Uniting to Ascend,” Day Two, Workshop 5

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Kharkov Convention “Uniting to Ascend,” Day Two, Lesson 5

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Kharkov Convention “Uniting to Ascend,” Day Two, Workshop 6

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The Necessary Condition For The Rise

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Is it possible to designate one of the workshops at the convention to discuss the obstacles that prevent us from uniting? On one hand, it is an obstacle, but on the other hand, we need it since we have to be glad that we are opening the walls between us.

Answer: In no way should we talk about obstacles as preventing us from uniting. We call them obstacles because they seem to be such in our egoism. However, in reality, we accept them as a necessary condition for the ascent. It is impossible to rise without them.

We must accept them naturally, with happiness, since this is the only purpose for their existence. If a person is included in our upbringing and education, then, regardless of what obstacles he faces, he has a correct reaction to them, and he certainly is rising with their help. This is very important because the technique of the rise above the obstacles is the most useful one. There is no other way here in order to rise.
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From the Virtual Lesson 8/12/12

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Unity Within The One

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: The first lesson of the Kharkov Convention is called “Unity Within the One,” that is, a lesson about the happiness of unity, about the group that is united by one goal to become similar to the Creator, about how we can feel this now and be confident that we will succeed.

Answer: The problem is that we start to feel all of us, existing together in one single external sphere of nature. This sphere is called the Creator, or Nature. It envelops us all, and we are under its laws.

Therefore, in the end, if we come to similarity with this sphere through our properties, then we will reveal our unity, oneness. Then, it will be unity within the One.
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From a Virtual Lesson 8/12/12

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