Entries in the 'Evolution' Category

What Does Man Begin With?

Dr. Michael Laitman

Man begins with the unity of our thoughts and desires into the smallest possible vessel. And then it keeps growing larger as a result of the addition of newer and newer parts. In this way, he becomes man, Adam, stretched to the ends of the universe. And his connection, his mind and heart, is being built from all the broken pieces contained in each of us because each piece contains the mind and the heart inside of it.

The connection of these forces is similar to how matter forms in our world throughout the whole of the evolution on the still, vegetative, and animate levels. Matter started to unite in the same form. And when we start to unite our parts, we also go through the same steps, the still, vegetative, and animate, in the unity between people. These are called the spiritual states: embryo – nurturing – maturing (Ibur – Yenika – Mochin).

That is why all of our work depends on for the sake of what we are uniting—for the sake of the quality of bestowal to rule in us, meaning for the sake of the Creator, for the sake of His pleasure, or for the sake of ourselves in order to make it better for ourselves when we only think of our own condition in this world and about our bodies. Meaning that we are concerned with our bodily existence and not about gathering the image of man from our pieces.

That is why the “prayer of the 18 blessings” describes the spiritual path so well, the direction, the intention, the urge towards the next step, onto which the world, the human society has to rise to now. That is why the necessity for unity is being revealed. The only question is: For what sake does it happen?

And here, humanity divides into two parts. Those, who understand that unity is necessary for reaching the human level, the image of man. They are actively building this image. And the rest are related to the desire, and unite for the sake of a good life in this world.

This is the way they divide: the screen is called Israel and the desire is called all of the people who only need to connect to those who will do the work that is laid upon Israel.
[52557]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/25/11, Shamati

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Evolution Of Consciousness

Dr. Michael LaitmanWe begin to develop and grow from this world, from the lowest possible reality, which descended from the world of Infinity through 125 degrees, through 5 worlds, to the very lowest point. Having reached this low level, the spark of light broke through to the very last spiritual degree into this world and began to form matter in it.

Matter began to concentrate, form, and unite one particle with another. In this manner began the return to the source—the correction of the breaking. From thereon began our Universe: the still, vegetative, and animate levels of nature.

All these degrees are a result of the unification of matter into more and more complex structures, all the parts of which act in benefit to each other. The power of Light, the power of nature, unite separate elements, and thus form inanimate matter in all its inner diversity. Matter is formed due to the unification of opposite particles according to particular laws.

And then even vegetative matter arises, where opposite particles connect into even more complex structures. They are much more spread apart from each other, but they unite nonetheless. Then animate nature emerges, each part of which feels separate and wishes to maintain its existence in an egoistic form. However, due to the force of nature, each of them still unites with others, and all together they create the animate—an animate body that is able to exist in spite of the fact that inside it exist a contradiction and unification of polar elements.

They are united by a special force—the force of Light, the force of the Creator, the force of mutual bestowal, in spite of the force of creation, an egoistic force that exists inside each. These two forces begin to act in common harmony.

Harmony is impossible if there are not two opposite forces that nonetheless unite for the sake of one goal, a common interest, and some higher state. A higher state means common interests of the body: the vegetative or the animate body. And then, due to development of matter on the animate level, it reaches the level of the human being of this world, which is an even more complex creature—a more aggressive and egoistic one. Every creature from this degree “human being in this world” finds that he is opposite to all other people.

And when he reaches the end of his egoistic development, he reveals that if he wishes to exist further, he needs a second, opposite force—the force of bestowal. The force of egoism developed in him, but what is he to do it with it now? It only destroys us.

At this point we understand that we must receive the force of bestowal, the force of unification. The feeling of the lack of the force of unification, without which we cannot continue, is in fact that feeling of a crisis, the breaking, the destruction of former values. It is revealed directly inside our existence, our life. We discover in absolutely all areas of life, in all the activities of a person in this world, that we cannot reach balance, harmony, and so-called “life.”

After all, life is built on the basis of two forces: reception and bestowal. We cannot exist by acting only with the one force of egoism. Therefore, as a result of our development, our gradual evolution, step by step nature brings us to the conclusion that we also need a second force: the force of unification.
[52548]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/25/11, Shamati

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Every Person Should Adjust Himself From Within

Dr. Michael LaitmanChanges are now required on the part of man. He must change himself internally, rather than changing anything outside of him. The systems that we built, economy, society, and education, were developed according to our growing egoism. But now it is time to stop because we have begun to develop internally in a way that does not accord with our growing egoism, but with the correct form of our ego, the form of bestowal, mutual connection.

Today, the world is revealing the spiritual form. It’s a miracle to see how humanity is acquiring the form of bestowal—total interconnection.

In the beginning, we became separated from each other. There was a breaking on the scale of the universal system, and as a result, no one was connected. But now the system has started to close and we are becoming more and more tightly connected with one another. This is called “the integral world.”

We are revealing the system that is showing us the corrected world. However, it is showing it to us from the outside, while we have to adjust ourselves to it on the inside.

In essence, this is the Creator, the Light being revealed to us! If we bring ourselves into harmony with this connection and universal globalization, and if our desires acquire the corrected form, then the Light will be revealed inside them.

We should try to understand that the old methods are no longer effective and there is nothing we can do with them. This must be acknowledged as a fact. Nothing will help unless we think about connection. There is no other way for us to correct this world.

We will not have any instruments to use in the economic system. Even in the army, the hero that wins does not do so by his own force. Nothing will work in our world besides the power of connection! The more we unite, the sooner we will succeed, and everything will work out in the world and in society, from the inside out.

We have reached the actual implementation of the method of correction, and we cannot escape it. Time obliges us to this.
[51579]
From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/16/11, “The Nation”

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At The Threshold Of Eternity

Dr. Michael LaitmanWe have to create a society that will let all the people in the world move correctly into tomorrow. Otherwise, we will not survive. We see what is happening today, especially in developed countries. And the rest are rapidly approaching them. People are starting to feeling that “there is no tomorrow.” But in fact, this is a wonderful state where we are egoistically breaking away from the past and are entering a neutral state, like being “in limbo.”

Now is exactly the time to show people the following system of relationships that will lead us into the feeling of a completely different state. We are entering the next stage of our development. Just as we evolved from monkeys and gradually developed within our animate state, similarly, today we are beginning to develop within our inner, human state.

Today we are rising to the level called “Adam”—a human being, who is similar to the Upper Force of nature. This force wants to teach us to become integral with it, and that is why this crisis is global and integral.

We have to become similar to nature. By accomplishing this, we begin to understand the internal mechanism that drives us. The inner program of nature is taking us toward a specific goal, while we are not even aware of it. We die without knowing what we lived for. We are born and do not know where and why. We do things instinctively because nature forces us to do them, and nothing more.

In reality, there is a whole program of actions, a causal relationship! Every part of nature has a cause, consequence, and goal. Nothing exists without a purpose. And likewise, we do not exist pointlessly either. We can see this because nature is now raising us to this level now—to the next level of development.

At the current level, we are still just realizing our animate egoism in which we were created and which develops in us. By ascending to the next level, which is global and integral, and becoming globally connected with nature, by changing ourselves in accordance with it, we gradually start perceiving the inner mechanism, the internal thought of the Upper Force of nature. As astrophysics say, the entire universe is a thought. When a person becomes conscious of it, he begins to feel eternity.
[51606]

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All Of Human Development Is The Development Of Connections

Dr. Michael LaitmanA person cannot exist separately from society. We are deliberately built in a way that obligates us to live among other people. This follows from the breaking of the common soul into many particular souls.

In order to reveal the Creator, we have to reveal the broken connection between us and correct it. Then, by attaining His actions, we will attain His perfection. This is why we are built so not one of us is able to live in total isolation. Otherwise he would slide down to the level of an animal. If a person has developed to the human level, then he has to live like a person, meaning use everyone else and also contribute his part to everyone.

The development of humanity should be viewed as the development of connections between us and of our dependence on one another. First only families existed. Then large familial communities began to develop, followed by tribes, then villages, cities, and nations. A few hundred years ago, active international trade began between many countries.

This is exactly why developed nations traveled to conquer other countries and to discover new lands, feeling that they lack connections. The egoistic desire always pushes us toward interconnection and exchange.

That is how we developed the economy, which is a reflection of our inner aspiration to be connected with one another. This is why the entire economy is built upon our egoism, on the will to enjoy that feels that it must win and profit at the expense of everyone else: I give to you, you give to me, and so on. One person was a farmer, another – a craftsman, and by uniting, everyone gained great profit.

It’s clear that it is impossible to stop the evolutionary development and to produce everything by yourself, maintaining a natural household, the way people once did in ancient times. That is how we built all the forms of connections between us. They all agree with our egoistic character, which developed over many millennia and generations until in our time, we suddenly revealed that this connection is no longer as simple as we thought when we looked at things from our ego! Today a different connection is being revealed – one that’s mutual and universal. That is how it is being revealed from nature’s end.

We built the connection in whatever way we wanted to, the way it seemed best for us for establishing profitable connections with one another. We built it by our free desire, following the demands of our egoism. This is what gave rise to politics, society, economy, family, education, and all of the vital systems.

But suddenly, some kind of new connection is being revealed, which is different and contradicts everything I have done until now! That is why a problem emerges and a crisis is breaking out.
[51610]
From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/17/11, “The Nation”

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Let’s Take The Good Path To Unity

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What do you think about the current events and the current tendency, and in particular, how do you feel about the events that have unraveled over the last couple of days in England and Chile?

Unfortunately, the whole world will soon be enveloped in a fire of chaos because there is no remedy for what’s happening, and no one will find it either. Why don’t you wait it out until people see that nothing helps, and will then agree to listen to you?

Many years ago, during his post as Great Britain’s PM, the historian Gordon Brown along with many other influential individuals said that the world is one. They understood that only the unification of all people will give this world the solution to all of its questions and crises. Why, then, didn’t they resolve these questions through unification, by introducing a new kind of upbringing and promulgating the mutual guarantee, as you are doing?

Answer: Throughout all of history, humanity was nudged forward by the egoism that developed individually within every one of us. We aspired to realize and fill it. Our entire existence amounted to this. But in our time nature is not guiding us to develop our egoism further because it has developed to the maximum and has been showing us its emptiness for 50 years now.

Our egoism has become interlinked and that is why we are revealing that we are interconnected. This is what we call “the global world.” In reality, it’s not the world, but us who have become global. And therefore, as scientists ascertain, we should not develop egoistically, but globally, meaning we should correct the connections between us.

That is where all of the world’s scientists came to a halt because no one in the world knows how to do that. And the more disorder surfaces in the world, the more it will signify that the world needs correction more urgently.

Once the world became integral and interconnected, it started being governed by two forces: not just the force of egoism, which pushes us from behind systematically, by nature’s program, the way it did throughout all of its history; but also by the force of attraction toward the goal – to our unified state. However, we have to compel this force to influence us similar to how a child would remain an animal if he did not aspire to become an adult.

The method of Kabbalah is intended to evoke upon us the influence of the force that aspires “forward,” toward unity. Otherwise we will be pressured only by the negative force “from behind,” which will continuously evoke greater global suffering, down to wars. That is why Kabbalah is being revealed precisely at this time. All Kabbalists wrote about this. For example, see Baal HaSulam’s articles “The Revelation of Godliness,” “Mutual Guarantee,” and “Peace in the World.”

Besides, we have to understand that the more suffering is expressed in the world under the influence of the negative force that pushes us forward, the more it indicates that the world needs a force pulling it forward so our movement forward, toward unification will not occur as a result of suffering that chases us on, but by the good path, the good force that sweeps us forward.

Because the nation of Israel was created based on the method of uniting people, according to the principle, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” therefore, even after falling from this moral level it retained an “altruistic gene” that can evoke a force that accelerates progress and sweeps people forward, toward unity. But if Israel does not evoke this force and the world moves toward its goal pressured by suffering, then the nations of the world are right to assert that the nation of Israel is the source of all of the suffering in the world.

Although this nation did not choose to be the conductor of the method of correction, it is unable to free itself from this mission. The suffering of the nations of the world will evoke such great pressure from their end and such fury at the nation of Israel that this will obligate Israel to become the leader in the world’s correction.
[51163]

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Why Are The Rioters So Aggressive?

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Where do the rioters and pillagers in England and earlier – in France, get such a huge force of aggression?

Answer: For the first time in history, the young generation, along with the previous generation – their parents, both realize that the young generation will have a worse life than the previous. And moreover, it’s uncertain whether it will live at all and for how long.

People have always believed that “our children will be better off than we are.” Particularly from the middle of the 20th century on, the following generation lived much better than the previous. But this tendency ended with the completion of egoism’s growth and its closure into an integral system, which we do not correspond to. Therefore, we do not know how to live from here on.

An enormous feeling of uncertainty has emerged, which evokes feelings of fear and then aggression, and the willingness to make any actions just to bring what is happening to light. The solution to the problem lies in upbringing, meaning an explanation of the fact that if we become similar to nature, we become omnipotent like it.

Equivalence to nature means bringing our involuntary, egoistic unification to a voluntary, altruistic, mutual one, until we reach universal love. Inside that love, we will reveal our eternity and perfection, which are present in nature’s very foundation.
[51170]

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The Time Has Come To Complete Our History

Dr. Michael LaitmanUntil now, humanity has not written its own history but fit into it instead. However today, in our new stage of development, we will be the ones completing our history. This opportunity is being given to us for the first time after thousands of years of infancy.

Over the entire course of history, man developed under the rule of egoism, the constant growth of which automatically obligated us to search for the means and ways to satisfy our desires. In this way, nature directed our movement by basically stripping us of the freedom of will. Man did not change himself consciously; rather, nature changed him according to its program.

From our point of view, it appeared as though we changed the environment according to our requests whenever needed, but now the time has come for man to change and correspond to nature. Scientists are beginning to agree with this.

In general, what is “nature” which we have tried to conquer in vain for so long?

When a mother leaves the nursery, leaving her baby to play with his toys, does the baby feel free? Yes. He really enjoys his time alone and doesn’t understand that she is watching him with her attentive and loving eyes. He senses that he is free.

This is how “nature,” the system of governance where we exist, is concealed from us as well. It begets our sensation of freedom, although in reality freedom simply does not exist. This illusion was specifically planned by evolution so that we would develop freely in our egoism, using and following our desires as much as our nature, qualities, and possibilities would allow us.

And we thought this was good, that we could and should develop this way. Social relationships and technologies changed; we constantly changed things, hurried somewhere following the command of our essence, our growing egoistic desires. At the same time, we wanted even greater power over nature. Man did not think about what he was doing; he simply acted on his desires.

When nature gives us certain desires, we can only work within their boundaries. We cannot go beyond them. Food, sex, family, knowledge, fame, money, and power, every person has his own combination of these desires and realizes them accordingly. Nature moves us gradually from the inside, “from behind.” The impulses it awakens in us in combination with the surrounding environment determine everything.

Essentially, I represent an administrative mechanism. Desires awaken within me, certain circumstances happen, but I am limited by my morals, my physical and mental abilities, as well as the norms of my environment, and the common laws of a global nature. In the end, I merely try to realize my desires as much as possible under conditions that were not set up by me. Thus, it turns out that I am no more than an administrative mechanism. The desires and conditions are predetermined, and all this pushes me towards self-realization.

This was our path: Man’s mistakes, his good and bad actions, all of these were necessary and unavoidable in the previous stages of development until the current time. Against his will, man received innate properties and found himself in a particular environment without a choice.

And still, he did not think that all this was predetermined. Like a child, he was simply playing and feeling free due to his mother’s absence, while she simply slipped away from his field of vision.
[50176]
From the Talk about a New Book 7/18/2011

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The Theory Of Two Authorities And The Source Of Human Culture

Dr. Michael LaitmanBaal HaSulam, “The Peace”: They found it difficult to accept the assumption of Nature’s supervision… Consequently, they came to a second assumption that there are two supervisors here: One creates and sustains the good, and the other creates and sustains the evil. They have also greatly elaborated that method with evidence and signs along their way.

As I develop, I encounter different problems, discover new things, and gradually begin to project a copy of myself outwardly, populating the world with my qualities. For example, the computer irritates me by being slow, and I curse the failing machine with all seriousness.

This is instilled in human nature according to the principle of “We will know You by Your actions.” My attitude towards the external world comes from the inner world. Indeed, an objective external reality does not exist: Everything I see externally is a reflection of my qualities.

And for this reason, I transfer the degree of my development to the surrounding world without realizing it, and I expect it to correspond to my standards. Sometimes, when I communicate with people, I wonder sincerely: “How can they not understand or feel the way I do?” I have a deep-rooted requirement for the external world, a firm conviction that it must correspond to my understanding and perception.

This way the ancient approach of nature as a system of impassible and strict laws was replaced with a system of two authorities. People have discovered that nature also has potential and action, cause and consequence, will and unwillingness.

In their imagination, people have endowed it with something like a “soul,” given it reason, a purpose, and started a dialogue with it: “If I do this, the result will be good. If I do that, the result will only be worse. Thus, nature can react in a positive and a negative way. It is like me and other people.”

This way people started attributing their own qualities, desires, thoughts, and intentions to nature. There are two opposite forces in man: good and evil. Accordingly, they also exist in nature. People can either treat me well or badly, I myself can treat others and myself either well or badly, thus nature also has the same division into two forces.

In this case, how do I appease the good force? Or, on the contrary, the evil force? This marks the start of calculations arising from the idea of dual authority.

Moreover, there is an even deeper layer here. There is no way for me to “bring to life,” spiritualize, and endow with independent existence the authority of the single soulless nature. The single authority is always the same. This means it has no reason. How can you plan something when good and evil do not conflict within you, with your making your calculations based on their opposition?

Absolute rule is nature in its pure, mechanical form. But as soon as I attribute two forces to it, good and evil, the calculations begin. After all, I myself do calculations based on the correlation between two possibilities, two forces. And then, once I project myself outwardly, I find them in nature.

This way the resistance begins, but now man regards reality as an authority, power. Unified nature is not enough to account for the current rule, and only two powers put man between two authorities as between two fires. This is our perception of reality. Two authorities presuppose calculations, a plan, a fight of good and evil, and so on.

Religion appears at this point, including mysticism and different “squabbles” with nature. As man develops psychologically, he projects and transfers his inner world onto nature, attributing his own powers and qualities.

This is how beliefs blossom and place deities and idols of all kinds upon a pedestal. As time went by, they became the mythology of the ancient world.

Thus, initially the first theory marked the transition from the animate state: As man distinguished himself from nature and separated himself from it, he became man. And the second theory is connected to the subsequent development, the opposition of good and evil within us, the relationship between man and society. When two opposites arise within us, we can attribute corresponding considerations to nature as well.

This is where human culture originates. In relation to nature, we develop specifically as the human kind, and in this world culture and science are inherent to man by definition. This is exclusively his prerogative, which results from the theory of two authorities. Without it we would not develop culture, which distinguishes us from animals. Culture is everything: from clothes to speech and self-expression.

This is how the human race gradually developed in their perception of the world.
[49950]
From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/1/2011, “The Peace”

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In The Zone Of Choice

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the past egoism spurred us on from behind and from the sides, always leaving the path forward free. However, today the barriers are not arising along the sides, but in front of us. It’s as if a wall rises up before us, leaving us no place to run, nothing we can do.

This state is becoming more and more apparent: I don’t really want anything, I don’t feel that I can keep growing in my egoism. It is incapable of giving me answers to the questions that arise in me today. I have outgrown the previous phases and have entered the next level of questions, the level of adulthood and new necessities.

Food, sex, family—all of these are falling apart, taking on strange, “mutated” forms. Wealth, fame, and knowledge don’t seem to promise me a lot either.

Science is in a crisis and does not answer my questions, even though a mere 50-60 years ago it still seemed like it would give us answers to everything.

Power has become petty in our eyes: We see that its only objective is money. And money…. Is it really worth wasting your entire life on!? My questions have already outgrown any number of zeros that a bank account can display.

When a person loses the necessary “fuel,” emptiness emerges inside of him and he finds himself asking, “What is worth living for? For myself? But I lack fulfillment. For my children? But when they get older, they will leave the nest. And besides, why raise them at all? What bright future do they have ahead? Disintegrating families and a decomposing society?” A person does not feel attached to anything and does not have hopes for anything. That is the kind of impasse that our questions have led us to.

But there is also a completely different reason for the dead-end state: We are exhausting the natural resources. Today it is already clear that human progress won’t be infinite, both from the point of view of our demands and from the point of view of our existence as a whole. If we continue squandering the natural resources at the current rate, then very soon we won’t have any raw materials left even for the vitally necessary products.

90% of what we produce today consists of oil, be it energy, plastic materials, and so on. When the oil reserves end, we will be left with nothing. But nevertheless, we still keep on squandering it.

Thus, on one hand nature places a barrier before us in the form of ecology, climate, and resources, and on the other hand, egoism no longer pushes us forward. It asks questions that we cannot find answers to here, in our world, in this small children’s room where we had so much fun playing until now.

Today the situation already resembles suicide: We are irrationally using up the last remaining resources.

We have to understand that because of this, we find ourselves in the zone of choice. This is where freedom of will emerges, the freedom for us to start understanding the program of our development: “Who are we? Why are we here? What for?”, and together with us, the rest of the world. Now is exactly the time for us to solve this challenge. Otherwise humanity will find itself in a truly hopeless impasse.

In reality the gist of the problem is not the financial crisis, the technology crisis, or the crisis of families. We are in a crisis with ourselves. We have to understand who we are and what we are here for, both from the point of view of nature, which obligates us to this, and from our own point of view. Only then will we be able to set things right inside of us and in the world.
[50172]
From the Talk about a New Book 7/11/2011

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